Slovenia's Maribor named Europe's top 2026 wine capital
Maribor, Slovenia's second-largest city, has been named the Best Wine Capital in Europe for this year by the portal European Best Destinations, coming ahead of France's Bordeaux in second and Portugal's Porto in third.
The tourism portal praises the regional capital of northeastern Slovenia for its wine-growing tradition, authentic character and high-quality wine, culinary scene, and cultural events, as well as its unique global icon - the world's oldest noble grapevine, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.
It is "the kind of place where ancient vineyards meet modern wine bars, and where every street feels connected to the rhythm of the harvest".
The portal notes that Maribor produces some of Europe's "most expressive" whites: Šipon (Furmint), Laški Rizling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Traminer, and increasingly elegant sparkling wines. Visitors can explore everything from intimate family-run cellars to panoramic estates overlooking Austria and the Pohorje mountains.
"Whether you come in spring for crisp young wines and fresh greenery, or in autumn when the hills turn gold, Maribor offers the perfect blend of culture, gastronomy and nature - a soulful, undiscovered wine city where authenticity is not curated but lived," the tourism portal writes.
The Maribor Tourism Board welcomed the latest title from European Best Destinations as an exceptional opportunity for partnership and international promotion.
"Together with partners such as Ptuj, Europe's best cultural heritage city, and Štajerska as one of Europe's leading destinations, we are successfully pursuing our ambition to position the Štajerska region, and ultimately Slovenia, on the global map," said Jure Struc, head of Maribor Tourism.
The best European wine destinations have been selected from more than 120 wine-growing regions. The 31 cities that made the shortlist stand out for their historic winemaking tradition, strong recognition and well-developed wine tourism services.
Maribor, the European Best Destinations' pick as the top European 2024 autumn destination and the best culinary destination in Europe in 2023, attracted 272,000 visitors from 191 countries last year, an increase of 7% on 2024, as nights spent at tourism accommodation facilities rose by 5.5% to 552,000.
Photo: Boštjan Podlogar/STA
