Maribor City Train 
Ahead of you is a 70-minute circular ride on a 100% electric city train that takes you quietly, sustainably, and comfortably through the most charming corners of Maribor. The journey begins at the world’s oldest grapevine where maps, tips, and helpful information are available. From here, the route takes you past the city’s most iconic sights — from Lent and the Drava River to green parks, historic pathways, and the timeless wine stories Maribor has been weaving for centuries.
Maribor’s old town is home to the world’s oldest grapevine, the 450-year-old Žametovka or Modra Kavčina, which has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records since 2004. It climbs up a building that was once part of the city walls. It is a symbol of resilience and an extraordinary will to live, having survived Ottoman sieges, numerous fires, the spread of grape phylloxera across Europe and the bombing of the city over the course of almost half a millennium.
Its scions can be found all over the world, and each year it yields from 35 to 55 kg of grapes, which are made into wine and bottled in beautiful 2.5 dcl bottles designed by the famous artist Oskar Kogoj. These bottles are the highest protocol gift from the City of Maribor. They have been presented to many famous figures, including Garry Kimovich Kasparov, Václav Havel, Bill Clinton, Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Dalai Lama.
The Oldest Vine Museum tells the story of the vine and the abundant wine heritage of Lent through selected materials and rich multimedia presentations, and the visit also includes a tasting of the queen’s wine or juice.
Lent is the oldest and most magical part of Maribor, where the past is still very much tangible. Its recent renovation included a comprehensive redevelopment of the Drava riverbank, from the Studenci Footbridge to the Water Tower, and its transformation into a shared space: an important public space with limited traffic and an improved urban experience. The renovation was recognized as the Best EU Project 2024 due to its quality and impact on the community, as well as the positive public response.
One of the more recent additions to Lent is a pedestrian and cycle bridge with a beautiful undulating design and a distinctive structure of steel beams clad in wood. Its dynamic nature is also reflected in the night-time lighting effects.
Thanks to its clever design by the Spanish architecture office Burgos & Garrido, the Rafters’ Bridge blends seamlessly into the urban fabric, creating a popular spot for walking, exploring and enjoying stunning city views.
The Rafters’ Bridge has become a popular destination for both residents and visitors to the city.
The Main Bridge (Old Bridge) is a road bridge in Maribor that crosses the Drava River. It was built between 1909 and 1913 according to the plans by architect Eugen Fassbender and engineer C. Haberkalt. It is 274 meters long and has three distinctive steel arches.
It replaced the previous wooden bridge in order to accommodate the increased volume of road traffic on Tržaška Cesta heading towards Vienna and Trieste.
The Main Bridge was destroyed in April 1941, but was later rebuilt. Due to its location, which was determined by a political decision, it still affects the traffic regime on Glavni Trg today. It has undergone several renovations in the past, with major works taking place in 1967, 1998 and 2000. Today, it is one of Maribor’s most famous landmarks.
One of the oldest preserved synagogues in Europe and the most important monument of Jewish cultural heritage in Slovenia is located on Židovski Trg (Jewish Square). It was first mentioned in 1354. In 1497, Maximilian I Habsburg ordered the expulsion of the Jews from Styria and Maribor, which until then had been the most important center of Judaism in the territory of present-day Slovenia.
After emigrating, many Jews from Maribor adopted the surname Morpurgo in memory of their hometown, and today the Morpurgo family tree contains more than 2,300 people with this surname. In 1501, the synagogue was converted into the Catholic Church of All Saints, and after 1785, it was transformed into a warehouse.
Since 2011, it has been operating as a public institute called Center of Jewish Cultural Heritage Synagogue Maribor, or Synagogue Maribor for short.
The institute’s main purpose is to study, preserve and foster Jewish heritage in Maribor and Slovenia.
In 2015, the former synagogue was declared a cultural monument of national significance.
The Narodni Dom building in Maribor is an imposing neo-Renaissance palace dating from 1898, which was designed by the Czech architect Jan Vejrych. Built as a symbol of Slovenian identity in a predominantly German city, the building became an important cultural, political, and economic hub for Slovenians in northern Styria. It housed numerous Slovenian institutions, including a bank, the Slavic Reading Room and the first Slovenian public library in Maribor, as well as various cultural societies. The building played a pivotal role in significant historical events, including Maister’s defense of Maribor and the formation of the northern state border following World War I. After World War II, it was owned by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JLA), which renamed it Dom JLA (Yugoslav People’s Army House) and opened it to the general public.
In 1992, the Narodni Dom Maribor cultural and event center was established, becoming the largest cultural center in the region with more than 1,200 events every year, including the famous Lent Festival.
