Zagreb (Croatia)

A couple of weeks ago, to celebrate the auspicious occasion of my mother's birthday, we took my parents to Zagreb for the day. Of course, we set out from Slovenia so it wasn't the enormous undertaking that sounds. The Croatian capital is well worth a stay of at least a couple of days, but it also makes an excellent day trip and is a viable destination from the holiday resorts of Croatian Istria, the coastal towns and other places in Slovenia, Venice and Trieste in northern Italy and the Plitvice Lakes in northern Croatia. I wouldn't recommend it as a day trip for people staying further south ... more

The title might sound less than complimentary, but there is a reason for this, namely that “Bog!” is an everyday Croatian term meaning “Hello!”. If you are worried that a lack of Croatian might be something that will deter you from visiting Zagreb, then a vague knowledge of German will stand you in very good stead. Speaking German I found that I was at least able to talk to people, even if only to exchange pleasantries. Zagreb, Croatia’s capital is a hidden gem, in fact much of Croatia is, with a lot of the tourists having been deterred from visiting the country ... more

Zagreb the wonderful capital of Croatia is one of my favourite European cities, cold in the winter and warm most of the rest of the year, it's a great place to spend afternoons outside the cafes and bars that line the cobbled streets. The city which has become popular with tourists in recent years has seen numerous budget options pop up in the form of hostels and the days of having to stay in the dour HI hostel nicknamed "The Prison Hostel" for its miserable staff and lack of light has long gone. To compliment the wonderful choice of places to wine and dine is a fine selection of magnificent ... more

Zagreb is a capital of Croatia, an independent state of ex Yugoslavia, since 1991. Since that time, many things are different more-less because of the political system that aims joining Croatia to European Community, rather then staying in the community of a little Balkan ex Yugoslavian countries. Some ex Zagreb or ex Yugoslavian population are rather sarcastic while talking about Zagreb today, referring to Zagreb population as a "poor little Vienna's provincials". However, many ex Yugoslavs know perfectly well that Zagreb population has its own flair ever since early days of ex Yugoslavia, no ... more

Charmingly dilapidated and unkempt looking Zagreb invites you in and grows on you quick. Each quart, like a mini city, has its own charms and must visit cafes and bakeries. Zaprudje for example has a lovely little sweets shop called Ivica & Marica (Hansel & Gretel). They make their cakes and sweets with all natural ingredients, so a slightly different take on the old favorites is much healthier and just as tasty. This side of the river, along with the airport, you will find a fairly new attraction, the Avenue Mall. The place, while not a usual sight in Croatia is awesome as far as malls go and ... more