ZAGREB COUNTY VARAŽDIN MARIBOR LJUBLJANA days Dubravica Marija Gorica Brdovec Zaprešić Samobor Sveta Nedelja Zagreb Velika Gorica Jastrebarsko Krašić Vrbovec Ivanić-Grad SISAK Pisarovina KARLOVAC Sveti Ivan Zelina Dugo Selo BEOGRAD ZAGREB COUNTY TOURIST BOARD Preradovićeva 42, Zagreb, phone +385 (0)1 4873 665, 4873 670 info@tzzz.hr, www.tzzz.hr Wien Bratislava Ljubljana München Budapest Varaždin Zagreb Osijek APRIL, 2017 Slavonski Brod Beograd r ia ti c Zadar Se a /J ad ra ns ko m or e Varaždin County Tourist Board Pula Ad Varaždin County Map of Croatia and particular counties are for illustrative purpose only. Rijeka Split Dubrovnik 35
Zagreb County, popularly known as Zagreb s Green Ring, is located in the central part of northwestern Croatia. It is the sixth largest county in Croatia, but the second most populated. Today, it is one of the fastest-growing economic regions in the country, and its rich history, tradition, culture, pristine nature, culinary offerings, and breath-taking landscapes make it an especially attractive destination for tourist excursions. Forming a ring around the Croatian capital, the county has succeeded in joining modern urban society with folk traditions and values. The area is also rich natural beauty, featuring a large number of protected areas, two nature parks (Medvednica and Žumberak Samoborsko gorje), and the unique Crna Mlaka ornithological reserve. Hikers and nature lovers looking for refreshment can turn to any of the numerous local restaurants and well-equipped mountain lodges. Weekenders will find their destination among the more than 40 excursion areas and family farms, the wine routes of Plešivica, Zelinska, and Samoborska and the wine trails of Ivanić Grad. Cheese lovers can also delight in the Zagreb Regional Cheese Routes. green ring 36
Wine and gastronomy Far from the hustle and bustle of the city, the surroundings of Zagreb will provide every guest with peace and relaxation amid beautiful landscapes, as well as with topquality wines and excellent food made with local ingredients. You can sample countless traditional specialties, like ham baked in bread, Samobor salami with cottage cheese, stuffed cabbage with sauerkraut, or some of the local treats such as Samobor s famous kremšnita (custard pie), rudarska greblica (cheese strudel), plešivički copanjak (spinach strudel), vrbovečka pera (cottage cheese and corn flour pie), or Jelačić šnite (chocolate, almond and walnut layer cake). This region is also filled with vineyards and wine cellars. Zagreb County is one of the most highly-respected winemaking regions in the country, with its special traditional varietals such as kraljevina crvena and purtugizec crni, which you can sample on any of the three wine routes. 38
wine & cheese Routes A3 A2 Sava - Sutla Valley DUBRAVICA MARIJA GORICA 4 BRDOVEC Zaprešić 2 1 ZELINA wine route Sveti Ivan Zelina A4 Vrbovec ŽUMBERAK Samobor SAMOBORSKO GORJE PLEŠIVICA wine route River Sava SAMOBOR wine route Sveta Nedelja 9 Zagreb Velika Gorica Dugo Selo 3 Ivanić-Grad VAROŠKI LUG 7 Krašić 8 Jastrebarsko CRNA MLAKA 11 10 12 TUROPOLJSKI LUG LONJSKO POLJE NATURE PARK A3 A1 VUKOMERIČKE GORICE Pisarovina CHEESE ROUTES WINE ROUTES 5 River Kupa POKUPSKO 6 1. Lončar Dairy, Bedenica 2. Kušić Dairy, Psarjevo Donje 3. Jadanec Čutura Dairy, Kusanovec 4. Fürnkranz Dairy, Brdovec 5. Grčević Dairy, Pisarovina 6. Pokupčan Dairy, Pokupsko 7. Šestak Dairy, Plešivica 8. Tilka Farm, Jastrebarsko 9. Konjušić Dairy, Gornji Stupnik 10 Penezić Dairy, Kupinečki Kraljevec 11. Malkoč Dairy, Kupinečki Kraljevec 12. Lukšić Dairy, Kupinečki Kraljevec 40 INFO www.tzzz.hr
Wine Routes The Plešivica wine route winds through a beautiful landscape filled with cultural and historical points of interest, tradition, and welcoming hosts. Opened in 2001, it features around forty wineries with a wealth of offerings for tourists. In addition to local varietals such as purtugizec (the county s trademark), plavec žuti, slatki zelenac, and šipelj, you can sample world-famous varietals such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir, Pino Bianco, and Pinot Grigio. In addition to tasting rooms, these winemakers also offer local, homemade food and accommodation with views of the beautiful vineyards of Plešivica. The Zelinska wine route runs through the mild countryside of Zelina, which will fill your eyes and heart with its beauty. It offers a rich selection of wine, and you can sample wines such as Graševina, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Muscat, Riesling, Šipon-moslavac, Pinot Bianco, Kerner, and, of course, Kraljevina (the county s trademark), a local wine prized and enjoyed by many wine lovers. The Samobor wine route is the newest wine route in Croatia, opened in 2012. It offers seven wineries, five excursion centres, and numerous other offerings for tourists, including the Grgos cave, Sveta Barbara mine, and Suban botanical garden. In addition to its wines, the most famous of which is the fortified Bermet, it also offers brandies and specialties from the Samobor region. 42
