The European Best Destination jury has crowned Ptuj as the best European city for cultural heritage of 2026. With 20,000 inhabitants on the banks of the Drava river, the ancient Poetovio, as it was called by the Romans, has won recognition thanks to a heritage that ranges from archeology to folklore.
The historic center comes alive especially during the Kurentovanje, the famous Carnival recognized by UNESCO which from February 2nd to February 18th transforms the streets into an open-air ethnographic museum. The protagonist is the Kurent, a traditional mask with a sheepskin costume and cowbells, which chases away the forces of evil to bring prosperity. The clothing can weigh up to 40kg and requires weeks of craftsmanship.
The great wine tradition that distinguishes the city has its roots in Roman times: the Ptuj Cellar, active since 1239, houses the 1917 Zlata trta, the oldest Slovenian wine. The cultural calendar includes the Days of Wine and Poetry (August 2026, thirtieth edition), the Art Stays festival with artists such as Ai Weiwei and Yoko Ono, and the Arsana music festival which will host Joss Stone in 2026.
The offer is completed by the Terme Ptuj with over 4,000 m² of aquatic surfaces, a wellness center and therapeutic programs. An ideal combination to discover the city between Valentine’s Day and Carnival, when millenary history and living tradition meet on the banks of the Drava.
The complete ranking
These are the destinations chosen for the Best Cultural Heritage Town in Europe 2026:
- Ptuj, Slovenia
- Bruges, Belgium
- Angra de Heroismo, Spain
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- Albi, France
- Florence, Italy
- Český Krumlov, Czech Republic
- San Gimignano, Italy
- Zamošć, Poland
- Toledo, Spain
