5 Best Sights in Zagreb and Environs, Croatia

Buildings lining the city's main square date from 1827 onward and include several fine examples of Secessionist architecture. The centerpiece is an equestrian statue of Ban Josip Jelačić, the first Croatian viceroy, erected in 1866. Originally facing north toward Hungary, against which Jelačić waged war as a commander in the Austrian Imperial Army, the statue was dismantled after World War II by the communist government, only to be reinstalled in 1990, this time facing south. The square also features the Manduševac fountain, located to the east.

This imposing landmark, one of Europe's oldest city halls, has been the seat of Varaždin's public administration since December 14, 1523. It was completely restored after the great fire of 1776. From May through October you can stop by on a Saturday morning between 11 and noon to watch the changing of the guard called Purgari ( www.varazdinska-garda.com), a 250-year-old tradition that lives on.

The original 13th-century city walls had four gates, of which only Kamenita vrata remains. Deep inside the dark passageway, locals stop to pray before a small shrine adorned with flickering candles. In 1731 a devastating fire consumed all the wooden elements of the gate. Legend says that only a painting of the Virgin and Child, which was found in the ashes, remained remarkably undamaged. The gate has since become a pilgrimage site, as can be seen from the numerous stone plaques reading Hvala Majko Božja (Thank you, Mother of God).

Croatia's preeminent religious pilgrimage site is home to the Blessed Virgin of Bistrica, a black, wooden, 15th-century Gothic statue of the Holy Mother associated with miraculous powers (per legend, having survived the Turkish invasion and a subsequent fire) and set in the main altar. The church, which was proclaimed a Croatian shrine by the nation's parliament in 1715, was rebuilt in the neo-Renaissance style in the late 19th century; the shrine complex adjacent to the church was enlarged in time for a 1998 visit by Pope John Paul II. Behind the church is a huge amphitheater built for the pope's visit, and from there, you can climb up Kalvarija (Calvary Hill) to the Stations of the Cross, ornamented with sculptures by Croatian artists.

Enjoy the smells of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus the friendly clamor of locals negotiating the best prices, with a stop at the City Market, open from around 7 am to 2 pm. The open-air marketplace also features a number of bakeries and meat and fish stores.