Varaždin County: Roman Sites, Castles and Regional Discoveries

Culture between Varaždin, Lepoglava and Trakošćan

In Varaždin, the Stari grad is the city's most important historic building. Visitors can explore collections in around 40 museum rooms, featuring guild objects, furniture, historic portraits, weapons, paintings, clocks, porcelain and glass, as well as other items from the daily lives of Varaždin's nobility and wealthy bourgeoisie. Those interested in history and crafts will find a different focus in Lepoglava: it is one of Croatia's three most important lace-making centres and is associated with bobbin lace. The International Lace Festivals have been held continuously since 1997.

Dvor Trakošćan, in the Bednjanski kraj, offers another perspective on history. The protected complex includes the castle, its outbuildings, the park and the park forest with its lake. The permanent exhibition uses objects from the 15th to the 19th century to present the life of the Croatian nobility and the history of the Drašković family. The castle and exhibition can therefore be explored as a cultural highlight in their own right, while the lake and woodland draw attention to the surrounding landscape.

Roman history and pilgrimage traditions

Aquae Iasae, a significant Roman settlement that flourished around a thermal spring from the 1st to the 4th century, was located in Varaždinske Toplice. Its public architecture included bath buildings with pools and a basilica, a forum with colonnades surrounding the main thermal spring, and a Capitol with temples to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Aquae Iasae is considered one of the best-preserved Roman archaeological sites in Croatia. The place retains its thermal character today: Varaždinske Toplice has a thermal spring and is a modern spa resort.

Ludbreg offers a different cultural focus. The Shrine of the Precious Blood is unique in Croatia and is one of the few pilgrimage sites in the world to have been recognised by a papal bull. Ludbreška Sveta nedjelja is one of Croatia's oldest pilgrimage traditions. Along the Stations of the Cross, a permanent open-air exhibition displays mosaics made from Murano glass. Those interested in everyday history can explore furniture, household items, and tools for the home and garden from their great-grandparents' time at Bakina hiža and Dedekov dvor.

Landscape, cycling routes and regional cuisine

The natural sites also each have their own character. The Opeka Arboretum is a protected natural rarity and a horticultural monument. Near Lepoglava lies Gaveznica–Kameni vrh, a fossil volcano formed around 22 million years ago; Gaveznica is also known as the first discovered agate deposit in Croatia. The Trakošćan park forest encompasses the park around the castle and the surrounding woodland by the lake. The artificial lake covers around 23 hectares. In Varaždin, the cemetery grounds are an example of park architecture and a natural monument.

For active days, the county offers four road cycling routes and one route that partly runs off paved roads. “Od dvorca do dvorca” connects the Stari grad in Varaždin with Trakošćan Castle; the “Toplička ruta” leads to Varaždinske Toplice, home to Croatia's oldest thermal baths, and to the excavations of a Roman thermal bath. The county has introduced the “Cyclist Welcome Quality” standard for providers of cycling tourism services. Around Novi Marof, well-maintained walking, hiking and cycling trails lead to viewpoints, healing water springs, striking rock formations and excursion destinations.

For a more leisurely change of pace, Aquacity, also known as “Varaždinsko more”, offers opportunities for walking, swimming and relaxation. It is three kilometres from the centre of Varaždin. Near Novi Marof, the Topličica excursion area has two large pools with slides, a children's amusement park and tennis courts. You can also factor local cuisine into your travel plans: fifteen restaurants and other food establishments in the county meet the “Okusi varaždinskog kraja” standard for local dishes, drinks and traditional homemade products.

Places to explore further

Your choice of accommodation area can depend on whether you mainly want to discover urban history, thermal traditions, landscapes, cycling or pilgrimage sites. For orientation within the county, here are the towns and municipalities it includes: Varaždin, Varaždinske Toplice, Petrijanec, Gornji Kneginec, Jalžabet Municipality, Ivanec Municipality, Bednja Municipality, Lepoglava Municipality, Maruševec Municipality, Donja Voća Municipality, Ludbreg Municipality, Novi Marof Municipality, Varaždinske Toplice Municipality, Visoko Municipality and Beretinec Municipality.

For the broader travel overview: Croatia.