Guide: Styria

Styria

The capital city of Slovenian Styria is Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia. Maribor is located between the astonishing nature of high Pohorje on one side and winegrowing hills on the other side and the Drava River that crosses it.

Drava is the biggest Slovenian that has enough water even in the summer because of which there are six hydroelectric plants on it. Once the river was also an important waterway and up to this day you can take a ride on the river in a raft and as a tourist enjoy the view of the old city of Maribor, Lent with its Old vine, the oldest vine in the world, medieval city towers and remnants of the city walls.

Through the winegrowing hills are leading the picturesque wine-routes, which can be enjoyed especially by the wine connoisseurs, lovers of culinary specialties, traditional customs, ethnological heritage and wonderful views and where the tourist farms and winegrowers receive people with a sincere hospitality.

A trip to green Pohorje in the summer is a remarkable adventure for hikers, bikers, adrenalin lovers, but also lovers of peace in the nature of Pohorje rainforest, waterfalls and swamps. In the winter when Pohorje is covered with snow it becomes one of the most attractive skiing centers of Slovenia that is traditionally organizing the ‘Golden Fox’ (Zlata lisica) skiing competition.

If we follow the course of Drava River we are accompanied on the right side by a hilly countryside of fertile Drava and Ptuj Plains and on the left side by the hills of Slovenske gorice. Drava brings us to the city renowned as one of the oldest urban settlements in Slovenia, already in the Roman times the biggest town in our area.

This is, of course, Ptuj (Poetovio). A recognizable image of the city and the entire Ptuj Plains is the traditional Mardi Gras masque of kurent, even though you must also visit the mighty castle, a thermal spa and, of course, the wine cellar.