Maribor In Your Pocket

N°5 - 6Ltwww.inyourpocket.com

Maribor

Festival LentOne of Europe’s largest arts and music events

oenophiles rejoice! Wine bars, vineyards and cellars abound

PohorjeEscape the summer heat at this lush mountain retreat

Hotels restaurants Cafés Nightlife Sightseeing Events Maps

“In Your Pocket: A cheeky, well- written series of guidebooks.”

The New York Times

N°1 - € 2.90www.inyourpocket.com

Summer - autumn 2009Summer - autumn 2009

�Contents

E S S E N T I A L C I T Y G U I D E S

Summer - Autumn 2009maribor.inyourpocket.com

Basics 6

Arriving in Maribor 7

Getting around 8

History 10

Language 11

Quick Picks 12

Culture & Events 14The lowdown on what’s happening

Where to stay 22Five-star luxury to Spartan hostel beds

Restaurants 26Vegetarians beware

Cafés 30Coffee, cakes and conversation

Nightlife 31The wine doth floweth

Contents

What to see 35Churches, towers and a 400 year old vine

Shopping 41Medieval markets to modern malls

Directory 43

Maps & IndexCity centre map 47City map 48Country map 49Index 50Street Register 50

Festival Lent is Slovenia’s premier music and arts event, attracting over 600,000 visi-tors - equivalent to nearly a third of the country’s popula-tion - to Maribor’s old town on the banks of the River Drava every June. This will be the festival’s 15th year, with an expected 400 per formers from 34 countries taking to 30 stages. Aside from music, dance and theatre performances, the festivities

also include children’s workshops, mimes, magicians, acrobats and of course fireworks. See page 16 for more details

Cover story

Sombre reminder of WWII and TV’s Kojak

Maribor bridge

� Foreword

Maribor In Your Pocket maribor.inyourpocket.com

�Foreword



Editorial Editors Yuri Barron, Irena JamnikarResearch Colin Graham, Richard Schofield,Tanja Franko, Irena JamnikarLayout & Design Vaida GudynaitėConsulting Craig Turp Photos Maribor Tourist Board, Narodni dom Maribor Cover photo Festival Lent- Ognjemet,Narodni dom Maribor

Sales & CirculationDirector Niko Slavnic M.Sc. [email protected] & Operations ManagementBlaž Stoger tel. 040 678 717

Copyright notice Text and photos copyright WIYP 1999/2009. Maps copyright cartographer. All rights reserved. The brand name In Your Pocket is used under license from UAB In Your Pocket (Vokieciu 10-15, Vilnius, Lithuania tel. (+370-5) 212 29 76).

Editor’s noteThe editorial content of In Your Pocket guides is independent from paid-for advertising. We have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of going to press and assume no responsibility for changes and errors.

Maribor In Your PocketDrenikova 33, 1000 LjubljanaSloveniaTel. +386 30 316 604 +386 30 316 [email protected]

ISSN 1855-6140©IQBATOR d.o.o.

Printed Schwarz d.o.o., Ljubljana Published 20 000 copies.Maps Monolit d.o.o.

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Press BoxWhile recent years have brought a significant influx of tourists to Slovenia, most foreign visitors don’t venture far beyond fairytale Ljubljana or picturesque Bled. But ask any Slovene not from Ljubljana which city they prefer, and invariably the answer will be Maribor. Not only is its name infinitely more pronounceable than the capital’s (seriously, not even Slovenes can agree on how Ljubljana should be pronounced), but more importantly it exemplifies everything that is wonderful about the country as a whole: genuinely warm and friendly people, a laid-back atmosphere and leisurely pace of life, rich history and tradition and, not least, an insatiable love of wine. As Maribor’s most famous librarian (and part-time poet) Janko Glazer once elegantly put it: “Where is there a town like ours? From all directions wine is pouring into our glasses!” Where indeed.

Here at In Your Pocket we feel it’s time to do our part to encourage the inevitable exploitation of Slovenia’s unfairly overlooked second city. Three quarters of a millennia as transport hub, economic centre and important regional capital has left Maribor brimming with vestiges of its past glory, just waiting to be trod under foot by hoards of camera-toting tourists. Aside from prime sightseeing weather, the warmer months also bring an onslaught of festivals, including the renowned Festival Lent (see below), and transform the nearby Pohorje mountains into a hiking, biking and horseback riding paradise (p 39). Great people, great sights, great events and great wine - this is the perfect time to experience this great city before it assumes its rightful place on the tourist map. We hope this inaugural issue of our Maribor guide comes in handy while you do so, and don’t forget to check the site (www.inyourpocket.com) for all the latest news and information

maribor.inyourpocket.com

� Arriving

Maribor In Your Pocket maribor.inyourpocket.com Summer - Autumn 2009maribor.inyourpocket.com

�getting Around

From Maribor To Maribor

Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr.06:20 07:23 GRAZ 06:34 07:3812:22 13:23 GRAZ 12:36 13:3806:20 15:01 PRAGUE 05:57 15:3810:22 20:01 PRAGUE 10:57 19:3806:20 10:05 VIENNA 05:56 09:3810:22 14:05 VIENNA 09:56 13:3814:22 18:05 VIENNA 13:56 17:38All trains depart daily. Schedule valid until December 12, 2009

International train schedule

From Maribor To Maribor

Dep. Arr. City Dep. Arr.06:00 09:49 BLED 07:30 13:5906:00 07:27 CELJE 06:15 07:4106:00 10:03 JESENICE 06:25 13:5906:52 12:02 KOPER 14:38 20:1406:52 10:38 KRAJN 04:55 05:3306:52 12:52 KRANJSKA

GORA07:20 13:59

06:00 08:29 LJUBLJANA 11:35 13:5907:00 08:21 MURSKA

SOBOTA08:35 09:56

11:35 13:59 MARIBOR 06:52 09:5307:35 13:32 NOVA GORICA 08:30 13:5907:35 11:54 NOVO MESTO 06:34 13:5907:35 12:06 POSTOJNA 09:50 13:59All buses depart daily.

National bus schedule

Maribor is the main transport hub for the eastern half of Slovenia, and as such is well-connected by public transport to the rest of country, in addition to Austria, Hungary and Croatia. The main bus and train stations are only a couple hundred metres apart on the eastern edge of the city centre, and well within walking distance of most centrally-located hotels, however, there should be taxis waiting out front if you don’t feel like dragging your luggage through an unfamiliar city.

By BusThe main bus station is either an architectural icon or eye-sore depending on one’s taste, but either way, it’s centrally located and has a range of facilities from information and lockers to restaurants and a casino. The city is fairly well-covered by local buses with tickets costing €1.10/2.75 for single rides/day passes and can be purchased from drivers.

Bus Station C-4, Mlinska 1, tel. 252 50 61/080 11 16.Veolia Transport Štajerska d.d. K Tamu 7, tel. 080 11 16, www.connex.si.

By PlaneMaribor’s tiny airport does not currently have any sched-uled flights, so unless you’ll be arriving on a charter flight or your own jet, your best bets are the airports in Ljubljana and Graz (Austria), which are both well-connected to the rest of Europe and near enough to Maribor (100km and 60km respectively) to serve as viable points of arrival.

By TrainAlthough the train station has quite a bit of traffic coming and going in all directions, it doesn’t have much in the way of facilities. If you’re in need of anything other than a toilette or a quick drink, you’ll have much more luck at the nearby bus station.

Car rentalThe speed limit is 50km/hr in built-up areas, 90-100km/hr on main roads, 130km/hr on highways. Cars must use headlights at all times and must have a spare wheel, warning triangle, spare lightbulb, first aid kit and, in winter, either snow chains or winter tyres. The alcohol limit is 0.05%. The traffic information centre has road webcams and maps of current traffic problems at www.promet.si.

Amzs - Hertz PE Maribor K-3, Zagrebska 25, tel. 333 88 92, www.amzs.si. QOpen 08:00 - 16.00, Sat 08:00 - 12.00. Closed Sun. 45€/day.Avis rent-a-car C-4, Partizanska 24, tel. 228 79 10, [email protected], www.avis-alpe.si. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun. 58€/day.Europcar D-3, Titova 2a, tel. 228 26 31, fax 234 69 63, [email protected], www.europcar.si. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.Maribor rent a car J-3, Jadranska 27, tel. 041 680 940, [email protected], www.rentacar-maribor.Time out Loška ul. 13, tel. 041 634 653, [email protected]. QOpen Non stop on number 041 634 653. 20€/day.

TaxisMikro Taxi Tel. 42 15 888.Taxi Mat d.o.o. Perhavceva 13, tel. 22 77, [email protected] Plan J-3, Ljubljanska 140, tel. 080 17 20/040 971 970, [email protected]. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.Taxi Plus Hrastje 14d, tel. 080 11 12, [email protected], www.taxi-plus.com.XXL Taxi Tel. 031 801 339.

Travel agentsAgencija Grad C-3, Trg svobode 2, tel. 22 98 540, fax 229 85 45, [email protected]. QOpen 8.00 - 17.00. Closed Sat, Sun.Globus C-3, Vita Kraigherja 9, tel. 250 18 53, fax 629 60 71, [email protected], www.globus.si.Kompas C-3, Titova 2/a, tel. 23 46 950, [email protected], www.kompas.si. QOpen 08.30 - 18.00, Sat 08.30 - 12.00. Closed Sun.Relax C-3, Partizanska 12, tel. 234 21 50, fax 234 21 52, [email protected], www.relax.si. QOpen Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri 08:00 - 20:00, Sat 9:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.Sonček Glavni trg 17, tel. 22 08 022, [email protected]. QOpen 9.00 - 19.00. Closed Sat, Sun.

The emergency number is 112 for fire, rescue and ambulance, and 113 for police. I f possible, find someone who speaks Slovene to help you make the call since there is no guarantee of finding an English speaker on the other end. The nearest Casualty Unit (Emergency Room) to the city centre can be found at the University Medical Centre at Ljubljanska 5, (E-3). Emergency treatment is free for members of EU, EEA and Switzerland. We also list local pharma-cies, dentists and other services in the directory. If you find yourself in trouble with the police, call your embassy immediately.

Useful Emergency Words:

NA POMOČ! (NAH POH-MOCH) - HELP!gasilci (GAH-SEELT-SEE) - firemenpolicija (POH-LEET-SEE-AH) - policebolnišnica (BOW-NEESH-NEET-SA) - hospital

If Things Go Wrong

Tourist Information Centre Maribor - TIC Maribor C-3, Partizanska 6a, tel. 23 46 611, fax 23 46 613, [email protected], www.maribor-pohorje.si. Guided city tour by city train »Jurček« Prices: €8 (guided tour ride), €2 (only ride). Meeting point: Tourist Information Centre Maribor, Partizanska 6a (by the Franciscan church). More information: +386 (0)2 22 90 942

Maribor in Two Hours - walking guided city tour for groups in different languages Duration: 120 minutes. [email protected] QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 18:00.

Tourism information

Maribor’s vertigo inducing bus station


� BAsiCs


�BAsiCs


Disabled travellersSlovenia is increasingly well-adapted for the disabled. Information is available from the NSIOS, tel. 430 36 46, www.nsios.si.

DrinkingAlcohol is only sold to people over 18, and after 21:00 it cannot be bought in stores.

ElectricityLike most European countries, Slovenia’s voltage is 220 volts AC, 50 Hz, and the country uses European two-pin plugs.

LanguageSlovenian is a Southern Slavic language with a 25-letter alphabet. It is closely related to Serbian and Croatian, and shares many words with other Slavic languages. Many Slovenes also speak English, Italian, or German embarassingly well.

MoneySlovenia temporarily swapped the Yugoslav dinar for the tolar in 1991, and adopted the euro in January 2007. Euro coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, 1 and 2 euros, while banknotes come in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. The Slovenian side of the euro coins are decorated with among other things storks, Mount Triglav, Lippizaner horses, a man sowing stars and a Jože Plečnik design.

PoliticsThe Republic of Slovenia is a parliamentary democracy. The president, Dr DaniloTürk, was elected in 2007. Borut Pahor has been the prime minister since 2008. The next parliamentary elections will be in September 2012. The government consists of the PM and 15 ministers, of which two are without portfolio. Religion

Although Slovenians are traditionally Roman Catholic, the most recent Eurobarometer Poll in 2005 found that only 37% of the population believe in a god, with 16% atheists and the rest of them believing in ‘something’.

SmokingCigarettes can’t be sold to people under 18. Slovenia recently banned smoking from public indoor spaces except in special smoking areas in offices, hotels and bars.

TippingIt’s not traditional to tip in Slovenia, though a reward of about 10% for good service in a restaurant or bar is always appreciated.

VisasMany foreigners simply need a passport or ID card to enter Slovenia. Those requiring a visa will be able to travel freely between the Schengen-agreement countries for a limited amount of time, usually 90 days. Always check these details with a Slovenian embassy or consulate. Further information can be found at www.mzz.gov.si.

PopulationSlovenia 2,019,406 (2007)Maribor 114,349

Area20,273 square kilometres

Ethnic compositionSlovenian 83%Former Yugoslav minorities 5.3%Hungarian, Albanian, Roma, Italian and others 2.8%

Official languagesSlovenianItalianHungarian

Local timeCentral European (GMT + 1hr)

Longest riverSava (221km in Slovenia)

Highest mountainTriglav 2,864m.

BordersAustria 318kmItaly 280kmHungary 102kmCroatia 670km

Basic data

Currency U.S.$

Euro€

U.K.£

Swiss Franc

1. U.S. $ - 0.73 0.65 1.091. Euro € 1.35 - 0.89 1.491. U.K. £ 1.49 1.10 - 1.651. Swiss Franc 0.89 0.66 0.58 -

Major Currency Cross Rates

Slovenians usually leave out the word for street in conversation, so while your destination may officially be called ‘Poljanska ulica’, you can survive by just saying Poljanska

Avtocesta (aw-toh-ses-tah) HighwayCesta (tses-tah) BoulevardMost (mohst) BridgeNabrežje (nah-breh-dgee-eh) EmbankmentTrg (teh-rg) SquareUlica (oo-leet-sah) Street

Street smarts

Prices in Slovenia are still fairly competitive despite increases over the last couple of years particularly in the prices of cigarettes. Here are some typical everyday products and prices.

Product Price (€)McDonald’s Big Mac €2.40Snickers €0.590.5ltr vodka (shop) €13.850.5ltr of local beer(shop) €0.99Loaf of white bread €2.74 20 Marlboros €2.80Public transport ticket €1.10Roll of Kodak 200 speed film, 24 exposures €4.09

Market values

As of June 2008, Slovenia re-quires all motor vehicles travel-ling on Slovenian highways to have a vinjeta (veen-yeh-tah) sticker. This system exists in lieu of tolls, and the vinjeta can be easily obtained at nearly all gas stations and kiosks. A yearly/

half-yearly sticker is €55/35 for cars and €27.50/17.50 for motorcycles. From July 2009 both monthly and weekly vinjeta will be available, but at the time of publishing prices had not yet been confirmed. For more info check www.dars.si

Vinjeta - A (new) Ticket to ride

www.inyourpocket.com

A s m a yo r o f the university, sports, tourist and cultural city I am honoured to welcome all the visitors and tourists to Mari-bor, a small but beaut i fu l c i t y with kindheart-ed people and overwhelming natu re. Res i -dents of Maribor are extremely

proud of the oldest grapevine in the world which has been growing on the riverside of Drava for more than four centuries and is registered in the Guinness Book of Records. The oldest part of our city, called Lent, is very attractive to the majority of our visitors, especially dur-ing Festival Lent which is one of Europe’s more notable summer festivals. In winter Maribor, with its hill Pohorje, is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders from all over the world. Furthermore, in January the slopes of Pohorje become the scene of a Women’s Ski World Cup race named the Golden Fox which is a notable and important sport event. As the mayor I am extremely proud that Maribor was confirmed as the European Capital of Culture 2012 and I am certain that in the year 2012 Maribor will be a cultural star in the European sky. I wish all the visitors and tourists a pleasant and unforgettable stay in Maribor and invite you to visit us again in the near future.

Mayor of the City Municipality of Maribor,Franc Kangler

A word from our Mayor

Lent

Stain glass commemorating the Pope’s visit

10 history


11LAnguAge


Special Pronunciationsc – as in pizzae – as in eggg – as in goj – like y in yogurt č – as in cello š – as in shipž – as in pleasure

BasicsDo you speak English? – Govorite angleško (Goh-voh- REE-tay Ahn-GLESH-ko) ?I don’t understand – Ne razumem (Nuh ra-ZOO-mehm)Where is the toilet? WC? - Kje je stranišče (Key-yay strahn-EESH-chay) ? WC (Vay-tsay)? Good Morning – Dobro Jutro (DOH-broh YOO- troh)Good Day – Dober Dan (DOH-behr Dahn)Good Night – Lahko noč (Lah-koh noh-ch)Yes – Ja (Yah)No – Ne (Nay)Hello – Živjo (Jeeve-yoh)Excuse me/Sorry – Oprostite (Oh-PROS-tee-tay)Pardon me (asking for help) – Prosim (pro-SEEM) My name is....- Jaz sem (Yahz sem) ...I am from... – Jaz sem iz (Yahz sem iz)...

