Ormož

After 1910, when the castle came into the possession of the Wurmbrand-Stuppach family, a large English park was planted around the castle with examples of exotic trees. According to its design and diversity, it is one of the most beautiful and one of the few well-preserved castle parks in Slovenia. At the eastern edge of the park, a chapel with the tomb of the last castle owners was built at the beginning of the 20th century, and in front of the castle there is the memorial avenue of the important men of Ormož and its surroundings.

The wine-growing area along the Ormoš Wine Road extends in two branches. The first one begins in Ormož or on Dobrava and leads through Kogel and Strezetina to Runeče, and from there through Žvab to Pršetinci. The road then continues its way through Koračiški vrh, across Senik, Sodinski vrh and Drakšl to Velika Nedelja. This branch is about 30km long. The other branch of the Wine Road roams from Podgorci to Cvetkovski vrh and across the Bresnica Valley to Zamušanski vrh. It is about 10km long and connected to the Jerusalem Wine Road. On the Ormoška Wine Road we encounter outstanding natural beauties and rich ethnological and cultural-historical heritage. On the slopes of the hills there are still the quite old, wooden wine cellars covered with straw covered – ‘klečaj’.

The Jeruzalem Wine Road begins in Ormož, continues to Ivanjkovci, and then through Svetinje to Jeruzalem, on through Miklavž near Ormož to Kog, where it turns back to Miklavž and leads to Ormož. The doors of the Jeruzalem Mansion are opened for everyone who appreciates the harmony of selected dishes and excellent wines, and is surrounded by an arboretum of exotic trees. On the wine road between Svetinje and Jeruzalem there is the Malek vineyard cottage with small wine-growing museums, a large press in the arched basement cellar, and a house chapel with frescoes from the 17th century. More than three hundred years old building, used by former owners as a residence and a farming building for the processing of grapes and wine cultivation, is today converted into a tourist facility that opens the doors to announced groups and individuals. There is also a rich selection of wines and culinary delights in the surrounding wine cellars, wine shops, taverns, and tourist farms. The visitors of the wine road can ride bicycles, horses or a carriage, and walk along marked paths between vineyards.

The Ormož Basins Nature Park is a 55 hectares large wetland of anthropogenic formation, situated in the area of the ecosystem of the river Drava near Lake Ormož. It is composed of shallow pools with reeds and bulrush, and surrounded by a flooded forest, a rare remnant of the soft-wooded river meadow in Slovenia. The wetland is of exceptional national and international significance for many endangered bird species.

Ormož Basins are an important nesting place of water birds and a key stop for migratory birds in Slovenia; 29 nesting species of water birds, including endangered and rare species have been reported. In the large stands of reeds nests also the brown harrier, a species that can be found only in this region of Slovenia. At the time of migration, 30 species regularly appear, and their number during the migration period can reach tens of thousands of birds.

The vegetation in the natural reserve is managed by the grazing of water buffaloes, which are especially adapted to the aquatic environment and are our indispensable assistant. The Ormož Lake, located in the immediate vicinity, is extremely interesting in all seasons.

The nature reserve with a well-organized infrastructure is open to the public. The quality of the experience of nature is provided by the learning path with observatories and a visitor centre, which is also adapted for groups with special needs, while guided excursions ensure an educational programme for young people and other groups of visitors.