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Published: January 31st 2011
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Dvorac Trakoscan
Trakoscan Castle from 13th century that now serves a museum, surrounded by a lake What would first come to your mind when you heard about Croatian tourism? The sea. What would a tourist visit the first second he/she landed in Croatia? The sea. The Adriatic sea. Let me tell you: Croatia is beyond the sea. Forget the sea for a while, take your backpack and head up north. As all the visitors are concentrated in Istria and Dalmacija region, the Central Croatia is almost forgotten. In fact, Central Croatia, especially Zagorje and Varazdin area, host the most important and beautiful baroque centers, castles, and fortress one can find. There is no sea, but there is green hilly area hiding tons of cultural heritage Croatia has.
Trakoscan Castle is located in Varazdin County, around 100 km from Zagreb. Kiki and I visited the castle in late November. As Croatia has a mild climate, November was not yet too cold. It took us about 45 minutes to drive from Bedekovcina, where we live, to Trakoscan. Upon arrival, we parked the car in the space provided, which cost 10 kunas (a little bit more than a euro) per day. We arrived around midday, on Saturday, and there were plenty of visitors, that I would say, mostly local
The Lake
During summer, visitors can sail on the lake tourists. From the parking lot, we followed the pathway toward the hill where the castle is on top of. There were like two restaurants in the entrance, serving local food and drinks, also some booths selling local home made honey and lavenders. The pathway was pretty long, although you wouldn't even feel it because the garden is just so nice and provides fresh air. There is some points where we have to hike up hill, pretty steep with some old stairs. When we got to the building of the castle, there was this big porch where you can see the lake around the hill. We went inside where the museum is, and bought the entrance ticket for 30 kunas each.
The inside part is mostly the furniture and history from the family that once own the castle. They lived there as the guy was the Count that was responsible for the whole Zagorje area. The things are quite well preserved, and English explanation is also available. The castle was built in 13th century, so most of the collections here came from the same age. There was even this old-fashioned bathroom as a part of the exhibition, the thing that
From 13th Century
Trakoscan is only one of tons of other castles in this area I couldn't find in the similar castle in Varazdin. Somewhere in fall every year, the castle hosts a medieval festival where you can see many people dressed as it was in 13th century, just to give the atmosphere of the castle being used in its age back then.
Done with the museum, we walked around the lake following the pathway given. You can make the whole circle or just sit down on benches available. The garden and the lake is open for public for free, if you're not willing to go seeing the museum. So we saw lots of locals running or just taking a walk around the lake. In warmer time, there are sailing boats you can rent and use on the lake. I believe I also saw the duck-shaped water bike for the younger. There was another bar you can just have a drink on the dock, too bad that we came in November, the boats rentals no longer worked.
As an Indonesian, born by the sea with sandy beach and surf-able waves, I never was interested in Croatian beaches. I always said to Kiki: the Croatian coast doesn't even have a beach. Where is the sand? The waves? And that was my first impression to Croatian tourism. And I was wrong. Croatian tourism is not merely Adriatic coast. Come deeper to the continental Croatia, and you'll find lots of cultural heritage such as this castle, that are available in many areas in many different forms. I fell in love with this castle, so that it even did cross my mind to get married there. I just think it's a pity that most of the tourists visiting Croatia don't know these hidden gems. Come on guys, Croatia is beyond the sea! And this Trakoscan is not the only one. There is this Veliki Tabor Castle that is even bigger, but now being under reconstruction so we cannot visit yet. And there is the one in Varazdin I wrote about in my previous post, there is Miljana, Frinkin, and so on. So see you in my next trip then!
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