Cheese Routes Just a half hour from the centre of Zagreb, you can sample the quality of homemade products and experience the scents and flavours of Zagreb s Cheese Routes. Nine successful mini-dairies from Zagreb County and three from the city of Zagreb have joined forces in a communal project the Zagreb Regional Cheese Routes. They industriously prepare their various cheeses from the milk of their own local cows and goats. These mini-dairies boast an enviable number of awards from national and county exhibitions, serving as proof of the quality and variety of their products. They offer traditionally-made cottage cheeses, boiled cheeses, and smoked cheeses, as well as soft, hard, and semi-hard cheeses, and even cheeses with added spices. The are also features two well-known brands developed and launched under the auspices of Zagreb County Dragec dried cheese and Kriško hard cheese. A new brand, ZG Sirek, a cottage cheese made from cows milk, has recently been launched, and it is currently being produced by six producers from Zagreb County and the city of Zagreb. 44
county brands Zagreb county boasts a rich selection of traditional food and local wines. In 1999, it became the first in Croatia to begin branding food products produced on its farms. Today, the protected brands of Zagreb County are present on the Croatian market with products like Purtugizec Plešivica and Kraljevina Zelina wines, Sunčana brand apples, Laktec sauerkraut, Samoborska salama, Kap zdravlja apple cider vinegar, Dragec and Kriško cheeses, Grof ham, and Sjećanja za stolom brand foods and homemade polenta. Dragec dried cheese Dragec cheese has been produced since 2004 with respect for tradition, the characteristics of the region, the production process, and the flavour, scent, and appearance of the cheese. This semihard cheese is produced traditionally from fresh cow s milk, and is naturally dried and smoked over beech wood, giving it a unique aroma. There are five kinds of Dragec cheese on the market: smoked, dried, red paprika, garlic, and green pepper. 46 Samoborska salama This salami is produced traditionally from the highest-quality cuts of pork loin and rib with added natural spices, and is smoked over beech wood. Throughout the production process, there is constant supervision of the feeding of pigs, the quality of meat used for production, production technology, and the drying, smoking, storage, sale, and quality of the salami produced. Samoborska salami is a bright red colour, marbled with pieces of meat and bacon, and has a pleasant scent and a rich, savoury taste. Kriško cheese This hard cheese is made from fresh cow s milk produced in the county. It is aged for at least 60 days under controlled conditions, and it goes to market in its natural protective skin. It is mildly savoury and pungent, with a unique scent and a full and pleasant, tart flavour. It is extremely healthy and is rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins. Purtugizec Plešivica Purtugizec is a young, dark-red wine with a pleasant, distinct aroma and a pleasant, mild, fresh taste. This wine can also be aged in the bottle, and some such bottles have been aging for more than 15 years. It is best drunk chilled to 14 C. As it is one of the symbols of autumn and the first fruits of the season, it goes quite well paired with ripe, roasted chestnuts, as well as seasonal blood sausage, duck, goose, cold cuts, and goulash. The wine is made from the purtugizec crni grape, which is traditionally grown on the hills of Plešivica. According to legend, Purtugizec has been grown in the region surrounding Jastrebarsko since the early 19th century, when the area was ruled by the French as a part of Napoleon s Illyrian Provinces. At the recent Portugieser Du Monde wine festival in Pecs (Hungary), winemakers from Plešivica won two gold medals and eight silver medals.
