A visit to Zagorje and the Majsec Watermill

Some half an hour drive north of Zagreb in Croatian Zagorje, Donja Stubica is the location of Majsec Watermill – a typical Zagorje country house ideal for a rural holiday. In the spring, your eyes will feast on the beautiful irises and your taste buds will be tempted by the flavors and tastes of Zagorje’s cuisine.

The refurbished Majsec Watermill, set in the original ambiance of the northern part of Donja Stubica at the foot of Mt. Medvednica, evokes the life once led by our great grandfathers and great grandmothers. The whole complex, with the watermill as its central feature, looks like a replica of an old, time-weathered photo. The owners have turned the whole property into a traditional household that is geared for tourists, and the refurbished watermill has been returned to its former use and grinds the traditional maize varieties grown by the owners themselves. Two traditional Zagorje houses have also been refurbished and the third one, which will have six guest rooms when completed, is in the final stages of its restoration. The exquisite setting of this traditional property adds to its value. The refurbished watermill’s authentic location is by a brook which powers its grind-mill and by a fishpond which is currently being cleaned and made fit for fish. The property is located in the most beautiful surroundings of the Sun Valley with the unique Croatian Iris Garden, created as part of the project to restore and preserve the traditional village gardens. 

In the past, the iris was the staple flower in Croatian gardens. After the successful appearance of Croatia at the International Gardening and Landscaping Exhibition Japan Flora 2000, where Croatia won a gold medal, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts proclaimed the iris as the national flower of Croatia.
The flower’s Croatian name, perunika, derives from Perun, the Old Slavic god of thunder, whereas the name iris comes from the Greek goddess of rainbows.

According to ancient mythology, irises will grow in places where Perun’s bolts of lightening struck the ground and in places where the goddess Iris touched the earth with a rainbow as she carried gods’ messages.
Thus, in the spring, while enjoying a typical countryside holiday, your leisurely stroll through nature will be enhanced by the sweet fragrance of this ‘mythological’ flower. 

The Majsec Watermill offers its guests a respectable choice of Zagorje specialties – including home-made sausages, budjola, bacon, cottage cheese with fresh cream, bacon and eggs, meat stored in lard, baked štrukli, Zagorje corn bread, as well as home-made wine, brandy and elder, nettle or apple fruit juices. Announce your visit and the owners will welcome you with seasonal home-made dishes and tasty deserts.