Varaždin: Hotels and accommodation

The historic old town of Varaždin forms a historic architectural and urban ensemble in Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles. The palaces of Varaždin give the city its Baroque character, while their façades are a defining visual feature of the historic old town.

Culture

Stari grad was built intermittently from the 14th to the 19th century; the central tower contains Gothic benches and canopies. Stari grad is the most significant historic building in Varaždin. It is also home to the oldest specialist department of the Varaždin City Museum, presented in historically appropriate interiors.

The building of the Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Varaždinu was constructed in 1873 in the Historicist style and designed by Hermann Helmer. The first performance at the new Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Varaždinu was the drama “Poturica”, which premiered in Croatian on 25 September 1873.

Varaždin Cathedral is the central part of a former 17th-century Jesuit complex; the entire complex was completed in 1656. Traditionally, the cathedral serves as the main festival venue for the Varaždinske barokne večeri. Palača Sermage has a Rococo exterior resulting from a renovation in 1759; its preserved courtyard is a venue for theatre and dance performances during the summer months.

The Gradski muzej Varaždin comprises specialist departments of archaeology, history, cultural history, ethnography and entomology. The Muzej hrvatskog vatrogastva is the only museum in Croatia with a permanent exhibition on the history of the Croatian fire service and fire protection. The permanent exhibition presents the development of the Croatian fire service from the second half of the 19th century to the present day. The collection comprises around 1,200 objects; the museum is located in a building of the Varaždin fire station with an area of 400 square metres.

Galerija K10 displays a collection of 225 ceramic artworks from 45 countries. At Trg tradicijskih obrta in the centre of Varaždin, visitors can learn about traditional craft techniques, buy locally made products and mint a good-luck coin. Techniques such as traditional shoemaking are also demonstrated there; during the high season, workshops on traditional culture, such as gingerbread decorating, lace-making and the production of traditional jewellery, take place on Saturday mornings.

Varaždin City Cemetery has the status of a protected monument of garden architecture and is a cultural asset. Varaždin Cemetery was designed and laid out by Herman Haller based on the model of a French park. In the mobile ARTOUR app, Varaždin City Cemetery is available with interactive routes, stories and interesting facts about cultural history.

Nature

The Dravska park-šuma is a natural recreational area on the Drava in Varaždin County with exceptional biological diversity. Šetalište Vatroslava Jagića is designed in the English park style and combines dense plantings of tall trees with open lawns. Park Ivana Pavla II. features interpreted plant species and a water motif imitating the Drava, giving it an educational character.

The Drava, its banks and the accompanying forests enable SUP, rafting, mountain biking and Jeep off-road activities. The „Od dvorca do dvorca“ route leads from Varaždin's Stari grad to Trakošćan Castle. The EuroVelo 9 cycling route leads from the west through Slovenia and Maribor to Varaždin.

Events

Varaždin hosts an international animated film festival for children and young people, dedicated exclusively to animated filmmaking by children and young people; as part of this festival, workshops, lectures, accompanying animated film screenings and exhibitions are held every year in the historic old town of Varaždin.

Other destinations in the selection: Petrijanec, Varaždinske Toplice.

Anyone wishing to book a hotel in Varaždin can then continue searching for accommodation.

To the higher-level travel overview: Varaždin County.