Kraljevina Zelina The Kraljevina Zelina brand was created in 1999 in cooperation between winemakers from Zelina and the County of Zagreb, with the goal of protecting this local varietal, spreading its popularity, and making it competitive at market. It is the traditional wine of the Zelina region. It is moderately alcoholic and has mild acidity, making it light and refreshing. It is served chilled to 11 C paired with boiled and baked turkey, chicken, veal, lamb, and pork. Kap zdravlja apple cider vinegar Produced traditionally from healthy, fresh apples grown in the county through the natural conversion of apple juice into wine and wine into vinegar, without any additional fermentation. This is one of the oldest Croatian natural curatives. It contains acids that neutralise LDL cholesterol, as well as pectin which aids in controlling the level of sugar in the bloodstream. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, especially potassium, which the human body requires to function normally. It is aromatic and has a mild, tart scent and flavour. Sunčana brand apples In 2007, Zagreb County presented the county apple brand Sunčana, which is sold under the slogan Home-grown and high quality. These apples are produced in an integrated fashion that does not harm the environment and protects the health of the consumer. These apples are extra class and first class, and have a refreshing flavour. Homemade polenta Homemade polenta is a traditional dish not only in Zagreb County, but across all of Croatia. It is produced from high-quality ingredients carefully selected from hybrids of family farm raised corn, which have exceptionally high quality grains and make excellent flour and corn meal. Polenta has a high nutritional and energetic value because of its high quantity of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and edible fibre. 48 Grof ham This true homemade ham is produced from the meat of traditionally-raised pigs, which is handprocessed using the same methods used for centuries. It is dry-salted and smoked. It has a pleasant, savoury and full flavour, a fine shape, and excellent pink marbling. Sjećanja za stolom (Memories at the table) This collection of traditional recipes from Zagreb County came about as the result of detailed research into gastronomic tradition with the aim of locating and commercialising twenty traditional specialties, which restaurateurs would then offer their guests under a shared county brand. This brand of meals has protected highly valuable traditional meals that are usually prepared as family meals and are difficult to find on restaurant menus. Twenty four meals were selected, some of which are: ham baked in bread, Samobor salami with cottage cheese, boiled Žumberak lamb with vegetables, Kloštar-style horse steak with homemade noodles, Laktec stuffed cabbage with sauerkraut, the Zagreb County sweet platter Laktec sauerkraut This sauerkraut from the town of Laktec, in the winemaking region of Sveti Ivan Zelina, was the first scientific project of the Agricultural Research Council to become a brand. It is produced traditionally from cabbage grown in Zagreb County. According to grandma s recipe, the cabbage is soured traditionally in its own juices with the addition of salt and no extra water. It has a fresh scent, pleasant acidity, and a rich flavour. It is especially rich in vitamin C and minerals and is low in calories, making it an excellent addition to a balanced diet.
