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Sports and Leisure

Celje is a town that offers a lot regardless of the season, age, or preferred activity. Above all, citizens of Celje are dynamic; they enjoy nature and sports, and Celje provides them ample opportunity to engage in both.

Day-trip and other tourist destinations in Celje's immediate surrounding area offer relaxation, entertainment, and leisure activities. One highly frequented destination is Celjska koča (The Celje Hut) which is a true magnet for hikers and bikers alike. Lying at an altitude of 650 meters and only a few leaps away from the center of the town, it now boasts a recently built modern hotel which, along with hiking, biking, and educational trips and a skiing slope, forms a comprehensive tourist offer.

Although Celje is not a coastal city, its water resources are almost as plentiful as those of the Slovenian coast (at least as far as fresh water is concerned, that is). The Šmartinsko Lake, originally a reservoir established to control the downstream waterways, spontaneously developed into a recreational area offering sports and tourist activities that attract numerous visitors from the vicinity. In addition, bathers and swimmers are offered the summer outdoor pool and the indoor pool in Golovec, more popular during the winter.

Celje also boasts Slovenia's most modern football (soccer) stadium, the Petrol Arena; having hosted Slovenia's national team matches, it gained an international reputation. The Celje Sports Park also includes the Zlatorog Hall which provides excellent conditions for notable sports and cultural events.

Also adding to the quality of urban life are the well-maintained and preserved distinctive natural features. Thus, Celje's deliberate and long-term oriented approach made it the leading Slovenian city in terms of urban forest preservation. For years, Celje Municipality has invested considerable effort to preserve the forests in the direct vicinity of the town and to maintain walking routes through them. The municipal forest with a network of walking paths, most notably the "Heart Path" intended for cardiac patients as well as leisure sportsmen became a hallmark of the city as it contributes to the health of its denizens and to the preservation of a natural balance.

Owing to the care for the environment and health, Celje was ranked among the European cities with the title of a "Healthy City". In the office Celje – Healthy City, citizens are offered information on the project while numerous activities are being carried out to improve the quality of urban life.
 

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