While there are plenty of excellent resort towns, amazing beaches, stunning views, and fascinating attractions located along Croatia's lauded and beloved coastline, if you move inland, you will also find a beautiful and varied landscape that is full of some incredible gems and wonderful surprises. For example, if you have found one of our stunning villas in Karlovac, or one of our lovely vacation rentals in Primorje-gorski Kotar, or a great holiday rental in Lika-senj and you're looking to start hitting the road, day-trip, and discover some of Croatia's most unique attractions, then we recommend heading out early one day to take in the fascinating fairytale castle of Veliki Tabor.
Veliki Tabor, which translates to, “Great Camp,” in Croatian, is located in the region of Zagorje, near Desinić, and dates back to the middle of the 15th century, though its current appearance reflects changes and alterations made in the 16th century. Built by the Hungarian noble family of Ráttkay, the castle remained their home until 1793 and is now a state-owned museum and tourist site. Picture-perfect with its gleaming white walls and charming steep red slate roofs, the castle is pentagonal in plan and composed of a Late Gothic core surrounded by four semi-circular Renaissance towers that are connected by curtain walls. Furthermore, the complex is also made up of the walls that comprise the northern entrance, an outer defense wall, a farm office, a Renaissance bastion, two semi-circular guardhouses to the north and south, and a quadrangular entrance tower that is present only on the archaeological level.
The castle underwent restoration between 2008 and 2011 and visitors can today enjoy tours of both the exterior and well-preserved interior, hear of the history of the castle, enjoy the ghost stories connected to the building, explore the spooky dungeons, admire the modern art exhibitions, try their hand at archery, and more. However, for many, the real highlight is the wonderful panorama over the stunning surrounding landscape that is afforded from the walls of the castle: it takes in sweeping views over cultivated lush green valleys, hills blanketed in thick forests that turn an array of golden hues in autumn, and much more besides. In addition to this, the food served in the castle comes with great reviews and there are lots of nearby restaurants and other rural attractions to take in in the surrounding area. So, if you want to see some of the most beautiful scenes and views in the country and explore a charming Renaissance castle, be sure to plan a trip to Veliki Tabor on your next vacation in Croatia!
The castle underwent restoration between 2008 and 2011 and visitors can today enjoy tours of both the exterior and well-preserved interior, hear of the history of the castle, enjoy the ghost stories connected to the building, explore the spooky dungeons, admire the modern art exhibitions, try their hand at archery, and more. However, for many, the real highlight is the wonderful panorama over the stunning surrounding landscape that is afforded from the walls of the castle: it takes in sweeping views over cultivated lush green valleys, hills blanketed in thick forests that turn an array of golden hues in autumn, and much more besides. In addition to this, the food served in the castle comes with great reviews and there are lots of nearby restaurants and other rural attractions to take in in the surrounding area. So, if you want to see some of the most beautiful scenes and views in the country and explore a charming Renaissance castle, be sure to plan a trip to Veliki Tabor on your next vacation in Croatia!
Photo credit: Tomislav.sebalj / CC BY-SA 4.0