Prior experience in quad biking is not required, but you do need a B category driving licence to steer one
Photo coutesy of Zagorje AdventureSports & adventure trip
Breathe in the fresh country air with your friends, enjoy 3 days of the authentic local food, explore spectacular panoramas, indigenous forests, beautiful valleys and castles of Hrvatsko Zagorje while riding a quad bike.
As opposed to SUVs, you will find yourself in direct contact with the ground, unshielded, with mud and gravel cracking around and bringing you joy. The moment you sit in the quad, you feel indescribable power and strength. And even though the quad is not an obedient vehicle, you will acquire enough skills the first day for an adventurous exploration of Hrvatsko Zagorje.
Hrvatsko Zagorje is situated less than an hour drive from Zagreb. The region abounds in small hills and old houses, modern spa and wellness centres, rural households, harmonious vineyards and many panoramas. Partly pure preserved nature, gentle hills, small churches, curias, castles and gardens will allure you with their authenticity. There is no such place in Croatia, and rarely in the world, where there are many castles covering a small area as in Hrvatsko Zagorje.
Trip available | JAN-DEC |
Duration | 3 days |
Suitable for | 2-10 people |
Support | Partially guided |
Languages | |
Price per person | from 410.00 € |
Extremely versatile trip designer with an established career in travel business
Activities are taking place in Hrvatsko Zagorje
At Bedekovčina Lakes you will make your own fire and prepare sausage sticks
Hrvatsko Zagorje region is situated near Zagreb and is known for beautiful panoramas, rural households and vineyards
Baroque Oršić Castle in Gornja Stubica is a home to the Peasants’ Revolt Museum
Before dinner, visit the wine cellar and taste some of carefully selected Croatian wines
Prior experience in quad biking is not required. The quads we use are LINHAI ATV 500 4X4, 4 drives, 500cc, 35 hp, two persons on a single quad. You should be wearing appropriate clothes and shoes. During the ride, you will be equipped with a helmet, a skull cap and a long sleeve shirt. B category driving licence is required to steer the quad.
The 3-star pension Stara škola (Old School) is located in the green area of a place called Mirkovec, near Sv. Križ Začretje, and it used to be a school, indeed. And today, its classrooms make a restaurant of the intimate and homey atmosphere of Zagorje. It offers air-conditioned accommodation, free Wi-Fi, a wine shop, an outdoor pool, a gym. Sauna, spa and wellness centre, and bicycle rental are available as well, for a surcharge.
The centre of Sv. Križ Začretje with a 17th-century castle, as well as the castles of Veliki Tabor and Trakošćan, are 4 km away from your pension. It takes 10 km to get to the well-known pilgrimage site, Marija Bistrica and 11 km to Krapina Neanderthal Museum. The capital of Croatia, Zagreb, and the International Airport Dr. Franjo Tuđman are located within 30 km from the Old School pension.
The rich wine cellar of the Old School pension holds the carefully selected Croatian wines, among the best, with a special emphasis on the new boost of wine producers of Zagorje. The Old School’s gastro offer includes dishes prepared by top, locally grown and daily fresh, eco food and produces from own gardens, Zagorje forests, fields and meadows.
Zagorje štrukli are a traditional Croatian dish and make part of most households throughout Hrvatsko Zagorje and Zagreb. They can be baked or cooked, the dough is stuffed with cow cheese, and eggs and homemade sour cream make common additions. Bučnica is also prepared with dough, eggs, cheese and cream, and it is stuffed with grated pumpkin.
An authentically decorated Pod Lipom (Under the Lime Tree) pub is situated at a 200-year-old house and is a protected cultural monument. With the 500-year-old lime tree of Gubec, it makes a very visited tourist destination. The pub houses an art gallery where the paintings of Zagorje painters of naïve and academic art are exhibited and sold.
Arrival to Mirkovec near Sv. Križ Začretje and accommodation at the Old School pension, a former school, indeed. Settle down and have a break as you will soon be having an exciting quad ride (3 hours, preparation time included). Departure in front of the pension with brief introduction to quad ride basics. Two persons ride a single quad. A ride on unpaved roads and dirt roads, through a forest and a family vineyard to the top of St. Križ parish, St. Vid, with a church dating back to the 14th century. At the top, a short break for welcome drinks (home-made wine of Zagorje) and church tour from the outside.
A short break and continued ride to the estate Kozjak at the village Kozjak known for goat cheese farming and history going back to 1417. You will taste the specialties of Zagorje: štrukle or bučnice with coffee, juice or 2 dcl of white or red wine.
Afternoon coffee and return to the departure point, with the road taken depending on weather conditions and your biking skills. Return to the pension. Before dinner, a visit to the pensions wine cellar and tasting of three types of wine with varieties of hard cheese with pumpkin oil.
Dinner at the pension.
Breakfast at the pension. Today, you will get to use quad again at a tour starting at 11.00 (tour duration: approximately 6 hours, preparation time included). You’ll experience a ride across meadows, forests and off-road terrains, accompanied by a guide. A guided route on the slopes across the vineyards towards Bedekovčina Lakes. There are not many natural lakes in Zagorje, and Bedekovčina Lakes were made by 8 meter deep clay excavation for the brick industry. There are seven of them and all are interconnected.
Upon arrival to the lakes, you will make your own fire and prepare sausage sticks (1 pair of sausages per person). Lake tour and visit to the Fisherman's house where you will see a trophy catfish weighing more than 100 kg. Along the lakes, the dirt road and gravel terrains will take you to the region of Gubec, with locations of the Peasants’ Revolt (Seljačka buna) in 1573 and Oršić Castle.
A visit to the Baroque Oršić Castle in Gornja Stubica, raised in 1756 by count Krsto Oršić, a member of the noble family Oršić, and having served for living purposes only. In late 1960s and early 1970, the castle was completely renovated and now accommodates the museum of Peasants’ Revolt in 1514. The wider surrounding area is adorned as landscape gardens with local and exotic plants, and it holds a monument to the Peasants Revolt and its leader Matija Gubec.
At the tavern Pod Lipom (Under the Lime Tree), you are welcomed with a traditional Zagorje lunch: chicken or beef soup, main dish – depending on the season, 2 dcl of wine or juice, natural water; the desert and drinks, apart from the mentioned, are not included.
The tavern is located literally under the mythical lime tree, where its guests today enjoy the centuries-old shade, just like Matija Gubec had with his rebels (puntari). Return to the start destination on a dirt road and gravel terrains, across meadows and streams. The route is not defined, and it will depend on weather conditions and your skills. On your return home, a short break at a family tavern, with farewell drinks – 2 dcl of white or red wine, or 2 dcl of juice, and natural water. Return to the Old School pension between 17:00 and 18:00. Dinner at the pension.
Breakfast and check-out from the pension.
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!
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