Maribor
Eco-friendly travel guide to Maribor advises how to be a responsible tourist. Learn how to explore the attractions in a sustainable way and how to respect the local people and culture. Make your trip green by supporting locally owned hotels, organic restaurants and other businesses. Read more on how to protect the environment by making conscientious choices and how to travel green in Maribor, Slovenia.
- Air quality: 4 / 5
- Exploring by foot: 4 / 5
- Exploring by bicycle: 3.5 / 5
- Public transportation: 4.5 / 5
- Parks: 3.5 / 5
- Outdoor activities: 4 / 5
- Locals' English level: 4 / 5
- Safety: 3.5 / 5
- Accommodation: US$40 - $100
- Budget per day: US$50 - $200
Contents
Responsible Travel
Traveling is one of the best experiences in the world that helps you to learn a lot of new things and explore beautiful places. Maribor is known to be the second-largest city in Slovenia and also a very well known travel destination. Being the next important city of the capital city Ljubljana, this city has all the fields available from culture to policies. The overall size of the city is very small despite being the second-largest city in the country. The population of this county is less than 100,000 but offers a lot of history, destinations, culture, architecture, historical buildings, and many more. Make sure to explore the city very well to learn everything during your trip. From food to fashion, there are many different places you need to visit in the city to get the best experience of traveling to Maribor. Here are some of the things given below that you need to keep in mind before visiting the city. It will both help you and the city to stay safe and improve the environment.
- During your trip to the city, you will find a lot of available options for your stay. Although the country does not witness a lot of visitors, there are plenty of accommodations available from high to low ranges. As an eco-friendly traveler, stay at the green hotels that help you to get the best staying experience and keep the city free from waste improving the overall environment.
- You will find multiple modes of transportations available in the city to move around different places. While some of them help to reach faster, others take a lot of time to reach. However, you need to choose a mode of transportation that will help to keep the city clean by producing low pollution
- Traditional cuisines and dishes are some of the things that you must try in Maribor. You will find a lot of traditional restaurants available in the city that offer dishes at low prices. Just like them, street foods of the city also play a crucial role in the culture of the county. It will help you to save a lot of money and help the local sellers to get support as most of them are dependent on tourism
- Visiting all the famous attractions of the city is a must for having the best traveling experience. However, you will need to visit some other places as well to get far from the crowd and enjoy nature. There are many city parks that you can visit to get a very good natural experience and get fresh air.
- When you are exploring the country, you will come across many small shops and stalls that offer goods to customers at a low price. All of these small shops and stores are mostly dependent on tourism. Purchasing goods and trying delicious food from them will help a lot to keep providing amazing things to the customers
Air Quality and Pollution
If you want to visit a destination, then the first thing that you need to keep in mind is keeping your health in check. Some of the things can harm your health a lot and cause a lot of health conditions. One of those is the air quality of the city, which is very imp[ortant to check before visiting. If the air is polluted, then it can cause a lot of problems for your health. According to reports, the air quality of the city is very good and well breathable.
There are no incidents of travelers getting ill by the air quality of this city. However, if you want to take extra precautions, then you will need to carry some of the things like masks, medicines, and others. People who have severe conditions like asthma or serious breathing problems, need to take extra care. It is best to take the help of a doctor to know what medicines you need to carry with you to stay healthy in the city.
Respect the Culture
Apart from witnessing the famous locations and beautiful places of this city, many travelers visit to explore the lifestyle, culture, and tradition of the local people. The unique traditions and culture will make your jaw drop. From clothes to food, you will be able to see the cultural impact in almost all the different things. If you visit the city at the time of any festivals, then you will be able to explore the cultural side better. From wine traditions to different arts, you will be able to witness all of the different things in this city. Make sure to explore the city very well to get all the cultural experience and knowledge traditions.
Top 10 Places to Visit
Maribor is the best city in Slovenia where people from different parts of the globe love to visit. It is because the city has some wonderful places which are good for your holiday trip. So here are those places about which you have to know in a very brief manner.
- Maribor Castle - Start your journey with this lovely castle and get to know about the best things in history. It will tell you how the invaders invaded the Slovene regions and many other things like that. Just go for it and you will have a fine knowledge about this particular thing.
- Plague Column- After the caste, you can go to this monument which is dedicated to all those plague fighters. They sacrificed their lives during the huge epidemic which took place a long time ago. Come here and know it in detail so that you can share it with your beloved persons.
