Varaždin: Baroque Old Town and Culture

When looking for a hotel in Varaždin, you can first consider which themes you would like to shape your stay: historic architecture, museums, traditional crafts, events, or nature and cycling activities. The city offers a range of ways to explore these interests. Palaces and historic buildings tell the story of Varaždin’s architectural history, while collections and seasonal cultural offerings add to the picture. This lets you connect your accommodation search with your own travel interests.

Old Town and Architectural History

The historic old town of Varaždin is an architectural and urban ensemble of Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles. The palaces define the city’s Baroque character, and their façades are a striking visual feature of the old town. So if you want to experience Varaždin as a historic cityscape, you will find not only individual buildings but also a variety of architectural styles that characterize the place.

Stari grad is considered Varaždin’s most significant historic building. It was built in stages, with interruptions, from the 14th to the 19th century. The central tower contains Gothic benches and canopies. Stari grad also houses the Varaždin City Museum’s oldest department of cultural history, presented in period-appropriate rooms. Here, architectural history and museum interpretation come together in one place.

The cathedral also offers a glimpse into Varaždin’s history: it is the central part of a former Jesuit complex dating from the 17th century. The entire complex was completed in 1656. The cathedral traditionally serves as the main festival venue for Varaždinske barokne večeri; individual programs vary. Another architectural highlight is Palača Sermage, whose Rococo exterior dates to a 1759 renovation. Its preserved courtyard hosts theater and dance performances during the summer months.

The Hrvatsko narodno kazalište u Varaždinu brings together architectural and theatrical history. Hermann Helmer designed the building, constructed in 1873 in the historicist style. The first performance in the new venue was the drama “Poturica,” which premiered in Croatian on September 25, 1873. These dates give the theater a clear historical context, regardless of which events are currently on the program.

Museums, Collections and Landscaped Green Spaces

The Gradski muzej Varaždin comprises departments of archaeology, history, cultural history, ethnography and entomology. The Muzej hrvatskog vatrogastva offers a different perspective: its permanent exhibition traces the development of the Croatian firefighting service from the second half of the 19th century to the present day. It is the only museum in Croatia with a permanent exhibition on the history of the Croatian firefighting service and fire protection. Its collection includes around 1,200 objects; the museum is housed in a 400-square-meter building at the Varaždin Fire Station.

Galerija K10 displays a collection of 225 ceramic artworks from 45 countries. The Varaždin City Cemetery is also part of the cultural heritage: it has protected monument status as an example of park architecture and is a cultural asset. Herman Haller designed and laid it out in the style of a French park. The City Cemetery is also featured in the mobile ARTOUR app, with interactive routes, stories and information about cultural history. If you would like to use this digital guide, check the app’s availability in advance.

Varaždin’s green spaces have their own design features. Šetalište Vatroslava Jagića is laid out in the English park style, combining dense plantings of tall trees with open lawns. Ivana Pavla II Park combines interpreted plant species with a water feature that imitates the Drava and gives the park an educational character. The descriptions of the two parks are therefore quite distinct: one focuses on groups of trees and open lawns, the other on the connection between plants, water and interpretation.

Crafts, Events and Activities

At Trg tradicijskih obrta in the center, visitors can learn about traditional craft techniques, buy locally made products and mint a good-luck coin. Demonstrations include traditional shoemaking methods. During the peak season, workshops on traditional culture are held on Saturday mornings, for example, gingerbread decoration, lace-making and traditional jewelry making. The offering combines demonstrations, hands-on participation and local crafts; the workshops are held during the peak season only.

Events also offer a range of cultural themes. Every year, as part of an international animation film festival, workshops, talks, accompanying animation film screenings and exhibitions are held in the historic old town. The international festival in Varaždin is devoted exclusively to animation created by children and young people. If you would like to plan your trip around it, check the dates and the program for your stay.

For nature enthusiasts, Dravska park-šuma offers something different: it is a natural recreational area on the Drava in Varaždin County and is home to exceptional biological diversity. The Drava, its banks and the surrounding forests also provide opportunities for SUP, rafting, mountain biking and off-road jeep activities. Availability and operators may change; check the options for your trip in advance.

Two routes can also be distinguished by their described itineraries. The EuroVelo 9 cycling route enters from the west, passing through Slovenia and Maribor before reaching Varaždin. The “Od dvorca do dvorca” route runs from Varaždin’s Stari grad to Trakošćan Castle. Before setting out on the cycling route, check the latest itinerary and signage. This lets you distinguish between a cycling route that passes through Varaždin and a route with the two named buildings as its endpoints when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Petrijanec, Varaždinske Toplice.

Return to the main travel overview: Varaždin County.