Pomona Estate, a taste of nature near Rogaška Slatina

Pomona Estate is a beautiful family-run tourist farm in the countryside, near Rogaška Slatina Spa resort.

So, if you are planning a weekend spiced with wellness, healing water like the Donat Mg, and unspoilt nature, think about Rogaška Slatina and the Pomona Estate. While a bit unusual, this place is fascinating, offering a mix of orchards, gardens, an old house, a wooden pathway, and a glimpse into farm life.

There are no large tourist resorts in the area. Just follow the winding road through the greenery and trees.
When you arrive at the estate, it looks like you’ve come to your grandmother’s home…

 

 

📌How to get to Pomona Estate

Pomona is located only three km from the centre of the elegant spa centre of Rogaška Slatina, in Zgornjem Sečovo, between Boč and Donačka gora. It is in the southeast of the Slovenian province of Styria, 48 km away from Maribor and 112 km away from Ljubljana.

From Belgrade, Rogaška Slatina is 480 km away, and from Zagreb it is about 90 km away, so the best way is to come there by car.

 

The story about the Pomona Estate

Everything started when its owner, Janko Zupanek, decided to change his life and left his job in the banking system. Due to family circumstances, he returned to the estate where he grew up.

Janko bought several hectares of land and planted the first pear orchard in 2014. The beginning was very tough, but step by step, the new estate developed. It was named after Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and orchards.

Today, pears, quinces, apricots, apples and plums grow on the estate. But that is not the whole story. There are also a bio garden, aquaponics with spices and salads, and rooms named after the fruit. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?

 

🏨 Accommodation in Pomona: more than a country guesthouse

The farm is promoted as a four-apple tourist property. So, if you like to spend a day or weekend surrounded by nature, then Pomona is an excellent choice.

 

The old family house was restored. Today, the guest house has eight double rooms, named after the fruits that grow on the farm, such as apple, peach, quince, grape, apricot, plum, cherry and pear. Fruit signs are everywhere: on the keys, on the golden tiles with the room number mounted on the front doors, in the bathrooms, and also on the paintings on the walls.

 

The rooms are traditionally decorated with wooden details, and the walls are painted in soft fruit colours. Definetely, the guests will remember these small and interesting details that create a warm and nostalgic space.

 

Every room has something different, but one thing is the same: guests should feel comfortable and relaxed. You will sleep like a baby on the natural mattresses. All rooms have private bathrooms, balconies, garden views, air-conditioning, free WiFi, and, additionally, a bar and laundry service.

By the way, visitors can hike, and electric bicycles are available. The outdoor space and kids’ playground are perfect for families with children.

♨️Wellness in Pomona

Guests in Pomona can relax at the spa and wellness centre. There are three saunas, a whirlpool bath, a fitness centre, a massage room, a foot-water feature, and a sun terrace.

 

In the garden, there is a specific bio-pool, a natural swimming pond. It is surrounded by greenery and unusual lounge areas inspired by beehives, turning the countryside into a place for real relaxation and sunbathing.

 

🍽️ Gastronomy at the Pomona estate: from orchard to table

Food is a central part of the Pomona experience.

The traditional restaurant serves local cuisine with seasonal menus and vegetarian options, served in a garden-inspired setting. All meals and house drinks are prepared from local and homegrown ingredients, while the Asian mushrooms shiitake add an unexpected accent to some dishes.

 

When you’re there, taste homemade soup, fried chicken, pork prepared in different ways with grilled vegetables, or veal with potatoes. And of course, try homemade lemonade, brandy or liqueurs, and the Ritoznojčan wine.

 

 

By the way, in the basement below the restaurant, there is a large hall that has hosted hundreds of guests for weddings and birthdays. The numerous paintings on the walls were made during the painters’ colonies.

 

What to see in the Pomona Estate

After breakfast or lunch, it is always recommended to go for a walk, and Janko will lead you to explore the estate.

 

Educational Tourist Path

Well, Pomona has an unusual path: Sprehod med debli, or Walking among the trees, along the educational tourist path.
Actually, it is a winding wooden path which is 120 m long and up to 6 m high, between the treetops! The reason for the winding bridge is that Janko did not want to cut down a single tree.

 

At the beginning of the path, you can first see a dozen piles of stacked logs for shiitake mushrooms, which contain compounds that stimulate the body’s defences, help fight viruses and severe diseases, and lower cholesterol.

 

The wooden bridge connects two parts of the estate, and walking along it, you get a completely different perspective of the whole area. On the way, you can see orchards, a garden with asparagus, vegetables, berries, herbs, and 19 different types of trees.

A particularly interesting part is a large community of Krškopolski pigs, the autochthonous breed of this part of Slovenia. They live freely at the foot of the trail, and if you say “chunka, chunka”,  they run excitedly to a place where you can feed them.

 

Greenhouse with Aquaponics

When you cross the wooden bridge, you will find an area with the Greenhouse, made as a replica of the grand old greenhouse which once stood at the centre of Rogaška Slatina.

In the greenhouse, for the first time, I saw aquaponics, a sustainable food production system. This interesting process combines fish farming (aquaculture) and soil-free plant cultivation (hydroponics) in a closed, symbiotic cycle.

 

How does the aquaponic process work?

Water containing ammonia and waste materials from the pond is directed through a biological filtration system, where beneficial bacteria convert that waste first into nitrites and then into nitrates, i.e. into nutrients that plants can absorb.

The plants then help purify the water before it is returned to the fish ponds.
They absorb nitrates through the roots and thus feed themselves and grow rapidly.

Clean water is returned to the fish, and the cycle repeats itself continuously. This method makes it possible to reduce water consumption and create a compact, carefully balanced food production cycle.

Different species of sturgeon, carp, and albino moray are grown on the “Pomona” estate, providing visitors with an unforgettable, practical insight into the connection between fish farming and vegetable production.

 

🗼Viewpoint of Saint Florian

At the end of this interesting walk, we came to the viewpoint, which is 20 metres high. It was made as a replica of Stolp Kristal, the highest tower and building in Slovenia, situated only a few km away.

The viewpoint was officially opened in September 2024, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the existence of this popular place. It is perfectly blended into nature, made with steel joints and wooden parts.

There is no elevator, so you have to climb to the top on foot.

 

But when you come there, the stunning view of greenery, orchards towards the hills, the surrounding mountains in the background, and tiny houses between them will wait for you. Take a break and enjoy the view with a glass of local wine or brandy made from the fruit of the estate. Also, there is a possibility of serving a meal at the viewpoint.

Ahhh, I wanted to stay there for hours, watching the beautiful nature and feeling only the breeze on my face…

 

Kmetija Pomona, the place to relax and enjoy nature

Well, we were impressed by Janko’s energy and how he made his dream come true. And of course, he had more plans. One of them is glamping, a modern accommodation concept in nature, which will be situated among the orchard and greenery.

Pomona Estate is open throughout the year, but it is recommended to book your arrival in advance.

Definitely, Pomona is a unique tourist destination.

Everything is inspired by nature, making you feel that you’ve come home. Its greatest luxury is not extravagance, but connection to the orchard, the food on the plate, ingenious cycles of water and growth, and the generous rhythm of a Slovenian farm.

Come and enjoy 🤩