Paulina Mlinarić awarded for reportage on Radoboj – A small town with a big story

Paulina Mlinarić (Photo: Private album)

Award-winning travel feature “Small town, big story – Discover Radoboj, the heart of green Zagorje” has been published on the Turističke priče portal, translated into 15 languages and featured on Croatia Week.

Paulina Mlinarić, who holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and is a public relations specialist, has received a special Marco Polo Award presented by FIJET Croatia – the Croatian branch of the World Federation of Travel Journalists and Writers.

The award was presented for her reportage “Small town, big story – Discover Radoboj, the heart of green Zagorje”, originally published on the Turističke priče portal.

Owing to its high quality and international appeal, the article has been translated into as many as 15 foreign languages.

The story was also featured by Croatia Week under the title “From vine fossils to alpine views – Radoboj will take your breath away”, giving the town of Radoboj significant media exposure and international visibility.

In the award-winning piece, Mlinarić takes readers to Radoboj, a small town nestled between Krapina and Ivanec, which boasts a remarkably rich natural and cultural heritage.

(Photo. Paulina Mlinarić)

Radoboj was first mentioned in historical records in 1334 and experienced major development in the 19th century following the discovery of native sulphur and coal.

The reportage highlights several of Radoboj’s key attractions, including the Radboa Museum, 12–14-million-year-old grapevine fossils, the Hiža vinove loze where the origins of the belina grape variety are explored, the Zagorje Nature Centre, local gastronomy at Hiža štrukli, the mountain lodge and the Chapel of St James on Očura.

By weaving together history, nature and culture, the article presents Radoboj as a destination ideal for educational and experiential tourism.

(Photo: Private album)

It is also important to note that Mlinarić produced the article independently, using her own photographs and editing the content herself, demonstrating a high level of professional and authorial integrity.

The award ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport, the Ministry of Culture and Media, the Croatian National Tourist Board, local tourist boards, as well as travel journalists and writers from Croatia and abroad. Spokesperson Jelena Kolar emphasised the importance of the Marco Polo Award in promoting the values of Croatian tourism through quality storytelling.

(Photo: Private album)

FIJET Croatia President Tina Eterović Čubrilo reminded attendees that FIJET Croatia has been promoting professional travel journalism for 20 years, while the Marco Polo Awards have been recognising outstanding authors and travel writers for the past 15 years.

The musical programme was enriched by performances from opera singer Marija Vidović and Mirko Švenda Žiga Međimurski, accompanied by Toni Eterović, while the event was hosted by Branko Uvodić.

(Photo: Private album)

The Marco Polo Award confirms that through her original work and high-quality reportage, Paulina Mlinarić has helped place Radoboj firmly on Croatia’s tourism and media map, inspiring both domestic and international visitors to discover the hidden gems of continental Croatia.