You can travel through time if you come to the Renaissance Festival in Koprivnica!

Everything I read about the Renaissance Festival was nowhere near as accurate or exciting as when I walked through the remains of the Renaissance ramparts in Koprivnica. It is, as people say, the difference between heaven and earth.

I’m sure, no matter how hard I try to write this text illustratively, I won’t be able to convey what you will experience yourself, so listen to my advice and go see it for yourself!

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

“The historical mega-spectacle Renaissance Festival is a combination of the late medieval historical facts and originality of Koprivnica, Podravina, and Croatia with the heritage values ​​of the Western European cultural civilization circle (of which Croatia is also a part), which are manifested at the Festival through numerous knightly, artisanal and musical groups from a dozen European countries”, stated the text that I read somewhere on the internet while I was preparing to visit the festival.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

For a few hours, you too can travel through time and move to the Middle Ages if you visit the Renaissance Festival in Koprivnica, which takes place from August 22 to 25 this year. That’s what I did and decided to check how it looks in person. I sat in the car and arrived in Koprivnica after two hours of driving.

Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

Since it was the first day of the festival, I didn’t have to pay the so-called “mostarina” (bridge toll – ticket) because the first day was free for everyone. The entrance fee for the remaining three days is 5 euros.

Already at the entrance, I was greeted by a cheerful group of people from Ukraine dressed in medieval uniforms who were happy to pose for our portal. “Feel free to take pictures of us, what are you waiting for” they say to me with a smile on their face as I adjust the camera and imagine how I would look in those costumes.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

Immediately afterward, a medieval musician awaited visitors while producing strange but pleasant sounds that cannot be described in words. This is probably the only summer festival where modern musicians do not perform, in fact, there are almost no concerts at all, but only these kinds of isolated musical wanderings.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

As in every medieval fair, all kinds of things are on offer, and first I was greeted by small animals such as chickens, geese, and rabbits, clearly fenced off with fences from some ancient times.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

Everywhere you turn, you see scenes from movies with the theme of the Middle Ages, with the fact that you will feel as if you are a part of that movie.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

Here is a tradesman and craftsman who sells various containers and sieves, which he carries around on his back calling out to customers….“buy, dear people..so that I can drink a cup later”... he speaks loudly with laughter of all of us who pass by next to him.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

The official opening was scheduled for 19:00, with appropriate speeches by the mayor of Koprivnica, Mišel Jakšić, and the founder of the festival, Renato Labazan, director of the tourist board of Koprivnica. “It has been 18 years since the beginning. Every year we have thousands of people who come to our ramparts on Thursday afternoon, and this is just an introduction to what awaits you in the coming days when the Renaissance Festival shines in its true light, as befits the biggest tourist event in Croatia and one of the ten largest in Europe,” said Labazan in front of the gathered crowd, and after that the group’s program started, which deftly played with fire.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

The area where the Renaissance Festival is held is huge and it takes several hours to go around it to enjoy the Renaissance atmosphere, knights, horsemen, archers, merchants, food and drink, a real labyrinth in which I got lost, squires, court fools, fire show, displays of torture and attacks on the city, and there are also lepers.

What was extremely interesting for me was the game where people were shooting a wooden ball into a small “hole”, so if you hit it successfully, the young maiden would then fall into a large tub full of water… ha, ha, ha.. that happened before my eyes, and I can’t tell you how sweetly I laughed at the whole atmosphere… hi. hi.. still feel like laughing as I am writing you this article.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

The main theme of this year’s festival is Knighthood, and until Sunday, medieval camps and performances by knightly groups from Italy, Slovenia, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Israel, BiH and Croatia are also expected.

Renaissance Festival Koprivnica, Photo: Adria fun

The Renaissance Festival is a plastic-free event, and food and drinks are served in original wooden and ceramic containers. Original in everything, nothing. The prices are “popular” – a beer with nettle is 3.5 euros, half a liter of plain water is 2.5, and a Koprivko burger is 8.5 euros each.

Honestly, the Renaissance Festival is the best event I’ve visited so far, and I’ve visited many in my almost sixty years of life, and I’m sure I’ll be back here again next year.

You don’t have to wait that long if you head there by Sunday, August 25. Fun is guaranteed!

This publication was co-financed by the Fund for the Promotion of Pluralism and Diversity of Electronic Media.