Croatia's famous coastline gets most of the attention, but the country's inland spa towns have quietly built a loyal following of their own. The latest sign of that ambition: the Topusko health spa and Top Terme thermal complex in Sisak-Moslavina County has reopened after a sweeping €48.3 million renovation.
The project — branded "Topusko at the Source of Health" — covered more than 40,000 square metres of renovated and modernised facilities. Funding came from a mix of sources: €17.2 million via the National Recovery and Resilience Plan through the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, with the rest from the spa's own resources and the Croatian Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
Guests arriving now will find 175 accommodation units with 302 beds, following a full reconstruction of Hotel Toplica and the former health and recreation centre. There's a new set of indoor and outdoor pools, wellness amenities, jacuzzis, a multifunctional sports hall and conference spaces. In other words, this is no longer purely a medical-rehabilitation stop — the upgrades are aimed at wellness holidaymakers, sports groups and business travellers who might show up any month of the year.
That shift matters in a country where tourism is heavily seasonal and concentrated on the Adriatic. Topusko's thermal waters have drawn health visitors for generations, and the investment is meant to turn that heritage into a broader, all-season offering. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and Tourism and Sport Minister Tonči Glavina attended the reopening, with the government framing it as part of a wider effort to revitalise Sisak-Moslavina County — an area still rebuilding economically — and to lift the competitiveness of Croatia's continental destinations generally. County Prefect Ivan Celjak pitched the result as a combination of the town's natural thermal resource with modern accommodation and attractions.
For travellers, Topusko makes sense as a low-key alternative to the coast: a soak-and-rest break, a base for cycling or hiking in central Croatia's green interior, or a combined spa-and-city trip paired with Zagreb, which is within easy reach. It's also a genuinely affordable option compared to Dalmatian resort towns in high summer, and it works in winter when the Adriatic slows down. If you've written off Croatia as a beach-only destination, this reopening is a good excuse to look inland — with more investment in the region apparently on the way.
Story via Croatia Week.
