Šmartno, the medieval fortress of the Brda hills

A walled village since 1317

The village, ringed by walls and defensive towers, first appears in the records in 1317. In the first half of the 1500s a large camp against the Turks, a medieval fortress, was built around the church on the remains of a Roman outpost, and it served in the wars between Venice and the Habsburgs. It worked as a frontier fortress until the mid-18th century, when the Venetian threat had passed. There are more fortresses around the country in the guide to castles in Slovenia.

St Martin’s church

The houses cluster around St Martin’s church, the largest parish church in Brda, which gave the village its name. The bell tower was originally a fortress tower, and its bell, decorated with the Three Kings, dates from 1857. The Baroque church has three marble altars, with a particularly rich main altar, and the presbytery and the Stations of the Cross were painted by Tone Kralj.

The Brda House and other living museums

A simple stroll through the streets is enough to feel the medieval spirit. Several houses are living collections of the past, such as the Brda House and its cellar, with an ethnological collection on the region’s traditional way of life and homes. The House of Culture is a gallery where local and foreign artists exhibit. The combined ticket also covers Dobrovo Castle and Vila Vipolže.

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Wine, food and St Martin’s festival

Šmartno hosts Brda’s food festivals, Brda and Wine and St Martin’s, which in 2026 takes place on 7 and 8 November with tastings and meetings with winemakers, stalls of local produce and workshops. For food and drink, the Brda Tourist Board mentions Bar Pr Naad, Hiša Marica, the Olive Bar and Turn, along with a natural cosmetics shop, Nona Luisa, and a wine shop stocking many Brda labels. The tourist information centre also has a shop of souvenirs and local products, Briška Butiehca, and staff can advise on routes and activities around the hills. For me, Šmartno is among the prettiest villages in Slovenia most worth the detour.

The Gonjače lookout tower

Close by, above the hamlet of Gonjače, Mejnik hill holds the region’s best-known viewpoint. The 23 m tower went up in 1961 to a design by architect Marko Šlajmer, and beside it a monument by sculptor Janez Boljka remembers the Second World War victims from this bank of the Soča, with verses by France Bevk. Climbing its 144 steps is the best way to grasp the geography of Brda before or after a stroll round Šmartno, and on a clear day the view reaches the Dolomites.

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

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