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Maribor: The 2012 European Capital of Culture
Maribor and the Pohorje mountains in wintertime, photo courtesy of www.maribor-pohorje.com
When the clock struck midnight on 31 December 2011, Maribor had a little bit more reason to celebrate than the rest of Slovenia, as it officially became the European Capital of Culture for 2012. With the attention of Europe's cultural community squarely focussed on it for the entire year, Slovenia's second city will be host to an unrivalled number of events as well as foreign and domestic visitors, ensuring that the festival holiday atmosphere will continue for twelve straight months. See the Culture & Events section for more information.
With one of the country's best ski resorts only a few minutes' drive from the city centre, Maribor is a top destination for both foreign visitors and Slovenes alike during the winter season. In mid-January the city hosts the prestigious Zlata Lisica (or Golden Fox) Audi FIS Women's World Ski Championship, which draws competitors and spectators from around the world, and engulfs Maribor in a citywide party atmosphere. Thanks in part to its 48 years of experience hosting such a major sports event, Maribor has also been chosen as the site of the 26th Winter Universiade in 2013.
Of course Maribor is also the capital of one of Slovenia's major wine growing regions, and although the grapes have now long been picked, the winter and spring months are the best time of year to go wine tasting at the countless vineyards scattered around the countryside. Before setting off on such a trip, those unfamiliar with the region would be well advised to stop by the Old Vine House, located in the historic Lent district along the riverside. Named for the world's oldest vine, which even after 400 years still bears grapes, the premises include a museum on the history of wine production in the region, and a small but well-stocked wine shop, whose friendly knowledgeable staff will gladly make recommendations and help you plan your tour. As Maribor's most famous librarian (and part-time poet) Janko Glazer once elegantly put it: "Where is there a town like ours? From all directions wine is pouring into our glasses!" Where indeed.
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Our Maribor Highlights
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Lent Festival
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Novi Svet pri Stolnici
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Pohorje
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Villa Rustica
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Garni Milena
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Pekarna
Part of Maribor's famed Pekarna alternative cultural centre - which is housed the facilities formerly used by the Austro-Hungarian army to supply bread to its soldiers - this bright modern hostel provides cheap beds in 4-person dorm rooms, as well as a few only slightly more expensive private accommodation options. Read on
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Lollipop
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National Liberation Monument
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Mariborska Tržnica
The small sloping Vodnikov Square is a strange combination of tradition and modernity. While recent renovations have added a large underground parking garage and a canopy of bizarre-looking inverted umbrellas, it's also home to Maribor's central market - where farmers from the countryside still come to peddle their fruits, vegetables, flowers and handicrafts each Read on
Latest Maribor Comments:
Rožmarin
We are in love with Slovenja with Maribor land and we return every summer in this very good restaurant....Taxi Plus
very poor driver he charged us to much 135 euros from maribor to airport and very rude...