- Betnava castle - It is a castle cum mansion which was established in the year 1319. Here the architecture is fine and reminicizes the days of early ages. In the beginning, you may think that it is nothing but later on you will understand its value.
- Franciscan Church - This church is beautiful and always leaves you with a great feeling of wow. The moment you come here then you will realize how good it is and the features which it has. So it is a must-visit for you and your family members.
- Maribor Aquarium and Terrarium - Do not go by the name terrarium because in simple words it is an aquarium. Here you will get some of the best fishes and sea creatures which you might not get to see anywhere. They are beyond words and can give you a whole lot of satisfaction.
- Stolna župnija - Believe it or not, but it is true that this cathedral is built to honor the famous Baptist. He had some bigger contributions and gave a lot of significance during the early 18th century. Make a double tick of this place and mark it as a very important one.
- Basilica of Our Mother of Mercy - You cannot imagine that this palace is the finest one and here you can get the real presence of mother Mary. It is beautiful and without this place, your trip is incomplete and casual. Just go for it and you will have a lot of fun which is more than enough.
- Lake Pernica - It is a very fine lake and here you will see some ducks and ducklings. So take a piece of bread with you and feed them by having great pleasure. Therefore, just try it out for once and you will never have any kind of disappointment or unhappiness.
- Grad Viltuš - You will notice that this castle surrounds half of the city area. It is huge and is responsible for promoting the cultural heritage of the city. Rather than having any second thoughts just visit here and get to see something very extraordinary.
- Shopping center Europark Maribor - Last but not least, is to visit this shopping mall which has at least 120 outlets. In those outlets, you will get the best clothes and a wide range of fashion wears. Buy them for once and you will discover yourself in a brand new avatar.
Explore
Now when it is about exploring the city of Maribor then the above places are not enough. You also have to visit other places like some parks and museums. They are amazing and can always give you a different level of fun.
City Parks
- Promenade - This park is awesome and here you can go for a long walk. People often come here for this reason and get the best happiness in their life. Try not to miss it because this opportunity might not come again and again.
- Maribor City Park - Without any doubt, we can say that here you will get a lot of greenery. It means the plants are fully green and they become a point of attraction for everyone. People often call it boring but you have to come here and make your own decision.
National Parks
- Pustolovski park Betnava - Here you can come for having a picnic with your family as it gives a very nice experience. In other words, it is an experience about which you might have never thought before. You would enjoy it to the fullest and get a feeling of wow.
Beaches
You would not get any beaches in the city of Maribor as it is landlocked. But do not worry because there are nearby districts where you would get a lot of beaches. This way you can easily fulfill the wishes of your holiday and make all your dreams come true. If you still do not believe it then see the places which are mentioned below.
Landmarks
- Main Square - It is the main city landmark where you would get some marketplaces and buildings. Here you can take a nice selfie with your family and upload it on your Facebook profile. No one misses it because this chance comes only once in your lifetime.
Museums
- Pokrajinski muzej Maribor - This is a very nice museum and here you can get sculptures of many warriors. They were responsible for bringing freedom to the country. After coming here you would be eager to know about them and get a good amount of interest.
- Museum of National Liberation - In this museum, you would get some of the brilliant artifacts. They will remind you of those days when the country was ruled by outsiders. Come here and after doing it you would want to present your positive reviews about it.
Eat
Food plays a very important role in the culture of the city and also boosts your traveling experience a lot. You will be able to get some of the foods available in this city that are not available anywhere else in the world. After stepping into the city, make sure to visit all the traditional restaurants available in the city to get the best food experience. Apart from that, you will also get a lot of other options. Based on the time you visit the city, you will be able to get a lot of food options available. Make sure to try the street foods too that will help you to get a very wonderful experience. Here are some of the different food sections given below that will help you to find your dining options in the city easily.
Traditional Local Restaurants
As mentioned above, traditional restaurants are one of the first places that you need to go for having the best food experience. There are plenty of traditional restaurants available in Maribor that you can visit to get different traditional dishes at a low price. Here are some of the most popular ones given below.
- Romani Kafenava - This is one of the most popular places in the city that will help you to enjoy the Roma language, culture, art, and cuisines at a reasonable price. You will find both Romanian and Slovenian traditional dishes available in this restaurant
- Gostilna Pri Treh Ribnikih - If you want to visit the authentic traditional Slovenian foods, then this is the perfect place. This restaurant has served traditional dishes to customers for more than 300 years and is known in the local area for offering the best food items.
