A circular trail of about two kilometres, hikes lasting four and four and a half hours, and a 220-kilometre cycling route show the different ways Osilnica can be explored on foot and by bike. The cycling route runs from Osilnica to Metlika and Črnomelj, via Vinica and back to Osilnica. This provides both specific timings for hikes and a clearly described longer cycling route to help with planning.

Hiking Trails, Cycling and Paddling

The municipality’s tourism information lists eleven hiking routes in Osilnica and its surroundings. Two can be compared using their stated durations: Osilnica–Šajbnik–Osilnica is estimated to take four hours, while Osilnica–Kupari–the source of the Kolpa–Razloge–Osilnica takes four and a half hours. The time estimates distinguish the two routes by half an hour; their different route names also help set them apart.

The Peter Klepec adventure trail is an approximately two-kilometre circular hiking trail through Osilnica. It is aimed primarily at families and children and offers games such as archery, skittles, horseshoe throwing and tug-of-war. The 43-kilometre “Po poteh Petra Klepca 2” circular route offers a different scale: it starts in Osilnica and passes numerous points of interest. The Obkolpska Trail also starts in Osilnica and can be travelled on foot, by bicycle or by paddle boat. One paddling route runs from Osilnica to Metlika.

Along the River and Through the Town

The Beaver Trail starts in the centre of Osilnica at the Petra Klepec Cultural and Tourism Centre. It follows the Čabranka and the Kolpa to their confluence. There, an information board tells visitors about beavers. Along the central section of the trail, visitors can also see old houses and the house names of the Osilnica Valley. The river landscape and local history meet on the same route, while the longer hikes and cycling or paddling routes offer other durations and ways of getting around.

Church, Crafts and Regional Cuisine

The parish church of Saints Peter and Paul was rebuilt in 1875 and 1876 and consecrated on 11 September 1887. Its floor plan is shaped like a Greek cross with very short arms; its oldest bell dates from 1644. Osilnica had its own priest as early as 1363.

In autumn 2001, the Galerija Staneta Jarma opened in the birthplace of sculptor Stane Jarm. It was open to pre-booked groups until his death. Nearby in Mirtoviči, Jože Gorše and his wife Katarina set up a blacksmithing museum in his birthplace in 2002, commemorating three generations of blacksmiths. The natural climbing wall Orlovska stena is also in Mirtoviči. It opened in August 2025 and has 61 routes graded from 5a to 8a.

Traditional regional dishes include Nadevavanje, Pohance, Žnite, Gumboci, Suha župa with white potato polenta, Žulca, Pogačice and Proja. Together with the trails, church and historic sites, they offer different ways to shape a stay: exploring on foot, by bike or on the water, as well as discovering local history and regional cuisine.

Discover more destinations: Vrh pri Fari, Banja Loka, Kočevje.

Return to the main travel guide: Kočevje.