Croatia 5: Varazdin and Zagreb

I had not heard of Varazdin until recently. But who has? I added it to our itinerary when it made the list of 52 places to visit in 2014 by New York Times earlier this year, the only location in Croatia to be picked.  Given the nature of the list, NYT is obviously trying to stay ahead of the curve and I have to keep up! Varazdin is close to the border and it takes us about an hour to drive there from Ptuj, our last stop in Slovenia.  Our modest Pension is near the Old Town and has a parking lot adjoining the house, wonderful. 

We set out before the sun sets. I did not have high expectations for an earth-shattering traveler’s experience here, but the main square is lively with several streets lined with handsome old buildings leading to it. Prices are expectedly lower than more touristy places in Croatia, but to take a break from the Balkan fare, we opt for a Big Mac dinner which at over $6 is almost same price as the lower end restaurant meal.

 

Varazdin: Main Square

Varazdin: Main Square at dusk

The following morning we go to the Castle which for a change is not at an elevation. The sidewalk cafes are already occupied by people having breakfast. I can see potential here. In fact, they host a very popular festival called Spancirfest in late August plus a Baroque music festival.

 

Varazdin: on morning walk from hotel to Old Town

Varazdin: Castle

Breakfast with a view: Varazdin Castle, Gate, and an old moat

Varazdin: daffodils in Old Town

I happen upon a picture of an attractive castle and our innkeeper enthusiastically tells me how to get there – Trakoscan. We make an unusual spontaneous change to our itinerary and decide to drive there. 45 minutes later, I am able to the same view I had seen. It is another 45 minute drive from Zagreb, the capital of Croatia and our last stop on this trip.

Trokascan: Castle

Zagreb is a major city and of course we struggle with parking near the center. Fortunately local drivers, who as we have seen during the trip so far, are courteous. A kind taxi driver tells us to park anywhere inside the white line and not the yellow line. Ok, simple enough, the white equals the blue in Slovenia, I guess. We find a spot and otherwise the process is the same – get a ticket at a nearby machine and put it on the dash. A fish lunch is quick and efficient – big-city style. During lunch, on the street below, I notice a tribute to their native son, who is best known now as the popular car – Nicola Tesla.

Zagreb: Tribute to Tesla

The main square, Jelacic, the start of our self-guided tour, is a short walk away.  There is a lot of action around here.

Zagreb: a statue of the patriot Jelacic in the Square that bears his name

Zagreb: Croatians claim they invented the necktie.

Zagreb: daffodils are sold in the lively square Trg Petra Preradovica today in a national fundraiser for breast cancer

 

We take a short funicular ride up to Gradec, a historic hill district. I am amazed by its tranquility for an area so close to the center and housing such important sights.

 

Zagreb: View of Lower Town from the funicular taking us up to one of the original hill towns, Gradec

 

Zagreb: in the Gradec area, there is a Museum of... Broken Relationships! Notice the street sign in the old Austro-Hungarian style

 

Zagreb: In Gradec. Church of St. Mark with its colorful tile roof. Parliament Building on the right.

 

Zagreb: taking a coffee break on Tkalciceva St., which used to be a river

 

Zagreb: the Glagolitic alphabet inside the Cathedral.

Spending just an afternoon does not do justice to the Croatian capital but it is a fine way to finish our first ever tour through the Balkans.

Slovenia 4: Radovljica and Ptuj

Radovljica is a short drive from Lake Bled and we are stopping by on our way to Ptuj in the Eastern part of Slovenia,

In addition to the attractive square/main drag, the tiny Old Town in Radovljica has a number of interesting sights, the most prominent being the beekeeping museum. Slovenes are said to take beekeeping seriously. People in Radovljica seem very accommodating, combining sophistication of a tourist destination and cheerful innocence of a small town. This looks like a nice overnight stay in a leisurely itinerary.



Radovljica: The Square



Radovljica: In front of a second hand shop on the square



Radovljica: A WWII bunker converted to a tiny chapel is dedicated to a Polish Jew converted to a Carmelite nun who died in Auschwitz and was later canonized (St. Teresa Benedict of the Cross).

Radovljica: Late-Gothic houses on the square

Radovljica: A view just outside Old Town

Radovljica: Entering the Beekeeping Museum. The collection inside includes old hand-painted panels for the front the beehives.

Radovljica: A homey restaurant/inn/gingerbread cookie "workshop"

View of Radvljica as we leave

A little bit further south is a small town of Kropa which is a historic blacksmithing town. The Iron Forging Museum is the highlight. As we finish the visit, the custodian turns on a giant music box that is awesomely loud.

Kropa: Iron Forging Museum. Some of the fine works from this town, for example, have supplied stylish Venice.

