Between 25 – August 28, 2016 you can go back in time and experience the Middle Ages in the north-eastern Croatian town of Koprivnica! The annual Renesansni festival takes place just outside the centre of town. A whole area decorated with the Middle Ages as a theme, you can experience traditional crafts, livestock, archery, knight competitions, medieval music and food. Kopriva means nettle, from which the city got its name. In ancient times around this place fields full with nettles grew along the river Koprivnica. There were so many nettles they even brewed beer from them and there are many delicious recipes with nettles as an ingredient.
The city is known for its food manufacturer Podravka, which plays an important role in the Croatian kitchen, known for the soup from a bag and the seasoning Vegeta. There is also a restaurant Podravska Klet where you can eat food made with products from Podravka.
Besides the medieval festival the town is worth a visit, a nice old centre with old buildings, a Franciscan monastery from 1685, a city museum with archaeological and cultural collections and the Koprivnica gallery with naive art from the nearby village Hlebine.
Visit the artificial lake Šoderica (located northeast of Koprivnica), which was created by the excavation of gravel from the river Drava. The turquoise green water, sand and small islands make it a wonderful place to sunbathe and swim in the summer, make beautiful pictures of many swans that swim here and in the winter you can go ice skating on the lake!
The area around Koprivnica are also ideal for cycling and walking through the green surroundings.
Recipe for Nettle soup (4 persons)
Ingredients
200 gram fresh nettle leaves
200 gram potatoes
80 gram celery root
400 ml cream for cooking
1200 ml water
salt
pepper
1. Cut the potatoes and celery in small pieces and cook in salted water.
2. Blanch the nettle leaves in cooking water and cool immediately in ice-cold water to preserve the green colour
3. Add the nettle leaves to the cooked potatoes and celery mix with a blender, add the cream and add pepper and salt to taste.
4. Serve the soup in bowls and decorate with a little olive oil and ground pepper.
