Central Croatia is the green, hilly interior around Zagreb – with Central European flair, Baroque towns, castles, thermal spas and vineyards. For most holidaymakers it's a region to drive through on the way to the sea; those who stop find a lively capital, quiet villages and hearty food. In winter, with Zagreb's Advent and the spas, the region is even a better choice than the coast.
Samobor day trip, kremšnita, hiking in Samoborsko gorje
Zagorje castles, spas, family trips, štrukli
Varaždin Baroque architecture, Špancirfest, stopover from the north
Nature
Medvednica Nature Park lies right on Zagreb's doorstep, with Žumberak–Samoborsko gorje Nature Park to the west. Further south, on the way to the coast, the mill village of Rastoke and the Plitvice Lakes invite a stop. Lonjsko polje on the Sava is a quiet wetland with storks and old wooden houses.
Getting there
Zagreb is the central hub: Franjo Tuđman Airport has flights from many European cities, and motorways lead to Slovenia (A2/A3), Hungary (A4), the Kvarner Bay (A6) and Dalmatia (A1). Long-distance buses and trains link Zagreb with Vienna, Munich, Ljubljana and Budapest.
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are ideal for hikes and city visits, December for Advent. In July and August Zagreb can get very hot – many locals are at the coast and the city feels relaxed. The Zagorje spas are open year-round.
Places to stay: Zagreb & Central Croatia
We don’t have a property here yet. Browse our holiday rentals all over Croatia:
Note: To protect the personal rights of people shown and to respect third-party copyright, some images on this page are AI-generated. They show typical impressions and may differ in detail from how the places actually look.
Central Croatia is the green, hilly interior around Zagreb – with Central European flair, Baroque towns, castles, thermal spas and vineyards. For most holidaymakers it's a region to drive through on the way to the sea; those who stop find a lively capital, quiet villages and hearty food. In winter, with Zagreb's Advent and the spas, the region is even a better choice than the coast.
Samobor day trip, kremšnita, hiking in Samoborsko gorje
Zagorje castles, spas, family trips, štrukli
Varaždin Baroque architecture, Špancirfest, stopover from the north
Nature
Medvednica Nature Park lies right on Zagreb's doorstep, with Žumberak–Samoborsko gorje Nature Park to the west. Further south, on the way to the coast, the mill village of Rastoke and the Plitvice Lakes invite a stop. Lonjsko polje on the Sava is a quiet wetland with storks and old wooden houses.
Getting there
Zagreb is the central hub: Franjo Tuđman Airport has flights from many European cities, and motorways lead to Slovenia (A2/A3), Hungary (A4), the Kvarner Bay (A6) and Dalmatia (A1). Long-distance buses and trains link Zagreb with Vienna, Munich, Ljubljana and Budapest.
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are ideal for hikes and city visits, December for Advent. In July and August Zagreb can get very hot – many locals are at the coast and the city feels relaxed. The Zagorje spas are open year-round.
Places to stay: Zagreb & Central Croatia
We don’t have a property here yet. Browse our holiday rentals all over Croatia:
Note: To protect the personal rights of people shown and to respect third-party copyright, some images on this page are AI-generated. They show typical impressions and may differ in detail from how the places actually look.
