In the Zagreb County, the grape harvesting period started earlier this year. On Plešivica, those who produce sparkling wines began with harvesting already on August 23 or 24. Drago Kurtalj started with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and then went to Graševina and other varieties. Kurtalj has 3.5 hectares of vineyards and along the calm wines, he produces Rose and Black Pinot sparkling wines and those made from the domestic varieties such as Šipelj, Lipovina, Vertlinec and others.

U Zagrebačkoj županiji završene su berbe koje su ove godine počele ranije. Na Plešivici oni koji proizvode pjenušce počeli su brati 23. ili 24. kolovoza. Drago Kurtalj počeo je s Crnim pinotom i Chardonnayom a onda se krenulo prema Graševini i drugim sortama. Kurtalj ima 3,5 hektara vinograda i uz mirna vina proizvodi pjenušce od Rosea i Crnog pinota i domaćih sorti kao što su Šipelj, Lipovina, Vertlinec i druge. Te autohtone sorte zastupljene su i u drugom pjenušcu DRI koj

The 10th Štruklijada, the event of the Krapina-Zagorje County, was held at the Kumrovec Staro Selo Museum. It is the preparation of the Štrukli, Zagorje specialty which has the mark of the protection of the immaterial cultural heritage. The winner of this year's Štruklijada is Klet Zagorski dvori - OPG Micakiz from Marija Bistrica, the second place holds Slasticama Tri užitka from Bedekovčina, while the third best štrukli in the world wax prepared by the Restaurant & caterin

Not so long ago, it was thought that Zagorje cannot produce high quality wines. Wine estate Sever in Klanjec is one of many opposing evidences. Situated on the southern slopes of Cesargrad Hill, Sever family cares for viticulture since 1989 and today they produce some 60 thousand litres of wine per annum. In Sever winery you will find Pinot Grigio, Rhine Riesling, Graševina (Welschriesling), Muscat, Traminer, Sauvignon and Chardonnay of white wines, and Frankovka (Blaufränkis

In late middle ages count Fridrik Ratkay from the castle of Veliki Tabor fell in love with a local peasant girl Veronika of Desinić. Their secret meeting point was a hill overlooking the castle. Because it was forbidden love and a sin, this hill was named Sinful Hill – Grešna gorica. Since 1996 here works the first registered Croatian agritourism, a splendid place of tradition and enjoyment, dedicated to the grandma’s traditional cuisine of Zagorje. We came here at dusk and w

To sit in dining room of Masnec rural tourism on hills above Zagorska sela is indeed like sitting in a comfortable home, next to a fireplace, and with a jolly company enjoying excellent rural cuisine. We came here party unannounced, but it wasn’t a problem for Fanika Masnec, the lady of the house. With a bright smile she brought us the family’s graševina wine and asked to wait just a few minutes before she gets us some specialties of the house. Family Masnec is among the firs

The Broz family is world famous, but besides Marshall Tito and his family, there are other Brozs who care for viticulture and tourism in Zagorje. One such family runs Broz vinery and an inn in centre of Klanjec, in a same house where famous Croatian linguist Ivo Broz was born. What is indeed very special is that Broz family has eco-production of wine on southern slopes of Cesargrad hill. Thus, Broz’s graševina has a distinctive aroma of apples, without sulphur, and is kept in

When poet Antun Mihanović was writing a poem in 1835 that will later become the Croatian national anthem, he surely didn’t even think that in a protected nature forest of Zelenjak, where is a monument dedicated to him and his poem, will be also one of the top quality restaurants in whole Zagorje. Family Ventek runs the restaurant Zelenjak and is proud of dedication to beautifully made, eye pleasing, and traditionally authentic Zagorje foods. Immediately next to the Sutla rive

Largest city in Sutla valley is Klanjec, picturesque cultural and historical centre of the western part of Croatian Zagorje, situated beneath ruins of medieval Cesargrad castle. First mentioned in 1463 in a document of King Matthias Corvinus, Klanjec remained a very cosy town with extraordinary cultural and architectural heritage. Many craftsmen, merchants, and famous persons lived in Klanjec and citizens are very proud of this heritage. The authors of first Croatian dictiona

The region of Zagorska sela is more hilly, with gentle slopes descending down to the Sutla River. This is area without big urban centres and small villages, characterised by numerous little chapels on hilltops, rolling green hills, and manors. Main sight of area is the Miljana Castle, one of the most beautiful and picturesque castles in Zagorje. Built in late 16th century, it was hundreds of years property of Rattkay Family, and after the last Rattkay died it had several own

Along the Sutla river from Klanjec northwards we have visited three distinctive localities that are famous for its history, culture, and gastronomy. We went to Kumrovec, Zagorska sela, and Desinić. This is the region rich with castles and manors, vineyards and agritourisms, famous persons and cultural heritage. Outside ex-Yugoslavia you might not have heard for Kumrovec, but you surely did for his greatest son. In this small village on the banks of Sutla river Marshall Josip

Family ethno hotel “Stara Vodenica” (Old Watermill) of family Galić is situated close to Klanjec and near the Sutla River. You cannot miss it on the road as the exterior resembles fairytale place with a distinctive Zagorje features. Family Galić transformed it based on years of tourism experience. Now it welcomes visitors from all around the world in a picturesque corner of Hrvatsko Zagorje, with River Sutla, Klanjec, Kumrovec, and Castle of Veliki Tabor in easy reach by car.

The region north of the Croatian capital, called Zagorje, has always been known for its thermal spas, as well as cultural sights and natural landmarks. On their departure, tourists would always supply themselves with local, home-grown, groceries (like cottage cheese and sour cream, fruit and vegetables, poultry – the renown turkey – honey, and, of course, wine). To all that, the local household farms would always serve a dish known as štrukli. Basically, it’s a pastry made of

Zagorje is a fairytale country, blessed with lush greenery, a site where even the Neanderthal people chose to live, using hunting and gathering food in the forest to survive. In fact, this might not have been so difficult, given the amazing benefits of nature. The eternal symbiosis with nature thus became a basis for traditional Zagorje cuisine, affecting and reflecting a particular and often jolly way of life. The food here is hearty. No wonder for that, because the terrain