City Guide Maribor

Maribor

Maribor is often overlooked by visitors in favour of more picturesque destinations such as Lake Bled or the historic town of Ptuj. Yet Slovenia’s second-largest city has plenty to offer. It hosts a wide range of popular sporting and cultural events throughout the year and provides an excellent base for exploring central and eastern Slovenia.

The River Drava divides Maribor into two distinct areas. The historic old town lies mainly on the northern side, while the southern side is characterised by post-war residential neighbourhoods and industrial areas. Despite having a population of around 110,000, Maribor has the relaxed atmosphere of a much smaller provincial town. Surrounded by green hills, nature always feels close at hand.

A car is certainly useful if you want to explore the region’s wine routes. However, just 20 minutes by bus from the city centre, at the foot of Mariborsko Pohorje, you will find the lower station of the Pohorje cable car.

Maribor also has an excellent network of cycle paths, and most hotels provide dedicated bicycle storage. There is also a citywide bike-sharing system. Cycling along the River Drava is particularly enjoyable. The route begins northwest of Maribor, close to the Austrian border, and continues through the city towards Ptuj. Across the wider region, there are many other beautiful cycling routes suitable for riders of all abilities.

Maribor successfully blends its historic past with a modern outlook. The once-neglected riverside district of Lent, formerly known as “Little Venice”, has undergone major redevelopment, with new cultural venues, public spaces and exhibition areas transforming the waterfront.

On the opposite bank of the river, the striking modern Faculty of Medicine at the University of Maribor provides a good example of the city’s contemporary architecture.

Once primarily an industrial centre, Maribor has reinvented itself as a lively and increasingly attractive city. It proudly held the title of European Capital of Culture in 2012, and its large student and young professional population continues to play an important role in the city’s development, particularly in the creative industries, media and arts.

Snow, Sport and Spa

Mariborsko Pohorje is one of Slovenia’s largest ski areas, offering more than 40 kilometres of ski slopes as well as extensive cross-country skiing facilities and a network of chairlifts and ski lifts.

The area has a long tradition of international alpine skiing and has hosted major women’s slalom and giant slalom competitions. Skiing is extremely popular among both locals and visitors, and many of the slopes are floodlit, making evening skiing possible after the working day or for anyone who simply wants to spend a little longer on the mountain.

During the summer months, Mariborsko Pohorje becomes a playground for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Several mountain-bike trails offer different levels of difficulty, including challenging downhill routes.

Bikes can be transported up the mountain by cable car, allowing riders to enjoy an exhilarating descent of more than 700 vertical metres.

At Bolfenk, near the upper cable-car station, hikers can set off towards some of Pohorje’s most attractive natural sights. One of the best known is Črno Jezero, or Black Lake, whose peat-covered bed gives its otherwise clear water an unusually dark appearance.

Another popular excursion leads to the Veliki and Mali Šumik waterfalls.

For something less demanding, Mestni Park, just north of the city centre, offers peaceful walking paths, varied greenery and three picturesque ponds. Beside them is one of Maribor’s best-known traditional restaurants, Gostilna pri treh ribnikih — literally, “The Restaurant by the Three Ponds”.

Although Maribor residents enjoy an active lifestyle, they also know how to relax. The city and surrounding area offer numerous spas and wellness centres, many of which are located within hotels near Pohorje. Visitors can enjoy swimming pools, saunas, beauty treatments and therapeutic services in peaceful surroundings beneath the green hills of Pohorje.

During the summer, Mariborski Otok — an island in the River Drava — is another popular place to relax and swim.

Spectator sports are equally popular, particularly football. NK Maribor is one of Slovenia’s most successful football clubs and has regularly competed in European competitions. Home matches at Ljudski Vrt attract some of the largest crowds in Slovenian football.

A City of Culture

Maribor’s year as European Capital of Culture may have passed, but the city continues to attract visitors interested in history, art and culture.

The city is home to the Slovenian National Theatre Maribor and hosts numerous events throughout the year. Many of these reflect Maribor’s long history as an important trading centre on the River Drava, as well as the wine-growing traditions of the surrounding region.

Until the early 20th century, timber from Pohorje was transported on rafts along the River Drava as far as Belgrade. Although goods are transported very differently today, the tradition has not been forgotten. Visitors can still experience a traditional rafting trip along the Drava, accompanied by local food, wine and beautiful riverside scenery.

At the end of June, the city comes alive for Festival Lent, an international arts festival named after Maribor’s historic riverside district. Events take place at numerous venues throughout the city and include everything from stand-up comedy and street theatre to jazz, world music and international performers.

Later in the summer, Maribor also hosts classical music events featuring musicians from Slovenia and abroad.

September brings celebrations surrounding Stara Trta — the Old Vine — one of Maribor’s most famous landmarks. Growing in the Lent district, this remarkable vine is recognised as the oldest grapevine in the world and has become one of the city’s most important symbols.

Each year, grapes from the Old Vine are ceremonially harvested and made into a small quantity of wine, which is bottled specially and traditionally presented to distinguished guests.

The countryside surrounding Maribor is covered with vineyards, and a network of wine roads connects wineries, vineyards and tourist farms throughout the region. Visit during the September harvest and you may even find yourself invited to help pick the grapes.

Those more interested in tasting the finished product can explore the region’s wine cellars. Maribor has a remarkable underground winemaking heritage, with extensive tunnels and cellars beneath the city where wines have traditionally been produced and stored.

Discovering Maribor’s History

Although large parts of Maribor were damaged during the Second World War, the city retains a wealth of historic architecture and monuments, including impressive squares, Baroque buildings, churches, castles and elegant townhouses.

Simply walking through the centre provides a strong sense of the city’s history.

Maribor Castle stands in the heart of the city and today houses the Regional Museum. Nearby, the Museum of National Liberation offers an insight into Maribor’s experience during the Second World War and the region’s more recent history.

On the southern edge of the city stands Betnava Mansion, an attractive Baroque estate with close historical connections to the Archdiocese of Maribor.

Maribor Cathedral dates back to the 12th century and was originally built in the Romanesque style. Today, its predominantly Gothic appearance and imposing bell tower make it one of the city centre’s most recognisable landmarks.

Nearby stands a statue of Anton Martin Slomšek, the influential 19th-century Bishop of Maribor who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1999.

Maribor Today and Tomorrow

Although Maribor has faced its share of economic challenges, it remains a welcoming, relaxed and increasingly dynamic city.

Its position also makes it highly accessible. Maribor can be reached conveniently from Ljubljana, Zagreb and Graz airports, while good road connections provide easy access to Austria, Croatia and the rest of Slovenia.

Attractive property prices in both the city and surrounding countryside have also made the Maribor region increasingly interesting to international buyers looking either to relocate or invest.

The choice of property is extremely varied. Buyers can find modern purpose-built apartments close to the ski slopes, traditional apartments in the historic centre, family homes in established residential neighbourhoods and luxury properties overlooking the river or surrounding countryside.

The region also features many Austrian-influenced houses, terraced family homes and contemporary environmentally friendly properties.

Pohorje is particularly well known for its vikendi — small houses or wooden chalets in the countryside and mountains that many Slovenians use as weekend and holiday homes.

With its combination of affordable property, vineyards, mountains, skiing, outdoor activities, culture and a relaxed way of life, Maribor offers a very different experience from Ljubljana or Slovenia’s better-known tourist destinations — and that is precisely part of its appeal.