Lent district

Lent is the old riverfront quarter of Maribor, the second largest city in Slovenia, and it stretches along the left bank of the Drava River below the main part of town. It was the medieval port and trading district, where timber rafts, boats and merchants came together, and it grew up around the water, the mills and the markets. Much of the old quarter has been renovated, and today it is a pleasant strip of low houses, towers, cafes and terraces with the river just in front.

Its best known sight is the Old Vine, which is recognised by the Guinness World Record as the oldest vine still bearing fruit and is more than four centuries old. It grows on the facade of a house in the district, and the Old Vine House beside it works as a small museum and tasting room, with information about the vine, its yearly cycle and how the grapes are used. Every autumn the grapes are harvested in a ceremony known as the Oldest Vine Festival, and the wine made from it is bottled in tiny quantities as a souvenir. Other events through the year include the Pruning of the Oldest Vine and the St Martin’s Feast, which marks the turning of must into wine in November.

Elsewhere in Lent you will find the Judgement Tower, a medieval town tower with a long history, and the Water Tower on the waterfront, both part of the old fortifications. Lent’s waterfront also has the Maribor Market and a small quay area where traditional wooden rafts can be seen. Rafting trips with timbermen's traditions are offered on the Drava River in season, which is a nice way to see the old town from the water. The Studenci Footbridge, a short walk downstream, has become a place where couples leave padlocks, and the Drava River Promenade offers a long, easy walk along the bank.

Lent is also the site of the Lent Festival, which takes place in late June and early July and is one of the biggest outdoor festivals in Slovenia’s calendar of summer events and a highlight of Štajerska’s year, with concerts, theatre, street performance and food stalls filling the squares and the riverbank. During that time the district becomes lively late into the night, so book accommodation early.

The best time for a quiet visit is a weekday morning, when the cafes are calm and the river light is soft. Combine Lent with Freedom Square, Maribor Castle, Maribor Cathedral and the Maribor Art Gallery, all of which are within walking distance, and finish with a glass of local Štajerska wine on a terrace by the water. Maribor’s old quarter rewards a slow evening stroll.