Discover Luka: Church, Festival and Cycling Route

The parish church of St. Roch, the Posvetilo festival associated with its consecration, and the Plava ruta cycling route offer different ways to explore Luka. The church represents the town’s architectural history, the festival reflects a religious tradition, and the cycling route starts in the centre. If you are looking for a hotel in Luka, these themes can help you decide whether culture, the festival or cycling should be the focus of your trip.

The parish church of St. Roch and its architectural history

The parish church of St. Roch stands in the centre of Luka. It is a single-nave Gothic building in the Neo-Gothic style. The foundation stone was laid in 1860, and the church was completed in 1864. Three years of consultations preceded its construction in the town centre. The rectory stands next to the church. In 2004, St. Roch’s was registered as a regional cultural monument. In the Zaprešić area, it is considered one of the largest religious buildings.

The church offers several specific points of interest for anyone including religious architecture in their travel plans: its single-nave design, its Neo-Gothic style, and the timeline from the laying of the foundation stone to its completion. The connection between the building’s history and the festival tradition is also tangible in Luka. The church’s consecration is not just a historical date; it is the origin of Posvetilo.

Posvetilo and Rokovski kjeden

The church was consecrated on 18 August 1864 by Josip Mihalović, Bishop of Zagreb. This consecration gave rise to the Posvetilo festival of the parish of St. Roch in Luka. In the wider destination of Općina Luka, Posvetilo in Luka is celebrated on the Sunday after the feast of St. Roch. Pilgrims come to the festival from the surrounding area and further afield.

Rokovski kjeden is also associated with these religious occasions. It is celebrated with the traditional prošenje on the feast of St. Roch and at Rokovsko Posvetilo. The event in the centre of Luka features a festival tent with entertainment and music, as well as food and drinks. There is also a carousel and street stalls selling gingerbread hearts, toys and other goods. Individual programme items may vary from year to year. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates for the relevant year in advance.

Cycling on the Plava ruta

The Plava ruta cycling route starts in a car park in the centre of Luka, at Trg sv. Roka, and runs through West Zagorje to the Sutla Valley. After crossing the main road between Zaprešić, Kupljenovo and Luka, the route continues straight back to its starting point. In the wider destination of Općina Luka, the Blue Route returns to the centre of Luka at point 24, after 4 km on a flat road. This gives you both a starting point and specific landmarks to help find your way back.

A second cycling route runs from Kupljenovo through Luka, Dubravica, Marija Gorica and Pušća. Its section through Luka follows the Zaprešić–Luka–Veliko Trgovišće road. The difference between the two routes can help with navigation: the Plava ruta starts in Luka and returns to the centre, while Luka is one section of the route connecting Kupljenovo with the other places listed. Check current route and road conditions before setting off.

In the wider destination of Općina Luka

The wider destination of Općina Luka also has distinct attractions to consider when planning your trip. There, the Blue Route follows a gravel road through the green valley of the Luka stream, crossed by watercourses. This offers a different landscape aspect of the cycling route from its starting point in the centre of Luka.

Dva Potoka is in Pluska, in the valley of the Lučelnica stream. The grounds include a small zoo with domestic and wild animals, including peacocks, turkeys, ducks, geese, Japanese chickens, rabbits, horses, goats, cows, sheep, deer and mouflons, as well as a 500 m² playground with swings, a slide and seesaws. A reservation is required at Dva Potoka regardless of the number of guests; check this requirement before your visit. A bus line also runs through Općina Luka, connecting the surrounding places with Zaprešić. Check the current timetable for specific departures.

For the wider travel overview: Općina Luka.