Maribor offers several distinct starting points for a cultural and wine-focused stay: Jewish cultural heritage, a regional museum with a permanent exhibition, and specific wine-tasting options. The wider Maribor–Pohorje destination also features green hills and numerous hiking and mountain trails close to the city. The formats vary too, from a tasting at the museum to a guided cellar tour.

Jewish Heritage and the History of the City

The Maribor Synagogue is an important monument to Jewish cultural heritage in Slovenia and is among the oldest surviving synagogues in Central Europe. Since 2011, it has operated as an independent public institution under the name “Center of Jewish Cultural Heritage Synagogue Maribor.”

In the Jewish quarter, several features of a Jewish ghetto have been preserved in some surviving ground-floor houses, including Židovska 3. This offers two perspectives on Jewish cultural heritage: as an important monument and through features preserved in individual houses.

Maribor Castle offers another perspective on the city’s history: it has been home to the Regional Museum Maribor since 1938. The museum presents the permanent exhibition “Between the Glamour and the Misery of the Middle Ages.” Lent is the oldest part of the city of Maribor. The cultural and historical focus varies: the exhibition looks at the Middle Ages, Lent at the oldest part of the city, and the synagogue and Jewish quarter at Jewish cultural heritage.

Wine: Cellars, Vines and Tastings

Vinag is one of Europe’s largest and oldest traditional wine cellars. It has more than two kilometres of underground tunnels and 15,000 square metres of cellar space. Vinag offers visitors tourist packages that include a guided cellar tour led by an expert. The number of tasting samples varies; snacks are optional.

The Old Vine (Stara trta) offers a different connection to wine. It is designated as a nationally important botanical and tree-related natural feature and was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2004. A visit to the Old Vine Museum includes a tasting of Queen’s Wine or fruit juice. A guided tasting of Styrian wines, inspired by a sommelier and accompanied by culinary treats, is also offered at the Old Vine.

The setting is a practical difference when choosing between the options: Vinag combines a cellar tour with a varying number of tasting samples and optional snacks. A visit to the Old Vine Museum includes a tasting of Queen’s Wine or fruit juice; the guided Styrian wine tasting is another option.

Hills and Trails in the Maribor–Pohorje Destination

In the Maribor–Pohorje destination, the easternmost part of the Slovenian Alps features green hills with numerous hiking and mountain trails close to the city of Maribor. This expands the focus beyond city history and wine to include the landscape. The trails are a distinct attraction for travellers who want to include hiking or mountain routes in their stay alongside cultural sites and tastings.

Discover more destinations: Bresternica, Miklavž na Dravskem Polju, Dobrovce, Starše, Spodnje Hoče, Limbuš, Malečnik, Hočko Pohorje.

For the main travel overview: Maribor.