Maribor_Piramida
Photo credit: Slovenian Tourist Board / Jure Kralj

Maribor, the capital of Slovenian Styria and the second largest Slovenian city, is the the place to be for all wine lovers. The influence of wine tradition can be felt throughout the city with the Oldest Vine in the World at its front. But besides the most renowned wine-making Maribor’s symbol, there is another landmark that makes this old and beautiful city unique – Maribor is one of the rare, if not the only one, of the cities in the world with a vineyard-hill rising above its city centre.

maribor_piramida
Photo credit: www.visitmaribor.si / Marko Petrej

To make this urban unusualness even more special, the hill is called Piramida (Pyramid) and those looking for a unique adventure can take a hike up to the vineyards straight from Maribor’s downtown.

HOW PIRAMIDA CAME ABOUT

Once upon a time there was a castle … is how usually fairy-tales start, but in the case of the Piramida Hill this is an actual beginning of its story. Once upon a time there was a castle, also called the Maribor’s Upper Castle (Maribor still to these days has its downtown castle), which was built at the beginning of the 12th Century. In 1528 the castle was burnt down, and around 30 years later it was renovated in a Renaissance style, but then, by the year 1790, it was completely demolished.

maribor_piramida
Photo credit: www.visitmaribor.si / Marko Petrej

INCENTIVE IDEAS

INCENTIVE IDEA 1:

Piramida hill, 386 m high, is a popular excursion sight for the people of Maribor and other visitors. It only takes 15-30 minute walk from the City Park to its top.

maribor_piramida
Photo credit: www.visitmaribor.si / Marko Petrej

INCENTIVE IDEA 2:

When on top, one can also take the Piramida Challenge: an orientation challenge in the middle of the vineyard slopes.

maribor_piramida
Photo credit: www.visitmaribor.si / Marko Pušenjak

INCENTIVE IDEA 3:

Nordic Hike to Piramida – 7km: A walk through the city, ascend to Kalvarija hill among the vineyards to the chapel, descend and slight ascend to the Anderlič Restaurant, a walk by three ponds in the City Park and ascend to the top of Piramida, another descend that takes past the Vinag Wine Cellar, and past the Water Tower Winery, to the final destination – the Old Vine House with the Oldest Vine in the World.

ADDED VALUE

From the spot, where once the Maribor castle used to stand, the visitor to Maribor and its central vineyard at the top of the Piramida hill can enjoy a wonderful view of the vines on the slopes and in the views of the whole city beneath it.

Maribor - View from Piramida
Photo credit: www.visitmaribor.si

The wine growing hills offer favourable natural surroundings for different animal species; the business or congress guest to Maribor taking a walk to the Piramida Hill might come across deer, hare, different reptiles, pheasants and songbirds, butterflies and insects and even foxes.

MADE POSSIBLE BY

Join our newsletter!

Subscribe to our newsletter and stay up-to-date with the latest updates from Kongres Magazine.