Žalec, the town where the fountain pours beer

Žalec, Slovenia’s hop capital

According to SURS, Žalec has 5,096 residents and its municipality 21,737 on 1 January 2026, across 39 settlements. It recorded 19,010 arrivals in 2025. The municipality presents it as the centre of hop growing in Slovenia and points out that the country is the world’s fifth-largest producer of the plant that gives beer its bitterness and aroma. The Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing is based in the town.

How the Žalec beer fountain works

The Green Gold fountain (Zeleno zlato) is a tribute to that heritage and started pouring in 2016. The tourist board explains that it stands in the town park, has eight taps and currently serves six local beers. You buy a special glass with a chip at a few places in town, such as the Zeleno zlato shop, and use it to fill a decilitre from each tap.

It runs in seasons. The 11th ended on Friday 30 October 2026 at 17:00, the glass shop shuts half an hour before the fountain, and in rain it may close early. For me it’s a fun novelty, but a brief one. Six decilitres add up to more than half a litre, so pace yourself if you plan to walk the trail afterwards, and remember that Slovenia’s drink-driving limit applies.

The Ecomuseum of Hop Growing and Brewing

To understand hops, head to the Ecomuseum of Hop Growing and Brewing of Slovenia, opened in 2009 in a converted hop drier. It has a 360-degree virtual reality film and the digital Zvari svoje pivo experience, which invites you to brew your own beer. Next to the museum, the institute has planted a demonstration hop field.

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Vrbje pond and its birds

The Od hmelja do piva trail, from hops to beer, opened recently as a circular route of about 5.5 km. It links the fountain, the ecomuseum, the herb garden by the defence tower and Vrbje pond, with 19 stops including information boards, games and viewpoints. The pond is a protected area, with around 170 bird species and a nature trail. In the centre, Savinova hiša houses the tourist office, the Savin art salon and a gallery of Savinja valley artists.

Fitting Žalec into a trip

Žalec is very close to Celje, so I see it as an afternoon trip from there. If you’re interested in Slovenian beer, compare it with Laško, the area’s other brewing town. For something underground, Pekel Cave is in the same municipality. It’s all part of Savinjska, and further up the valley, by the motorway, Vransko has the Grom motorcycle museum.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Žalec on GetYourGuide.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Žalec for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.