Slovenia‘s second largest city Maribor has once again climbed to the top of international tourism rankings. It has just been named a leading hub of European wine culture.
The global travel platform European Best Destinations (EBD) has named Maribor the European Best Wine Capital 2026. Competing against numerous renowned wine cities across Europe, Maribor secured first place as the home of the world’s oldest noble vine, distinguished by its unique blend of rich heritage, exceptional gastronomy, and a vibrant cultural scene. The announcement of Europe’s top wine destinations was also featured by Forbes.
With this prestigious recognition, Maribor joins Europe’s most distinguished wine destinations for 2026, alongside Bordeaux in second place and Porto in third.
According to European Best Destinations, the capital of the Slovenian Styria region stands out for its deep-rooted viticulture traditions, its globally unique symbol — the world’s oldest noble vine — as well as its authenticity, absence of overtourism, and the overall high quality of its tourism offering.
Located at the foothills of the green Pohorje Mountains, Maribor, with a population of 110,000 inhabitants, offers a distinctive blend of history, culture, and nature. The city’s charm is reflected in its human-scale atmosphere, friendly rhythm of life, and dynamic cultural identity.
At the heart of Maribor’s wine heritage stands the world’s oldest noble vine, which has been growing for more than 450 years and remains a powerful symbol of the city’s winemaking legacy.
Jure Struc, Director of the Maribor Tourism Board, said: “The title of European Best Wine Capital 2026 represents an exceptional opportunity for partnerships and international positioning. It enables us to connect winemakers, restaurateurs, experience providers, cultural institutions, and tourism stakeholders from Maribor, Styria, and across Slovenia into a shared story. Together with partners such as Ptuj, Europe’s best cultural heritage city, and Styria as one of Europe’s leading destinations, we aim to position the broader Styrian region — and ultimately Slovenia — more prominently on the global map.”
Maribor world’s oldest grapevine (Photo: visitmaribor.si- Trgatev Najstarejše trte/ Oldest grapevine harvest_Drazen Stader Produkcija Studio)
As part of the new designation, the Maribor Tourism Board will launch targeted international promotional campaigns throughout 2026, focusing on higher-value travelers seeking authentic wine, culinary, and cultural experiences.
European Best Destinations selected Europe’s Best Wine Destinations 2026 following an evaluation of more than 120 wine regions. A shortlist of 31 cities was created based on historic wine-growing traditions, international recognition, and the development of wine tourism experiences. The final ranking was determined using expert criteria including wine quality and reputation, sustainability practices, wine tourism infrastructure and gastronomy, integration of culture and wine, destination accessibility, and value for money.
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