Nestled on the Drava River, where the Pohorje Mountains, the Drava Valley, the Drava Plain, and the Kozjansko and Slovenske gorice hills meet, Maribor is Slovenia’s second city after Ljubljana and hosts important international events every year, such as the Alpine Ski World Cup.
As the capital of Slovenian Styria, the hospitable and welcoming city of Maribor invites visitors into the embrace of the wine hills and the green Pohorje. At the foot and along the slopes of Pohorje lies a significant tourist area offering many activities year-round, from wellness to winter sports, hiking or biking in untouched nature, and excellent food and wine experiences.
Along the Drava River and past numerous cafés, you reach the Old Vine on Lent, the oldest vine in the world, also listed in the Guinness World Records, a true symbol of the city.
To celebrate this extraordinary vine that has been growing for more than 400 years, the citizens of Maribor organize a series of ethnological events dedicated to wine every year.
Maribor well represents the rich Slovenian wine culture, with vast vineyards climbing the hills from the city’s edges, crossed by over 50 kilometers of wine roads, where you can easily find delightful farm stays to stop and savor excellent local wine and exquisite regional dishes.
Old Vine Festival
Every September without fail, the Old Vine Festival takes place, an unmissable event that, in addition to numerous entertainment activities for tourists and locals, reserves the highlight moment of the Festival: the solemn harvest of the Old Vine.
Emotions run high during the pruning festivities of the old vine, with the baptism of the raftmen and the chance to visit the city unconventionally aboard splavs, the traditional local boats once used to transport wine and other goods. It’s a different way to discover all the charm of Maribor with its historic mansions, the famous university, and its magnificent palaces.
