# Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje > Around 570 kilometres from Ljubljana via the glacial Logar Valley (Logarska dolina), Maribor and Ptuj, through the vineyards of Haloze and Jeruzalem to the… Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-421-east-slovenia-ptuj-prekmurje/ **At a glance:** 8-day road trip of about 424 km (263 mi) with 14 stops, from Ljubljana to Lendava. About 5 h 51 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May–June and August–September. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €30 (Slovenia, Vignette). Around 570 kilometres from Ljubljana via the glacial Logar Valley (Logarska dolina), Maribor and Ptuj, through the vineyards of Haloze and Jeruzalem to the Pannonian plain on the Mura and the Hungarian border – a Slovenia of vine terraces, klopotec wind rattles and thermal pools. | | | |---|---| | Distance | approx. 424 km (263 mi) | | Driving | 5 h 51 min | | Suggested days | 8 | | Stops | 14 | | Route | Ljubljana → Lendava | | Countries | Slovenia | | Best time to go | May–June and August–September | | Tolls and vignettes | ≈ €30 | | Updated | October 1, 2026 | [Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-421-east-slovenia-ptuj-prekmurje.gpx) Practical guides for this route: [Balkans and Greece by motorhome: vignette, tolls, borders, ferries and October](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/eu-balkans-greece-by-motorhome/) *Around 570 kilometres from Ljubljana via the glacial Logar Valley (Logarska dolina), Maribor and Ptuj, through the vineyards of Haloze and Jeruzalem to the Pannonian plain on the Mura and the Hungarian border – a Slovenia of vine terraces, klopotec wind rattles and thermal pools.* ## The spirit of the route East of Celje, Slovenia loses its Alpine severity. First you head right back into the high mountains, into the Logar Valley, where the Rinka waterfall drops over the limestone wall of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps and cowbells ring across the valley floor in the morning. Then the hills open up: around Maribor and Ptuj, rows of vines run right up to the walls of the houses, on the ridges of Haloze and Jeruzalem the wooden klopotec wind rattles clatter in autumn, and from the sliding door you look out over rolling hills all the way to Croatia. Beyond the Mura the land turns flat and wide. In Prekmurje storks stand on the chimneys, mills float on the river, the air smells of roasted pumpkin seed oil, and in the evening you lie in the dark thermal water of Moravske Toplice. This route is slow, short in its stages and generous with breaks – a trip for people who would rather stop at a winemaker's than collect the next mountain pass. ## Stage-by-stage plan ### Stage 1: Ljubljana to Celje (approx. 80 km) - **The drive:** From the northern edge of Ljubljana take the A1 motorway (E57) towards Maribor over the Trojane heights, with long climbs and tunnels, then down into the Savinja Valley. If you want to save on the vignette or see the landscape, leave at Domžale and take the old main road via Trojane and Vransko – more winding, but quiet. A good hour on the motorway, more like two on the country road. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Stari grad Celje: the largest castle ruin in Slovenia, on the hill above the Savinja, ancestral seat of the Counts of Celje; from the palace tower there are views over the town and valley. - Pokrajinski muzej Celje in the Renaissance palace Stara grofija, with the illusionistically painted “Celjski strop”, the ornate 17th-century ceiling. - Celje's old town with the Princely Court (Knežji dvorec) and the remains of Roman Celeia under glass floors. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Kamp Celje (Autocamping Celje) in Zadobrova on the north-eastern edge of town, near the Celje vzhod motorway exit: small, open all year, pitches with electricity and water, cassette and grey-water disposal. Quieter and more scenic is Kamp Dolina in Prebold in the lower Savinja Valley, around 15 km west; check the season and facilities in advance. