The Magic of Maribor

Maribor has something for everyone. Whether you a thrill seeker who loves outdoor pursuits or someone who prefers more gentle pastimes, Maribor is a great travel destination.

Strolling the narrow streets of the Old Town - known as "Lent" reveals old houses, towers, and churches. There is a surprise round every corner.

Down by the river you shouldn't miss the "Stara Trta" - the "Old Vine" - hundreds of years old and still producing wine each year. Go inside the building and learn more about the wine-making.

In the centre of town you should take a trip to Vinag - there is a shop where you can buy Maribor wines but better still you can join a group tour to see the maze of wine cellars under the city.

Take a short bus ride out of town to Pohorje - Maribor's mountain playground. It offers superb skiing in winter but in summer the tracks are used as a great mountain biking centre and there are signposted trails for runners and hikers. If you have a head for heights you should go up the mountain in the cable car - it's a fifteen minute ride that gives amazing views.

In summer swimmers head out to Maribor Lake - a dammed section of the River Drava where there are great swimming and sports opportunities.

Quick Tips:

Restaurants in Maribor tend not to stay open as late as those in Ljubljana. Most close by 10.30pm so bear this in mind if you are eating out.

Maribor is a university city and many eating places offer set price three course meals for students as lunchtime. If you are a student and have an international student card, ask if the place you are eating has a value menu for students.

Visit at the end of June for the annual Lent festival - an international event that celebrates music and the arts. Stages are erected all over the city and the whole town comes out to watch musicians and dancers from across Europe

Best Way To Get Around:

Buses are frequent and cheap and cover a good distance. Any journey is just one euro and we found this great value.

Maribor is a large rail junction with services all over the country and into Austria, too. Train services tend to be more frequent in the early morning and late afternoon and there is frequently nothing in between these times.

Bus services leave from the big glass terminus across the road from the train station and, like the trains, longer distance services are clustered in the early morning and late afternoon.

One bus service a day at 12.30pm operates to the airport. In June 2007 the fare to the airport is 4 euros.

Although Maribor is a small town surrounded by lots of lovely countryside it still has a lovely large city park – Mestni Park - with tree lined paths, three large ponds, an indoor aquarium and a variety of statues and other things of note. You can stick to the concreted paths or you can get off the main paths and venture onto the sign-posted trails on the forest edge.

There are several entrances to the park; the easiest way to get to the park is to head north from Trg Svobode, past the giant wine barrel outside Vinag and keep walking north, crossing the roads until you get to the park. The first of the three fishponds is at the entrance of the park; this is the smallest and it has an excellent little viewing platform which enables you to get a better look at the life in the water than you do at the other ponds. This pond contains some pretty big koi carp which almost leap out of the water and compete with the ducks when bread is thrown.

The park has been an important part of the city since the late nineteenth century. When the Embellishment Society of Maribor was established, the members took a special interest in enhancing the park and organised the planting of the park’s first trees. In 1877 the Society came to an agreement with the Town Council which effectively passed over the responsibility for the upkeep of the park to the Society, and the Council would give the society a sum of money each year for this purpose. Over the next few years more land was acquired and the park expanded. Various competitions were held to find designs for sections of the park and new promenades were added. No matter the political changes that affected Maribor, the Society mightgo quiet then revive again a few years later. In the early part of the twentieth century the Society added two of the fishponds, the larger of which was used for ice skating in winter. Promenade concerts were held to raise money to finance each new development.

In the 1950s a children’s playground was added to the park and a few years later pensioners were the recipients of "The Quiet Grove" which proved very popular with old gents playing cards, with that section of the park earning the nickname the "Monte Carlo of Maribor".

Our usual route is to head north through the park along the tree-lined avenue; many of the trees are identified by species and there is quite a variety just within this park, you might say that the greatest area of Mestni Park is really an arboretum as there are over one hundred species of native and foreign deciduous trees and many varieties of conifer too. In autumn beware of falling conkers which can be quite painful if they hit you as they fall. It’s not unusual to see old ladies filling bags of horse chestnuts though I’m not sure if it’s actually permitted. In 1998, on the occasion of Leon Stukelj, Slovenia’s celebrated gold medallist in mens’ artistic gymnastics, one hundred more trees were planted in the park. There’s a statue of him not far from the smallest fishpond.

There are lots of park benches along the avenue so there’s no shortage of places to take a rest, or just to pause and watch the birds. The path is broken up by an open area with a sculpture, a somewhat neglected paddling pool and some steps up to the next section. Here there is another sculpture, this one is an organic design with water cascading over it. After a few more steps you’ll see the Treh Ribnikih gostilna on your left; it’s regarded as one of the best in the city and its menu is heavy on traditional Slovene dishes, including freshwater fish and plenty of game. In summer the restaurant also operates an ice cream kiosk.

Ahead of you now is a stone colonnade which stands at the near end of the next fish pond. It’s a popular spot for wedding photographs. This pond is much bigger than the last and as well as fish and ducks, there are also moorhens and a large number of quite large terrapins that like to climb onto the little islands and bask on sunny days. At the colonnade the path splits and you can walk round either side, the left hand path is more challenging and it’s off this path that you can access the walking trails. The final pond is joined to this one by a small channel and is more open, if you keep walking you come to a small hamlet at the foot of the mountain.

Having promised to for ages we left the main paths on our last visit and ventured into the trees; we thought that this way we could climb on the three hills that stand to the north of the city centre. We did get to the top but found out that we are the top of one, but not the one we thought it was. Near the top we were directed out of the trees and back onto the path, we were in a vineyard and – as it was mid-September – gangs of workers were gathering the grapes. They gave us a cheerful wave as we continued up the hill - if only one of them had warned us that there was no direct path back down the hill – in the end we had to crawl through a small gap in a wire fence! Still, it was worth it for the excellent views of the town centre and far beyond.

