One often wonders what to see in a given city; it is so with Maribor as well, and this post on what to see in Maribor confirms it. Sometimes, however, it might almost be better to ask how to experience a city, because there are not always a thousand things to see. On the contrary, a city often conveys much more by walking through its streets, smelling the typical scents, and, of course, savoring the local culture, which is often related to food and wine.
Well, if the latter topic is dear to you, know that Maribor, Slovenia’s second largest city, will not disappoint, especially when it comes to wine.
Where is it located Maribor?
Maribor is also called Marburg; it is in the far northeast of Slovenia. It can be reached very easily using the highway that also passes through the capital Ljubljana (read also: the best things to do in Ljubljiana in a day).
Warning: remember that in Slovenia you need to buy a vignette to drive on highways. There are no toll booths so a highway sticker is required. If you want to learn more: read THIS ARTICLE which explains how to get one.
I have included Maribor within my road trip itinerary between Slovenia and Croatia. If, on the other hand, you are planning to visit Maribor in a day trip, be aware that, more or less, from the Italian border to the small Slovenian town you need to drive about 2 1/2 hours, just over 200 km.
Where to sleep in Maribor?
Maribor is a very small town, you can get around it comfortably on foot and a “full day” is more than enough. However, I recommend devoting a night to it. The riverfront is also really nice and the combination of dinner and a walk on the river is not an idea to be discarded.
Considering the fact that the center is collected and everything is within “reach” or rather “legs,” the best solution is to choose a place to sleep that also has the possibility of parking the car in a private space (street parking is quite cheap anyway).
For this reason, I recommend with flying colors the 4Flats (see the hotel). Clean, centrally located, close to all points of interest in Maribor. Allows parking in the small inner courtyard. Better than this could not be asked for.
7 Things to Do in Maribor in a day
The activities to do in Maribor are definitely close together. Once you get to the main square, turn around and you’ll be able to see almost all of them, except the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and the beautiful ultra-centennial vine plant located in the Lent district on the riverfront.
1 – Maribor Castle
Like the one in Ljubljana, Maribor Castle (Mariborski grad) smacks less of a castle and more of an elegant building. The structure was finished in 1483 at the behest of theemperor Frederick III who wanted to improve the defensive capacity of the city center. It currently houses the Regional Museum.
2 – The Spomenik NOB in Freedom Square
This is a large bronze monument installed in 1975. A monument to resistance supported by a kind of cage. It commemorates the nearly 700 hostages and rebels that the Nazis killed during World War II. At the base are a number of inscriptions engraved in bronze. One of these is a letter written by a Maribor resident to his family in 1942 before he was killed by German forces. The people of Maribor call this statue by the name of Kodzak.
4 – Visit the Basilica and Cathedral of Maribor
Just a few steps from the monument, at the intersection of Partizanska Cesta e Ulica Vita Kraigherja lies the very reddish (from the color of the bricks) Franciscan Basilica of St. Mary. From its aqua-blue spires, it was built on the basis of an old Capuchin monastery.
Another church of great importance in Maribor is, of course, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Set within a smaller and less spacious settlement than the Basilica, Maribor Cathedral has a more sedate appearance. Built in 1248, it is Gothic in style and includes different architectural styles, from modern to Romanesque.
5 – The tour of Maribor’s wine cellars
This is absolutely one of the things to see in Maribor that you cannot miss. As I wrote to you at the beginning of the post, if it comes to wine in Maribor you can’t complain. And so, if you are a wine lover, you cannot miss visiting one of the largest and oldest wine cellars in Europe that spreads out under parts of the city including Freedom Square. Underground tunnels that house wines, fermentation barrels, concrete tanks. A pleasant tasting of some of their wines is also included with the price of admission to the winery.
It is very special to discover a winery that is developed under a city. An interesting experience that I definitely recommend.
To find out the times at which they do the tasting, I suggest you go to Liberty Square directly to the winery. On Google Maps you can find it as “Oozss Vinag vinarstvo sadjarstvo Maribor” or “Vinag – Vinoteka V Maribor“.
Warning: if you visit in the summer, I still recommend that you bring a light sweatshirt because it may be very cool in the cellars.
6 – See the Stara trta, the ancient vine of Maribor
Always about wine, but this time we stop at the vine. Maribor is home to the longest-lived vine in the world. Stara trta is well over 440 years old, and I would say it wears it more than well. It is one of the symbols of the city and overlooks Maribor’s riverfront, the Drava.
La Stara trta almost seems to want to embrace the building it is leaning against. Definitely a historic place to visit in Maribor.
7 – A walk along the Drava River
We end this list on things to see in Maribor with a classic…a walk along the riverfront. True, it’s a classic, but in Slovenia contact with nature is a must, and in Maribor the riverfront in the Lent district is just beautiful.
Conclusions about Maribor
I love Slovenia, its greenery and tranquility. I enjoyed Ljubljana so much, as I also enjoyed Maribor so much. Sure, two different cities, but the feeling they give you is similar. Tranquility, greenery, and a sense of relaxation.
So if the question is: Would you recommend that we visit Maribor? The answer is, YES, absolutely. Give it at least a half day and a night to spend a relaxing evening and taste typical Slovenian dishes.
