In the heart of Sisak-Moslavina County, in miniature Unpainted, there is a place, the Capriccia center, which offers a unique experience – adrenaline, recreation, relaxation, local food – all in one place. This area not far from Petrinja it is adorned with preserved nature and unreal peace, and due to the proximity of the Kupa River, river tourism is highly developed. Nebojan is a favorite vacation spot for many people from Petrinj, and some have summer cottages there.
The rural landscaped garden of the Capriccia center with lots of flowers and other decorative plants and details, it will win you over at first. The offer includes bungalows decorated in a military style, air-conditioned, equipped with all the benefits of civilization, a sanitary facility, a shower cabin and a wellness tub for a complete atmosphere in the winter period. For the summer season, there is a swimming pool on offer, which brings a lot of fun and joy especially to the youngest visitors. The surroundings are meticulously arranged, and there is a lot of adrenaline content on offer.
Capriccia center - turned an old property into a real adrenaline adventure
The owners of the Capriccia Center in Nebojan, Ivančica Kudlek and Miroslav Milošić, say that everything started with a family vacation in Istria when the children expressed a desire for paintball. Given that high temperatures prevailed at the time, Ivančica was looking for excuses not to go to such activities, so at one point she even promised the children that she would build a paintball field for them at home. There was nothing but the promise to come true, so in the first days after the holiday in Istria, she started with plans for an adrenaline adventure in Banovina.
Today, Ivančica has been running a hair salon in Petrinja for 24 years. After returning from the mentioned vacation, she went to expand her business to sports, entertainment and recreation, and at the end of the summer of 2015, the construction of a paintball field began. She decided to turn the old property into a center that would unite many fun activities in one place.
They also activated a family farm
The Capriccia Center in Nebojan officially opened its doors to visitors in April 2016. Among other things, they organize birthdays, team building, kindergarten and school events, bachelor and bachelorette parties and even weddings. They renovated and registered the old house as a rural holiday home, and Ivančica also activated her OPG, which had not been active years before due to numerous other business and private commitments. Namely, the earth and the animals are looking for a servant, not a master.
- We envisioned the center as a place of relaxation and intimacy where a positive atmosphere prevails. It is our wish to work with each guest or group individually at pre-arranged times. This special place and the range of activities reminds adults of the time when they were carefree children, while it offers young people complete freedom and the opportunity to release excess energy., say Miroslav and Ivančica.
At the Capriccia Center every guest is important
Guests also come from other counties and even from abroad. A good voice is heard far away, and in the Capriccia center every guest is important and welcome. They make an effort around everyone and everyone is given time and a smile from the heart, so you will not leave Nebojan without a plan to return again. The hosts believe that man is the most important and that visitors should be given added value in the form of a sincere welcome. For now, this is proving to be the right recipe for success.
People mostly looked at Miroslava and Ivančica incredulously when they started this job. Today, they are doing well enough to plan additional investments. New and different - that's what guests are looking for. Confirmation that they are doing well are the numerous awards received since the beginning of the opening of the Center. They were recognized by the City of Petrinja, the Tourist Board, Sisak-Moslavina County. In 2017, they received a special award from the Selo Club - Sunflower rural tourism – for animation in rural tourism for the project Adrenaline adventure in Banovina. By the way, entrepreneurs, craftsmen, family farms, cooperatives, associations from all over Croatia, regional and local self-government units, and tourist boards are included in the Rural Tourism Sunflower project.
Everything works thanks to the selfless work and effort of all family members
Thanks to a large, close-knit family that happily got down to business, they managed to bring the Capriccia Center in Nebojan up and running in a short period of time. They have five children, two of whom are already adults, so the sons-in-law also got involved. Everyone got to work and in a very short period of time prepared a field where paintball could be organized. There are natural shelters and newly created ones, but love is woven into each one because everything was done with the heart. And that's how their tourist story actually started.
Visitors started to arrive, bringing with them various ideas, so they are the co-creators of the whole story that breathes full steam today. They made paintball a house that serves as a shelter on colder days, but also a place of refreshment and socializing. This was followed by the area for archery, the procurement of berg vehicles and the construction of the track. Today they also have a football field, bowling alley, children's playground, quad vehicles for children and adults. Grass skiing and many other competitive games are possible. We must not forget the inevitable space for grilling, baking and boiling the kettle.
Trends in tourism should be constantly monitored
They are thinking of another way to attract guests, so the idea of a safari adventure that would be a combination of excitement and education is running through their heads. We would love to set up a rock climbing and zip-line, but also other novelties that guarantee an unforgettable event. They believe that trends in tourism should be constantly monitored because they are changing very fast nowadays. Their goal is to become a brand that will be heard beyond the borders of Croatia, but they are aware that it takes time, effort and money. What is most beautiful in all is the positivity they radiate and which gives no reason to doubt that this hard-working family will achieve its goals.
Capriccia center in Nebojan can be reached by bicycle from Petrinja, as it is located on the cycling map of the city. Namely, the so-called road leads to the village of Nebojan. the green route, which is a bit longer than the others, but here you can refresh yourself in the pool in the summer, so it's easier to drive back to Petrinja, a town located on the right bank of the Kupa, at the mouth of the Petrinjčica. This city can boast of a favorable geographic location. Namely, it is located at the intersection of roads that connect northwestern Croatia, including Zagreb, with Banovina, that is, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the area of Kordun and Banovina with Posavina.
There are numerous fortifications in the area, tradition is cherished, folk costumes enchant
The Petrinja region is rich in fortifications, so you can see Klinac grad, Pecki grad, Čuntić grad, Gorski grad or the Hrastovica fortress in the vicinity. The past of the town of Petrinja and Banovina as a border area has left numerous traces in the monumental heritage. Of the cultural heritage under protection, the most important is the city center of Petrinja, ie a series of one-storey houses and public buildings that border the central city park, built in the style of late Baroque and Classicism. However, due to the war destruction and unresolved property and legal relations, most of the buildings in the city center require a complete renovation.
Petrinja and its surrounding villages and settlements are known for preserving the tradition of folklore and nurturing the old original heritage. Numerous cultural and artistic societies contribute to the preservation of old customs, songs and dances, and they stand out with the beauty and diversity of folk costumes, some of which have been preserved since ancient times and are more than a hundred years old.
Themed trails, promenades, cycling routes are just part of the offer for active tourists
The surrounding area offers a large number of thematic routes that are attractive from a historical, cultural and social point of view and provide an unforgettable experience for its guests. If you are eager for additional knowledge about the natural, cultural and historical sights of the city, thematic trails are the ideal choice for you. You can do the path of Ban Jelačić, the path of chestnuts or the educational path of Hrastovčanka. We should not forget the Petrin Promenade. It is a circular and educational-recreational trail 6,6 kilometers long. The part of the promenade that leads upstream along the embankment along the Petrinjčica river to the hospital bridge is called the Josip Kajetan Knežić Promenade. To tour the promenade, you should follow the yellow markings of the heart-shaped linden leaf, which is a recognizable visual symbol of Petrinja as a small town with a big heart.
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Let us mention the Petrinja cycle routes that merge with the county. They are further connected with the Sava cycling route that connects Zagreb with the Lonjsko polje nature park. Routes pass through paved roads of various qualities, mostly local, low-traffic roads, and partly also state roads. They are suitable for all types of cyclists, from recreational athletes to athletes, as well as for adrenaline enthusiasts, since one of the routes leads along a macadam forest road on Hrastovačka gora. In the area of the city, four cycle routes marked with signs have been established with signs marked LR and the corresponding number.
Blog originally published on June 19, 2020.
