Kromberk Castello
If you are heading anywhere near the top of the Vipava valley or the lower Soca valley belowf Nova Gorica and just 40 mins direct from the Lodge, then do have a think about dropping in to see the lovely renaissence Kromberk castle.. Italian style.
This cute little castle offers a different look and feel to other castles in Green Slovenia, being so close to Italy AND built during renaissence times.. So it has a more relaxed country manor house feel about it rather than a defensive role. It is also nestled under beautiful vineyard covered hills.
But this is a secret place you could easily miss even if you were looking out for it! If you are taking the leisurely country road through the Vipava wine valley, then you will see a sign for the castle just before Nova Gorica.. if you are hurtling along the motorway there is actually a sign for the castle that you must follow to exit before Nova Gorica and get onto this country road.
Just follow the little brown sign before (coming from Vipava direction) 2 petrol stations, then tootle up past green fields into the village of Kromberk and turn into what feels like a huge wine estate to go up to the castle.
The castle is like a regional museum for Nova Gorica, so it has local and national artwork exhibitions and another fab room with big religious paintings, but what really sets it apart for us are the really cool floors, with every room covered in different antique wooden tiles or stone.. and a most sinister exhibition on the first floor..
Yes a little room upstairs would be the stand out reason for you to come visit here.. As background, we have heard a little about the period of Slovenian history between the two World wars, but never seen any evidence.. well after WW1, Slovenia was free of the crumbled and defeated Austrian empire, most of the country became part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.. apart from this south western corner (incuding Lipizzaner Lodge), which came under Italian rule (and on a positive note did win the World cup twice)!
We had heard that in a time less than one hundred years ago this rule was brutal with the Italian language being forced upon the Slovenians. People were made to change their names, school kids were educated in Italian..
Well here in this museum you can see some evidence of this shameful period in the build up to the nastiness of Italian facism, the only problem is that the display is currently only in Slovenian, so unless you can speak a bit of Italian to read the decrees and signs, you might completely miss this historic exhibition.
We did mention the need for at least some English and German translations for this display to the lovely museum staff, who seemed surprised that people from the rest of the world would actually like to know more about this period.. well, we think you would agree that we would like to know more please and you can find out more at Kromberk castle!
Make time to stroll the gardens outside the castle, which are very nice indeed with boxed lawns, lots of shady trees, stone exhibits and a fountain.. all of this with those vineyards in the background. There is no need to bring a picnic as this is a castle with a newly installed restaurant into the side of the building next to the car park.. so give it a go!
Kromberk is a totally different castle option for you.. well worth a short visit and stop for lunch or dinner, but we always recommend calling first just to check if they are open, tel 00386 533 598 11 (they are always closed on a Monday).
There are several other fantastic castles in and around Nova Gorica and our French guests are often shocked to learn that the last French king is buried in a beautiful monastery in the Slovenian side of Gorica!
So we do hope you do not just whizz along the motorway missing most of what the Vipava valley has to offer and instead, take the country road, relax and enjoy some of the little treasures hidden in Slovenia's biggest Green Secret valley.
French Connection en Slovenie