DaysMonday – Ponedeljek (POH-nuh-dehl-yek)Tuesday – Torek (TOR-ek)Wednesday – Sreda (Sray-dah)Thursday – Četrtek (chuh-TUR-tuck)Friday – Petek (peh-tuck)Saturday- Sobota (soh-BOH-tah)Sunday- Nedelja (nuh-DEHL-yah)

QuestionsWho? – Kdo?(K-doh)What? – Kaj?(Ky)Where? –Kje ? (Key-yay)When? – Kdaj (K-dy)How much does it cost? Koliko stane (KOH-LEE-KOH STAH-NEH)?

PlacesCroatia – Hrvaška (Hurr-VASH-ka)England –Anglija (Ahn-glee-yah)Germany – Nemčija (Nem-CHEE-yah)Hungary – Madžarska (Mad-jar-skah)Ireland – Irska (Ear-skah)Netherlands- Nizozemska (NEE-zo-zem-skah)Scotland – Škotska (Shkot-skah)Venice – Benetke (Behn-et-keh)Vienna – Dunaj (Doo-nigh)

PostOne foreign stamp, please - Eno znamko za tujino, prosim (Eh-no z-nahm-koh zah too-YEE-noh pro- SEEM)For postcard – Za razglednico (Zah raz-GLEHD-neet-so)For letter – Za pismo (Zah pees-moh)

SignsOpen - Odprto (Ohd-PURT-oh)Closed - Zaprto (Zah- PURT-oh)Entrance – Vhod (oo-hod)Exit- Izhod (eez-hod)Push – Rini (ree-nee)Pull – Vleci (oo-LETS-ee)

TravellingBus – Avtobus (OW-toh-booze)Train – Vlak (v-LOCK)I am looking for.... – Iščem (EESH-chem) ...One ticket, please – Eno vstopnico, prosim (Eh-noh oo-stop-NEETZ-oh pro- SEEM)

TimesNow – zdaj (z-day)Later – kasneje (kaz-NAY-yeh)Today – danes (dahn-es)Tomorrow – jutri (yoo-tree)Yesterday – včeraj (oo-cheh-ray)In the morning- zjutraj (z-YOO-try)In the afternoon- popoldne (poh-POLD-neh)In the evening- zvečer (z-veh-chehr)At night – ponoči (poh-NOH-chee)

Restaurant TalkMenu, please – Meni, prosim (MEH-ni pro-SEEM)Bill, please – Račun, prosim (Rah-CHOON pro- SEEM)Do you have vegetarian food? – Imate vegetarijansko hrano (EE-mah-tay veh-geh-tay-ree-ahn-sko h-rah-noh)?

Bar Talk One coffee, please – Eno kavo prosim (EH-noh KAH-voh pro-SEEM)One beer, please – (Name of beer), prosim (pro-SEEM) Cheers! – Na zdravje (Nah zuh-DRAW-wee-ay)!You have beautiful eyes – Imate lepe oči (EE-mah-tay leh-peh oh-chee)Can I have your number? Lahko dobim tvojo telefonsko številko? (Law-koh doh-BEEM t-voy-yo teh-leh-FOHN-sko shteh-VEEL-koh)?

Contemporary sculpture

The area of present-day Maribor was settled as far back as the Stone Age and has served as an important crossroads between Eastern and Western Europe and the Balkans since antiquity.

Middles AgesThe Romans left the area largely untouched and it was not until the Middle Ages that a proper town developed. After the construction of a castle on Pirimida Hill in 1164, a settlement began to grow along the river below and soon turned into a thriving market community, which officially become a town, called ‘Markburg’, in 1254 (the Slovene name, Maribor, did not appear until 1836). In the decade that followed, a long wall and series of defence towers were built around the town in order to protect against invasion - several of these impressive towers can still be seen today.

Habsburgs come to townAfter the Habsburgs acquired the surrounding region of Carinthia in 1335, wine commerce began to expand and Maribor achieved economic prominence for the first time. During this period the town also became home to a large and prosperous Jewish community, whose expulsion in 1497 marked the beginning of what would prove to be a rather tumultuous three hundred years.

Bleak timesBetween the 16th and 18th centuries, competition from foreign merchants, numerous fires, multiple sieges at the hands of the Hungarians and Ottomans, the so-called “wine wars” with neighbouring Ptuj and a healthy dose of the plague all took their toll on the city - although the latter also led to the commissionn of modern Maribor’s finest monument, the Plague Column in Glavni Trg.

Industrial RevolutionDuring the 18th century the town’s fortune began to turn around after the state took control of various craftsmen guilds, reorganised the system of duty and improved roads. But it was the construction of a railway line from the seat of the empire in Vienna to the port of Trieste on the Adriatic, that led to an major industrial boom a century later.

Aftermath of World War IThe aftermath of the First World War brought significant

political changes to what had become an important industrial centre. After nearly a half century of Habsburg rule, Slovenia opted to join the Kingdom of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs while the German-controlled municipal council of Maribor elected to join Austria. Some brief fighting ensued, which ended with Major Rudolf Maister taking control of the city. Shortly after, the municipal council was dissolved and Styria region was officially incorporated into Slovenia in 1919.

World War IIMaribor, along with the rest of Yugoslav Styria, was annexed by the Nazis in April 1941, who immediately set about expelling non-Germans - a policy overseen by the Füher himself on a visit to the city shortly after it was seized. Over the course of the war air raids from both sides demolished or heavily damaged nearly half the city’s buildings. On 9 May 1945 units of Bulgarians, the Red Army and Slovene partisans succeeded in liberating the city.

Post-war reconstructionFollowing the war, larger firms were nationalised and the labour force was reorganised. As a result industrial output soon surpassed its pre-war levels. Maribor benefited significantly from its skilled workforce and proximity to Austria and Italy, becoming one of the biggest industrial centres of Yugoslavia.

IndependenceMaribor faced another dif ficult period after Slovenian independence in 1991. The loss of the Yugoslav market and changing global trends led to a collapse of heavy industry, which had employed nearly two-fifths of the city’s residents, and unemployment rose to a staggering 25%. However, over the last ten to fifteen years the economy has recovered with a new focus on small and medium sized businesses, and increasingly tourism.

The 21st centurySlovenia entered the European Union in 2004, and adopted the Euro in 2007. It joined the Schengen area the same year, which essentially removed the borders between neighbouring EU states and made travelling to nearby Austria easier than ever. Maribor was recently named as one of the EU’s Capitals of Culture for 2012, and will host the Winter Universiade (or World University Games) the following year.

University of Maribor

12 quiCk piCks


1�quiCk piCks


Eat Drink Sleep Do

Like A Local

Remotely-situated among meadows and forests halfway up a mountain, Veronika (p 28) has made every effort to evolve its menu from traditional to more contemporary tastes, without losing the essential substance of the former. It also has a selection of game meats, so it’s the place to come if you’ve been dying to try some wild boar. Requires a bit of an effort to get there, but the views on the drive up are worth the trip.

Mariborska Kavarna (p 30) Has the look, feel and smell of the stereotypical central cafés that can be found on the main squares of small towns throughout Europe, which is exactly what this place was once upon a time. Picture copious amounts of wood panel-ling, textured yellow walls, hideous cutains and tables full of old men excitedly discussing whatever it is that tables full of old men excitedly discuss and you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.

Like A Local

Motel Pri Lešniku (p 23) The word ‘motel’ it uses to describe itself might be a bit misleading if you have watched any Hollywood road movies, particularly as the place is 100 years old and located on the outskirts of the city. Recent renovations not only involved a general sprucing up, but also the addition of some less common perks, including a Finnish sauna, jacuzzi and even a miniature golf course. As with others of the Slovenian inn type, there’s a vast amount of space in the dining area, where you’ll be served all the hospitality, meat dishes and lavish desserts you’ll ever need.

The small sloping Vodnikov Square is a strange combination of tradition and modernity. While recent renovations have added a large underground park-ing garage and a canopy of bizarre-looking inverted umbrellas, it’s also home to Maribor’s central market, or Mariborska Tržnica (p 42), where farmers from the countryside still come to peddle their fruits, vegetables, flowers and handicrafts each and every day. Even if you’re not looking to buy anything it’s worth a visit on purely aesthetic grounds.

On the Cheap

McDonald’s (p 27) For better or worse you know exactly what you’re getting with the old golden arches. This one is right in the heart of the old town, but with three other locations spread about the city there should be ample opportunity to abuse your arteries without having to walk too far. It’s not as cheap as in some Eastern European countries, but it does seem like the prices have got relatively less expensive since Slovenia switched to the euro a few years ago.

Conveniently located next to blocks of dormitories, there’s no better place to observe hard-drinking Slovene students in their natural environment than at ŠTUK (p 32). Inside, the gaudy red and yellow paint job may have you feeling a bit queasy before you even start imbibing, but this is a place you come to for dirt cheap drinks and all night parties, not subtle ambiance. A steady stream of Yugo and international pop is given a respite every Thursday, when the DJ spins some more chilled out beats, and there’s also a proper concert venue in the back that frequently plays host to popular regional acts and even the odd comedian.

On the Cheap

ALIBI C2 (p 23) Occupying the top three floors of a beautifully renovated old villa, this new addition to the Alibi hostel chain has been around for less than a year and still has that never-been-lived-in feel to it. It also has a lot of the little things that make hostels more tolerable, like lockers, free internet and super comfortable beds. During the academic year the lower floors are rented out to visiting Erasmus students, so even if you’re the only guest, as we were back in May, you still should be able to find someone to hit the town with.

City Park (p 35) This immaculately-kept park just north of the city centre is definitely one of Maribor’s best fea-tures. With its three ponds teeming with many different species of bird and a terrapin or two in amongst them - who started life in the nearby and popular aquarium - and highly sociable squirrels up and around the trees, there is much to keep nature lovers occupied but this is also the city’s best place to relax. On Sundays you might catch a classical music concert held in the pa-vilion right smack in the middle of the park.

With The Family

Mlada Lipa (p 29) Pohorje-based pizzeria with gaming room and coffeehouse extras latched on, this place offers a more 21st century, if lower-grade, alterna-tive to the more traditional inn-type establishments which dominate the area. Provides a large outdoor children’s play area as well to let the little ones gambol and frolic while you sip your coffee.

Cof feehouse Astoria Vast historical cafe that dominates the city’s Castle Square. Used to attract Maribor’s noted intellectuals and artists but now pulls in the student set - a little further down the food chain, you could say. Plenty of outside seating and a children’s play area make it the perfect place to stop for break during the afternoon. A separate stall sells ice-cream during the warmer months, which not an unusual feature in these parts.

With The Family

Apartment Jurič (p 23) If you’d like to stay near the action, but want to have a little more privacy than can be found at the hotels lining the main drag lead-ing up to Pohorje, these cosy apartments definitely fit the bill. On a quiet residential street only a few minutes walk from the cable cars at the base of the mountain, they can sleep up to four people as long as two of you don’t mind crashing on a pull-out sofa in the living room. As an added bonus you get free access to the pool complex in Bolfenk and discounts on many other activities.

Botanical Garden (p 35) Situated in the midst of the Pohorje mountain range, the botanical delights on view are from other parts of the globe as well as Slovenia. You can book a guided tour in advance or just stroll through the garden at your leisure. Either way there is a huge amount to enjoy from such far-flung regions such as Asia, Africa and Australia. Exotic though they may seem, they are also the bread and butter of the research institute which looks after them. If all that nat-ural diversity amounts to an information overload then you can always take a break in the garden’s café.

Over The Top

Rožmarin (p 28) The owners of Maribor’s trendiest restaurant definitely know what they’re doing. From the lighting to the service to the food this place exudes a cosmopolitan ambiance that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the country. Of course all that style doesn’t come cheap. Although some à la carte dishes will set you back less than €10, the often changing multi-course menus can cost up to four times that - or six if you opt to have a matching wine for every dish - and require advanced booking. Highly recommended if you feeling like splurging or are in town with a company credit card.

Stand Up (p 32) One of Maribor’s more popular night spots, you’re guaranteed to find it completely packed on any given Friday or Saturday night, when a hip young crowd comes to dance to pulsating balkan beats and admire the whole scene reflected in what must be one of the largest faux-antique mirrors we’ve ever seen. Famous singers and other celebrities are known to drop by, and true to its name it also hosts the odd comedy night. Even if turbo folk isn’t well-rep-resented on your iPod, that’s no excuse for not at least trying to get in here - after all, when in Rome....

Over The Top

Arguably a tourist attraction in its own right as well as a place to stay, the Habakuk (p 21) is a huge hotel located at the foot of the Pohorje mountains and is a natural source of accommodation for the thousands of skiers who flock to the area during winter. But its Spa and Wellness Centre is also a crowd-puller and is one reason why during the off-season, i.e. summer, you’ll see lots of young men wearing tracksuits wandering around. Most of these will be footballers from either Croatia or Serbia and the Habakuk is their destination-of-choice for pre-season training.

If the views from the top of Pohorje aren’t quite high enough for your tastes, there’s always the option of hopping into a hot air balloon (p 38) and seeing if another few thousand metres do the trick. Of course where exactly you drift off to depends largely on the wind, but from that height you should be able to see most of Slovenia on a clear day. Bookings should be made at least 10 days before a flight.

Slightly Strange

Quite a few places around Maribor have wine cellars open for tastings and tours, but Vinska Klet Brigadir (p 29) actually manages to cram an entire restaurant underneath its low-hanging vaulted brick ceiling. Located beyond the vineyards on the hill just north of the city centre, this friendly family-run place turns out an array of no-nonsense traditional Slovene cuisine to go with its extensive selection of locally produced wine. They also offer wine tours - call ahead to make arrangements or enquire about the details.

Red’s Pub (p 31) The sight of this place might have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief but it’s true, situated some way beyond the city centre is Maribor’s very own tribute to Liverpool Football Club. There’s red all over the place, naturally, with scarves and other paraphernalia adorning the walls and ceiling. Also somewhat inevitably, is a photo of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Djibril Cisse with the European Cup in the background. The pub’s only been going for two years, so it’s nice and tidy and the owner is trying to get a Liverpool Supporter’s Club up and running in Slovenia for which the bar will undoubtedly become the focal point.

Slightly Strange

Located 50km east of Maribor on the western edge of the vast Pannonian Plain, Sočna Hiša (p 23) - or The Sun House - offers what might very well be the most peaceful accommodation anywhere in the country. Billed as Slovenia’s first boutique hotel, five designer suites and several large common areas are tucked into a converted country house on the outskirts of a small village. A separate build-ing houses the hotel’s own spa, where guests have access to relaxing sauna and massage treatments, and the staff can also arrange a variety of activities, including rafting, horseback riding, wine tastings and even a round a golf at a nearby course.

Bee Keeping Centre (p 35) Tell us about the honey, mummy! Indeed, and though it won’t be your, or anyone else’s, mother doing the talking, here’s where you can learn all about the sickly sweet goo that bees produce, which is also high up on the list of healthy eating op-tions. A range of different types of honey - such as pine, chestnut, acacia, linden and flower - can be sampled at no cost at all and for a dip into your pocket you can also try the mead, honey liqueurs and champagne the museum keeps, along with the bees. During the sum-mer you can see the busy bees at work through their specially-made glass beehive.

Maribor Distilled

1� CuLture & events


The city’s historical legacy as a prominent regional power-house has left it well-endowed when it comes to cultural sites and events - a fact that hasn’t gone unnoticed, as it was recently named as one of the EU’s Capitals of Culture for 2012. Aside from the months of August and September, performances of opera, ballet and drama are held throughout the year at the stately National Theatre on Slomškov Square, while an even wider selection of musical, theatrical and children’s events take place at the equally splendid Cultural House near the river. Of course if you prefer to consume culture whilst it’s being projected onto a large screen, two modern multiplex cinemas show all the standard international flicks with varying degrees of lag in release dates. The city also plays host to two of Slovenia’s most well-known annual events: the Golden Fox World Cup in winter and the two-week Lent festival which begins summer in earnest in late June.

CinemasKolosej D-3, Loška 13, tel. 230 14 40, www.kolosej.si.Planet Tuš Maribor H-2, Na poljanah 18, tel. 42 13 980, www.planet-tus.com.

Concert hallsDvorana Gustaf Pekarna Ob železnici 8, tel. 300 78 70, [email protected], www.pekarna.org.Dvorana tabor Maribor H-2, koresova 7, tel. 320 78 14, fax 320 78 38, [email protected], www.dvorana-tabor.si.Dvorana union D-3, Kneza Koclja 9, tel. 229 40 00, fax 229 40 55, [email protected], www.nd-mb.si.Festivalna dvorana lent D-4, loška 13, tel. 234 16 62, [email protected], www.tri-ceps.si.