gastronomy events Dugo Selo Every autumn, the Fišijada and Political Fishing wine and food event is held. You can sample twenty different kinds of fis-paprikas and fish, all of which is prepared for visitors by members of the local Sport Fishing Society. Winemakers from Dugo Selo offer their wines, and the Womens Association offers homemade cakes. www.tzds.hr Ivanić-Grad Bučijada is a traditional gastronomic and economic event held every third weekend in August in Ivanić-Grad since 2004. This exhibition and sales fair is held in honour of the pumpkin, and numerous pumpkin growers, makers of pumpkin-related products and other organic and traditional products from Croatia and neighbouring countries exhibit and sell their products here. During the event, a special tourist excursion train called the Pumpkin Express rides from Zagreb to Ivanić-Grad. There is a rich entertainment programme for visitors young and old alike. Storefronts and houses are decorated with pumpkins. There are competitions for the largest pumpkin, the smallest pumpkin, the most unique pumpkin, the best-decorated stand, the best sweet and savoury pumpkin pies, and other pumpkin-based meals. During Bučijada, in addition to their traditional food selection, restaurants in Ivanić-Grad also offer various dishes and desserts made with pumpkin. www.tzig.hr Jastrebarsko The Jastrebarsko Wine Jubilee is a traditional September event held yearly since 1992 to promote the wines and wineries of the region and announce the new harvest. With a rich daytime cultural and arts programme, a wine exhibition with tasting, sales, and food, the Eko Etno Jaska crafts fair, and an entertaining evening programme, this event is a must-see. The Jastrebarsko Wine Jubilee is also complemented by an exhibition on wine, the KotloVINA Show (a cooking contest using the kotlovina, a traditional Croatian cooking method), and numerous sports events. Candidates for Zagreb County Wine Queen, a contest to select a young female wine ambassador for the county, are also traditionally presented at the jubilee. www.tzgj.hr 50
Samobor Samoborska salamijada began in the late 1980s on the initiative of Samobor s top butchers and salami enthusiasts. Over the years, the event has grown into a tourist and business event that brings the city of Samobor to life in April. The goal of the event is to promote businesses from Samobor, local food, and Samoborska salama, a Zagreb County brand and a traditional product of Samobor. www. tz-samobor.hr Rude The story of the savory rudarska greblica cake, which is today the trademark of every miner s home, began a long time ago, when Rude (near Samobor) was still a mining area. The modest households of the time served this cake as a main course, available even to the poorest of families, and it was named after greblice, a wooden tool used to mix ashes in a brick oven. The only written record of the preparation of this cake was left by Milan Lang in his most significant work Samobor Folk Life and Traditions, in which greblica is mentioned as a thin cake made with cheese and walnuts. Rudarska Greblica Days, an event dedicated to this cake, has been held in the first weekend of July in Rude every year since 1985. www.ostrc.hr Budinjak A Millenium of Cuisine - a workshop of prehistoric, Roman, mediaeval, and traditional cuisine from Žumberak. As opposed to the scent of the earth or darkened museum spaces, for a few days in September, the town of Budinjak is filled with the scent of mint, Roman liquamen fish sauce, and exotic spices that mediaeval traders brought from their journeys through the Middle East. The scents of the past waft from culinary workshops, where visitors can try their hand at preparing meals according to historical recipes. www.park-zumberak.hr Sveta Nedelja The lakes of Sveta Nedelja, a favourite destination of numerous local and foreign fishermen, are host to the Svetonedeljska Fišijada, held on the first Sunday in September, a traditional gathering of expert fis-paprikas master chefs in a contest to make the best fis-paprikas fish stew. Around 30 teams participate every year. A special attraction is also the preparation of fis-paprikas in the largest pot in Croatia (600 litres). More than 3,000 servings of fis-paprikas are served during Fišijada. Šaran s rašlji, skewered carp roasted on an open fire, is also a must-try local specialty prepared at the festival. Visitors can also enjoy a wide range of traditional meals and desserts and a rich entertainment programme. www.svetanedelja.hr 52
The traditional Dragi naš kaj event (Our dear kaj), held in Sveta Nedelja in June, takes us back into the past and reminds us of the old way of life of the local folk. Visitors to this event featuring cuisine, folk history, and music, can get a feel for authentic village life in a number of improvised old country gardens, and can experience the charms of nearly forgotten ways of life. The local, traditional Kajkavian dialect is spoken here, and visitors can see, experience, and try their hand at washing laundry in a trough, chopping wood, cutting grass, feeding farm animals, working with old tools, and preparing traditional food and drink distilling brandy, stomping cabbage, pressing grapes, baking bread, frying greaves, baking suckling pig www.svetanedelja.hr Sveti Ivan Zelina Zelinska kestenijada (chestnut festival) is a festival held since 1998, with the aim of popularising time spent in nature in the Zelinska Gora hills and its forests through traditional chestnut picking and roasting. Near the mountain lodge on Kladeščica, at 406m above sea level, chestnuts are prepared in special roasting vessels and are served with young wine and other local