Karlovac County

Karlovac County, known in Croatian as Karlovačka županija, lies halfway between Zagreb and the Adriatic and is usually just a stretch of road on the way to the coast. If you stop, you'll discover a star-shaped fortress town, clear rivers for swimming and paddling, and the mill village of Rastoke. The region is considered the green lung of central Croatia.

Landscape and Location

Karlovac sits at the confluence of the Kupa, Korana, Mrežnica and Dobra rivers, which is why it's known as the "City of Four Rivers." South of the city, the land rises toward the Kapela mountains, home to Ogulin and the striking peak of Klek. In the south, the county stretches to the edge of Plitvice Lakes, and the town of Slunj lies on the Korana. In summer the rivers are warm and clean enough for swimming, and many towns have river beaches.

Sights in Karlovac County

The Habsburgs founded Karlovac in 1579 as a fortress against the Ottomans and named it after Archduke Charles. The six-pointed layout of the old town, the Star Fortress, is still recognizable today. The Aquatika aquarium shows Croatia's freshwater fish, and Dubovac Castle on a hilltop offers views over the city. In Rastoke near Slunj, the Slunjčica River tumbles over travertine steps into the Korana; old water mills and wooden houses stand in between, like a miniature version of Plitvice Lakes. Ogulin has a castle and is the birthplace of the fairy-tale author Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, to whom a fairy-tale house is dedicated. On the Mrežnica River, cascades form natural swimming pools. The Homeland War Museum in Turanj on the edge of town displays tanks and vehicles from the 1990s, when Karlovac was on the front line. Near Ogulin, Lake Sabljaci invites you to swim.

Food, Getting There and Best Time to Visit

The cuisine is continental: trout, game, mushrooms and beer from the long-established Karlovačko brewery, whose beer festival in August draws visitors. The A1 motorway connects Karlovac with Zagreb in about half an hour, and trains run to Rijeka. Summer is the best time to visit for river swimming and canoe and rafting trips; spring and fall are well suited to hiking on Klek.