One of the things I like about Mestni Park is that it hasn’t been "developed" with lots of "attractions". Yes, there’s the aquarium but other than that the park is just a green space with some ponds. It strikes me as a very democratic park; teenagers gather on the benches on the avenue, elderly people come to chat and stroll, families come with bread for the ducks, teenage schoolgirls jog around the ponds, while younger kids come on nature visits with their teachers. On Sundays in summer you might catch some music at the bandstand, but if that’s not your bag then you can easily find some quiet corner of the park instead. No matter how busy it gets you can find some peace and quiet, and if you’ve come to walk then you can make your exercise as gentle or as strenuous as you like.

If you have the chance I would most definitely recommend a stroll into Mestni Park, one of the most pleasant and interesting – and at over five hectares - biggest city parks I know.

The history of wine growing in Slovenia can be traced back to Roman times and Slovenes are justifiably proud of their wine growing heritage. These days the majority of wine produced in Slovenia is consumed by the home market but some may recall drinking Ljutomer Riesling back in the 1970s and early 1980s when it was very popular in the UK. Each of Slovenia’s wine growing areas has its own designated "Wine Route" where you can sample and buy wine direct from the producer (at a place called a "vinotoc") at a number of locations but the true heart of Slovenia’s wine tradition is focused on Maribor’s "Stara trta" (pronounced "tairta") or, in English, "Old Vine".

This ancient vine is over four hundred years old and is the oldest living vine in the world. Not only have experts used scientific methods to calculate the age of the vine, there is plenty of documentary evidence in the city archives and in works of art going back several hundred years. The vine is trained on an old house (recently restored due to structural problems connected with old age), the interior of which is now a visitor centre and the location is the scene for an annual festival lasting around ten days which culminates in the cutting of the grapes from the vine by the city viticulturalist. This year was the first I have been able to attend some of the festival, although I was disappointed not to be able to stay for the grand finale when many of the townspeople come to watch the grapes being cut.

The "Stara trta" is located in the Lent area of the city centre, on the north bank of the River Drava. There is parking in several places along the river front or you can walk through the lanes of the Old Town to the river front. The "Hiša stara trta" (the house of the Old Vine") is signposted from the main road but I don’t think it is very clear where you need to go). Quite simply, at the "Stari most" (the old bridge) on the city side, take the stairs beside the old casino and at the bottom head for the water ahead of you. Turn right and after a handful of bars, you’ll see the house of the Old Vine on your right.

The vine stretches almost across the entire width of the building. Looking at the "trunk" of the vine, it’s amazing to think that it can support the weight of the rest of the vine, although it is also partly carried by a special trellis. Railings around the base protect the roots. When we were there in September, not long before the grapes were due to be harvested, a protective mesh had been installed over the leaves and fruit in order to protect it, and protect it they must because, as one would expect, one single vine does not yield a huge amount of grapes (between 25 and 55 Kg usually) and therefore only a limited amount of wine. As for the wine, the few bottles that are made are given to visiting dignitaries and reserved for a small number of civic functions. I guess I’ll never be bringing a drop home to the UK; fortunately you can see them on display in the house in bottles designed by a famous Slovenian artist Oskar Kogoj.

The interior of the house is rather simple and modern. As well as an exhibition space, there are some function rooms. A number of wine organisations, local and national, have their headquarters, and therefore their annual and occasional meetings, at the house. The permanent exhibition explains a little about wine manufacture, the history of this vine and the building, and a bit about the particular type of wine created from these grapes - Žametovka (or Blue Franconian). You can learn about the famous people who have been presented with bottles of the wine (Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bill Clinton to mention two) and the places all over the world where scions of this vine have been planted – there’s even one on the Vatican! The vine is of particular importance because it survived a disease that wiped out most European vines during the nineteenth century. New vines had to be brought from North America, so Maribor’s vine is special because it is European and not American, like most others.

It doesn’t take long to view the exhibition, although sometimes other exhibitions are held in the building. In the past we have seen an exhibition of water-colours of scenes from the Lent district and another to do with local food specialities. There are two wooden cut-outs of a man and a woman in traditional dress, with spaces for you to place your own face and have your photograph taken but this is about as interactive as it gets – except, of course, for sampling some local wine, even if it’s not from this vine itself.

In mid-September the "must" is ready. In Slovenia it’s known as "sladki mušt" – sweet must. This is a very slightly alcoholic drink made from the grapes that are not used for "proper" wine-making. Cafes have signs outside announcing that the must has arrived (a bit like the excitement of "le Beaujolais nouveau est arrive" that we used to get in the UK in the 1980s); it’s cheap – this year we paid about 70 Pence a glass for this refreshing and slightly sparkling drink.

In mid-November comes "Martinovanje" or St. Martinmas when Slovenians celebrate the time when the product of the grapes can officially be called "wine". Families get together and celebrate by eating roast goose with all the trimmings and drinking copious amounts of the young wine. I recall a particularly memorable Martinovanje in Ljubljana when an office party turned into mayhem in a city centre bar as a man in a pin stripe suit was seen flirting with several female members of staff while sporting a couple of dried corncobs draped around his neck. Slovenians take great pains to celebrate Martinovanje with as much gusto as possible!

In order that Martinovanje can be celebrated, the vines must be cut at the end of September and the cutting of the Stara trta is the culmination of the Stara Trta Festival. The festival takes place at various locations in the city and celebrates not just the local wine tradition but Slovenian produce in general as well as things cultural. We attended the opening of the festival, held at the Stara trta this year. A ladies choir, singing traditional country songs performed, as well as a Slovenian brass band. A rafting event takes place as part of the festival and a special "restaurant raft" on which you are sailed down the River Drava as you dine. On the first Saturday of the festival a market takes place on the square in front of Maribor Castle where producers from all over the country bring their food to sell; highlights are pumpkin oil from the region around Maribor and a tasty sausage from the town of Kranj, just north of the capital.

However, the most important thing is the harvesting of the grapes. It’s a rather odd thing because according to custom the master of the vine, the Mayor of Maribor, is supposed to ascertain when the grapes are ready for harvesting but as the announcements about the dates of the festival are made in advance I can’t see how this can be. Assuming he does make the decision, he appoints the grape gathers (experts from the region) to come and do their job – which is to cut and weigh the grapes, add the correct amount of sugar, press the grapes and place them in the containers which are then taken to the cellars of Vinag. There are twenty-thousand square metres of wine cellar under the heart of the town centre and visitors can tour them with a wine tasting session at the end of the tour, an activity I can recommend having done it myself.

