Whether we like to face it or not, we are saturated with redundant digital content and bad news. Social media and networks are filled with negative energy and unnecessary data. Even moderate consumers of social media sites often want to take a break from the virtual world and to reconnect to contact the real world and the immediate environment. And that much-needed occasional getaway shouldn’t be a problem at all. All you need to do is to make a firm decision, determine the time you will spend without a cell phone, internet, television, newspaper, relaxing alone, with your friends or family. Let’s call it a digital detox- discarding everything that is superfluous in order to reconnect with yourself and recharge with positive energy.
The process will be even easier and more successful if you are at the right place. The perfect place would be somewhere there's fresh air, in the middle of the nature. To be at the place where you feel safe and secure, at the place which is not in the middle of the wilderness, but is not too crowded either. The place which is close enough to reach, but also far enough for the retreat to be refreshing. For the inhabitants of Zagreb and central Croatia, the ideal destination for a digital detox can be the green slopes of the Žumberak – Samoborsko Gorje Nature Park. The area of 350 km2 , with a height difference of 1,178 meters, is populated with only about 4,000 permanent inhabitants. Žumberak has many trump cards, which it does not boast of - from colourful flora and fauna, water resources, natural attractions such as the canyon of Slapnica, the Sopot waterfall, untouched forests and mountain peaks, to archaeological sites, ancient antiquities, ethnological heritage, interesting churches, sports trails and picturesque bars with authentic local food and drinks. There is enough place, peace and opportunities for everyone, both for hardened adventurers and avid outdoor recreationalists, as well as for city types who have yet to learn to get back to nature.
Hikers can enjoy pleasant hiking trail through a network of 88 hiking trails and four educational trails deftly blended into the environment. More experienced mountaineers will find a new challenge in conquering peaks such as Japetić, Plešivica, Zečak, Oštrc, Okić and the highest one, Sveta Gera. For respite and refreshment, there are well-arranged mountain lodges, houses and picnic areas, with home-made food. Recreation and relaxation go together, so feel free to spread out a blanket on some picturesque glade or sit back on a blossoming meadow. Combine the pleasantly and the useful and pick mushrooms, berries, bear onions, herbs and other berries. You can also take your bike - six marked trails will take you across the large nature park. Whatever trail you take and pace you move at, open your eyes well and prick up your ears, because Žumberak is home to many species of plants and animals, some of which are endangered and protected. Maybe you will come across a rare flower of Blagaj's lilac or a black salamander.
Although very sparsely populated, the Žumberak region is rich in history, and the treasury of cultural wealth is richer than you can imagine. Evidence of human culture in this area is available to anyone who wishes to embark on research. The site called Budinjak dates back to prehistoric times; the remains of the fortifications of the old town of Okić and Žumberak remind us of the Middle Ages, while the Žumberak Uskok Museum and the unusual Greek Catholic church remind us of the period of the fight against the Turks and the Uskoks. Of the former numerous mills, only a few remained, which are today regarded as antiques, for example Dragan's mill and Medven's mill. By visiting old Medven family estate and the Ethno House under Okić, you can get insight into what village life was like a hundred years ago. In fact, any of the picturesque villages you visit, such as Sošice, Radatović, Stojdraga or wine-oriented Vivodina, you will be amazed by the harmony of man-nature, beautiful landscapes, but also surprised by the rich local heritage. Only an hour's drive away from Zagreb, in the Žumberak - Samoborsko gorje Nature Park, everyone can find their space of freedom without much effort, a green refuge from which it is almost impossible to get out of in a bad mood. Reconnected to nature, you won’t need a Wi-Fi signal, and the only notification you hear will be the chirping of birds and the murmur of a stream.