Visit Celje Castle in Slovenia, a Dog-Friendly Attraction

Celje Castle in Slovenia is a must-visit attraction in the city and is rather quiet during the autumn months. The walk through the forest to reach Celje Castle is very nice, and the views from the towers of the medieval fortress are spectacular. This is especially true when the autumn leaves are changing.

The castle overlooks the city, and reaching the fortress via the forest is a fantastic, albeit steep, dog walk. Celje Castle is also rather educational about regional and Slovenian history, as well as the castle’s history. As a bonus, the site is dog-friendly, as are other places in Celje.

Celje Castle History

Celje Castle, or Stari Grad, is a castle ruin which was formerly the seat of the Counts of Celje. The earliest reference to the castle dates from 1322 and is the first fortified building on the site. Subsequently, a Romanesque palace was built in the first half of the 13th century by the Counts of Heunburg.

Walking to Celje Castle

There was no clear public transport information about getting to Celje Castle, including on Google Maps. Apparently, according to Google, the quickest way was walking. Thus, I put my boots on, grabbed some hydration and set off from the dog-friendly Hotel Faron.

The first was to follow the river towards the castle; along the banks of the river, you can see the fortress from many points, including the bridges. Next up was following the railway line, then into the woods.

The woods had signposts that matched my Komoot app, so I was happy I was going the right way, even though it was steep. The climb uphill went through some beautiful forest that was in full-on autumn mode.

Once at the top, you see some cliffs that are part of the fortifications. There were handy seats here to catch your breath. From here, you follow the castle’s walls clockwise to end up at the main entrance.

Entry & Tickets

On my visit to the castle, it was pretty straightforward. After the uphill walk, I entered the ticket office and purchased a ticket with a payment card at reception. The entry ticket set me back 7 euros, and as a bonus, you could get 1 euro off at the cafe with the ticket. Happy days – they sell beer.

Is Celje Castle dog-friendly?

When I visited the city, I could find no information on whether the castle was dog-friendly. Thus, I left Henry at our hotel while I visited on a solo adventure. On arrival at the main entrance, I was greeted with a sign that said dogs on leads are welcome. That’s a shame; Henry would have loved sniffing around the site. I also checked with the ticket office, and they clarified that the site is dog-friendly. As a bonus, they had some water bowls, dog bins and even free poo bags on the site.

What To See At Celje Castle in Slovenia

They display the history of the castle throughout the site and are rather interesting, including the evolution of the castle. You can see how the residents lived, too. They also have a torture museum, as many other castles do throughout Europe.

Old Castle & Tourist Information

The old castle’s tourist information and toilets are near the entrance and ticket office. This is the way in or out, and a great place to find out more about your visit. You can also find the cafe nearby here.

On the roof of this part of the castle, there are some excellent views into the mountains south towards Lasko.

Eastern Inner Ward

The Eastern Inner Ward is a lovely grassy area with picnic tables to sit and enjoy the sunshine and some food. You can also explore the fortifications here and enjoy the views to the south of the castle. There is also an archery range here; unfortunately, it was not open on the quiet weekday I visited. This is also the location of the grapevine, which is easily found when mooching around the battlements.

Old Vine

Celje Castle is another of Slovenia’s castles with a descendant of the world’s oldest grapevine. Bled Castle has a more established vine in its upper courtyard. The oldest is in the town of Maribor and is fascinating to see while doing some wine tasting.

Frederick’s Tower & Panoramic Point

Frederick’s Tower was the highlight for me, mostly because of its top-drawer viewpoint. You can see the entire castle from here, which is framed by the beautiful mountains of Slovenia. To reach the tower, I crossed the wooden walkway, then climbed the stairs.

The counts of Celje built Frederick’s Tower in the 14th century as a defensive tower. They intended it to be the last line of defence from invaders. The tower is 23 metres high with 3-metre-thick walls. They built the entrance on the first floor to make it more difficult to attack. Hence, the need to cross the walkway to enter the tower.

Also inside the tower is the Theatre of Horror, basically a museum of torture equipment. They have a few torture devices with information on how they used them.

Wooden Walkway

On the inside of the castle walls, there is a raised walkway that joins the Tower Above Pelikan’s Trail and Frederick’s Tower. The walkway has various steps to climb between the two. However, the views along the walkway are splendid.

Central Courtyard & Well

The courtyard separates the two ends of the castle and is a fantastic place to see the entire building. The courtyard has a well, a grassy area and some form of theatre seats to sit on. There were no performances on my visit; however, it looks set up to do shows.

Defensive Trench & Drawbridge

There is now a wooden walkway across a defensive moat. It is a good place to view the castle buildings.

Tower Above Pelikan’s Trail

The Tower Above Pelikan’s Trail is the most educational part of the castle. It’s a sort of museum to depict life back in the day. This included mock living quarters, armour or weapons used at the castle and the chronicler’s room.

Gothic & Romanesque Palatium

The two palatiums were the former residential areas of the castle. Sadly, I could not access this on my visit.

Viewing Platform

The viewing platform to the rear of the palatium was also a fantastic spot to see the city and countryside from above.

The viewpoint has an information board describing what you see below and some of Celje’s history, and is apparently the most beautiful view of the city. I agree; the view is uninterrupted, and you can see the entire area clearly.

Refreshments

At the castle, they also have a pleasant cafe where you can enjoy lunch out or just a drink. You can sit inside or outside depending on the weather. It was sunny on my visit, so I enjoyed soaking up some rays while enjoying a Union beer or two.

Fun Activities & Children’s Play Area

The castle is engaging for adults; however, it’s great fun for younger visitors too. Celje Castle has some fun activities on site during peak season, including archery. They also have a children’s play area with climbing frames and an oversized chessboard.

Is Celje Castle Worth Visiting?

Overall, Celje Castle was well worth visiting, as it is an excellent attraction for its history and the stunning views of this part of Slovenia. The views of the nearby countryside were splendid, as was the walk through the forest to reach the attraction. They were quiet on my visit, so I had most of the castle to myself, which enhanced the day. As a bonus, the reasonably priced beer and refreshments were welcome. This is one of my favourite castles in the Balkans, the other being Bled Castle.