Maribor is the second-largest city in Slovenia with about 95,500 inhabitants, it's also the largest city of the traditional region of Lower Styria and the seat of the City Municipality of Maribor.

Maribor was first mentioned as a market near the castle Castrum Marchburch ("March Castle") in 1204, and received town privileges in 1254. It began to grow rapidly after the victory of Rudolf I of the Habsburg dynasty over King Otakar II of Bohemia in 1278. Maribor withstood sieges by Matthias Corvinus in 1480/1481 and by the Ottoman Empire in 1532 and 1683.

Maribor has a humid continental climate, bordering on oceanic climate. Average temperatures hover around zero degrees Celsius during the winter. Summers are generally warm. Average temperatures during the city's warmest month (July) exceed 20 degrees Celsius, which is one of the main reasons for the Maribor wine tradition.

Many historical structures stand in Maribor. Of the remains of city walls surrounding the old downtown, the most prominent are the Judgement Tower, the Water Tower, and the Jewish Tower. Maribor Cathedral was built in the Gothic style in the 13th century. Maribor Synagogue was built in the 14th century, and is the second oldest synagogue of Europe. Today it serves as a centre for cultural activities. Other prominent Medieval buildings are Maribor Castle, Betnava Castle, and the ruins of Upper Maribor Castle on Pyramid Hill. Town Hall was constructed in the Renaissance style, and the Plague Column in the Baroque style.

The city hosts the University of Maribor, established in 1975, and many other schools.

Every June, the two-week Lent Festival (named after the waterfront district called Lent) is held, with hundreds of musical, theatrical and other events. Every year the festival attracts theatre, opera, ballet performers, classical, modern, and jazz musicians and dancers from all over the world, and of course many visitors. There is also mime, magic shows are being held and acrobats perform during the festival.

Maribor is known for wine and culinary specialities of international and Slovene. There are also many popular restaurants with Serbian cuisine. The Vinag Wine Cellar (Vinagova vinska klet), with the area of 20.000 m2 and the length of 2 kilometres, keeps 5,5 millions litres of wine. The house of the oldest grapevine in the world (Hiša stare trte) at Lent grows the world's oldest grapevine, which was in 2004 recorded in Guinness World Records. The grapevine of Žametovka is about 440 years old.

Munich is the state capital of the Free State of Bavaria. With about 1.5 million inhabitants, it is the most populous city in Bavaria and (after Berlin and Hamburg) the third largest municipality in Germany. The gastronomy in Munich offers numerous specialties of the Bavarian cuisine. The white sausage was invented in 1857 in Munich and is probably the most famous culinary specialty of the city. Furthermore, the Brezn, the Auszogne (a round dumpling), the Prinzregententorte and the Münchner beer are also a must-try.

While in Munich, you should visit the following attractions:

The Marienplatz - The heart of Munich is the famous Marienplatz, which is located in the middle of the Old Town. Since 1158 it has served as an urban center and a traffic hub for the Bavarian capital. The square has additional sights to offer, such as the New and Old Town Hall. The Mary’s Column (Mariensäule) and the Fish Fountain (Fischbrunnen) are popular meeting places. The Bell tower of the New Town Hall attracts over 5 million tourists every year. In winter, the Marienplatz is the site of the well-known Christkindlmarkt, one of the largest Christmas markets in Germany, with 140 stalls.

If you’re looking for sports and relaxation. then the English garden in Munich is the right place for you. On the green area of around 375 hectares there are lawns, jogging tracks, cycling paths, beer gardens and streams. For Munichers, the garden is a green oasis in the middle of the city, where tourists can discover the large park area including the Chinese Tower, a Japanese tea house and the Monopteros built in 1831.

There is a number of churches dedicated to women in Germany. The Frauenkirche with its distinctive towers is one of the most famous landmarks of the city and is also called by its inhabitants also Cathedral to Our Dear Lady in Munich. The church owes its name to her patron, the Mother of God Maria.

When visiting the Autocity in Munich, a trip to the BMW Welt can not be missed. The combination of exhibitions, museum and event venue was opened to the public in October 2007 and welcomes fans of the brand from all over the world to an unforgetable tour. The exhibition was conceived not only for buyers, who can buy their own BMW here, but also for all interested parties which want to enjoy in this futuristic ambient. With the extraordinary design and the integration of ecological innovations, this car heaven is attractive for all people regardless of their age and interests.

The Olympiapark was the venue of the Olympic Games in 1972. Even today, the 850,000 m² site is the venue for sporting events such as the European and World Championships. In addition to the stadium of the same name, the Olympiapark also includes the Olympic Stadium, the Park and the Olympic Press Center. The former Olympiadorf is now a popular residential area for students and young Munichers. From the Olympia Tower  you can gaze upon the whole area and the city.

The Nymphenburg Palace is located in the western part of Munich, in the Neuhausen-Nymphenburg district. In order to celebrate the birth of the successor to the throne, the Bavarian Elector Ferdinand Maria gave the castle to his wife Henriette Adelaide, which was completed in 1679. Up to 300,000 guests from all over the world visit the main castle and the associated castle grounds annually. Since 2004 the Nymphenburger Castle Concert is held here, which has established itself as a permanent part of Munich's music and culture scene.

The Oktoberfest is a festival of superlatives - as the largest folk festival in the world it can only take place in the beer metropolis Munich. Millions of guests from all over the world enjoy the unique atmosphere every year. For this occasion, Hofbräu Munich brews a beer of particularly good taste and smell, which goes very well with the traditional Bavarian cuisine. With an alcohol content of more than 6% vol. and a refined taste, the Hofbräu Oktoberfest beer is as unique as the Oktoberfest.

Munich has more to offer than just the Oktoberfest. Hardly any other city is as diverse as the Bavarian capital. Green oases and numerous sights can make your stay in Munich a memorable and special experience. After Berlin and Hamburg, Munich is the most popular destination among German city dwellers and foreigners.