Sveti Ivan Zelina: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Culture and History

The Muzej Sveti Ivan Zelina is located in the town centre and was founded as a local history museum in 1988, after a local heritage collection had been established in 1977. It preserves around 15,000 objects in 17 collections, with holdings ranging from prehistory to the present day.

Also located in the centre is the Crkva Svetog Ivana Krstitelja, the Church of Saint John the Baptist. Its massive bell tower dominates the church. The church was first mentioned as early as 1200, when Zelina belonged to the estates of the Bishops of Zagreb. Its Baroque furnishings include a particularly valuable pulpit dating from 1726, a work by the Zagreb sculptor Kautz.

Zelingrad, a medieval fortification on the north-eastern slopes of Medvednica, lies in the vicinity of Sveti Ivan Zelina, around 5 km north of the town. Visitors can see the remains of the front and rear defensive towers, the outer castle courtyard, the residential complex and a water cistern. The Kapela Svetog Petra in Novo Mjesto is also located in the vicinity of Sveti Ivan Zelina; it is considered the oldest sacral building in the Zelina area and was constructed at the beginning of the 13th century during the Romanesque period.

Nature and Trails

Jezero Mokrica is a well-maintained destination for anglers and day-trippers, offering basic dining facilities. The Zelinska glava landscape is also located nearby; it was placed under protection in 1992 and covers an area of 1,003.94 hectares. The viewpoints around Sveti Ivan Zelina offer views of the surrounding villages, orchards, vineyards, fields, woodland and the meadows in the plain of the Lonja River.

The Planinarska staza 71, named Zelina–Kladeščica, begins in Zelina and ends at Kladeščica; it is listed as being 7.8 km long, with a walking time of 2 hours 30 minutes and an elevation difference of 328 m.

The educational and eco-trail Kroz Zelinsku goru runs for 7 km from a spring in Biškupec via Zelingrad to the Kladeščica excursion site; three hours are allocated for the tour. It presents the characteristics of the ecosystems of Zelinska gora and Hrvatsko Prigorje, as well as information about the most common plant and animal species found there. From Sveti Ivan Zelina, the trail leads through Biškupec Zelinski to Kladeščica and can be travelled on foot or by bicycle.

Wine and Regional Cuisine

The Zelinska vinska cesta runs through wine-growing villages in the Zelina area and offers the opportunity to visit wine cellars, vineyards and wine cottages, as well as enjoy local specialities and wine. Fifteen members of the Zelinska vinska cesta offer their wines and traditional gastronomic specialities.

The Izložba vina kontinentalne Hrvatske includes a wine tasting, an awards ceremony, workshops on viticulture and winemaking, presentations by Zelina winemakers and a gastronomic programme.

Location and Surroundings

Sveti Ivan Zelina is well connected by road; travelling from Zagreb city centre takes no more than half an hour.

Anyone considering Sveti Ivan Zelina as a travel destination can rent a holiday apartment.

Other places in the same address area: Šulinec.

To the higher-level travel overview: Općina Sveti Ivan Zelina.