E-biking the Vineyards of Styria

Day 1: Arrive to Maribor

Welcome to beautiful Slovenia! Reach the town of Maribor by car or train. Get to know its cute little old town, have a drink on the banks of Drava river or do a lovely walk to the nearby wine hills for the perfect panoramic view and a great start to this wine & bike adventure.

Your e-bikes will be delivered in late afternoon. Check the material and try out your 2-wheel companions for the next week.

You will overnight in a small hotel in Maribor old town.

Day 2: Maribor to Svecina

Start cycling straight from your hotel’s doorstep in Maribor old town. Once you leave the town you will continue on local roads towards north. The forests and meadows will soon be replaced by endless vineyards. Expect some steep hills and short hard-packed gravel sections as well. The lovely ride will bring you all the way to the Austrian border. You will spend the following two nights at a local winery and have the opportunity to sample the delicious local wines, mostly whites.

Cycling: 30 km / elevation gain 750 m

Day 3: Loop ride from Slovenia into Austria

A day to discover the famous South-Styria wine road (Südsteirische Weinstrasse), mostly on the Austrian side of the border! You will cycle the picture-perfect wine hills, stop at the cute little town of Ehrenhausen and be impressed by impecably neat farmhouses and stunning wine country landscape. Once back in Slovenia, you will also bike through the Slovenian wine heart on the picture above.

Evening suggestion: go for a wine tasting to a very special organic winery and try their superb organge Rieslings.

Cycling: 30 km / elevation gain 700 m

Day 4: Along the Mura river towards east

You are switching location today and heading east. Today’s stage is not very hilly and you will enjoy the flat ride along the cycling trail by the Mura river. You will bike on low-traffic side roads and dedicated biking paths both in Slovenia and Austria. If you are into beer, we can organize a visit at a popular local craft brewery or skip alcohol altogether and drink from the natural sources of mineral water.

You will finish the day at a lovely farmhouse where you will surely feel like at home the following two nights.

Cycling: 55 km / elevation gain 400 m

Day 5: Loop ride in Slovenske Gorice wine hills

You can enjoy the homely atmosphere of your farmhouse, relax by the small pool or visit the nearby thermal spas. Or opt for another loop ride, bike the country roads and go really off-the-beaten track in the wine hills of Slovenske Gorice.

Don’t forget to stop at Pachamama Center – a very special local home, art & cultural center and learn about sustainability, nature & natural building materials. Highly recommended!

Cycling: 40 km / elevation gain 500 m

Day 6: To Jeruzalem wine region

We are transfering your luggage to your next location again. You will cross the land of delicious pumpikn seed oil, make a stop in the small town of Ljutomer before the uphill ride into the Jeruzalem hills. This is where the wine terraces follow the curvy hills and paint those perfect photo opportunities.

Spend the following two nights at a super cosy local winery and be treated with their home produced local culinary specialties.

Cycling: 35 km / elevation gain 500 m

Day 7: Loop ride from Slovenia into Croatia

Time to add the third country of this trip – Croatia! You will do a nice loop ride into the croatian region of Medimurje. Another beautiful biking day on both sides of the border. If you feel like having a day off the bike, you can opt for enjoyable rafting on Mura river, spend the day at the thermal spa or have a nap on the sunny terrace of your lovely B&B.

Cycling: 35 km / elevation gain 550 m

Day 8: From Jeruzalem to Ptuj

It is the final stage of the trip! You will leave the wine roads behind and bike the lovely side roads all the way to the oldest Slovenian town – Ptuj. Get settled in the cute old town and explore its history, culture and get to know the carnival creatures who scare off the winter – our famous Kurenti! Have a sip of your favorite wine on the streets of Ptuj and relive the unforgettable moments of this fabulous biking trip.

Cycling: 50 km / elevation gain 600 m

Day 9: Departure

After a relaxed breakfast pack your bags and get ready for your transfer back to Maribor with a bag full of wonderful cycling memories.

Let us know if you need any help with transfers back home or to your next travel adventures.

