november-2011

THE CITY
OF CULTURE
KNOCK-OUT!
On the eve of
their inaugeration, we
compare the two new
European Cities of
Culture 2012
★
IN THE
ORANGE
CORNER
“The city’s Mestni Park is a
MUST SEE
real paradise, especially in
summer, when there are
workshops for children
and great concerts. There’s a really positive vibe from
morning right through to evening.” maribor-pohorje.si
FAMOUS FACES
ARCHDUKE JOHANN – 19TH CENTURY
PHILANTHROPIST
DANILO TURK – CURRENT PRESIDENT
ZLATKO ZAHOVIC – FOOTBALLER
PARTY HERE
“Tildo’s (13
Slomškov Trg,
Maribor; tel:
+386 (0)41
796 964), opposite the National Theatre, is my second home.
It’s always full of actors, artists and musicians.”
NEED TO KNOW
POPULATION: 157,947
LOCALS WHO FEEL SAFE WALKING AT NIGHT: 89%
FLY TO: LJUBLANA (85 MINUTES AWAY)
34 | TRAVELLER
MARIBOR
“THE JEWEL OF SLOVENIA”
MATJAZ LATIN, THEATRE AND FILM DIRECTOR
“I love Maribor, especially its peculiarities and its people. It has an industrial
past and a great cultural future. Its location is perfect, too: we are close to
the mountains, countryside and coast.”
CLAIMS TO FAME
LARGEST SKI RESORT IN SLOVENIA!
WORLD’S OLDEST VINE!
VINAG WINE CELLAR: 5.5M LITRES OF WINE!
MUST DO
“The Lent Festival in summer
has outstanding concerts and
street theatre. It’s the most
social event of the year. Music
lovers should visit the Maribor Festival in September, and in
October the town hosts the Boršnik theatre festival.”
EAT THIS
PICKLED CHEESE
“Try it at Rozmarin
(8 Gosposka Ulica, Maribor;
rozmarin.si), which has
a good, aff ordable mix of Mediterranean and traditional
Slovenian food and wine.”
COST OF VISIT
HOTEL, DOUBLE ROOM €80 | MEAL FOR TWO €34
THEATRE PERFORMANCE €17
BOTTLE OF WINE €16 | BUS TICKET €1.10
v
WORDS: JONATHAN KNOTT, SARAH WARWICK | PHOTOS © ALAMY, GETTY