The Croatian hinterland stretches to the north of Medvednica, as far as the Slovenian border. This undulating area to the north of Zagreb, the “capital” of which is Krapina, is dissected by the north-south Zagreb-Maribor highway, which follows the Krapinica valley. The landscape here is dotted with castles, manor houses, hillside villages with churches adorned with onion domes, vine-covered slopes, forests teeming with game and hot springs.