Vegetarian and Vegan
Many travelers might worry about missing out on the traditional dishes as they are vegetarian. Yes, you will not be able to eat some of the famous traditional foods that are non-veg. However, there are many vegetarian restaurants available in the city that you can visit to get plenty of vegetarian foods at low prices. Here is the list of vegan restaurants that you can visit for the best dishes.
- Loving Hut - A wide range of vegan dishes are served in this restaurant and non-alcoholic beverages as well. The restaurant is small in size but operating for more than 8 years in the city.
- Slovegija - Compared to all the other veg restaurants, this one is quite new and opened only 3 years ago. However, the food in this place is far better than most of the restaurants in this area. You will be able to get traditional dishes with all the other European ones
Street Food
A trip to different places is not complete without having the food experience. Street foods play an important part in traditional dishes and culture. Along with trying the traditional dishes from big restaurants in the city, make sure to try some of the street food dishes as well. Street food stalls and shops are very well available in almost all the corners of the city. Make sure to visit all of them and get one of the best food experiences. Make sure to try some of the famous street food dishes of the city such as salads, rice noodles, rice bowls, cold-pressed juices, and many more. It will help the small shops and street food sellers to get a lot of support as most of them are dependent on tourism.
Drink
Drinks are also a very important part of the culture that will help you to learn a lot of things about the city and local people. You will need to tackle the help of drinks in almost every step of the exploitation from visiting different places to relaxing in the park. You will find a lot of different types of drinks available in this city from alcohol to soft drinks. You will be able to get some other drinks available in the city as well at very low prices. Make sure to visit the nightlife of the city to get a lot of drinking options available. The city has a wide collection of local beers that you can try to get a very unique drinking experience.
Tap-water
Tap water plays a very important role in keeping your health in good condition. You will need to know the tap water quality of the city before traveling. If the tap water quality is not good, then you will need to include the bottled water price in your budget. The tap water quality of Maribor is drinkable and there are no problems with pollution found. As the water is pristine, you will be able to get the tap water in almost all the places including restaurants, cafes, theatres, and other places. However, if you do not want to take the risk, you can take the help of bottled water. Bottled water is available in almost all the areas of this city. They cost reasonable and come with high-quality water.
Organic Cafés
Staying healthy is one of the common priorities every traveler has during their trip. If you are one of them and do not want to eat anything other than organic foods, then this city will not disappoint you. There are plenty of organic cafes and restaurants available where you will be able to get 100% organic foods and dishes. You might need to pay more than the normal quality foods, but most of them are very good in quality. The restaurants and cafes are located in different corners of the city. So, make sure to check the locations before visiting them. It will both save you a lot of time and help you to know the opening and closing times of the cafes.
Breweries
There are many local breweries available in the city that you can visit to get some of the best craft beers. The nightlife of the city is very good and contains a lot of beers. You will be able to find a lot of pubs, bars, and nightclubs that offer plenty of beers. To check the making process, you can visit the local breweries that are available in the city. Make sure to visit the breweries as early as possible to witness the making process, ingredients, and taste them from the counter. Here are some of the breweries that you can visit in this country given below.
- Pub Gambrinus
- Pivovarna Maribor
Activities
You will never go out of activity when traveling to Maribor as it offers plenty of different activities. From famous attractions to the unique culture of the city, you will be able to get a whole lot of things to do in the city. Apart from that, if you like to take part in outdoor activities, then you will be able to get a lot of them. As the city offers rivers, mountains, hills, and forests, you will be able to take part in different activities like hiking, trekking, rock climbing, bird watching, boating, and many more. It is best to visit these places as fast as possible to take part in outdoor activities.
Yoga and Retreats
Exploring all the different places in the city takes a lot of time. Constantly staying in the city and exploring all the places sometimes become very hectic. There are many yoga and retreats in the city that you can visit to stay away from the crowd. Doing yoga will help you to get your energy back and to relax after a long day of exploring. It is best to book the yogas long before visiting the city as they tend to be full very fast. The local people of the country are very concerned about their mental and physical health.
Accommodation
Based on the mode of accommodation, the whole traveling experience of Maribor depends. You need to get a nice place for your rest after traveling to a different location. Although this city is not as famous as all the other western cities, there is a list of the accommodation available that you can choose from. You will be able to get luxurious ones at a very high price and some of them are available at cheap. Based on your budget and requirement, you will be able to book your accommodation in this city. No matter which one you choose to stay in the city, make sure to stay in the middle to get connected easily to all the corners very well. Here are some of the most common staying options given below that will help you on your trip.
