Nova Gorica - city in Western Slovenia

Nova Gorica is a town in Slovenia on the Italian border. The neighbouring town of Gorizia is in Italy and is approximately 5 minutes walk from the centre of Nova Gorica. The border runs between the two cities and is directly outside the main train station in Nova Gorica.

Understand

Nova Gorica Tourist Information Centre, Bevkov trg 4, 5000 Nova Gorica. Tel:+386 (0)5 330 4600 Fax:+386 (0)5 330 46 06, [mailto:tzticng@siol.net tzticng@siol.net], .

Get in

Regular trains from Bled and Jesenice (and onwards to Ljubljana) are available from Nova Gorica station which is on the Slovenian-Italian border to the west of the city centre. Trains to Trieste, Venice and Rome are available from Gorizia station which is 10 minutes by bus (across the border) from Nova Gorica. To reach Gorizia station from Nova Gorica station walk across Europe Square (it. Piazza Transalpina, which is the square outside Nova Gorica station and forms the border) and from the bus stop on the next street take bus #1 all the way to Gorizia station. Tickets cost €1.03 and can be bought from a tobacconist at the end of the street. Alternatively you can walk between the two train stations in 30 minutes (useful in the evenings or at weekends when fewer or no buses operate). Cross the border in front of the station, continue along the road and take the first left. Then follow signs into the town centre and look for signs to the Stazione Ferrovia (railway station).

Get around

• Taxi transfers Gruden, Tolmin , cell: +386 51 60 55 00

There are regular local buses which cross between Nova Gorica and Gorizia.

See

Its main tourist attractions are casinos, such as Perla and Park. They mostly cater for Italian gamblers.

For more cosmopolitan travelers Sveta Gora or Kostanjevica should be more interesting. The first is a traditional pilgrimage destination, while the other houses the tomb of Bourbones.

Do

Nova Gorica is the only location in Slovenia where bungee jumping is available.

A half an hour drive can take you to the location of a fantastic castle and caves.

Buy

Eat

The best restaurant in town is "Marco Polo" where many locals eat. It is well priced and delicious. Other places include "Gurman" (on Gradnikove brigade Street, just off the road from Lavričeva Street). The lunches are quite cheap, abundant and very good. The dinners tend to be more expensive. The quality is excellent. "Žogica" in Solkan, near the Solkan Bridge, serves excellent fish and seafood, as well as a wide variety of pizzas. It is located in a sport park area, and it is popular both with the locals and the Italian visitors. The staff is fluent in Italian and in English. A local eatery is located just opposite to the Park Hotel & Casino: it is called "Pecivo". From the outside, it looks as a coffee house, but it also serves lunches. The food is good, but the service is slow.

Drink

In summer, be sure to check the local student's club evening programme at "Poletna Scena" in the center of the town.

If you are looking for a good beer, try a Slovenian beer called "Union" (or, better, "Lasko").

Sleep

Camping

Kamp Lijak Small campsite ten miles beyond the city limits. Offers pitches and cabins. Ozeljan 6, 5261 Šempas, Nova Gorica

Go next

• Brda - wine region is near and inviting.
• Štanjel - a typical Karst village.
• Sežana and Lipica - the capital of the Karst and a nearby stud farm of the white lipizzaner horses.
• Bled
• Triglav National Park
• Venice - only 2 hours away by train from Gorizia.
• Ljubljana - trains (3 hours) and buses (2 hours) can take you to the Slovenian capital
• Trieste - a nearby city with a mix of Italian, Slavic and Germanic cultures. 45 minutes by train from Gorizia station.