Third largest city in Slovenia, Celje is not a famous touristic location. However, I recommend the detour to visit the old Celje Castle where you can admire magnificent views of the region and the old center.
Below is my guide to help you plan your visit with tips, map and photos.
Before my tips + photos, here are my favorites for Slovenia:
My favorite platform to rent a car in Slovenia: DiscoverCars
My favorite adventure from Bovec: Kayak on the Soca River
My favorite excursion from Ljubljana: Postojna Cave and Predjama castle
My favorite places to stay:
- Lubljana, central – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Lesar Hotel Angel
- Bled, iconic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Vila Bled
- Bovec, outdoorsy – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Dobra Vila
- Piran, historic – see the best rated hotels or my favorite hotel: Hotel Piran
Why visit the town and castle of Celje in Slovenia?
Celje, a Major Slovenian City
Celje is the 3rd largest town in Slovenia after Ljubljana and Maribor. It is the Styria region‘s center.
It is located at the confluence of 4 rivers, hence its strategic importance. It has a long and rich history and a fantastic atmosphere. It is one of my favorite cities in Slovenia.
Just the views from the old castle dominating the city are worth the stop!
Video – Virtual tour
Below is a short video to give you an overview of the pleasure it is to stroll to streets of the Celje old town and to climb the towers of the Celje Castle:
More photos after the planning tips.
PLANNING TIPS & Map – Celje, Slovenia
How to get to Celje – Location & Map
- Celje is very easy to access East from Ljubljana or from the airport. It is by the motorway midway between the capital city and Maribor.
- Ljubljana to Celje – 50min drive on motorway
- Maribor to Celje = 40min drive on motorway
- Bled to Celje = 1h20 drive on motorways
- Celje is also accessible by train from Ljubljana – 1h to 1h30 depending on the train – Check out train options and prices
- Below is a simplified map to help you get oriented and locate Celje:
If you are traveling by car on a road trip, you can find GPS coordinates of carparks for the town and the castle in my Travel Guide eBook, that helps you easily plan your road trip:
Plan your dream trip in Slovenia thanks to my guide
- 7 maps to easily plan your itinerary
- 100+ pre-selected locations
- 16+ extra ideas
- GPS + info to make the most of your time
- 190+ original photos to help you choose
Visiting Celje
- I recommend spending at least 1 day to enjoy the museums, history and nature of Celje
- However, Celje can also be a central point for holidays with easy access to many regions (1h30 to Lake Bled, 1h15 to Logar Valley) and with some nice hikes very close by
- Note that access to the castle can be by car to a carpark at the top. But there is still a slope and stairs to reach the inside
- Inside the old castle are facilities and a snack bar
- Old Celje castle opening hours – at least 10am to 4pm but longer in Summer (9am to 9pm) – see latest here
- Small entrance fee
- Events are often organized in the castle – medieval festivals, concerts, weddings…
Need to rent a car in Slovenia?
My tips:
- Compare prices on my favorite platform: Discovercars.com – one of the best rated comparison sites!
- Choose a car with enough power for the mountain roads
- Consider their full coverage option – it for peace of mind!
- Book early to have a large choice of vehicles!
Celje Hotels & Accommodations
Celje is not yet very touristic, so the choice of accommodations is not as important as in other towns.
- IN THE CITY – to stay in the old town, you can sleep at Hotel Evropa, on the main square – Check out photos and availability
- BUDGET – for a cheaper option, the MCC hostel is also conveniently located in the center – Check out photos and availability
- B&B – for something smaller and cozy not too far from the center, consider the Bed & Breakfast Dvorec – Check out photos and availability
- Or check all accommodations in the Celje Area
A short Celje History
- Traces of settlement in the area date back to the early iron age
- During the Roman period, it was known as Celeia (references have been found with many names and spelling such as Cylia, Zellia, Celee…)
- During the Middle Age it became a market settlement which marked a turning point in the history of the city. This is when it started flourishing under the Counts of Cilli
- The original castle built during the 12th century was smaller than the actual one
- Many evolutions happened throughout the centuries until it was abandoned in the 18th century
- At that time, stones from the old castles were used in the construction of other buildings in the area
- During the Second World War, Celje was occupied by the Nazi
Visiting the Celje Castle, Slovenia
Entrance
Now let’s head to the mountains to visit the old castle of Celje.
The front wall with the entrance is already very impressive.
Contrary to other Slovenian castles and monasteries, I have found the restoration work on this castle more discreet.
Celje Castle entrance
Lower grounds
I really love those square towers. The Zice monastery has some too, and I find the architecture particularly attractive. Maybe because I am more of a square person than a circle one. LOL.
