Žetale

Juan Lopez, young Spanish entrepreneur discovering Slovenian tourism (more pictures)

I spent the last week in Žetale ; do you know were it is? Don’t worry I'll explain to you where it is and what you can do there. I think that once you have read about it you are going to plan your trip to Žetale. The first thing is that Žetale is part of Štajerska region. The capital of this region is Maribor (95.787 habitants in 2010), the second biggest city in Slovenia. And between Maribor and Žetale there is Ptuj , the most antique city in Slovenia (Ptuj is a historical city with a rich heritage on the banks of the Drava River. The town centre reserved the medieval city core, the castle, churches, monasteries, squares...). Žetale is also part of the region called “Haloze.”
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I have read that “Haloze” is one of the poorest and more rural area in Slovenia. But I like Haloze a lot: here, all is beautiful: I like the green of the hills (now white for the snow), the great sightseeing of Donačka gora, the starry sky; the peace, the silence, the tranquillity, … But what I like the most is the people that live in this region: They are very friendly and they are always wishing to teach you a lot of things about this zone, about the wine, the food, the history…

For me Haloze was a great discovery. I have been in different farms, churches: I recommend that you visit Ptujska Gora (a lot of pilgrims visit this gothic church where the most remarkable one is the statue of Virgin Mary - the patroness with her mantle as she invites people to her side. Under the mantle there are images of more than 80 people)  … I have tried its great wine (white wine region) and I have enjoyed the traditional gastronomy… I have walked in the ecological trail… I have been in the Ptuj Thermal Spa… oh yes, I have enjoyed a lot. I think this region is perfect for nature lovers, for people who like tradition, history…this region is perfect for everyone: young, adults, elderly people…

The actual demand of tourism in Haloze is good, but in my opinion it’s necessary to advertise the high points of the region, especially in big cities like Maribor or Ljubljana and try to attract more people from there. (Maybe making weekend’s packages). It would be great if there were more information about this region in travel guides for foreigners… And in the side of the supply I think that now it is good, but it is necessary innovation, supply new things to the customers…

I hope you like the description of Žetale and Haloze and if you have any doubts, don’t hesitate to ask me.

See you soon, Juan