Culture, art & history trip
Do you get excited thinking about aristocratic manors or romantic castles? How about a trip where you visit and explore two of them, while getting to know their legends and stories?
Extremely versatile trip designer with an established career in travel business
Fill out a few details and get a detailed itinerary with all inclusions and trip details - we can customize them together
Explore Trakošćan castle, featuring an impressive weapons collection and a beautiful park with lake surrounding the fortification walls. Visit Veliki Tabor, one of the best preserved fortified castles in mainland Croatia, linked to the mystical legend of the forbidden love and do not miss the Krapina Neanderthal Museum with the largest collection of Neanderthal remains.
Veliki Tabor is one of the best-preserved late medieval and Renaissance fortified castles in mainland Croatia
At the Trakošćan castle you can explore the knight's and hunting halls, the music salon, the studio of the painter Julijana Erdödy and a weapon collection
The Krapina Neanderthal Museum will show you what it was like to live in 32.000 BC
The lake below castle Trakošćan might be artificial, but still provides a wonderful forest walkaround
Hrvatsko zagorje is a region in the north of Croatia which has a rich historical legacy that includes a total of 54 castles and manors that bear witness to the period between the 13th and the 20th centuries. The majority of those with Versailles and Baroque motifs were built in the second half of the 17th century and in the 18th century.
It is famous for its green hillsides dotted with vineyards and adorned with churches, manors and wine cellars, as well as romantic castles that take you back to the age of knights and lonesome maidens. Make sure you take a dip in the natural hot springs and enjoy the renowned Zagorje cuisine.
Travel more than 700 years back in time and visit Hrvatsko zagorje, a romantic landscape filled with Medieval and Renaissance fortresses and Baroque castles.
According to legend, Trakošćan castle was named after a Thracian fortress (arx Thacorum) that supposedly existed during antiquity.
According to another legend, it received its name from the Drachenstein knights, who ruled this area during the Middle Ages. The castle was mentioned for the first time in 1334 and its last owners were the Drašković family. Today this emblematic castle, which is one of the most beautiful in Hrvatsko zagorje, is a zero-category cultural and historical monument.
Veliki Tabor is one of the best-preserved late medieval and Renaissance fortified castles in mainland Croatia. The castle has received the highest marks from UNESCO and has also been linked to the mystical legend of Veronika Desinić, who was supposedly walled-in as punishment for engaging in forbidden love.
In the nearby town of Krapina you can visit a famous museum of Neanderthal culture. Their remains and 800 various items were found in 1899. It was the first paleontological natural monument in Croatia and has been protected since it contains the largest collection of Neanderthal remains.
Arrival with own transportation in Hrvatsko zagorje to the village of Bednja - checking in at the 4-star Hotel Trakošćan. The nearest airport is Zagreb Airport, 79 km from Hotel Trakošćan.
Your room with the beautiful view of Trakošćan castle is waiting for you. Hotel Trakošćan sits in the middle of a fairytale like surroundings nestled within a park and next to a beautiful lake and the magical Castle Trakošćan which is full of cultural heritage from the 13th century.
A welcome drink at the hotel and free time until dinner.
There is a soothing Spa Centre within the hotel that is open everyday offering a relaxing atmosphere with the opportunity to unwind and enjoy a massage. A bar on a platform is set directly on the lake and offers refreshing drinks during the day. You can also relax in the indoor pool and on-site wellness area offering a sauna, a steam bath and beauty parlors. Fitness center is also at your disposal.
After a buffet breakfast at the hotel, we'll take you on a tour of Hrvatsko zagorje. First you'll visit the Trakošćan Castle, a late 13th-century observation post that was part of north-western Croatia's fortification system. At the castle you can explore the knight's and hunting halls, the music salon, the studio of the painter Julijana Erdödy, a weapon collection dating back to the period between the 15th and 19th centuries and furniture.
After the tour you can take a stroll through the park and alongside the nearby lake. Continuation of the tour and lunch in Grešna gorica, where you will taste some local dishes. This rural household offers the atmosphere of a genuine Zagorje rural environment and local specialties and wine from their own vineyards.
Then you will head to Veliki Tabor Castle, a 12th-century fortress nestled in the countryside that offers a glimpse into the romantic and turbulent history of this area.
Dinner at hotel.
After breakfast it’s time for check-out. If you have some time left, we suggest that you proceed to the town of Krapina, where you can visit the Krapina Neanderthal Museum and take a trip to the year 32,000 BC when Krapina was inhabited by Neanderthals.
We will double-check availability and make reservations for your rooms, restaurants, guides etc.
With reservations confirmed, we will prepare the best offer possible in regard to your arrival date & party size
You will get the offer via e-mail, along with the payment options. Feel free to request further customisations!
8 DAYS
4 DAYS
4 DAYS