Green Hotels
Green hotels are the first choice of all the eco-friendly travelers around the world for having a lot of different facilities that help to keep the environment safe. You will be able to improve the environment of the city a lot by using all the recycled items, natural sources, and others. Most of these green hotels range from medium to very expensive and come with a lot of facilities. It is best to book the rooms earlier before visiting as it helps to both ensure your rooms and prevent the last time hassle. You can take the help of online services to book green hotels early.
Hostels and Guest Houses
If you are thinking of staying for more than 2 weeks in the city, then green hotels can be expensive for you. You can choose both very cheap to expensive hotels and guest houses in the city. Choosing to stay in hostels will help you to save a lot of money as there are options available to share the hostel room with another person to reduce the overall price. When it comes to guest houses, you will be able to find a lot of them in almost all the areas of the city. Just like green hotels, make sure to book these earlier too for getting the rooms available.
Apartments
Many travelers visit a country for more than a month and explore all the different things about the local people. If you are one of them, then renting apartments is the best choice for you as it helps you to save a lot of money. You will get all the basic benefits available in the city and a very comfortable stay. However, the difference in price is huge from apartments to hotels. Apartments are widely available in almost all the corners of the city, and you can also book them offline. The best thing about staying at apartments is that you will be able to see a lot of local people surrounding you. It will help you a lot to learn more about their culture and traditions up close. During your stay, you might make some friends as well in the city.
Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is one of the ways of accommodations that help you to stay at the house of other travelers. It got very popular in a short time for the many different benefits that it offers. You will be able to find a lot of Couchsurfing hosts available in this city who are ready to offer this service to the customers. By staying in the city with the help of Couchsurfing, you will be able to stay at the place of local people and get the food as well. It will also help you a lot to get the traditional and cultural experience of the local people up close. Make sure to use the online services to get the Couchsurfing hosts easily in this city.
Camping
If you like to have an adventurous experience, then camping is the best accommodation for you. There are plenty of camping spots available in the city that you can choose to booth stay near the natural places and enjoy the adventurous stay. Being a place with rivers, mountains, and hills, you will be able to enjoy the views a lot. Compared to all the other modes of accommodation, you will get all the basic facilities available at a low price. Some of these camps also offer some outdoor activities to travelers. Here are some of the camping spots in the city that you can choose to stay in the city at a low price.
- Kekec Campsite
- Chateau Ramsak
How to Get There
There are plenty of available ways that you can use to get to the city from your location. However, you need to choose among them very carefully as some of them help you to reach very fast and others might take some days. Based on your budget and available time to stay on the trip, you can choose a different mode of transportations. You might not be able to get all of them available from your location if you are traveling from a palace that is located very far from Maribor. So, here are some of the most common ways of traveling to the city that you can choose are given below in detail.
Air
Air is known to be the easiest way to travel to the destination as it helps to make the trip both very comfortable and save a lot of time. Among all the different ways of transportations, traveling by flight is the best way to reach the city. You will be able to get a flight from almost all the places around the world to visit this city. Make sure to book your tickets earlier to get a discount on the price of lights as it tends to be very expensive compared to all the other ones. It will also help to ensure your seat on the flight and get a good traveling experience.
Bus
While traveling by flight helps you to enjoy a comfortable ride and save a lot of time, you will not be able to enjoy the different locations on your way to the city. When it comes to visiting Maribor, you will get the cheapest price when traveling by bus. Compared to all the different modes of transportation, you will be able to get a very comfortable journey to the city. However, it tackles a lot of time to reach the city by bus. Make sure to have some time on your hand before going out as buses can be late due to traffic.
Train
Trains are very well available in the city, and you can catch one to reach your destination if you are traveling from a nearby city. However, you might not be able to get direct trains to this city from most of the places. You will need to take the help of breaking the journey to successfully reach the city.
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is one of the popular ways of traveling that helps you to save a lot of money. You will be able to reach the city with the help of other people who are going the same way by taking lifts. Most of the people will help you to reach the city as they are very friendly. However, you need to pick the busiest roads and wait at places where the cars slow down such as restaurants, tolls, and other places.
Others
There are other ways of traveling available but they are not chosen by travelers as most of them are very hectic and time taking. You will need to take the help of other transportations like cars, bikes to reach the city by road. However, you will need to take a lot of time in your hand before choosing them.
Moving Around
Moving around in the city is one of the most important things that will help to give you a very good traveling experience. Some of the available transportations are there that come with different benefits. While some of them help you to explore all the small things on your way. Others help you to reach the destination much faster, you need to choose them based on your budget and time.
