Town in Zagreb region
Samobor
- Best time to go
- Feb, Apr, May, Sept, Oct
- Part of
- Zagreb region
Samobor is a small, pretty town at the foot of green hills, and Zagreb's favourite weekend outing.
Its colourful square, the Gradna stream with its little bridges and its cake shops give it a relaxed, old-fashioned feel. It is also the gateway to the hiking trails of the Samobor hills and Žumberak. In February, Samobor holds one of Croatia's best-known carnivals.
Things to do
Don't miss in Samobor
- Order a samoborska kremšnita, the town's famous custard cream cake, at a café on King Tomislav Square.
- Climb to the ruins of the medieval Samobor castle (Stari grad) on the wooded hill above the town.
- Walk up Anindol hill to the Chapel of St Anne and the shady park around it.
- Try bermet, a local fortified aperitif, and buy a jar of muštarda, Samobor's sweet grape mustard.
- Learn about the town's history in the Samobor Museum, set in a manor house in the centre.
- Hike into the Samobor hills and the Žumberak-Samobor Highlands Nature Park, where marked trails lead to mountain huts.
- Join the Samobor Carnival (Fašnik) in February, with costumes, parades and the burning of a scapegoat figure.
Where to stay
Pick your neighbourhood
Town centre
visitors without a car who want the main square, cake shops and restaurants on the doorstep
Hill villages towards Žumberak
hikers and families who want a rural house, fresh air and trails from the door; you will need a car
Sveta Nedelja
drivers who want easy motorway access and simpler parking, about ten minutes from Samobor
Tours and getting around
Day trips from Samobor
Most visitors come on a half-day trip from Zagreb, sometimes combined with the Plešivica wine road. From Samobor you can head into the Žumberak hills for walking and village food, or drive about 40 minutes south to the wine cellars around Jastrebarsko.
You don't need a car for Samobor itself, as buses from Zagreb are frequent and the centre is small. A car helps if you want to explore Žumberak, the hill villages or the wine roads. Mountain bikers will find good trails in the surrounding hills.
Getting there
How to get to Samobor
Samobor is about 20 km west of Zagreb, about half an hour by car via the A3 motorway towards Slovenia. Frequent buses run from Zagreb's main bus station, so it is an easy trip without a car. Zagreb Airport is about 35 minutes away by car. There are paid car parks on the edge of the centre, which is mostly pedestrian.