Things To Do in Cazma, Bjelovar and Daruvar

Each of the towns listed here is small and readily covered in a couple of hours, even on foot, and each has several pleasing sites worth checking out.

Bjelovar

Picturesque Bjelovar experienced just a few days of fighting during the 1991 civil war in Croatia, but it was a bona fide military town under the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, who built a fort there in 1756. Today, the town's former army headquarters has been restored and serves as a branch of Zagreb University. Plans include converting the building to a business and cultural center plus galleries and an exhibition hall.

Bjelovar celebrates its military glory days every summer with Terezijana, a festival held the last full weekend in June. The celebration commemorates the empress's visit to inspect her city. During the festival, Maria Theresa's "entrance" to the town center is reenacted with carriages, parades, and much fanfare that includes fun, food, and an annual open-air spoof featuring locals portraying the empress and her subjects.

Every September, Bjelovar is the site of one of Croatia's largest livestock exhibitions, an event that draws farmers from all over the country and beyond. The rest of the year, life in Bjelovar, which is just 80km (50 miles) northeast of Zagreb, is fairly quiet and revolves around agriculture. Just about any time, you can stroll Bjelovar's beautiful town square, which twice was voted the best-designed and maintained in Croatia by the Croatian National Tourism Board. You also can take a peek at the town's excellent civic museum, which has a good ethnographic collection. The Bjelovar City Tourism Board is at Trg Eugena Kvaternika 4 (tel. 043/243-944).

Cazma

This little town in Bjelovar-Bilogora County about 58km (36 miles) east of Zagreb is a sportsman's paradise. Hunters flock to the area for the deer, boar, pheasant, rabbit, and wild duck that freely roam the fields and gentle hills. Anglers are attracted by schools of freshwater fish teeming in the nearby Cesma and Glogovnica rivers. For those who are into personal bests, Cazma has a large number of clay tennis courts and other sports venues. It is part of the "Super-marathon Zagreb-Cazma" itinerary, a 60km (36-mile) run held the first week of April that has been an annual event since 1976. History buffs can visit the unusually large Romanesque-style, twin-tower Church of St. Mary Magdalene built in the 13th century. It was restored with Baroque touches in the 18th. The church is noted for its incredibly ornate altar and pulpit, and for its 18th-century rococo organ decorated with lots of marble and gilt and topped by cherubs. The Cazma Tourist Board is at Milana Novacica 13 (tel. 043/772-086).

Daruvar

In Roman times, Daruvar was the site of baths called Aquae Balissae, which were named for the area's healing waters. Today, Daruvar still attracts tourists who want to soak in the town's mineral springs or who want to explore nearby Papuk Mountain and National Park. Daruvar is also a gateway to the county's thriving hunting tourism. Roebuck, wild boar, and game birds are just some of the sought-after prizes that attract outdoorsmen.

Daruvar suffered moderate damage during the 1991 war, most notably at beautiful Julijev Park in the heart of town, but it has mostly recovered. Daruvar is also home to a large contingent of Croatia's Czech population, as testified to by the presence of Staro Ceska Brewery.

Daruvar Tourist Office. Julijev Park 1. tel. 043/335-499. Fax 043/331-455. komercialja@daruvarske-toplice.hr.