1. Glavni trg - the Main square

The central part of the old town is the largest medieval square in Slovenia.  After a complete renovation, it has become a lively living room of the town and an attractive venue for town events.  The square got its characteristic design in the 16th century, when it was considered one of the most beautiful in the country.  The houses have characteristic stone arcades, and some have atrium courtyards.  The once heavily congested square is now reserved for pedestrians and cyclists.

2. The town hall - Rotovž

The two-storey building with an accentuated central part and an arcaded ground floor was built in 1905 on the site of the previously  demolished rotovž.  The main façade boasts historical neo-Romanesque and the neo-Gothic building elements.  There is a story connected with the construction of the rotovž. Some say it was supposedly built with cviček wine.  During the construction water ran out so the masons replaced it with local wine.

Glavni trg 7

3. Novo Mesto Tourist Information Centre

This is where you get all the information about accommodation, cuisine, events, culture, sports and other opportunities for active leisure.  Guided tours of the town and its surroundings can be arranged.  A rich selection of tourist souvenirs is available on the premises of the TIC.  You can also get to know the town and its surroundings by bike. Choose among regular and electric mountain bikes for rent.

Glavni trg 11, T: 07 39 39 263

The Breg

The street, which grew on the remains of a part of the town walls at the end of the 18th century, is the most often painted cityscape of the Slovenian towns.  A row of terraced residential houses is leaning against the remains of the wall and the bedrock of the steep slope above the river.  The residents of the street were engaged in growing and selling vegetables, doing laundry, drying meat and renting out rooms to subtenants, especially students.  Most of the buildings have a typical structure: a partially dug in basement, living quarters on the ground floor and a characteristic balcony.

5. The Krka river

The largest river in Dolenjska, which initially has an unpredictable karst character, eats into the bedrock in the Novo mesto area.  It flows through the town in two beautiful turns.  The old part of the town is squeezed into the inner side of the Krka’s bend.  The river, which attracts with its liveliness upstream, offers relaxed boating and paddling experiences in the Novo mesto area.

6. Božidar Jakac’s birthplace

The painter and graphic artist Božidar Jakac (1899 – 1989) spent his early childhood in a house where you can now see a memorial plaque.  His family spent the following years in a building at the nearby Sokolska ulica street.  The former hotel is now called Jakčev dom, where the Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto exhibits works from the collection of as many as 828 works of art donated by the artist himself to his home town.  The collection also includes his characteristic cityscapes of the Breg – the “row of irregular old houses”.

Cvelbarjeva ulica 9

The Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto

The Dolenjska Museum in the historic Križatija building displays an exceptional archaeological heritage of excavations in Novo mesto, in which finds from the Early Iron Age (8th – 4th century BC) have a special significance.  Here, you can also learn about the ethnological heritage of the peasant and artisan way of life in the Dolenjska region, and recent history from the end of the 19th century to the end of the Second World War. The permanent Leon Štukelj (1898 – 1999) exhibition presents the life of the most successful Slovenian athlete in terms of the number of medals won at the Olympic Games.

Muzejska ulica 7, T: 07 373 11 30

8. The Kapiteljski grič hill

The town of Novo mesto lies on seven hills.  The first and the highest of them is the lookout point Kapiteljski grič (253 m), named after the Collegiate Chapter, a church institution from 1493.  On the hill that dominates the town streets are also Šance – a part of the preserved and restored defensive walls right next to the Kapitelj gardens.  There is a scenic walking path along the walls.

S9. The cathedral church of st. Nicholas

The Gothic church on top of Kapiteljski grič is the most famous town monument and a key symbol of the Novo mesto cityscape.  In the town’s oldest sacral building, first mentioned as early as 1428, the large altar is adorned with a painting by the famous painter Tintoretto from the 16th century.  In addition to Tintoretto’s only work of art in Slovenia, the crypt of the first bishop of Vienna and a bronze relief door with depictions of the 650-year history of Novo mesto invite you to the church

Kapiteljska ulica, Kapiteljski grič

10. Novi trg - the New square

The newer city centre is represented by a square with a parking lot, a garage, business and public buildings, a post office, a bank and various bars.  Here, the Janez Trdina Cultural Center is located with a top offer of theatre, music, film and other events.

11. The Kette avenue

More than 300 wild chestnut trees keep you company  on a 1.5-kilometre route from the city centre over the Marof hill to the suburban Bršljin.  The tree-lined avenue, planted as early as 1891, is one of the town’s most beautiful promenades.  It is named after the poet Dragotin Kette (1876 – 1899), who created his greatest works in Novo mesto.  He lived in a house near the avenue and attended the local grammar school.

12. The Marof prehistoric settlement

Novo mesto is an important European site with the most discovered Iron Age bronze buckets – situlae. The hill with important archaeological sites was inhabited as early as the first millennium BC.  The prehistoric settlement consisted of a higher acropolis, fortified with an earth defence embankment, and a lower part.  A sandy circular theme path leads through Marof, which, in addition to presenting the settlement and life in the time before our era, offers beautiful views of the city.

13. Ragovski most bridge

This attractive wooden bridge has connected the town with the Ragov log forest since 1987.  On one bank of the Krka is Jerebova ulica street with the European Union Park, and on the other side is the town forest.  The area around the bridge, which was renovated in 2008, offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities.

Jerebova ulica

14. The Ragov log forest

The town forest is full of walking and running trails. An educational trail is also arranged here. This popular green junction of the town, the river and the trees was once called Vragovo (the Devil’s).  From here, the devil supposedly controlled the lives of the locals. Then a cunning farmer made a bet with him.  If the devil managed to build a dam across the river in one day, the farmer would hand over his son, otherwise the devil would have to fold up his tents.  He failed. Even today you can see a hole in the dam and a rock on the river bank, which the devil could not get to the dam in time.

15. The Franciscan monastery

The gardens with access to the Krka, which can be observed from the opposite bank, invite you to explore the heritage of the monastery, which has had a significant impact on the life of the town since the 15th century. The monastery built in 1472 and rebuilt after a fire in 1664, houses the oldest library in the town.  There is also a wine cellar in the building. You can arrange for tours and tasting of spirits at the Novo mesto Tourist Information Centre.

Frančiškanski trg 1

16. Kandijski most bridge

The iron road bridge that connects the old town with the hinterland was built in 1898.  The riveted structure, which crosses the Krka in a single, 75 m long arch is one of the rarest and oldest structures of this kind in Slovenia.

Glavni trg

17. Župančič promenade

Župančič promenade connects the old town and the area along the Bršljin stream.  The walk, which begins in Pugljeva ulica street, takes you along the embankment all the time.  There are benches for stops and sports areas as well as the popular Loka inn.

18. The town beach

The Loka Sports Park and the Portoval Sports Park with tennis courts invite you to recreation on both banks of the Krka River, which are connected by a footbridge.  On the right bank is the town beach, where you can rent a sup or a wooden boat.  This is an excellent starting point for exploring the town from the river.  Direct your sup under the two bridges and see the Breg and the Franciscan Monastery from a new perspective

Beach Bar Loca, Topliška cesta 2c, T: 064 12 99 22