Drava valley

Discover the treasure of the living world, hidden by the rivers and its embankments. Experience the throb of the past and the life of raftsmen or flosarji on rafts.

The Drava River's spring is located in north-eastern Italy and, on its path, it crosses Austria and Slovenia until it joins the Danube in Croatia; its path is more than 720 kilometres long, of which 133 kilometres run through Slovenia. The power of the river was once used by timber rafters and later by hydroelectric power plants that partially dammed its flow. In Dravograd, the first hydroelectric power plant in Slovenia was established. Nowadays, four hydroelectric power plants are located in the Koroška region. Today, the river represents a unique natural habitat with plants and animal groups and some endemic species.

Discover the treasure of the living world, hidden by the rivers and its embankments. Experience the throb of the past and the life of raftsmen or flosarji on rafts.

Dravite – this incredibly valued mineral was first found in Dobrova pri Dravogradu in 1839. The mineralogist Tschermark named it after the Drava River. Dobrova pri Dravogradu is one of the five most important deposits in the world. The mineral belongs to the tourmaline group, which are classified as precious stones due to their incredible hardness. Due to having very small cracks, it is not suitable for polishing, yet it is very appreciated for its colour, form and rarity.

Discover the treasure of the living world, hidden by the rivers and its embankments. Experience the throb of the past and the life of raftsmen or flosarji on rafts.

The Drava River is known as the most important area for water birds in the country. The entire 133-km flow in Slovenia is part of the European Natura 2000 Network, which aims to preserve biotic diversity for future generations.

By constructing the Dravograd hydroelectric power plant, an artificial accumulation lake was formed behind the dam – Lake Dravograd. Today, it is a rich and diverse habitat for rare plants and animals, especially the Črneče Bay on the eastern side of the Črneče village with its shallow channels and reed-covered islands. To date, they recognised more than 160 plant species and it is a haven for the reproduction of more than 150 bird species. The presence of the beaver (Castor fiber L.), which has been spotted in this area since 2007, gives the lake its additional charm. According to the data of the Fish Registry, the area of the Drava River, at the section between Vič and Ožbolt, holds 44 different fish species. The lake area is of great natural and national value, an ecologically important area and a Natura 2000 area.