Continental Croatia is known for its many castles. There are castles from different periods - from the Middle Ages to almost our days. As it happens, about many of them there are various legends and mystical stories. Some have been turned into museums so it is possible to enter and experience the beauty of the interior, while others are used as hospitals, etc. Also, some of the castles are in excellent condition, while others crave the restoration of their majestic facades.

It is unquestionably worth visiting them to experience the past from the position of kings and aristocrats.

Be sure to include in your itinerary:

1. Trakoscan Palace - Trakoscan was founded at the end of the 13th century in the defense system of northwestern Croatia as an observatory to monitor the road from Ptuj to the valley of the river Bednja. Today it houses a museum, which is really worth a visit. There is a romantic lake next to the castle.

2. Veliki Tabor - Veliki Tabor is a fortress in Hrvatsko Zagorje, located on a hill 334 meters above sea level. It is one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in Croatia. From a medieval fortress, it was adapted into a castle in the 17th and 18th centuries.

3. The Old Town of Dubovac - Dubovac Castle is one of the best-preserved and most beautiful monuments of medieval architecture in Croatia. It was built on a prehistoric hill above the Kupa, and was named after 'dub' - the oak trees that grow on the surrounding slopes.

4. Zrinski Fortress - Cakovec Castle or Zrinski Castle is a medieval fortress in the center of the town of Cakovec. It was built of hewn stone and red brick and has undergone several reconstructions over more than seven centuries of history.

5. Castle Stari grad Varazdin - On the northern edge of the historic center of Varazdin is the castle Stari grad, which is dug from the city and surrounded by walls. Inside the Stari Gras is a Renaissance aristocratic palace.

6. Batthyany Castle - The earliest evidence of the existence of the fortress dates from 1320. During the Ottoman campaigns, it was transformed into a Renaissance castle. With the arrival of the Batthyany family the castle was renovated in the Baroque style.

7. Odescalchi Castle - Ilok Castle or Odescalchi Castle overlooks the town of Ilok in eastern Croatia. The castle was originally built as his own residence in the 15th century by Nikola Ilocki, Croatian viceroy and king of Bosnia. The Ilok City Museum is located on the lower two floors. The wine cellars of the castle are among the most famous in Croatia.

8. Klenovnik Castle - Klenovnik is the largest Croatian castle. It is located in Varazdin County. The castle was first mentioned in the 13th century. Before the renovation in 1925, Klenovnik allegedly had 90 rooms and over 365 windows. Today there is a hospital in the castle.

9. The Old Town of Ozalj - The medieval town built in the 13th century has been extended over time and changed for defense purposes. The castle is open to the public today and houses a museum.

10. Pejacevic Castle - Pejacevic Castle in Nasice has been the home of the Pejacevic noble family for centuries. The castle was built in 1811 and later upgraded. Next to the castle is a beautiful and large park. Today, a museum and library are located here.