EventsInternational Balloon Festival5 - 7 June 2009

16th Marathon Along the Fruit and Wine Roads6 June 2009 20th International Puppet Festival20 June - 5 September 2009

17th Festival Lent - international cultural festival26 June - 11 July 2009

Folkart Festival30 June - 4 July 2009

31st Cycling Marathon Around Pohorje27 June 2009

“We play and cook at the Ruška Koča Lodge”12 July 2009

Areh Sunday 12 July 2009

International All Breeds Dog ShowSeptember/October 2009

Festival Maribor3 - 13 September 2009

Holiday on the River Drava20 September 2009

9th Old Vine Festival19 - 27 September 2009

International Festival of Ecological Farms25 - 26 September 2009

23rd Ceremonial Grape Harvest of the Old Vine27 September 2009

28th Rural Holiday in Svečina26 - 27 September 2009

44th Borštnik Theatre FestivalOctober 2009

St Martin’s Day11 November 2009

GalleriesFotogalerija Stolp Židovska 6, tel. 62 09 713, [email protected]. QOpen 10.00 - 13.00 15.00-19.00, Sat 10.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.Galerija Dlum Židovska 10, tel. 252 36 81, [email protected]. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat 09.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.Pedox Gosposka 27, tel. 41 53 11 42, [email protected]. QOpen 11.00 - 13.00. Closed Sat, Sun.Razstavni salon Rotovž Trg Borisa Kraigherja 3, tel. 250 25 43, [email protected], www.umetnostnagalerija.si. QOpen 10.00 - 18.00, Sat 10.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.Umetnostna galerija Maribor Strossmayerjeva 6, tel. 229 58 60, [email protected], www.umetnostnagalerija.si. QOpen 10.00 - 18.00. Closed Mon, Sun.

TheatresCultural House Narodni Dom Ul. Kneza Koclja 9, tel. 229 40 00, [email protected], www.nd-mb.si. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat 10:00 - 12:00, Sun Opens 1hr before preformances.Puppet Theatre (Lutkovno gledališče) Rotovški Trg 2, tel. 228 19 70, [email protected], www.lg-mb.si. QOpen 10.00 - 12.00, Thu 10:00 - 12:00; 16:00-18:00, Sun Opens 1hr before preformances.Slovene National Theatre (Slovensko narodno gledališče) Slovenska 27, tel. 250 61 00, [email protected], www.sng-mb.si. QOpen 10.00 - 15.00, Sat 10.00 - 13.00, Sun two hours before show.Festival Lent Vecerov stage



1�CuLture & events


Festival Lent

Festival Lent

Hour FRIDAY 26. JUNE EVENT PERFORMER

21.00 SODNI STOLP JARARAJA

21.30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI ¡CUBANISMO! (CUB)

22.00 VEČEROV ODER DOG EAT DOG (USA) OBDUCTION

22.00 JAZZLENT MILK & JADE BY DANA LEONG (USA)

SATURDAY 27. JUNE

20:00 SNG MARIBOR (Velika dvorana) Staša Zurovac: VOJČEK Opera in balet SNG Maribor

21:00 SODNI STOLP GAL GJURIN & GALERISTI & SEVERA GJURIN

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI SOLOMON BURKE (USA)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER GOCOO (JPN)

22:00 JAZZLENT BA CISSOKO (GUI)

SUNDAY 28. JUNE

21.00 SODNI STOLP THE DUŠA ORCHESTRA (SUI)

21.30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI ĐORĐE BALAŠEVIĆ (SRB)

22.00 JAZZLENT TRIO TARANA (USA)

23.00 MLADININ ODER KANSKY

MONDAY 29. JUNE

20:00 SNG MARIBOR (Stara dvorana) Henrik Ibsen: PEER GYNT Drama SNG Maribor

20:15 JURČKOV ODER VLADO KRESLIN

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI JOSIPA LISAC (CRO)

TUESDAY 30. JUNE EVENT PERFORMER

20:15 JURČKOV ODER TADEJ VESENJAK IN PRLEKSTA-NSKI FOLKROKBLUZ (SLO, IND)

22:00 JAZZLENT BAUER & BENNINK (GER, NED)

23:00 MLADININ ODER RAWKEE

Hour WEDNESDAY 1. JULY EVENT

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI 21. FOLKART 2009 (COL, IND, SRB)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER ZORAN PREDIN & GLOBOKA GRLA

THURSDAY 2. JULY

20:00 DVORANA UNION (Salon glasbenih umetnikov)

ROK VOLK – saksofon, ADRIANA MAGDOVSKI - klavir

21:00 SODNI STOLP TRIUMVIRAT & LADO JAKŠA

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI 21. FOLKART 2009 (TUR, FRA, USA)

23:00 KMŠ ODER SITI HLAPCI

FRIDAY 3. JULY

20:00 MLADININ ODER PUSHLUSCHTAE

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI KEZIAH JONES (NIG, FRA)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER NIET; PAIN IN THE ASS

22:00 JAZZLENT ERIC VLOEIMANS’ GATECRASH (NED)

SATURDAY 4. JULY

21:30 ODER ROTOVŽ Thomas Brussig: FUZBAL JE VSE! Novi ZATO

22:00 VEČEROV ODER MURAT & JOSE; 6PACK ČUKUR

22:00 JAZZLENT STATEMENTS QUARTET & REGGIE WORKMAN (USA, JPN, SLO)

23:45 LENT OGNJEMET

SUNDAY 5. JULY

18:00 -20:00

ŠPORTNI LENT (Drava) 7. POKAL RADIA CITY V PADALSKIH SKOKIH NA VODO

Padalski klub Xtreme Skydiving

21:00 KLUB KGB IMPROLIGA Banda Ferdamana

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI VLADO KRESLIN, MALI BOGOVI, BELTINŠKA BANDA

22:00 VEČEROV ODER THE TRASHMEN (USA)

MONDAY 6. JULY

20:00 TRG SVOBODE ULIČNI NASTOP (IND) Milón Méla

21:00 TRG GENERALA MAISTRA TIRANA CIRKUS (ALB) Tirana cirkus

22:00 VEČEROV ODER TERRAFOLK



1�CuLture & events


Festival Lent Festival Lent22:00 JAZZLENT HAZMAT MODINE (USA)

Hour TUESDAY 7. JULY EVENT PERFORMER

11:00 CENTER MESTA FANTOMAT (SWE, BUL) Dritero Kasapi & Venelin Shurelov

12:00 GRAJSKI TRG GREMA SMUČAT! Štefka in Poldka

17:00 SLOVENSKA ULICA KLOBUKARSKA ULICA

17:30 GLAVNI TRG POP UP! (NED) Slagman producties

18:30 TRG GENERALA MAISTRA GREMA SMUČAT! Štefka in Poldka

21:00 SODNI STOLP MICKEY LEE BAND (SRB, AUT, ITA)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER LOULOU DJINE (BIH, FRA, CRO, SRB, JPN, TUR)

22:00 ODER ROTOVŽ UUUUH (KOS) National Theater of Kosovo

22:00 JAZZLENT Jazz podij NINO DE GLERIA 1: DEDU ZA PETAMI

WEDNESDAY 8. JULY

11:30 TRG SVOBODE KOVČEK (BUL) Plovdiv Drama Theatre Plovdiv Drama Theatre


17:00 TRG GENERALA MAISTRA NAOČNIK IN OČALNIK Gledališče Koper

19:30 CENTER MESTA ONE MAN WALKING BOX (ITA) Papelito Paper Theatre

20:15 JURČKOV ODER MAGNIFICO

21:00 SODNI STOLP MICHAELA RABITSCH & ROBERT PAWLIK (AUT)

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI GAL GJURIN & GALERISTI & ELDA VILER

22:00 ODER ROTOVŽ ČEFURJI RAUS! Zavod No History, Gledališče Glej,

THURSDAY 9. JULY


17:0021:00

TRG GENERALA MAISTRA OKOLI CIRKUSA KANSKY (SLO, FIN, MEX, FRA, HUN, VEN)

Cirkus Kansky

17:3020:30

GLAVNI TRG POP UP! (NED) Slagman producties

18:00 MESTNI PARK - otroški Lent PROFESORICA SFRČKLJANA Eva Škofič Maurer

19:0021:30

TRG GENERALA MAISTRA RATATUYA (CRO) KAM Hram

19:30 GLAVNI TRG KLETKA Gledališče Ane Monró

20:00 CENTER MESTA ONE MAN WALKING BOX (ITA) Papelito Paper Theatre

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI MAGNIFICO & TURBOLENTZA & SESTRE

22:00 JAZZLENT Jazz podij NINO DE GLERIA 3: GODALIKA & PERSONAL

FRIDAY 10. JULY EVENT PERFORMER

12:0019:00

GRAJSKI TRG RAZSLOJENOST ŠUGLA

17:3020:00

CENTER MESTA ŽIVA SLIKA (NED Slagman producties

18:0020:30

TRG GENERALA MAISTRA ZLATI OSEL Gledališče Ane Monró

18:00-20:00

LENT LENT AIRSHOW ‘09 (ESP, GBR, SUI, GER, SLO) Letalski center Maribor

19:30 GLAVNI TRG ELEKTRIČNE INVAZIJE - IZHOD KUD Ljud

20:15 JURČKOV ODER JACKIE MARSHALL (AUS)

21:30 TRG SVOBODE PREOBILJE (GER) Baengditos

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI LJILJANA BUTLER, KOKO & MANDOVI (BIH, SLO)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER LAKA (BIH, CRO); LOLLOBRIGIDA (CRO)

23:00 MLADININ ODER CORKSCREW

24:00 MLADININ ODER ROSSA (IRL)

SATURDAY 11. JULY


18:00 MESTNI PARK - otroški Lent Svetlana Makarovič: MALI KAKADU Kulturni zavod Kult.

19:00 CENTER MESTA ŽIVA SLIKA (NED) Slagman producties

20:00 GLAVNI TRG KLETKA Gledališče Ane Monro

21:00 CENTER MESTA PARADA Fratelli Šuglarini

21:30 GLAVNI ODER NA DRAVI BAJAGA & INSTRUKTORI (SRB)

22:00 VEČEROV ODER ORLEK; THE LUCKY CUPIDS

23:45 LEN OGNJEMET

Festival Lent: Sometimes it’s fun to play with fire

22 where to stAy


2�where to stAy


As Maribor continues its transformation from the country’s industrial workhorse to a full-fledged tourist destination, its range of accommodation has obligingly followed suit. Although a few uninspired and overpriced business

hotels still stubbornly cling to their glory days, great new options keep popping up all the time and many older places have undergone recent renovations, so finding something to fit your budget shouldn’t be much trouble. The highest density of accommodation is in the suburb of Radovljica at the foot of the Pohorje ski and recreation area, only a ten minute drive from the city centre. If you are interested in taking advantage of the various year-round activities that the mountains have to offer, a number of hotels can arrange package discounts. For those with their own transportation, there are tons of charming little guest houses in surrounding villages and the countryside, most of which provide a comfortable laid-back atmosphere and good home-cooked food.

P Air conditioning A Credit cards accepted

O Casino H Conference facilities

T Child friendly U Facilities for the disabled

F Fitness centre L Guarded parking

R Internet G Non-smoking rooms

K Restaurant J Old town location

D Sauna C Swimming pool

6 Animal friendly W Wi-Fi

Symbol key

Cream of the cropHabakuk G-3, Pohorska 59, tel. 300 81 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. Arguably a tourist attraction in its own right as well as a place to stay, the Habakuk is a huge hotel located at the foot of the Pohorje mountains and is a natural source of accommodation for the thousands of skiers who flock to the area during winter. But its Spa and Wellness Centre is also a crowd-puller and is one reason why during the off-season, i.e. summer, you’ll see lots of young men wearing tracksuits wandering around. Most of these will be footballers from either Croatia or Serbia and the Habakuk

is their destination-of-choice for pre-season training, given that there are a number of pitches close by. Strange but true. Q 137 rooms (singles €150-210, doubles €142 -216). PTHAR6UFLKDCW hhhhh

UpmarketBellevue G-3, Na slemenu 35, tel. 300 81 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. Clustered in by a crowd of pine trees straining toward the sky at the top of one of the Pohorje mountains, this majestic hotel will have you swooning with its awe-inspiring views, impeccable customer service and fairy tale rooms. Can be reached by cable car, an average road vehicle or on foot, which is perhaps the best way of getting an eyeful of the scenery. That approach also works up an ap-petite and the food at the Bellveue will be more than a match for that.Q 42 rooms ( singles €63- 83, doubles €90-122). THAR6UIFLKD hhhh

Betnava J-3, Jadranska 30, tel. 333 41 00, [email protected], www.betnava.si. Has the look of a hotel that perhaps should be in the centre of town but isn’t. Housed in a contemporary building but paradoxically situated near a for-est, the hotel has all the benefits of something brand spanking new, but also some of the disadvantages too. Prides itself on what’s inside rather than out, however, particularly its very so-phisticated sports facility. Q 40 rooms (singles €92, doubes €128, suites €256). PTHAFLKDhhhh

Bolfenk G-3, Na slamenu 35, tel. 603 65 00, [email protected], www.pohorje.org. An apartment hotel close to the Pohorje cable car stop and the Bellevue Hotel, the Bolfenk’s emphasis on granting its guests a more individual experience allows them to behold the stunning views of the mountains and pine trees from private balconies. It also runs a ski school during the Winter and is generally big on activi-ties whatever the time of the year. Q 20 rooms (single €60, doubles €50). PTHA6KDCW hhhh

Grand Ocean C-4, Partizanska 39, tel. 059 077 120, fax 059 077 130, [email protected], www.hotelocean.si. Fittingly named after the first train to ever pull into Maribor back in 1846, this elegant four-star hotel directly opposite the main train station is the cream of the crop in city centre. The attentive friendly staff seemed to make every effort to assure we had a pleasant hassle-free visit. If you’re staying for the weekend, make sure to inquire about the special “Casino Program” offered. Even if you have no intention of trying your hand with that most capricious if females, Lady Luck, there is a significant dis-count on the rooms and the possibility of late check out. Q 23 rooms (singles €118, doubles €152, triples 210). PJAULGW hhhh

Piramida C-4, Heroja Šlandra 100, tel. 234 44 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. City centre hotel which promotes itself more as a business rather than tourist hotel so the ambience is a tad soulless, though the historical part of town is not far away. Lots of sporting and recreational facilities on hand but really a place for those who prefer their short-term hospitality to be delivered in more of a cool, distant manner. Q 81 rooms (singles €53-95, doubles €86-128, suites). PHA6ULKD hhhh

Mid-rangeGarni Tabor F-1, Heroja Zidanška 18, tel. 421 64 10, fax 421 64 40, [email protected], www.hoteltabor.podhostnik.si. Functional hotel close to the centre of Maribor which does not go overboard trying to make its guests have the time of their lives, you could say. But during occasions such as the Lent festival it manages to pack them in as well as its competitors, hence the apparent indifference. It depends what you are after really: pristine accommodation out in Pohorje - which is a bit of a way from the centre of town - or something that might be a bit rough and ready but is right there at the heart of things. Q 58 rooms (singles €50 - 70, doubles, €70 - 90, triples, €90 - 100. PTHA6ULK hhh

Kačar K-3, Ptujska 301, tel. 629 05 00, [email protected], www.hotelkacar.com. Off the beaten track somewhat, but so it should be really, given what it sets out to do. Self-termed a ‘new age’ hotel, the Kačar makes every effort to give everyone the warmest of welcomes and the staff will even try and foster friendship between the guests. Yet, if you are on a business trip for a couple of days, that may not be what you are looking for. You might also be more inclined to make new acquaintances in the big wide world out there, so you could say that this one is an acquired taste. Q 16 rooms (singles €66, doubles €94). PHARFLKDW hhh

Merano G-3, Macunova 1, tel. 614 13 20, [email protected], en.hotel-merano.net. Does a decent job of providing all the comfort you should expect from a newer hotel, while still managing to maintain some old-fashioned charm. Just opened last year, it’s obvious that a lot of effort was put into recreating the feel of a traditional-style Slovene country inn, and from the beds and bedding to the candle sticks and light fixtures it’s hard not to notice the attention that was paid to detail. It’s not the cheapest option in the area, but recommended if your wallet can handle the slight premium over some of the neighbours.Q 15 rooms (singles €64-79, doubles €44-59). PA6LGBKXW hhh

Orel C-3, Volkmerjev prehod 7, tel. 250 67 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. Couldn’t be more central if it tried. Situated just off Castle Square, this is an ideal place to book a room in (though do so well in advance) if you are attending the Lent Festival or are just keen to explore the city on foot for a day or two. Q 71 rooms (singles €49-79, doubles €78-120). PJAR6UL hhh

Veter G-1, Mariborska 31, tel. 669 00 00, fax 669 00 01, [email protected], www.hotel-veter.si/en/intro. With its stylish Scandinavian-esque façade, brightly coloured interior and in-house art gallery with rotating exhibits from lo-cal artists, this trendy new hotel seems slightly out of place in a peaceful green valley some 15km west of Maribor. If you have your own transportion the location is great for easy access to nearby hiking and cycling trails, which are much less crowded on this side of the mountain, and the staff can also arrange discounts on ski passes during the season. Q dorms €16-18, singles €54, doubles €86, suites €130-300. PTHA6ULBW hhh

Videc G-3, Hočko Pohorje 131, tel. 220 88 41/220 88 42, fax 220 88 49, [email protected], www.pohorje.org/en. Owned by the same company which runs Hotel Bolfenk next-door, Videc is the newest addition to the settlement of Bolfenk near the top of Maribor Pohorje. In addi-tion to the large spotless rooms and common areas within the hotel, there is direct access to countless outdoor activities depending on the season. During the warmer months these include horseback riding, mountain biking and various adrena-lin sports, while in the winter the action is focussed on one of Slovenia’s most popular ski resorts. Q Singles €65, doubles €100, triples €120. PTAILKW hhh

maribor.inyourpocket.comA bevy of swans often congregates near the Water Tower

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BudgetAreh G-3, Lobnica 62, tel./fax 603 50 40, tel. 220 88 41, [email protected], www.pohorje.org. Positioned in a beautifully picturesque spot, 1,250 metres above sea level and a stone’s throw away from the very noble-looking Church of Saint Areh, it’s not the most luxuri-ous place to stay in and around the Pohorje mountains but the views it can promise more than make up for any ap-parent lack of opulence. Best to just plunge heart and soul into the surrounding harmony and let the tension wrought by the big bad world down below slide away.Q 25 rooms (singles €28, doubles €56, triples €84). HA6KD hh

