Maribor and its old town centre will amaze you with their cultural-historical attractions and the hospitality of the locals. The beautiful town square with famous edifices, Lent with the oldest vine in the world, the City Park with three fishponds and the Pyramid… Coffee and tea shops will lure you to the charming small streets and alleys where you will be able to chat with friends and relive your experiences after the sightseeing.

In the heart of the old city centre on Lent, the oldest vine in the world still grows in front of the Old Vine House. The confirmed age of this “Žametovka” or “Modra Kavčina” vine is over 400 years, which won it a place in the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest noble vine in the world still bearing grapes. The Old Vine is a symbol of the rich wine culture of Maribor, Styria, and all of Slovenia.

The Old Vine was planted towards the end of the Middle Ages when Maribor was besieged by the Turks. It survived the furious fights between the invaders and the defenders of the city, as the Old Vine House used to be a part of the city wall. Then, the vine was not harmed by the fires which occurred frequently due to wooden roof structures and straw coverings, nor by the vine lice that destroyed most of other vines. Despite the Allied bombing of the city during World War II that partly destroyed the Old Vine House, this resilient plant survived unscathed.

Today, the Old Vine is the only plant with its own museum in the Old Vine House. The scions of the Old Vine grow on almost all continents and in several places in Slovenia. The Maribor Octet and the Neuvirtovi Štajerci band even recoded an anthem in its honour. Several picturesque wine cellars and wine roads in Maribor and surroundings are also dedicated to the Old Vine.

The Old Vine bears grapes of the “žametovka” or the “modra kavčina” sort which was one of the first domesticated noble vine sorts in Slovenia. The yearly harvest of around 35 to 55 kg of grapes is made into wine and poured into 2.5 dl bottles designed by a famous artist Oskar Kogoj. These bottles are a valuable protocol gift – only hundred bottles are filled every year!

The Order of Friars Minor probably came to Maribor in 1240. In 1282, they constructed a monastery at the succursal church of Our Lady of Assumption. The painting of the Mother of Mercy was provided to the church in 1747. In that year, they moved to the former Capuchin monastery, and in 1864, the Franciscans took over the church, the monastery and the parish. In 1900, they built a new monastery and a church which has been a basilica since 1906.

The Franciscan Church is a magnificent building with a facade made of red clinker at the crossroads of Partizanska and Svetozarevska streets. The most important building in Maribor from the period of historicism is a three-nave basilica dedicated to Mary, Mother of Mercy. The plans for the new church and the monastery were made by Richard Jordan. It was constructed between 1892 and 1900. Previously, this was the location of the Church of the Mother of Mercy and Capuchin monastery.

Majestic two-tower basilica of Our Mother of Mercy characterised by the neo-Romanesque style reflects the ambition of the city at the turn of the 20th century because with it the city aligned itself with larger cities such as Vienna and Graz. With its red-bricked facade and adjoining Franciscan monastery it emphasizes the access to the city centre on the east side. The majority of paintings inside the church were painted by the Hungarian artist Ferenz Pruszinskay, the Way of the Cross was carved by Miloš Hohnjec from Celje. In the presbytery there are frescoes and stained glass windows that are the work of the artist Stane Kregar. The organ was made by the Mariborian master Jožef Brandl. On the main altar is the pilgrimage statue of Mary dating from the 18th century.

Today, Maribor castle is composed of two parts, the administrative court of the sovereign prince, built between 1478 and 1481, and the North-eastern corner of the city’s defence system (the castle’s bastion and the lodge). In 1620, when the Counts Khiessl gained ownership of the castle, they converted it to the nobleman’s residential architecture. At that time, the Loretto chapel was added to the castle and the Knights’ Hall was constructed. After 1727, the new owners, Counts Brandis, built the new staircase, reconstructed the first floor of the bastion and completed construction of the Knights’ Hall. With the construction of the present day street Grajska ulica in the year 1871, the castle complex was cut in half. The municipality of Maribor bought the castle in 1933. It was in 1938, when the Maribor Regional Museum moved its collections in.

Pohorje (Črni vrh, 1,543.5 m), a mountain range that rises above the town of Maribor and from there extends to the west. It is a beautiful natural green oasis with countless opportunities for relaxation and recreation. Pohorje’s landscape is decorated by various natural attractions, such as, peat bogs and lakes, waterfalls and a primeval forest. There are many hiking and biking trails that crisscross this beautiful scenery. To ensure that one’s adrenaline will continue to flow there is an adventure park, summer toboggans, and a mountain bike - bike park. In winter, of course, there are a number of activities that are available on the snow. In the winter, Maribor Pohorje is transformed into one of the largest ski resorts in Slovenia. Pohorje’s specialty is the longest night skiing avaliable in Slovenia. The whole town is practically a ski resort, because you can get from the city centre to the foothills of Pohorje (ie. the bottom station of the Pohorska Vzpenjača Cable Car) in just 10 minutes by a city bus. The foothills of Pohorje are particularly lively during the Golden Fox - FIS Ski World Cup for Women, which is one of the biggest and most important sporting events at the destination. Next to the natural attractions and rich sports and recreational facilities, Pohorje offers other genuine experiences. Whether for lovers of wine and gastronomy or those who want to seek relaxation in the wellness centres, Pohorje offers something for everyone.