Inclusions

• 8 nights with breakfast in nice local guesthouses or B&B’s.
• Double room with ensuite bathroom.
• Luggage transfer between locations.
• Transfer from Ptuj back to Maribor at the end of the trip.
• Personalized smartphone app with uploaded GPS tracks for easy independent navigation.
• Detailed cycling descriptions, maps etc.
• Information pack about other local sights, restaurants, activities.
• Organisation, 24-hour holiday service & support.

Exclusions

• Arriving to and from Maribor.
• Drinks, lunches & dinners.
• Travel insurance.
• Personal expenses.
• Other services not specified in the Inclusions.

Optional

• E-bike & helmet rental: 350 €
• Single traveler supplement: 500 €
• Single room supplement: 570 € – if booking in a group

Activity Level 2 – EASY e-biking

You will bike mostly on beautiful low-traffic side roads. Some parts are dedicated cycling paths and there are also some hard-packed gravel sections (mostly on the flat parts). Some hills are quite steep, therefore we do recommend the use of e-bikes.

If you are super strong and fit, we can of course deliver regular bikes or road bikes as well. You don’t need to be a super experienced cyclist to do this trip. However, you need to be comfortable being on the bike for a couple of hours and ride the occasional steep roads.

This cycling trip can be done anytime between April and October. The best temperatures are in May, early June, September, and October.

July & August can be hot with temperatures around 25-30 deg C (75-90 deg F). In peak season (August) you can expect a heatwave with temperatures likely exceeding 35 deg C (95 deg F).

In the towns (Maribor & Ptuj) you stay in small hotels or B&Bs. During the bike ride, you will stay at local wineries or farmhouses. These are small & cute establishments who have very rooms and offer their own local products and mostly home-grown food. They provide breakfasts and sometimes dinners. If dinner is not available at their place,  we will recommend an alternative nearby.

Miha Gantar
Slotrips founder, trip designer & guide

I was born in Slovenia’s lovely capital city of Ljubljana but had set the avid hiker and biker in me aside for a while to study civil engineering in Germany. It was there where I met my wife, my cute Spanish girl. Together we traveled the world and finally settled in my homeland, Slovenia in 2007. Since then I have been (re)discovering the hiking trails, biking backroads, hidden natural treasures, and best dining spots all over the country. I am in love with Slovenia’s landscape, diversity, and cultural variety and will proudly show you my “backyard”.

Meet the team

“We could not believe the effort Miha went to make our trip to Slovenia so amazing.

He responded quickly to emails and put together an itinerary that showed he understood exactly what we wanted out of our trip including amazing food, comfortable accommodation and hiking in the Slovenian Alps. We could not have done the hiking trip without Miha’s careful instructions… our guide’s knowledge of this beautiful country and the best place to stop for fresh cherries was incredible. Slotrips is truly a company that understands the travelling preferences of the future – autonomy and adventure with the right amount of guidance so you don’t get trapped by tourist gimmicks.”

Emily Booth
from Australia

More reviews

How do your self-guided tours work?

You will be surprised! We have done (and are still doing) a ton of work to make sure your independent active holidays in Slovenia (and across the borders) are flawless, fun, and hassle-free. With the implementation of modern technology and our extensive local knowledge, we believe we are on the right way of delivering exceptional hiking & biking experiences that you are able to enjoy at your own pace. Read more about our “self-guided added value”.

Do you organize luggage transfers?

Of course! Luggage transfer is included between all accommodations. You are not biking with any extra weight on your bike. Unless you want to. 

How does the e-bike work?

It is the same as the regular bike. You need to pedal to keep moving, but you can control the help you get from the electric motor. We recommend using as little e-power as possible, but of course, use that extra boost on those steep uphills. It makes the ride enjoyable even if you don’t feel fit or haven’t biked a lot lately. Keep in mind that the e-bike is heavier than a normal bike. You will notice it when getting on and off the bike. No big deal. You’ll get used to it in no time.

How do we navigate on our own?

We provide super easy-to-use customized navigation in a smartphone app. We also provide a phone case to attach it to the handlebar and you will hear voice messages similar to Google car navigation.