Croatia Guide
Inland Croatia
The jumble of geographical regions that make up inland Croatia seem, on the face of it, to have little in common with one another. Historically, however, the Croats of the interior were united by a set of cultural influences very different from those that prevailed on the coast. After the collapse of the medieval Croatian kingdom in the early part of the twelfth century, inland Croatia fell under the sway of first Hungary, then the Habsburg Empire, increasingly adopting the culture and architecture of central Europe. All this has left its mark: sturdy, pastel-coloured farmhouses dot the countryside, while churches sport onion domes and Gothic spires, providing a sharp contrast with the pale stone houses and Venetian-inspired campaniles of the coast.
Highlights
1 Kumrovec Beautifully preserved Zagorje village which is also the birthplace of Croatia's most famous son, Josip Broz Tito.
2 Varaždin cemetery The lovingly tended shrubs and hedgerows of this nineteenth-century necropolis will excite the amateur gardener in everyone.
3 Hlebine Home to a world-renowned colony of self-taught painters, whose effervescent canvases can be seen in the village gallery.
4 Plitvice Breathtaking beauty spot offering a stunning profusion of forest-fringed lakes, waterfalls and rapids.
5 Lonjsko polje Enchantingly archaic timber-built villages, frequented by storks, wild horses and spotty-hided pigs.
6 Tvrđa, Osijek An atmospheric ensemble of Baroque buildings built by Habsburgs to serve as their military headquarters, now the centre of the city's nightlife.
7 Kopački rit One of central Europe's premier wetland areas, providing a natural habitat for herons, cormorants and birdwatchers.