Symbolically, on St. Vincent’s Day, the most renowned winegrowers’ feast, on Thursday, 22 January 2026, the city of Velika Gorica marked the opening of the InterWine space in the heart of its historic old town. The new premises were inaugurated as part of the Interreg project InterWine – Connecting Cultural Heritage and Enotourism for the Creation of a Sustainable Cross-Border Destination, co-financed by the European Union.
The project, with a total value of EUR 1.38 million, is implemented by the Zagreb County Tourist Board in cooperation with partners from Croatia and Slovenia (Croatia – Municipality of Pušća, Crafts Education Centre – adult education institution, City of Velika Gorica; Slovenia – Institute for Entrepreneurship, Tourism and Youth Brežice, University of Maribor, Faculty of Tourism Brežice, and the Posavje Museum Brežice). Its main objective is to develop a new tourism product that connects cultural heritage with the tradition of winemaking. Through this initiative, a sustainable cross-border tourist destination is being created, encompassing the municipalities of Brežice and Pušća and the City of Velika Gorica.
“I am extremely pleased that today, on St. Vincent’s Day, we are opening a beautifully renovated new space in our city – a space that reflects the Turopolje tradition and bridges the past and the present. We have gained a representative venue for meetings, education, and social gatherings. At the same time, our winemakers and winegrowers from the Grozd Association have been provided with a dedicated space for their activities. This project continues our efforts to restore and enhance the historic centre of Velika Gorica. Nearby, the Turopolje Museum Interpretation Centre has been constructed, the bell tower of the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been restored, and we have completed the renovation of this building, which once served as a maternity ward and later as a gallery. Restoration works on the Turopolje Museum itself will begin soon. I would also like to highlight the successful absorption of European Union funds for all these projects, as well as the excellent cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the relevant ministries,” said Mayor Krešimir Ačkar.
The InterWine project, which the City of Velika Gorica supports as strategically important for local tourism and cultural heritage, has now taken tangible form with the opening of this space in the city centre.
Ivana Alilović, Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, also spoke about the importance of the project and its long-term value for the entire region:
“As the lead partner of the InterWine project, we are especially proud to open the InterWine space in Velika Gorica – a venue that connects wine, cultural heritage, and a vision for the future in a contemporary, elegant, and engaging way. Here, InterWine takes on its full and tangible dimension, becoming a meeting point for people, ideas, and experiences, a place where tradition is not preserved merely as heritage, but is lived, interpreted, and communicated in a way that resonates with today’s visitors. This approach is what gives true value to European projects. I am particularly delighted that this space is opening in my hometown of Velika Gorica, a city with a strong identity, openness, and developmental energy, which, through this project, gains a new, modern focal point for experiencing and interpreting its heritage. We are proud that InterWine will remain permanently present here as a space of connection, inspiration, and future development,” emphasised Alilović.
The newly refurbished premises will promote the joint destination and the new tourism product, showcase the cultural heritage, and showcase the wine offerings of local winemakers and winegrowers. The primary user of the InterWine space will therefore be the Grozd Winegrowers and Winemakers Association, which represents a strong foundation for the development of viticulture and winemaking in the area and creates opportunities for further expansion of knowledge, skills, and experience.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank the City and Mayor Ačkar, the Zagreb County Tourist Board, and Director Alilović for including us in this valuable project. I hope that this modern and representative space will contribute to the development of viticulture and winemaking in our beautiful Turopolje region and elevate it to a higher level. This year, our association celebrates its 25th anniversary of successful work and brings together around 70 members, primarily weekend winegrowers. Although we do not have commercial producers, we are dedicated to preserving tradition and producing high-quality wines. We are particularly proud of Turopolje Škrlet, an autochthonous grape variety that lies at the heart of our vineyards and wines. We hope that in the future we will also nurture several professional winemakers who will continue this fine tradition,” said the Association’s President, Vlado Mikulčić.
The space is also envisioned as a meeting point for stakeholders during and after the project's completion, with plans for thematic gatherings, exhibitions, educational programmes for target groups and the general public, and other promotional activities.
Source of funding:
- The project is co-financed by the EU Interreg Slovenia–Croatia Programme.
- Project implementation period: 1 August 2024 – 31 January 2027.
- Total project budget: EUR 1,383,080.02 (80% EU funding – 20% national funding from Croatia and Slovenia).
EN 
HR 
DE 