Bau Limbuška 85, tel. 421 63 10/421 63 29, [email protected]. Clean and friendly family-run hotel with a flexible attitude towards its guests. Lets the bar stay open late and treats everyone to a wholesome breakfast in the morning.The main drawback is that the Bau is some 30 minutes walk away from the city centre, though a bus comes and goes frequently just outside. Q 16 rooms (singles €48, doubles, €65, triples €84). TAU hhh

Garni Milena G-3, Pohorska 49, tel. 613 28 08, fax 614 00 44, [email protected], www.hotelmilena-garni.com. Very relaxed, family-owned hotel a few minutes’ walk from the ski-slope in Pohorje, yet the bus to Maribor city centre departs just outside as well. The staff are always on hand to serve you a drink from the comfortable bar or help out with any queries and they might even lend you an umbrella if it’s raining outside, which is a very nice touch. The quality of the rooms is such that lounging around in them can be an excuse for not going out. The only problem is that you feel a tad guilty when returning because on ringing the bell the poor receptionist has to clamber up some steps to let you in. But they do so with a smile. Q 17 rooms (singles €46, doubles €65, triples €82). PA6LW hhh

Uni C-3, Volkmerjev prehod 7, tel. 250 67 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. Annexed to the Hotel Orel, this youth hostel actually contains many of the features you could expect to find in a fairly decent budget hotel, with individual rooms and a substantial buffet breakfast part of the deal. The central location and low prices definitely makes this an excellent value compared with a lot of other nearby options. Q 53 rooms (singles €24-29, doubles €44-54), breakfast €8.. AR6U

Apartment rentalApartment Jurič G-2, Naveršnikova 4, tel. 220 88 41, fax 220 88 49, [email protected], www.pohorje.org/en. If you’d like to stay near the action, but want to have a little more privacy than can be found at the hotels lining the main drag leading up to Pohorje, these cosy apartments definitely fit the bill. On a quiet residential street only a few minutes walk from the cable cars at the base of the mountain, they can sleep up to four people as long as two of you don’t mind crashing on a pull-out sofa in the living room. As an added bonus you get free access to the pool complex in Bolfenk and discounts on many other activities. Q €80. TA6 hhh

Around MariborSočna Hiša Banovci 3c, tel. 588 82 38/040 51 03 40, [email protected], www.soncna-hisa.si/en. Located 50km east of Maribor on the western edge of the vast Pannon-ian Plain, Sočna Hiša - or The Sun House - offers what might very well be the most peaceful accommodation anywhere in the country. Billed as Slovenia’s first boutique hotel, five designer suites and several large common areas are tucked into a converted country house on the outskirts of a small village. A separate building houses the hotel’s own spa, where

guests have access to relaxing sauna and massage treat-ments, and the staff can also arrange a variety of activities, including rafting, horseback riding, wine tastings and even a round a golf at a nearby course. Q 5 suites (€190-220). PTAILBDWhhhh

Terme Radenci Zdraviliško naselje 12, Radenci, tel. 520 27 20, fax 520 27 23, [email protected], www.zdravilisce-radenci.si. Established over 125 years ago near the source of a mineral water spring, the Radenci Health Resort has since grown into a massive complex with over 1.5 square kilometres of pools in all shapes, sizes and temperatures, an assortment of health and wellness programs, a modern business centre and two hotels to accommodate the constant flow of guests. However, if forced to name the highlight of our stay, it would likely be a draw between two Ayurveda massages, Shiroabhyanga and Padabhyanga - we may not be able to pronounce them properly, but we’ve never been more blissfully relaxed. PTHARUFLEGBKDCWhhhh

Terme SPA Rogaška Zdraviliški trg 12, Rogaška Slatina, tel. 03 811 20 00, fax 03 811 20 12, [email protected], www.terme-rogaska.si. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more opulent place to rest your head anywhere in the country than at the Grand Hotel Rogaška - the main attraction of this 400 year old thermal spa and resort. Although the interior has been extensively renovated since it was frequented by such Habsburg era notables as Emperor Ferdinand and the composer Franz Liszt, it’s obvious that no expense was spared in maintaining the original appear-ance. And of course it wouldn’t be a spa without a square kilometre of invigorating mineral water pools spread about its immaculately kept grounds. PTRUFLEGB�KDCWhhhh

Motel Pri Lešniku K-2, Dupleška 49, tel. 471 23 22, fax 471 50 38, [email protected], www.gostilna-motel-lesnik.si. The word ‘motel’ it uses to describe itself might be a bit misleading if you have watched any Hollywood road movies, particularly as the place is 100 years old and located on the outskirts of the city. Recent renovations not only involved a general sprucing up, but also the addition of some less common perks, including a Finnish sauna, jacuzzi and even a miniature golf course. As with others of the Slovenian inn type, there’s a vast amount of space in the dining area, where you’ll be served all the hospitality, meat dishes and lavish desserts you’ll ever need.QOpen 06:00 - 24:00. 22 rooms (singles €42 doubles €68, suites €95). PTHAR6KDW hhh

Tisa G-3, Hočko Pohorje 40, tel. 603 61 00, fax 603 61 61, [email protected]. Perched up in the Pohorje wood-land this well-equipped hotel offers all the benefits of a natural location, with mod-cons on tap as well. It boasts a couple of conference rooms so can serve as a novel alternative for business people who can work off the tension of a long day’s work with a long, lung-filling walk. Q 31 rooms (singles €39-45, €36-41, triples €33-39). HARUFLKD hhh

Vila Emei K-3, Dupleška 135, tel. 246 17 811, [email protected], www.hotelemei.si/index_en.htm. A new hotel with all the modern amenities and large spotless rooms, the Emei seems a fine choice until you find it on a map: 5km from the city centre on a road that’s seen better days. However, if you have your own ride and really fancy sleeping on a waterbed - the upgrade to a ‘Double room Luxe’ will cost you €10 a night - then this might just be your place. Q singles €45, doubles €70, deluxe doubles €80.PA6LKW hhh

Zarja G-3, Frajhajm 34, tel. 603 60 00, fax 603 60 05, [email protected], www.hotel.zarja.si. Another high-alti-tude offering from the Pohorje district’s choice of hospitality, this cosy, family-owned hotel adds up-to-date furnishings to a secluded, timeless location in the midst of a beautiful moun-tain-top woodland. It also manages to combine an intimate atmosphere perfect for tourists with conference and seminar rooms for business people who see the tranquil setting as the ideal place in which to get some good work done. Q 15 rooms (singles €28, doubles, €59, 2+1 €80).THA6K hhh

HostelsAlibi C2 C-4, Cafova 2, tel. 051 663 555, [email protected], www.alibi.si/hostels/alibi_c2_hostel/. Occupying the top three floors of a beautifully renovated old villa, this new ad-dition to the Alibi hostel chain has been around for less than a year and still has that never-been-lived-in feel to it. It also has a lot of the little things that make hostels more tolerable, like lockers, free internet and super comfortable beds. During the academic year the lower floors are rented out to visiting Eras-mus students, so even if you’re the only guest, as we were back in May, you still should be able to find someone to hit the town with. Q Dorms €17-20, doubles €40-50. JNGW

Lollipop B-4, Maistrova 17, tel. 040 24 31 60, [email protected]. It can be a little difficult to find a good hostel in Maribor. We know that, and apparently so did the owner of this hostel. After experiencing this obstacle herself when she came to visit from her native England years ago, she decided to do her best to solve the problem. Conveniently located a couple of blocks away from the train station, it’s small but cosy. It is a little on the pricey side for a hostel, and the breakfast was, well, hardly a breakfast at all, but the place itself is well worth it. Q 13 beds (€20 per bed). JRGBXWThe flags of Maribor, Slovenia and the EU

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Ironically enough, in Maribor it’s the vegetarians who inevitably find themselves on a hunt for something suit-able to eat, an endeavour that more often than not will lead to a handful of pasta dishes buried somewhere in the middle of an Italian menu, while the only problem meat-eaters face is trying to figure out how to squeeze in a second lunch and still have enough room left for dinner. Given its geography and industrial past it should come as no surprise that Balkan and Central European food dominate the culinary scene, with Italian coming in a distant third and a handful of Chinese, Mexican and trendy new international places thrown in just to mix things up a little bit. For those willing and able to travel beyond the centre of town there are quite a few good family-run places to be found scattered throughout the surrounding countryside, which not only serve up tasty traditional cuisine and copious amounts of local wine, but also provide a memorable experience. Dober tek!

BalkanČevapčarnica Hadžija D-2, Poštna 8, tel. 41 99 71 10. Cool, burnt orange decor gives northern Slovenia its very own taste of the orient. Close your eyes as you sip away at the very stylishly presented Turkish coffee and you could be forgiven for thinking you are in downtown Istanbul. Part of a cluster of trendy restaurants, bars and cafés on the pedestrian Poštna Street. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 09:00 - 01:00. Closed Sun. JAGB

Grill Ranca Dravska 10, tel. 252 55 50, [email protected], www.grill-ranca.com. If you want to muzzle into some traditional Balkan grub then this is the place. The surroundings may well be spartan but the helpings put before you here get the juices rushing up and down the old torso. All the notable grilled meat dishes are avail-able, and whatever you order goes great with a cold beer and views of the river. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. JABS

Orient D-2, Taborska 12, tel. 332 16 00, [email protected], www.restavracija-orient.com. We spotted the name Orient from the bridge above and headed down to the riverside expecting yet another sub par Chinese joint. Instead we were pleasantly surprised to find some of the best Bosnian food in town and even better views of the old town on the opposite bank. And as an added incentive, if you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to dine inside a Matisse painting, the interior of this place should give you a pretty good idea. While vegetarians aren’t technically prohib-ited from entering the premises, other than the views we can’t think of any reason they would have for coming here. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. €4-12. PTA6IEBS

Fast FoodBolarič C-3, Jurčičeva 3, tel. 250 59 10, [email protected]. Good, wholesome cafe on a busy city centre street where you can fill-up quickly and for a reasonable price, though the food on offer is vastly more healthy than the term ‘fast food’ would suggest. An excellent choice for anyone wanting a brief respite while in Maribor during the colder months, with soups, hot pots and goulashes featuring strongly on the menu. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun. (€2-7). PTASW

McDonald’s C-3, Grajski Trg 1, tel. 250 12 36, www.mcdonalds.si. For better or worse you know exactly what you’re getting with the old golden arches. This one is right in the heart of the old town, but with three other locations spread about the city there should be ample opportunity to abuse your arteries without having to walk too far. It’s not as cheap as in some Eastern European countries, but it does seem like the prices have got relatively less expensive since Slovenia switched to the euro a few years ago. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. (€1-5). PTAUGS

InternationalJelsa E-2, Gorkega 11, tel. 331 53 90. Popular traditional restaurant situated on the Drava embankment, Jelsa prides itself on its array of fish and seafood dishes which it serves up in an elegant, spacious and nautically-themed dining area. Cannot quite boast a location on the famous Lent part of the city but this does not detract from one of Maribor’s more original dining experiences. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. (€4-15). 6S

Marina G-1, Limbuško nabrežje 2, tel. 420 07 50, [email protected], www.marina-mb.com. Versatile res-taurant situated in a becalming environment on the banks of the River Drava which delivers more Mediterranean food to customers’ tables than its more traditional counterparts in the area tend to do. A good source of vegetarian meals as well. The place has also got its own fleet of sailing and rowing boats for hire, so a bit of after-meal ‘messing about on the river’ might be in order. QOpen 12:00 - 22:00, Sun 12:00 - 20:00. Closed Mon, Tue. (€6-50). TAILB

Milenium Zg. Hoče 64, tel. 618 17 14, [email protected], www.gostilna-milenium.com. It’s quite a drive and really doesn’t look like much once you actually get there, but this inauspicious family-run establishment in the village of Hoče is one of our favourites. The Kramberger family has been championing its own version of contemporary Styr-ian cuisine for over a decade, with the parents in the kitchen and the eldest son, Samo, out front handling the duties of

Maître d’, sommelier and expert-on-all-things-gastronomic. The daily set menus, which can have up to seven courses, are prepared using only fresh locally-sourced ingredients, and are accompanied by a great selection of quality local wines. Highly recommended.QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 18:00. (€8-27). PAULW

Novi Svet pri Stolnici C-2, Slomškov Trg 5, tel. 250 04 86, [email protected], www.novi-svet.com. Of-fering a seafood feast cooked according to local recipes right smack in the centre of town, this restaurant aids digestion and enjoyment with over a hundred wines and live entertainment. The city centre location is belied by the Mediterranean-style summer courtyard, as well as the menu, and one of the establishment’s proudest boasts is that a 280-year-old vine still grows there. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00, Sat 11:00 - 24:00, Sun 11:00 - 21:00. (€3-20). PTA6IEB

Pec Spodnja Selnica 1, tel. 674 03 56, [email protected], www.gostilnapec.si. Century-old restaurant some way from the centre of Maribor where the guests have contsist-ently pampered themselves over the years with gargantuan meals and excellent wines. Situated near a bay on the River Drava, this is perfect place to come at the weekend to erase the pressures of the preceding working week from your mind in one fell swoop. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 20:00. (€6-22). PTA6ULBW

Pri Lešniku K-3, Dupleška 49, tel. 471 23 66, [email protected], www.gostilna-motel-lesnik.si. This friendly family-run inn has been catering to the residents of Maribor for over seventy years, and is currently run by the fourth generation of the venerable Lešnik family. The menu has a wide selection of both meat and vegetarian dishes - the latter being something of rarity in these parts - along with the requisite myriad of quality local wines. Out back there’s also a large children’s play area to keep the kids busy, and even a miniature golf course if you fancy brushing up on your putting after your meal. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00. Closed Mon. (€7-16). PTAULBSW

Pri Florjanu Grajski Trg 6, tel. 25 14 842, [email protected]. Opposite the castle on the funnel-shaped Grajski Trg, this café-cum-Mediterranean restaurant has a comfortably stylish interior covered in earthy purples, browns and reds, and an outdoor seating area that takes up a good amount of real estate right on the square. An ample selection of both cakes and magazines are on hand to help pass the time, while vegetarians may want to consider staying for lunch as the menu here is one of the few in town with more than a token amount of meat-free dishes. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (€5.50-12). PJAB

CAFE- in one of the most attractive locations in town

MEDITERANIAN RESTAURANT- pleasant ambient with an interesting atrium garden and with

modern minimalistic interior- excellent offer of culinary specialities

- huge offer of top-notch slovenian and foreign wines

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Pri Treh Ribnikih J-1, Ribniška 9, tel. 234 41 70, [email protected], www.termemb.si. Goes two centuries better than some of its other resilient competitors in the region, this three-hundred-year-old restaurant has survived by staying in close communion with the lush nature which surrounds, in the form of the City Park and its three ponds - which give the restaurant its name. Plentiful food and wine provides all the fuel you need to go and explore the untouched beauty waiting outside for you after you’ve settled the bill.QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 08:00 - 21:00. (€10-17). PTABSW

Rožmarin C-2, Gosposka 8, tel. 234 31 80, [email protected], www.rozmarin.si. The owners of Maribor’s trendiest restaurant definitely know what they’re doing. From the lighting to the service to the food this place exudes a cosmopolitan ambiance that you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the country. Of course all that style doesn’t come cheap. Although some à la carte dishes will set you back less than €10, the often changing multi-course menus can cost up to four times that - or six if you opt to have a matching wine for every dish - and require advanced booking. Highly recommended if you feeling like splurging or are in town with a company credit card. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (€6-45). PTJA6UEGBKSW

Sobočan G-1, Celovška 13, tel. 623 23 13. On the way to, rather than in, the Pohorje mountain district, this inn offers a slightly more international menu than a number of others of its kind in the area. Limited accommodation is also available, not unusually for these parts, and though the picturesque views of some of its counterparts are missing, as a stop-off eatery on route from Pohorje to Maribor proper, you could do a lot worse. QOpen 10:00 - 24:00. (€6-17).PTA6LBS

Valerija K-2, K Dravi 7, tel. 684 02 80, [email protected], www.valerija-sp.si. Guest house, restaurant and pizzeria all rolled into one, with a large,almost banquet-style dining room which hosts live performances as well. The rooms are cosy if functional but you’ll enjoy a good deal of peace and quiet because the establishment is located just off the roadside some distance away from the centre of Maribor. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. (€4-10). PTALEBW

Veronika Slivniško Pohorje 3, tel. 603 50 60, [email protected]. Remotely-situated among meadows and forests halfway up a mountain, this well-known restaurant has made every effort to evolve its menu from traditional to more contemporary tastes, without losing the essential substance of the former. It also has a selection of game meats, so it’s the place to come if you’ve been dying to try some wild boar. Requires a bit of an effort to get there, but the views on the drive up alone are worth the trip. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Sun 10:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. (€5-20). PTA6LBSW