specialties. www.tz-zelina.hr Continental Croatian Wine Exhibition - Sveti Ivan Zelina has a rich history of wine production, and it is the only town in Croatia that boasts a tradition of more than a century and a half of wine exhibitions. The importance of this exhibition is proven by the fact that its wine judges have rated more than ten thousand different wines, additionally emphasising Sveti Ivan Zelina as one of the most important towns in Croatia working to develop viticulture and the winemaking tradition. In addition to the competition and exhibition, at which more than 200 different wines are presented, the exhibition programme is filled with business meetings, presentations of the most recent achievements and technology in the field of viticulture, culinary events, and an entertainment programme. www.tz-zelina.hr Velika Gorica The traditional Gastro Turopolja event in Velika Gorica has been presenting the offerings of local restaurants and producers of homemade food and drink for years. The festival includes Gastro Week in local restaurants and the Sunday Turopolja Lunch event with a rich selection of food and numerous other events. Visitors to the Sunday Lunch will have the opportunity to discover the cuisine of the Turopolje region, to enjoy the special dishes and flavours offered by local restaurants, and to enjoy an apple exhibition and a kotlovina (a traditional Croatian cooking method) and hunters goulash cooking contest, accompanied by exciting cultural and entertainment programmes. www.tzvg.hr 54
Vrbovec Kaj su jeli naši stari (What Our Forefathers Ate) a culinary event originally conceived in 1981 as an exhibition where meals from the Vrbovec region would be prepared according to original recipes in order to keep them from being lost. However, this event has long since become more than just one relating to the Vrbovec reagion, and now includes the entire county. Every year, more and more participants, exhibitors, and organisations come from other parts of Croatia and neighbouring countries (Bosnia, Hungary, Slovenia) to present their cuisine. The event lasts three days, and it is traditionally held on the last weekend in August, featuring exciting cultural and entertainment programmes. www.tz-vrbovec.hr Zaprešić The Zaprešić Harvest Jubilee brings together its numerous participants (cultural and arts organisations, associations, guests, tractors and combines), who then march in a parade towards the wheat fields. The harvest begins with festive songs, bushels of wheat are tied by hand, and traditional and modern threshing methods are presented. After the harvest, homemade meals are served, prepared by the harvesters. www.zapresic.hr/turizam Križ Kriški oblizeki dessert festival is the oldest dessert festival in Croatia, and it is held yearly in September. It was conceived as a competition in four categories (tortes, cream cakes, cookies, and traditional sweet or savoury cakes), and anyone who bakes a cake and delivers it with the recipe filled out on an official form can participate. The cakes are judged by an official jury, and awards are given for the most appealing and tastiest dessert, for the best use of ingredients, for the most original chef, the most creative chef, and the bravest chef! All of the donated desserts are sold at the exhibition, and the profits are donated to charity. www.oblizeki.dnd-kriz.hr Brdovec, Dubravica, Marija Gorica Gastro-eko-etno is a festival of the food, drinks, and desserts of the region surrounding the town of Zaprešić. It was conceived as a place to present the cuisine of Zaprešić, bringing together local restaurants and farms with neighbours from Krapina-Zagorje County and members of the Exemplary Women of the Croatian Village organisation. Each year in October, an increasing number of participants exhibit their delicacies. This event is intended to display the wealth and variety of the culinary offerings of this region on the Sava and Sutla rivers. www.turistickazajednica-dib.hr Kak su brali naši stari (How Our Forefathers Picked Grapes) is an event the purpose of which is to preserve the methods by which our ancestors harvested grapes and made wine. Harvesters are dressed in folk costumes and work in the vineyards with horse-drawn carts. The harvesters manually pick grapes and put them into the kegs they carry on their backs. They then empty the kegs into barrels. When the barrels are half-full, girls stomp the grapes with their bare feet to make young wine. After the harvest, with fine food and delicious wines, a folk party continues until late evening. The event is accompanied by rich cultural and arts programmes and local, traditional food, and it is also attended by the current Wine Queen of Zagreb County. www. turistickazajednica-dib.hr 56
Pisarovina Kupa Evenings iis an event with a long tradition, the roots of which go back to the Noble s Fair, a yearly event held in the same place during the 19th century. In recent times, the event is held twice yearly (in June and July). Kupa Evenings is a presentation of all of the wealth of the region surrounding Pisarovina, complete with various sports, cultural, arts, culinary, and entertainment events. www.pisarovina.hr/turizam Krašić Bread Days is traditionally held every year on the first Sunday in October. The fruits of the fields, gardens, and orchards of Krašić are ceremonially blessed with thanks for the autumn harvest. It all begins with a morning mass and a blessing for first-year pupils of elementary school, who prepare the bread and produce and present it on the main square. Various associations and family farms from the Krašić municipality also present their products. www.tzokrasic.hr 58