Zagreb County is the horseshoe-shaped ring of forests, hills and farmyards encircling Zagreb, Croatia’s capital. The region’s ancient churches, castles and traditional villages are surrounded by meadows, mountainsides and vineyards. Go on wine and cycling tours, explore archeological sites and dine on some of the region’s gastronomic specialties.
Take long excursions through the countryside to visit rural towns and villages. Admire the baroque architecture of Samobor. Taste local specialties, including a cream pastry dessert called kremšnita, accompanied by Bermet dessert wine. Observe the traditional wooden architecture of the hillside town of Križ. See the Roman ruins of Velika Gorica and tour the castles and palaces of Zaprešić.
Journey through the area by car or bike. Numerous cycle routes travel along valleys, through villages, past castles and along the banks of lakes. For maps and comprehensive instructions, visit the website of the Zagreb County Tourist Board.
Zagreb County’s fertile plains and vine-growing hills produce an abundance of wines every year. Discover some of their output by traveling along twisting wine roads. The Plešivica Wine Road encompasses more than 30 wineries featuring such wines as graševina, Rhine riesling and sauvignon. Choose from seven wineries on the Samobor Wine Road. Take a side trip to the Grgos Cave with its chambers of stalagmites.
Zagreb County’s scenery is the backdrop for many sporting activities year-round. Go horseback riding through forests if you’re a beginner try the riding schools at Kloštar Ivanić and Samobor. Learn how to paraglide, then take off from the 2,834-foot (879-meter) Japetić peak. Play golf on courses at Krašić and Zaprešić.
Reach Zagreb County by flying into Zagreb International Airport. Buses and trains travel through the region, but many people opt for a rental car for the freedom to sightsee on their own timetable. Stay in motels or hotels in some of the old towns and villages.
Zagreb County encompasses the green outskirts of Croatia’s capital city, offering year-round recreational activities, history and natural beauty.