Mikulići – Risnjak mountain hut (Trail 9)

This hike has all the ingredients for an immersive experience in Medvednica Nature Park, as you exchange the hustle and bustle of the city for the calm of nature’s chorus and with a well-earned rest at Risnjak mountain hut.

The hike starts in Mikulići, which is easily accessible by public transport. After an initial stretch on tarmac, it’s not long before you’re surrounded by the park’s enchanting forest. It’s a moderately difficult hike, due to its steeper gradients, on natural terrain, so we’d recommend sturdy footwear and wet-weather gear, just in case.

Nature’s wonder surrounds you with numerous bird species, and the forest is home to Roe deer, wild boar and hare. Flatter stretches offer some rest between the steeper sections, as you pass by the 515-metre (1,689 ft) high Zavurt peak.

Climbing up onto the Zahurta ridge, you’ll reach an opening in the trees that grants you captivating views of Zagreb below on a clear day. There are no views from the hut itself as it’s nestled in forest, but offers a calming place to relax and enjoy some hot food and refreshing drinks. After arriving at a beautiful open meadow, the hut is just above you.