Old Castle Celje

Castle

Castle · Celje, Slovenia 46.2197°N 15.2717°E

Why you should go

Ninety seconds on Old Castle Celje

Time needed

About 2 hoursWalk up included

Cost

TicketedUnder-5s go free

Effort

Steep, wooded140 m up, 2 km loop

Access

Free parkingOr bus 5A, not Sundays

Opening hours

What are Celje Castle opening hours?

As of October 2026, Old Castle Celje opens 09.00 to 18.00 in March and October, 09.00 to 19.00 in April, 09.00 to 20.00 in May and September, and 09.00 to 21.00 from June to August. It opens 09.00 to 17.00 in February and November and 10.00 to 16.00 in January and December. Last entry is half an hour before closing.

Tickets

Do you need a ticket for Celje Castle?

Yes. Entry to Old Castle Celje is ticketed, and children under five go in free. The ticket office at the top takes payment cards, a ticket stays valid for one year from the day it is bought, and combined tickets pair the castle with the Celje Regional Museum or the Museum of Recent History.

Getting there

How to get to Celje Castle?

City bus 5A runs from Celje railway station to the foot of the castle every day except Sundays and holidays. Drivers can park free in the car park beside the castle, which has bike racks. The lower car park, at the confluence of the two rivers, serves walkers on the Castle Trail.

Address and contact

What is the address of Celje Castle?

Old Castle Celje stands at Cesta na Grad 78, 3000 Celje. Visitor questions go to TIC Celje Castle, the tourist information centre at the castle, which can help with tickets and the visit.

Walk up to Slovenia's largest medieval castle from the river below, then take your time over the grounds and the view across the town.

What makes it special

The castle grounds cover almost 5,500 square metres, spread over three hills southeast of Celje where the Savinja meanders into the Laško valley. It was once the largest fortification on Slovenian territory.

From the walls it overlooks the whole city, and it commands the traffic routes into the centre of Celje from afar. The old town lies on one side, and on the other the valley opens out toward Laško.

It is best known as the home of the Counts of Celje, the country's most influential dynasty. Their four-storey tower, added around 1400 and known in Slovene as Friderikov stolp, rises to a full 23 metres on walls 3 metres thick.

Visiting

Start at the lower car park, at the confluence of the Voglajna and Savinja rivers, where the Castle Trail begins. The full loop takes about an hour, and the forest climb is steep enough to want shoes with grip.

The path brings you out at the castle, where the ticket office comes first. Buy your ticket there, then take the grounds across the three hills at your own pace.

Stop on the way round to pick out the old town and the water below. Finish by walking down the far side of the circuit, back to where you set off.

Know before you goAs of October 2026, Frederick's Tower is closed until further notice for renovation and maintenance, and some exhibitions cannot be visited while the works run. The castle itself stays open, reached over the renovated bridge across the Voglajna, with occasional partial road closures and traffic lights on the approach.