This tower is 3 story-high and called the ‘tower above the Pelikan’s trail’. It was erected at the beginning of the 16th century.
Frederick’s tower
The tallest structure at the top of the hill is the Frederick’s tower, named after one of the of Counts of the Cilli dynasty. It was erected during the 14th century and is 23m high.
The walls are 3m thick!!!
Stairs allow you to navigate along the defensive wall and to climb all the way to the top of the tower for magnificent views.
However, know that the spacing between the steps can be difficult for those with vertigo.
Old Castle of Celje – History
The earliest written reference to the Old Castle of Celje is from 1323.
It was given its today’s size and appearance by the Counts of Celje. They were quite powerful in those days. The first Count to move to the Castle was Friderik I and he made many changes.
Later, Herman II used the Friderik Tower as a dungeon to lock up his son Friderik II after his forbidden love and marriage to Veronika Deseniška.
After the demise of the Counts of Celje, the castle was inherited by the Habsburg dynasty who left it to their burgraves.
Tips
- Make sure you wear good shoes to climb those stairs
- There is a café with snacks at the lower level
- Events are held such as the traditional medieval festival – make sure to check the dates
I don’t drink coffee 
But I also like other drinks and sweets!
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Views from Celje Grad Slovenia
Views from the Frederick’s Tower
As I said, if you climb all the way to the top of the Frederick’s Tower, you get 360° views of the area.
On one side you can see beautiful lush mountains with small villages.
Notice one of the rivers arriving at Celje.
On the other side, you have the famous view which combines the Old Celje Castle with the Old town:
And on another side even more hills!!!
View from the lookout
If you can’t climb all the way to the top of the Frederick tower, you can walk past the Gothic palatium and the Drawbridge to reach a viewing platform. From there you can see very well the old town of Celje with the orange roofs.
I recommend bringing binoculars to appreciate all the details of the scenery (you can have a look at my guide to choosing your binoculars)
Other things to do in Celje old town
And now we head to the center of the old town…
Celje has some rich museums, but if you only have a couple hours, just strolling in the streets of Celje is very enjoyable. It was one of my favorite cities in Slovenia.
Main Square
Start at the square coming from the train lines. Here you can see the Celje Hall, a community center and venue for concert (celjski Dom)
Churches & Cathedral
There are several small places and many streets are pedestrian which is really enjoyable.
In the picture below you can see the tower of St Daniel’s church. Originally from the 13th century with a single nave and 2 towers it has evolved over time. It is the Celje cathedral.
Below is the Virgin Mary’s assumption church, originally from the 13th century and part of the Minorite monastery disbanded in 1808.
Visitor center & Ruins
Don’t miss a visit to the Visitor center where you can see some remains of the older town. There is actually a whole town beneath the current one called Roman Celeia.
Palace and Regional Museum
The regional museum, the second oldest in Slovenia, is located in Princely Palace and Old Counts Mansion (sometimes referred to as the Lower Celje castle).
During the 14th and 15th centuries, this mansion was the residence of the counts of Celje.
Inside, the museum offers great insights into the regional history as well as contemporary art.
This is where you can see the archeological exhibition of the older town under the current one.
Check out the exhibitions you could enjoy inside here.
Museum of recent history
This museum about contemporary life in Celje has several locations around the city:
- Former Town Hall (Neoclassical building)
- Minorite monastery used by the Nazis
- Josip Pelkan’s photography studio
Savinja River Walk & Town Park
Another enjoyable activity is to walk along the Savinja river. A walking path has been set up. The environment is quiet and you can see the old castle on top of the hill in front of you.
More attractions and activities around Celje
Hiking around Celje
As everywhere in Slovenia, the area of Celje is great for outdoor activities: hiking, cycling…
For hiking, the highlight is the small mountain of Grmada that reaches 718 metres. The hike is moderate.
Water sports
If you are looking for a refreshing outing, you can head to Smartinsko Jezero, a small reservoir lake on the Koprivnica River. Not the views of Lake Bled or Lake Bohinj, but, in Summer, you can rent kayaks, paddleboards or pedalos…
It is located 15min North from Celje.
Zice Monastery
And, if you are looking for a very peaceful location, I recommend the 30min drive from Celje to the Zice Charterhouse.
It is a fascinating building niched between hills. You can learn more about their wine making and pharmacy.
Want to see more of what Slovenia has to offer?
- Best things to do in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful landscapes in Slovenia – read article
- Best castles in Slovenia – read article
- Most beautiful towns in Slovenia – read article
Planning a trip to Slovenia?
Check out my travel guide to help you plan:
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- 16+ extra ideas
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