Top Facts about Maribor
- Maribor is the city of the oldest vine in the world, which has been growing in the old city centre for more than 400 years and has been entered into the Guinness World Records in 2004. Wine and culinary enthusiasts are impressed by the remarkable wines of the Štajerska region, alongside one of the best restaurants in Slovenia, House Denkt, the only Michelin star restaurant in the northeastern part of Slovenia.
- Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia and, at the same time, is a real capital. It is the capital of the Štajerska region in Slovenia, the soccer capital, and it also holds the title of the 2012 European Capital of Culture and the 2013 European Youth Capital.
- Maribor is a city of top festivals. From the renowned multicultural Lent Festival, the International Puppet Festival, and the Festival of Classical Music to the Wine and Culinary Festival of the oldest vine in the world.
- Maribor is a green city set in the embrace of the natural beauty of Pohorje and the picturesque hills of vineyards, stretching to the city centre. An Eden to lovers of nature and outdoor activities!
- Maribor is a city with a unique "city ski slope" – only 10 minutes by the city transportation from the lively streets and squares you will encounter the largest ski centre in Slovenia.
- Maribor, the 2018 European City of Sport, is a city of top athletes and sports teams with more than 50% of residents being active in this respect. The most important sports events in the city are the competitions for the World Championship in alpine skiing for women, Zlata Lisica (Golden Fox), and the shows on the green of the Maribor Football Club, the 15-time state champions, and a 3-time participant in the League of Champions.
- Maribor is an important historical city, first mentioned in writing on 20 October 1164, while its area was populated in the prehistoric period.
- Maribor is a city that has been a home or marked by renowned historical personalities, such as Wilhelm von Tegetthoff, Herman Potočnik – Noordung, Anton Martin Slomšek, Archduke John of Austria, Rudolf Maister, Nikola Tesla, Hugo Wolf, Leon Štukelj etc.
Choose your Maribor experience
The oldest part of the city, the Lent, is a home to a Guinness record holder – the oldest vine in the world! The more than 400-year-old vine climbs the façade of the former city walls, nowadays the Old Vine House, the centre for visitors and well-stocked wine shop of excellent wines of the Štajerska region. The pride of the city is the annual wine and culinary Old Vine Festival.
The lively city centre of the 2012 European Capital of Culture offers top cultural experiences. The great Maribor festivals, such as the renowned Lent Festival, the wine and culinary Old Vine Festival, the Maribor Theatre Festival and the Festival of Classical Music, are accompanied by numerous events, keeping the city's constant rhythm and its surroundings. It is also a home to remarkable cultural institutes, which impress even the most demanding of visitors – the landscape museum, art gallery, Slovenian National Theatre, puppet theatre, a synagogue, etc.
The vicinity of the city centre and the wine-growing hills and unspoiled nature enables diverse experiences. After a walk in the city centre, climb one of the city's wine-growing hills or take a gondola to the Maribor Pohorje. The picturesque countryside is suffused with cycling and hiking trails, while the village centres invite with their typical Štajerska region hospitality.
The story of the oldest vine in the world will lead you on a trail of wine and cuisine, culture and entertainment. This wine-growing region boasts with wines that have gathered awards from all around the world, while you can visit one of the best Slovenian restaurants in the city. The events include the largest outdoor celebration of St. Martin feast and a solemn grape harvest of the renowned Old Vine.
Only 10 minutes from the city centre and you can see the Maribor Pohorje rising, which invites you to visit many natural sights, hiking and cycling trails, and the adrenaline bike park. In the winter, the slopes transform into one of the largest ski centres in Slovenia. Have you tried the pohorski pisker (meat and vegetable stew) or the pohorska omleta (omlette-shaped dessert)?
Maribor is adorned by one of the most beautiful city parks in Slovenia. The city streets are bordered by hills of vineyards, and only a shooting range away are the green forests of Pohorje with peat bogs and lakes, waterfalls and Pohorje primeval forest. It is still possible to take a ride on the traditional rafts of the Drava River, and have some refreshments from the local and ecologically produced cuisine.