RSSIn Ptuj, Slovenia
If you hear cowbells in Ptuj at this time of year, don’t expect to see cows. Rather, the clanking of bells can be heard from the large, monstrous costumes of Kurent that invade the streets.
Groups from around Slovenia gather in Ptuj every year for Carnival, and the celebrations are growing to fill now nearly two weeks. As the oldest city in Slovenia, Ptuj has become known for its Carnival, and the friendly townspeople roll out the welcome mat to all for their folkloric traditions.
In 1960, Ptuj, then part of Yugoslavia, incorporated the traditions of the surrounding plains and winegrowing hills into a street parade. Besides Kurent, you’ll see young men cracking whips and shooting rifles to scare off winter, and see bakeries full of Krof – traditional donut-like pastries filled with marmalade.
After a day of Carnival sights, I relaxed in Primus Spa, one of the largest and most modern in Ptuj. In the summer, Slovenians escape here for a neighboring water park. But in the winter, they go to the wonderful Spa, featuring thermal waters, a color-therapy sauna and mud and salt treatments.
I knew little about Ptuj, or Slovenia, before this trip. But I would make plans to go again to this quiet gem, literally in the middle of Europe.
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Benjamin Thomas
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About the Eurail Blog
Benjamin Thomas from the USA has been using Eurail Passes to explore Europe. On this weblog he shares his (train) travel experiences. Intro
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There is also Carneval in town Cerknica,but here are no Kurrents but Witches.