"We are a history book come alive,” says my city guide, Bojana Jagarinec. “We are music, architecture and art… and bugs. Ah, so many delightful bugs.” Before I can inquire whether something was lost in translation, Bojana asks a couple beside me where they are from and smiles. “You are the first Canadians I have ever seen in Varazdin!”

Surprising words coming from a professional guide, but not completely unexpected given Varazdin’s status as one of the best-kept secrets in Croatia . Though travellers visiting Zagreb do occasionally take a day trip to the city of 40,000 (Varazdin is only 80km from the Croatian capital), for the most part, the city remains untouched by mass tourism.

Which is surprising given what the city has to offer: quaint (and incredibly inexpensive) cafés, unique museums, a majestic medieval castle – and one of Europe’s best collections of intact Baroque buildings.

Varazdin – known as “Little Vienna” among Croatians – owes its Baroque bonanza to its position as Croatia’s capital from 1756 to 1776. Though its reign was short lived (a fire in 1776 destroyed much of the town and the capital was moved back to Zagreb) during those two decades, religious orders, noble families and wealthy tradesmen brought in some of the country’s best architects and painters to construct mansions and palaces.

Though I’m no architecture aficionado, wandering along the cobblestoned, pedestrian-only, historic town square (Trg Kralja Tomislava), it’s impossible not to be charmed by the elegantly exuberant, pastel-coloured facades of the baroque buildings that line Varazdin’s centre.



A hilltop church in Varazdin

The lack of tourists means the city doesn’t have the theme-park-like atmosphere one often experiences in well-trodden historical towns. Most menus are in Croatian only (at one restaurant, the friendly waitress, who could not speak a word of English, took me from table to table pointing at each bemused patron’s dish, asking “This? This is very good. You want this?”), and the majority of websites and descriptions at some of the museums are also not in English. This lack of tourist infrastructure is more appealing than annoying – with one notable exception: the Croatian-only signage on most lavatory doors; (NB Muskarc means men, Zene means women.)

What also makes Varazdin attractive is the absence of tourism-inflated prices. Sitting at one of the cafés lining the streets flowing from the town square, I can admire the centuries-old churches, palaces, and residences while nibbling on klipici (a rather grand bun) and sipping on a local vintage for a fifth of what it would cost me in similarly architecturally endowed European cities.

Refreshed, I head to the Sermage Palace, which is home to the Gallery of Old and Modern Masters. The gallery features an impressive collection of Croatian, Dutch and Italian artists in a gorgeous Rococo mansion.

The museum that really captures my imagination is Varazdin’s Insect Museum. Housed in a lovely Baroque palace, I doubt insects have ever been treated to such an august resting place. Originally established in 1959 with the donated collection of Franjo Koscec, a local high-school teacher and insect enthusiast, the collection has since grown to showcase more than 4,000 exhibits of some of not only Croatia’s, but the planet’s, most intriguing (and thankfully deceased) invertebrates. The butterfly collection is especially attractive, though the squeamish might want to give the display on insect bite scars a miss.

As my trip to Varazdin draws to an end, my only regret is not having visited the city during its Baroque festival. As an homage to its historic heritage, every year in late September to early October the city holds the internationally acclaimed Varazdin Baroque Evenings, during which soloists, orchestras and opera singers from around the world gather to fete Baroque music. Performances are held across the city as well as in castles and churches in neighbouring towns.

But I rather like being there without crowds of any kind and wander to take one last look at the star exhibit, the Stari Grad – “old town” – a medieval fortress built in the 14th century that presently houses a cultural collection of Varazdin artefacts dating from the Middle Ages.

Though more about defence than décor, the castle is nothing like the dark and grey constructs of its medieval contemporaries. Stari Grad, is much more whimsical; with its whitewashed exterior and numerous, rotund, red-capped towers it looks like something that fell from the clouds. And I know I am not alone in my admiration when I overhear the young child in front of me whisper to her parents: “This is what I want my castle to look like when I grow up.”

Getting there

Croatian Air (0844 37 0310; croatiaairlines.com) flies to Zagreb from around £250 return; Lufthansa (0871 945 9747; lufthansa.com) flies via France or Germany for around £150 return. From Zagreb a bus to Varazdin takes 90 minutes and costs £12 return; the more scenic (but longer) journey by train costs £9 return. Alternatively hire a car.

Getting around

Varazdin is one of Croatia’s most walkable cities, made even easier by the large car-free zone.



The Varazdin Castle

Where to stay

Hotel Turist £

Hotel Turist, a 10-minute walk from the city centre) is the largest and best of the town’s three-star hotels (00385 42 395395; hotel-turist.hr; from £90).

Hotel Varazdin ££

Smaller and with fewer facilities, this three-star hotel offers stellar service, a central location and a good restaurant with delicious local specialities and wines (42 290720; hotelvarazdin.com; from £60).

Pansion Maltar £££

A friendly, family-run establishment with small but spotless rooms and tasty breakfasts. Close to the old town (42 311100; maltar.hr; from £50).

Where to eat

Zlatne Ruke £

Housed in the basement of the Chamber of Crafts and Trades (also called the Artisan’s Centre), this atmospheric venue offers a range of Varazdin specialities, including goose liver, deer tartar, and minced boar. A meal with wine and dessert is about £25 (42 320650; zlatneruke.com).

Pansion-Restoran Garestin ££

This b & b, close to the city centre, also houses a great restaurant in a lovely trellised courtyard. Garestin features palate-pleasing, affordable food that highlights the region’s gastronomic specialities. Excellent grilled meat and fish dishes. About £8 per person (42 214314; gastrocom-ugostiteljstvo.com).

Kolonada £££

Varazdin’s version of fast food (with a much nicer atmosphere and sit-down service), Kolonada offers simple Croatian fare such as pancakes, fried cheese with sour cream, and njoki (a Croatian version of gnocchi). Open from 8am to 10pm. Meals from £2 (42 500606; restoran-kolonada.com).

The inside rack

The Varazdin cemetery (Varazdinsko groblje) has grounds containing more than 7,000 species of tree, geometrically-sculpted hedges and large walkways. One of the most beautiful final resting places in Eastern Europe.

Varazdinske Toplice, a small town 12km from Varazdin, is renowned for its hot springs. Try a thermal water treatment at the Hotel Minerva.

For 10 days in August, buskers, musicians, theatre performers and locals in Baroque costume flood the streets for the Spancirfest (“festival of good emotions”).

What should I bring home?

Vineyards in the region (such as Vino Lovrec and Zlatne Gorice Restaurant and Winery) produce excellent white wines which can be bought in Varazdin.

The Krapina-Zagorje county (located between Zagreb and Varazdin) is renowned for its woodwork (listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by Unesco), especially its hand-carved wooden toys made from willow, lime, beech and maple wood and sold throughout Varazdin.

Another Unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage item is the decorative gingerbread (licitar) cookie, specifically the heart-shaped biscuits for which Varazdin is famous.