Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the foot of the tower is the
Orpheus Monument,
a 2nd-century Roman tombstone
used as a medieval pillory to which wrongdoers were tied and ridiculed by the towns-
folk. Behind the tower is the Gothic
St. George Parish Church.
Just beyond the
church is the
market,
and nearby—on Mestni trg—the century-old
City Hall.
Beyond the square, along Kremplijeva ulica, is the
Minorite Monastery;
ring the
buzzer marked “
Z
upnijska pisarna,” and a monk will arrive to take you on a tour. In
summer classical concerts are occasionally held in the large open courtyard. Several
routes lead up to the town's main attraction, 11th-century
Ptuj Castle
(www.pok-
muzej-ptuj.si), overlooking the city and affording panoramic views of the surround-
ing landscape; you can drive or walk up the steep cobbled pathways, or take the
signposted steps from Pre
s
ernova ulica. Call ahead to book a guide (
&
02/748-0360
).
Usually quiet, even empty, Ptuj comes to life each year on Shrove Sunday, when
50,000 people gather for the
Kurentovanje Festival
, when revelers take to the
streets in their startling Kurent masks and fantastical traditional costumes in an out-
rageous pagan celebration that is traditionally an attempt to magically stave off win-
ter, but is today an awesome excuse for a raucous party.
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
You'll probably want to bed down in either Maribor or Ptuj, and there aren't a whole
lot of options. Note that you can also stay along the Jeruzalem Wine Route.
IN MARIBOR
Hotel Piramida
(
&
€
€
/
$118-$165 double) is a bright, modern, professional business hotel just a few minutes' walk
from Maribor's main drag. The room rate includes access to a recreational spa (pools, Turk-
ish baths, saunas) just outside town.
Hotel Orel
(
&
02/250-6700;
www.termemb.si; 70
€
-
86
02/234-4400;
www.termembe.si; 94
-132
€
/$88-$108 double) is a newly renovated, simple hotel in a lovely historic building over-
looking the main square.
Maribor has two excellent restaurants.
Novi Svet pri Stolnici
(Slom
s
kov trg 6;
&
02/250-0486
) is a top choice for seafood from the Dalmatian coast; try the sole
(morski list)
with truffle sauce or share the “Fish Feast”
(ribja pojedina “Novi Svet”),
a
seafood platter for two.
Toti Rotov
z
(Glavni trg 14;
&
02/228-7650;
www.
mednarodne-kuhinje.com), has a massive subterranean cellar that dates from 1874. The
international menu has a strong Slovene bias, highlighted by great choices like filet of
red scorpionfish with truffles, roast veal, escalope of wild boar, and grilled squid. Finish
with sour cherry strudel, and be sure to order a bottle of local Vinag wine.
IN PTUJ
In a fine building on Ptuj's oldest street,
Hotel Mitra
(Pre
s
ernova ul. 6;
/$89-$101 double) is the best
accommodations in town (and the only option in the center). Reserve a room on the
second floor; those higher up have ceiling windows preventing you from seeing out.
The nicest place to eat is
Gostilna Ribi
c
(Dravska ulica 9;
&
02/749-0635
), where
a seat on the riverside terrace is an ideal place to enjoy a bottle of wine and some excel-
lent freshwater fish. Particularly good is the
trout (postrv),
but you can fearlessly try
the mixed seafood stew, served at the table.
TOURING THE JERUZALEM WINE ROAD
Drive 30km (19 miles)
beyond Ptuj, to
Ljutomer,
where you can pick up a
Jeruzalem Wine Road
map from
the tourist office (
&
02/584-8333;
www.lto-prlekija.si). Then head off for gorgeous
vineyards and their accompanying cellars; 20km (12 miles) from Ljutomer is the hill-
top village of Jeruzalem, so named by the crusaders. From here, set off for
Kog
for a
&
02/787-7455;
www.hotel-mitra-fm.si; 71
€
-81
€
