TRAKOSCAN CASTLE AND MUSEUM OF NEANDERTALS

TRAKOŠĆAN CASTLE

Trakošćan castle is the most attractive castle in Croatia. It is located in Zagorje, 23 km north – east of Krapina. With 40000 tourists every year it is the most visited castle in Croatia.It was built in 13th century as a small fortress which was a part of Zagorje principality. There are very few facts and information about the beginning of its construction. Since 1953 there has been a permanent exhibition of reconstructed ambience of the Drašković family in the castle, it involves a lot of original baroque furniture and small objects as well, so you can feel as if it hasn’t been long since the owners left the castle. 

KRAPINA NEANDERTHAL MUSEUMThis site is one of the most famous and important discoveries of prehistoric people in Europe, and due to that at the end of 19th century the Hušnjakovo hill (Krapina) was listed on the world map of paleontological natural monuments. The museum opened its doors in 2010 and in an interesting way it represents a mysterious way of human evolution. The exhibition is a kind of the time machine which takes us back to the beginning of cosmic evolution and leads us to modern times. The biggest attraction is a hyper realistic reconstruction of a stone age habitat, a work by Elisabeth Daynes, a sculptor. The museum was nominated for European museum award of the year in 2012. 

WINERY & RESTAURANT “Vuglec Breg”

The tourist village ”Vuglec Breg” is the result of the creative and romantic vision of the Vuglec family. The Vuglec family’s aim was to convert the heritage of their ancestors into a lasting value.We were guided by our desire to create a unique ambience suited for a pleasant experience and complete enjoyment in the natural environment of Zagorje, a magnificently beautiful region of Croatia.

”Vuglec Breg” was created on the foundations of the old Zagorje hamlet of ”Vuglec” and also on life-experience and traditions of rural existence in Hrvatsko Zagorje, where healthy lifestyle was the norm until the 1970s. The estate stretches over an area of 12 hectares and from the peak of the hill, which is at about 300 metres above sea level one can enjoy a magnificent view of the surrounding hills dotted with houses, cottages and churches.

The renovated ”Vuglec Breg” comprises a number of autochthonous houses (hiža) converted into accommodation for tourists, an old building which holds the restaurant, a wine cellar and a seminar hall. Right by the restaurant and along the first vineyard rows there is a pergola with a BBQ, a bread oven and a summer terrace.On the northern side of ”Vuglec Breg” there is a horse barn, a little pond, two tennis courts and two ‘five a side’ football fields, a playground for children, lawns and walking paths.