Zagreb Favorite Tips by acemj Top 5 Page for this destination

Colorful and photogenic The main attractions Review

Favorite thing: I love it when I go to a place that doesn't get enough credit. I mean, how many people are in their North American offices talking about planning a trip to that hot spot in southeastern Europe, full of cafes and architectural magnificence known as Zagreb? Uhhhhh. I spend the majority of my days in a North American office, and I've never heard that conversation. So, when I arrived and began to explore, I had to tell my local VT friends that they were lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

Fondest memory: Niksa and I had a conversation about this. We were walking in the Upper Town and I was gazing around at the hilly, stone streets, the charming buildings and a small passageway that led to a stairway that is a shortcut to the Lower Town. It was all amazing to me. Like stepping into another time. Of course, Niksa was just walking down the street as he had done a thousand times and we started talking about how we tend to love to see things that we're not normally accustomed to at home. For him, it's the more modern architecture that he loves and for me, I love the elegance of the old.

History Zagreb through the centuries Review

Favorite thing: Well, if you really want some history on Zagreb, read a book! I will mention that the word Zagreb literally means, "behind the hill" since the city is at the foot of Mount Medvednica. The city was once controlled by Hungary and Niksa told me that technically, the city was really two separate municipalities with Kaptol and Gradec having a historical rivalry.

Zagreb was part of the Habsburg Empire which was primarily centered in Vienna and Budapest. Then in the 19th century, Zagreb finally started to get a sense of itself . Some Croatian nationalism began to build and a cultural scene began to develop. In the early 20th century, with the creation of Yugoslavia, power shifted to Belgrade and it wasn't until after WWII that Zagreb become the seat of government for the republic of Croatia.

Fortunately, the city escaped any heavy physical damage from the war in the 1990s, although there was a rocket attack in Gradec in 1991.

Lower Town Grandeur The architecture of the town Review

Favorite thing: Zagreb is full of the impressive architecture that old European capitals are known for, so why don't more people visit? Hmmm. I have no idea why it's not a more popular place. From the church steeples of the Upper Town to the Habsburg-era masterpieces of the Lower Town, Zagreb is blessed with great buildings. This is a photo of the Arts Pavilion (Umjetnicki paviljon) in Strossmayerov trg, a square between the train station and the city's main square, Trg bana Jelacica.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder The architecture of the town Review

Favorite thing: Is this a beautiful building? Well, VTer diocletianvs (Niksa) sure thinks so. Boris (croisbeauty), Zdenka (Nykaenen) and I might have a different opinion of this abandoned "skyscraper" located in the city's main square Trg bana Jelacica, but I guess that's okay. We all have different opinions, styles and ideas and, in a large part, that's what makes the world a beautiful place and makes us want to travel and explore these differences. So, I guess the fact that there is a touch of the modern right in the middle of such an architecturally impressive square is another example of the diversity that makes the world beautiful.

Nah . . . let's face it! The building is UGLY! :-)

It can be problematic! The architecture of the town Review

Favorite thing: I really had a great time in Zagreb where I spent almost all of my time with Niksa and Boris (and had the world's shortest VT meeting with VTer Nykaenen too . . . the best three minutes of my whole trip, Zdenka!).

It was hilarious to me to walk around and get differing opinions about things. Boris and Niksa both know their city extremely well and rarely will they dispute facts. However, it was fun to hear two opinions on styles and tastes and on what's the best place in town to get this or that. When asking them about some things about Zagreb, I often heard the phrase, "it can be problematic" and somehow this became a funny catchphrase for my whole trip!

Here is another photo of a "beautiful" modern building dedicated to Niksa!!

Monumental Zagreb The main attractions Review

Favorite thing: Spread throughout the town, you'll notice statues and monuments to history, religion and politics. All of these small touches give the place of feeling of significance. It makes it hard to just walk down the street aimlessly looking at yet another storefront or boring, merely functional sidewalk. When I see a statue, even if I don't know the history behind it, I realize that something important and worth remembering is being recognized here and it makes me want to learn.

Take a stroll

Favorite thing: Zagreb is a town that invites a stroll through its streets. Looking at a map in a guidebook doesn't always tell you how big a city is and how easy it is to walk. Well, let me tell you that Zagreb is a great place to see on foot. The weather was pretty cold while I was there and occasionally, it was nice to duck into a building to get out of the cold, but nonetheless we explored good portions of the Upper and Lower Towns on foot quite comfortably.