Lasko

Laško has two industries and both use the same water. The thermal springs beside the Savinja were known in Roman times and have supported a spa since the nineteenth century, with warm mineral water piped into pools and treatment rooms. The brewery was founded in 1825 by Franz Geyer and grew into one of the country's two big beer producers, giving the town its name recognition; it runs tours of the brewhouse and museum, and the Pivo in cvetje beer and flowers festival fills the streets each July.

History

Stone axes from the slope below the old castle date to the 8th century BC, two Celtic silver coins and Roman funerary stones have been found, and the Roman road from Celeia to Neviodunum passed through. Laško is first recorded in 1227, Sigismund Weixelberger acquired the Štok manor site before 1506, the railway arrived in 1849 and the town received its privileges in 1927 (Wikipedia, Laško).

What to look for

• The brewery - the 1825 brewhouse, with tours and a museum of the company's history.
• The thermal baths - pools and treatments fed by the springs beside the Savinja.
• Pivo in cvetje - the beer and flowers festival held in July.
• The Savinja setting - the river running through the middle of the town.

When to go

Year round; the thermal baths work in any weather. The beer festival is in mid-July and books out the town. Brewery tours need booking ahead.

Practical notes

The town is small and industrial and there is little beyond the brewery and the baths. Brewery tours must be booked and are not run daily. The festival makes accommodation impossible to find.

Nearby

Celje is north, and Podsreda is southeast.

Key facts