Many tourists include a visit to the old town of Ptuj into their vacation plan in Slovenia. The rich architectural and cultural heritage of the Slovenian settlement makes an acquaintance with local attractions truly exciting. Do you like exploring interesting places? In Ptuj, you can visit an old castle and wonderful old wine cellars that have been storing famous local wine for centuries. Local people are still engaged in winemaking, so tourists can always buy a bottle of the fragrant drink as a souvenir from Ptuj. The surrounding nature and picturesque landscapes are perfect for a pleasant stroll in this Slovenian region.
The first mentions of Ptuj date back to the first century AD. At that time, the town was a part of the Roman Empire. The ruling emperor, Trajan, officially gave the settlement a town status. Historians think that that the first settlements appeared in the region yet during the Stone Age. During the Roman Empire period, the town had another name – Poetovio. The settlement’s population was nearly then thousand people. The region developed rapidly. Already in the 3rd century AD, Poetovio was the biggest in Slovenia. This was an important political and economic center of the region.
Why is this town so attractive to tourists? Ptuj Castle is the first place that every guest of the town tries to visit. The hill, on which the castle is built, always attracted medieval feudalists who were living in the region. The first fortress on the hill was built in the 9th century. One tower from that fortress is still a part of Ptuj Castle. You can see it in the western part of the stronghold. In the 12th century, the gorgeous building became a property of Archbishop Conrad Salzburg. He ordered to rebuild a small fortress into a large castle. The fabulous fortification has survived until modern times, maintaining its original look and former glory.
Nowadays, there is a museum open in the castle. Its exhibition is dedicated to the medieval past of the region. You will be able to see musical instruments that feudalists used in the past. All halls still have the original antique furniture. There are even sofas that the castle’s owners were using in the 15th and 16th centuries. Magnificent paintings by famous artists decorate the walls. Other museum halls feature household items that local people were using in the Middle Ages. A collection of the costumes for masquerades and carnivals is one of the most interesting parts of the exhibition.
Ptuj has always been famous for its wine. The town still has many underground wine cellars. Every tourist season, guests of Ptuj can participate in interesting excursions, during which they can learn not only about the history of the town but also about the development of winemaking in the Slovenian region. After an interesting walk in the cellar tunnels, attendees can watch an interesting video presentation that provides information about the winemaking process in the previous centuries. Visitors are welcome to sample all five varieties of the Ptuj wine. The wine is served together with various appetizers such as cheese, meat, and different delicious sauces.
If you happen to visit Ptuj in winter, you can participate in a really interesting event – the Kurentovanje Carnival. This holiday is dedicated to the coming spring. The festival got its name after Kurent or Korent, the early Slavic god of hedonism. All local people put on masks made of sheepskin, attach cowbells to their waist belts, and take wooden sticks in their hands. This holiday is very energetic – people virtually never stop during the carnival. Dancing and loud noises are meant to hurry winter to go away. The carnival procession with performing local musicians crosses the entire town. Locals make fires along the streets and teat everyone with their national food.
There is no airport in Ptuj. In order to reach this town, travelers need to fly to one of the nearby cities. The closest sea gate is located twenty-two kilometers from Ptuj, in the city of Maribor. Tourists can get to the old town by train. The journey time is roughly forty minutes. There is also a train route that requires making a change. The journey time is bigger – one and a half hours. Foreign guests can always rent a car at the airport or call a taxi. In this case, the ride will be significantly shorter – no more than thirty minutes.
