Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, and it is its largest city. In this beautiful and colorful capital there is lots to be seen and heard, especially in the summer when the streets are full of chatter and vibrant movements that follow its inhabitants. The Croatians cannot escape the calling of an early morning “people-watching”, so the corners are full of cafés were the newest topics are being discussed.
Almost all the streets are homes to the bars and restaurants where friends get together to chitchat and escape the routine and discipline of an everyday life.
You can take a walk through the Zrinjevac, where a lot of summer happenings and festival take place, as well as the Christmas Market, part of a wholesome winter experience that puts Zagreb as one of the best advent cities. Zrinjevac will take you to Tomislavac a wonderful little hart of the city where flowers and architecture brings us to the fact that Zagreb is, because of its history, called the “Little Vienna”.
What is most intriguing about this city is the mix of everything for everyone; if you want to go on a hike there is Medvednica, a mountain in central Croatia, just north of Zagreb. If you are a fan of greenery and sport, you can always visit Maksimir, a big city park where you can visit the ZOO. Maksimir is also a location where a very famous Croatian movie was being filmed, called “Tko pjeva zlo ne misli”.
If you go a bit further from the city centre, you can enjoy sports and take a walk on Jarun Lake, which serves as a substitute for the Adriatic coast, when business obligations don’t allow us to enjoy the sunsets on a never ending maritime horizon. The round beach of Zagreb will certainly make you feel as though you are in a vintage summer movie.
Ilica, the capitals largest and longest streets, is made for the urban trendsetters. It leads to Zara, H&M, and all the others oases of a fashion oriented traveler. After a good day of shopping, there is a chance to catch a movie on a beautiful summer night, when the summer outdoor movie theaters “open” their doors.
When all of the ghosts of Christmas leave, after a month-long festivities and sparkling lights of holiday coziness, the open door activities begin. “C’est is the best” brings street artist and performers together, who bring a soundtrack of the summer in the city. The view of the city from a day and night perspective of the old part of the city will leave you speechless, as well as the stories about the urban legends, in human and written form, that made the city what it is today.
What is really grateful about the functionality of the city, is that Zagreb can be visited over a weekend, and every aspect of the city can be evenly experienced. The Museums, the exhibitions and the beauty of everyday life of the Croatian people can be seen forehand without any adjustments to your schedule because the compact nature of the city takes you on a long walk, where everything can be seen by foot. You can eat at small restaurants and enjoy the native cuisine for a reasonable price, and hostels are a great option, as they are situated nearby the main square. Zagreb is a beautiful attraction not to be missed.
Zagreb sounds like an interesting place, would love to visit someday :))