Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is a city made for wandering, with most of its main things to do found in the city center. The city is divided into two sections - Gornji Grad (Upper Town) lies on a high plateau and is where you'll discover Zagreb's cathedral and parliament building, while Donji Grad (Lower Town) is a more modern area with the famous tourist attractions. Here, you will also find the colorful Tkalciceva Street, which is filled with sidewalk cafes, restaurants and boutique shops. And if you like museums, you'll love Zagreb, which hosts some truly unique ones. Zagreb was once two towns, Kaptol and Gradec. Back then, the two were at odds with each other so there was a strip of dangerous “no man’s land” between them, but it is now filled in with buildings and streets that connect them so seamlessly, you’d never know they were once separate!

As I went about exploring the city, I had different sets of people for company each day - people from Switzerland, Australia, Holland etc. (all of us were staying in the same hostel) but my favorites were Dani & Jen from Germany (who changed their plan to explore Croatia & Slovenia with me). It is always fun to have multi cultural company in a foreign land and the best part is when you are getting to know one another. One of the many perks of staying in a hostel is interacting and connecting with strangers - no wonder, travel can give you such a high!

A good place to start the Zagreb adventure is the city's main square where the Upper & Lower Towns meet. It is the center of social events & one of the main tourist attractions of the city of Zagreb. The square is dominated by the monument to Ban Jelacic (a famous army general), surrounded by many historic buildings which still have their function today.

You can also see the Zagreb Cathedral in the background, which was our next stop. The tallest building in all of Croatia, it was erected on the site of a previous structure destroyed by the Tartars (central Asian forces, including Mongols and Turks, who were once led by Genghis Khan). It has undergone many alterations and renovations. Most recently, the earthquake of 1880 destroyed large sections, including the dome and bell tower. At first I was bummed to see that they were doing restoration work on one of the spires (obviously thinking that wouldn’t look as nice in my pictures!), but on our walking tour, our guide told us that there has been reconstruction going on for more than 20 years due to the quality of the limestone it was originally built with. After that I began to notice that even in a lot of postcards, you could see the scaffolding on the spires!

The Croats were threatened by invasion from the Turks and the Bishop built fortifications around Kapitol. However I was told that the cathedral is known more for its “kissing spots” than its military history. Another fun fact about the cathedral: there are 3 large chandeliers on the ceiling that were initially hanging in a casino in Las Vegas! The story according to our walking tour guide is that when they were first brought to Zagreb, the church wasn’t sure if they really thought they were right for the cathedral (both aesthetically and morally) but hung them up to see how they’d look and then just never took them back down.

The upper town has over 200 lampposts, none of which are electric – they are all individually lit every evening and extinguished every morning! For years and years, one man who’s now in his 70s has walked around to light and snuff them himself every day and he now has an apprentice to help and learn from him.

We made our way towards the famous Stone Gate (Kamenita Vrata), an important medieval structure and the last of five original city gates. Built in the 13th century, the building famously survived a fire in 1731, as did its painting of Mary and Jesus. To commemorate the important relic, a chapel was built to house the painting, which has been the subject of pilgrimages ever since & can be seen behind a metal grille.

Nearby there is a bronze statue of Saint George, sitting on his horse with a sword brandishing over his head, about to slay a deadly dragon. The Roman soldier turned martyr & saint has two statues dedicated to him in Zagreb. In the second statue, he is portrayed more as a victorious knight while the dead dragon lies vanquished under his feet. The legend of St George slaying the dragon to save a princess is a story that you will hear all over this Croatian capital.

One of the best things about Zagreb are its museums. In recent years, some Zagreb museums have become the hottest cultural hubs. And with exciting events & programs, museum hopping in Zagreb is as chic as, let’s say – clubbing. The Museum of Contemporary Art is a place which can keep you occupied for an entire day. The Croatian Museum of Naïve Art & Museum of Arts & Craft are also very popular. History buffs (like me) would love the Mimara, which holds a fine archaeological collection. Science & Tech fans would dig the Nikola Tesla Museum, which has more than 10,000 items that depict the way our lives have changed since the 19th century.

Arguably, the quirkiest one is the Museum of Broken Relationships. It’s a small museum but one that placed Zagreb on the global art map. It started as a roving exhibition which focused on failed relationships. An unusual and curious concept, for sure! Objects on display and the stories behind are all mementoes of people’s break-ups.

