Ravna Gora
About this place
Ravna Gora occupies a broad mountain basin framed by Javorova Kosa, Višnjevica and the slopes leading towards Bjelolasica, just off the A6 motorway between Zagreb and Rijeka. It works particularly well as a base for woodland walks, cycling loops and day trips to Vrbovsko, Skrad and Delnice. A rewarding introduction begins in the Vrh neighbourhood: after roughly two kilometres, the marked trail reaches the Javorova Kosa mountain hut, the Božji Studenac spring and a lookout above the settlement. In the village centre, the Church of St Teresa of Ávila was rebuilt in 1905 to plans by architect Herman Bollé. Nearby Stara Sušica adds a very different landmark—a romantic, historicist castle standing beside coniferous forest. Ravna Gora’s food reflects its Gorski Kotar setting through mushrooms, game, warming soups and forest berries, with Bistro Breza providing a convenient local stop. Despite belonging to the wider Kvarner region, this is not a seaside destination; its appeal lies in cool summers, snowy winters and immediate access to highland forests.
Ravna Gora is a municipal centre in Gorski kotar, set in the field of the same name beside the old Karolina road. The Croatian Encyclopaedia places it 17 kilometres southeast of Delnice and 12 kilometres south of Skrad. Proleksis lists its elevation as 816 metres and notes its position by the Zagreb–Rijeka A6 motorway. In 1727, the Karolina road connected Ravna Gora with Karlovac and Rijeka. That route helped the settlement develop into a local trading centre. A charter issued by Joseph II in 1785 gave Ravna Gora the status of a privileged market town. Its character brings together the Gorski kotar field, the Karolina transport corridor and a skiing tradition that includes an FIS cross-country course.
Things to see
The Church of St Teresa of Ávila is Ravna Gora’s principal religious landmark; its present appearance is tied to a 1905 reconstruction designed by Herman Bollé, and it retains a notable church treasury. On Javorova Kosa, the key sights are the small mountain hut, the Božji Studenac spring and a panoramic point overlooking the surrounding Gorski Kotar peaks, with Medvednica visible in clear conditions. Stara Sušica Castle occupies a ridge beside coniferous woodland. Its romantic, historicist appearance largely reflects 19th-century alterations undertaken during the Nugent and Neuberger periods.
Special reserve
Significant landscape
Significant landscape
Župna crkva sv. Marije Magdalene u Brodu na Kupi
Landmark · Brod na Kupi
The Baroque Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene, built in 1670, is historically linked to the nearby Zrinski Castle in Brod na Kupi.
12 km from Ravna Gora
Stays further afield
- Apartment
31 km from Ravna Gora - Apartment
49 km from Ravna Gora - Holiday home
79 km from Ravna Gora - Holiday home
82 km from Ravna Gora - Holiday home
88 km from Ravna GoraVilla Štokovci – privatni bazen, whirlpool i sportski sadržaji u Istrimor Svetvinčenat
Svetvinčenat
up to 10 guests · 4 bedrooms
from €330 / night
Check availability
Be the first to list here
Guests looking for this place only see stays nearby for now. No commission, and enquiries come straight to you.
List your accommodation
Things to do
Begin in the village centre at the Church of St Teresa of Ávila, then continue to the Vrh neighbourhood and pick up the marked trail to Javorova Kosa. After roughly two kilometres on lanes, gravel and forest track, visit the mountain hut, descend to the Božji Studenac spring and walk another 150 metres towards the lookout. For a longer outing, cycle the Forest Berry Trail: it leaves central Ravna Gora towards Stara Sušica, loops around Javorova Kosa and continues through Hlevci, Leskova Draga and Stari Laz. Finish with a view of Stara Sušica Castle and its wooded setting.
