It is located by the river Drava, at the point of contact of five different regional units: the Drava valley, important for traffic and energy; the Pohorje hill range with livestock-rearing and tourism; the forests and farms of Kozjak; Slovenske gorice with its vineyards and orchards, and the arable Drava plain.
In almost a thousand year history of the city, Maribor has experienced its up and downs. It gained town rights in the 13th century, and in the late Middle Ages the town had to shelter itself with strong walls to ward off the Turkish army. The remains are still well preserved in Lent, the old part of the town, which lies by the river.
Modern Maribor is metropolitan city with university, diocesan seat, museums, concert and congress centres, shops, a famous park, sports and recreational facilities, etc. It is thus trying to develop high quality tourism. This relies primarily on the delicious cuisine and wine, and the well-preserved city core which reflects the images of centuries.
For most of the year, Maribor enjoys a pleasant Pannonian climate. Winters tend to be cold, spring comes early. Summers are hot, and autumns quite warm. The yearly rainfall averages 1,055 mm; it mostly rains in May, June, and July. Maribor offers many pleasant, sunny days; on average we get some 266 sunny days per year.
The Drava was formerly not so quiet and meek as it seems today, but a great deal more torrential and full of rocks. Rafts and punts were tied up at the Landing stage at Maribor, which is even nowadays still called Lent. The Lent, after being neglected for a couple of decades, has again come to life. The area by the water breathes with the city, draws people to the banks of the Drava and again, spontaneously and imperceptibly, just as the Drava flows, has become the heart and soul of the city.
Maribor is the centre of south Štajerska agriculture and viticulture, which produces the highest quality white wine sorts. Kalvarija, a hill which protects the city from the north wind, is mantled in grape vines which literally sprout from the city, including stara trta. This is believed to be the oldest vine in the world, which has been growing for more than 400 years and is certified in the Guinness Book of Records. It is now a tourist attraction, located on the banks of Drava in the old, renovated part of the town. In every direction, vine-covered hills spread from the very city, dotted with farmsteads at which guests can taste pure authentic home cooking and the best wines that the Maribor wine-growing district has to offer.
Maribor is proud of the numerous cultural, entertainment and sporting events with international participation: ZLATA LISICA (skiing), LENT FESTIVAL (culture), BORŠTNIK MEETING (theatre), NAŠA PESEM (singing), etc. which attract an increasing number of tourists to the city.
Also read the City of Winter Sports and the University of Maribor section and check out the related links on Maribor for more information:
http://www.maribor-pohorje.si
http://lent.slovenija.net
http://www.pohorje.si
