Tripmasters and Other Travel Professionals Invited to Croatia and Italy (Part 3 of 6: Varaždinske Toplice and Varaždin)

In May 2023, the European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA), a cultural route affiliated with the Council of Europe, hosted a FAM (familiarization) trip for travel professionals to experience areas that were not currently offered in the form of vacation packages by our companies. This trip was hosted in direct collaboration with the European Travel Commission (ETC), Croatian National Tourism Board (CNTB) and the Italian National Tourist Board (ENIT); the ETC helped the participants with booking every segment necessary for our airline tickets, and each of the tourism boards helped to organize the itineraries and sights we saw on this trip. Eight different companies and organizations from across North America participated, including Tripmasters. This is the third of six Inspiration blogs where you can see my journey as it happened and read about my first-hand experiences traveling in these beautiful countries.

As you’ll read below, we’re about to arrive in the gorgeous hillside thermal town of Varaždinske Toplice, so if you’ve missed out on any of my past FAM trip tales from Zagreb, Lipik, or Daruvar, be sure to click on those links and experience some of the many gems of beautiful continental Croatia before continuing on with the series.

Whew! Can you believe we’ve experienced so much already and we’ve only been in Croatia little more than 48 hours? I can scarcely believe it and I’m the one out there seeing, touching, learning, and experiencing! It’s quite an overload for me, but it’s also a very welcome and pleasurable one.

After a two-and-a-half hour ride from Daruvar, we arrived in a beautiful spa town in northern Croatia called Varaždinske Toplice, situated approximately an hour and 10 minutes northeast of Zagreb by car, making it very easy to visit as a day trip from Zagreb if you’re self-driving. This is where we would be spending roughly the next 36 hours or so.

Immediately I was captivated by the town’s old-world charm, something that I had seen many times on my trip thus far, but not on this scale and in this much abundance. Before I even heard one word about Varaždinske Toplice, I had a feeling that this town would be special — and I was right.

When we arrived, we learned that we are the first guests at the newly-built luxury Hotel Bernarda, and one of our extra “tasks” was, basically, to take notes on our rooms and see if we found that the new “luxury hotel” and accompanying spa really was what they billed themselves to be. The short answer to this is yes, it is what they billed themselves to be. While they work out the kinks in the interim (they did not open to the public until May 25), our input was valuable to them so their opening process would go more smoothly.

We settled into our rooms, which were beautifully-decorated and appointed and indeed fell into a standard that we would call a 4-star or possibly higher in North America, with added details that impressed me such as automatic lighting that turned on as you walked farther down a hallway, thus saving energy and only operating when needed. This hotel also has a spa, a restaurant, and meeting spaces, and we will learn more about these later.

Our first meal in Varaždinske Toplice was outside, which we welcomed as it was the first time on the trip that we had enjoyed continuous sunshine. The weather we experienced, which was cool and rainy with temperatures between 50 and 60 Fahrenheit, is not common for Croatia in May, we were told by many people along the way. This is true, temperatures tend to warm to around 70 by this time and May is known for sunnier skies, and this area would have even more sunshine after we left the country. Regardless of the sun, Croatia had been wonderful to us and it would continue to be so.

We sat down and were introduced to the delicious wines of the nearby region. I noted that it seemed like all of the white wines were very nice in Croatia, and I noted to myself an interesting move of the needle on the spectrum toward a drier taste with the white wines the longer we were on the trip and in the latter locales we visited. I wasn’t complaining, because the dryness of the white wines wasn’t excessive, meaning people who like dry white wines will love it and people who don’t particularly like white wine will be inclined to drink it as well. The vineyard, Tomšić, situated in the northern Croatian town of Štrigova about an hour away from Varaždinske Toplice, also offers a full-bodied red wine that I also enjoyed, and I am usually someone who doesn’t tend to like red wine at all.

We were introduced to Varaždinske Toplice Tourist Board’s director, Lana Husnjak, who in turn introduced us to the owner of the hotel, the restaurant, and as we would learn, many other businesses on a local and regional scale, Bernarda Cecelja, she of “Hotel Bernarda”. Through an interpreter, Bernarda welcomed us to the hotel and described her career and her entrepreneurial legacy. She apologized for not speaking great English but she worked for many years in tourism in Switzerland, so instead she is quite handy in German and Italian as that was what her job asked of her. We told her that of course we understood and we were just so happy to be in the presence of such a successful woman. Indeed, not only has Bernarda been named Croatia‘s Entrepreneur of the Year, she’s even been named its Entrepreneur of the Decade. One can say that Bernarda and her businesses have helped to inspire other female small-business owners in the country, showing that you can build an empire from successful small businesses.