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Wild camping and sleeping in your vehicle outside campsites and designated motorhome stopovers are banned throughout Slovenia. There are a few motorhome stopovers (postajališče za avtodome, PZA for short) in the Savinja Valley, such as a small one in Prebold – check the current situation and fees on avtokampi.si. - **Insider tip for campers:** A narrow, steep road with a small car park at the top leads up to the castle; with large vehicles, park down in town and take the footpaths from the Savinja side. The old town is traffic-calmed; car parks without height restrictions are on the edge, for example across the Savinja. ### Stage 2: Celje to Logarska dolina (approx. 75 km) - **The drive:** Through the hop-growing country of the lower Savinja Valley to Žalec, then via Letuš and Mozirje into the Upper Savinja Valley. From Ljubno the regional road narrows and follows the river in curves through Luče before turning off into the Logar Valley beyond Solčava. Easy to drive, but with single-lane pinch points at rocks and bridges; around 1.5 hours with breaks. At the valley entrance a fee per vehicle is charged for entry by motor vehicle; walkers and cyclists enter the valley free of charge. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - The “Zeleno zlato” beer fountain in Žalec – a fountain that pours beer from local breweries, a monument to the valley's hop growing (stay fit to drive: only the passenger tastes). - Igla near Luče: a free-standing rock needle right by the Savinja, a photo stop by the road. - Slap Rinka at the head of the valley: a waterfall around 90 metres high, reached in a quarter of an hour from the car park; sure-footed walkers can climb on to the hut at Okrešelj below the Kamnik–Savinja Alps. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Camper-Stop Na Logu (Ambrož Gregorc tourist farm) about 3 km before the valley entrance near Solčava: open all year, around ten pitches with electricity and water, cassette emptying, showers and WC, farm breakfast on request. Further down the Savinja Valley are Kamp Šmica near Luče and Kamp Menina in Rečica ob Savinji (open all year, large, with a swimming lake). - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Logarska dolina is a landscape park (Krajinski park): overnight stays in the hikers' car parks and at the Rinka car park are not allowed. On some days the municipality of Solčava has already closed access to day visitors in private vehicles during the day; day visitors then park before the valley, for example in Podbreg, and a shuttle runs to the Rinka waterfall, while guests with a reservation may drive in. Check the current rules in advance on logarska-dolina.si or at the tourist office in Solčava. - **Insider tip for campers:** The Solčavska panoramska cesta (panoramic road over the slopes to Podolševa) is narrow, steep in places and only sensible for small campers up to about panel-van size; motorhomes over 7 m should skip it. Bring cash for the entry fee and the huts – card payment isn't possible everywhere in the valley. The valley floor is fairly level – the valley is better explored by bike than by motorhome. ### Stage 3: Logarska dolina to Velenje (approx. 60 km) - **The drive:** Back through the Upper Savinja Valley to Mozirje, then north-east via Šoštanj to Velenje. A short, relaxed stage on regional roads, around 1.25 hours – time for a morning walk in the Logar Valley before you leave. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Mozirski gaj in Mozirje: a flower park on the banks of the Savinja, with tulips in spring and herbs and water plants in summer. - Muzej premogovništva Slovenije in Velenje: a cage lift takes you underground into the mining museum, an honest look at the coal that built Velenje. - Velenjsko jezero: a lake on the edge of town formed by mining subsidence, with a shore path, bathing beach and views of Velenje Castle and its museum. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Kamp Velenje right on the shore of Velenjsko jezero, about 1 km from the centre: open all year since its renovation, electricity, modern sanitary facilities, water and waste disposal, plus water sports (SUP, sailing) and an aquapark next door. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** At Lake Velenje too: overnight stays on the campsite only. The car parks along the shore and beach are meant for daytime bathers and are checked. - **Insider tip for campers:** As a planned socialist town with wide streets and large car parks, Velenje is one of the most camper-friendly towns in the country. The big supermarkets on the edge of town are good for a weekly shop before you head into the smaller places of Styria. ### Stage 4: Velenje to Maribor (approx. 