+386 31 879 611The city of Maribor straddles the Drava River and gives visitors stunning vistas of the surrounding green Pohorje forests and picturesque vineyards. The nearby Žiče Charterhouse is a former monastery, once home to the mysterious "white monks". Today the place offers an opportunity for relaxation; guests can escape from the hustle and bustle, catch a concert or even witness a fairytale wedding.
Program
Our first stop takes us to Žiče and a visit to its former monastery, which was the first Carthusian monastery in the German sphere of influence at its time and was also the first of its kind outside France or Italy.
We continue on by paying a visit to Slovenia’s second largest town, Maribor. The tour begins with a stop at the city’s grand castle, a visit to the gothic cathedral and tomb of the famous bishop and first Slovenian Saint, Anton Slomšek, before arriving at Maribor’s main square in the front of the town hall.
Around the corner lies the ex Jewish quarter and we’ll visit one of Europe’s oldest synagogues on Židovska Ulica (or Jewish Street in English). This place was Maribor’s ghetto during medieval times but after the Jews was expelled from the city in 1497, its synagogue became a church, then a military warehouse and finally a private residence before reverting back to its original role. This modest, but historic building is now a cultural centre and museum with artefacts from the city’s Jewish population.
Our path then leads to the heart of the old city centre, Lent, home to the oldest grape vine in the world. Proudly on display in front of the Old Vine House, the confirmed age of this “Žametovka” or “Modra Kavčina” vine is over 400 years old, securing its place in the Guinness Book of Records, as the oldest vine in the world still bearing grapes.
The tour includes a scenic drive through the area’s vineyards and an opportunity for wine tasting in a family run cellar door.
