Svečina is a Styrian wine-growing village surrounded by the vineyards of the gently rolling Slovenske gorice hills. When planning your trip, you can explore different aspects of the village: its winemaking tradition, historic buildings and routes through the village and vineyards.

Vineyards, Wine and Regional Cuisine

White varieties predominate among the quality wines produced here: Welschriesling and Laški rizling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Yellow Muscat and Traminer. The range of varieties gives the local winemaking tradition a distinct focus. Tastings are available in different settings: Vinogradništvo Peter Jamšek organises them by prior arrangement in the Grajska klet for groups of 20 to 30 people. Vino Valdhuber welcomes visitors to a dedicated tasting room overlooking the wine-growing landscape and Svečina Castle; reservations may be required.

The Wine Falot cellar is also open to visitors. There, you can taste wine and learn the story behind it. Check the arrangements for visits before you arrive. At tourist farms and wine taverns, you can try homemade cold cuts, farmhouse bread, gibanica and apple strudel. Many places also offer hot meals and accommodation. Food and visitor offers may change, so check with the relevant establishment.

In nearby Špičnik, a road surrounded by vineyards appears as a “heart among the vineyards” below the equestrian statue of Saint George. You can see this view from the grounds of the Dreisiebner excursion farm. As visitor arrangements may change, check the options in advance.

Church and Svečina Castle

The parish church of St. Andrew was first mentioned in written records in 1195 and took on its present appearance between 1652 and 1657. Notable features include an oval pulpit with a curved canopy and two bronze bells dating from 1518 and 1877. These dates mark different chapters in the village’s history: its early written record, the church’s later architectural development and the two bells from different centuries.

Svečina Castle has retained its Renaissance architectural form. The complex includes a castle building and a smithy. A plaque bearing a building inscription from 1629 is also located at the castle. Exhibitions listed for the castle include a display of the Svečina wine queens and the clothing of Maribor’s wine queens from Svečina, an embroidery exhibition, a painting exhibition and “Treasures from the Attic”. Content and access may change.

Routes through the Village and Vineyards

The Pot prijateljstva in kulture trail passes through Svečina and across the renovated village square of this more than 800-year-old settlement. The route thus connects a stretch through the village with a specific landmark in its townscape.

The Kolesarska pot kungoških vinorodnih gričev cycle route runs from Zgornja Kungota through Svečina, Špičnik and Jurij, and back to Zgornja Kungota. It mostly follows paved local roads and well-maintained gravel tracks. Because of its hilly terrain, it is best suited to recreational cyclists. The route and road surfaces may change; check conditions before your ride.

Vinotour offers a different kind of route: this international Nordic walking experience through the vineyards was developed in close cooperation between the Svečina Tourist Association and the Austrian municipality of Ratsch an der Weinstraße. The trails pass through the grounds of more than 100 Slovenian and Austrian wine-growing businesses and cover more than 80 kilometres of marked routes. Vinotour consists of five circular trails. Yellow markings and bottle-shaped signs show the way; the colours of the stickers on the signs correspond to the names of the individual routes. Check the markings and trail layout locally before setting out. When choosing between the options, both the activity and the wayfinding differ: the Kolesarska pot is a cycling route with a described surface, while Vinotour is a marked network of circular Nordic walking trails.

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Go to the main travel overview: Pesnica.