Food and drink
Ravna Gora’s food is rooted in characteristic Gorski Kotar ingredients—mushrooms, game, potatoes and forest berries—used in warming soups, stews and desserts. Bistro Breza, at Stjepana Radića 10, is conveniently placed for a meal after returning from Javorova Kosa or before continuing towards Stara Sušica. The regional tourist board also lists Breza and the Bijela Ruža guesthouse among Ravna Gora participants in its Gastroventure à la Gorski Kotar programme. Booking ahead is sensible for local specialities or larger groups, particularly on weekends and during snowy winter periods.
Tours and activities
AdAd · partner offers: Viator, GetYourGuideThe partner handles booking, payment and support. StayBravo may earn a commission on bookings made through these links.How we choose offersWe choose offers based on the page you are viewing: the partner destination for this place or the nearest one (with its distance), and on a sight page only offers that mention it. We show offers rated at least 4.3 with at least 10 reviews, without multi-day tours or pure transfers, ordered by rating adjusted for the number of reviews and then by the partner’s order. We do not use data about you, and the commission does not affect the order.GetYourGuide offers are selected and ordered by GetYourGuide based on the name of the nearest larger town or national park; we do not influence their selection and do not use data about you.GetYourGuide · Crikvenica
We show GetYourGuide offers once you allow their cookies.
Viator
Nearest destination: Kvarner (29 km)
Private Wild Bays Boat Trip with Captain Bobo (opens in a new tab)
A relaxing half-day excursion, in the season, with less boat ride and more swimming in the perfectly clear sea and sunbathing on the most beautiful beaches of the northern Adriatic, ideal for all…
Rated 5 out of 5 · 50 reviews· 3.5 h
Free cancellation
from €190
PUBLIC 3,5h Swimming and Snorkeling on the Wild Bays (opens in a new tab)
A relaxing public half-day excursion (3,5h), with less boat ride and more swimming and snorkeling in the perfect clear sea, and sunbathing on the most beautiful beaches of the northern Adriatic…
Rated 5 out of 5 · 22 reviews· 3.5 h
Free cancellation
from €37
Private Plavnik Island Half-Day boat trip with capt. Bobo (opens in a new tab)
If you want a little more adventure, come with me to Plavnik, second largest uninhabited island in Croatia. After an hour boat ride, we reach the northern coast of the island Plavnik, which reveals…
Rated 4.9 out of 5 · 22 reviews· 5 h
Free cancellation
from €340
Private 7,5h Plavnik Island & Wild Bays Full-day Boat Trip (opens in a new tab)
If you like to sail with local traditional boats and enjoy the endless blue of the beautiful Adriatic Sea and you are not too big a fan of mass tourism, then this is the best option for you. After…
Rated 5 out of 5 · 13 reviews· 7.5 h
Free cancellation
from €650
Zipline Experience Krk (opens in a new tab)
This is a attraction on the island of Krk and the whole of Croatia, intended for families and adventure lovers. We offers our visitors an unforgettable experience; driving our jeep, walking among…
Rated 4.7 out of 5 · 114 reviews· 2 h
Free cancellation
from €80
PUBLIC 5h Plavnik Island swimming & snorkeling Half-day Boat trip (opens in a new tab)
A public half-day boat trip (max 13 people), with swimming into caves, jumping from rocks and relaxing in the most beautiful bays and beaches of the northern Adriatic, accessible only by sea. You…
Rated 4.9 out of 5 · 10 reviews· 5 h
Free cancellation
from €50
Practical information
Practical information
The Ravna Gora municipal office is at Ivana Gorana Kovačića 177 in the central part of the settlement. Carry water when walking to Javorova Kosa: the mountain hut has no permanent water supply, and conditions can affect the Božji Studenac spring. Use of the hut generally requires advance arrangement, although the marked approach can be walked year-round with footwear suited to snow, mud or ice. Ravna Gora’s highland position also means noticeably cooler temperatures and nights than those experienced on the Kvarner coast, even during summer.
Parking
Ravna Gora’s public parking inventory includes sites by the municipal building, cultural centre, Dr Branimir Marković Primary School, St Teresa of Ávila Church, cemetery, Goranka sports-business centre, clinic and the Goranka community hall. The municipal register also lists parking by Stara Sušica Castle and the fire station in Stari Laz. A 2024 spatial report records 11 public car parks with 227 spaces across the municipality, plus one coach space in central Ravna Gora. Within the village, useful starting points include the municipal-building car park at 177 I. G. Kovačića Street and the Goranka centre at No. 174a.