80 km) - **The drive:** East on a hilly regional road to Vitanje, then along the southern edge of the Pohorje massif via Zreče to Slovenska Bistrica and on the main road or the A1 motorway via Hoče to Maribor. Winding through forest and farmland between Velenje and Zreče, flatter after that; just under two hours' driving time. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - KSEVT in Vitanje: the circular Cultural Centre of European Space Technologies, dedicated to the space pioneer Herman Potočnik Noordung, whose family came from Vitanje. - Slovenska Bistrica Castle with its Knights' Hall and park on the edge of the old town. - Stara trta on the Lent in Maribor: the oldest vine in the world still bearing fruit, over 400 years old, on the façade of the Old Vine House (Hiša stare trte), with wine tasting on the bank of the Drava. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Center Kekec at the foot of Mariborsko Pohorje in the south-west of the city, set in woodland, with electricity, sanitary facilities and water and waste disposal; city bus to the centre. Closer to town is the stopover (PZA) on Partizanska cesta by the railway station, around 500 m from the old town: nine pitches, paid on weekdays during the day, free in the evening, at weekends and on public holidays; information on electricity and disposal is contradictory – check the current situation in advance. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** In Maribor, car parks along the Drava and on the Pohorje are checked; overnight stays are only allowed on the campsite and at the PZA. The stopover by the station is fine for a short city visit; for several nights the campsite is the better choice. - **Insider tip for campers:** The old town with the Lent, Glavni trg and the cathedral is largely pedestrianised, and the lanes along the river are narrow – explore on foot or by bike. The Pohorska vzpenjača cable car starts near the campsite and goes up the Pohorje; it occasionally pauses for maintenance, so check the timetable beforehand. Footpaths also lead up without it. ### Stage 5: Maribor to Ptuj (approx. 35 km) - **The drive:** A short drive across the flat Drava Plain (Dravsko polje) on the main road or the motorway to the Ptuj exit; a good half hour. If you leave Maribor early, you can fit in a morning on the Pohorje or in the vineyards of Meljski hrib first. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Ptujski grad above the old town: alongside weapons and musical instruments, the regional museum shows masks of the Kurenti, the shaggy fur-clad figures who drive out winter with ringing bells at the Kurentovanje carnival. - The old town of Slovenia's oldest town, with the Minorite monastery, Dominican monastery, town tower and the Roman Orpheus tombstone on Slovenski trg. - Ptujska klet: one of the oldest wine cellars in the country, with an archive of old vintages; guided tours with tasting. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Kamp Terme Ptuj a good 1 km west of the old town: around 120 pitches with electricity, sanitary facilities, water and waste disposal, mobile homes and the wine-barrel glamping “Vinska vas”; campers get access to the thermal baths with indoor and outdoor pools. For those who only need a stopover, the PZA Zabovci is a few kilometres south-east of Ptuj. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The shores of Ptujsko jezero (the Drava reservoir) are popular, but sleeping in your vehicle is banned there too. From the campsite you can walk to the old town. - **Insider tip for campers:** The old town has narrow lanes and access restrictions – leave the motorhome at the campsite. If you want to see Kurentovanje: it takes place during the carnival season, when the campsite and town book up early; check the dates afresh every year. ### Stage 6: Ptuj to Veržej (approx. 105 km) - **The drive:** The wine-road stage: from Ptuj south to Ptujska Gora, then into the Haloze hills via Podlehnik to Cirkulane and Borl Castle above the Drava. The back roads are narrow, steep and often single-track, and passing places are rare. Cross the Drava back into the valley and head east on the main road to Ormož, then up onto the ridge of the Jeruzalem vineyards and down via Ljutomer to Veržej on the Mura. A full day with breaks, a good two and a half hours' pure driving time. