Bus departs at 6:00 am from Ljubljana and heads to the Croatian Zagorje, passing Celje and Ptuj. Upon arrival we have a guided tour of Castle Trakošćan, then we take a stroll on the courtyard park and perhaps sit by the lake to admire the Zagorje countryside.
We continue our journey to Krapina and the site where the remains of the Neanderthal man were discovered. Today there is a park and a Museum of the Krapina Neanderthals. Guided group tour of the prehistoric Neanderthals takes place in the Croatian language, but one can rent audio guides in the Slovenian or major international languages.
Next destination is the city of Varaždin, also the center of Varaždin County. We walk to the town square and have one hour of free time to enjoy culinary delights in one of Varaždin squares or to admire the facades and the streets of this charming city. We meet again for a guided tour of Varaždin (Stari Grad Palace, the historic city core), which is exceptionally rich in cultural and artistic heritage dating from the Baroque, Rococo, Classicism and Art Nouveau periods. From spring to winter the vibrant historic core becomes a stage for musicians, actors, performers and events. In the late afternoon we head back to Ljubljana.