Bilo: Cycling Routes and Cultural Heritage

Cycling routes through Bilo

Bilo lies along two cycling routes, whose details offer different points of reference for planning. Ruta 21 runs in the recommended direction from Podcetin via Bilo to Gnojnice. It is a 49-kilometer circular route with an asphalt surface, connects parts of the municipalities of Slunj and Cetingrad, and starts in Rastoke. Ruta 22 also passes through Bilo and continues via Cetinski Varoš and Podcetin. It starts and ends in Rastoke; its elevation gain is 623 meters. Ruta 21 therefore emphasizes route length and surface, while Ruta 22 highlights elevation gain and its shared start and end point.

Another specific route detail concerns the Cetingradska osmica. The 2024 edition was 45 kilometers long and included Bilo along its route. This length refers specifically to that edition.

History of Cetin

The medieval Old Cetin lies nearby along the continuation of the route. The fortress has Frankopan origins dating back to the 14th century; it was later conquered and altered under Ottoman rule. The remains of the fortress include the Ičizar citadel, the Drenđula tower, and Turkish walls. At a later stage, Cetin was an Austrian fortified barracks, surrounded by Turkish walls and bastions. Mala Crkvina is also among the archaeological sites associated with the fortress. The surviving walls are considered suitable for archaeological research and tourist visits.

The election of the king of Cetin is also part of the region’s history within the wider destination of Općina Cetingrad: on January 1, 1527, the Croatian nobility elected Austrian Archduke Ferdinand I of Habsburg king of Croatia there. The remains of an old Franciscan monastery are also located near the ruins of Cetin.

The chapel in Bilo-Kosica

The Chapel of Saint Vincent de Paul is a chapel of the Cetingrad parish, located in Bilo-Kosica. Vinko Lončarić and Vinko Božičević built it in gratitude for having survived the Croatian War of Independence. A large wooden shelter was built beside the chapel to provide protection from rain, hold Mass, and serve as a place to eat. Check its current condition before visiting.

Cultural context in Općina Cetingrad

In the wider destination of Općina Cetingrad, tamburica music, sung couplets, polyphonic singing, and dance music are part of traditional culture. Samica tamburicas are made in Batnoga. The Cetingradska tamburica Cultural and Arts Association preserves and presents the traditions, customs, and folklore of the Cetingrad region.

Religious history is also part of this regional context: the present-day Church of the Assumption of Mary is already the fourth church on its site. In its crypt, a memorial chapel for the war victims of the Cetingrad parish was consecrated in 2007.

Josipovo is held annually on the feast day of Saint Joseph as a traditional livestock market in Cetingrad. It includes a procession with horse-drawn carriages and riders. Traditional and handmade products, as well as souvenirs, are offered at the Cetingrad fair.

Discover more destinations: Maljevac.

Go to the wider travel overview: Općina Cetingrad.