📷 Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on UnsplashŠmartno
Šmartno, Slovenia
A walled hilltop village in the Goriška Brda wine hills, with a church, a restored defence tower and wide views over vineyards to the Alps. Park outside the walls; taste local rebula at the cellars of nearby Dobrovo.
Šmartno is a medieval village in the Goriška Brda wine-growing region of Slovenia. Probably built on Roman foundations, it was a fortress on the Venetian-Austrian border. From the 16th to the second half of the 18th century it was an important defensive post that the Venetians never captured; many of the contract soldiers came from Uskok (Croatian) families. Restoration began in the late 1970s on the initiative of Emil Smole.
The village takes its name from the Church of St Martin, the largest church in Brda; its bell tower was once a defensive tower. There are two squares laid out as assembly points for the soldiers, exhibitions in the House of Culture, and a simple living room furnished as it once was in the Brda House. Thanks to its hilltop position, the village can be seen from all over Brda. It is liveliest during the wine festival and on St Martin's Day. For parking and guided tours, ask the Brda tourist information.
- Nearest town
- Šmartno, Slovenia
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 45.9793, 13.5492
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
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. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Getting there
- Slovenia: Vignette needed for motorways. Buy the e-vignette online before you drive on motorways. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
Campsites nearby
- Kamp BrdaCampsite5 km from ŠmartnoTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToilets
- SiestaCampsite9 km from ŠmartnoTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToilets
- PZA VrtojbaMotorhome stopover10 km from Šmartno · 8 pitchesMotorhomesElectricityDrinking waterWaste disposalWi-Fi
- Kamp Park LijakCampsite14 km from ŠmartnoTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersWi-Fi
- DavidCampsite21 km from ŠmartnoTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposal
- Camping Village Mare PinetaCampsite24 km from ŠmartnoTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
All campsites in Slovenia · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Šmartno?
Šmartno is in Šmartno, Slovenia, at GPS 45.9793, 13.5492. It is about 8 km from Solkan.
Can you camp near Šmartno?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Area Camper Capriva del Friuli, about 5 km away; within 25 km there are 41 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Šmartno?
Šmartno is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Karst, Vipava and Brda: caves, horses and wine hills and Bora, vineyard slopes and border stones – by camper through the Vipava Valley, Goriška Brda and the lower Soča.
What is there to see near Šmartno?
Places worth a stop nearby: Solkan Bridge (8 km), Lombard Temple of Cividale (16 km), Basilica of Aquileia (27 km) and Tolmin Gorges (28 km).
When is the best time to visit Šmartno?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and August–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in July and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)