Most people drive through Prekmurje on the way to somewhere else. That’s a mistake. Lendava sits at the point where Slovenia, Hungary and Croatia almost touch, and the result is a small town with a cultural richness that places three times its size would envy - a bilingual community, a layered history and food that will make you want to stay longer than planned.
The tour starts at the Cultural Centre, one of the main hubs of Lendava’s artistic and community life, and moves into the Rose Park next door - a quietly beautiful garden that most visitors walk past without stopping. Then comes one of Lendava’s proudest distinctions: the town is officially the world capital of bograč, a hearty paprika-based meat stew slow-cooked in copper pots that sits somewhere between goulash and a very good reason to loosen your belt. The annual Bogračfest draws teams from across the region to compete for the best pot, and in 2022 the festival cooked the largest amount of bograč ever prepared, earning a Guinness World Record. St. Catherine’s Church stands nearby as one of the town’s most recognisable landmarks, before the tour continues along Glavna ulica - the main street — which gives you the full flavour of daily life in Lendava.
Peaceful Escape
Lendava Castle sits on a hill above the town, built in the early 13th century and now home to a museum covering local history, fine arts and the region’s Jewish heritage. From the castle, the tour heads to the Vinarium - the tallest observation tower in Slovenia at 53 metres, with 240 stairs or a lift to the top and a 360-degree view that takes in four countries on a clear day: Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Austria. The zipline nearby adds an optional adrenaline note to an otherwise relaxed afternoon.
For food, Restaurant Bella Venezia is the sit-down pick, and Retro Café is the kind of place that feels like it’s been there forever and hopefully always will be. Katarinca Naravna Kozmetika is a local natural cosmetics shop worth a visit for anyone looking for something genuinely Slovenian to take home. The tour ends at Bar Drvarnica, a local bar with the kind of atmosphere that closes out a day in a small town perfectly. Lendava doesn’t try to impress. It just does.
Lendava was featured on Tourizzy by a local guide Sofia from Lendava.
