Tržič - A Trip Around Town
It was a public holiday here in Slovenia this Wednesday (Day of Uprising Against Occupation), so we had planned – weather permitting – to do a long hike in the Tržič area. However, it had rained heavily the previous day, and all night too. Although it had stopped by the morning, there were still threatening black clouds and, of course, soaked and muddy paths. So, in the end we waited until the afternoon, by which time the sun had come out, then went to Tržič anyway, albeit for a shorter, but nonetheless pleasant and revealing, afternoon trip, or rather Town in a day!
It’s amazing how much more you see when you take time and explore all the various nooks and crannies of a place on foot. And Tržič certainly one of those places that has far more than initially meets the eye.
We started by taking the path up to St. Joseph’s church. The path starts at the scarp wall, in close proximity to and opposite the main bus station, where there is a gap in the wall and steps leading up to a road.
Cross the road and take the path immediately opposite, where there is a shrine and the usual Slovenian red and white circular trail markers.
From there it’s only around a 5-minute walk uphill to reach the church, from where there are beautiful views over the old town of Tržič.
You can return on the same path or take one of the other paths back down towards the old town (note: there is also a marked hiking trail from the church up to Kriška gora).
On returning towards the old town, take time to ‘meet’ Tržič’s dragon, before setting off on a discovery of the old town itself. Click here to find out about the legend of the dragon from a rooster’s egg.
At the entrance to the old town centre in Trg svobode (Freedom Square) you can see the last remaining original ‘firbec oken‘ window – a window for the inquisitive, or rather, putting it less politely, the nosy! The bottom of the window protrudes outward, thus allowing those looking from the window to be able to look directly out and down at those below them.
If you want a break, Mestna kavarna (town cafe) is the ideal place. This popular local meeting place offers a wide selection of ice-cream and numerous cakes.
Next, continue to the corner house opposite St. Andrew’s church.
Continue past the church, to reach Muzejska ulica (Museum Street) on the left. Tržič Museum is housed in the former Pollak dyehouse and tannery, which dates from 1811.The museum’s numerous collections take you through Tržič’s historic industries including shoemaking, leather, crafts, trade, winter sports, local history, and art. As I found out on a previous visit (https://adeleinslovenia.com/2019/01/02/rediscover-trzic-with-adele-in-slovenia/), the museum is far more interesting than one might think and has numerous interactive exhibits, so it’s definitely worth a visit and an ideal place to go on a rainy day.
After visiting the museum, or at least admiring it from the outside, return to the main road, where directly opposite you will see Picerjia Pod gradom (Pizzeria beneath the castle) – another option for a rest and a bite to eat, or even a hearty meal.
Walk up the hill past the pizzeria to get another great view over the town – this time from the opposite side. From here you have a choice; you can either continue onwards and upwards towards Kamnek for magnificent views (hiking footwear required) or take the steps back down towards the old town, from where you can see Kurnik House (Kurnikova hiša), a preserved, traditional Tržič house with a black smoke kitchen, the birthplace of the Slovenian poet Vojteh Kurnik.
Finally, take time to admire the views from one of the many bridges over the Bistrica stream.
Find out more about this and other walks, attractions and what else to see and do in the Tržič area here or call into the Tourist Information Centre.
© Adele in Slovenia