In Šmarješke Toplice, you enter a world of vineyards, meadows, forests, legends, and thermal embraces. Fifty years ago, the rural environment remains only partially preserved, as agriculture is now merely a supplementary activity. The vineyards are impeccably maintained, and excellent cviček wine is diligently produced, which you can taste at the wine fountain. The town is renowned for spa tourism, with a modern thermal center. Nature offers sports activities and experiences, as well as the exploration of a rich cultural heritage.
Klevevž comprises the Upper Klevevška Cave, the ruins of Klevevž Castle, the Lower Klevevška Cave with a hypothermal spring (the only known thermal cave), and the Radulja Gorge starting at Klevevška Toplica. In its upper course, Radulja forms waterfalls and jumps in a wild canyon. The hypothermal spring Klevevška Toplica (21–25 °C) is suitable for bathing. At the confluence of Laknica and Radulja are the marshy Zdravci, which flood the plain during rain, providing a home for rare birds and animals. Century-old willows along the Radulja complete the picture of the area.
We warmly recommend all travelers to visit the House of Living Heritage with the exhibition “From Nature to the Future.” There, you will discover the lives of the inhabitants of this area from prehistoric times to the present day, including the heritage of winemaking and culinary traditions.
In the center of the spa park in Šmarješke Toplice, along the botanical path, there is a small lake fed by a hot spring, where an extremely rare plant species – the Indian lotus – has been growing for years. In summer, the surface of the lake is dense with large waxy leaves, while above the water, hundreds of delicate pink flowers bloom. Natural habitats of this lotus are now rare only in some parts of Asia and Australia. The notion that the Indian lotus cannot survive winter here prevailed for a long time, making its presence in Šmarješke Toplice even more exceptional.
The Church of St. Mary in Šmarjeta was built between 1909 and 1928, replacing an older medieval church. Its architecture reflects the time of its construction, while the interior furnishings are the work of renowned Slovenian artists. The church houses a magnificent painting of the Crucifixion from the 17th century, transferred from the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Slapi. It is surrounded by a stone wall that once marked the boundaries of the parish cemetery, abandoned in 1948. On the facade, there is a memorial plaque to those who fell in World War I, unique in the Dolenjska region.
From the top of the bell tower, reached by 126 steps, spreads a magnificent view.
