Old town
First-timersBelow the castle.
Ptuj town guide
Things To Do In Ptuj
The oldest town in Slovenia, on the Drava below a castle, with Roman remains, the country's oldest wine cellar and Kurentovanje, a carnival of shaggy masked figures chasing away winter.
1
Hostels in the city
Roman
Poetovio
1917
The oldest bottle in the cellar
30 min
To Maribor
The oldest town in Slovenia
Ptuj was Poetovio, a Roman town on the Drava and an important military base, and it has been a town ever since, making it the oldest in Slovenia. Its old centre of red roofs and narrow streets climbs from the river to a castle on the hill.
It is best known for Kurentovanje, its carnival in February, when men dressed as kurents, huge shaggy figures in sheepskin with bells and horned masks, go through the streets to drive out winter. The kurent rounds are on UNESCO's intangible heritage list.
Ptuj is small and quiet, half an hour from Maribor. One or two days is right.
Where to stay
The old town is small. Stay in the centre below the castle.
Riverside
A calmer stayAlong the Drava.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Ptuj
Climb to Ptuj Castle for the view over the red roofs and the Drava. The castle museum has collections of weapons, musical instruments and carnival masks.
Walk the old town, with its churches, squares and the Orpheus monument, a Roman tombstone in the main square. Roman shrines to the god Mithras survive around the town.
The Ptuj wine cellar, the oldest in Slovenia, has a bottle of wine from 1917 in its archive and offers tastings.
Terme Ptuj, a thermal spa and water park on the Drava, is the modern attraction.
Free things
Free things to do in Ptuj
The old town and the riverside are free.
The Orpheus monument and the walk up to the castle grounds are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Ptuj
Ptuj is in wine country, with good local whites and hearty Štajerska food.
A gostilna lunch is €10 to €14.
Nightlife
Going out in Ptuj
Ptuj is quiet at night, with a few bars in the old town. At Kurentovanje, the whole town parties.
A beer is €2.50 to €3.50.
Getting around
Getting around Ptuj
The town is walkable. Trains reach Maribor in about half an hour and Ljubljana in about two and a half hours.
Costs
What Ptuj costs
Ptuj is cheap. A careful day is €40 to €50.
The euro is the currency. Cards work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for mountain huts and small cafés.
Safety
Staying safe in Ptuj
Ptuj is very safe.
Emergency number is 112.
Day trips from Ptuj
Wine hills and the second city.
Maribor
The second city and the oldest vine.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Kurentovanje is one of the most unusual carnivals in Europe.
February
Kurentovanje
Ptuj
Shaggy kurents with bells drive out winter.
June to August
Summer events
Old town
Concerts and markets.
11 November
St Martin's Day
Ptuj
The new wine is blessed.
Hostels
Where to stay in Ptuj
The top-rated places to stay in Ptuj right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
May to September is best. Kurentovanje fills February.
Jan
Cold
Feb
Kurentovanje
Mar
Spring
Apr
Spring
May
Good
Jun
Warm
Jul
Summer events
Aug
Summer
Sep
Harvest
Oct
Autumn
Nov
St Martin's Day
Dec
Quiet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Carnival week runs above these figures.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Ptuj travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
What is Kurentovanje?
Ptuj's carnival in February, when shaggy kurent figures with bells drive out winter.
Is Ptuj the oldest town in Slovenia?
Yes. It was the Roman town of Poetovio.
How do I get to Ptuj?
By train from Maribor, about thirty minutes.
Is Ptuj worth visiting?
Yes, for the old town, the castle, the wine cellar and the carnival.
Can I visit as a day trip?
Yes, easily from Maribor.
How many days do you need?
One or two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September, or February for Kurentovanje.
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