The World's First Beer Fountain: A Unique Day Out in Slovenia

With most of Europe in the midst of a heatwave, keeping cool is at the forefront of most people's minds right now.

Fortunately, here in Slovenia you are never far from a cool forest or refreshing cold lake or river, so escaping the heat is reasonably easy.

Another way to keep cool is by sipping refreshing drinks,and, although we don’t condone drinking excessive alcohol, we do recommend a visit to the world’s first beer fountain, right here in Slovenia.

Located in the heart of Žalec, the Green Gold Beer Fountain celebrates the town’s long history of hop growing. Known as the hop-growing capital of Slovenia, Žalec sits in the fertile Lower Savinja Valley, where hops– the essential ingredient that gives beer its distinctive flavour – have been cultivated for generations. A little-known fact is that Slovenia is also one of the world’s leading hop producers.

Opened in 2016, the fountain is designed to resemble a hopflower. One half serves beer, while the other is a water fountain, with decorative copper panels representing the frothy head of a freshly poured pint.

Rather than dispensing unlimited beer, i.e. the aim isn’t toget drunk(!), the fountain offers a fun tasting experience. Visitors must first purchase a specially designed commemorative glass (currently €12), which is fitted with a microchip, then they can enjoy six 100 ml samples of different Slovenian beers from the taps. It’s a great way to discover a variety of local brews while taking home a unique souvenir.

Beer glasses can be purchased from the Green Gold Shop, the ŽalecTourist Information Centre, or the Eco-Museum of Hop-Growing and Brewing Industry in Slovenia.

Of course, one shouldn’t drink on an empty stomach, so, whilein Žalec itself, we like Kavarna Korona, which has a great selection of cakes,ice-cream and light snacks, though there are also numerous other cafes and restaurants.

While in the area, there is plenty more to see and do,including a visit to the aforementioned museum, or a tour of Velenje Castle, Hell’s Cave or the Roman Necropolis in Šempeter. The latter is the burial site of wealthy Romans who lived near the very important Roman road that over 2,000 years ago led through Aquileia – Emona – Celeia – Poetovio (L’Aquila– Ljubljana– Celje – Ptuj).

For the more active, you can hike on the Dobrovlje plateau or the Zasavje hills or hire a SUP at Lake Velenje.

Whatever your refreshing summer neds, we can provide the perfect holiday for you. Get in touch with our team now.