The Medvednica Nature Park - A place for a quality break

During hot summer days, the Medvednica Nature Park is the ideal place to find refreshment. Apart from natural beauties, it offers an array of other attractions for tourists.

If you are spending time in Zagreb, make sure to visit the Medvednica Nature Park. This is the ideal place to find refreshment during the hot summer days, as well as enjoy the array of attractions which await visitors in this unique nature park.

The park spreads across approximately 18 thousand hectares and its forests practically reach the city centre. Apart from numerous species of flora and fauna, including many endemic species, the park features about seventy mountaineering paths, a network of eight bicycle paths – connected with one transversal path, as well as an array of educational paths which have also been adapted for disabled visitors.

The Medvednica Nature Park, whose summit Sljeme is the venue for the “Snow Queen” races of the Ski World Cup, also boasts the old town of Medvedgrad. This 13^th century fort is the best preserved in Croatia and offers a fantastic view of all of Zagreb. It also serves as a concert stage, and it hosts the “Medieval Days at Medvednica” tourism event every year during the last weekend in September. As active participants in this event, visitors travel back to medieval times – the times of knights, their entourages and court jesters, and avail themselves of the opportunity to try their hand at various disciplines and find out what the food was like back then… Visitors will also have the opportunity to make their own silver coin, because the Medvednica Nature Park is home to the Zrinski Mine which dates back to the 16^th century. Once used for silver mining it is nowadays open to the public. Apart from the medieval mine, the Medvednica Nature Park also boasts the Veternica Cave, which was protected in 1979 as a geomorphologic nature monument. It is interesting because it is home to 18 species of bats, 12 of which are permanent winter residents of the cave. Every year, on the last Saturday in August, the Veternica Cave and the nearby Glavica mountain chalet are venues for International Bat Night. Bats are an endangered species worldwide and a sign of a preserved environment wherever they live. We invite you to discover other aspects and accommodation options at Medvednica for yourselves, and enjoy the natural harmony of Zagreb’s highlands.