Maribor, Slovenia

Maribor is the second-largest city in Slovenia, with a population of about 114,000, set along the Drava River and first recorded in 1164. In the riverside Lent district grows the Žametovka grapevine, known as Stara Trta, a roughly 400-year-old plant that still produces grapes and is protected as a national natural monument. The 12th-century Maribor Castle on the main square holds the regional museum's collections. To the south, Maribor Pohorje hill rises to 1,342 meters and hosts the annual Golden Fox World Cup slalom. The city's wine-growing hills hold a few more surprises worth the climb.