Kropa: The power from the gushing waters in the canal is harnessed for iron forges.

We now drive toward Ljubljana by highway and then it is mostly on a highway also from there to Ptuj. It cuts down on the driving time but also keeps me from being tempted to visit other small towns.

Ptuj is located in the Eastern part of Slovenia which is not a tourist mecca. But I don't want to miss an opportunity to check out a place which sounds like expectoration when properly pronounced. The small Old Town is attractive and the locals here seem less used to tourists, especially Asians. The castle is non-descript architecturally but its museum has a surprisingly extensive collection, a testament to Ptuj’s rich history. There is even a section displaying masks and costumes worn by locals during the Carnival time when the town is apparently overrun with visitors.



Ptuj: main drag

 

Ptuj: Old Town seen from the castle

Ptuj: Costume for the Carnival that draws tens of thousands every year

 Ptuj is close to the border with Croatia which is where we head back next.

Slovenia 3: Bled

Lake Bled has been a popular resort for generations and a major destination for travelers to Slovenia these days.

 We leave Ljubljana mid-day after finding out Plecnik's Museum is closed for renovation. A visit to that old house of the beloved Slovenia architect was going be our last activity in the capital before driving an hour or so north to Bled.

After a short time on the highway, snowcapped mountains come into view - they must be the Julian Alps range and so we are heading in the right direction. How about navigation by these natural cues like in the ancient times.

On the way to Lajke Bled, the eastern end of Julian Alps comes into view. From Bodice, not far from Ljubljana.

Driving around the lake to the north side, we pull into out hotel parking lot - no Old Town here! Yet again we receive a free room upgrade and yet again it's a fantastic view out the window - this time the small island inside the lake which graces many a poster and a guidebook cover.

 

Bled Island is visible from our room window.

We take a leisurely walk around the lake where the views of the Bled Island and the equally evocative Bled Castle keep changing. I am looking for that perfect angle to photograph both until we run out of daylight.



Bled Town across the lake

First close-up view of Bled Island

 

First close-up view of Bled Castle

 

Bled Island in full glory

Bled Castle in full glory

 

How about some ducks in the picture

How about a human in the picture

The following morning we drive to the Bled Castle instead of the original plan to walk up a steep .pathway since the sun was already getting pretty high. We are sandwiched between two large Korean groups. In addition to the views, there is some interesting stuff there, including and old printing shop which has a replica of the original Gutenberg printing press which they use for souvenir printing. A photo of Laura Bush is hanging from her visit in 2001. And she did not tell George the correct name of this country?

Bled Island seen from Bled Castle

Bled Castle: a small chapel contains centuries-old frescos

 

Bled Castle: a replica of the Gutenberg printing press is used to produce souvenirs.

While waiting for a boat to take us to Bled Island, we finally taste the Bled Cream Cake everyone's talking about. I'd like to believe that having such a heavenly concoction in a heavenly natural setting is just what I need for my pre-diabetes.

Blejska Kremna Rezina (or Kremsnita or Bled Cream Cake) at lakeside. Bled Castle in the background. Mid morning.

 

A Mute Swan passing by

 

 

Birds recognizing the local specialty and licking our plates

  

We finally get on the boat from the harbor.



From the boat: Bled Castle and St. Martin Church

 

From the boat: Bled Castle

 

On Bled Island

 

 

Bled Castle from Bled Island



a Pletna boat near Tito's Vila Bled

 

The person at the TI is extremely helpful. As I suspected, the high mountain pass in the Julian Alps (Vrsic) is still closed with snow and the only way to make a loop through the mountains and see the valley is to get into Italy, which we don't have enough time for. So we opt to go to Lake Bohinj instead which is popular in its own right. But the cable car up Mt. Vogel is dominated by skiers and at the top the lake vista is not easily had because of snow.

Lake Bohinj seen from Mt. Vogel. Photo taken in two feet of snow. You can see the peaks of Mt. Triglav, the highest mountain in Slovenia

Savica Waterfall, a 20 minute hike from Lake Bohinj with the marble monument commemorating the Hapsburg Archduke Johann's visit in 1807

Lake Bohinj

Returning to Bled, I go back to the spot I scouted out yesterday where both the island and the castle can be seen in the late afternoon sun. It feels like a privilege to be able to enjoy such a view to die for. Or bleed for? Some wouldn't have bled for it. (I suppose the view can be improved with snow or fall colors covering the island - an excuse to return.) And after that, dinner and another round of cream cakes and such.

A combo view: Bled Castle and Bled Island

 

Encore: a combo view

 

Encore: Kremsnita (with Grmada)

 

Bled Castle lit at night