Bernarda and her family own small businesses in spades in Varaždinske Toplice and the surrounding areas. She owns a farm, she owns a nearby pansion (B&B-type accommodations), she owns another restaurant in addition to the one that’s serving us inside the hotel. Oh, and the beds we’re sleeping on? Did I mention that Bernarda and her family own a mattress company? They supply their mattresses to major international chains such as Kimpton and Hilton already, so when we were asked about our opinions of the rooms, they had a vested interest in knowing about the quality of the bedding.

I know for a fact I’m leaving out extra businesses Bernarda has opened over the last few decades. Needless to say, she has a strong business acumen and we were in awe of her and her success. We savored the delightful al fresco meal before embarking on a hill climb towards the town center, which boasts the archaeological ruins of a Roman bath known as Aquae Iasae. I confess, after the warm reception and an indulgent feast, I felt rather fatigued and somewhat grumpy by the time we reached Aquae Iasae. However, the welcoming crew at the archaeological site, who arranged a special experience just for us, significantly lifted my spirits.

Upon entering the site, we were greeted by two young men dressed as Roman guards, presumably local high school students gaining work experience or fulfilling community service requirements toward their high school diplomas. Despite their young age, they exhibited the same welcoming demeanor we had come to appreciate. Many of us, myself included, paused for photographs with them. As we strolled through the site, informative placards in both Croatian and English educated us about Aquae Iasae’s history. We were also warmly welcomed by three young women playing the roles of Roman goddesses, further highlighting the significance of this Roman history segment to the area. The costumes and sandals are custom-made in Croatia by a designer who pays special attention to historic detail.

Near the end of the tour, my exhaustion threatened to overpower my curiosity. We had been traveling extensively, partaking in numerous engaging educational experiences. It took some gentle persuasion from my companions to encourage me to complete the site tour. I’m grateful for their positive influence, as the expansive ruins proved truly fascinating. This included the large open-air area featuring a thermal water pool, with the entire grounds extending a good 100 feet right up to the gate. As a history and archaeology enthusiast, skipping any part of the site would have led to regrets. The archaeological discoveries at Aquae Iasae clearly represent a labor of love and commitment to accurately depicting history.

The tour concluded with a Roman-style feast, complete with cushions for seating, emulating authentic Roman dining experiences. While the concept of an “open bar” may not align perfectly with the Roman times, and the Romans certainly wouldn’t have been served Jana brand bottled water or Fanta Orange as we were, all-around it was quite an enjoyably (mostly) authentic Roman experience with beautiful surroundings and wonderful company.

The first of our two nights at the Hotel Bernarda passed without incident and with the group feeling refreshed. Bernarda knows what she’s doing with those mattresses! We met up once again with our tour guide Dario Čamić, who was going to be with us for today as well, as we participated in events and saw the sights in both Varaždinske Toplice and the nearby larger city of Varaždin.

Before setting off for Varaždin, we toured the new International Spine Centre. Croatia has recognized the need for specialized spinal injury care, currently insufficiently provided. The Centre, due to open this summer, aims to increase domestic capacity for treating such injuries. With state-of-the-art machines available to assist in injury recovery, the new International Spine Centre will offer increased accessibility to spinal care for everyone, ranging from veterans and athletes to accident victims and those with degenerative conditions.

We traveled about 20 minutes north to Varaždin, a fairly large city by Croatian standards with a population of about 50,000. It is the principal city of Varaždin County and one of the major cities in interior Croatia. Varaždin Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of the Assumption, is a stunning Baroque-style edifice that draws visitors from all over the world. Its rich history, coupled with the intricate artwork and serene atmosphere, make it a must-see spot in Varaždin. The church was built in the 17th century, but it wasn’t until Varaždin was made a Roman Catholic diocese in 1997 that it was upgraded to the status of a cathedral. There, we had the chance to listen to the organist play various tunes on its massive and ornate system, which flooded every inch of the interior, befitting a proud cathedral such as the old, yet new, one in Varaždin.

The cathedral is within walking distance of King Tomislav Square, which is one of the social hubs of the city. King Tomislav Square is a peaceful urban oasis that combines the concepts of “concrete square” with many strategically-placed colorful flower displays along the periphery that give the square a more vibrant personality.

While we looked around King Tomislav Square, we stopped in at Kavana Grofica Marica, a traditional Croatian coffee house that is known for its cozy ambience and delicious menu that includes traditional Croatian pastries. The café’s location in an old Baroque house adds a unique charm and attracts visitors looking for an authentic Croatian experience (they like to call it pauza). We had a chance to sample both food and drinks, and I left wanting to buy those little Julius Meinl espresso cups. They were so cute!

My friend Teresa, whose husband is of Croatian heritage, recommended I try “Bajadera”, a soft chocolate confection mixed with almond cream. I told Dario this story, and he sprinted off before I could say anything else. Within minutes, he returned, having generously bought Bajadera for the group from a Kraš candy shop directly opposite the coffee shop on King Tomislav Square. It was a delightful surprise and a tasty treat, which I sought out once I returned home and located a local Balkan grocery store.

