Bus from KARLOVAC to KASSEL

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.

The free city Kassel is after Frankfurt am Main and Wiesbaden the third largest city of Hesse and is located in the northern part of this state, on the border with Lower Saxony and Thuringia. Currently, the population is around 200,000 people. Every five years, Kassel is the venue of the most important international exhibition of contemporary art and has therefore been named "documenta-Stadt" since 1999.

The name of the town is probably derived from "Chassalla" or "Chassella", the name for the royal court of Konrad I, located at the Kassel Fulda. The name was first discovered on a document from the year 913. There are also other names derivations; Thus it could be of Germanic origin and translated as "buildings on a terrain", whereby the origin of the name is far back in the prehistory.

Settlements have existed already in the pre-Christian era, but there has been secrecy before the 10th century,when it first appears in the documents. Since the end of the 12th century, Kassel has been gilded in the modern sense as a city and became the headquarters of the Hessian Landgrave Heinrich I a few decades later. The townscape was decisively influenced by Landgraf Karl from 1700 onwards.

Kassel - had man been seen in the city's ice cream?

During the Second World War the old town of Kassel was unfortunately massively destroyed, so there is no longer a closed historical cityscape. Nevertheless, as a former residence, Kassel has a lot of locals. The Protestant Brethren Church is the oldest church building in the city. A typical baroque building is the Ottoneum, the first permanent theater building in Germany, which now houses a museum of natural history. From the 13th century we have the Renthof, the relic of a former Carmelite monastery. However, there is also the Martinskirche with its distinctive towers, the Karlshospital, the Druselturm, or the Ständehaus, built in the neo-Renaissance style. Also worth a visit is the Fridericianum, the famous museum building in Kassel, which every five years is the site of the documenta and is already impressive by its architecture alone. It is also recommended to take a walk through the Orangerie at the Karlsauesowie, a walk through the district of Vorderer Westen. The parking area Bergpark Wilhelsmhöhe, which has been part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage since 2013, is one of the top 100 sights in Germany. The Wilhelmshöhe Castle, the Löwenburg Castle, as well as the Herkules, the landmarks of the city of Kassel, can be visited from the beginning of the 18th century. The popular Kassel water games are held twice a week during the summer months.

Kassel is an extremely culturally shaped city. There are also plenty of art galleries and community theaters, as well as a variety of museums and galleries. In addition to contemporary art in the Fridericianum, In the Wilhelmshöhe Palace, as well as in the Old Masters Gallery you can admire an antique collection. The Grimmwelt, which was inaugurated in 2015, is dedicated to the work of the Brothers Grimm, who spent a long time in Kassel.

Kassel offers a wide range of hotels, guesthouses, hostels and holiday apartments for its guests. In addition to art and culture, you should not miss outits cuisine. Typical specialties in Kassel are the "Weckewerk", a dish prepared from cooked rind and minced meat. There are "Ahle Wurscht" and the traditional Speckkuchen.which is  equally popular with both locals and tourists.