Varaždin, Croatia
Courses and dates
Course title | Dates | Duration | Confirmed | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Get inspired by museums – creating museum educational programmes | 04/08 - 09/08/2025 | 6 days | pre-confirmed | REGISTER HERE |
The City of Varaždin is found in the northwestern part of Croatia. The city is at an altitude between 169 and 173 metres, with an average annual temperature of 10° C. The city lies along the Drava River on a fertile alluvial plain that slopes towards the River Drava from the southwest to the northeast. The plain slightly elevates in the Haloze region and Varaždinsko Topličko Gorje hills.
Varaždin is positioned on the crossroads of the historical regions of Styria, Međimurje, Zagorje and upper Drava Valley, without belonging to any of these regional cultural circles. Varaždin is, simply, Varaždin; a special micro-region with its own, Varaždin identity, traditions and cultural patterns.
The first written reference to Varaždin, its name, inhabitants and the names of Varaždin counties are revealed in the document of King Bela III issued in 1181. The city was then called Guarestin (Garestin), its inhabitants were called Guaresdienses, and the names of the prefects were Beleé and Motmir. In that document, the king adjudicates in the dispute between the Zagreb Chapter and Varaždin County Prefect Beleé over the property in the nearby thermal springs, Varaždinske Toplice.
Varaždin’s feudal fortress, from ancient times known as the Old Town, is undoubtedly the most significant historical building in the city. Unlike the royal free city that grew next to and around it, the fort was the heart of the noble estate, which was separate in terms of ownership and law. Disputes of its inhabitants with the citizens of Varaždin were frequent. The fort was built intermittently from the 14th to the 19th century, and its oldest part is the central tower adorned with Gothic benches and canopies, which is a rarity of this type of medieval plastic art in the north of Croatia.
How to get to Varaždin from the Zagreb Airport?
The distance between Zagreb Airport (ZAG) and Varaždin is around 84km (52 miles). There are several options for getting to Varaždin - by bus, taxi and car. The cheapest option is to take the bus which will take around 2hrs. There is a bus that runs regularly from Zagreb Airport (ZAG) and Varazdin and it departs 5 times a day. If you need to get there more quickly, you can take a taxi and arrive in approximately 57min, though it is a bit more costly.