Would I recommend a visit to the Old Vine? If you are interested in wine then certainly, although it is disappointing that you can’t sample the wine from this vine. Admission is free and although there isn’t a huge amount to see, it’s well presented and captions are in English as well as Slovene. The staff are also very helpful. If you aren’t that interested in wine, you should still look out for the Stara trta anyway when walking along the river front. I think it’s quite cool to say you’ve seen the world’s oldest vine and I’m rather proud to say I live in the town where you can find it!

Tuesday - Sunday: 10.00 - 18.00, Monday: closed

Vojašniška 8, Maribor

Note - in Slovene only the first word uses a capital letter hence "Stara trta"

Betnava Dvorec is a Baroque mansion situated to the south of Maribor, near the small village of Razvanje. I am ashamed to say that it took us over a year to learn of its existence even though our flat is only ten minutes walk from it. We recently took my parents there, mainly to see the beautiful grounds, but while we were there we learned that there is a museum inside the house and decided to go inside.

The candy pink house is now only three quarters of its former self. The back section no longer exists and over the last few years, there have been archaeological excavations of the area this stood on. Photographs and drawings inside the house show what it once looked like, four identical wings around a courtyard. We first discovered the mansion while out walking and went to get a closer look. It was a Saturday afternoon and a wedding party was leaving the grounds with much tooting of car horns. We walked over to the house but couldn’t see any signs giving information so we contented ourselves with strolling around the grounds.

From the old images I saw inside the castle I know the grounds were once formally laid out but now they are quite natural today. In front of the house there is a large lawn and a wooden bridge that crosses a shallow ring of water that creates an island of trees. There are lots of ducks and, if you look closely, lots of fish too. Rather than cross the bridge, if you walk round the side of the water to the other side of the island, you’ll find lots of wooden benches. Beyond this is a car parking area and there are always quite a few vehicles parked there because lots of people drive out from town to stroll around the gardens.

Now, if you go right to the door of the house you will see a small notice inviting you to ring the bell in order to view the interior of the house. A young man who spoke excellent English asked us to wait and soon came down to open the door. He explained that we could view the rooms on the ground floor and three rooms on the first floor. He also explained that the house belongs to the Archdiocese and that the displays relate to the history of the church in this region over the centuries. I was disappointed as this isn’t of special interest to me and I had imagined perhaps something more general, displays of furniture, art or costumes perhaps and information about the history of the house. At this point, though, we had paid our €2 each and started the tour as the young man had indicated.

Although most of the exhibits were captioned in Slovene, English and German, it was still quite difficult to get much out of them because the material was quite specialised. In the first rooms there were displays that explained how the organization of the archbishoprics in the region had changed over the centuries. There were also pieces of ceremonial silverware, decorative bibles and a number of ancient documents. Moving on there were portraits of various bishops – most of whom looked like the sort of people you’d cross the road to avoid and some rather colourful examples of ceremonial wear with embroidery so fine that you can be sure some poor person or two went blind as a result of the work.

The most interesting part of the exhibition (to me) was the section that dealt with the fate of the clergy during the Second World War that included some documents in German that I was able to read (most of), stating that a priest had been sent to Dachau (for an alleged misdemeanour I was unable to translate).

Finally we came to a room that contained an exhibition on Anton Martin Slomsek, the eighteenth century bishop of Maribor who was beatified by John Paul II. The very modern papal throne that was designed for the visit is on display here along with portraits of Slomsek. You’ll find statues of Slomsek and things named after him all over the city so I found it quite interesting to learn more about him.

Upstairs there are no exhibits but you can see three once grand rooms that are slowly being restored to there former glory. In the centre is the room used for wedding ceremonies which has a large balcony overlooking the gardens. The painted ceiling has seen better days but it’s easy to see why lots of couples marry here. One either side, adjoining rooms in much worse condition can be viewed but only here and there can you see fragments of the old paintings.

There are no places in the grounds to get refreshments but the nearby village of Razvanje has several places to get a drink. There is a bee keeping centre in the grounds - treat yourself to a jar of locally made honey - it is delicious!

I would recommend a trip out of town to see the exterior and the grounds but I would say that viewing the interior is one for those people really interested in the subject matter.

If travelling by public transport, take the number two bus from Maribor town centre. The bus stops at the end of the drive way.

If you arrive by train the sombre and striking monument in Trg Borisa Kidrica may be the first sight you see in the city as this square is directly opposite the train station which, in fact, forms one side of the square. It’s an attractive square with plenty of grassy areas, well kept flowerbeds and plenty of seats so you can sit down and watch the world go by for a while.

There are a couple of bars and a fantastic bakery on one side of the square (on the right as you face the train station) or you could buy some fruit from the excellent stall that stands in front of the square as you look with the station behind you. There’s also a bread kiosk where you could by snacks for a picnic lunch on the square or for supplies for a train journey.

Whichever you choose you should step across and have a look at the monument first. It was erected in 1962 and designed by Stojan Batica. It takes the form of a group of slightly abstract figures holding up poles on which is threaded a huge piece of stone into which the face of Kidric is sculpted. It’s a dark and intensely serious piece but clearly fitting for the subject and the time.

Who was Boris Kidric I hear you ask? He was a Slovenian communist (he became leader of the Slovenian Communist Party in 1937) who helped to organise the Partisan struggle in the years between 1941 and 1945. He did pretty well for himself in Tito’s government, becoming Finance Minister in 1946, a post he held until his death in 1953. After he died, the eastern Slovenian town of Strnisce (missing vital carons on the second S and C) was renamed Kidricevo (missing the caron on the C) in his honour. There is a more traditional monument - a statue of him – in Ljubljana.

