Bus from KARLOVAC to BRATISLAVA

Karlovac, situated 55km southwest from Zagreb, is the best place in Croatia for those who look for a special rafting and kayaking adventure, provided by the confluence of four rivers: the Kupa, Mreznica, Korana and Dobra rivers. Karlovac canbe easily reached by bus and can turn out to be a nice day trip for those staying in Zagreb.

What makes Karlovac unique is its star-shaped design. It is necessary to point out that, while not many towns can brag about the knowledge of the exact date of its founding, as well as the fact that they were a town from their very establishment, Karlovac is one of them. The construction of Karlovac  began in 1579, or to be precise, 13 July 1579 , and the ideas to make it a "Renaissance town", and for that reason, a special attentionwas given to its beauty and harmony, but also to serve as a defense against Turkish invaders. This old town in the shape of a six-pointed staris comprised of 24 equally divided blocks.

Besides wandering the streets and rafting the rivers, Karlovac has  a lot more to offer. For, instance, Korana river with Foginovo beach is a famous tourist attraction, as well as bathing spot known for its medicinal properties of the pristine waters of the river.

The new and exciting Karlovac freshwater aquarium, Aquatika, was designedin sucha manner as to allow its visitors to follow a series of ramps that recall a river's flow. Besides the specimens from Karlovac’s rivers, the museum also exibits astounding flora and fauna from all over Croatia, with background effects such as evocative lighting and water sounds.

Main town square -Josip ban Jelačić square: The planning of the city was carefully done and the streets within the walls of the city are arranged at right angles. After the plague epidemic in 1691, a votive column (the Plague Pillar), with a statue of the Madonna on top of it, was built on the main town square. A well, ornamented with allegorical representations of the town’s rivers, was built in the geometrical centre of the Star and square in 1869 on the location of a baroque fountain. 

The Vrbanić gardens: The gardens were designed as an open-style botanical garden. Named after the Mayor Josip Vrbanić, the gardens bear a resemblance to English and French parks and contain rare trees and plants. Convenienty located in the southeastern part of the town, between the Korana river and the Karlovac ''Star" (Zvijezda), is a favorite place of tourists who like to unwind after a long stroll around Karlovac.

Dubovac Castle: The Old Town of Dubovac, situated on a hill with a beautiful panoramic view over the city, is regarded as one of the best preserved, as well as most captivating architectural monuments of the feudal age. On the site of the present-dayfort, there are still traces of an Early Stone Age settlement, while the castle was built at the end of the 12th or beginning of the 13th century. During the tours around the castle, spectators can enjoy the exibition of history that made Karlovac what it is today. In the vicinity of the castle is one of the oldest and most beautiful town shrines, the Early Baroque church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Snows.

The Church of The Holy Trinity, built in the same timeas the fortress, is the oldest building in Karlovac, while  monastery was built in the 17th century. They are situated on the main square (Ban Jelačić Square). The whole complex is baroque and has a rich inventory. 

Beside its rich history, Karlovac and its surroundings offer interesting hiking tours in its nearby forests, especially the Kozjača trail, while during summer months visitors can enjoy a variety of events, such as the Beer fest and numerous fairs.

Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, and with a population of about 450,000, the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia, occupying both banks of the River Danube and the left bank of the River Morava. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two sovereign states. Vienna and Bratislava, the nearest capital cities in Europe (only 60 km) were once connected to an electric tram.

The city received its contemporary name in 1919. Beforehand it was mostly known in English by its German name, Pressburg, as it was long dominated by Austrians and other German-speakers.

Bratislava lies in the north temperate zone and has a moderately continental climate. During the summer the temperature can rise to 30 C, sometimes even more. During the winter, the temperature is about 0 C, but at night, and they can go lower than -10 C. If it snows, the snow cover will not last longer than a few days.

On the eastern bank of the Danube is the old historic part of the city, while in the west the new modern part. Bratislava has always been one of the main cultural centers of Central Europe.

What to see in Bratislava:

Bratislava Castle is one of the most prominent structures in the city. The castle hill site has been inhabited since the transitional period between the Stone and Bronze ages and has been the acropolis of a Celtic town, part of the Roman Limes Romanus, a huge Slavic fortified settlement, and a political, military and religious centre for Great Moravia. A stone castle was not constructed until the 10th century, when the area was part of the Kingdom of Hungary.

Devín Castle is the ruined and recently renovated castle in the borough of Devín, on top of a rock where the Morava River, which forms the border between Austria and Slovakia, enters the Danube. It is one of the most important Slovak archaeological sites and contains a museum dedicated to its history. Due to its strategic location, Devín Castle was a very important frontier castle of Great Moravia and the early Hungarian state. It was destroyed by Napoleon's troops in 1809. It is an important symbol of Slovak and Slavic history.

Rusovce mansion, with its English park, is in the Rusovce borough. The house was originally built in the 17th century and was turned into an English neo-Gothic-style mansion in 1841–1844. The borough is also known for the ruins of the Roman military camp Gerulata, part of Limes Romanus, a border defence system. Gerulata was built and used between the 1st and 4th centuries AD.

Parks and lakes. Due to its location in the foothills of the Little Carpathians and its riparian vegetation on the Danubian floodplains, Bratislava has forests close to the city centre. The largest city park is Horský park (literally, Mountainous Park), in the Old Town. Bratislavský lesný park (Bratislava Forest Park) is located in the Little Carpathians and includes many locales popular among visitors, such as Železná studienka and Koliba.

Bratislava's zoological park is located in Mlynská dolina, near the headquarters of Slovak Television. The zoo, founded in 1960, currently houses 152 species of animals, including the rare white lion and white tiger. The Botanical Gardens, which belong to Comenius University, can be found on the Danube riverfront and house more than 120 species of domestic and foreign origin.