Chocolate Village by the River

Guests who are able to pry themselves away from the smell of chocolate should find lots to entertain in the area around this site. City days are a cinch for those keen to burn a hole in their wallets: it’s 10 minutes’ drive to Maribor (Slovenia’s second-largest city) and the Europark shopping centre, which has plenty of high-street stores to explore. More of a history buff than a shopaholic? Stick around Maribor to visit museums, a 16th-century Renaissance-style town hall, a 15th-century castle (with spectacular frescoes) and a 16th-century water tower. If none of the options quite entices, saunters around the city’s cathedral, aquarium or winery might appeal instead. Active guests will be kept busy indeed, depending on what time of year they arrive. Bikers not interested in the Drava route might be keen to head to the mountain biking trails of Ruše, 10 minutes away, while aquatic types have the Dooplek wakepark within 25 minutes. The real coup, though, is proximity to Pohorje, the largest ski resort in Slovenia, placing guests within 10 minutes of hitting the slopes during colder months. Anyone up for longer jaunts can head for the borders with Austria (30 minutes) and Croatia (40 minutes), with the Austrian city of Graz around an hour and 15 minutes away. Prefer to stick to Slovenia? It’s an hour and a half to the capital city, Ljubljana.