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Ptujska Gora pilgrimage basilica: a Gothic hall church with the relief of the Virgin of Mercy, under whose cloak dozens of figures seek shelter. - Haloze: steep vine terraces right up to the Croatian border, klopotec wind rattles to scare off birds, and Borl Castle high above the Drava (only partly renovated, visits mainly at weekends). - Jeruzalem: a pilgrimage church on the ridge and a wine road with views over the hills of Prlekija, home of Šipon (Furmint) and Welschriesling; plus Ormož Castle on the Drava. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Kamp Sončni gaj at the Banovci thermal spa near Veržej: around 130 pitches, split into a standard area and a naturist (FKK) area, each with its own pool, electricity, sanitary facilities and water and waste disposal; campers can use the thermal baths and saunas. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The nationwide ban applies in the vineyards too. Some winemakers and tourist farms in Jeruzalem and Haloze offer pitches for guests – phone ahead rather than just rolling into the farmyard. - **Insider tip for campers:** Haloze only with vehicles up to about 7 m and a good engine brake; in rain the steep, partly unsurfaced side roads get slippery. There are hardly any filling stations and no disposal points in the hills – fill up with fuel and water in Ptuj. If you taste, you don't drive: with a 0.5‰ limit, an evening in the vineyards is best combined with a night at the winemaker's. ### Stage 7: Veržej to Moravske Toplice (approx. 45 km) - **The drive:** Across the Mura into Prekmurje: on flat, straight country roads through maize and pumpkin fields to Murska Sobota, then east to Bogojina and across to Moravske Toplice. Hardly any climbs, avenues of poplars, lots of cyclists; around an hour's pure driving time. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Babičev mlin in Veržej: a still-working floating ship mill on the Mura, with a ferry raft and the riverside woodland of the Mura Landscape Park; storks nest in many Prekmurje villages, including around Veržej. - Murska Sobota with its castle and the Pomurje Museum, plus the Protestant church – a pointer to the region's Lutheran and Hungarian history. - Bogojina: Jože Plečnik remodelled the Church of the Ascension and decorated the ceiling with jugs and plates from the area's pottery tradition; in nearby Filovci, potters still work with black pottery. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Camping Terme 3000 in Moravske Toplice, one of the largest campsites in the country (around 430 pitches, 4 stars): electricity, sanitary facilities, water and waste disposal, access to the spa's indoor and outdoor pools, including pools with black thermal mineral water, and a golf course. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** The Mura floodplains belong to the Mura Landscape Park and the Natura 2000 network of protected areas – farm tracks down to the riverbanks are not places to spend the night. An alternative to the big spa campsite is the PZA Bukovniško jezero on the small lake near Bukovnica. - **Insider tip for campers:** In Prekmurje it pays to buy directly from the oil mills: pumpkin seed oil (bučno olje) is a staple here. And try prekmurska gibanica, the layered cake of poppy seeds, quark, walnuts and apples. Farm vehicles cross the country roads – drive slowly at harvest time. ### Stage 8: Moravske Toplice to Lendava (approx. 90 km) - **The drive:** A loop through Goričko Nature Park and down to Lendava: from Moravske Toplice to Martjanci, then north into the hills on narrow, winding roads to Grad, east via Selo and Prosenjakovci and finally south via Dobrovnik to Lendava. Quiet back roads with gentle climbs; around two hours' pure driving time. - **Highlights & must-sees:** - Grad Castle: the largest castle complex in Slovenia, home to the Goričko Nature Park administration and an exhibition on the landscape and traditional orchards. - Selo Rotunda: a Romanesque round church of St Nicholas with wall paintings; in Martjanci, 14th-century frescoes by Johannes Aquila. - Vinarium in Lendava: the observation tower on the Lendavske gorice vineyard hill, with views across the Pannonian plain to Hungary, Croatia