One of the many reasons I like a road trip is that our time is our own. We can stop whenever and wherever we please. It’s one long adventure.
Heading to the Croatian coast recently, himself reckoned Karlovac was as good a place as any to break up our morning.
Home to about 50,000 people, the city is 56 km southwest of Zagreb and 130 km northeast of Rijeka. The city that began as a military stronghold 400 years ago, morphed into a crafts/industrial centre and is now steeped in culture.
The website describes it as ‘a star-shaped town on four rivers with three-dimensional parks and five centuries of history’.
Of course, I read that after the fact.
We were heading for a café that came highly recommended. The free parking was a definite plus, but we couldn’t find the café.
And we looked.
The main square is undergoing major construction and no doubt will be restored to its former glory one of these fine days.
We landed about 10.30, and the streets were deserted. It was as if someone knew something we didn’t. We hung left instead of right and began to seriously wonder what all the fuss was about.
A quick coffee next door to a retirement home nestled in some extra-quiet streets made me wonder if we’d stepped into the twilight zone. Apart from the handful of elderly on walking sticks and Zimmer frames, we met no one.
There is a rumour about a local bookstore that added to my wonder:
After our coffee, we decided to wander, turning this way and that until we walked through the portal into another world.
This part of the city was buzzing. Lots of parks, cafés, and people.
I was particularly taken by the Paviljon Katzler – a museum and tiny souvenir shop that’s been around since 1897. It sells souvenirs made by local artists – no tourist tat. A wonderful idea that other cities would do well to copy.
There is a lot by way of bronze sculptures, everything from street signs to a throne by the park. The arched doorways and flower-filled niches all add to the ambience. There is definitely more to this city than we thought.
I’d like to know more about the Mona Lisa – she popped up a couple of times in various guises, hinting at an underlying sense of humour that warrants more exploration.
We didn’t spend long there, but subsequent reading shows just how much we missed.
We enjoyed our second coffee a little more as we sat and watched the world go about its business.
And yes, while the city has all the usual brands on offer, there are also plenty of boutiques, too. I regret not sampling the local red wine cream – a different take on Baileys.
And the themed walking tours looked interesting:
At the end of the 19th century, Nikola Tesla walked through the streets of Karlovac. Take a walk along the same paths and discover the views and charm of the vibrant streets he saw. Find out what motivated him to become one of the most important minds of modern humanity. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the advanced ideas of the time that made the city a unique urban and cultural pearl
Next time we go, we’ll stay the night and really see the city.
Reminders for me
- Fogniovo beach by the River Korana
- Nikola Tesla Experience Centre
- Church of the Holy Trinity
- Buy some red wine cream liquer