The train station was designed by Slovene architect Milan Cernigoj and you may see a more of his work around the city.He was born in Tolmin and died in Maribor in 1978. I love the simple clock tower on this low rise building which is constructed from white stone but sadly people often don’t notice it because their attention is drawn to the locomotive on display outside the station instead. Lots of train stations in Slovenia have an old locomotive on display outside and this one was built in 1903 and used until the mid 1970s.

You probably wouldn’t make a beeline for this square but if you are nearby it’s a nice place for a rest and if you arrive by train at least you now know what that curious monument is!

The Franciscan church of St Mary (Sv Marija in Slovene) is situated next to the glass cube that is the town's Tourist Information Centre on the corner of Partizanska cesta and Svetozarevska ulica.The two red towers of the church with their green tops are visible from many parts of the town and, as most of the buses drive past it, it's unlikely you'll miss it.

It was built at the very end of the nineteenth century although it looks to me much more modern. It was designed by a Viennese architect, Richard Jordan. There was previously a Capuchin monastery and a church on the site. The monastery is now attached to the church on the southern side of the basilica.

A local told me that the bricks used to build the church were carried here from Melje - a suburb to the north east of the centre - and for this they were granted two "indulgences" (which I found out is basically a kind of forgiveness for ones sins).

I wasn't particularly struck by this church at first but after many views I have come to love the identical clock towers and the rather beautiful painting above the arched portal.

There are paintings inside by the Hungarian artist Ferenz Pruszinskay and an impressive carving entitled the "Way of the Cross" by Miloš Hohnjec from Celje (Slovenia's third city).

On the main altar is a pilgrimage statue of Mary which dates from the 18th century. In the presbytery there are frescoes and stained glass windows that are the work of the artist Stane Kregar (more of his work can be seen in a gallery dedicated to his work situated in Ljubljana, or in the City Gallery of Maribor itself.

The church is open sporadically throughout the day but always at mass times as follows:

Monday to Saturday: 6.30 am, 8 am, 9 am, 7pm, (winter: 6 pm), Sunday: 7 am, 8.30 am, 10 am, 11.30 am, 7 pm, 8 pm

While I wouldn't say this is a "must see" it's certainly worth a look around the outside as it is a striking building. I wouldn't recommend the interior unless you have a particular interest and would recommend a visit to the cathedral instead.

Gostilna Postela is named for the Illyrian–Celtic settlement on Pohorje, and this restaurant is situated just a short distance from foothills of Pohorje. It’s a fifteen minute drive or bus ride from the city centre and close to the ski centre at Radvanje and well worth the journey to try the delicious food here.

It’s housed in a rather modern building and we had probably passed it a few times while on the bus, not realising it’s a gostilna ( a local restaurant serving mainly traditional fare) until we actually walked past one evening. It is slightly set back from the road in an attractive garden and has a nice terrace, perfect for summer dining. However, we were there in February and so were pleased to make our way inside to get warm and cosy. There are several dining rooms, as is usual in a Slovenian gostilna and the largest was taken up with a private party. We found a table in the room where the bar was. There weren’t many serving staff but, in spite of the presence of a large group, we were never kept waiting.

The restaurant specialises in really traditional Slovenian food such as buckwheat, homemade pork sausages, horsemeat and, for pudding, gibanica – a rich cream cake. I ordered the blood sausages with sauerkraut (6 Euro); the sausages were lovely and juicy and well flavoured and they arrived on my plate atop an enormous pile of warm sauerkraut topped with crispy pieces of pork fat. My companion ordered a steak (8 Euro) which was flavoursome and done just as he asked. A portion of fired potatoes was ordered to accompany it and they were very moreish.

Large (500ml) bottles of Zlatorog cost 2 Euro each but we should really have tried some of the house wine which is made from their own vines, although they do have a good range of wines from all over the country.

So far this rates as one of the best gostilnas we have visited in Slovenia, not least because it focuses on the traditional dishes whereas many places slip in pizza and other international dishes to the menu and end up doing none of it exceptionally well. The service was polite, friendly and prompt, the food was delicious and the price represented excellent value for money with our final bill coming in at 22 Euro for two including drinks.

We look forward to going back soon.

Ulica Roberta Kukovca 22
2000 Maribor

Opening hours: Monday-Friday: 09.00-22.00, Sunday and holidays: 09.00-18.00, Saturday: closed

Hotel Uni is actually a wing of the more expensive Hotel Orel though you access it through Hotel Orel''s reception and eat breakfast in the paernt hotel's breakfast room.

It's a student residence but there are always twin rooms available. All rooms are en suite and the quality is excellent for a budget hotel. The decor is neutral and in good condition; the soft furnishings are tasteful and add a touch of comfort.

The bathrooms are admittedly very small; we have stayed here on four occasions and have had slightly different rooms each time, onthe most recent occasion it was difficult to get into the bathroom and close the door without squeezing oneself into the corner first.

All rooms have a desk with task lighting and colour televsion with plenty of channels including several English and American news channels.

Breakfast is my favourite thing about this hotel. you can go Continental with lovely fresh bread,cheeses and meats, or have some fresh pineapple and melon, or how about some tasty spicy sausages and scrambled egg mixed with green peppers. You can make your own waffles or have cereal, yogurt, toast - the choice is huge and its a buffet that's always being replenished.

Overall, this is a bargain and in a great location for the centre of Maribor. It's in a pedestrianised zone so its quiet yet close to public transport too. The best value in Maribor centre.

Situated in the Lent district on the edge of the town centre and beside the new market place, Zlati Lev (which translates as the Golden Lion) is another value for money gostilna (roughly translated as an "inn" that serves traditional food). It’s a sprawling place with several rooms that is always much busier at lunch time than in the evenings, possibly because of its proximity to the university and the fact that it offers special three course meal offers for students.

While it does serve some traditional food it isn’t that Slovene and I’d say the food is more safe and simple than strictly Slovenian. It does however serve excellent cevapcici – a Balkan speciality – little spicy sausages with a lepinja (a flat bread cake) and ajvar – a spicy relish made with aubergine and peppers or pleskavica which is a flat pattie made of the same spicy meat. Cevapcici costs 5 Euro and is a really delicious and filling dish. The dunaj schnitzel is another good choice and costs 5 Euro too.
If you fancy something lighter there are soups, salads and vegetarian dishes.

