Itinerary

Day 1:
Arrive Maribor

Situated 15km from the Austrian border, halfway between Vienna and Trieste, on the banks of the Drava river, Maribor has a lot to offer. Forests, fields, and vineyards surround the city, and there are many small parks in the very city centre. The city park with its ponds and swans is the most beautiful and a wonderful spot for relaxation. In the centre of the city there are shops and boutiques that offer Slovene and foreign wares, and the many small bars and restaurants here provide a place to rest after shopping. Overnight in a 3* hotel

Day 2:
Maribor to Ptuj, 15 miles (25km).

Your cycling tour starts along the bank of the Drava and across fields to Ptuj. The town of Ptuj - the oldest town in Slovenia - has Roman ruins, temples and a medieval castle with a wonderful collection of old musical instruments. Recommended by cycle tourists is the Traminec white wine. Overnight in a 4* hotel in the town centre

Day 3:
Ptuj to Jeruzalem, 25 miles (40km).

Across flat plains with a short hilly section at the end and one shallow 100m/330ft climb. Accommodation in 4* mansion, set among the vineyards – you’ll love the room with a view –a selection of wine in house cellar.
Leaving the stony streets of Ptuj, your route takes across the immense eastern plains that lead you through tiny villages and picturesque scenery. In the village of Ormož you can visit the wine cellars for lunch and taste the white wines that are predominant in the region. Ormož is the border town with Croatia, so you can pop across the Drava Bridge and pay it a quick visit. From Ormož you will cycle northwards along the famous Ormož to Ljutomer wine road. Although this is the smallest of Podravje’s wine growing districts, it’s also one of the most famous. You will cycle through a landscape of terraced vineyards where the sound of the Klopotec, a wooden wind powered rattle designed to scare off birds, will fill the air. Your day will end at the hilltop village of Jeruzalem, named by the crusaders who passed through the region and loved the wine so much they named the settlement after the holy city.

Day 4:
Jeruzalem to Moravske Toplice, 28 miles (45km).

Some hilly sections in the morning followed by an afternoon across the plain. Accommodation in a 4* hotel – part of the thermal spas in Moravske Toplice. In the morning you will continue along the wine road; on a clear day you can see as far as Hungary. There is a neverending choice of wine cellars between here and Ljutomer offering some of the best white wines in the region; although you might not want to stop at too many in case you start cycling around in circles bleary-eyed. Visit the floating mill of Veržej before crossing the Mura River into the most eastern region of Slovenia, Prekmurje. The black pottery workshop in Filovci and the modern church in Bogojina are just two of the places you visit before arriving in Moravske Toplice.

Day 5:
Rest day in Moravske Toplice, 0 or 31 miles (0 or 50km).

Take an easy trip towards the Hungarian border and visit Bukovnica Lake – it has bioenergetical effects! Enjoy a cup of coffee with tasty pastry in Lendava or cycle a couple of kilometres through Hungary.

Day 6:
Moravske Toplice to Lenart, 26 miles (41km).

The first part of your route today is flat, followed by gently rolling countryside. On your way you can see Murska Sobota castle and cross the river Mura by an old fashioned float. Your 2* country inn has it's own cellar and included in the price is wine tasting.

Day 7:
Lenart to Maribor, 21 miles (35km).

Today you are riding through some hills amongst vineyards. You will pass through some lovely northern Slovene rural villages and farms before arriving in Maribor. Overnight in a 3* hotel

Day 8:
Depart from Maribor.

Time to make your way home...