This beautiful town near the river has only 4,500 inhabitants and is an important tourist and economic center of Slovenia. It is famous for its beer brewing and amazing thermal waters, but its natural beauty, culture and historical landscape are equally appealing.
From the balcony of the hotel, a thin, shallow river meanders through the town. The mountains are gently covered by the sunlight that sneaks through, and the trees are green and yellow.
What do you expect from the perfect trip?
Flowers? Beer? Sunshine? Music? A laid-back town? Finding balance in your life by escaping your two-bit life and rediscovering the unknown and the surprising?
This balance is perfectly realized in the small town of Rushco! Here you'll be surrounded by rivers, mountains, hot springs, home-brewed beer, flowers and sunshine.
First Impressions of a Stroll through the Town
The curator of the Rushco Museum greeted us warmly and showed us around, taking our time to savor this small town with mountains and water.
I noticed that he was wearing a casual, large, white-washed t-shirt, a departure from the usual image of a town official. In subsequent contacts, I came to appreciate his simple lifestyle even more. He was a warm and kind man, always laughing at his poor English. He said he loved the town so much that he wanted to explain everything about it as clearly as possible.
The town has a long history: archaeologists have discovered prehistoric settlements in the Rushko area; stone shafts unearthed on the lower southeast slope of the old fortress date back to the eighth century B.C.; the town's oldest large-scale industry has its origins in the 18th century; the brewing process began in 1817, when the brewer Ivan Steinmetz also set up a brewery in Rushko.The railroad reached Rushko in 1849; The first leather factory was established in 1929; the first textile factory was built in 1934.
In 1840, a fire devastated Rushco, destroying half of the town's houses. The curator took us up to the bridge and suddenly stopped to say. He was born here, has lived here all his life and has so much affection for it.
It amazed me that this small town with a small population has 2 high schools, 2 kindergartens, but 33 churches. It shows how simple and religious the locals are.
Beer is one of the most important cultures in the museum in Rushko, changing the way of life of the locals. Also in the museum is an important collection, the oldest phonograph, which produces sound by recognizing the holes in the disc. It predates vinyl records. In a box of discs, the curator picked out his favorite one and played it for us. The sound echoes through the venue, crisp and clean, a bit like the eight-tone boxes of my childhood, and it has a feel that you can't find in today's electronic devices.
He talked about music and the collaboration between museums and schools. He tried to encourage students to visit, saying that people today are looking for novelty and haven't seen devices like this. Then he laughed at himself and said he was getting old and loved all this old stuff and thought it was beautiful and documented a lot of valuable old times.
I asked him why he chose to organize and preserve his collection and history at the museum. He said he found history interesting because he knew it had boring parts. I remembered that statement for a long time.
The family lifestyle also had a big influence on him. He said that none of his family members were too ambitious and liked to enjoy life. Today, my family still runs their own fields, my parents still work, and the whole family loves the soil and nature, and they love the things that really aren't flashy.
He pulled out his cell phone and checked the time. The phone was simple in style, with a small screen that only dialed numbers. He stayed away from almost all modern technology and said that if he could change one thing, he would have all the cars parked outside of town. In my opinion, he also stopped some of the meaningless things outside of his mind.
Rushco has only one bank and doesn't give much choice in anything. Everyone is simple and straightforward.
In the end, the curator stayed, and it was said that this was probably what he expected from the town.
Beer has feelings, too.
Rasco itself is one of Slovenia's oldest settlements, with the compact old town nestled in the enviable absolute center between rolling hills and picturesque valleys.
In fact, the word Lako is almost synonymous with beer in Slovenia. It's not that this medieval town of only about 4,500 inhabitants is too unknown, but the internationally acclaimed brewing tradition of Lasko is too famous!
The curator took us on a tour of the local beer commission, whose main duty is to inspect pubs selling Rushko beer to see if they pour it in the right way and if it's hygienic.
After a brief welcome, the head of the Beer Commission gave us an introduction to the origins and history of Rushko beer, and then set about teaching us how to pour it properly.
Before then, I never knew that the seemingly simple task of pouring beer actually contained so much knowledge! 3-4cm of bubbles is the right amount, not too much and not too little, and the bubbles should be 1cm above the mouth of the glass. after a few practice sessions and some help, I gradually got the hang of it.
After the test, the Beer Committee gave us bartender certificates and then we all started to enjoy the beer. This world-famous beer is sweet, with a light wheat flavor, no astringency, and a bright golden color, which probably has a lot to do with the good quality of the local water.
Besides that, I learned a few things about cold beer. For example, they told me that people all over the world think that beer is high in calories, but it is actually low in calories. In Slovenia, women also like to drink beer, which is a reflection of their gender equality. Everyone laughed at that.
In the evening, we also tried the creative local cuisine. Beer was added to all the food, such as the pasta cake in beef soup as an appetizer, which was made from a mixture of beers. You can't actually taste the wine in each dish, but the beer makes the food tastier and more tender.
The highlight of the year in Rushco is the Hops Festival! About 150,000 visitors flock here every year on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the third week of July. During the four days of the festival, the entire town is filled with excitement and a festive atmosphere. Music, flowers and beer are everywhere. Could there be a better combination?
The curator says the most frequently asked question is where is the stage? The truth is that there is a stage and a show anywhere! As long as there's a square meter of open space, he says, there will be music and beer. People will consume an average of 250,000 liters of beer during the four-day carnival.
Hung thermal waters
Before morning beer production became a big business model, the town was known for the healing powers of its hot springs, which made it one of the Austrian emperor's favorite vacation spots. Beginning in the mid-19th century, the thermal spa in Ra?ko developed into one of Slovenia's most important healing resorts and tourist centers, with its modern hotels attracting visitors from around the world year-round.
In the rich history of Ra?ko, it is a widely known story that its spas have restored many people to health. Its mystical powers have long been known, and the ancient Romans built the first baths around the springs.
In October 1953, the first local spa was registered as a medical rehabilitation center, the result of a partnership between the hot springs and the local hospital.
The next afternoon we experienced the spa at the hotel. It was a mixed bath with a glass dome, a swimming pool and several hot springs. The hot spring here is special because it has an average temperature of only 22 degrees Celsius, lower than other natural hot springs. Here is another special method of immersion, alternating hot and cold immersion. According to the locals, this facilitates blood circulation in the legs and enhances muscle energy.
In addition, Slovenia's hot saunas evaporate sweat, expel toxins and lighten the body, complementing the healing hot springs. Add in beer, sunshine and natural beauty, and the beauty of this town in the valley is secluded and healing.
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