Guide: Lower Carniola and Bela Krajina

Lower Carniola and Bela Krajina

For the lower part of the former duchy of Carniola in Slovenian the name Dolenjska (Lower Carniola) became accepted and the land stretches from the Basin of Ljubljana all the way to the border with Croatia.

 
The largest town in Dolenjska is Novo mesto, while Krka is the most typical river of the region. The river Krka flows through a narrow valley along sunny wine-growing hills, on which the famous red wine cviček is grown.

Along the river or even on it the people of the region built numerous mills and saws but also amazing castles. The highest and the most famous ‘mountain’ range of Dolenjska is certainly Gorjanci with the highest peak Trdinov vrh 1178 meters above the sea level and a healing spring ‘Pri Gospodični'.

Dolenjska is a land with numerous hot springs and spas: Dolenjske Toplice, Šmarješke Toplice, and Terme Čatež, but is no less known for its old monastery complexes, such as the Cistercian monastery of Stična and Kostanjevica na Krki, as well as the only still active Carthusian monastery Pleterje.  

The most southern part of Dolenjska is called Bela Krajina (White March) that continues all the way to the border with Croatia.
The region can be described as a typical region of Karst and is recognized by white birch trees. Bela Krajina is known also for its white folk costume made of linen and differs from the traditional Slovenian folk costume as it is completely white.

The people of Bela Krajina dressed in their costumes like to dance their circular dances with lively playing of their typical local version of guitar. The typical figure of Bela Krajina that is chasing the winter away – the Green George also wears this costume even though he also wears a ‘coat’ of young birch tree branches above it.