A wooded ridge that stretches above Zagreb to the north, Mt Medvednica offers a wealth of forest trails, mountainside inns and a handful of historic attractions to boot. The name means “bear mountain”, although it is many centuries since there have been any bears on its slopes.

It’s 1035-metre summit, Sljeme (topped by a distinctive TV and radio tower), is an all-year excursion zone for Zagreb folk, a modest skiing centre in winter (nowadays fed increasingly with articificial snow), and the terminus of a brand-new cablecar opened in 2022.

A multitude of walks radiate outwards from the summit, many following Medvednica’s main east-west ridge. There’s a scattering of mountain-hut-style restaurants among the woods and meadows - eating a bowl of grah or bean-stew is part of the Medvednica ritual if you’re here for a day’s hiking.

Zrinski Mine