Hranilnica Prekmurskih Dobrot

The name of this shop is a play on words. Hranilnica means savings bank, and dobrote means delicacies or good things, so a Savings Bank of Prekmurje Delicacies is a place where the region's culinary treasures are collected and kept. It occupies a former savings bank building in the centre of Murska Sobota, the main town of Prekmurje, in the far north-east of Slovenia, and the building itself, in the Art Deco style of the early twentieth century, adds to the charm. Murska Sobota developed as a trading and administrative centre in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and its town centre has a number of buildings from the period when it grew into a small city.

Inside, the shop brings together products from many local producers, farmers, cooperatives and craftspeople, so that visitors can taste and buy a wide range of what the region offers in one place. Prekmurje has its own distinctive food culture, shaped by its position between Slovenia, Hungary and Austria. Pumpkin-seed oil, a dark green, nutty oil pressed from the roasted seeds of a local variety of pumpkin, is the best known, and it is used on salads, soups and even ice cream. Gibanica, a layered pastry with poppy seed, walnuts, apples and cottage cheese, is the region's signature dessert, and the shop typically stocks honey, jams, cheeses, breads, smoked meats, wines and brandies from the surrounding villages. A coffee corner allows a pause during browsing.

The shop is also an information point for visitors. Staff can give advice on what to see and do in the Pomurje region, help with booking excursions and arrange tasting sessions of local products, which usually need to be booked in advance. It acts as a meeting point for guided tours and group visits, and is a good place to start a day of exploring. Opening hours vary with the season, and the shop tends to have longer hours in the summer months, so check before planning a visit.

Murska Sobota has other places worth seeing within walking distance. The City Park with Castle holds the town's old castle, which houses the regional museum, the Evangelical Church of Murska Sobota is the centre of the town's Protestant community and one of the notable churches, and Paviljon EXPANO is a striking building that was originally the Slovenian pavilion at a world exhibition. Fazanerija is a green space in the town, and Rakičan Mansion, a short distance away, is a historic residence set in a park. A visit to the shop works well at the start or end of a day in town, and it makes a good place to buy gifts to take home.