Poleg jedne velke gore,
kada prejdeš mnoge dole,
tam buš videl nekaj bele,
to je naše Ivanečke sele.

Gda buš išel malo dale,
tam buš videl lepe kraje
tu su ljudi dobre čudi,
z vinčekom te vsaki rad' ponudi.

Vse vu cvetu i vu sreči,
srce ti bu moglo reči:
oj, Zagorje, moje blago,
vsakom sinu Hrvatskom si drago.

Hello and welcome! My name is Ivanec, many call me the pearl of northwest Croatia, and my official nickname is „Mountaineering Town“. I am located at the western edge of Varaždin County. Why „Mountaineering Town“?

Because I live at the foot of Mt. Ivančica, located at 227 m above sea level. My necklace extends to 29 surrounding settlements with 12.723 people, while I count 4.997 inhabitants. I am unique, ethereal, and mysterious. The stories beneath my streets, parks, monuments, and promenades are so numerous that they wouldn't fit into a larger book.

I am the second largest town in my county. I and my mountain, Ivančica, were named after the medieval priestly Order of St. John of Jerusalem, also known as the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. At the end of the 13th and the beginning of the 14th century, the Hospitallers acquired properties including Cerje, Bela and Ivanec. The center of their property was the fortified town Bela, today known as „Pusta Bela“ (Empty Bela).

The first written record of me dates back to 1396, when I was mentioned in the charter issued by Ivan Paližna, the Prior of Bela, which established certain privileges. Later in 1632, my Old Town, which is believed to have been built on the foundations of the ruins of the old Crusader church, was also mentioned. This is enough for a start, and if you want to stay with my story, I invite you to click on numerous sections and interesting things.

Why should you visit me?

What can I show you? A lot. Here you can hike all you want on easy and less easy trails to the legendary Mt. Ivančica. Drink from the spring of crystal-clear water from the "Žgano vino" spring. Walk around my surroundings full of stories and legends and ride a bike in the middle of gentle hills in virgin nature. Enjoy the view of blue lakes. Visit our "Visitor Center" and "Mountaineering Museum".

You can test your culinary skills in the "Ivanečki kotlić" contest and enjoy traditional food with plenty of songs and entertainment. Visit mystical sites such as the Devil's Chair, the Chapel of the Holy Spirit, Černe mlake, the birthplace of Josip Kraš, numerous churches and chapels, Friščić's mill, the Margečan watermill... Enjoy historical sites at every corner and step. And that is only half the story. Because every month brings something new to our town, and every manifestation celebrates the richness of my history and awakens the joy of living.

You don't have to bring anything but good will because with me you are never alone. You are surrounded by a feeling of freedom, rural beauty, interesting things at every corner, the hospitality of our hosts, unreal landscapes at the foot of the mountain, which is pure Zen and which many mountaineers adore. My picnic areas, my surroundings and numerous mountain trails offer you numerous stories, legends and myths, and the milling, mining and pottery traditions will enrich your knowledge of the history of the region.