This Stunning European Road Trip Takes You to 7 Charming Castles in 1 Day

Whether it’s gliding on a Pletna boat through the mirror-like waters of Lake Bled or riding a train into a cave with baby dragons, life is like a storybook in Slovenia. Cobblestone stone streets in the city centers give way to verdant valleys in the countryside, sprinkled with 150 castles throughout the country — and there’s perhaps no region more fairytale-like than Posavje, known as the nation’s land of castles.

“The magnificent castles tell stories of their own, which together make up a unique potpourri of cultural heritage experiences,” the tourism board said on its site.

A cluster of seven Posavje castles — Brežice, Kunšperk, Mokrice, Rajhenburg, Sevnica, and Svibno, plus a former Cistercian monastery called Kostanjevica na Krki — has been dubbed The Royal Seven, and can be visited all in a day on a on a day tour offered year-round. “Each castle has its own character to delight visitors,” the organization added. “You’ll find a wealth of experiences during your castle wanderings in Posavje.”

The trip starts in the thermal riviera at Terme Čatež, with highlights including visits through Mokrice Castle and its English park, Brežice Castle and its painted Knight’s Hall, and Sevnica Castle with a chance to meet Countess Mathilde Arco Zinneberg, who was the last owner.

Also part of the experience is a visit to Rajhenburg Castle, where visitors can forge their own horseshoe in the blacksmith workshop, make chocolate, and enjoy lunch in its on-site restaurant, Restaurant A3. At the Kostanjevica na Krki Monastery, following a tour of the printing house, there’s also the opportunity for guests to personalize graphics. 

There’s also a walk along the Sava River’s Savus educational trail, as well as a traditional four-course dinner at Gostilna Jež in Radeče.

All along the way, guests will “discover the most exciting castle stories and legends from the past, which take you back to the times of powerful noble families and their destinies,” the tourism board said of the “carefully interwoven and coordinated learning experience about cultural heritage.”

English-language tours start at around $900 per person with a minimum of seven on a tour; $1,127 per person for a maximum of four; or $1,290 for two people. For more information, visit the tour’s page or reach out to agencija@rra-posavje.si to book.