Orientation
You don't have to take an extensive road trip to sample Croatia's northern heartland: Many of the castles, wineries, historical sites, and natural wonders within a 161km (100-mile) radius of Zagreb can easily be visited on day trips depending on what you want to see. It takes just a few hours to see charming Samobor or rustic Divlje Vode. Even historic Karlovac is less than an hour from the capital. Excursions such as a day of hiking the trails at renowned Plitvice Lakes National Park with its waterfalls, karst gorges, and forests; or a day exploring the shops, cafes, and castle at the baroque town of Varazdin, are within easy reach of Zagreb. Whether you want to spend a few days driving through the Meimurje wine country in extreme northern Croatia, or if you have just half a day to wander around Tito's childhood village at Kumrovec in the Zagorje, you can do it without spending a lot of time in transit. Check with the Zagreb County Tourist Association at Preradoviceva 42 (tel. 01/48-73-665; fax 01/48-73-670) for excursion possibilities. The office is open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and from 9am to 1pm Saturday (closed Sun), late June through early September. Other times, office hours are from 8am to 4pm Monday to Friday. The association's website (http://zagzup.tripod.com/turizam/index.html) is handy for tourist contact information in Zagreb's outlying towns and for such statistics as the towns' distances from the capital. To get information on exploring the territory north of Zagreb in the Zagorje or in Meimurje regions, contact the Tourist Board of Meimurje County in Cakovec at R. Boskovica 3 (tel. 040/390-191; www.tzm.hr).
We've put the sights in Zagreb's orbit into several itineraries according to routes out of the city, each of which can be used whole, broken into segments, or combined with other routes to suit individual interests.
Getting There & Getting Around
Once in Zagreb you can book guided excursions from the city in any direction. Multiple itineraries are available and especially useful if you are pressed for time, unfamiliar with the region, without your own transportation, or want an overview of the sights that ring Croatia's capital. Some excursions from Zagreb can be reached by train; for schedules, go to Croatian Railways (tel. 030/333-444; www.hznet.hr). Another great way to travel outside Zagreb is by bus. Popular bus companies include Croatia Bus (tel. 01/2352-333; www.croatiabus.hr) and Contus (tel. 023/315-315; www.contus.hr). No matter how you arrive at your destination, however, sightseeing will involve a good bit of walking, as these destinations are compact and sometimes pedestrian zones only.