Villa Rustica H-2, Majcigerjeva 36, tel. 420 51 72, www.villa-rustica.si/. Pohorje-based restaurant with a slight difference in that it celebrates what Italian, rather than Slovene, cuisine has had to offer over the centuries. Given that there are Roman ruins nearby this choice seems highly appropriate. But when you step outside and peer up at those endless green hills, you’ll know that you are firmly in Central Europe, with the Mediterranean almost another world away. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 12:00 - 22:00. (€5-15). PTALBS

Zlati Lev Vodnikov trg 4, tel. 250 80 80. In a great location just off the waterfront above the city’s main out-door market, the Golden Lion has a welcoming family-run atmosphere and specialises in grilled dishes. On sunny weekends the terrace offers some prime people watching if you can find an empty table. The three-course student menu is a steal for under €5, and is available to anyone who looks like they could possibly be a student so don’t be afraid to ask for the separate menu. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (€5-23). PJA6B

ItalianLa Cantina G-3, Pohorska 60, tel. 614 56 14. Small, functional Italian restaurant right near the Habakuk Hotel and the ski slope - one of the Pohorje mountains’ main fo-cal points - offering plenty of the customary Italian dishes. It can be a godsend if you are staying in one of the hotels nearby, as it is often the only place where it is possible to get a bite to eat till late. QOpen 07:00 - 24:00. (€4-9). PTAGBS

San Remo H-2, Gorkega 41, tel. 320 38 20. This no-non-sense Italian eatery serves up pretty much every combination of pasta, meat and vegetables that you can imagine, with vegetarian dishes helpfully written in green. It’s hard not to like a place whose motto is Ljubezen gre skozi želodec (‘Love goes through the stomach’), especially when it’s portions are too big to finish and all cost around €5. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00. Closed Sun. (€5-15). PAGBS

MexicanGaleb G-1, K čolnarni 29, tel. 623 11 00. Late-opening Mexican restaurant near the River Drava which provides a tranquil garden for its customers during summer and a crackling fireplace for them to warm to in the winter. Lots of opportunity to get tipsy here, especially as it stays serving until 02:00, with lashings of Mexican beer, wine and that all-essential Tequila keeping the party going. QOpen 12:00 - 02:00. Closed Sun. (€5-15). TA6UILEBS

Takos D-2, Mesarski prehod 3, tel. 252 71 50, www.ta-kos.si. The decor might be minimalist in this Mexican eatery but the portions most certainly aren’t. You’ll need to keep an eye on your food if you choose to eat outside as the restaurant is located in a sloping alley-way so there is a chance your plate might slide off the table. Entertainment comes with the food as well so pack your dancing shoes and get ready to knock back a tequila or two. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 02:30. Closed Sun. PTJA6UGBXSW

PizzaAncora C-3, Jurčičeva 7, tel. 250 20 33, www.sidro.si. A frenetic pizza and pasta joint which has the local twenty-somethings nattering at high volume while they wait for their meals, served by waiting staff from the same generation. Lots of wooden panelling about the place and the youthful chefs concoct the dishes in full view of the custom, not that they seem to notice as the latest gossip is clearly far higher up on the menu. QOpen 09:00 - 24:00, Fri 09:00 - 01:00, Sat 10:00 - 01:00, Sun 10:30 - 22:30. (€4-8). PAGBS

Mlada Lipa G-2, Lackova 76, tel. 613 69 00, [email protected], www.mladalipa.si. Pohorje-based pizzeria with gaming room and coffeehouse extras latched on, this place offers a more 21st century, if lower-grade, alternative to the more traditional inn-type establishments which dominate the area. Provides a children’s room as well to let the little ones gambol and frolic while you sip your coffee. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. (€4-8). TAULEBSW

Pomodoro F1/2, Betnavska 13, tel. 320 44 66, [email protected]. It’s considered by locals to be one of the best pizza joints in town, and we found no reason to disa-gree. Then again we can’t remember ever meeting a pizza we didn’t get on with. Don’t be fooled by the tacky mirrored windows and horrible light green trim - or the strange circular balconies jutting out from above - once your through the doors it’s actually quite homey. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00, Fri 10:00 - 23:00, Sat 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. (€4-8). PAGBS

Roma H-2, Kardeljeva 73, tel. 332 15 15/031 207 007, www.pizzerija-roma.com. Located among a strip of shops underneath some very aesthetically-challenged apartment blocks, Roma is quite well-known for its pizza but also does pretty much any Italian dish you can think of and then some. They’ll also deliver all the way to Pohorje for an extra 90 cents if you can’t find the energy, or will power, to drag yourself out for dinner after a long day on the mountain. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00, Sun 11:00 - 22:00. ( €3.5-8). PAGBS

SlovenianArzenškov Hram H-1, Gradiška 403, tel. 655 08 66, [email protected]. Another traditional Slovenian inn plying its customers with abundant carnivorous delights, though one or two vegetarian dishes do appear on the menu. Lots of local vintages on offer as well. The scenic Svecina panoramic trail nearby also allows for an invigorating after’meal walk. All in all, a good old treat for the lungs as well as the stomach. QOpen 09.00 - 22.00, Wed 10.00 - 14.00, Sun 09.00 - 17.00. (€6-10). PT6ULBS

Frajgraba K-1, Vodole 1, tel. 473 24 03, www.frajgraba.com. Excellent home-made food prepared in an area re-nowned for its special sauces just outside of Maribor. Housed in rather stately-looking premises amid beautiful scenery, the dining area is spacious, if a tad spartan, but the diners are too preoccupied with tucking into their food and conversation to be concerned with any lack of frills. QOpen 11:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 11:00 - 24:00. (€4-20). PTA6LEGB

Gostišče pri Janezu H-2, Ciril Metodova 4, tel. 420 44 04, [email protected]. Another one of those bulky-looking Slovenian inns, with most of the classic ingredients of hearty fare, cascading local wine and rooms for the weary. Both large and small private parties are catered for here too. However, this a slighty more urban example of the type than is more frequently found in the vicinity. QOpen 06:00 - 22:00, Sun 08:00 - 13:00. (€3-15). PTY6ULEBSW

Gostišče Vračko Grušena 1, tel. 656 43 11, [email protected], www.gostiscevracko.si. Traditional Slov-enian inn providing many of the standard features associated with its type, such as big helpings of meaty local fare, a wine cellar to die for and basic accommodation for those needing to sleep off the abundant hospitality. Of course, there’s always the opportunity to take a bracing walk around the eye-catching, natural surroundings nearby as well. QOpen 11:00 - 23:00, Sun 09:00 - 19:00. Closed Mon. (€5-14). PTAULBW

Pri Kostanju H-3, Streliška 30, tel. 420 01 30. Although its country inn credentials have been somewhat compromised thanks to a massive chain supermarket recently moving in next door, this place still manages to turn out fine traditional Slovene cuisine. However, Kostanju’s real draw is the slightly claustrophobic wine cellar downstairs, where you can sample home-made wine. If you like what you taste bottles are avail-able for purchase at reasonable prices. QOpen 09:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon, Sun. (€5-18). PTA6GBS

Vernik Bezena 3, tel. 668 86 26, [email protected], www.vernik.si. Another example of a time-honoured, Pohorje-based inn near the River Drava which strongly believes in getting its customers to sample as much home made tradi-tional food as they can handle. Encourages guests to savour the local wine and attend special days for fish and poultry. A play area for children is also available. QOpen 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. (€6-25). PTA6ULBS

Vinska Klet Brigadir H/J-1, Za Kalvarijo 65, tel. 250 85 10, [email protected]. Quite a few places around Maribor have wine cellars open for tastings and tours, but this one actually manages to cram an entire restaurant underneath its low-hanging vaulted brick ceiling. Located beyond the vine-yards on the hill just north of the city centre, this friendly family-run place turns out an array of no-nonsense traditional Slovene cuisine to go with its extensive selection of locally produced wine. They also offer wine tours - call ahead to make arrange-ments or enquire about the details. QOpen 11:30 - 23:00, Fri, Sat 11:30 - 24:00. (€3-7). TA6LEBS

Lesjak J-2, Mariborska 7, tel. 604 04 70. A ‘stan-dard’ Slovenian inn with one major difference. If in most other of these capacious eateries meat is the master of the menu, here it’s the vegetarian dishes which get top billing. The respect for all thing flora, rather than fauna, is also exemplified by the establishment’s proximity to a botanical garden. As with other restaurant/inns in the region, provides comfortable accommodation too. QOpen 08:00 - 22:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 10:00 - 22:00. Closed Mon. (€4-15). PTA6BS

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Bars & PubsAncora C-3, Jurčičeva 7, tel. 250 20 33, [email protected], www.sidro.si. The ground floor of this popular pizza and seafood joint serves as a lively pub most nights, with crowds often spilling out into the long narrow courtyard for some fresh air or a smoke. Its location smack in the middle of the old town pretty much makes it a required stop on all pub crawls, preferably towards the end when you’ll undoubtedly be in the mood for a snack to go with that last beer. QOpen 06:30 - 24:00, Fri 06:30 - 01:00, Sat 08:00 - 01:00, Sun 09:30 - 22:30. PJAS

The term ‘nightlife’ is a slight misnomer, since the drinking usually begins well before the sun goes down and can continue until the morning light reminds you that it might be time for bed. With university students accounting for over twenty per cent of its population, the city definitely has a carefree time-to-party vibe to it - although the weekends can be comparatively quiet, as that’s when a lot of students return to their parents’ houses to stock up on home-made food and have mother do their laundry. In ab-solute terms, there may not be an overwhelming number of options, but most places do seem to draw quite a crowd and everyone should be able to find something to suit their tastes.

Beli Konj C-3, Partizanska 3. A real boozers pub next to the busy main road leading up to the bus and train stations, this is where locals by now unimpressed with the pretty history that proliferates around town come to take the weight off their feet. Right next to a locksmith and bakery, so if you have the appropriate errands to run, this could be your place. PJLEG

English Pub J-3, Zagrebška 28, tel. 46 05 530, [email protected], www.english-pub.net. No prizes for guessing what this place looks like inside. But despite the unimaginative name, it does give more than a passing resemblance to your good old English boozer, with lots of sentimental imagery plastered all over the walls: men in top hats, etc. Thing is, it is a bit far for a chap to travel outside the city centre is it not? QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00, Sun 15:00 - 23:00. ALBW

Holmes Pub E/F-2, Žitna 12, tel. 320 50 80/41 33 38 15, [email protected]. The place where the cleaner-cut youth of Maribor come to hang-out, for whom Klub MC Pekarna is perhaps a bit too rough and ready. As the name suggests, the interior is done up in the style of an ‘Olde English’ pub which provides a bit of a paradox to the adolescent crowd that congregate there. That said, there is an annex where games such as pool, darts and the rest can be enjoyed. QOpen 06:30 - 24:00, Fri 06:30 - 02:00, Sat, Sun 10:00 - 24:00. PJAGBX

Patrick’s J&B Pub D-2, Poštna 10, tel. 251 18 01, [email protected], www.patricks-pub.robot.si. We’re still not sure how the city’s first Irish pub came to be sponsored by a Scotch whisky, but the crowds that pack in here on a nightly basis don’t seem too concerned with the inconsist-ency. While it’s been doing its small part to help reinforce stereotypes of the Emerald Isle for over a decade, it didn’t officially receive its pub credentials until it added a kitchen back in 2006. Now after that sixth pint invariably triggers your desire for a burger and chips there’s no need to stumble off into the night in search of greasy sustenance. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Fri, Sat 08:00 - 02:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. JA6UGBKS

Reds Pub E-2, Jezdarska 7, tel. 51 62 21 08. The sight of this place might have you rubbing your eyes in disbelief but it’s true, situated some way beyond the city centre here is Maribor’s very own tribute to Liverpool Football Club. There’s red all over the place, naturally, with scarves and other paraphernalia adorning the walls and ceiling. Also somewhat inevitably, is a photo of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Djibril Cisse with the European Cup in the background. The pub’s only been going for two years, so it’s nice, clean and tidy and the owner is trying to get a Liverpool Supporter’s Club up and running in Slovenia for which the bar will undoubtedly become the focal point. PLEG

ClubsImpulz K-1, Meljska 83, tel. 31 61 67 44, [email protected], www.impulz-futureclub.si. Newly reopened in autumn of last year and located in an indus-trial zone about a kilometre east of the main train station, it feels a bit like it’s still trying to make a name for itself - although scantily-clad go-go dancers and an interior that looks like it may have been loosely based on a set from A Clockwork Orange are a decent start. Perhaps slightly more mature than some of its purely student-affiliated competition, it still attracts a rather young crowd of all-night revellers. PLEG








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Aroma Hiša Kave C-3, Slovenska 11, tel. 250 21 79, [email protected]. The interior is a bit cramped and the cof-fee bean and berry illustrations on the wall shout at you some-what, but outside when the weather is nice the atmosphere has precisely the opposite effect on one’s nerves. Housed in a charming old building, the façade forms a pleasant backdrop for some caffine-induced conversation or just watching the world saunter by. QOpen 07:00 - 23:00, Sat 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 08:30 - 22:00. PTJAEGBSW

Art kavarna Piramida C-4, Ulica Heroja Šlandra 10, tel. 234 44 00, [email protected]. Centrally located in the four-star Piramida Hotel, it’s the perfect place to escape to for a relaxing coffee or an impromptu business meeting if the conference you’re attending seems to be running a little long. The café also doubles as an art gallery - hence the name - with artwork from a number of well-known local and international artists adorning the walls. QOpen 08:00 - 23:00. Closed Sun. PTJAULG

Čajek Café C-3, Slovenska 4, tel. 250 29 86, [email protected], www.cajek.com. Traditional tea-shop with nostalgic furniture and interior which are belied by the hugely-varied, downright contemporary, international choice of brews on offer. Popular with students who take books along to read as they sip away at their herbal treat and occasionally peer around while pondcering the meaning of life. The thinking-person’s cafe, you might say. QOpen 07:30 - 22:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00, 17:00-22:00, Sun 17:00 - 22:00.

Gledališka Kavarna C-2, Slovenska 27, tel. 252 37 20, [email protected], www.gledaliska-kavarna.com. As much as we hate using the word ‘classy’ it’s re-ally the most apropos adjective for this café adjoining the National Theatre. Housed behind the only modern façade on Slomoška Trg, it does its best to pull off an old-school piano bar vibe, and with its high-back red booths, dark wood chairs and depth-adding mirrors all it’s really miss-ing is the requisi te cigarette and cigar smoke haze. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Sat 10:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. PJAGB

Ilich C-3, Slovenska 6, tel. 250 24 08, [email protected]. With a softly-lit low vaulted ceiling, comfy suade furniture and walls decorated with an assortment of black and white photos and old letters, this café-cum-ice cream parlour gets top marks for atmosphere. It also serves perhaps the best tiramisu we’ve ever had and even sells its own brand of biscotti. One of our favourite cafés. QOpen 07:00 - 21:00, Sun 08:00 - 21:00. PJAGBS

Kavarna Kavajo E-3, Ljubljanska 4, tel. 331 80 55, [email protected], www.kavarna-kavajo.com. Brightly-decorated, excellently-furnished and spacious hang-out for coffee and chat during the day, with lots of snacks on offer too, though it is housed in a grey, hulking building in the city centre. In the evening, however, the cafe often becomes a live music venue and this is one of the places you can catch top acts during the Lent Festival. QOpen 06:30 - 22:00, Sat 08:00 - 22:00, Sun 08:00 - 20:00. TJLEB

Kavarna Macchiato C-4, Cankarjeva 8, tel. 25 00 060, [email protected]. Cafe situated near the University’s Faculty of Business and Economics where you can feel learned by osmosis while negotiating your way through a cappucino, this is the place many a student comes to both chill out and brush up in time for the next lecture or seminar. Sandwiches and croissants are among the good range of snacks on offer.QOpen 06:30 - 22:30, Sat 08:00 - 23:00, Sun 09:00 - 22:30.

Mariborska Kavarna C-3, Partizanska 1, tel. 251 40 59, [email protected]. Has the look, feel and smell of the stereotypical central cafés that can be found on the main squares of small towns throughout Europe, which is exactly what this place was once upon a time. Picture copious amounts of wood panelling, textured yellow walls, hideous cutains and tables full of old men excitedly discussing whatever it is that tables full of old men excitedly discuss and you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. QOpen 06:00 - 22:00, Fri 06:00 - 24:00, Sat 08:00 - 24:00, Sun 08:00 - 22:00. PJGS

Pohorska Kavarna G-3, Ob Ribniku 1, tel. 614 15 00/041 64 01 01, www.pohorska-kavarna.com. Regardless of the time or season you’re likely to find this place packed with a mix of foreign tourists, vacationing Slovene families, locals and their dogs - even when nearby cafés are eerily desolate. Their cakes are apparently so popular that the waitress may seem genuinely confused if you choose not to order one. After realising this we decided to split a slice of blueberry cheesecake and were glad we did. QOpen 06:00 - 23:00. PTA6LGBS

Pozor, Huda Kava D-2, Poštna 3, tel. 251 71 58. Eclectic choice of everything it would seem in this laid-back café/bar: cocktails, ice-cream and coffee, you name it they’ve got it. Every month they presents a special ‘guest’ coffee from a dif-ferent part of the world and has an impressive range of teas on the menu as well, with the water being heated at just the right temperature for the individual beverage. You also get your own ‘timer’ to inform you of when the tea has brewed. Gets busy in the evening when the cocktail crowd come in, and the reggae and funk music drifting around the place augments the bonhomie oozing from the walls perfectly.

