Municipality of Beretinec: Šaulovec Castle and Park

Šaulovec Castle is a distinctive cultural and landscape landmark in the Municipality of Beretinec. A relatively small park lies next to the castle. In front of the main façade is a decorative parterre garden; behind the castle extends a landscaped park area. This places a formally arranged garden and a landscaped area side by side.

Šaulovec Park and Castle

The park dates back to the end of the 19th century, while the parterre garden was laid out in the early 20th century. The design can therefore be distinguished by period: the park came first, and the garden in front of the main façade was added later. The location of the two areas also gives the castle park its distinctive layout—the parterre garden lies in front of the façade, with the landscaped area behind it.

More recent history includes Varaždin County becoming the owner of Šaulovec Castle in 2020. Restoration was also initiated. These milestones add a more recent chapter to the castle’s history alongside the story of its gardens, without conflating the different periods.

Outdoor spots nearby

There are two mountain lodges near the destination, each with different features. Planinarska kuća Vagon stands on the ridge of Grabrovice Hill, near the villages of Črešnjevo and Ledinec. It is a decommissioned freight wagon converted for hiking purposes by hikers from Varaždin; a covered seating area is located in front of the wagon.

Planinarska kuća Ledinec stands on a hill in Ledinec. From there, there is an unobstructed view of Ivanščica. The two places thus differ in their described location and form: one is a converted freight wagon with a covered seating area, the other a house on a hill overlooking the mountain range.

A club uses its own XC trail in Beretinec. Before making plans, check whether it is currently in operation. This keeps the local trail and the two nearby mountain lodges distinct as outdoor attractions.

An event and other themes in Varaždin County

The first ČrešnjaFest took place in Beretinec on 13 June 2026. It celebrated cherries, tradition and local products. At its first edition on 13 June 2026, ČrešnjaFest in Beretinec brought together cherries, tradition and local products.

At the level of the broader destination of Varaždin County, there are other, distinct cultural themes. Lepoglava is one of Croatia’s three most important centres of lace-making and is associated with bobbin lace. The International Lace Festivals have been held continuously since 1997. This is a different regional focus from the history of the castle and gardens in the Municipality of Beretinec.

The cycling routes in Varaždin County can also be distinguished by their character: there are four road cycling routes and one cycling route that partly runs off paved roads. “Od dvorca do dvorca” connects the Old Town in Varaždin with Trakošćan Castle. The “Toplička ruta” leads to Varaždinske Toplice, home to Croatia’s oldest thermal baths and archaeological excavations of a Roman thermal bath. The two named routes therefore have different focuses—one connects two castles, while the other combines thermal history and Roman archaeology.

Aquae Iasae is also part of this historical theme: from the 1st to the 4th century, an important Roman settlement stood around a thermal spring in the area of today’s Varaždinske Toplice. Its architecture included bath buildings with pools and a basilica, a forum with colonnades around the main thermal spring, and a capitol with temples to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva.

When searching for hotels in the Municipality of Beretinec, it helps to distinguish the local area around Šaulovec Castle from nearby places and the distinct themes of Varaždin County. This allows you to clearly separate the search area from the focus you want for your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Beretinec, Municipality of Ludbreg, Municipality of Lepoglava, Municipality of Donja Voća, Municipality of Bednja, Municipality of Novi Marof, Municipality of Maruševec, Municipality of Varaždinske Toplice.

See the broader travel overview: Varaždin County.