Trail of Princes

This “green time machine” takes you back thousands of years and introduces you to unique natural wonders.

In only two hours it takes for this light stroll, this “green time machine” takes you back thousands of years and introduces you to unique natural wonders hidden in the Žumberak – Samoborsko gorje Nature Park. Starting in Budinjak Eco Centre, the Trail of Princes leads you through over 4 kilometres of nature and offers an insight into the rich history of Budinjak, in a landscape created by men for thousands of years and maintained by living in harmony with nature.

The circular path is marked with wooden pillars containing signs with the notices on the direction of movement and the points on the trail. These ten spots offer ten different and unique stories: from preserved nature and geological phenomenon such as karst pools, holes, meadows and the cave called “The Jewish House” to the archaeological findings from the early Iron to Roman times.

The most attractive are the old burial mounds – tumuluses, some 140 of them located under the settlement and the walls from the late Iron Age. They contain various objects from that period, weapons and jewellery, everyday objects, while the special attention is given to the bronze helmet found in one of the mounds and holds the name “Budinjak type.” In princes’ mounds, there are several graves with the prince laid in the centre, and next to them there are valuable objects placed after death which testify not only the importance of the deceased but also of the significance and the wealth of this area in those ancient times. With a professional guide, those times will come alive in front of your eyes on the Trail of Princes.

Download map: GPX ili KML