The menu is in Slovene and German; no English is spoken. The staff speak to me in German now, even when I try to speak Slovene. What is quite odd is that it seems to take longer to get served in the evening when the place is almost empty than it does at lunchtime when the place is packed out.

The interior is a little dull and in the evenings it can be a bit dark. There are separate rooms and in winter our favourite one is the very back room that has a great fire that looks real but actually isn’t.

The Zlati Lev is a place for reasonably cheap filling food but not one in which to find culinary delight. Recommended for cheap eats and somewhere that is usually open when everything else is closed.

Dinner for two with drinks 17 Euro 80

Open daily 07.00 – midnight

Vodnikov trg 4
2000 Maribor
Phone: ++386 2 250 80 80

With there being several squares in the centre of Maribor it's easy to think, on first visiting the town, that you've hit the heart of the town, only to find another bigger and more impressive square. I would say that Trg Svobode - literally Freedom Square - should be referred to as the heart of the town, if indeed one needs to attach that name to any part.

The square is at the town end of Partizanska cesta (the other end being the bus station) and it is beside the castle (which fronts on to Grajski Trg). As soon as you see the square you will know that this is the perfect place for a market yet the food market is now at a recently (purpose) built site in Lent. However, each day a small number of market stalls - well, tables set up by traders - do appear on the square selling mainly fruit, vegetables and flowers. Alas, the number is disappointing. Any tourists visiting the town will not know that the main market is further away and will believe the market here is pretty poor. This is a particular shame since the Tourist Information Office is just over the road and most visitors will pass by the square.

Occasionally a flea market is held on the square but these are irregular at best and only ever have a handful of stalls. It would be nice if these were better promoted and perhaps some of the stall holders who turn up at the excellent flea market in the capital week after week might drop by one time.

In winter a chestnut seller stands with his brazier at the edge of the square and the smell of the roasting nuts drifts over the square and makes it quite atmospheric.

Standing in the square is a curiously shaped monument - like a sphere with a stripey blanket over it. It is a monument to the dead of the National Liberation War and was designed by Slavko Tihec and installed here in 1975. The locals often refer to it as "kodzak" - or "Kojak" and thinking about the seventies TV show you can kind of see why.

Another "monument" in the square is more obvious - it's a large wooden wine barrel that stands outside Vinag - the wine company. You can take a guided tour of the cellars which includes a wine tasting afterwards. You do need to be part of a group and tours are in English or German - if you are travelling independently, ask if there are any groups in your language (so long as that's English or German) and ask if you can tag along. You could even give a mobile number and they could call you if a tour is arranged after your enquiry. It's funny to think when you are standing on Trg Svobode that there are 20,000 square metres of wine cellars under your feet!


On the corner, just next to the Vinag entrance is the Consulate of Croatia, housed in a smart white building. Looking up past the next square - Trg General Maistra - from here you get a great view of Piramida, one of the striking hills to the north of the town centre which is covered in rows and rows of vines.

We have been visiting/living in Maribor since 2007 and only very recently has a cafe been set up in the square - and this was only for a limited time. Hopefully it will be back this summer - it's a lovely spot and a great place to people watch. From time to time concerts are held in the square such as on New Years Eve and its only then that you feel the square is being well-used.

If you don't feel inspired to get to the summit like the locasl do - on foot - there's always the option of the cable car. Whenever we have friends and family staying with us in Maribor, the cable car is one of the first activities we take them to. After that they fall in love with Maribor. Not only is the view from the top breathtaking but the scenery along the way produces a constant chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" as the cabin slowly makes its way to the summit.

This mountainous region is known as the Pohorje Massif, but the peak that dominates Maribor is just Pohorje. If you're driving there are plenty of parking spaces at the lower cable car station. Now, you could drive up the back road to the summit but you'd miss the thrill of the ascent so do park up and take the cable car.

Coming from town by public transport, take bus number 6 from outside the bus station or catch it from outside the Vecer newspaper offices in the shopping area or, across the river, from in front of the Borova shoe store. The destination is "Vzpenjača" (cable car).

The bus stops right outside the lower station. The cable car runs all day from 8.00am until 8.00pm. You buy your ticket from the window on the first floor next to the entrance to the cable car. There is a whole array of diffrent prices for different age groups, etc plus single and return fares. However, to give an idea, the adult single standard fare is 7 Euro, and the return is 9 Euro.

Place the bar-coded ticket in the turnstile machine and walk through. the attendant will point to which car you should go in. Follow the seating pattern as indicated. I think six can fit in one gondola but that would be cramped. Four is OK. The doors close automatically as the car moves along the rail and there is quite a "clunk" as the car moves off the inside rail onto the main cable. Going from bottom to top you have a low stretch and stay quite close to the ground for a few minutes until the ground suddenly disappears, followed soon after by the tree tops as you leave the canoy and a yawing chasm opens up below you.

Now and then you can spot walkers and mountain bikers on the trails and paths below. This really is a bird's eye view as town slowly fades and becomes just a collection of blurred blocks of flats. At the top the land appears again and you arrive at the upper station. Your cabin comes off the rail and into the upper station. The doors open when the cabin has stopped.

There are a couple of cafes at the summit. The Hotel Bellevue has a pleasant terrace although views are limited. The best view is at the wooden cabin though you do have to sit outside and this means mozzies in summer and a chold chill in winter. Just beneath the chalet are ponies and goats. The wooden chalet does lovely mulled wine in winter and does a fantastic barbecue just perfect for hungry skiiers.

You don't need to sit in one of the cafes to take in the views. You can simply walk past the original cable car (from the time the cable car first opened) and part of the way down the first part of the hill and you'll see all of Maribor spread out before you.

Magical!

Tucked away in a Maribor suburb, Srecni Slon is the only dedicated Indian restaurant in Maribor. The accommoadting English owner Diana will make you welcome and with notice she ensured a nut free meal for myself.

