The Šentviška Gora Plateau comprises a group of small villages in the hilly part of western Slovenia. Its residents (approximately 600) mainly engage in agriculture, especially livestock and crop farming.
The Šentviška Gora Plateau is rich in cultural and natural sites. Cultural and ethnological enthusiasts can visit a church designed by the famous Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik, a reconstructed mill from the 1920s, or a wooden granary dating back to 1778.
Over 40 km of beautifully landscaped trails are available to hikers, runners, and cyclists, with all major intersections properly marked. Hikers can climb up Črv Peak (974 m), the highest peak on the Plateau, or visit the Kostanjevec Gorge and its main section called Žlebi, where speleologists have the opportunity to explore natural karst caves. There is also a winter sports centre featuring a ski slope, a cross-country skiing area and two ski jumping hills.
The people who live and work at the heart of the Plateau also create its everyday life. The products and services offered by the local providers reflect high quality, tradition, and harmony with the natural environment.
Nevertheless, like other rural areas, the Plateau is facing the problems of ageing population and outmigration.
We recognise the Smart Rural 21 project as an important opportunity for achieving the goals we have been pursuing since 2012: to raise the quality of life on the Plateau; prevent outmigration and ageing of the population; attract visitors; and provide additional sources of income for the locals.