and Austria; below it the castle and bilingual old town of Lendava. - **Official campsite or RV park:** Kamp Terme Lendava at the Lendava thermal spa: open all year, around 90 pitches with electricity, sanitary facilities and water and waste disposal, entry to the thermal baths included. In the low season part of the site is run as a naturist (FKK) area with its own pool. - **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Goričko is a nature park and Natura 2000 site – no overnight stays at forest edges or viewpoints. The vineyard car parks at the Vinarium are for daytime parking. - **Insider tip for campers:** The road up to the Vinarium is narrow; with large vehicles, park down in Lendava or take the footpath. To continue into Hungary on the A5 motorway at Pince you need an e-Matrica there; for Austria (via Gornja Radgona/Bad Radkersburg or Šentilj) the Austrian vignette, or the GO-Box above 3.5 t. ## Camping practice & local rules ### Wild camping & overnight parking - Wild camping and sleeping in your vehicle outside campsites and designated motorhome stopovers (postajališče za avtodome, PZA) are banned in Slovenia. Under the Public Order Protection Act of December 2025, municipalities have more leeway over rules and penalties; in tourist municipalities, fines of several hundred euros per person are possible, reduced if paid within the deadline. - Protected areas on this route: Logarska dolina Landscape Park, Mura Landscape Park, Goričko Nature Park and numerous Natura 2000 sites along the Drava and Mura. Additional rules on parking, fires and drones apply there. - Legal options: campsites, above all the big thermal spa campsites (Ptuj, Banovci, Moravske Toplice, Lendava), the municipal PZA stopovers and tourist farms with pitches. Useful resources are avtokampi.si, park4night and Campercontact. ### Waste disposal & supplies - The spa campsites and most PZA stopovers have water and waste disposal; simple town stopovers such as the one at Maribor station sometimes don't. The motorway company DARS has also planned motorhome disposal points when upgrading smaller rest areas; campsites and PZA are more reliable. Never empty grey water into drains, field ditches or rivers. - Tap water in Slovenia is drinkable. In the hills of Haloze, Jeruzalem and Goričko there are hardly any services – stock up in Ptuj, Murska Sobota or Lendava. - Gas: German exchange cylinders are not swapped. Autogas (avtoplin, LPG) is available at many larger filling stations, for example in Celje, Maribor and Murska Sobota; bring an adapter set for refillable cylinders and check the connection type beforehand. Arrive with two full cylinders – autumn nights at the spas are cool. ### Vehicle size & traffic rules - Tolls: vehicles up to 3.5 t need the electronic vignette (E-Vinjeta) on motorways and expressways (on this route the A1 and A5); it is linked to the number plate and should only be bought through official channels such as evinjeta.dars.si. Motorhomes up to 3.5 t with fixed living equipment that are registered as motorhomes in the vehicle documents fall into class 2A; tall vans without motorhome registration fall into the more expensive class 2B. Trailers don't need their own vignette. Driving without a vignette can cost €300 to €800. Check rates in advance each year. - Vehicles over 3.5 t pay a distance-based toll via DarsGo instead of a vignette, with a DarsGo box on the windscreen; register and get the box before your first motorway journey. Entry to the Logar Valley costs a separate, local fee. - Speed limits for cars and motorhomes up to 3.5 t: 50 in built-up areas, 90 outside built-up areas, 110 on expressways, 130 km/h on motorways. Car-and-caravan combinations up to 3.5 t: 90 outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on expressways and motorways. Motorhomes and combinations over 3.5 t: 80 km/h outside built-up areas, on expressways and on motorways. - Dipped headlights are compulsory during the day too. Winter equipment is mandatory from 15 November to 15 March (winter tyres, or summer tyres with chains carried); in winter there is regularly snow in the Upper Savinja Valley and on the Pohorje. Keep a hi-vis vest within reach for every occupant. - Alcohol: 0.5‰; 0.0 for drivers under 21, new drivers (less than 2 years) and professional drivers – on a wine route, the most important rule. Phones only