Feeling like home in Maribor city, Slovenia

We had no hint of what we could expect from our long trip to Slovenia in March – we travelled there for our really fruitful partners meeting for the Erasmus+ Green Artivism project. And I am not talking about the weather that was unexpectedly sunny and warm, but about the knowledge we gained about the transport system of Slovenia as well as the airport facilities of two central European cities, Munich and Zurich!

Let me explain. Two transfer flights from Athens- Munich-Ljubljana, Ljubljana-Zurich- Athens, two bus transfers to Ljubljana city centre through Slovenia countryside, two main train connections from Ljubljana to Maribor city on the north of Slovenia, were enough to have the big picture of the central European transport system, to watch in awe the amazing view of the Alps from above, to speak some Greek with the North Macedonian train conductor, to have a surreal Thai lunch opposite Ljubljana’s train station and finally, to reach Maribor city at late afternoon dragging our luggage on the cobbled streets of this picturesque city. Phew!

The hospitality of our Slovenian partners, the great weather, the food and the famous wines we tasted just next to the banks of the Drava river, compensated us for all the hassle of the trip. A great variety of local delicacies, like truffles and sweet potatoes, made our palate pulsate with pleasure as we enjoyed a dinner at the Glavni Trg (square), where the history and the hustle and bustle of the town life flow into one.

The local white dry wine and the trip’s fatigue helped us to have a good night’s sleep at our centrally located hotels leaving us with anticipation for the next day’s meeting with our partners from Slovenia, Spain, and Greece. With the bells ringing from the tower of Maribor Cathedral at Slomškoc trgFtrg square, and a good espresso shot from the nearby students’ café, we woke up ready to share with our partners our plans and visions for our Green Artivism project that promotes the environmental activism using the Arts, like video, arts & crafts, social media, and collective urban design. You can always check for more information on this at the website, https://green-artivism.eu/ and https://futureneeds.eu/case-studies/art-and-green-activism/.

Shoeless, with shocks only on, we selected our slippers and walked into the MIITR building, where the Slovenian partner hosted the meeting. The newly renovated cosy offices were shining and made us feel at home. Our 2-day meeting just started!

The local white dry wine and the trip’s fatigue helped us to have a good night’s sleep at our centrally located hotels leaving us with anticipation for the next day’s meeting with our partners from Slovenia, Spain, and Greece. With the bells ringing from the tower of Maribor Cathedral at Slomškoc trgFtrg square, and a good espresso shot from the nearby students’ café, we woke up ready to share with our partners our plans and visions for our Green Artivism project that promotes the environmental activism using the Arts, like video, arts & crafts, social media, and collective urban design. You can always check for more information on this at the website, https://green-artivism.eu/ and https://futureneeds.eu/case-studies/art-and-green-activism/.

Shoeless, with shocks only on, we selected our slippers and walked into the MIITR building, where the Slovenian partner hosted the meeting. The newly renovated cosy offices were shining and made us feel at home. Our 2-day meeting just started!

Work, work, work… and during our breaks Maribor offered several great choices to relax! This small city of 113.000 residents just 20 km from the Austrian borders and the 2nd largest after Ljubljana, is regarded as one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the opinion of various media. Justifiably! The city boasts the oldest vine in the world, exceptional Styrian wines, the old city with the liveliest street Poštna ulica, the picturesque Grajski trg (square) where the first light bulb in central Europe was turned on, the puppet theatre with “Potepini” interactive sound experience, the Tržnice flea market with local products, the gorgeous Mestni park with around 100 species of trees, the music pavilion and the three ponds, the Pyramida city hill from where you have breathtaking views of the whole area, just to name a few.

Trying to cram everything in just 2 days was not an easy job. But thankfully, our partners, who also really enjoyed dipping into this city’s beauties, joined us in a not-to-forget trip experience that marked this year’s calendar!

Join us for more business-with-pleasure travel experiences in our News Section!