The menu is perhaps a little higgeldy-piggedly and doesn't follow any logical order.However,do stick with it because there are some good, tasty dishes on offer. The chicken palak in particular is excellent - well spiced and with a decent kick.

For Brits abroad or people who want a change, Srecni Slon offers a great selection of traditional English puds - the banoffee pie is delicious!

The decor is contemporary with a few Indian items here and there to suggest a theme. Overall it's comfortable and inviting and a pleasant place to while away an evening.

Reservations are recommended for weekends. Although the restaurant is near the centre it's not easy to find. Many locals don't even know where it is. Standing opposite the train station head north, go up to the footbridge, cross over and at the end of the bridge turn left and follow the signs for Srecni Slon.

The restaurant offers a Sunday buffet, vale set menus and lunchtime specials. Open Tues - Sat 12-22.00, Sun - 12 -17.

Maribor seems to be the city of a million bars. But what is good is that no two are the same; it seems most owners really take a pride in what their premises look like with some having quirky themes, others having striking colour schemes. What is common to them all is that they are different to the last one you went in.

Bar Urska is no exception. I don't know for sure but I'm guessing from the memorabilia on the walls that this cafe bar is owned by a former basketball player. I don't know much about basketball, especially Slovenian leagues but I do know that it's a very popular game there.

This cafe has a couple of outside tables though Partizanska is a busy main road right through the centre of the city and i'd say you'd only go out there briefly for a cigarette rather than enjoy sitting out there on sunny days.

The interior is simple and fresh with lovely peachy-orange upholstery that gives a modern feel. You can sit on raised booths or on lower tables on the main floor area.

As this is a cafe bar all drinks are served - hot and cold. The coffee is very good and is always thoughtfully presented with a little flower depicted in cocoa on the top of the milk. A small selection of sandwiches are usually available in a glass display cabinet at the counter.

Bar Urska is open Monday to Saturday from early until around 9.00pm. I've had to list it here unde nightlife although strictly speaking it's a conventional Slovenian cafe bar. A mixed crowd come here from old ladies stopping for a break during shopping to young people having a drink before going on elsewhere.

I do like Bar Urska; the staff are friendly and the prices are reasonable with a glass of red wine at 0.90 Euro and a large union beer coming in at 1 Euro 80. However there's nothing out of the ordinary, it's just another of Maribor's quirky little places to try. If you are into basketball this might have a special appeal for you, if not you are sure to enjoy the laid back atmosphere.

Although Slovenians do like to eat out, they tend to stay local in the evenings except for very special occasions, most favouring a particular gostilna (a local inn serving traditional fare) which they go to regularly. As a result many town centre eateries only open for lunch or until mid-evening. The lack of buses after 10pm (at least outside the capital) also has an effect on the number of city centre restaurants where you can get a meal after nine pm.

For all these reasons (and possibly even in spite of them) a good city centre restaurant that opens in the evenings is a rare and popular thing. In the second city, Maribor, there are a few such places, my favourite being Novi Svet pri Stolnici. It appears to also be the choice of business people entertaining guests from out of town, and large family group celebrating a special occasion.

The name translates as "New World by the cathedral"; the emphasis should be on the cathedral since it is indeed situated across the square from the pretty pastel coloured church, rather than the New World as there isn't really anything New Worldly about the place to speak of. You smell Novi Svet before you see it - and I mean that in a good way. The food smells coming from its kitchens never fail to make me feel hungry. Unfortunately there are no views of the square to be had since, although you enter on street level, the curious slight slope of the street means that the main dining area and the outdoor terrace are reached by descending some steps even though an extra exit brings you out at street level. No, it makes no sense to me either...

The interior is much larger than the exterior suggests and, in the usual Slovenian way, the restaurant is divided into a number of dining rooms , an arrangement that, given the high number of tables, makes dining there more cosy. In spite of being situated almost as far from the sea as one can be in Slovenia, the restaurant specialises in fish and seafood dishes and there is a vague fishy/nautical theme running through the decor though it doesn't always quite work. The differing styles in the décor are fine individually but as a whole the restaurant is a dubious mixture of rustic, nautical, modern and leafy.

The first dining section has rather stylish and very simple modern furniture with laminate flooring and very modern chairs that make quite a design statement. Walk into the next section however and you'll find the walls have been treated with a paint effect to give a look of weather beaten rendered buildings by the sea and on the wall are fishing nets, just to make sure you get the idea; there's also the rather curious "fish prison art installation" (the photograph on the Gallery section of the website illustrates this bizarre feature much better than I could describe it). Yet another dining area (this one seems to be available to book to accommodate a whole group) is quite formal with wood panelling, a bit like an English stately home.

The nicest section is the outdoor area which is full of palms and other plants as well lots of vines that are draped over a pergola to provide a shady canopy. There is a drawback, however, and this is that the furniture in this section consists of teak patio tables and chairs which is not so comfortable after a while.
Overall the restaurant is an attractive place to dine although one problem does blight all areas and that is the lack of decent lighting. While dim lighting can create an intimate ambience it's more than a trifle annoying to barely be able to read the menu for lack of light.

A nineteen pages long the menu does take some reading too. The menu lists dishes in Slovene, German, English and Italian though sometimes it lists fish names that don't make it much clearer for being in English - buzzara anyone? The division of the menu into hot and cold starters and soups starts off well and then you hit the "Special offers" (which are all fish and seafood dishes) followed by "Speciality Dishes"(which are all fish and seafood dishes). Next comes "Fish dishes" (which speaks for itself), by this point you're getting a good idea of what you fancy but then they throw in the "Dishes with truffles" which throws you off balance (don't worry there are fish dishes in this section). The problem I find is that I want a fish dish but I can't remember where I saw it so I have to start leafing through the menu again and then I can't find it but I do spot something I had missed first time round...Let's just say there is a lot of choice (there are steaks and escalopes for anyone who's not keen on fish) and you will inevitably be approached by the waiter long before you have made a decision.

If you do order fish you should be prepared to possibly not be able to have your first choice; this depends on what was brought in that day and what has been popular that day with other diners. The waiters are good at suggesting alternatives and often you can substitute another fish in a dish that comes with a particular sauce although the menu does not offer a complete list of permutations (thankfully).

