If you start your journey from Podčetrtek, you will have only a 60-minute walk to the top along easy footpaths, and at the finish you will be rewarded with a breathtaking view of the surrounding mountains and hills. There is also a new "love bench" at the tower where you can take unforgettable photos, use a binoculars and, for electric bike riders, a charging station.

Rudnica is a hill above Podčetrtek and Olimje, where a metre below the 622 m high peak of Silavec stands the lookout Tower of health and joy on Rudnica. The highest platform is at 35. 23 m, bringing the total height to 40 m.

You can also admire the Šmarnica shelter, Albin's resting place, Hunting bivouac, Dragon Lake, Witch's Cottage on your hike on the Rudnica hill. On the way back from Olimje to Podčetrtek, you can also visit the Olimje Minorite Monastery, Jelenov Greben, and the Amon golf or footgolf course.

For information on the routes to the tower, click HERE.

 

A view as far as the eye can see

There are various routes to get to Rudnica:

• 1h FROM THE WITCH’S COTTAGE: The route follows the European footpath E7. The route is partly on asphalt, macadam, and forest tracks.
• 1h FROM SPODNJE TINSKYO THROUGH LOŽNO: The trail leads along a very steep and difficult mountain path. The route is partly on asphalt, macadam, and forest tracks.
• 1h 10min FROM PODČETRTEK ROUNDABOUT: Marked tourist trail partly on asphalt and partly on macadam and forest paths.
• 1h 10min FROM THE CHURCH OF MARY THE VIRGIN: Marked mountain and pilgrimage trail, partly on asphalt and partly on macadam and forest paths. The trail starts in Slake at the church road turnoff.
• 1h 30min FROM OLIMIA SPA PARKING LOT: Marked mountain trail to Mala Rudnica past Podčetrtek Castle and the Šmarnica shelter on Mala Rudnica. The route starts above the Apart Hotel Breza and runs partly on asphalt, macadam, and forest tracks.
• 1h 30min FROM THE OLIMJE MONASTERY PAST THE WITCH’S COTTAGE: The route follows the European footpath E7. The route is partly on asphalt, macadam, and forest tracks.
• 1h 30min FROM THE OLIMJE MONASTERY PAST THE CHOCOLATE SHOP: The trail leads partly along the Styria - Zagorje mountain trail and along the E7. The route is partly on asphalt, macadam, and forest tracks.
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Mountaineers and hikers who are keen on slightly more challenging and longer trails can take the so-called connecting trails:

• 1 h 30 min - PODČETRTEK - SV. EMA: The E7 European walking route runs between the two places.
• 2 h 30 min - Tower of health and joy - TINSKA GORA: The Styria - Zagorje mountain trail runs between the two destinations.
• 3 h 30 min - Tower of health and joy - Tower of Love: There is a mountain trail between the lookout Tower of health and toy at Mala Rudnica and the lookout Tower of love at Žusm. Groups of mountaineers can walk even further.
• 3 h 30 min - PODČETRTEK - ROGAŠKA SLATINA: The European walking route E7 runs between the two towns.
• 6 h - Podčetrtek - Tower of health and joy - Tower of love - ŽUREJ agrotourism in Ječovo: There is a mountain trail between Podčetrtek and the two lookout towers. Groups of mountaineers can walk even further.
• 9 h - Tower of health and joy - Cottage on Bohor: The mountain trail to Bohor runs from the Tower of health and joy via Plešivec, the highest peak of Velika Rudnica, past the Partisan hospital in Javoršica to Klake, where the XIV Division mountain trail leads to Bohor.
• 9 h - Tower of health and joy - Tower at Resevna: The mountain trail to Resevna leads via Plešivec, the highest peak of Velika Rudnica, past the Tower of love at Žusm, the Church of St. Helena, Slivnica pri Celju and Rifnik.   

For further orientation, please visit our website where we have prepared an interactive map: https://www.visitpodcetrtek.com/zemljevid.

We would like to share with you that the construction and installation of the Tower of health and joy was paid for exclusively by the tourist tax and that the acquisition means additional attractiveness of the destination for the municipality of Podčetrtek. The destination belongs to the very top of tourist destinations in Slovenia. Thirty or more visitors visit the tower every day. Hopefully, you are among the visitors too.