Take your time to connect with ‘love’ things that range from bizarre to truly heartrending. Side by side are touching letters, romantic photos but also offbeat items such as a leg prosthesis or an axe. Instead of chucking them away, people donate these items to mend their broken hearts. Does it work? Museum’s creators and thousands of visitors feel it does. It’s why Brokenships (the museum’s nickname) has also found the second home in Hollywood. You can even donate your own memento and contribute - we were talking about it for quite some time & wondered what items we would donate from our past relationships!

One of the most beautiful buildings in Zagreb is St. Mark's Church, easily recognizable by the brightly colored tile roof bearing the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Zagreb City. Be sure to also pop inside for a look at the stunning interior, statues and frescoes. In the old town, there are a few buildings which stood witness to the hit Zagreb took in the war after Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991.

One of the city's most recognizable landmarks is the imposing Lotrscak tower. Legend has it that this large Romanesque tower once held a bell that rang out each night prior to the closing of the gates to warn residents outside the walls to return (anyone left outside would have to remain there for the night). Today, the visitors can climb the tower for stunning views & visit its exhibition gallery and gift shops. In the 19th century, a fourth floor and windows were added to the tower and a cannon placed on its roof. It takes you to the era when the Turks were planning to invade the town. The blast from the canon landed on the enemy camp, just as they were having lunch. The Turks apparently fled and this story has evolved into a tradition. Every noon, the silence of the Upper Town is shattered by a blast from a canon that signifies the time but also recounts a tale from the past - our walking tour was timed so that we’d pass by just at that time!

Lunch was time to sample the Croatian delight - Strukli, one of the country's most famous and popular dishes. It is akin to a savoury strudel, with cottage cheese the key ingredient. It appears in various formats in different parts of the country. It can be salty and sweet, cooked or baked. It can be the main dish, appetizer or dessert - whatever you want it to be! It was probably the tastiest dish I had in Croatia. One of the best places to have Strukli is "La Struk", a small little restaurant in a beautiful street in the heart of Zagreb. Warning - go on an empty stomach and make plans to walk afterwards, to burn off the scrumptious calories. While waiting for the food, we played a little game where we had to talk to a stranger in the restaurant. Better still, we saw a Korean family sitting close to us and when we glanced at the Oreo themed handbag a girl in the group was holding, the dare was hatched. As all of us found the bag to be ridiculous, we had to take a photo of the handbag or bring the bag to our table. I took up the challenge and when I went to their table, I realized I had not really thought this true. As the group looked at me quizzically, I had 2 thoughts in my mind. No. 1 - how would I feel if a stranger approaches my table and just stares at me ? No. 2 - if I return to my table empty handed, it would be an embarrassing defeat. Regaining my composure, I wished them a good afternoon and pointed towards the direction of my friends who were watching the developments with keen interest. I explained to the girl that all of us loved her handbag and would it be ok if I took a photo? She was very happy with this appreciation for her bag and went into a monologue on where I could order such type of handbags. I heard it all patiently and when my mission was accomplished, I walked back to my table with a smug look on my face! The gang raised a toast to a dare well done (somewhat) and we tucked into some real sumptuous food.

Post lunch, the three of us excused ourselves from the other members of the group and walked back to the main square to witness the Slovenian Festival happening there. It was like an appetizer for us, as we were planning to head towards Ljubljana in a few days.

There was music, dancing, food & plenty of info for tourists who wanted to visit the beautiful country.

After enjoying the festival for an hour or so, we explored the other landmarks in the city. While getting our photo clicked at one such place, a funny incident happened. The Mexican woman (clicking our pic) kept asking me to adjust my head or better, stoop a little so that the cathedral could be captured in the background. After multiple adjustments, we got our shot. While handing my phone back to me, she apologized for the bizarre photo shoot - she said she didn't want to sound like a "height racist" person. I laughed so hard at that expression - it was the first time I had heard that term. I didn't know such a term or thing even existed. I put her at ease and said "I am used to such a treatment on most occasions as quite often, I am the tallest one in the group". To this day, the term brings a smile to my face.

We passed the Dolac fruit and vegetable market on our way to the lower town. Be prepared for an assault on your senses at one of the oldest traditional markets in Zagreb. It is a daily farmer’s market, where you can buy everything from fruits to vegetables, fish to cheese, flowers & souvenirs. Here, one can get their hands on Licitar, the pretty wooden red hearts which is famous in the city. They were originally “gingerbread hearts”, gifted as tokens of love during the medieval era.

