Trakošćan Castle, 80km northwest of Zagreb, is worth a visit for its well-presented museum and attractive grounds. The exact origin of its construction is unknown, but the first official mention dates to 1334. Not many of the castle’s original Romanesque features were retained when it was restored in neo-Gothic style in the mid-19th century; the 215-acre castle grounds were landscaped into a romantic English-style park with exotic trees and an artificial lake.
Occupied by the aristocratic Drašković family until 1944, the castle features three floors of exhibits that display the family’s original furniture, a plethora of portraits, an armament's collection of swords, and a period kitchen in the basement. The series of rooms range in style from neo-Renaissance to Gothic and baroque.
After soaking up the history, wander along the verdant paths down to the wooden jetty at the lake, where you can rent a two-person paddleboat (30KN for thirty minutes).
No buses operate between Zagreb and Trakošćan but there are weekday connections from Varaždin, making a day trip here possible.