As you stroll through the old town, your eye will quickly be drawn to the distinctive reddish church and the monastery on Partizanska Cesta and Ulica Škofa Maksimilijana Držečnika. This popular city landmark with its two bell towers and a vibrant Franciscan community invites you to pause for a moment, embrace the silence, and light a candle.
According to legend, the brethren once received a cow from a farmer, but without a rope. Since then, they have worn a rope around their waists so that they are always ready to serve and to travel.
The history of Maribor City Park dates back to 1871, when the city bought land from Count Brandis with the intention of creating a park. The first landscaping design was created the following year by Marauschegg, a gardener from Graz.
In the late 19th century, the park was expanded to include the area of the three ponds, and a music pavilion was built in 1890.
Today, the park, which was modelled on English landscape gardens, covers around 54 hectares and is protected as a cultural monument of landscaped nature. It is home to more than 120 native and exotic tree species.
The park features beautiful walking paths, an attractive aquarium-terrarium, a children’s playground, a pavilion for spring and summer concerts, old tree-lined avenues, oval-shaped flower beds, and the main promenade, which was built in 1952 according to a design by Humek and Mihelčič, and extended to the three ponds in the 1980s.
The park connects the urban environment with nature, providing a microclimatic urban oasis. Its three artificial ponds were once used to supply water to the city moat, but were later incorporated into the city park. The first pond features a fountain that serves not only an aesthetic but also a practical purpose – it aerates the water to help maintain the health of the ecosystem. The second pond has an artificial island that provides a nesting place for swans and ducks. The third pond is the warmest and rarely freezes in winter. The ponds are home to fish, turtles and birds.
A comprehensive redevelopment was completed in the 1980s, connecting the park with Piramida and Kalvarija. With accessible paths and benches providing comfortable places to rest and socialize, it’s no surprise that the three ponds are equally popular with ramblers, nature lovers and families.
The Maribor Aquarium-Terrarium stands on the edge of the City Park, one of the city’s greenest and most pleasant urban retreats. Its location already invites visitors into a calmer world, while the experience continues through river, lake and marine environments from different parts of the globe.
In the aquarium section, visitors can discover more than 120 species of fish displayed in carefully designed tanks. The terrarium reveals a more mysterious world of reptiles, amphibians and insects, from turtles and lizards to snakes whose presence always draws curious looks.
The Maribor Aquarium-Terrarium is considered one of the more important institutions of its kind in Central and Southern Europe. With its rich variety of animal species and expert care, it has become a popular stop for families, school groups and anyone wishing to step, just for a moment, into an underwater world and the exotic life of land creatures.
The Town Hall was built in the Late Gothic style in 1515, and received a renaissance makeover between 1563 and 1565.
It features a balcony with the town’s coat of arms, which is surrounded by two lions and bears the date 1565.
It was given a classicist facelift in the 19th century, but was returned to its Renaissance form in the 1950s. Its Baroque hall is adorned with stucco work by A. Quadrio.
A major renovation of the Town Hall is currently underway, which is one of the key urban projects of the City of Maribor. The over 450-year-old building, which is of exceptional historical significance, is undergoing thorough refurbishment, including structural reinforcements and energy efficiency improvements, and will be transformed into a modern cultural and administrative space.
It will form part of the new Rotovž Centre, which will be a hub for urban and cultural life.
The heart of the old town was first mentioned in 1315 as a market square (Markt). In the 19th century, it was given the name Hauptplatz, and the Slovenian name Glavni Trg (Main Square) has been consistently used since 1919.
Glavni Trg is a bustling market – even today, an organic farmers’ market is held there on Fridays – and a social hub surrounded by cafés and historic houses.
The plague first appeared in Maribor in the 17th century, killing a third of the population. In gratitude for being freed from the plague, the citizens of Maribor erected a plague column in 1681, which has become the central landmark of Glavni Trg. The Baroque artwork, created by the 18th-century Styrian sculptor Jožef Štraub, depicts Mary surrounded by six plague saints.
The Maribor Art Gallery is Slovenia’s second-largest museum of modern and contemporary art, housing over 10,000 works by Slovenian artists from the late 19th century to the present day. Its collection includes paintings, sculptures and prints, as well as photographs, video art, installations and interactive projects.
UGM was established in 1954 as the city’s first professional modern art institution. It is located in a 19th-century palace and an 18th-century church. One of the most impressive architectural features is the painted ceiling in the Great Hall.
By 2026, the gallery will have expanded into the newly renovated Rotovž building, which will be the first purpose-built visual art exhibition space in Maribor.
