Enchanting Prlekija

Prlekija is a region of Slovenia that's not defined by physical borders, but rather by language, the Prlekija dialect; a melodic, dreamy language that reflects all the different landscapes, its rich and tumultuous history, the sun and the wine (and that all the other Slovenes can not understand at all).

Prlekija has hills and vineyards, fertile plains by rivers Drava, Dravinja, Mura and Scavnica, swampy forests and oxbow lakes, cute little villages and ancient towns. A truly diverse landscape full of surprises at every step, at every turn.

Jeruzalem is the heart of Prlekija, in the middle of the rolling hills covered in vineyards. Legend has it that crusaders on their way to the holy land stopped on one of these beautiful hills to rest. They were met by hospitable locals, that offered them good wine, and that is when they decided never to leave this place. They claimed the region as their own and named it Jeruzalem. And to this day it remains one of the most striking places with one of the most spectacular views over the surrounding vineyards.

Vineyards of Jeruzalem waiting to bloom.

The informal capital of Prlekija is Ljutomer - Lotmerk, Luttenberg - an ancient town at the foot of the hills, looking towards the plains by the river Mura and beyond ...

Rich fields of Prlekija with Lutomer in the distance.

The curved field shape is due to the ever-changing flow of rivers Mura and Scavnica.

Just across ther river Mura - so technically not in Prlekija anymore - is a village of Dolnja Bistrica that straddles one of the largest oxbow lakes in Slovenia, Berek.