Nova Gorica and Its Borderland Region of Transitions – full-day trip
From a Divided Region to the First Cross-Border European Capital of Culture
Do you know where the state border runs across a shared square, where for almost thirty years the border ran through graves, and where the last French king is buried? Do you know which city was built on the site of another city’s former cemetery, and why Nova Gorica is one of the most unusual new towns in Europe?
Our journey takes us through the Goriška region – a landscape of transitions and encounters, where the Romance, Slavic and Germanic worlds meet, along with the Alpine, Dinaric and Mediterranean landscapes, as well as three distinct wine-growing regions.
Over the past century, this region has been profoundly shaped by geopolitical changes, when a new state border cut through a region that had been united for centuries. Nova Gorica was created precisely as a consequence of this division.
The excursion combines historical and urban exploration, walks through the landscape and stories of life along the border.
The programme is modular and adapted to each group, its interests and the time available, making every tour slightly different.
Cerje and Miren – a Landscape Divided by the Border
The journey usually begins at Cerje, with one of the most impressive views over the entire region – from the Alps to the Adriatic. From here, we introduce the broader story of Goriška as a region shaped by geographical, cultural and historical transitions.
We then descend to Miren, where we visit the cemetery that, after the Second World War, was divided between Italy and Yugoslavia for almost thirty years. Here, we can see directly how the new state border affected the landscape and the everyday lives of local people.
Nova Gorica – a City Born Because of the Border
We continue to Nova Gorica, a city created as a political and urban project of the new socialist Yugoslavia and conceived as a socialist showcase to the West.
The walk through the city is not a conventional sightseeing tour, but a journey through the ideas, ambitions and contradictions of a new city. Along the way, we explore modernist architecture and stories of the Cold War, smuggling, gambling, urban utopias and everyday life along the border.
Step by step, we discover how the original plan for the city was repeatedly transformed and why Nova Gorica looks the way it does today.
Lunch and Additional Visits
We can stop for lunch at one of the nearby osmice – traditional seasonal wine taverns – at a tourist farm, or in a more urban setting in the city. Alternatively, we can shorten the lunch break and devote more time to additional visits.
The selection depends on the group’s interests and how much time we wish to dedicate to individual sites and topics.
The programme can continue with one or more of the following visits:
Franciscan Monastery of Kostanjevica
On the hill between the two cities, we can visit the Franciscan monastery, where Charles X, the last French king of the Bourbon dynasty, is buried, as well as its renowned monastery library.
The visit is led by a local guide; I arrange the booking as part of the excursion.
Duration: 1 hour
Additional cost: €5–6 per person for admission and a local guided tour
Kostanjevica Monastery
EPIC – The City on the Border
The exhibition next to the railway station presents the history of the border and life in the Goriška region during the 20th century, complementing the stories explored along the route.
The visit is led by one of their guides; I arrange the booking as part of the programme.
Duration: 1 hour
Additional cost: €8–11 per person, depending on the programme and guided tour
EPIC – The City on the Border
Rafut Park and Laščak Villa
The tour can continue with a walk through the restored Rafut Park, surrounding one of Slovenia’s most unusual villas, designed by architect Anton Laščak in a Neo-Islamic style, and through the remarkable botanical garden he planted around it.
Duration: 45 minutes
I personally guide the visit through Rafut Park, so it can be incorporated directly into the programme without the need for an additional local guide.
Europe Square – From a State Border to a Shared Space
The excursion usually ends at Europe Square in front of the railway station, where the border still runs across a shared public space and where Nova Gorica and Gorizia became the first cross-border European Capital of Culture in 2025.
The journey thus begins with a panoramic view over the entire Goriška region, continues through the landscape shaped by the former state division and the creation of a new city, and ends at the very place where the two sides meet again today.
Programme and Practical Information
The tour is led by Blaž P. Kosovel, researcher, editor and author of the guidebook Nova Gorica – A New City on the Border and the Digital Archive of Nova Gorica that you are currently exploring.
Duration: full-day excursion
Walking: mostly on flat terrain
Programme: flexible and adapted to the preferences and interests of the group
Price for guiding and tour organisation: from €350, depending on group size and specific preferences.
Additional costs: transport and lunch.
More about the guide and author of the tour
Contact:
Blaž P. Kosovel
phone: +386 41 521 268