With around 15 exhibitions each year – ranging from retrospectives of Slovenian artists to international contemporary art festivals and architecture and design exhibitions – and a varied educational program, UGM plays a key role in shaping both the Slovenian and international art scenes.
The University of Maribor is the second-largest and second-oldest university in Slovenia. It was founded in 1975. Its seat is located in the building of the former city savings bank on Slomškov Trg. The building underwent an extensive renovation between 1995 and 2000, based on plans by architect Boris Podrecca.
The alley of giants in front of the building features busts of prominent Slovenian scientists Fran Miklošič, Matija Murko, Herman Potočnik and Pavel Turner.
Slomškov Trg is the central square of the western part of the old town, named after Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek, Slovenian bishop and educator. His monument stands opposite the Cathedral of St John the Baptist, the city’s main place of worship and the seat of the Maribor Archdiocese since 1859, when Bishop Anton Martin Slomšek moved the diocese’s seat from Sankt Andrä in Carinthia to Maribor.
Originally built in the Romanesque style in the 12th century, the cathedral now blends Gothic and Baroque elements, and houses the tomb of Bishop Slomšek in the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
The 57-meter bell tower (which was originally 19 meters taller, but was lowered after being struck by lightning and damaged by fire) is a defining feature of the cityscape and houses an exhibition entitled The Watchtower on the life and work of fire lookouts, who used to live in the apartment at the top of the tower. The square is beautifully complemented by a park and a water fountain adorned with a small statue of Korlek.
The Slovene National Theatre Maribor (SNG Maribor) is a professional theatre institution and the second-largest theatre in Slovenia. It comprises theatre, opera, ballet, and symphony orchestra departments.
It also hosts the annual Borštnik Festival, a theatre festival named after the actor Ignacij Borštnik, and the Ondina Otta competition for talented young opera singers. At the end of 1851, Maribor got a dedicated theatre building, which was connected to the Casino Society building in 1865.
The year 1919 marks the beginning of professional theatre in Slovenia. Initially, director Hinko Nučič focused on staging dramas, but after 1928, operetta became the more popular genre.
The occupying forces closed it down in 1941, but the Slovenian Theatre was revived in 1945. Marta Remškar choreographed the first ballet performance in 1947. In 1993, the theatre building was completely renovated.
This square defensive tower with a tall pyramidal hipped roof is the only one of the five towers of the northern city wall, which was built in 1460, that has survived.
It is named after the Tscheligi family, who ran the first brewery in Maribor there in the 18th century.
In the past, it was also known as the Gunpowder Tower, and it served as an important defensive post on the city walls. The tower was fully renovated between 2020 and 2022.
Emperor Frederick III had the Maribor city castle built as a fortress between 1478 and 1483, but it became a lavish feudal residence over time. It is surrounded by the ever-busy squares of Grajski Trg, Trg Svobode and Trg Generala Maistra, and incorporates elements from various architectural styles and periods.
In 1847, Franz Liszt performed a concert in the Knights’ Hall “before a select audience”, as the chronicler of the time put it. Notable figures who visited the castle include Leopold I, Charles VI, Maria Theresa and Tsar Paul I.
Pope Pius VI stayed here in 1782, and during World War II, Adolf Hitler visited it when the city was occupied by the Germans.
The building, which features a Knights’ Hall containing works by the painter Johann Gebler, a Baroque staircase and a Loreto chapel, is now home to the Maribor Regional Museum.
This historically significant square is named after General Rudolf Maister, a poet and military commander, who is regarded as one of Maribor’s most important citizens due to his role in the formation of the northern border and the defense of Maribor after World War I (1918–1919).
His monument, which was unveiled on 10 October 1987, was created by Vlasta Tihec Zorko, an academic sculptor and winner of the Glazer Award for her lifetime’s work from the City of Maribor.
A linden tree was planted next to the monument in 1991 to commemorate the Slovenian declaration of independence, and a bottle containing a document describing this event was buried beneath it.
Other landmarks in this square include the neo-Renaissance building of the First Grammar School, Milan Černigoj’s fountain, and the oldest Slovenian public monument in Maribor, which was erected in 1875 in honor of Anton Tomšič, the first Slovenian professional journalist and editor-in-chief of the Slovenski Narod newspaper.
The 15,000 m² underground labyrinth, which opened in 1847, has 2 km of corridors used to store several million liters of wine, as well as an archive of over 85,000 bottles.
As early as 1847, Alois von Kriehuber, a nobleman from Melje, built a wine cellar and a connected palace (Kriehuber Palace), which serves as the cellar’s entrance.
