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    Zagreb and Northern Croatia
    Miroslav.vajdic / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0

    Croatia

    Zagreb and Northern Croatia

    Region

    Northern Croatia includes the capital Zagreb, the hilly Zagorje, and the baroque city of Varaždin. The region showcases the country's Central European face, with castles, vineyards, and coffee houses.

    by Felix Gillen

    1. Home
    3. Destinations
    5. Croatia
    7. Zagreb and Northern Croatia
    Northern Croatia includes the capital Zagreb, the hilly Zagorje, and the baroque city of Varaždin. The region showcases the country's Central European face, with castles, vineyards, and coffee houses.
    Zagreb is the political and cultural center of the country. North of it lies Hrvatsko Zagorje with the castles of Trakošćan and Veliki Tabor; in Krapina, Neanderthal remains were found in 1899. The craft of wooden toys from this area has been on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list since 2009. Varaždin was briefly the capital of Croatia in the 18th century.
    Varaždin
    Pudelek / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

    Place 1 of 2

    Varaždin

    Varaždin is a Baroque city in northern Croatia, north of Zagreb. Palaces, churches, and the medieval fortress Stari grad define the Old Town, which was the capital of Croatia from 1767 until a major fire in 1776.

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    Zagreb
    Nikolai Karaneschev / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 3.0

    Place 2 of 2

    Zagreb

    Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and, with around 767,000 inhabitants, by far the largest city in the country.

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    Round trips through this region

    From Zagreb via Plitvice to the Adriatic

    From Zagreb via Plitvice to the Adriatic

    The route connects the capital with the country's most famous National Park and then leads to the Dalmatian Coast to Zadar and Split.

    9 Days
    5 stops
    Open jaw

    Nearby

    Zagreb

    Zagreb

    Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and, with around 767,000 inhabitants, by far the largest city in the country. The historic Upper Town with its Cathedral, St. Mark's Church, and Lotrščak Tower, the squares and parks of the Lower Town, and numerous museums make it a unique destination away from the coast.The Upper Town originated from the settlements of Gradec and Kaptol, which were only unified in 1850. A short funicular connects it to the Lower Town.
    Varaždin

    Varaždin

    Varaždin is a Baroque city in northern Croatia, north of Zagreb. Palaces, churches, and the medieval fortress Stari grad define the Old Town, which was the capital of Croatia from 1767 until a major fire in 1776.
    Graz

    Graz

    Styria's capital on the Mur combines an old town with red-tiled roofs, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999, with modern architecture like the Kunsthaus. Above the city, on the Schlossberg, stands the Clock Tower, Graz's landmark, and on the outskirts, the baroque Schloss Eggenberg.
    Graz & Styria

    Graz & Styria

    Styria in the southeast is known for vineyards, pumpkin seed oil, and its provincial capital Graz. Its historic center around Hauptplatz and Eggenberg Palace are part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
    Plitvice Lakes National Park

    Plitvice Lakes National Park

    Plitvice Lakes National Park in Lika is Croatia's most famous national park, located about two hours south of Zagreb. Sixteen lakes are connected by travertine barriers and waterfalls, with wooden walkways leading directly over the water.The park has been protected since 1949, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1979, and welcomed nearly 1.5 million visitors in 2024.

    Sources & method

    • Photos: Wikimedia Commons. Each photo carries its credit.
    • The content is based on web research from public, traceable sources. How the content is made · The role of AI