This small Slovenian town along the Sava River has Slovenia's only nuclear power plant and a racing circuit. The 16th-century castle overlooks its historic center.
Krško sits in eastern Slovenia by the Sava River. Explore the Krško Nuclear Power Plant, which produces a quarter of the country's electricity, or step inside the 15th-century parish church with its tall Neo-Gothic spire. Walk through the Capuchin monastery's cloister, built in the 1640s, and follow riverside paths past vineyards growing Blue Franconian grapes. Try thick pork sausages made from local krškopoljski pigs at family-run inns. Trains from Ljubljana and Zagreb stop here daily, making it easy to reach nearby thermal springs or apple orchards in the Lower Sava Valley.
Visiting the Krško Nuclear Power Plant
The Krško Nuclear Power Plant began operating in 1983 and remains Slovenia's only nuclear facility. Guided tours explain how its pressurized water reactor produces enough electricity to power all Slovenian households and a fifth of Croatia's needs. After the 2011 Fukushima accident, engineers strengthened the plant's walls to resist earthquakes as strong as the 1511 Idrija quake that once damaged Ljubljana Castle. In 2023, workers installed new cooling systems to keep the plant running until 2043. Visitors see control rooms, turbine halls, and the ongoing construction of storage units for used fuel rods.
Churches and Historical Sites
Two churches define Krško's skyline. The parish church of John the Evangelist near the town square has a 62-meter tower added during its 1899 reconstruction, though its original stone baptismal font dates to 1490. Across the Sava, the Videm-Krško parish church completed in 1897 uses striped brick patterns typical of Neo-Romanesque design. The Capuchin monastery preserves 17th-century manuscripts in its library and holds weekly Mass in a chapel with gold-leaf altars. A 10-minute walk from the monastery, the Bunker Mass Grave marks where Nazi forces executed 104 prisoners in 1945. Local historians lead walks here every second Saturday from April to October.
Walking and Cycling Routes
Flat gravel paths along the Sava River connect Krško to vineyards in the Krško Plain. Rent bicycles at the tourist office to pedal past cherry orchards and beehives surrounded by willow trees. Hikers heading northeast reach the Krka River within two hours, where shallow waters attract herons and kingfishers. In winter, frost transforms the riverside into a crisp route for brisk morning walks. Pack a lunch from the Krško market—try smoked pork ribs with buckwheat bread—to eat at wooden picnic tables overlooking the water.
Food and Wine Specialties
Krškopoljski pork appears on every traditional menu here, often roasted with garlic or minced into sausages seasoned with caraway. Pair it with Blaufränkisch wine from family cellars like Dveri-Pax or Bizjak, both located within 5 km of town. Between March and November, the Friday farmers' market sells honey from acacia trees and apple strudel made with fruit grown in nearby Brežice. In September, the Krško Pork Festival lets you taste crackling-skinned roast served on wooden platters with pickled turnips. For a hands-on experience, book a meal at the Kmečki Tourism Štefan farmstead, where they demonstrate how to bake potica nut rolls in a stone oven.
Getting Around Krško
Trains from Ljubljana take 1 hour 20 minutes to reach Krško Station, with six daily connections. Drivers exit the A2 motorway at Exit Krško-East to reach the nuclear plant's visitor parking lot in 8 minutes. Most hotels cluster within 500 meters of the bus station, including Hostel Podturn with simple rooms and bike rentals. English-speaking staff at the tourist office on Cesta Krških Žrtev 47 provide free maps of walking trails and monastery opening hours. From mid-June to August, join the 10:00 AM town walking tour starting at the parish church steps—no reservation needed.
Key Details About Krško
Krško covers 286.5 square kilometers, stretching from the Sava River to the Croatian border. Approximately 25,700 people live here, with many working in agriculture or the energy sector. The town splits between two historical regions: Styria (Štajerska) on the north riverbank and Lower Carniola (Dolenjska) to the south. Mayor Franc Bogovič's office organizes free summer concerts in the park beside the Capuchin monastery. Public drinking fountains in the center provide safe water—refill bottles at the one near the post office on Glavni trg.