After World War II, the cellar was connected to an even older brewery cellar, forming the largest traditional tunnel wine cellar under a city center in Central Europe.
Its extensive wine collection offers wines for special occasions such as birthdays and anniversaries.
Today, the cellar, with its exceptional historical significance, is an attraction that connects visitors with the rich wine cultural heritage of Maribor and offers guided tours and wine tastings.
With 11,709 seats, Ljudski Vrt, the home stadium of FC Maribor, is the third largest in Slovenia. It was built on the site of the former Volksgarten city park in 1962, though its story dates back to 1952. It is renowned for the distinctive arch of its grandstand, which was designed by one of Slovenia’s most prominent modernists, architect Vladimir Šubic, and is now a protected cultural monument.
The stadium has undergone several renovations, most recently in 2021 when the grandstand and its arched roof were refurbished.
Ljudski Vrt meets all UEFA standards and has hosted numerous international events, including three appearances by FC Maribor in the UEFA Champions League group stage (in the 1999/2000, 2014/2015 and 2017/2018 seasons), UEFA Europa League matches, Slovenian national team matches, and matches of the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
Ljudski Vrt remains one of Slovenia’s crucial venues for hosting high-level football and international sports events.
The Minoriti Cultural Quarter is a unique contemporary art venue in Maribor that blends historical architecture with exceptional artistic talent. The complex, which consists of the Minorite Monastery, the Minorite Church, the Tri Babe (Three Wenches) building, the Judgement Tower, and an open-air auditorium, is home to the Maribor Puppet Theatre, as well as a venue for numerous other events, such as concerts, exhibitions, film screenings and conferences.
The Judgement Tower, a round defensive tower at the bottom of the Maribor market in Lent, is a prime example of defensive architecture – with its imposing size, it protected the southwestern corner of the city walls. Its square predecessor was built in 1310, but was demolished in 1532. Between 1548 and 1562, the Judgement Tower was rebuilt under the supervision of the same Italian builders who constructed the Town Hall. It got its name at a time when judgements were delivered there, and it is associated with witch trials.
Due to its shape, it is also known as the Round Tower, and due to its proximity to the Minorite Monastery, it is also known as the Monastic Tower.
The Judgement Tower is an important monument of fortification architecture and an integral part of the western cityscape with its medieval walls.
In 2021, it was completely renovated and turned into a cultural venue.
The Drava River has always been closely linked to the life in Maribor and the city’s development. It is, in some sense, the city’s lifeline, rich in flora and fauna and offering numerous possibilities for sporting activities. There are walking and cycling paths alongside the Drava, and you can enjoy stand-up paddle boarding, boating, water skiing and wakeboarding on the river.
The attractions also include a traditional raft ride.
Some even say that the roots of the oldest vine growing in Lent reach all the way to the river, which has been nourishing and keeping this unique plant alive for four and a half centuries.
Maribor City Train
A round trip on a tourist train
Ahead of you is a 70-minute circular ride on a 100% electric city train that takes you quietly, sustainably, and comfortably through the most charming corners of Maribor.
The journey begins at the Maribor Tourist Information Center (TIC), where maps, tips, and helpful information are available. From here, the route takes you past the city’s most iconic sights — from Lent and the Drava River to green parks, historic pathways, and the timeless wine stories Maribor has been weaving for centuries.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride through the heart of the city. The train takes you past Maribor’s most famous landmarks — from hidden streets and lively squares to the lush greenery of the City Park and the World’s Oldest Grapevine.
Kalvarija is a 375-meter-high hill lined with vineyards, with 454 steps leading to the Chapel of St Barbara and St Rosalia on top, which was built in 1683 to mark the end of the 1680–1681 plague.
There is a Way of the Cross, consisting of a series of chapels, leading to the summit, with the final chapel containing a statue of a group gathered around the cross, created by the Baroque sculptor Jožef Štraub.
There is also a path that starts at the City Park and leads to the summit. Both paths offer an easy ascent, making Kalvarija a popular walking spot for locals, who are rewarded at the top with a beautiful view of the city, the Drava River and Pohorje.
Piramida rises above the Maribor City Park to the north. An easy marked trail leads to the 386-meter summit, which takes about 15 to 30 minutes and is also suitable for families and beginners.
This is where the Upper Castle (Marchburg or Obermarburg) stood, first mentioned in 1164, which gave Maribor its name.
Having suffered extensive damage from Ottoman attacks and natural phenomena such as lightning strikes and fire, it was demolished by the end of the 18th century. A stone pyramid structure was then built from its remains, after which the hill is named today.