Some fishes dishes are listed for a flat price, most are priced per 100g (you should generally reckon on a portion being between 250-300g) and we have never been given a ridiculously expensive portion of fish in Novi Svet. My favourite dish is the oven cooked octopus with potatoes - one for garlic lovers only, while himself favours the wild sea bass. There is also a delicious grilled octopus dish with two generous octopus tentacles cooked to tender perfection and served with a well dressed salad, while the various kinds of stuffed squid are excellent value for money and are very filling. These tender tubes of squid are stuffed to the brim with cheese and Slovenian air-dried ham and are rather salty so only order a small portion. A less successful dish is the "shark gypsy style" which to my mind ruins a tasty shark steak which is best served very simply but in this version is drowned in a rich sauce of cheese, cream and tomatoes. The most simple dishes on the menu are the tastiest without a doubt.

Portion sizes are generous and you may find that it's not necessary to order a starter. Having now been several times we like to order one starter and a salad to share as well as one main course each.

There is no pressure to order several courses or side dishes, and many of the main courses include a side dish such as fries, rice or potatoes. The starters tend to be simple dishes like a plate of grilled sardines or local ham and olives; it's a good way of sampling some Slovenian specialities.

Service is always prompt and friendly. The waiters rush round with effortless efficiency and you're never left long with dirty plates or without another drink. All the waiters speak more than language and I've yet to meet one who doesn't speak English.

At weekends there is music played by costumed musicians which can be fun or intrusive depending on whether you were hoping for a quiet and cosy meal and whether there's a drunken local football team celebrating the end of the season. On a visit last year we were seated next to a large family group who had all had a lot to drink and started to sing along to the musicians; this was entertaining to begin with but the novelty soon wore off.

Although the on-line menu lists the prices I haven't done so because the prices do change according to the cost of fish at the time. However, a meal for two with starter, salad, main courses and drinks usually comes in around £25.00 which I think is excellent value given the quality of the food, the portion sizes and the ambience. The choice of dishes is excellent and even though the emphasis is on seafood there is a good enough selection of vegetarian and meat dishes. I also like the fact that you can sample traditional Slovenian fare too. With a childrens' menu and a choice of informal and formal dining areas Novi Svet is a good choice for families too.

As a seafood restaurant in a town in the mountains Novi Svet does stand out, but so too do the delicious food and the friendly staff. Always recommended.

http://www.novi-svet.com/

Mon - Fri 10.00 - 24.00
Sat 11.00 - 24.00
Sun 11.00 - 21.00

This Mexican restaurant is tucked away on a narrow lane in the Lent district of Maribor but is well worth seeking out. Late in the evenings its a music bar and club but until then it serves fine and well priced Tex-Mex classics such as the finest chili con carne in Slovenia, enchilladas, burritos and some fine salads.

Menus are in Slovene and English, staff mostly speak some English too. Service is always prompt even at busy times and you should usually be able to get a table witout booking.

The chili con carne is to die for - a rich spicy sauce and shredded beef that just falls apart. Another highlight is the spicy beef salad served in a crisp tortilla. Portions are generous and at these prices Takos is hard to beat for value.

The only negative is that it can get quite cold in the restaurant and its not as comfortable as it could be. Decor is nice though, simple and stylish and just right for a young crowd.

Mexican food is popular in Slovenia but this is one of the best places to go if you're hankering after some good Tex-Mex.

One of the most popular specialities of the Balkans is cevapcici - spicy little sausages traditionally served in a bread bun called a lepinja, with raw sliced onions and a spicy relish made of aubergine and chili called ajvar. It can also be served with a creamy cheesed called kajmak. Cevapcici means "little kebab" but when the meat is flattened into patties they are known as "pljeskavica".

Everyone you meet in Maribor recommends Grill Ranca for cevapcici and although you don't need a reservation, the place is always busy. Luckily service is prompt!

The menu is brief and easy to understand - there looks more than there really is because every permutuation of cevapcici, bread and accompaniments is listed.

They have a full bar but cevapcici taste great with a cold beer.

The interior is quite basic but clean and the staff are really friendly. You can sit in the conservatory at the front which gives a partial view of the river (only partial because of the traffic that regularly passes by).

Grill Ranca is cheap and cheerful but their cevapcici are to die for! They are spiced just enough and the ajvar is excellent with a really good kick.

To get there from Glavni Trg, cross the cross the road and at the Casino take the staircase down under the bridge, follow the pedestrian street round and turn right at the end. You're at Grill Ranca!

Enjoy your cevapcici!

Ancora is one of Maribor's most popular city centre restaurants. Open from 6.00am it's busy all day long and has outdoor seating, a comfortable indoor pub area and plenty of seating in the restaurant on the first floor.

Ancora is situated in a little alleyway off a pedestrian street in the centre of town close to H&M and Mueller's stores. You also know when you are near because of the delicious smell of seafood.

Lots of people stop off for coffee here but it would be a shame to miss out on the delicious food. As the name suggests there is a watery theme and the seafood dishes here are great although the pizza is excellent too.

Pizzas start at around 3 Euro 50 for a small cheese and tomato but average out around 6 Euro 50 for a large pizza with ham, mushroom and artichokes or a large seafood pizza. The large are huge and easily enough for two people with a salad.

Be aware that the portions of gnochhi are immense - I was almost defeated as soon as it arrived at the table because the thought of eating that much was so alarming!

A main course salad with fruits of the sea is my favourite dish and it's excellent value at 5 Euro 15 for an enormous serving. The fish and seafood in this come lightly battered but there's plenty of salad so it's not too heavy. Another favourite is the seafood risotto which is wonderfully creamy and comes packed with plenty of seafood goodies!

The beer served here is Gosser and there's wine and soft drinks too.

Service is very swift and the young male waiters are charming. They all speak English if you need help with the menu or you cn ask for an English menu if necessary too.

Ancora is where we go when we are short of time and we can still get a good main course that arrives quickly and is great value.

A good choice for families it offers children's portions too.

