Republic of Slovenia lies at the very heart of Europe, where the Alps meet the Mediterranean, where the Pannonian Plain meets the mysterious Karst. It neighbours Austria to the north, Hungary to the east, Croatia to the south and Italy to the west. Two million people live on a national territory of slightly more than twenty thousand square kilometres. The capital and largest city of Slovenia is Ljubljana.
Slovenia has been an ancient meeting point of West Slavic, South Slavic, Germanic, Romance, and Hungarian languages and culture. Throughout history, the present territory of Slovenia has been part of various state formations, including the Roman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire, followed by the Habsburg Monarchy, State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, Kingdom and later Federal People’s (and Socialist Federal) Republic of Yugoslavia. Slovenia became an independent state in 1991. It has since established a well-profiled international position and reputation as a democratic, stable and prosperous Central European country.
Slovenia became a member of the EU on May 1, 2004.
With its 100,000 inhabitants, Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia, and the largest on the Drava river, assigned by Charlemagne as the border between the »Alpine« (Salzburg) and the »Adriatic« Patriarchates (Aquileia).
The city of Maribor sits halfway between Vienna and Trieste, a fact that determines both its economic as well as cultural significance. In the mid 19th century, Maribor – then known as Marburg – was introduced to Europe with Franz Liszt’s legendary concert, and in 2012, it was designated »European Capital of Culture«. The city has a university, a number of museums and galleries, excellent ballet, opera and theatre, and exciting festivals.
OLD TOWN: Lent, the oldest part of the city, eill enchant you with its Old Vine – the oldest vine in the world, with its medieval towers and remains of the old city walls, the the castle (formerly two) and museum, the Plague_Column and the Town_Hall, the Bishop Slomšek Cathedral with its panoramic platform on the cathedral bell tower, the Synagogue, the Art Gallery and Theatre.
Piramida and Kalvarija, the city’s wine-growing hills, offer spectacular views of the city home to the oldest and largest wine cellars in Europe.
A trip up to green hills of POHORJE enraptures ramblers and hikers, cyclists, adrenaline enthusiasts as well as lovers of the tranquillity of Pohorje’s primeval forest, waterfalls and peat moors. And the magic continues also in the wintertime when Maribor Pohorje, dressed in white, becomes one of the most attractive ski resorts in Slovenia.
The picturesque WINE-ROADS interweaving the slopes of Pohorje and the wine growing hills all the way to the Austrian border and beyond, create a wine-cultural trail to be enjoyed not only by wine connoisseurs, but also by lovers of cuisine, traditional customs, ethnological heritage and outstanding panoramic viewpoints, which can be visited either by bike, on foot or by car. Tourist farmhouses and wine-growers will be happy to offer you their delicious home-made specialities and genuine hospitality.
Maribor’s position along the Drava River, Pohorje and the wine-growing hills, as well as the lively, proverbial hospitality of the Styrians, all contribute to the well-being of guests.