In 1821, the classicist Chapel of St Mary, which features a votive stone statue of Mary, was constructed at the top. A vineyard stretches out below it.
Piramida is a popular hiking destination, offering breathtaking views of the city, the Drava River, Pohorje, and the surrounding hills. It is connected to Kalvarija and Mestni Vrh by a nature trail.
Pohorje, located in the eastern part of the Alps, is a green oasis covered with mighty forests, marshes, waterfalls and lakes, with its highest peak reaching 1,543 m. Covering approximately 800 km2, it offers a wealth of natural and cultural heritage, from the Šumik primeval forest to the Črno Jezero lake, and is home to rare animal species, including Europe’s largest moth, the emperor moth.
Thanks to its extensive network of hiking and cycling trails winding through forests and past lakes and waterfalls, Pohorje is one of the most popular destinations for hiking and cycling, and exploring hidden corners of nature. The foothills can be reached on foot, by bike, by car, or by city bus, and you can take the famous Pohorje cable car to the top.
In addition to peace and relaxation, Pohorje offers a variety of adrenaline-fueled activities, such as downhill biking at the Bike Park, and culinary experiences.
The tradition of rafting on the Drava River dates back to the 13th century, when the river was used to transport soldiers and timber from the Pohorje and Kozjak forests. Timber rafting was a thriving business that experienced its greatest boom in the 19th century, when Lent was the main stop for raftsmen en route to Croatia and Serbia, but it was replaced by the railway in the 20th century.
A raft ride from Koblarjev Zaliv to Lent is a popular tourist activity today. It is a true musical and culinary adventure, complete with the traditional “rafting baptism”. A walk along the rafting educational trail complements the experience, revealing the rich ethnological heritage of Maribor and the Drava Valley.
Maribor is a city connected across the Drava River by ten bridges and footbridges, each with its own story, appearance and role in everyday city life. Three are reserved exclusively for pedestrians and cyclists, while one serves railway traffic, making the bridges an essential part of the city’s movement, views and connection between the two riverbanks.
Among the most recognisable is the Main Bridge, also known as the Old Bridge, built between 1909 and 1913. With its steel arches, it still connects the Main Square with Pobrežje and remains one of the strongest symbols of Maribor along the Drava.
A more contemporary riverside rhythm is created by the Rafters Footbridge, an elegant link between Lent and Tabor. Its wavy form, wooden surface and evening light effects bring new energy to the riverfront, turning it into a favourite place for walks, cycling, scenic views and those small urban moments when Maribor is best felt by the water.
Maribor’s industrial story began with the railway, electricity and the city’s favourable position along important transport routes. In 1846, the arrival of the Southern Railway connected the city with a wider economic area, while in 1883 one of the first electric lights on Slovenian soil was switched on in Maribor, when entrepreneur Karl Scherbaum introduced electric lighting in his steam mill.
With the development of railway workshops, textile factories, metal, chemical, food and wood industries, Maribor became one of the most important industrial centres in Slovenia and the former Yugoslavia during the 20th century. Textile production, TAM, Metalna, Zlatorog, Swaty, the Maribor Foundry and many other companies left a strong mark on the city, shaping its neighbourhoods, workers’ colonies and the everyday lives of thousands of families.
Although many industrial giants disappeared after the economic changes at the end of the 20th century, their traces remain written into the urban landscape. Former factories, workers’ colonies, railway areas and industrial stories still speak of Maribor as a city of labour, knowledge, ingenuity and resilience.
| Adults | 7,00 € |
| Young people aged 11–18 and students | 4,00 € |
| Children (3–10 years) | 5,00 € |
| Persons with disabilities | 4,00 € |
| Families (2 adults + 2 children aged 3–10) | 20,00 € |
| Adults | 6,00 € |
| Children (3–10 years) | 3,00 € |
| Young people aged 11–18 and students | 4,00 € |
| Train rental outside of the regular schedule | 399,00 € |
| Children up to 3 years of age ride for free. The ticket is valid for one ride on the day of purchase only. |
1 Jun – 31 Aug
Monday to Friday at 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM
Saturday, Sunday and National holidays at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM, 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM
1 Sep – 31 May
Monday to Friday at 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM
Saturday, Sunday and National holidays at 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM
On working days, the ride at 10:00 AM is reserved for closed groups.
Entry and exit point:
World’s Oldest Grapevine, Vojašniška ulica 8
Javno podjetje Marprom
Mlinska ulica 1, 2000 Maribor
T: +386 59 180 482
E: info@marprom.si
TIC Maribor
Partizanska cesta 6a, 2000 Maribor
T: +386 2 23 46 611
E: tic@maribor.si