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.

The provincial capital Hanover of Lower Saxony is located on the River Leine and has a population of over 500,000. As an exibition center, Hanover has won national and international fame, as well-known trade fairs such as the Cebit Technology Fair take place here. It is also referred to as a "green city" because it is surrounded by green areas and thus offers ample opportunities for recreation in the town center Eilenriede.

Hanover is compact but not cramped; the shopping is elegant without showing off, and the dining excellent without being in any way stiff. Hanover has character, especially when you get to know it a little. There’s no doubt that everyone will soon find their favourite spot in the city, which might be one of the following:

The Hanover Congress Center: The Hanover Congress Center is one of the most interesting buildings in the Lower Saxony capital. It can be seen immediately due to its distinctive "Kuppeldach" and consists of the Kuppelsaal, Beethoven Hall and other rooms. The HCC is located at the Hanover Stadtpark and is the location for numerous major events.

The Leibnizhaus: The Leibnizhaus is a Renaissance citizen's house built in 1499 and it got its name by the philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz. After its destruction in the Second World War, the building was finally rebuilt in the early 1980s. Today it is a guest house and is used for events.

The Lister Tower: The Lister Tower was built in the late 14th century and served as a waiting tower during its time. Today, the Freizeitheim is located there, together with a beer garden which lurks you in.

Gehry Tower: The Gehry Tower was built by the architect Frank O. Gehry and has an architectural peculiarity due to its slight twist. It is used as an office building after its opening in mid-2001 after one year of construction.

Telemax: The Telemax is a Radio Tower and with its height of 282 meters is also the highest tower of its kind in the state of Lower Saxony. From a viewing platform at an altitude of 185 meters, you can enjoy a wonderful panoramic view over Hanover.

Sculpture mile: The sculpture mile was built in the year 2000 and extends between the Lower Saxon Parliament and Herrenhäuser Garden. Here are eight extraordinary sculptures to admire.

Zoo Hannover: The Hanover Zoo is one of the most spectacular and best zoos in Europe. The zoo received the Park Scout Award for the fourth year running in 2009/10, placing it among the best zoos in Germany. The zoo consists of several theme areas: Sambesi, Meyers Farm, Gorilla-Mountain, Jungle-Palace, and Mullewapp. Some smaller areas are Australia, the wooded area for wolves, and the so-called swimming area with many seabirds.

The Herrenhausen Gardens: The Herrehausen Gardens are a large garden area consisting of the Welfengarten, the Großer Garten, the Berggarten and the Georgengarten. As a recreation area, it serves both the residents as well as tourists and guests in search for relaxation.

With its wide range of museums, Hanover is as popular with culture-lovers as it is with night owls, who like to party hard in the popular Linden district or around the Steintor. It’s a multi-faceted town that is much more exciting than its reputation would indicate.