Getting there and around
By car, Ravna Gora is reached most directly from the Zagreb–Rijeka A6 motorway using the Ravna Gora interchange, avoiding a drive through the larger Gorski Kotar settlements. The village also has a railway stop on the Rijeka–Ogulin–Zagreb corridor, although departure times and service patterns follow HŽ Passenger Transport’s annual timetable. Municipal planning documents additionally record bus links towards Rijeka, but a car remains much more practical for reaching Stari Laz, Hlevci, Stara Sušica and woodland trailheads. Winter journeys require preparation for snow and changing mountain-road conditions.
Frequently asked questions
How difficult is the Javorova Kosa walk?
The marked route from the Vrh neighbourhood is considered easy, with roughly two kilometres of forest and gravel track to the summit area.
Where is Božji Studenac?
Božji Studenac spring lies below the small mountain hut on Javorova Kosa, above Ravna Gora.
Can Stara Sušica Castle be visited?
The castle now operates as an accommodation and programme venue, so interior visits require prior arrangement; its exterior and woodland setting can be viewed from the village.
Does Ravna Gora have a sea beach?
Ravna Gora is a mountain settlement in Gorski Kotar beside the A6 and has no seacoast.
Where can I eat in central Ravna Gora?
Bistro Breza is at Stjepana Radića 10, close to the main road through the settlement.
Nearby
Ravna Gora
Open in OpenStreetMap(opens in a new tab)Smaller places
straight-line distance
Related guides
Fužine
Fužine is defined not by a single lake but by three reservoirs within the Ličanka and Lepenica catchments. Bajer, created in the 1950s, reaches almost into the village centre; Lepenica has…
Read the guide
Delnice
Altitude, snowy winters and forests that reach into the town centre define Delnice. Japlenški vrh begins just beyond King Tomislav Park, allowing walkers to move quickly from streets into…
Read the guide
Mrkopalj
Mrkopalj is a mountain settlement shaped by the historic Karolina road, forestry and winter sports. It first appears in records in 1477 and was granted the status of a privileged royal…
Read the guide
Vrbovsko
Vrbovsko is the easternmost town of Gorski kotar, administering 65 settlements across 280 square kilometres. The Kupa and the Slovenian border shape its northern edge, while the southern…
Read the guide
Know Ravna Gora? Correct us
Tell us in your own words what is not accurate. We check right away.Do not enter personal data. Corrections are checked by the StayBravo AI assistant; changes to the description are approved by an editor. Use the form instead
Do you know Ravna Gora?
Help the guests who come after you.
Help us complete
Nothing is published without an editor’s review.Report illegal content
Photo credits: Ravna Gora, Stara Sušica, Ravna Gora, Kupjak — Martinarg (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Skrad — Martin Brož (CC BY 3.0) · Moravice — The original uploader was Goran051 at Croatian Wikipedia. (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Mrkopalj — Mr. Mrko. (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Zeleni vir — Deapmakeup (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Kamačnik Canyon, Kamačnik River — Modzzak (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Župna crkva sv. Marije Magdalene u Brodu na Kupi, Delnice — Lan Glad (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Apartmani Klenovica.eu — Ljiljana Pavkovic (courtesy of the property owner) · Apartman Opatija — Grazia Kožul (courtesy of the property owner) · Holiday House Šterna — Vjekoslav Simon (courtesy of the property owner) · Kuća za odmor Green Zen — IVICA ŠKRINJARIĆ (courtesy of the property owner) · Villa Štokovci – privatni bazen, whirlpool i sportski sadržaji u Istrimor Svetvinčenat — Maks Calic (courtesy of the property owner) · Fužine — Unknown authorUnknown author (Public domain) · Vrbovsko — Original uploader was LalalaB at hr.wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)