with a hands-free kit. Old towns such as Ptuj, Maribor and Celje have pedestrian zones and access restrictions. ## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist - Cash in small notes – for the Logar Valley entry fee, farm shops, oil mills and winemakers, who often don't take cards. - Pool sandals, bathrobe and sauna towel for the spas: on this route you spend four nights at thermal baths. - Levelling ramps for the sloping pitches at wine farms in Haloze and Jeruzalem. - Bikes or e-bikes: Prekmurje and the Mura floodplains are flat and criss-crossed by cycle paths, and the Logar Valley is better by bike than by motorhome. - Insect repellent and a mosquito net for the sliding door – on the Mura and Drava they bite from dusk. - Sturdy walking boots for the path to the Rinka waterfall and Okrešelj, plus a rain jacket: thunderstorms build quickly in the Kamnik–Savinja Alps. _As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._ ## Sources - [N1 Slovenija (STA) – Logarska dolina z novim prometnim režimom za dnevne obiskovalce](https://n1info.si/novice/slovenija/slovenski-turisticni-biser-od-danes-z-novim-prometnim-rezimom-za-dnevne-obiskovalce/) - [Logarska dolina (Solčava) – Sustainable Mobility](https://logarska-dolina.si/en/plan-your-visit/sustainable-mobility) - [Avtokampi.si – Na Logu, Turistična kmetija Ambrož Gregorc (Logarska dolina)](https://avtokampi.si/kampi/kamp-ambroz-gregorc-logarska-dolina) - [Avtokampi.si – Kamp Celje](https://avtokampi.si/kampi/kamp-celje) - [Avtokampi.si – PZA Maribor Partizanska](https://avtokampi.si/kampi/pza-maribor-partizanska) - [Avtokampi.si – Kamp Terme 3000](https://avtokampi.si/kampi/kamp-terme-3000) - [Avtokampi.si – Kampiranje v vzhodni Sloveniji](https://avtokampi.si/novice/kampiranje-v-vzhodni-sloveniji) - [Visit Pohorje – Adjusted schedule for the Pohorje cable car](https://www.visitpohorje.si/en/the-start-of-the-holidays-brings-an-adjusted-schedule-for-the-pohorje-cable-car/) - [RTV Slovenija – Prenovljeni grad Borl je odprt za obiskovalce](https://www.rtvslo.si/kultura/dediscina/prenovljeni-grad-borl-je-odprt-za-obiskovalce/705760) - [Avtokampi.si – DARS pričenja s prenovo malih počivališč (oskrba avtodomov)](https://avtokampi.si/novice/dars-prenova-malih-pocivalisc-poskrbljeno-za-oskrbo-avtodomov) ## Which stops are on the route from Ljubljana to Lendava? 1. **Ljubljana** (Slovenia) 2. **Celje** (Slovenia) 3. **Logarska dolina** (Slovenia) 4. **Velenje** (Slovenia) 5. **Maribor** (Slovenia) 6. **Ptuj** (Slovenia) 7. **Ormož** (Slovenia) 8. **Jeruzalem** (Slovenia) 9. **Veržej** (Slovenia) 10. **Murska Sobota** (Slovenia) 11. **Bogojina** (Slovenia) 12. **Moravske Toplice** (Slovenia) 13. **Grad** (Slovenia) 14. **Lendava** (Slovenia) ## When is the best time for the route from Ljubljana to Lendava? The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. Cold, short days in December–February. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons) ## What should you know before driving the route from Ljubljana to Lendava? Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €30 (Slovenia, Vignette). - **Slovenia: Vignette needed for motorways.** Buy the e-vignette online before you drive on motorways. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h. ## FAQs **How long is Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje?** 8-day road trip of about 424 km (263 mi) with 14 stops, from Ljubljana to Lendava. About 5 h 51 min of driving in total. **How many days do you need for Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje?** We suggest 8 days: about 5 h 51 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops. **Where does Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje start and end?** It starts in Ljubljana and ends in Lendava. **Which countries does Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje pass through?** Slovenia. **Where can you camp along Wine hills, thermal spas and stork nests – by camper through eastern Slovenia from Celje to Prekmurje?** OpenStreetMap lists 86 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Ljubljana Resort Hotel & Camp, Camping & Camper Stop near Ljubljana and Camp Smlednik. **How much are the tolls on the route from Ljubljana to Lendava?** Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €30 (Slovenia, Vignette). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.