The Škrabec Homestead: Dinner, Wine and a Surprise Guest at One of Slovenia’s Best-Known Homesteads
A boutique hotel, excellent food, art, culture and conversations stretching late into the night. You may have heard of the Škrabec Homestead – perhaps you have even visited it. We came with one goal: to experience it, taste it and discover the stories hidden within one of Slovenia’s best-known homesteads.
On the outskirts of Ribnica, where the town gradually gives way to the countryside, lies the picturesque village of Hrovača and the Škrabec Homestead.
Where the past meets the present
This was the birthplace of Father Stanislav Škrabec, one of Slovenia’s most important 19th-century linguists, a pioneer of modern Slovenian orthoepy and an important figure in shaping the standards of the Slovenian literary language.
To preserve the memory of their distinguished relative and the family heritage, the Škrabec family carefully restored the old homestead. Rather than turning it simply into a monument to the past, however, they gave it a new life.
In 1998, the current owner, Janez Škrabec, entrepreneur and director of company Riko, began renovating the family homestead. The restoration was completed in 2002 with the construction of a new barn.
Today, the Škrabec Homestead is much more than a beautifully preserved piece of Ribnica’s history.
It is a meeting place for culture and art, a venue for business gatherings and social events, and also a boutique hotel. Entrepreneurs, artists, travellers and locals come together here over good food and a glass of wine – and it was precisely this spirit of togetherness that defined our visit.
In 2004, the European Museum Forum (EMF) nominated the Škrabec Homestead for the European Museum of the Year Award.
From hand to hand
Leaving the barn behind, we walked past the traditional hayrack and walked the old house, where a beautifully laid table was waiting for us in the dining room. Soon, a proper feast began.
It is not every day that you see so many delicacies gathered around one table.
Plates and bowls brimming with food travelled from hand to hand, across the table and back again. Just as we finished tasting one dish, another appeared. There was something wonderfully familiar about it all – the atmosphere of a generous family dinner where nobody counts the courses and nobody checks the time.
The glasses were kept just as busy. Our hosts poured some of the best bottles from their wine cellar, from white to red, while freshly pressed homemade juice was served for those who preferred something alcohol-free.
And then … Ribn’čan (Ribnica local) arrived
From the very beginning, the evening was filled with laughter and stories about the people of Ribnica – their character, their entrepreneurial spirit and their almost legendary talent for working with wood, from traditional woodenware to kitchen utensils. With humorous tales, local anecdotes and the distinctive wit of the Ribnica region, Ribnčan added something no menu could ever offer: the genuine spirit of the place.
Food became a reason to gather, wine accompanied the conversation, and the stories gave us every reason to stay at the table a little longer.
A boutique hotel in the heart of the village
Those tempted to stay a little longer can also spend the night at the homestead. The accommodation is housed in a traditional Ribnica-style home dating from the mid-19th century. Inside are four elegant themed apartments – Hayloft, Meadow, Forest and Pasture. Their names reveal their inspiration, with each interpreting the landscapes and natural character of the surrounding countryside in its own way.
The surroundings are part of the experience, too. Thanks to its beautifully preserved architecture and picturesque village centre, Hrovača has previously been recognised by the Tourist Association of Slovenia as one of the country’s most beautiful and hospitable villages.
