Zagreb - Trakošćan - Varaždin

DescripTrakošćan was built at the end of the 13th century in the defense system of northwestern Croatia as a small observation fort to monitor the road from Ptuj to the Bednjan valley. According to legend, Trakošćan was named after the Thracian fortress (arx Thacorum), which was supposed to have existed at the time of antiquity. Another preserved legend is that it was named after the Knights of Drachenstein who ruled those lands in the early Middle Ages. The toponym Trakošćan was first mentioned in written documents in 1334. The masters of the fortress are not known in the first centuries, we only know that from the end of the 14th century the counts of Celje were the owners who at the same time ruled the entire Zagorje county. Soon, this family became extinct and Trakoscan shared the fate of their other towns and possessions, which were being crushed, and changing various masters. In this division, Trakošćan, as a unique property, belongs first to the military commander Jan Vitovac, then Ivanis Corvinus, who donates it to his brother Ivan Gyulay. This family it retained the castle for three generations and became extinct in 1566 and was taken over by the state. For the services rendered, King Maximilian granted the estate to Juraj Draskovic (1525-1587), first personally and then for hereditary enjoyment. Thus finally in 1584 Trakošćan was acquired by the Draskovic family. During the flourishing period of the construction of castles in Hrvatsko Zagorje, in the second half of the 18th century, the Thracians abandoned. Abandoned, it began to decline rapidly, and it was not until the mid-19th century that the family became interested in their titular city again, in the spirit of a new age, and a romantic return to nature and family traditions. In this spirit, Marshal Juraj V. Draskovic transforms the city into a residential castle, and transforms the park environment into a romantic park. The following generations were occasionally resided in Trakošćan until 1944, when they moved to Austria, shortly afterwards the castle was nationalized. In 1954 a permanent museum was established. Today the castle is owned by the Republic of Croatia.tion

Varaždin is the city of baroque, young people, music, flowers and bicycles. „Little Vienna“ with rich natural legacy interwoven in parks, a must see destination, located in the North of Croatia on the southern bank of the River Drava. With 46.946 inhabitants and the average annual temperature of 10°C, the city of Varaždin is one of the most attractive destinations to live in or to visit in Croatia. It is the tourist, cultural, economical, educational and sporting centre of North-western Croatia. The nine-times winner of the award presented by the National Tourism board, the nomination for the Golden Flower of Europe and holder of 11 „Green Flowers“; the national award, all for the most ordered, appointed and maintained destination, speak in favour of Varaždin being the city of pleasant emotions. The city of angels, colourful and magical events; the most famous ones Špancirfest - the Street Festival of good emotions in summer and the classical music festival -Varaždin Baroque Evenings which celebrates music, baroque architectural inheritance and authentic instruments, in autumn.