Tildos C-2, Slomškov Trg 13, tel. 41 79 69 64. Toto Café’s next-door neighbour, so no surprise that the clientele is virtually the same. Quite reasonable to pop back and forth during a night out, though Tildos arguably boasts the swisher interior of the two and also seems to get people on their feet a little bit more often than is the case next door. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Fri 08:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 02:00, Sun 16:00 - 24:00. PJAGBSW

Toto Café C-2, Slomškov Trg 13, tel. 040 23 57 75. Just a light trot away from the university, so no surprise that it packs in a stylish, studenty crowd who look every bit the part until the early hours. The emphasis is very much on ‘chilling out’, it would seem, but the bar can get lively enough at the weekends. QOpen 08:00 - 24:00, Fri 08:00 - 02:00, Sat 10:00 - 02:00, Sun 16:00 - 23:00. PJAGBXW

With a different café every five metres or so, Maribor defi-nitely won’t leave coffee lovers wanting for their daily fix of caffeine. Even if you never visited the same place twice it would still take weeks to sample them all.

Maribor heats up during the summer

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Jazz Klub Satchmo C-2, Strossmayerjeva 6, tel. 25 02 150, [email protected], www.jazz-klub.si. Jazz joint in the classical mould deep down a cellar, where the players and crooners lose themselves in their music a world away from the concerns up above in reality. The floor level stage acts as the perfect leveller between audience and performer and improvised sessions nourish the democratic mood of the venue sublimely. QOpen 09:00 - 02:00, Fri, Sat 19:00 - 03:00, Sun 19:00 - 24:00. JAEB

Klub MC Pekarna E-2, Ob Železnici 16, tel. 320 20 18, [email protected], www.klub-mc.si. Good old-fashioned, loud and nasty underground live music venue. Used to be a bakery serving the needs of the Yugoslavian army, hence the name (which is Slovene for ‘bakery’) but now the local grungy types come here to act up and swill beer, which at €1.50 a throw is some of the cheapest in town. Prides itself on its independent, anti-establishment spirit where young artists can have a go and see what comes out. This is apparently why there are potraits of native Americans and totem poles in and around the place. RLGB

KMŠ D-2, Vodnikov Trg 4, tel. 228 29 33, [email protected], www.klub-kms.si. In Slovene KMŠ stands for ‘Maribor Students’ Club’, a rather unglamourous name to tell the truth but one that does accurately cover the wide range of activi-ties that go on there. Whether with its mad drunken parties until dawn, raucous gigs battering the ear drums or quieter lectures and theatre performances providing the stimulation and entertainment, KMŠ Club always entices the crowds whatever it has to offer. QOpen 16:00 - 04:00. Closed Sun. PJA6EBW

Ribičija K-1, Meljski Hrib 36, tel. 251 38 66, [email protected]. If the points on your wish list are a laid back ambiance where no one cares about whether your D&G attire is real or a terrible knock-off, people of all ages (not just twenty year olds who spent an hour and a half getting ready to go out) and a real unbridled Slovene experience, you owe it to yourself to visit this place. All this while being able to order restaurant food while partying to a mixture of live Balkan music. It’s great. QOpen closed, Fri, Sat 10:00 - 04:00. Restaurant winter time: Th, Fr, Sa: 12:00-19:00 €3 Admission fee for club. TYAULEGBKXS

Samsara D-3, Loška 13, tel. 234 23 40/51 36 73 67, [email protected], www.samsara.si. Where the ‘fancy’ people go to strut their stuff, shall we say, though you can get in for €5 on most nights. The usual booming sounds resound within but weary revellers can escape outside, sip their drinks and muse at the river nearby, if they so wish. Situated near a multi-storey car park and at the bottom of a multi-screen cinema, so if you are after a night replete with soulful pleasure, maybe elsewhere would be a better bet. QOpen 10:00 - 23:00, Fri 10:00 - 04:00, Sat 10:00 - 06:00. €5. PJAULEGBXW

Stand Up J-3, Tržaška 38, tel. 070 99 33 99, www.stan-dupbar.si. One of Maribor’s more popular night spots, you’re guaranteed to find it completely packed on any given Friday or Saturday night, when a hip young crowd comes to dance to pulsating balkan beats and admire the whole scene reflected in what must be one of the largest faux-antique mirrors we’ve ever seen. Famous singers and other celebrities are known to drop by, and true to its name it also hosts the odd comedy night. Even if turbo folk isn’t well-represented on your iPod, that’s no excuse for not at least trying to get in here, after all, when in Rome.... QOpen 07:00 - 24:00, Fri 07:00 - 05:00, Sat 08:00 - 05:00, Sun 09:00 - 24:00. Admission: €5 on Saturdays (includes one drink). PJULEGBX

ŠTUK H-1, Gosposvetska 83, tel. 251 45 83. There’s no better place to observe hard-drinking Slovene students in their natural environment than at the Študentsko Komuno, or ‘student commune’, conveniently located right next to blocks of student dormitories. Inside, the gaudy red and yellow paint job may have you feeling a bit queasy before you even start imbibing, but this is a place you come to for dirt cheap drinks and all night parties, not subtle ambiance and sophisticated discourse. The steady stream of Yugo and international pop that you can expect most nights is given a respite every Thursday, when the DJ spins some more chilled out beats, and there’s also a proper concert venue in the back that frequently plays host to popular regional acts and even the odd comedian. JLEGBW

Wine barsRožmarin D-2, Gosposka 8, tel. 23 43 180, [email protected], www.rozmarin.si. Both a shrine to the Styrian region’s superb range of wines and a wonderful place to actually sample them, and many others from different parts of the world as well. Provides snacks to go with the vintages too and also lays on evenings with special entertainment of which salsa dancing is one example. If the wine delights your taste buds (as it must, surely) then you can always take home a bottle from the store. The establishment naturally has a specialist on hand to help you make the best choice. QOpen 17:00 - 24:00, Fri 07:00 - 02:00, Sat 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sun. PTJA6EBW

CasinosCasino Joker C-4, Mlinska 2, tel. 228 26 44, fax 228 26 43, [email protected], www.casino-joker.si. Our expectations weren’t exactly high, but we have to admit that we were pleasantly surprised once we got inside - or at least as pleasantly surprised as you can be upon entering a 24-hour bus station casino. It’s clean enough and has what seems to be a good selection of electronic games, around 75 in all. If you have some time to kill before your bus leaves - or are just a degenerate gambler in need of a centrally-located fix in the wee hours - we suppose there are a lot worse options. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. PLG

Mond, Casino and Cabaret Šentilj (J-1), Sadjarska15, tel. 655 55 24, [email protected], www.mond-hit-stars.si. Bills itself as a place where you can get lucky, though it probably hopes you won’t, it provides 20 gaming tables and 400 slot machines for those feeling that good fortune is on the horizon. Also boasts a theatre with a lavish cabaret programme, which lines up acts from across the globe. A coffee room and two restaurants allow for vital periods of repose in between trips to the roulette table. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00. POAULEBXW

Metulj C-4, Mlinska 22. As soon as we found ourselves within the vicinity of this strip club located in the center of the city, a group of customers who had just left the club said in rudimentary but well intentioned English: “much money, no pleasure!”. Chuckling, we went in and after checking the service, the venue, and the utter boredom of the girls inside, we realized the wisdom of his words. You won’t find much to like here. LG

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Maribor Castle C-3, Grajska 2, tel. 228 35 51, [email protected], www.pmuzej-mb.si. Doesn’t look much

like a castle - more like a rather grand admin-istrative building - but this is largely due to the fact that i t has gone through more than its fair share of modifica-tions, since the original Gothic structure was built in 1555 as a noble residence. Renaissance-

style fortifications were added in the 17th century, along with the southern façade, and the 18th century saw the current staircase installed. Now, it is home to the Regional Museum of Maribor, which boasts an impressive collection of artifacts from around the area. QOpen 10:00 - 14:00, Tue, Sat 09:00 - 16:00, Sun 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Mon.

The Old Vine House D-2, Vojašniška 8, tel. 251 51 00, [email protected]. Where the oldest vine in the world can be found winding its way up the front of the building,

the house is now a museum dedicated to teaching visitors all there is to know about the wine culture of the Styrian re-gion of Slovenia. At 400 years of age the vine has claimed its rightful place in the Guin-nesss Book of Records and still bears the Zametovka or Blue Franconian grape, one of the oldest wine types in the country. Only opened in April 2007, the museum offers guided tours and also boasts an unparalleled collection of Styrian wines, which can be

bought at a very generous discount. The house also plays host to a festival in its own name which is held every Sep-tember. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon.

Toti Rotovž C-3, Glavni Trg, tel. 234 66 11. Almost looks too good to be a town hall, this gorgeous little building on the city’s main square was put up in 1515. These days both the Slovene and EU flags flutter on the balcony, a sign of better times than when Hitler gave a speech from the very same place during the Nazis’ World War II occupation of the city.The building is also home to the traditional Slovenian restaurant, ‘Toti Rotovž’ and nearby is a monument commemorating the wave of disease that wiped out a third of the town’s population in the 17th century. The ‘Plague Column’ was sculpted by local artist Jozef Straub and erected in 1743.

University of Maribor Rectorate C-2, Slomškov Trg 15, tel. 235 52 80, [email protected], www.uni-mb.si.

Located directly opposite the cathedral on Slomšek Square, the university build-ing is a palatial structure that was originally a bank. Though the façade has been preserved in its en-tirety, the interior and the courtyard were completely renovated between 1995

and 2000. The University of Maribor is Slovenia’s second most important university and delivers courses to some 24,000 students.

Most of the city’s historical sites - churches, monuments and an oddly large number of free-standing towers - are concentrated in a relatively small area that makes up the old town centre, which means that half a day and a good pair of walking shoes is all you should need to cover most of the main sites. However, with inviting cafés and ice cream shops every few metres, a couple of large parks that reward aimless wandering, and lots of photogenic old villas to the north west of the old town, you could spend the better part of a week exploring and still find something new around every corner. Of course like all modern cities - especially those unfortunate enough to have had building booms in the 1960s and ‘70s - Maribor has its fair share of eyesores, although some of them manage to cross the so-bad-they’re-good threshold and are worth tracking down.

Essential MariborBee-Keeping Centre J-3, Streliška 150, tel. 331 80 10, [email protected], www.czdm.si. Tell us about the honey, mummy! Indeed, and though it won’t be your, or anyone else’s, mother doing the talking, here’s where you can learn all about the sickly sweet goo that bees produce, which is also high up on the list of healthy eating options. A range of different types of honey - such as pine, chestnut, acacia, linden and flower - can be sampled at no cost at all and for a dip into your pocket you can also try the mead, honey liqueurs and champagne the museum keeps, along with the bees. During the summer you can see the busy bees at work through their specially-made glass beehive. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat 08:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Botanical Gardens H-3, Pivola, tel. 31 59 21 62, [email protected], www.fk.uni-mb.si/botvrt.

Though this park is situ-ated in the midst of the Pohorje mountain range, the botanical delights on view are from other parts of the globe as well as Slovenia. You can book a guided tour in advance or just stroll through the

garden at your leisure. Either way there is a huge amount to enjoy including bushes, trees and aquatic plants from far-flung regions such as Asia, Africa and Australia. Exotic though they may seem, they are also bread and butter to the research institute which looks after them. If all that natural diversity amounts to information overload then you can always take a break in the garden’s café. Q (€1.50-2.50).

Maribor’s City Park B-2/3, Pri Parku. This immacu-lately-kept park just north of the city centre is definitely one of

Maribor’s best features. Wi th i ts three ponds teeming with many differ-ent species of bird and a terrapin or two in amongst them - who started life in the nearby and popular aquarium - and highl y sociable squirrels up and around the trees, there is

much to keep nature lovers occupied but this is also the city’s best place to relax. On Sundays you might catch a classical music concert held in the pavilion right smack in the middle of the park. But the serenity is for the adults. The kids are too busy whooping it up in the playground to be bothered with ‘relaxation’. That can come later in life.

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Plague Column (Kužno znamenje) D-2, Glavni trg. Erected in 1743 to replace an older version, Maribor’s loveliest monument serves the unfortunate purpose of com-memorating the cessation of a plague, which killed over one third of the city’s inhabitants between 1680-81. The large monument, designed by Jožef Štraub, dominates Glavni trg and features a golden Mary

atop an 8 metre column surrounded by six saints.

MuseumsBentava Museum J-3, Streliška 150, tel. 059 08 02 80, [email protected], www.betnava.org. Located just outside Maribor, this former mansion is now where tourists can learn all about the history of the city’s Catholic diocese with its permanent exhibition named ‘Betnava historia Lavantina’. Within placid natural surroundings you can hear all about the life of the nineteenth century Bishop Martin Slomšek who did so much to nurture the Slovenian language and who was made a saint for all his good works. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on these very grounds on September 19th 1999 QOpen 09:00 - 17:00, Sat 09:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.

Water Tower D-3, Usnjarska 10. Called ‘Vodni stolp’ in Slovene, this small tower was built in 1555 as part of the city’s for-ti fication against the Turkish invaders. It was also Slovenia’s first ever winery and still functions partly as a wine shop today. The upper floor of the building is similar in style to a medieval

banquet hall and is used for wine tasting.

ChurchesFranciscan church (Frančiškanska cerkev -

Župnija Maribor - Sv. Marija) C-3, Vita Kraigherja 2, tel. 228 51 10, zupnija.sv.marija.mar [email protected] i , www.bazilika.info. Originally a monas-tery dating from the 12th century, this red-bricked cathedral was built in its place with a

two-towered, three nave basilica between 1892 and 1900, according to a design by Viennese architect Richard Jordan and was dedicated to ‘St. Mary Mother of Mercy’. However, the old monastery was constructed in rather more heroic circumstances with local woman carrying the bricks for its construction all the way from nearby Melje. QOpen 06:30 - 19:00, Sun 07:00 - 20:00.

Maribor Cathedral C-2, Slomškov Trg 20, tel. 251 84 32, [email protected], zupnije.rkc.si/mb-stolni-ca/. First built in 1248 as a Romanesque basilica with a nave and two aisles, the cathedral gained its current appearance in the 15th century as a Gothic structure, though the Baroque chapels date from the 16th and 18th centuries. Inside, one is treated to the sight of a lavishly adorned altar, which lights up the place all on its own. Don’t miss the stained glass window commemorating Pope John Paul II’s trip to Slovenia in 1999. Trips to the top of the tower are also available from 08:00-18:00. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00.

Stolna župnija Maribor C-2, Slomškov Trg 20, tel. 251 84 32, [email protected], www.rkc.si/mb-stolnica.

Synagogue D-3, Židovska 4, tel. 252 78 36, [email protected], www.pmuzej-mb.si. Built in 1465 to serve

as the religious, spiri tual and cultural centre for the city’s Jewish community, the tower in which it is housed was also part of the fortified section of Maribor. Today it is a museum displaying pho-tos and other artefacts con-cerned with Jewish culture but the building’s historical character is still very strong and it is regarded as one of the city’s most important heritage sites. Since 2001,

a number of cultural events have been held in the synagogue and the long-term aim of the local authority - which owns the building - is to turn it into a Slovenian Jewish Heritage Centre. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00, Sun 09:00 - 14:00. Closed Sat.

MonumentsBishop Slomšek Monument C-2, Slomškov trg. This

relatively new statue - only erected in 1991 - is tucked away in a shady corner op-posite the main entrance of Maribor’s Cathedral, where the bishop is interred. This is no coincidence, as it was Slomšek who was respon-sible for the transfer of the Lavantine diocese to Maribor in 1859. The bishop also holds the distinction of be-coming the first Slovene saint - an honour that Pope John Paul II personally pro-

claimed on a visit to Maribor in 1999. Aside from religious activities, Slomšek was also a fervent supporter of the Slovene language, and is largely credited with having founded the primary school system in Slovenia.

National Liberation Monument C-3, Partizanska 6a. Appropriately located in Svobode trg (‘Freedom Square’), this spherical bronze memorial pays tribute to those gunned down by the Nazis during World War II for rising up against occupation. By walking around the monument you can look at public announcements of the executions of the some 667 people who were condemned to death by the German forces. Erected in 1975, the sculpture is the work of local artist Slavko Tihec, and despite its sombre purpose the good citizenry of Maribor have dubbed the monument ‘Kojak’ because of its resemblance to a bald head.

Glavni Trg and the Plague Column maribor.inyourpocket.com

�� whAt to see


Bolfenk on Pohorje G/H-3, Hočko Pohorje 131, tel. 603 42 11, [email protected], www.pohorje.si. Plunked down in the finest scenery Pohorje has to offer, this little church is not only pleasing to the eye but is also the focal point of numerous cultural events, including lectures, exhibitions and concerts. The former Presbytery offers excellent acoustics so the performances come highly recommended. And if that all sounds like too much noise, you can always go for a long walk around the pristine surroundings and hear the music fade away into the distance. QOpen 10:30 - 16:30.

