This historic Croatian city on the Sava River has a medieval fortress and a significant WWII past. Its surrounding region includes traditional villages and local wine country.
Sisak sits at the meeting point of three rivers in central Croatia, 57 kilometers from Zagreb. You'll find Roman ruins scattered throughout the city center, while modern murals cover building walls. The 16th-century fortress overlooks the rivers, and beyond the city limits stretch the wetlands of Lonjsko Polje Nature Park.
Getting to Sisak
You can reach Sisak by train or bus from Zagreb in about one hour. The city lies 57 kilometers southeast of Croatia's capital, making it an easy day trip. Regular trains run between Zagreb and Sisak along the Zagreb-Sisak-Novska railway line, while buses depart from Zagreb's main bus station throughout the day.
The Three Rivers
The Kupa, Sava, and Odra rivers meet in Sisak. In summer, you can swim at the public beach on the Kupa River or fish along any of the three riverbanks. Walking paths follow the water's edge, and from April through September, you can take guided boat trips to see the city from the water.
Street Art and Culture
Since 2016, the Re:Think Sisak festival has transformed the city's walls with over 20 large-scale murals. You can spot works by international artists throughout the center, including the multi-artist 'Neverland' piece and Farid Rueda's 'Totem', which spans five stories with its geometric animal designs.
Lonjsko Polje Nature Park
The park begins at Sisak's edge and spreads across the Sava River floodplains. More than 250 bird species live here, including Europe's largest stork population. You can walk the marked trails past century-old wooden farmhouses, where local cattle still graze in the meadows. This is Croatia's largest protected wetland ecosystem.
Historical Buildings
The triangular fortress from the 1550s contains the Native Museum, where you can explore local artifacts and military exhibits from the 1593 Battle of Sisak against Ottoman forces. In the surrounding Old Town, you'll see the yellow Baroque Mali Kaptol palace and the white classicist Veliki Kaptol building. The red-brick Old Bridge spans the Kupa River, connecting the two parts of the city center.
