We have eleven cats. Yes, eleven. We didn't mean to have any but we are soft and took pity on a pair of strays in 2020, then one of them had kittens, then others started hanging around... Although we trap and neuter them all, in the words of Jeff Wayne, but still they come.

So if you have allergies, phobias, or just don't like cats, don't worry, we won't judge, but do be aware that they are often hanging around the property outside but they live with us in a separate part of the house away from the apartments and breakfast room. 

Needless to say this does mean that we are dog-free, but we will consider accepting your best friend if it really is a deal-breaker (see Are pets allowed section). Send us an email and we can discuss. But as a rule, pets are generally not allowed in the apartments, so rest assured ours aren't allowed in there either. If they have to undergo the humiliation of human diktat, so does everyone else.

Indoors Aside from the Smart TVs with a USB port in your apartment that have Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO Max installed, plus all the local and national channels, there is a DVD player and a vast library of films to choose from; for those who prefer a more cinematic experience, we also have a pull-down screen and SD card/USB projector - but that's in the breakfast room, so subject to prior arrangement. We have loads of books just begging to be read, as well as oodles of jigsaws and board games for rainy or zero days (do-nothing-days in hiker parlance).

Outdoors We have two bikes you can use, or if you want to hang around the property we have plenty of outdoor places to sit and read, think or stare into the middle distance, with just the sound of birds and the occasional tractor chugging by as sonic accompaniment. For the more active, we have on-site badminton equipment, and a ceiling-mounted punch bag for the Muhammad Ali among you. There is an exceptionally comfortable hammock with a view back to the garden, vines, and barns. We intend to have table tennis and a pool table one day, but I regret that day is not yet. Check back later :)

There are quite literally hundreds of places to go around here. Nature walks on designated paths, more strenuous hiking trails, cycling routes, wine road circuits, and so on, either within metres of Hiša Tarka, or in the surrounding countryside. We are based at the very end of the village, where after three more houses and five minutes along a track through fields you are in woodlands where you can find small fishing lakes, a chapel, streams and aqueducts...

We are 11km from the border of Goričko National Park and the Jeruzalem Wine Hills are 25km away in the other direction (further details in the Local Attractions section).

We have ample maps showing local, regional, national and international trails (Pot Sveti Martin - Saint Martin Trail - from Tours in France to Szombathely in Hungary, the European Hiking Routes E6 and E7, all pass by approximately 5km away - see Local Attractions section) and one of the most popular trails in Slovenia is just a few minute's walk from the end of our village - the PPP, Pomurska Planinska Pot (Pomurje Mountain Trail). We can advise on local spots for birds like owls, woodpeckers, falcons and hawks, as well as deer, martens, beavers and other woodland wildlife, some places right from our doorstep, and there are three large lakes nearby with beautiful walks either around or in the woodland; the nearest lake is a ten minute drive (45 minute cycle ride) just outside the village of Dobrovnik.

The Hungarian border is also a few km away with the enchanting Őrség National Park about twenty minutes drive featuring numerous woodland, open landscape and ridgeline walks.

Likewise, the Croatian border is twenty minute's drive south, where there are wonderful walks along the border river Mura and into the vineyard hills beyond. We couldn't live in a better place for getting out into this stunning countryside!

Lendava is our closest town at 11km away to the southeast near the Croatian border with a Špar, Lidl, Eurospin, and Hofer, a fantastic theatre, parks, riverside walks, a handful of restaurants, an imperssive castle overlooking the town that houses an excellent art gallery, and lots of coffee houses serving delicious ice cream and cakes (speak to us about our favourite). 

Murska Sobota (MS) is the next closest (15km northwest) and the main administrative hub of the region, with a bus and train station providing connections to the rest of the country and onward throughout Europe. It has a newly pedestrianised shopping area adjacent to a lovely central park around the historic castle and momuments to those lost in various wars. On summer nights, local and national acts perform on stages here, often for free. If you prefer to while away the hours observing terrapins and ducks from the comfort of a grassy knoll or a bench, there is a gorgeous fish pond tucked in a clearing through some trees.

On the outskirts there are two major shopping districts - BTC packed full of furniture shops, clothes, telecom outlets, an Interspar, and an OBI nearby if you fancy doing some DIY, and on the opposite side of the town there is the Maximus Shopping Center with the usual shops and a four-screen cinema showing new releases, with most films in the English language with Slovene subtitles.

You should be able to find everything you need in MS.

Just outside of MS is the relatively new (opened 2021) tourist attraction, the Expano Exhibition Centre, an architectural delight pverlooking a huge man-made lake where you can go swimming, canoeing, windsurfing and other watersports in the summer, with a wide and accommodating low pebble beach, with designated picnic areas comprised of benches and fire pits further along. The Centre itself has an imperssively stocked gift shop for all your souvenir needs, as well as a permanent exhibition about the region and all you can find here.

See Local Attractions for more places, details, and links.

Pets are generally not allowed at Hiša Tarka. We have eleven cats, and like most pet owners their comfort and safety is important to us, but we are happy to discuss any situation that you are facing by leaving your pet behind. Of course, we also want to ensure the comfort and safety of all guests! Please let us know if you have any allergies. Our cats do not have access to the main house (i.e. the apartments and breakfast room, etc.) and live with us in rooms separate to the house, but they are always hanging around the property in the gardens and the courtyard, on the roof, in the barn rafters, you name it. Little darlings get everywhere.

We take cash, cards, smartphone taps, QR scans, helping clear out the never-ending piles of stuff in the outer barn... Only joking on that last one.

All payments must be made through the electronic FURS (Slovenia's tax) system which we take care of, and we issue a receipt for everything, but we take all forms of payment. Check with your bank if there are charges involved, or send us a message to chat about how you would prefer to pay and we can advise - being relocated from the UK, we have made various discoveries along the way of which banks / apps are the best to use to avoid exploitative charges.

All tourists need to be registered with the local police for their stay - again, we take care of that, but we do need to get a copy of your ID / passport, so please don't feel affronted when we ask. We abide by GDPR and store your details in our locked safe and destroy the copies when they are no longer pertinent i.e. when you've left. 

We ask that guests are considerate of each other - there is a quiet time between 10pm and 7am, unless by prior arrangement where all present are aware of and agree to increased noise levels (for example watching a sports match on our shared "big" screen, a wine tasting event, and so on).

Breakfast is served between 7am and 10am, checkout is at 11am and check in is at 2pm, but do contact us if you would like to check in earlier or at least leave your luggage with us and explore the area while we prepare your apartment. Just ping us an email.

Slovenia is divided into regions, and we are in Prekmurje. Or, Pomurje. You'll probably hear and read both words during your stay.

The terms Prekmurje and Pomurje refer to overlapping but distinct regions in Slovenia:

• Prekmurje is a historical and cultural region located east of the Mura River, known for its unique dialect, Hungarian influence, rich gastronomy (like bograč and prekmurska gibanica), and rolling plains.
• Pomurje is a broader administrative region that includes both Prekmurje and areas west of the Mura River. The name means "along the Mura," covering a larger territory used in statistical and tourism contexts.

In short: Prekmurje is a historical region, while Pomurje is a wider official region that includes Prekmurje.