Podravska

Pascal Aerssens, young Dutch student writing Tourist Guide to Slovenia (more photos)

The Podravska region lies in the northeast of Slovenia. Its name derives from the main river of the region: river Drava. The area is about 2,170 km² big and there live 319,144 people. It has one of the best transport infrastructures of Slovenia: an excellent motorway connection with Graz (Austria) and Ljubljana, good railways and the airport of Maribor.

Maribor
Most of the city’s historical sites are situated in the old city centre, so actually all cultural and historical sites can be visited by foot.
Bee keeping is a local tradition in Maribor and the rest of Slovenia. For the people who would like to learn everything about the local bee keeping, there is a Bee-Keeping Centre (Address: Streliška 150). You get to know why honey is so healthy and how it is produced. You can taste different types of honey, e.g. chestnut, acacia and linden, without any costs at all. In summer, you can see the bees working through the sides of a glass beehive. If you would like to buy a souvenir, you should buy the homemade honey wine, various honey liquors and champagne.
If you are on a business trip and want some rest or if you are stressed of all the travelling during your holiday, you might like to take a walk in the Maribor’s City Park (Pri Parku). This peaceful park, just north of the historical town centre, is absolutely one of Maribor’s best recreational sites. Funny are the squirrels up and around the trees, always searching for food. If you like classical music, you really should go to the park on Sundays because then there are several concerts held in the pavilion. 
Maribor Castle (Address: Grajska 2) doesn’t really look like a medieval castle, but more like a City Hall. This is mainly because the current building has gone through various style periods. However, the original castle was built in Gothic style in 1555 to serve as a noble residence. But in the 17th century, fortifications were added in the Renaissance style. It was in this time that the southern façade was added as well. In the 18th century the staircase was added as we still can see it nowadays. Currently, the castle is home to the Regional Museum of Maribor (Muzej Pokajinski) with local artefact collections.
The synagogue (Address: Židovska 4) was built in 1465 to serve as a Jewish house of prayer, but also as an educational centre of the Jewish religion. The city’s Jewish community has ever since 1290 lived in the this street. The tower in which the synagogue is housed, was a part of the medieval fortified part of Maribor. It currently serves as a photo gallery, showing various photos about Jewish culture. However, the building’s original character is still present and it is considered to be one of the city’s main heritage sites.
The remarkable Water Tower (Address:  Usnjarska 10) is called ‘Vodni stolp’ in Slovene. It was built in 1555 as a part of the city’s fortifications. These fortifications were set up against the Turkish invaders. Currently it functions partially as a wine shop. The upper floor of the tower is like a medieval dinner hall and serves as a place of wine tasting.
Maribor Cathedral (Address:  Slomškov Trg 20) was built in 1248 as a Roman basilica, but got its Gothic appearance in the 15th century. The Baroque chapels date from the 16th and 18th centuries. Inside, there is a generously decorated and light giving altar. Quite special is the stained glass
window remembering the papal visit to Slovenia in 1999 by Pope John Paul II. You can have a look from the top of the tower if you would like to. These tours are available between 08:00 and 18:00.
Against the wall of the Old Vine House (Address:  Vojašniška 8), you can see the oldest vine in the world. At an age of 400 years, the vine has been listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The vine still bears the Zametovka grape, which is one of the oldest grape sorts in Slovenia. the house is nowadays a museum for people who would like to know more about the rich wine culture of the Styrian region. It offers various excursions for wine lovers. You can buy here some nice Styrian wines at a very generous discount.

Ptuj
Ptuj is the oldest town in Slovenia. It is a colourful city with a flourishing nightlife. And it has a relaxed appearance with its public spaces, parks and its location by the river Drava. It lies in the centre of Slovenia’s most important wine growing region. Its history is very rich and archaeological findings of Illyrians, Celts and Romans prove this. You can see the main sights in just half a day, because everything of real interest is concentrated on or just some metres off the two main squares      (Mestni trg and Slovenski trg) and the main street (Prešernova ulica). Because of a lack of industrial development in the city itself, it still has its picturesque appearance, which is loved by tourists.
If you would like to take some great photos of a typical Slovenian town, you should go to Mestni trg with the muddy-green Town Hall, a beautifully stuccoed corner house (café Evropa), a plague column to remember the people who died because of the plague and a court house with a Renaissance portal. 
Very attractive is the Slovenski Trg. The brightest coloured house of the square is Ptuj’s theatre. Very remarkable, of course, is the tower that dominates the square: it is the City Tower (Mestni stolp). The tower was built in the 16th century as a bell tower for St. George’s church, but was used as a watch tower during the 17th century. The tower’s ground floor currently serves as a tourist information centre.
The most impressive of the military and civic tombstones under the tower is the Orpheus’s monument. It was cut from the local Pohorje marble in ancient Roman times and was erected to commemorate mayor Marcus Verus of Poetuvio. It is called the Orpheus’s Monument because it depicts the story of Orpheus. Despite the actual goal of this monument, it was used for public beatings during the Middle Ages.  
The church of St. George (cerkev Sv Jurija) has been beautifully decorated. Of special interest are the pews of the choir, which are made of oak wood and ornamented with figures of plants and animals, and the 14th century wooden sculpture of Saint George in the display.
Every year there is a festival called Kurentovanje. It is a kind of carnival celebrated in the region. For more information see ‘Land, People and Culture: National holidays and events: Kurentovanje’.

Ptujska Gora
Ptujska Gora is a very popular place for hikers and cyclists, this is mainly because of the stunning sight on the flatlands of Dravsko Polje and the Haloze Hills.
Ptujska Gora is mainly visited because of its St Mary’s church, which was built in on the peak of a 352 metres high hill and is visible from far away. Unlike other churches across the country, it has no forerunner, which means it is the first building on this location. Ptujska Gora was heavily damaged by Turkish invasions, so the inhabitants of the village fortified the church heavily. It is a pilgrimage church and one of the most beautiful Gothic churches on Slovenian ground. It attracts about 60,000 visitors to Ptujska Gora every year.

Tourist Information Centre
Address: Partizanska 6a
Telephone: 234 66 11
Website: www.maribor-pohorje.si 

Tourist information centre
Address: Ptujska Gora 36
telephone: +386 (0)2 7940027 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            +386 (0)2 7940027      end_of_the_skype_highlighting
e-mail: info@ptujska-gora.si