Walk
Walking is known to be a very popular way of exploring the destination. As there are many lanes available in Maribor, you will be able to get a very good exploring experience by walking through the city. From markets to the building, you will be able to witness all the different things on your way. However, you will need a lot of time to reach your destination by walking. So, only choose this way of traveling when you have a lot of time on your hands.
Bicycle
Bicycles are a very good way of traveling to different attractions in a destination. You will be able to get bicycles on rent in Maribor from different services. The best thing about traveling by bicycle is that it helps you to exercise and explore at the same time. It is one of the eco-friendly ways of traveling that helps to keep the environment free of pollution.
Electronic Vehicles
Compared to fueled vehicles, electronic vehicles are known to be eco-friendly and make the environment better. You will be able to get a lot of electronic vehicles available in this city. Traveling using them will help you to reach the destination faster and save a lot of time. However, the traffic on the road might make you late to reach the destination. So make sure to have some time on your hands.
Public Bus
Public buses are the cheapest way of traveling compared to all the other ones that help you to reach the destination very fast. It is one of the useful ways of traveling as it helps to know a lot about the lifestyle of local people who travel by bus. You will get to know a lot about their culture and daily life by choosing the bus as your transportation.
Tram, Train and Subway
Trains are available in different parts of the city that you can get frequently. The busiest rail station in the city is the Maribor train station that you can use to visit different parts of the city. Take the help of different online websites to learn the timings of these trains and book the tickets as early as possible. It will help you to ensure your seat and prevent waiting in line for a long time.
Sustainable Shopping
Sustainable shopping is a very good way of purchasing goods while improving the environment of the city. As an eco-friendly traveler, it is one of your duties to help out the city by adopting recycled and second-hand items. It will not only help the sellers to get support or save your money but you will be able to motivate the locals to try them as well. Here are some of the places given below that you can visit to have some antique, vintage items, foods, and many other things.
Food Markets
Many foodie travelers explore all the different places in the city to get the best food experience. However, the first destination on their list is the food market that helps them to know about the spices and vegetables that are available in the city. Maribor offers a lot of food markets that you can visit to get a very good food eating experience.
Flea Markets
If you are interested to get vintage items and antiques at very low prices, then make sure to visit the flea markets. There are many flea markets available in this city that you can visit to get rare collections at a very low price. Some of the items will help you to make your collection exclusive. Make sure to visit these markets as early as possible to get all the items available before they are sold.
Second Hand Stores
Instead of buying new clothes, buying second-hand clothes will help you a lot to keep the city out of waste. These second-hand items are available in many different markets at low prices. All of these items are available at very low prices but all of them are of high quality. Make sure to visit the markets as fast as possible to get all the items available. It will also help the sellers a lot as most of them are dependent on tourism.
Eco-Fashion
Eco-fashion is known to be a very modern way of clothing. It helps you to stay stylish and look cool while keeping the environment clean. Most of these eco fashions are made using natural ingredients instead of chemicals that help to make them free of any harm. They are available in almost all corners of the city.
Recycling
Recycling is a very crucial thing that helps to keep the city waste-free and improve the environment. You will be able to see a lot of recycling plants in the city, which helps to recycle the wastes as much as possible. Compared to the last few years, they have made a lot of changes and recycled wastes very well.
Waste
Reducing waste in a country is very important to improve the environment. Most of the cities around the world have taken different initiatives to make the environment waste-free. From minimizing the use of plastic to others, you will be able to see a lot of measures taken in Maribor.
Work and Study Abroad
During your exploring in Maribor, you will meet with many students and workers who are visiting the city from other cities and countries. There are some colleges, schools, and universities that offer good education at a reasonable price that attracts students.
Exchange Student
Exchange student program has become very popular all around the world for offering high-quality education at a reasonable price. You do not have to pay anything more than tuition fees while taking the help of the exchange student program to study in a city. However, your home university, school, college needs to have a partnership with them, and you need to be nominated to get this program.
Au Pair
Au Pair is very helpful for getting shelter, food, and some pocket money as well. You will need to take the help of online services to get this job. In the initial stage of settling in, you will be able to get a very good assist with it. You will need to look at the online services to get an Au Pair job in this city.
Volunteering
Volunteering is known to be the best way of helping others in your travel destination. You can participate in different things such as planting trees, gathering plastics, collecting waste, teaching English, and many others to help the local people.