Around Maribor

BioTerme Mala Nedelja Moravci v Slov. goricah, tel. 585 17 30, [email protected], www.bioterme.si. One thing is for certain: Slovenes love their thermal spas. From a modest single pool built in 1973, Mala Nedelja - whose name translates to the rather quaint-sounding “Small Sunday” - has grown to include 11 different pools, with plans on the drawing board for even more. Also has a sauna and small wellness centre.

Galantes Wines www.vina-galantes.si, tel. 654 42 70. Part of a cooperative aimed at promoting naturally-grown products from the Štajerska region, they operate two wine cellars in the hills north of Maribor and can arrange tastings and guided tours in the surrounding vineyards. Check with the tourist information centre or more details.

Hot air balloon flights Tel. 220 88 21, [email protected], www.pohorje.org/en/mariborsko-po-horje-summer/1203. If the views from the top of Pohorje aren’t quite high enough for your tastes, there’s always the option of hopping into a balloon and seeing if another few thousand metres do the trick. Of course where exactly you drift off to depends largely on the wind, but from that height you should be able to see most of Slovenia on a clear day. Bookings should be made at least 10 days before a flight. Q €125 per person.

Pohorje G-3. The mountain range just outside Maribor attracts skiers by the thousand during the winter, and is one of the region’s most popular destinations during warmer months as well, with its forests, lakes and moors a paradise for nature-lovers. Such is the richness of flora and fauna here that the area attracts a good number of nature experts along with the tourists - keep your eyes peeled and

you may be able to spot the largest butterfly in Europe. The area can be explored equally as well on foot or by bike and there is no shortage of restaurants and cafés to stop for a break or bite to eat. There’s also a cable to the top if you’d like to enjoy the views without the hiking.

Prlekija Local Tourist Organisation Jureša Cirila 4, Ljutomer, tel. 581 11 05, fax 584 83 34, [email protected], www.jeruzalem.si. Legend has it that the vine covered landscape of the Ljutomer-Ormož hills, and the wine it produces, so enchanted passing crusaders that a good number of them found it difficult to continue on their quest to regain the Holy Land. Torn between religious fervour and Bacchanalian urges, it was decided that the most expedient solution would be to abandon their crusade and instead just name the highest hill in area Jeruzalem - which in hindsight may not have been the such a bad decision. Regardless of the legend’s historical accuracy, it’s a matter of fact that the region produces some of the best wine in the country, and its wine roads are well worth visiting. Check with the local tourist board for information on arranging accommodation and guided tours. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Radgonske Gorice Slovenia’s first producer of sparkling wine has been turning out the bubbly stuff for over a century and a half now. Located only a few hundred metres from the Austrian border, their vast cellars are open for tastings, tours and even the odd wedding, while a sightseeing train makes its way though the thousand year old Radgona and Kapela districts.

Beautiful fields around Maribor

Vineyards

Museum of National Liberation C-3, Heroja Tomšiča 5, tel. 235 26 00, [email protected], www.muzejno-mb.si. Exhibits an impressive collection of material from World War II when the Nazis occupied Slovenia and were resisted by the Yugoslav Partisans. Guided tours are available on request where you can learn in detail about the Nazi presence in Slovenia and their attempts to ‘Germanise’ the country, as well as the operations by Partisan fighters from 1941 to the end of the war, when Slovenia was liberated. QOpen 08.00 - 18.00, Sat 09.00 - 12.00. Closed Sun.

�1shopping


While shopping is not the primary motivation for most trips to Maribor, you shouldn’t have any trouble finding what you need, be it local crafts, a replacement MP3 player, fresh flowers to brighten up your hotel room or some faded Yugoslav relics from the country’s not-too-distant past. In general, souvenir shops are of the specialist variety, with dedicated stores for wine, honey, chocolate and ceramics among others, and there are also some great outdoor markets (or tržnica) that are worth visiting even if you’re not interested in actually buying anything. Keep in mind that aside from the modern Europark shopping centre and various markets, only the rarest of exceptions are open on Sunday.

Art galleriesGalerija Dlum D-3, Židovska 10, tel. 252 36 81, [email protected]. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat 09.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.Razstavni salon Rotovž C-3, Trg Leona Štuklja 2, tel. 25 02 543, [email protected], www.umetnostnagalerija.si. QOpen 10.00 - 18.00, Sat 10.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.

FashionBata J-3, Tržaška 67 a, tel. 332 54 26, [email protected]. QOpen 8:30 - 21:00, Sat 8:00 - 21:00, Sun 9:00 - 15:00.Europark E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 32 08 210, [email protected], www.europark.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.H&M C-3, Vetrinjska 20, tel. 23 50 800, www.hm.com/si. QOpen 9:00 - 19:00, Sat 9:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.

Hugo Boss E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 83 69, [email protected]. QOpen 9:00 - 21:00, Sat 8:00 - 21:00, Sun 9:00 - 15:00.Madness D-2, Gosposka 5, tel. 252 62 79. QOpen 7.00 - 19.00, Sat, Sun 9.00 - 13.00.Modna Hiša C-3, Partizanska 3-5, tel. 234 60 53. Prior to independence, and the advent of rampant consumerism, the Fashion House was the closest that Maribor’s well-to-do could get to a western-style department store without having a passport. Although the city now has its fair share of alterna-tives, this venerable old dame continues to soldier on with a decent selection of clothes and household goods covering two vast floors. When we last visited, its rather unsightly façade was in the process of receiving a much needed facelift. QOpen 08:00 - 19:30. Closed Sun.Stiefelkönig E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 38 56, [email protected], www.stiefelkoenig.com. QOpen 9:00 - 21:00, Sat 8:00 - 21:00, Sun 9.00 - 15.00.Tom Tailor J-3, Tržaška 67 a, tel. 332 54 28, [email protected]. QOpen 8:30 - 21:00, Sat 8:00 - 21:00, Sun 9:00 - 15:00.TPC City D/C-3, Ul. Vita Kraigherja 5, tel. 230 15 10, www.city.si. QOpen 8.00 - 20.00, Sat 8.00 - 14.00. Closed Sun.Zara E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 83 40. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.

Food & DrinkMegamarket Interspar Europark Maribor E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 84 10, www.europark.si. QOpen 09.00 - 21.00, Sat 08.00 - 21.00, Sun 09.00 - 15.00.Mercator H-2, Prušnikova 12, tel. 421 40 04, www.mercator.si. QOpen 08.00 - 19.30, Sat 08.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.

more as a souvenirT-shirts and caps in the best shops in Slovenia

www.thatslovenia.comVisit our e-shop

Visit Pohorjein the summer

�2 shopping


��direCtory


BanksAbanka d.d. D-3, Glavni Trg 18, tel. 228 31 10, fax 252 48 51, www.abanka.si. QOpen 08:00 - 12:00, 14:30-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Banka Koper d.d. C/D-3, Ulica Vita Kraigherja 5, tel. 228 81 00, fax 228 81 18, [email protected], www.banka-koper.si. QOpen 8.00 - 16.00. Closed Sat, Sun.Nova kreditna banka Maribor d.d. C-3, Vita Kraigh-erja 4, tel. 229 22 90, fax 252 43 33, [email protected], www.nkbm.si. QOpen 08:00 - 17:00, Sat 08:00 - 11:00. Closed Sun.Nova ljubljanska banka d.d. C-3, Titova 2, tel. 234 45 35, fax 234 45 52, [email protected], www.nlb.si. QOpen 08:00 - 12:00 14:30-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Poštna banka Slovenije d.d. C-3/4, Vita Kraigherja 5, tel. 228 82 00, fax 228 82 10, [email protected], www.pbs.si. QOpen 08:00 - 15:30, Fri 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Probanka d.d. C-2, Gosposka 23, tel. 252 05 99, fax 252 05 69, [email protected], www.probanka.si. QOpen 08:30 - 12:00,14:30-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Raiffeisen Krekova banka C-2, Slomškov Trg 18, tel. 229 31 00, fax 252 35 02, [email protected], www.r-kb.si. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.

Beauty/WellnessMTC Fontana H-1, Koroška 172, tel. 234 41 00, fax 234 41 11, [email protected], www.termemb.si.Terme Maribor d.d. C-4, Ulica Heroja Šlandra 10, tel. 234 43 20, [email protected], www.termemb.si.Wellness Betnava J-3, Jadranska 30, tel. 333 41 40, [email protected], www.betnava.si. QOpen 16:00 - 22:00.Wellness center Bellevue G-3, Na slemenu 35, tel. 607 51 00, fax 607 51 28, [email protected], www.termemb.si.Wellness center Bolfenk G-3, Hočko Pohorje 131, tel. 603 55 01, [email protected], www.pohorje.org. QOpen 14:00 - 21:00, Sat, Sun 11:00 - 21:00.Wellness center Habakuk G-3, Pohorska 59, tel. 300 81 00, [email protected], www.termemb.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

Business CentresEuro info center Maribor E-3, Pobreška 20, tel. 333 13 02, [email protected], www.podjetniski-portal.si.Tovarna podjemov C-3, Svetozarevska 6, tel. 229 42 70, [email protected], www.tovarnapodjemov.org.

Clinics & HospitalsUniversity Medical Centre Maribor E-3, Ljubljanska 5, tel. 321 10 00, fax 331 23 93, ivf.mb@sb-mb, www.sb-mb.si.Zdravstveni dom Adolfa Drolca Ulica talcev 9, tel. 22 86 200, [email protected], www.zd-mb.si.

ComputersBig bang E-3, Pobreška 18, tel. 330 59 50, fax 330 59 60, [email protected], www.bigbang.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.

Comshop Maribor J-3, Tržaška 21, tel. 300 35 90, [email protected], portal.comshop.si. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.Lancom J-3, Tržaška 63, tel. 330 03 40/330 03 09, [email protected], www.lancom.com. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

ConsulatesAustria C-3, Vita Kraigherja 4, tel. 229 22 57, fax 252 43 33.Croatia C-3, Trg svobode 3, tel. 234 66 80, [email protected].

Currency exchangeInsa D-2, Koroška 8, tel. 330 58 00, [email protected], www.insa.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.Kompas D-3, Titova 2a, tel. 234 69 50, fax 234 69 63, [email protected], www.kompas.si. QOpen 08:30 - 18:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00.Menjalnica Alt J-2, Ljubljanska 42, tel. 332 73 93, alt-lakose.net. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.

DentistsS.G. Dent d.o.o. J-2, Ljubljanska 67, tel. 331 39 54, [email protected], www.sgdent.com. QOpen Mon, Wed 13:00 - 19:00, Tue 08:.00 - 14:00, Thu 08:00 - 14:00. Closed Fri, Sat, Sun.Zdravstveni dom Adolfa Drolca C-3, Ulica Talcev 9, tel. 235 66 34, www.zd-mb.si. QOpen , Mon, Wed, Fri 7:30 - 14:30, Tue, Thu 12:30 - 19:30.

Dry CleanersEko čistilnica Saksida Danijel-Europark E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 41 50, [email protected], www.europark.si. QOpen 9.00 - 21.00, Sat 8.00 - 21.00, Sun 9.00 - 15.00.Kemična čistilnica in pralnica Bajt H-2, Radvanjska 106, tel. 332 76 50, fax 332 43 22, [email protected], www.hotel-bajt.com.Kemična čistilnica Maribor C-2, Gregorčičeva 14, tel. 251 27 04, [email protected]. QOpen 8.00 - 19.00, Sat 8.00 - 12.00. Closed Sun.

Fitness centresFitnes hotela Betnava J-3, Jadranska 30, tel. 333 41 40, [email protected], www.betnava.si. QOpen 06:00 - 23:00, Sat, Sun 08:00 - 22:00.Fitnes studio Forma J-2, Osojnikova 4a, tel. 480 00 00, [email protected], www.fitnesforma.com. QOpen 7:00 - 22:00, Sat 9:00 - 12:00 16:00 - 20:00, Sun 16:00 - 20:00.Klub Maribor D-1, Koroška 33, tel. 252 65 59, info@fitnes-pristan.. QOpen 06:00 - 22:00, Sat, Sun 09:00 - 21:00.MTC Fontana H-1, Koroška 172, tel. 234 41 100, [email protected]. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00.

Gas stationsOMV J-3, Ptujska 104, tel. 333 82 00, www.omvis-trabenz.si. QOpen 00:00 - 24.00.Petrol Ptujska 136, tel. 462 41 70, www.petrol.si. QOpen 024.00.Petrol J-3, Tržaška 36, tel. 300 13 60, www.petrol.si. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

MarketsKmečka Ekološka Tržnica Tel. 051 610 155, [email protected]. Just because organic products never really went out of style in Slovenia, doesn’t mean that local farmers and craftsmen can’t capitalise on there ever-increasing popularity. Every Friday and Saturday health-concious locals flock to Glavni Trg to stock up on ecologically produced goods sold from a ring of movable wooden carts. It’s also a great place to pick up some uniquely Slovenian gifts, such as a wax-sealed bottle or two of medica - a sweet honey-based liqueur that our friends abroad always seem happy to receive. QOpen , Fri 09:00 - 14:00, Sat 08:00 - 13:00.Mariborska Tržnica D-2, Vodnikov Trg 5, tel. 251 87 28, [email protected]. The small sloping Vodnikov Square is a strange combination of tradition and modernity. While recent renovations have added a large underground parking garage and a canopy of bizarre-looking inverted umbrellas, it’s also home to Maribor’s central market - where farmers from the countryside still come to peddle their fruits, vegetables, flowers and handicrafts each and every day. QOpen 06.00 - 15.00.

PhotographyFotoplus C-3, Trg svobode 5, tel. 300 36 12, [email protected], www.fotoplus.si. QOpen 9.00 - 18.00, Sat 9.00 - 12.00. Closed Sun.Foto Tabor J-2, Gorkega 41, tel. 330 42 43, [email protected], www.foto-tabor.com. QOpen 07:30 - 19:00, Sat 07:30 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

Shopping centresCity Center Celje Mariborska Road 100, tel. 03 425 12 50, [email protected], www.city-center.si. Celje’s first modern shopping centre opened its doors back in 1995, but

has undergone several major renovations and expansions over the past decade, the most recent of which more than doubled the available floor space and almost trebled the number of retailers. Aside from all manner of shops there are ample restaurants, a “Jungle Park” for the kids and plenty of parking. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.E.Leclerc J-3, Tržaška 67a, tel. 450 05 00, fax 450 05 01, [email protected], www.e-leclerc.si.Europark E-3/4, Pobreška 18, tel. 320 82 10, [email protected], www.europark.si. Just across the river from the city centre, Europark is Slovenia’s largest shopping centre outside of Ljubljana with over 120 shops, restaurants and bars, as well as all the other facilities you would expect from a modern mall. It’s also one of the only retail places open on Sundays. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.Galerija Gosposka D-2, Gosposka 8, tel. 234 31 78, [email protected], www.galerijagosposka.si. One of the city’s smaller and more aesthetically pleasing shopping centres is home to half a dozen upmarket clothing brands. The fact that it’s located right in the heart of the city centre, connected to Rožmarin - a great café/restaurant/wine club - and a very interesting kids centre called Sirček, makes it worth a visit, especially if come with your kids. QOpen 09:00 - 20:00, Sat 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sun.Mercator Center Maribor J-2, Tržaška 14, tel. 333 50 00, [email protected], www.mercator.si. The Maribor flagship of Slovenia’s largest retail chain is situated south of the city centre near a major traffic interchange. In addition to the namesake department store there are many smaller retailers, a children’s play area, a bank, and several places to grab a coffee or light meal. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00. Closed Sun.Planet Tuš Maribor H-2, Na poljanah 18, tel. 42 13 730, [email protected], www.planet-tus.com. You won’t be blown away by the décor of this shopping centre, but the convenience of having shops, a supermarket, restaurants, a huge car park, movie theatres and even a bowling alley all in one location makes it a very popular alternative in the city. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 13:00.Qlandia H-2, Proletarskih Brigad 100, tel. 480 31 68, fax 421 60 82, [email protected], www.qlandia.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.

SouvenirsHiša pri modrem orehu C-3, Vetrinjska 30, tel. 25 14 750, [email protected], www.az-design.si. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat 09.00 - 13.00. Closed Sun.Natural and Cultural Heritage Centre Bolfenk on Pohorje - TIC Bolfenk Na Slemenu - Bellevue, tel. 603 42 11, www.pohorje.si. QOpen 9:30 - 16:30.Skrinja, galerija daril C-3, Gosposka 28, tel. 23 42 635, [email protected]. QOpen 9:00 - 19:00, Sat 8:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.That’s Slovenia Tel. 059 190 784, [email protected], www.thatslovenia.com.Tourist Information Centre Maribor C-3, Partizanska 6a, tel. 234 66 11, www.maribor-pohorje.si. QOpen 09:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 17:00, Sun 09:00 - 12:00.

SportsGiga Sport J-1, Industrijska 5, tel. 250 60 60, [email protected], www.gigasport.si. QOpen 09.00 - 19.00, Sat 9:00 - 17:00. Closed Sun.Hervis Maribor H-2, Cesta proletarskih brigad 100, tel. 320 39 80, [email protected]. QOpen 9.00 - 21.00, Sat 8.00 - 21.00, Sun 9.00 - 17.00.

�� direCtory


GolfIgrišče za golf Ptuj Mlinska 13, tel. 788 91 10, [email protected], www.golf-ptuj.com.

