PTUJ AND MARIBOR - Croatia and Slovenia - page 1003

Helpful Hints
Internet Access: The town has a few Internet cafés, but the easiest access is at the free ter-
minal inside the TI (see earlier).
Local Guide: Anja Cuznar, a likeable, knowledgeable, can-do native, offers walking tours
of the town (€60/2 hours) and can also help arrange any other tours or excursions in
this often-overlooked corner of Slovenia—including wine-tastings, food tours, and so
on (mobile [phone], [e-mail] ) .
Tours: The Ptujske Vedute agency handles most guided-tour options in Ptuj. They try
to offer regularly scheduled two-hour walking tours, which include a tasting of three
wines(€11,moreiffewpeopleshowup,askTIforlatestschedule).Theycanalsobook
you a private guide (€40 for up to a one-hour tour of the Old Town, also possible for
half-day or full-day tours; tel. [phone], www.vedute.si , [e-mail] ) .
Sights in Ptuj
▲▲▲ Ptuj Castle (Ptujski Grad)
The modest castle is Ptuj's top sight, and it proudly claims to be Slovenia's most-visited
museum. Overlooking the town from its perch over the Drava River, it's less than thrilling
from afar. But the horseshoe-shaped castle complex hosts a series of surprisingly rich and
engaging exhibits.
Cost and Hours: €5,daily9:00-17:00,May-mid-Octuntil18:00,July-AugSat-Sununtil
20:00, tel. [phone], www.muzej-ptuj-ormoz.si .
Information and Tours: Good English descriptions are posted in most rooms. English
tours are rare, but you can call to ask if one is scheduled that you can join (included in €5
entry fee). Or you can call ahead to arrange your own private tour for €15 extra (depends
on guide availability, email at least one day ahead to [e-mail] ) . But my self-
guided tour, below, covers the highlights. For more in-depth information, pick up the thor-
ough €7 guidebook.
Getting There: You can't miss the castle, sitting over the city. It's about a 10-minute
cobbled hike above the Old Town. Several different trails lead up from the Old Town, all
well-marked with Grad signs (easiest to find is the lane called Grajska ulica, near the TI).
Self-Guided Tour: The core of the Ptuj Castle collection shows off the lifestyles of
the castle's historic residents, while other exhibits display weapons, musical instruments,
and traditional costumes used for the annual Kurentovanje festival. You'll follow a one-
way route. The entrances to each exhibit are not all well-marked, but attendants are always