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Even as a country with some epic coastline, Croatia has plenty of interesting destinations inland. One such place is the city of Varazdin in the northern most reaches of the country. Close to the Slovenian border north of Zagreb, this city is a long way from Croatia’s regular tourist trail. By visiting Varazdin, you get to see yet another side to Croatia, one full of 18th century charm, thanks to the city’s old town and castle.
Varazdin may not be a large place, but much like the town of Samobor, it goes to show that Croatia is a far more diverse country than most people realise. Whether as a day trip from Zagreb or as part of a longer Balkan or Croatia itinerary, Varazdin is a fun little inclusion. Based on my experience there, one day in Varazdin is perfectly fine, letting you see the sights without lingering too long.
About Varazdin
Before getting to the sights of Varazdin, first a little about the city itself. Given its position away from the coast, but also not between the capital Zagreb and the coast, it’s not the kind of place you’d likely stumble upon in Croatia. Although, that it sounds like somewhere from Harry Potter might capture your attention if you were looking at a map.
Even if you haven’t heard of it before, Varazdin has an interesting history. When the Ottomans raided the region in the 13th century, the walled town became quite important. Things escalated significantly though when Varazdin became the capital for Croatia in 1756. This role was short-lived however, as the city was devastated by a fire in 1776 and the capital was moved on to Zagreb.
With much of the city needing to be rebuilt, a lot of Varazdin buildings date from the late 18th century. Because of the that era’s architecture, Varazdin earned the somewhat common nickname in central and eastern Europe, of “little Vienna”. Thankfully, it is that charming look that has survived to the present day. However, modern Varazdin did seem a little rough around the edges than the coast, or say, Zagreb.
Varazdin Castle
There’s little question as to where you should start sightseeing in Varazdin. The city’s stark white castle is its most recognisable landmark, with the medieval fortress the centre of life for Varazdin for many centuries. A little confusingly it is known as Stari Grad which translates to Old Town, but with the walls surrounding it, you can imagine a small town existing inside once.
Built in the 14th century, the castle was repeatedly redesigned to suit the tastes of its owner throughout the centuries. Since 1923, the castle has been home to the Varazdin City Museum. Beyond its inner courtyard, the museum shows you the castle chapel and some exhibits on local history. Exhibits include dress and furnishings of different periods to guild papers and weapons, but unfortunately with limited English language information.
The Watchtower Gate
Surrounding the castle is a great big green bank where the walls clearly once were. To fully admire the castle, it’s worth walking the small loop along the bank as it takes you up above the castle’s height and you can fully appreciate its scale. But once you’re done, it’s time to head for the Watchtower.
With its matching look to the castle, it’s clear the relationship between the two. This barbican still has a small stretch of stone wall against it and even a small drawbridge, convincingly reminding you of Varazdin’s long history. Today too, the watchtower hosts a small museum. Best of all though is the view that the gate provides as you look into Miljenka Stančića square in the Old Town.
Miljenka Stančića Square
Once you head through the watchtower you find Miljenka Stančića square and find yourself in Varazdin’s Old Town. A wide stone square with a little garden and olden water fountain, but most noticeably Sermage Palace. Seen above with its unique orange Rococo facade, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a building like it. Inside the palace you’ll find the Gallery of Old and Contemporary Masters.
Perhaps what this square is most popular for though is the cafes whose outdoor tables fill it, even in winter. Sitting here, you can enjoy a view of the watchtower and other buildings, while indulging in coffee and cake. You must try the local version of the cream cake here, which in Varazdin has a top layer of chocolate and is drizzled in chocolate sauce.
Varazdin Old Town
Honestly, one of the best things to do in Varazdin is to simply wander along the streets of Old Town. The city’s cobblestone streets are lined with the kind of classic old architecture that you find in parts of Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary. Even when they houses are looking a little worse for wear, the overall atmosphere is that of the old world.
Among the variety of homes found in Old Town, you’ll also spot the occasional palace. Perhaps not as lavish as palaces in actual Vienna, the local palaces still manage to be noticeably grand. The city seems to feel its grandest around Franjevački Square, where you will find a few palaces close by.
That Varazdin doesn’t seem to get many tourists means that strolling about is even more relaxing. In fact, the Old Town is much larger than you’d expect, with long pedestrian streets linking up many of the major attractions. You won’t feel like you’re retracing your steps, but likely won’t miss much either.
Varazdin Town Hall
The other noteworthy attraction within the Old Town is the Varazdin Town Hall. Situated on King Tomislav Square, the Town Hall with its little tower was one of the buildings that survived the brutal 1776 fire. It’s actually one of the oldest serving town halls in Europe, having been built in 1523. Along with the other buildings around the square, like Draskovic Palace, it makes for another pretty square in the city.
Varazdin Churches
Since we are in Europe, there’s always going to be a few churches you should visit. Varazdin is no exception. The first worth mentioning can be seen above, the Church of St Nicholas. Although I didn’t see inside, since a service was being held, the colours of its exterior do make for a pretty scene.
The other church I’d like to mention has less to do with the church and more to do with the odd display down its side. Tucked away in a corner behind the Church of St. John the Baptist you can find the Anje Lindak – a “place where angels sleep”. Rows and rows of angelic figures are hung up with colourful lights in this dark corner and it’s actually kind of neat/.
Visiting Varazdin
Even though Varazdin isn’t a major tourist destination, you will find a nice variety of places to stay at. My recommendation would be B&B Garestin, while more of an inn than a bed and breakfast, the place was affordable and well located. I also happened to eat there one night and thought the food was pretty good.
To reach Varazdin from Zagreb, other than driving yourself, your only option is to visit by bus. You’ll find that buses run about every 2 hours between their respective bus stations and the journey also takes around 2 hours. So if you want to visit as a day trip from Zagreb it’s doable, but will require an early start.
Now if you like castles, you’ll be happy to hear that there are some others nearby at Veliki Tabor and Trakošćan. If they’d be easier to reach by public transport or if I had a car, I definitely would have explored them too.
Another thing worth mentioning is that because Varazdin is found in far northern Croatia, you do have the chance of snow if you come in winter. While much of it had melted, there still was a bit of snow on the ground during my visit. So if you want to see snow in Croatia, heading to the north is one way to do it.
Are you interested now in visiting Varazdin in Croatia? If you’ve been to this part of Croatia, what other things to do in Varazdin would you recommend? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
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5 comments
lovely post, and thanks for linking to my post about Veliki Tabor Castle:)
Thank you for this. We loved it here too and ate excellent cake!
Though you know how I feel about pretty castles and towns, I have tbh and say, I’d visit just for the cream cake drizzled in chocolate! haha! Interesting though that this was once the capital before it moved to Zagreb!
We loved it here particularly the garden cemetery which is a lovely place to wander. We ate good cake too:)
Varazdin is a beautiful city and this photos are not doing favor to it. Bad photos take on a cloudy/rainy day at with ugly remains of snow. Sooo depressing!