Insurance companiesZavarovalnica Generali C-2, Slomškov Trg 1, tel. 228 05 10, fax 234 21 87, [email protected], www.generali.si. QOpen 08:00 - 18:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Zavarovalnica Maribor C-4, Cankarjeva 3, tel. 233 21 00, [email protected], www.zav-mb.com.Zavarovalnica Tilia E-2, Ljubljanska 42, tel. 330 16 80, fax 330 16 81, [email protected], www.tilia.com.Zavarovalnica Triglav D-3, Ulica Kneza Koclja 14, tel. 228 45 00, [email protected], www.triglav.si.

Language coursesBerlitz Slovenia D.O.O. C-3, Svetozarevska 6, tel. 229 42 29, [email protected], www.berlitz.si.Doba C-3, Prešernova 1, tel. 228 38 50, [email protected], www.doba.si.Hiša jezikov C-4, Razlagova 22, tel. 228 24 55, fax 228 24 57, [email protected], www.hisajezikov.com. QOpen , Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu 09:00 - 17:00, Fri 09:00 - 15:00. Closed Sat, Sun.Poslovni sistem Academia D-2/3, Glavni Trg 17/b, tel. 228 35 31, [email protected], www.academia.si.

LawyersDaniel Planinšec D-4, Vošnjakova 29, tel. 250 58 60, [email protected]šan Ludvik Kolnik C-3, Prešernova 2, tel. 250 51 80, [email protected]šan Stojanović C-3, Prešernova 2, tel. 250 51 80, [email protected] d.o.o. E-2, Trg Revolucije 7, tel. 332 67 72.

LibrariesMariborska knjižnica - Pionirska knjižnica Tabor J-2, Dvorakova 3, tel. 331 74 53, [email protected], www.mb.sik.si. QOpen 13:00 - 19:00, Sat 08:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.Mariborska knjižnica - Velika čitalnica D-2, Rotovški Trg 1, tel. 235 21 05, [email protected], www.sikmb.mb.sik.si. QOpen 9:00 - 19:00, Sat 8:00 - 12:00. Closed Sun.Univerzitetna knjižnica v Mariboru C-2, Gospejna 10, tel. 25 07 400, [email protected], www.ukm.uni-mb.si. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

MediaMariborski Utrip H-3, Oberlajtova Pot 16, tel. 320 45 33, [email protected], www.otip.si.Radio City C-2, Slovenska 35, tel. 228 38 48, fax 228 38 49, [email protected], www.radiocity.si.RTS TV - Tele 59 J-2, Meljska 34, tel. 234 55 00, [email protected], www.rts-tv.com.Večer Newspaper C/D-3, Svetozarevska 14, tel. 235 35 00, [email protected], www.vecer.com.

NGOsCenter Sonček Maribor J-2, Cesta XIV. divizije 48a, tel. 480 06 80, [email protected], www.soncek.org/Center_soncek_maribor.htm.

Društvo za izmenjavo mednarodnih praks AIESEC Maribor C-3/4, Razlagova 14, tel. 229 03 37, www.aiesec.org/slovenia, www.aiesec.org/slovenia.Karitas C-2, Strossmayerjeva 15, tel. 059 080 350, fax 059 080 360, [email protected], www.karitasmb.si.Rdeči križ (Red Cross) C-4, Partizanska 15, tel. 234 40 00, [email protected], www.rkmb-drustvo.si.Zveza prijateljev mladine Maribor C-3/4, Razlagova 16, tel. 229 69 10, [email protected], www.zveza-zpm-mb.si.

NotariesGoraz Šifer C-3, Trg Svobode 3, tel. 251 12 14.Ines Bukovič C/D-3, Vita Kraigherja 5, tel. 231 04 40, [email protected] Košar Bratuša C-4, Cankarjeva 6, tel. 250 20 52.Stanislav Bohinc C-3, Vita Kraigherja 1, tel. 252 46 71, [email protected] Ajdič C-4, Partizanska 13a, tel. 252 58 36.

OpticiansOkulistika Kameleon C-2, Slovenska 17-19, tel. 250 13 00, [email protected] Auer D-2, Glavni Trg 2, tel. 252 68 01, [email protected], www.optika-auer.si/pregledi.html.Optika Clarus D-3, Vetrinjska 30, tel. 228 22 38, www.clarus.si. QOpen 08:30 - 19:00.Optika Pirc B-2, Tyrševa 8, tel. 252 55 00, [email protected], www.optika-pirc.com. QOpen 08:00 - 19:00, Sat 09:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.

PharmaciesGlavni trg D-2, Glavni Trg 20, tel. 229 47 40. QOpen 19:00 - 07:30, Sat 13:00 - 07:30.Gosposvetska C-1, Gosposvetska 41, tel. 250 64 50, fax 250 64 51, [email protected]. QOpen 07:00 - 19:00, Sat 07:00 - 13:00. Closed Sun.Tabor Pharmacy (24 hours) E-3, Ljubljanska 9, tel. 320 79 11, [email protected], www.mb-lekarne.si. QOpen 00:00 - 24:00.

PolicePolicijska postaja Maribor C/D-4, Vošnjakova 1, tel. 220 86 30. number: 113

Real estateAgencija Trend C-3, Jurčičeva 8, tel. 228 03 90, [email protected], www.agencijatrend-sp.si.Insa E-3, Pobreška 18, tel. 330 58 00, fax 330 58 01, [email protected], www.insa.si. QOpen 09:00 - 21:00, Sat 08:00 - 21:00, Sun 09:00 - 15:00.Teranep d.o.o J-3, Zagrebška 40a, tel. 330 08 70, [email protected], www.teranep.si.

RelocationsRenato Blaznik s.p., Ulica Nadvojvode Janeza 32, tel. 041 661 067, [email protected], www.btrans.eu/kontakt.html.


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Street registerALJAŽEVA F-3AŠKERČEVA B-3/4BARVARSKA C-2BELAČEVA C-1/2BEOGRAJSKA F-1/2BETNAVSKA E-2,F-1/2BORCEV ZA SEVERNO MEJO F-4CAFOVA C-4CANKARJEVA B/C-4CELJSKA F-2CESTA ZMAGE F-1ČERNIČEVA B-2ČRNOGORSKA F-4ČRTOMIROVA D-1DOMINKUŠEVA B-4DRAVSKA D-2DUŠANOVA F-1/2DVORAKOVA E-2FOCHEVA F-1FRAMSKA F-2/3GERŠAKOVA E/F-4GHEGOVA E-1GLAVNI MOST D-2GLEDALIŠKA C-2GORKEGA E/F-1/2GOSPEJNA C/D-2GOSPOSKA C/D-2GOSPOSVETSKA C-1/2GRAJSKA C-3GREGORČIČEVA C-1/2GULIČEVA E-1HLEBOVA D/E-1JANEŽIČEVA B-4JESENKOVA B-3

JEZDARSKA E/F-2JURČIČEVA C-3KACOVA D-4KAJUHOVA B/C-1KAMNIŠKA B-1/2KERENČIČEVA B-4KERSNIKOVA B/C-4KOCENOVA D-4KOMENSKEGA E-1KOPITARJEVA B-4KOPRIVNIKOVA C-1KORESOVA F-1KOROŠKA C-1,D-1/2KOSARJEVA B-1KOSESKEGA F-1KOSTANJEVČEVA F-2KRAJNČIČEVA B-1KRČEVINSKA A-4KREKOVA C-3/4KURILNIŠKA E-1LAVRIČEVA D-1LEKARNIŠKA D-2LEŠNIKOVA B-4LEVSTIKOVA E-2LJUBLJANSKA E/F-2/3LOŠKA D-3MACHOVA E-2MAISTROVA B-3/4MARČIČEVA A/B-4MARMONTOVA F-1MASARYKOVA E-3MEDVEDOVA C-1MELJSKA C-4MEŠKOVA B-3MIKLOŠIČEVA C-2

MLADINSKA B-1/2/3MLINSKA C/D-4MOČNIKOVA B-3NASIPNA E/F-4NERATOVA B-4OB BREGU D-1OB GOZDU F-4OB IZVIRIH D-1OB JARKU D-3OB POTOKU A-4OB ŽELEZNICI E-2/3,F-3OREŠKO NABREŽJE D-4OROŽNOVA C-2PARTIZANSKA B-4,C-3/4PIPUŠEVA C/D-1PIRAMIDA A-3/4PIVKOVA E/F-1PLEČNIKOVA F-3PLINARNIŠKA C/D-4POBREŠKA D/E/F-3/4POD GRADIŠČEM A/B-4POD PIRAMIDO A/B-3POLJANČEVA B-2POPOVIČEVA F-1POŠTNA D-2PRAPROTNIKOVA A/B-4PRERADOVIČEVA E-1PREŠERNOVA B/C-3PREŽIHOVA C-1PRI PARKU B-2/3PRISTAN D-2PRISTANIŠKA D-2PUPINOVA E-2PUŠKINOVA E-2

RADVANJSKA F-1RAIČEVA D/E-1RAZLAGOVA C-3/4RESLJEVA E-1RIBIŠKA D-1RIBNIŠKA A/B-3ROSINOVA C-1RUŠKA D-1/2, E-2SADJARSKA B-1SERNČEVA B-1SLOVENSKA C-2SMETANOVA C-1/2SMOLETOVA E-2SODNA C-3/4STEPHENSONOVA E-1STRMA D-1STROSSMAYERJEVA B/C/D-2STUDENŠKA BRV D-1SVETOZAREVSKA C/D-4ŠENTILJSKA A-4ŠILIHOVA F-2/3ŠUBIČEVA A-4TABORSKA D-2/3TITOVA C/D/E/F-3TOMŠIČEVA B-3/4TRUBARJEVA A/B-2TYRŠEVA B-2UL. 10. OKTOBRA C-2UL. B.BUKŠEK B-4UL. J. PRIOLA A-4UL. MOŠE PIJADA E-2UL. S. KLAVORE B-4UL. TALCEV C/D-4UL. HEROJA BRAČIČA D-3/4

UL. HEROJA STANETA B-3UL. HEROJA ŠLANDRA C/D-4UL. HEROJA TOMŠIČA B-3UL. HEROJA ZIDANŠKA E-1UL. KNEZA KOCLJA D-3/4UL. MOŠE PIJADA E-1/2UL. PARIŠKE KOMUNE J-2UL. VITA KRAIGHERJA C/D-4USNJARSKA D-2/3VALVASORJEVA E-1/2VELUŠČKOVA B-4VETRINJSKA C/D-3VILHARJEVA B-2VINARSKA A-1,B-1/2VOJAŠNIŠKA D-2VOLKMERJEV PREHOD C-3VOŠNJAKOVA C/D-4VRBANSKA B/C-1WATTOVA E/F-1ZA KALVARIJO A-2ŽIDOVSKA D-3ŽITNA F-2ŽOLGARJEVA F-2SLOMŠKOV TRG C-2VODNIKOV TRG D-2VOJAŠNIŠKI TRG D-2GLAVNI TRG D-2TRG REVOLUCIJE E-2PARK MLADIH F-2MAGDALENSKI TRG E2/3TRG L. ŠTUKLJA C-3TRG SVOBODE C-3TRG GENERALA MAISTRA C-3TRG BORISA KIDRIČA C-4

Abanka d.d. 43Agencija Grad 7Agencija Trend 46Alibi C2 24Amzs - Hertz PE Maribor 7Ancora 29, 31Apartment Jurič 25Areh 24Art kavarna Piramida 30Arzenškov Hram 29Austria 43Avis rent-a-car 7Banka Koper d.d. 43Bata 41Bau 24Bee-Keeping Centre 35Beli Konj 31Bellevue 22Bentava Museum 37Berlitz Slovenia D.O.O. 46Betnava 22Big bang 43BioTerme Mala Nedelja 38Bishop Slomšek Monument 37Bolarič 27Bolfenk 22Bolfenk on Pohorje 38Botanical Gardens 35Bus Station 6Čajek Café 30Casino Joker 32Center Sonček Maribor 46Čevapčarnica Hadžija 26City Center Celje 42Croatia 43Cultural House Narodni Dom 14Daniel Planinšec 46Doba 46Društvo za izmenjavo mednarodnih praks AIESEC Maribor 46Dušan Ludvik Kolnik 46Dušan Stojanović 46Dvorana Gustaf Pekarna 14Dvorana tabor Maribor 14Dvorana union 14E.Leclerc 42Eko čistilnica Saksida Danijel-Europark 43English Pub 31Euro info center Maribor 43

Europark 41, 42Europcar 7Festivalna dvorana lent 14Fitnes hotela Betnava 43Fitnes studio Forma 43Fotogalerija Stolp 14Fotoplus 42Foto Tabor 42Frajgraba 29Franciscan church 36Galantes Wines 38Galeb 29Galerija Dlum 14, 41Galerija Gosposka 42Garni Milena 24Garni Tabor 23Giga Sport 42Glavni trg 46Gledališka Kavarna 30Goraz Šifer 46Gosposvetska 46Gostišče pri Janezu 29Gostišče Vračko 29Grand Ocean 22Grill Ranca 26H & M 41Habakuk 22Hervis Maribor 42Hiša jezikov 46Hiša pri modrem orehu 42Holmes Pub 31Hot air balloon flights 38Hugo Boss 41Igrišče za golf Ptuj 46Ilich 30Ines Bukovič 46Insa 43, 46Jazz Klub Satchmo 32Kačar 23Karitas 46Kavarna Kavajo 30Kavarna Macchiato 30Kemična čistilnica in pralnica Bajt 43Kemična čistilnica Maribor 43Klub Maribor 43Klub MC Pekarna 32Kmečka Ekološka Tržnica 42KMŠ 32Kolosej 14Kompas 7, 43Ksenija Košar Bratuša 46La Cantina 28

Lancom 43Lesjak 28Levstek d.o.o. 46Lollipop 24Madness 41Maribor's City Park 35Maribor Castle 35Maribor Cathedral 36Maribor rent a car 7Mariborska Kavarna 30Mariborska knjižnica - Pionirska knjižnica Tabor 46Mariborska knjižnica - Velika čitalnica 46Mariborska Tržnica 42Mariborski Utrip 46McDonald's 27Megamarket Interspar Europark Maribor 41Menjalnica Alt 43Merano 23Mercator 41Mercator Center Maribor 42Metulj 32Mikro Taxi 7Milenium 27Mlada Lipa 29Modna Hiša 41Mond, Casino and Cabaret 32MTC Fontana 43Museum of National Liberation 38National Liberation Monument 37Natural and Cultural Heritage Centre Bolfenk on Pohorje - TIC Bolfenk 42Nova kreditna banka Maribor d.d. 43Nova ljubljanska banka d.d. 43Novi Svet pri Stolnici 27Okulistika Kameleon 46OMV 43Optika Auer 46Optika Clarus 46Optika Pirc 46Orient 26Patrick's J&B Pub 31Pec 27Pedox 14Petrol 43Piramida 23

Plague Column 37Planet Tuš Maribor 14, 42Pohorje 38Pohorska Kavarna 30Policijska postaja Maribor 46Pomodoro 29Poslovni sistem Academia 46Poštna banka Slovenije d.d. 43Pozor, Huda Kava 30Pri Florjanu 27Pri Kostanju 29Pri Lešniku 27Pri Treh Ribnikih 28Prlekija Local Tourist Organisation 38Probanka d.d. 43Puppet Theatre 14Qlandia 42Radgonske Gorice 38Radio City 46Raiffeisen Krekova banka 43Razstavni salon Rotovž 14, 41Rdeči križ 46Reds Pub 31Relax 7Renato Blaznik s.p., 46Ribičija 32Roma 29Rožmarin 28, 32RTS TV - Tele 59 46S.G. Dent d.o.o. 43Samsara 32San Remo 29Skrinja, galerija daril 42Slovene National Theatre 14Sobočan 28Sočna Hiša 25Sonček 7Stand Up 32Stanislav Bohinc 46Stiefelkönig 41Stolna župnija Maribor 36ŠTUK 32Synagogue 36Tabor Pharmacy (24 hours) 46Takos 29Taxi Mat d.o.o. 7Taxi Plan 7Taxi Plus 7Teranep d.o.o 46

Terme Maribor d.d. 43Terme Radenci 25Terme SPA Rogaška 25That's Slovenia 42The Old Vine House 35Tildos 30Time out 7Tisa 24Tomislav Ajdič 46Tom Tailor 41Toti Rotož 35Toto Café 30Tourist Information Centre Maribor - TIC Maribor 6Tovarna podjemov 43TPC City 41Umetnostna galerija Maribor 14Uni 25University Medical Centre Maribor 43University of Maribor Rectorate 35Univerzitetna knjižnica v Mariboru 46Valerija 28Večer Newspaper 46Veolia Transport Štajerska d.d. 6Vernik 29Veronika 28Veter 23Videc 23Vila Emei 24Villa Rustica 28Vinska Klet Brigadir 29Water Tower 36Wellness Betnava 43Wellness center Bellevue 43Wellness center Bolfenk 43Wellness center Habakuk 43XXL Taxi 7Zara 41Zarja 24Zavarovalnica Generali 46Zavarovalnica Maribor 46Zavarovalnica Tilia 46Zavarovalnica Triglav 46Zdravstveni dom Adolfa Drolca 43Zlati Lev 28Zveza prijateljev mladine Maribor 46

Maribor In Your Pocket

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