While resting our tired limbs and munching some snacks, we met an old man who was very inquisitive about the three of us - our plans, if we liked Croatia, how we met each other and how we plan to travel in future etc. In the end, he wanted to find out if I am dating any of the two girls - so funny that this question always seems to crop up, whether in India or abroad! People always want to know if a boy and girl are dating - the only thing that differs is how brazen (or indirect) they can be about finding that particular piece of gossip, which really should not be of any concern to strangers. Coming from India, I was used to such questions, unlike the girls who were clearly taken aback!

Back in town, I had a look at the Kravata store. It was interesting to find that there is a National Cravat Day on October 18, celebrated in the honour of the cravat or the neck tie that dates back to the 16th century. It was the Croatian military who put the cravat on the fashion map of the world. The story goes that the scarves of the Croatian soldiers caught the fancy of the French army as well. These scarves were love knots tied by the girlfriends of the soldiers as a parting gift before they went to war. One can also see patterns of Dalmatian coastline and dogs printed on the scarves and neckties. Croatia is also famous for its lavender products, as the plant blooms in abundance thanks to the Mediterranean climate.

We also visited the Zagreb Funicular, which links the Lower and Upper towns. It is not only the shortest funicular in the world but also the oldest and first means of public transportation in Zagreb. Some refer to it as "The Old Lady" and others say there is no point to it, but that is also the fun of it! The funicular got its nickname “Zapinjaca” (Stucker) because sometimes passengers had to literally push the stuck wagons.

The Croatians are proud of their cuisine but it is their truffles that are remarkable. No meal is complete without the prized black truffles. I was also quite impressed with the city's coffee outlets. In Zagreb, coffee is more than just a drink. It is where locals meet and greet and spend hours in animated conversations. The café culture here takes you into an old world charm as the coffee is influenced by Turkish, Italian and Viennese flavors. Some of the iconic cafes that you must visit are Eli’s Café, Kino Europa Café, Velvet among others.

The city also has nice pockets with impressive street art. Discovering the wonderful world of street art will leave you intrigued and fascinated. Gorgeous murals and quirky paintings are scattered around the city in abundance and the scene seems to be growing steadily.

The whale is probably the most famous pieces of street art in Zagreb.

It is also worth visiting the Gric Tunnel, a pedestrian tunnel located in the center of the city. It was built during the World War II to serve as a bomb shelter but following the war it quickly fell into disrepair and disuse. The tunnel saw renewed use only in the 1990s, hosting one of the first raves in Croatia, and functioning as a shelter during the Croatian war of Independence.

It was our last stop of the city exploratory tour and as the day drew to a close, we met our other friends and decided to "pub hop" the night away.

In the middle of the pub crawl, we found out that a giant screen had been erected in Tkalciceva Street as the city's football team Dinamo Zagreb was playing Manchester City in Champions League. Naturally, I stopped then and there and moved no further. I joined the local fans in supporting Zagreb (not because I liked them but because Man City were the enemy team). I shouted and screamed as decisions went against us - the groans that went up when City scored the first goal was a moment to remember. As the match slipped away from Dinamo Zagreb, we continued our merry way in search of the next watering hole. Zagreb was also noteworthy for me as it was the city where I watched my first MUFC match of the 2019-20 season (1-1 draw with Arsenal). It is only travel that can keep me away from football (or sports) but the days when I am able to actually catch some sports action with like minded fans, it makes up for the "missing out" in some small way!

We caught sight of this old man singing the local songs amidst the party atmosphere in the streets. He had our attention for quite some time before we decided to sample Rakija, the Croatian national drink which is quite common in the Balkans. Each region of Croatia has its own take on this classic fruit brandy and it packs quite a punch. We were lucky to get a massive assortment from the female bartender, who thought we were students and gave us plenty of shots at a "student discount". We didn't want to correct this impression of hers and accepted it all with a "Živjeli” (pronounced “Zhivyelee” - Cheers in Croatian). There was lots of dancing in the pub and it continued in the streets as well - we laughed at our antics and it was tough to keep a straight face as we enjoyed the stillness and emptiness of the city streets. As hunger pangs kicked in, I dropped the girls back in the hostel room and started my hunt for some late night (or early morning) snacks - luckily, a café was open which served some bread and pastries. After having a heavenly snack in our room, it was time to call it a night - one of the most memorable days in my trip, for sure!

Next day, we took it easy and explored the city in a relaxed manner. There are a number of great day trips on offer from Zagreb that are handy if you want to base yourself in the city for a few extra days and explore around it. We took the trip to Plitvice Lakes National Trip before leaving for Ljubljana.