Zagreb, Croatia
May 22, 2025
I had surpassed myself this time around in sheer unpreparedness with absolutely no excuse! Arriving minus a sim card or a map or downloading maps.com or even recalling the name of the street where I needed to go, I accosted arbitrary strangers on the streets at random. And found a welcoming kindness that is as unusual in a city as it was heartwarming. What a lovely introduction! I couldn’t wait to explore Zagreb.
Originating in a pair of medieval settlements called Kaptol and Gradec, Zagreb as we know it now, came to be in 1094. Today the site of the original settlement forms the upper town, called Gorni Grad. The streets here wind their way up and down steep slopes, some are cobbled and some paved, some with staircases linking streets.
The flat lower town, Donji Grad is newer, built mostly in the 19th century. Tram tracks line many of the streets lined by gracious buildings. A long stretch of green park runs along the middle with stately avenues lined by tall trees with park benches underneath.
Many of the buildings are in a state of decay but the pace of rebuilding is frantic as they are restored to their old grandeur.
Some are art galleries, some are boutiques and some are museums. And some have been turned into stately hotels. One is particular, the Esplanade Hotel, across from the train station was originally built to welcome travelers on the Orient Express into Zagreb. Oh, how I would love to travel on that if it were still possible! Large and small plazas intersect streets. Tall statues of heroes – Tomislav and Jelacica on horseback stand in squares reminding one of the bygone days. The Lotrscak tower, originally built as a guard tower still rears its head over the city. Over it all spears the twin spires of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. These too were shrouded in scaffolding and the site closed off but the elaborate entrance hinted at the grandeur inside.
The advent of summer sees open air markets mushroom. Brilliantly colored flowers line one lane while a large fruits and vegetables markets entices local shoppers. The broom made of twigs is straight out of a fairy tale!
The cafes and restaurants lining the touristed streets do brisk business. But so do the smaller ones hidden around small alleys as they cater to mostly locals. It is a compliment to Zagreb’s pace of life that these cafes are as crowded as they are.
Perhaps because it has yet to see intense tourism, the city still retains a quaintness that is charming. And I hope it retains it because tourism has definitely arrived.
Large groups dutifully follow their sign-toting guides and the mandatory stop for selfies cause unexpected bottlenecks. The organ grinder is out in force and new restaurants spring up frequently. Croatian tourism has arrived enforce.
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 
Zagreb is a special city indeed, I have spent many a time here visiting family before continuing on to more family on the islands. A lot of the scaffolding and building works is because of a huge earthquake a few years back – so many buildings were damaged and they are still fixing them. What I love most about Zagreb is just sitting at a cafe and watching people go by. I can’t wait for my next visit whenever that may be!!!!
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Thanks for letting me know about the earthquake. I just thought it to be steps along the road to tourism. I absolutely agree about sitting in one of the many cafes and people-watching. I have actually struck up conversations on more than one occasion with locals. I like the vibe of Zagreb! 🙂
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Sometimes I envy those who explored the world many decades even centuries ago, when traveling by things like the Orient Express was still possible. I didn’t realize how grand the old buildings in Zagreb are! Maybe because the images of Croatia I have come across are mostly of Dubrovnik. I hope Zagreb can keep its quaintness, like you said, because it is often what makes a city so charming.
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Oh yes! And era of the explorations? I sometimes think I’m living in the wrong era. I should have been around when they were mapping Africa and filling in the blanks of Central Asia in the late 1800s.I have a special fondness for long train journeys. Loved the Trans-Siberian (taken in 2005!) I still have some half-baked plans….
There’s a welcoming vibe to Zagreb. It’s in the smiles from the table across in a cafe, in the strangers walking me to the street instead of simply telling me where to go, it’s in a lot of little gestures that speak loudly. I’m skipping Dubrovnik and likely Split – every tourist seems to go there so I’m heading to Zadar instead. 🙂
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