Pohorje is a mountain range rising up above Maribor on the southwestern side of the city. The highest peak of the Maribor part of the range, called Bellevue, lies at 1050 meters above sea level and is accessible by cable car.
Pohorje offers a wide range of activities all year round. Classics include hiking, cycling, horseback riding, and gathering mushrooms and chestnuts in autumn. The more adventurous visitors can choose between downhill mountain biking, paintball, Pohorje Jet summer sled, and a visit to the Altitude Polygon. Various wellness centres at the foot—or on top—of Pohorje offer a chance to relax after a full day of activities, and there is no shortage of mountain huts if you need to grab a drink or a snack on the go.
Together, Bellevue and Areh represent the largest winter sports centre in Slovenia where ski enthusiasts can enjoy 42 km of ski runs with 20 ski lifts. Since 1964, the Snow Stadium at the bottom of Pohorje has been hosting the Golden Fox, a women’s alpine skiing competition. The races in slalom and giant slalom take place on the Pohorje hill at the edge of Maribor. The competition, which is a part of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, is typically organised in the second half of January and lasts for two days. The best skier of both races earns the title Golden Fox.
Aside from the Golden Fox, Maribor organises various cycling, hiking, and other sports events and hosts a number of international competitions that vary from year to year.