(Kraš and other Croatian brands are imported to the U.S. for sale by Krinos Foods of The Bronx in New York City, so Bajadera, Bananko, Dorina, Napolitanke, and other Kraš favorites are available at your fingertips without you ever having to leave the country!)

From the square we walked toward the old town and the city’s iconic castle. The castle, now also the Varaždin City Museum, is one of its prime attractions, and it’s easy to see why. Varaždin Castle, also known as Stari grad, is an extraordinary historical building that has roots dating back to the 12th century, and is a symbol of the region’s rich history and culture. It was built in the Gothic style and has undergone numerous modifications and additions over time, resulting in a blend of architectural styles, including Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo. Varaždin Castle is a true gem of inland Croatia, offering an incredible experience of reviving the past and showcasing the beauty of Varaždin’s cultural heritage.

This picturesque castle draws visitors in with its historic walls, gorgeous gardens, and stunning collection of artifacts, including period furniture such as an extensive Biedermeyer collection, and prints and artwork from the Gothic era to the 20th century. This just scratches the surface of the things you can see and do at Varaždin Castle.

On the way back to Varaždinske Toplice, we stopped just outside of town at the Vila Toplissa, a restaurant that overlooks the various spa buildings and other town landmarks below. We were treated to yet another multi-course feast meant to showcase the talents of the local chefs, and I noted that the food in Croatia started out very strong from the beginning, and only kept improving as we went to each successive new restaurant, including this one. I would find that this trend continued as we crossed borders into Italy, but more on that later.

Left satisfied and with very full bellies, we returned to Varaždinske Toplice to become acquainted with their new spa. Sadly, there was a lack of available staff for all eight of us on the trip to receive treatments, but from what I have heard, there are more staff already hired, so the experiences of people going to the spa will be much more flexible in terms of scheduling, especially as the spa will be open to you for its opening hours in their entirety and not just a set time window. The spa treatments list is fairly extensive for a new property, and the top-of-the-line investment into the spa very clearly shows in each of the areas we toured, ranging from the saunas to the massage and aromatherapy areas to more advanced treatments in the realm of what is typically offered at high-end medi-spas.

As someone accustomed to working from home, I found the trip more physically demanding, so I took some downtime to relax before using the nearby thermal pool at the Hotel Minerva, which I was grateful to get to use.

I don’t want to sound like I am complaining, far from it. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, despite the occasional need for Biofreeze for muscle pain. I noticed many Croatian towns are becoming more accessible, with ramps being installed, particularly in wellness-focused areas like spas. Not all buildings are yet wheelchair-accessible, but new constructions require such considerations. I noted, for example, that all of what I could witness of Hotel Bernarda was wheelchair-accessible.

For those with mobility concerns, note that many European buildings, being historic, have stairs, although most provide handrails for balance and support. As a larger person, I managed to navigate all the stairs on our trip, taking breaks when needed. The exertion initially caused some pain, but this subsided a little while after the trip. My advice is to proceed with caution, listen to your body, and take breaks when necessary. Croatia offers a lot for you to experience and you don’t need to injure yourself in order to see the country’s magnificent sights.

Our final night in Varaždinske Toplice was somewhat emotional. We said goodbye to Dario, whose expertise on local Croatian history was invaluable, as was his humor and good nature. Dario helped Bernarda present about her businesses and Varaždinske Toplice. We then enjoyed a farewell dinner featuring locally-sourced truffles and, naturally, more wine from the Tomšić winery. I don’t usually drink this much, but surrounded by such delectable food and newfound friends, how could I resist?

The time had come…we were heading out of Croatia, and the next morning we checked out of our hotel and were given hugs and goodbyes from Lana at the tourism board. We boarded our next bus which would take us to Italy. Before that, however, we stopped in the coastal resort town of Opatija, located on Kvarner Gulf in the Adriatic Sea.

You can read more about my time spent in Opatija here!

This is the third of six blog posts recounting the FAM trip on which I, as an envoy for Tripmasters, was an invited guest. The European Historic Thermal Towns Association (EHTTA) organized this trip for North American travel professionals in conjunction with the ETC, CNTB and ENIT, respectively the non-profit organization responsible for the promotion of Europe as a tourist destination and the two national tourism boards involved in the planning of the itinerary. For more information about these terrific organizations, visit www.historicthermaltowns.eu, www.visiteurope.com/en, www.croatia.hr/en-gb, and www.italia.it/en, respectively.

Tripmasters sells a variety of vacation packages from the affordable to the opulent in Croatia, Italy, and over 130 countries and territories worldwide. To learn more about how Tripmasters can revolutionize the way you vacation, check us out at www.tripmasters.com.