Villa Asja boasts a peaceful location in the rural village of Malečnik in northeastern Slovenia, with the emerald waters of the Drava River flowing through the village and providing plenty of gorgeous walking trails for locals and visitors alike. The picturesque Gorca Hill rises above tranquil Malečnik, with a scenic pathway that leads to the very top of the hill, where the imposing Church of the Virgin Mary, dating back to the fifteenth century, is located. This green hillside is particularly beautiful at golden hour, with views stretching out across verdant vineyards and rolling olive groves. Malečnik is also home to friendly ecological farms, apiaries and winemaking centres, which open their doors to visitors during the warmer months, keen to share the stories behind the local traditions and gastronomic customs that make this region so unique.
The centre of the nearby city of Maribor is only six kilometres away from Villa Asja. Surrounded by rolling green hills and the dense Alpine forests of Pohorje, the city is also home to the world’s oldest grapevine. In the picturesque Slomškov Trg Square, Maribor Cathedral is a cultural highlight dating back to the twelfth century, with a beautiful bell tower and an observation deck offering stunning views of the city. Meanwhile, the remarkable Maribor Castle is home to the Maribor Regional Museum, a fascinating museum with a range of exhibitions which provide history and archaeology buffs with an insight into the city's rich and varied past.
Hiking and biking enthusiasts will be captivated by the spectacular natural beauty of Pohorje, a vast mountain range with deep woodlands, cascading waterfalls and Alpine lakes, including the glacial Črno Jezero, tucked away amidst a protected forest reserve. Pohorje is also home to an extensive array of wildlife, with over seven hundred species of butterflies alone. There is a bus that provides a free shuttle service to the summit of Pohorje during summer, or you can make your way to the famous Pohorje cable car, roughly five kilometres away from the historic centre of Maribor, to enjoy breathtaking views of the city and the mountains. During the winter months, Pohorje becomes the largest ski centre in Slovenia, where the country’s winter sports lovers gather together to enjoy approximately forty-two kilometres of snow-white slopes!
Back on the charming streets of Maribor, visitors can enjoy intimate wine tastings in the iconic Old Vine House and the Vinag Wine Cellar, one of the oldest classical wine cellars in Europe. For something a little different, golf devotees can visit the challenging but enjoyable Ptuj golf course, located roughly half an hour away from Villa Asja by car.
