Brdo pri Kranju, the castle where Slovenia hosts heads of state

What Brdo Castle is

The estate covers almost 500 fenced hectares beside the village of Predoslje, near the Gorenjska motorway. It’s split into two enclosures, the 70-hectare castle park and a closed forest of almost 430 hectares that serves as a natural wildlife reserve. The whole estate is listed as a cultural monument and a natural asset of national importance, and it lies within the Natura 2000 network.

The castle, whose origins go back to the 15th century, was the first Renaissance castle in Carniola and has passed the half-millennium mark. Several noble families lived there, and in the 20th century it housed Yugoslavia’s ruling Karađorđević family and later President Josip Broz Tito. Today it’s the official venue for the Republic of Slovenia’s protocol events.

Can you visit the inside?

Rarely. The tourist board says the castle opens to the public only during European Heritage Days. The rest of the year it’s the park you visit, and that’s where the appeal lies. On a stroll you pass the castle exterior, the old outbuilding, the former orangery, a traditional Slovenian beehive and toplarji, the straw-roofed double hayracks so typical of the country. The estate calls it Slovenia in miniature, and it has a point.

Things to do in Brdo park

The park opens every day, with the hours in the table above, and day and annual tickets are sold at reception by the entrance. It can close for protocol events, so the estate recommends ringing ahead. Dogs aren’t allowed.

Beyond the walk there are rides in historic carriages for up to five adults, riding programmes with Brdo’s eight Lipizzaners, wildlife-watching trips in the closed section, cycling by the lakes and a nine-hole golf course below the Kamnik-Savinja Alps. If golf is your thing, see golf in Slovenia.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Kranj on Expedia and filter by area before price.

Sleeping and eating at Brdo

At the heart of the estate is the Elegans Hotel Brdo, with 123 rooms. The tourist board praises its cooking, rooted in traditional Slovenian dishes, and its wellness centre, which takes only 12 guests at a time. The same state company that runs Brdo also manages Vila Bled and Strmol Castle near Cerklje.

How I’d visit

I’d come in the morning, walk the park without hurrying and have lunch in Kranj old town. If you’re into 20th-century history, Brdo says a lot about how Yugoslavia and then Slovenia have used estates like this to receive their guests. For the rest of the region, start with Gorenjska.

If you are short on time, see the best tours in Brdo Castle and pick one that fits your day.

To sleep close to everything, search places to stay in Kranj on Booking.com and filter by area before price.