FINALIST#7: Travel through time – Experience and taste the history of Ptuj

The oldest Slovenian town of Ptuj and its picturesque surroundings offer many opportunities to actively experience history with all your senses. The “Travel through time” package is suitable for active and curious individuals, couples, families and small groups.

Our journey through time will begin on the picturesque terrace of our House Tisa on Ptujska gora where we will start the day with coffee and homemade snacks from the basket of local food products. We will set off on our electric bikes towards Ptuj and enter the time and stories of the Counts of Herberstein, who were the last owners of the Ptuj Castle. The echoes of stories from the past can still be tasted in the Herberstein’s wine cellar in Juršinci, where our (time) travel guide will be the 4 generations winemaker’s family Kaučič.

The trail will also lead us along the “Ptuj cultural trail” over Mestni vrh, which served as a backdrop in Bogdan Novak’s novel “The vines die standing”. We will visit a “living” museum at the Herberstein House and learn about the life of vinedressers and the history of the surrounding hills, which have been adorned with vineyards for centuries.

Step into the stories of mighty castles, medieval city streets and the countryside, which has been developing viticulture culture since Roman times. Vist buildings where life stories and the memory of the people who wrote them are at home – join us on a journey through time!

Day 1
11.00 – Arrival and welcome at Hiška pri Tisi on Ptujska Gora. Lunch from korpica – a basket of local food products (mixed, vegetarian or vegan basket).
12.00 – Cycle to Ptuj (and back) (Guided or independent) cycling trip to Ptuj with an electric bicycle. We’ll visit the Ptuj castle and slowly travel to the time of Counts of Herberstein who were the last owners of the castle.
18.00 – Wine tasting for 2 persons at “Herberstein cellar” in Juršinci. The winemakers’ family Kaučič has been growing and making wine for 4 generations. A part of the wine cellar, still in use today, originates from the 18th century. The last known owner was the descendant of the Counts of Herberstein, Otto. The wine tasting comprises of 6 wine samples, one archive wine and a meat/cheese platter with “ocvirkovca” – a traditional cake with pork cracklings.

Day 2
9.00 – Breakfast with a view at Hiška pri Tisi on Ptujska Gora overlooking the Drava plain / Dravsko polje – a basket of local food products (mixed, vegetarian or vegan basket).
11.00 – Herberstein House on Štotperk  Explore Mestni vrh nearby Ptuj Leave the town and experience the countryside through the book “Trte umirajo stoje” (The vines die standing), which takes place on Mestni Vrh. Visit one of the oldest vinedresser’s cottages, still covered with a thatched roof, resting between the forest and vineyards, telling many stories of the past. A family home for many generations is now a “living museum” combining the past with the present.
13.00 – Lunch time at restaurant Rozika in PtujBriefly return to town and treat your taste buds to homemade, traditional cuisine, prepared with fresh ingredients and served in a modern way.
16.00 – Coffee at Huda Liza on Vurberk castle We conclude our journey through the Herberstein times with coffee at Huda Liza in the ruins of castle Vurberk. Once a majestic castle still provides one of the most beautiful views – from the Austrian Alps all the way to Croatia. In 1945 the castle was bombed but the stories live on…

Contact of the Provider:

Natasha Golob
Hiška Herberstein
Mestni Vrh 90
2250 Ptuj
M: 070 405 607
E: natasha@herberstein.house
W: https://herberstein.house/