Having promised ourselves for nearly a year that we would eat at Gostilna Pri Lipi we finally got round to it one Friday evening in May 2008. This attractive ‘inn’ is on the road to Pohorje Mountain about ten minutes drive from the city centre. The Number 6 bus from the centre to the Cable Car conveniently stops just outside the restaurant.

The first thing you notice is the rather lovely setting. It may be beside the main road but the gardens block out the noise and there is some strategically placed trellis which also helps. The gardens are well maintained and in May we found them full of beautiful flowers, blooming in wonderful colours. There is seating outside for up to 100 diners, a few tables are higher up on raised decking and under a sloping roof which can offer some shade in hot weather or a bit of warmth on cooler nights. Look out for the faux door that leads nowhere!

The garden is dotted with a few quirky items such as old carriages and sleighs and some of the plants of in unusual containers and all of this really adds to the character of Pri Lipi. In pride of place is the four hundred and odd year old linden tree after which the gostlina is named – Lipi being the Slovene word for linden tree, the full name translates as ‘Beside the linden tree’.

In the entrance way to the restaurant is an very interesting collecting of snow and skiing antiques and a small exhibition of photographs showing the building of the nearby cable car at Pohorje.

Inside the restaurant is seating for another 100 diners in a couple of interconnected dining rooms, very much in the typical local style where the tables are placed around the outer edges of the room and there are coat hooks on the wall behind the seats. Although the look was quite dated it’s very typical for the whole Styrian region; however, everything was nicely presented and there were some lovely paintings and prints of local scenes on the walls.

The menu helpfully had dishes described in Slovene, English, Italian and German and there were so many delicious sounding dishes we took our time deciding. The waitress was a little abrupt but still quite helpful and I was impressed with the way she managed to remember all the dishes and drinks for four people!

We didn’t have starters on this occasion but we could have chosen from soups, salads, fish dishes and small meat dishes. I picked the liver for my main course, to be served with croquettes. My partner chose a main course of locally made sausages served with warm sauerkraut. My parents chose the roast pork and a pork escalope with a creamy mushroom sauce. All the dishes turned out to be excellent; my plate arrived piled with deliciously tender liver, perfectly seasoned and one of the best dishes I have eaten in Slovenia! Two of us had ordered the croquettes and the dish was piled high with them: they were quite different to nay potato croquette I’ve had before and tasted slightly like batter mixed with mashed potato – but still very good! Dad’s pork came s three very thick and chunky slices of perfectly roasted meat while mother’s escalope was also well cooked and with plenty of tasty sauce. Best of all was the sausage dish; the sausages were nicely spiced and lovely and juicy while the warm sauerkraut was also great but perhaps the serving was too large.

Other interesting dishes on the menu included ‘fillet of young colt’, black pudding and a veal roast. The fried chicken at Pri Lipi has been recommended to us by several of our Maribor friends too.

On this occasion we decided not to have a dessert but the restaurant does serve the famous ‘Pohorske Omelette’ – a massive concoction covered in calorific cream.

Service was patchy and we did struggle to get someone’s attention a couple of times. However, we found that the food was served in good time and everything was just the right temperature. Perhaps if we had spoken more Slovene we might have found the staff more friendly; as a result I can only describe them as helpful.

Four main courses and drinks came to approximately 40 Euro which is excellent value given the quality of the food. I certainly look forward to my next visit!

Open Tues - Sat 09:00 - 22:00
Closed Sunday and Monday

We first read about Pivnica Bavaria in a tourist information leaflet listing eating places in Maribor and tried one evening to find it. According to the address it's in the same place as a department store but we went all round the block and couldn't find it.

On our next trip to Maribor we needed somewhere quick for lunch and wondered whether the department store had somewhere to eat and as we approached the open door we saw the sign just inside pointing down the stairs to Pivnica Bavaria - which explains why we couldn't find the place in the evening.

So down the stairs we go....to find a vast cafeteria that basically has no atmosphere and is about as far removed from a Bavarian beerhall as you can get. The bar is in front of you as you go down the stairs and a partition wall means you can't see the bar from most places in the restaurant so you may struggle to get the waitresses attention.

The menu was in Slovene only so we asked for a few minutes to decide. Drinks were brought promptly but the waitress then disappeared into the kitchen and didn't come back for ages.

The food is very German influenced as you would expect with variations on sausage and schnitzel dishes. I chose the breaded chicken and fries and my partner chose the beer sausage also with chips. We shared a salad.

We could have chosen the daily set lunch which starts with soup, followed by a main course and salad and then a dessert but we had dinner plans for the evening and thought this was too much. However, when the food arrived the portions were still large and I did struggle with the chicken - three hefty pieces and a huge pile of fries. The beer sausage was excellent, tasty and juicy and the fries were lovely too.

While the place wasn't packed over lunchtime there was a steady stream of diners and it appears that ordering the set lunch is the way to get served quickly - stands to reason really but it probably explains why we waited what seemed an excessive time for our food.

While the interior doesn't really say much about Bavaria the waitresses outfit certainly did - dressed in traditional serving girl get-up she seemed totally out of place and I did feel sorry for her. Perhaps if the surroundings were a bit more authentic she wouldn't stand out like a sore thumb. The oompah music was appropriate but it still didn't ring guite right in the suroundings.

We sat along a wall and I didn't find the seating very comfortable at all, finding it difficult to get close enough to the table to eat. I would go for a proper table in future but think its worth pointing out.

When it came to getting the bill we again had to wait too long to get the waitresses attention - she was either behind the bar - where we couldn't see her - or in the kitchen or serving other tables with her head down. She did seem quite oblivious to anything other than what she was doing at that precise moment.

The bill came to 16 Euro 20 for two main courses, a salad, two beers (Lasko, 0.5L)and an orange juice. I would have liked another juice but we waited so long for the waitress to come it was too late.

If I went back I'd probably have the set lunch and only then if I needed a quick option. The food was tasty enough but not really different or exciting and the service was just too slow. If the surroundings had been more comfortable and appealing I might not have minded a leisurely lunch but on this occasion it just annoyed.