Radenci's mineral water (three hearts label)

Radenci is a spa town in Pomurje, in the gently rolling country of the Slovenske gorice in northeastern Slovenia, close to the Mura River and the Austrian border. Its name is bound up with mineral water: the sparkling water bottled here under the Radenska brand, with its three red hearts on the label, is among the best-known products of the country and has been sold for well over a century. The water rises from deep springs and is naturally rich in carbon dioxide and minerals, which gives it the fine, lasting bubbles that made it popular as a table water and as a health drink.

The story of the springs goes back to the nineteenth century. The water was already known to local people, who valued it for its taste and supposed health effects, and in the course of that century it was analysed by doctors and began to be bottled and sold beyond the district. The railway and the spa trade brought visitors from across the Habsburg lands, and Radenci grew from a village into a spa resort with a park, a bathing house and guesthouses. Bottled water travelled even further, and the brand became a household name in the region. The three hearts label became a trademark of the brand, and it is one of the most recognisable pieces of packaging in Slovenia.

Today the spring and the spa are part of the town's identity. The Radenci spa offers thermal and mineral baths, treatments and accommodation, and the water can be tasted at the source, where the slightly salty, fizzy flavour is a surprise to first-time drinkers. Park Radenci, a landscaped park beside the spa, offers shaded walks, flower beds and a small zoo that children enjoy. The surrounding countryside is covered with vineyards and fields, and cycling routes cross the flat Pannonian landscape of the Mura plain, so it is easy to explore by bicycle.

Radenci sits close to other sights of the region, including the wine-growing hills of Gornja Radgona, where sparkling wine is made, and the spa villages of Banovci and Moravske Toplice. This means the town can be combined with a longer trip around Pomurje, which also offers local food such as gibanica and pumpkin-seed oil dishes.

The spring and its story suit spa guests, families, cyclists and anyone curious about food and drink traditions. A visit takes an hour or two for the park and the tasting, longer if combined with the spa. Check opening times and any tours locally, since arrangements vary by season.