Zagreb: visiting the city in two days!
Just arrived into the Croatian capital city
Piero: from Ljubljana to Zagreb we cover the 150 kilometers that divide them driving our van. The quality of the roads are good therefore in just over an hour we are in the Croatian capital.
Angela: just in time to have dinner, then we will go to our apartment.
Piero: once again we have avoided hotels, choosing the solution of the guest house.
Angela: our choice fell on Irundo Downtown Apartments: the apartments are located in the town center, very close to Ban Jelačić Square.
Piero: the location is fantastic because it will give us the opportunity to reach all the places we want to visit at a walking distance.
Angela: you have to pay attention to a small detail: being a pedestrian area, you cannot reach it by van; it is therefore necessary to have light luggages or wheels to transport them easily from the parking just outside the town center.
Piero: it is just a minor inconvenience: if you know it before getting there you could avoid wasting time.
Angela: the entrance and the stairs, despite being in the town center, are austere and not exactly welcoming. Having said that, the apartments are excellent, not very large but sufficient to meet the needs of two families with children.
Piero: after a well deserved rest, we are ready to start our two days tour of Zagreb!
Angela: what about the city?
Piero: it is one of the less known European capitals, still free from mass tourism. We are often led to imagine Croatia as a summer holiday destination, but its capital Zagreb is an exciting city to visit both in summer and winter. It has the typical charm of the old Austro-Hungarian continental Europe. Zagreb is also a young and modern city. Christmas period is perfect to visit it considering that Zagreb has won the Best Christmas Market award for two consecutive years.
Angela: what does our program include?
Piero: Zagreb is divided into two distinct areas, connected by a funicular: the upper city and the lower city. The first stands on a hill and it is the oldest part of the Croatian capital, with historic buildings and important churches; the second is a more recent area, where the main museums of the city are concentrated and where you can admire interesting examples of nineteenth and twentieth century architecture. Since we will spend two days in the city, we will divide our itinerary as follows:
First day in the upper town
Angela: let's go then! Where do we start?
Piero: let's start with one of the symbols of the city: the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary!
Angela: it is an massive neo-Gothic structure in which the two twin spiers, more than a hundred meters high, stand out, visible from practically anywhere in the city. It dates back to the 13th century and its current face is the result of a series of works and restorations that have interested it over the centuries. Very nice to see during the day but also with the lights on at night. Recently the spiers were, once again, damaged by an earthquake.
Piero: it is one of the symbolic monuments of the whole country, so much so that it was immediately depicted on local banknotes, the Kuna.
Angela: Speaking of currencies, there are no problems using Kuna or Euros (only the paper ones, some might not accept the coins) in this country.
Piero: it is absolutely worth taking the time to visit the cathedral inside. There are several frescoes, some baroque altars and above all the beautiful stained glass windows.
Angela: we move even more towards the upper part of the city now and, walking through beautiful streets, we reach the Church of St. Mark.
Piero: this is another symbolic building of Zagreb. Its roof stands out: built with white, red and light blue glazed tiles, the colours of Croatia. On the right side of the roof, once again with tiles, the emblem of the city was depicted while on the left the coats of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia (three of the most important territories that form Croatia) were made.
Angela: the church dates back to the 13th century but retains only some parts of the original structure. Very interesting is the Gothic portal, decorated with 15 figures placed in shallow niches, which dates back to the fourteenth century.
Angela: in St. Mark’s Square there are also the buildings of the Croatian Parliament and the one of the President.
Piero: we now cross Ivana Tkalcica street, one of the most cheerful and lively roads in Zagreb: it is full of bars, cafes and restaurants that line the sides of the road. We stop for lunch in one of these. In a small grassy square there is a life-size bronze statue that portrays a lady with a parasol: it is Marija Juric Zagorka, a popular writer and the first female journalist in Croatia. We now reach the highest point of the city, the Lotrscak Tower.
Angela: it is a symbol of Zagreb as well. It was the most important defense point of the city, thanks to its position; it dates back to the 13th century and its name derives from the bell "latruncolorum", or “thieves' bell”: its task every evening was to warn, with its toll, the closure of the city gates to prevent thieves from entering.
Piero: through the Strossmayer promenade, which runs along the walls of some important buildings of the city, fantastically decorated for the Christmas period, full of attractions and full of stalls, we return to our starting point.
Angela: before returning to the apartment, one last stop happens almost by chance ...
Piero: it is one of the places that fascinated me most in Zagreb, despite its extreme simplicity: the Kamenita Vrata, the Stone Gate.
Angela: it is the only of the five city gates left standing. For Croats it is an important pilgrimage destination; it is a very short, downhill road, where also the oldest pharmacy in the city is located.
Piero: I was fascinated by a corner of this door where there is a painting of the Holy Virgin and Child; just under it, dozens of candles burn, lit by devotees who ask the grace of the Virgin. The flames of the candles are all moved together by the wind and the background noise of muttered prayers.
Angela: taking care of the place there is a tireless old woman who constantly moves the candles and cleans the wax, bare handed. A moment of silence and unique spirituality!
Piero: we make the last stop before returning to Ban Jelačić Square, which is just behind our apartments.
Angela: it is the main square of Zagreb, in this period it is quite active both day and night. In a typically Austro-Hungarian style, the surrounding buildings belong to different eras; in the very center there is the statue on horseback of Jelačić, the governor who in 1800 led the troops of Croatia against Hungary.
Piero: a curiosity: the statue was removed by Tito in 1947 and then returned to its place in 1990.
Angela: we are tired now, let’s go to bed! The day was long and dense even if we didn't have to travel a long way: we feel all the walks up and down the city ...
Second day in the downtown
Piero: ok, we are ready for the second and last day in Zagreb! Today we will dedicate ourselves to the visit of the lower part of the city. It can be easily explored on foot, all the scheduled attractions are close to each other.
Angela: our tour starts from what is now called the Croatian Republic Square. It is one of the largest and most important squares in Zagreb and has only taken this name since 2017: previously its name was Marshal Tito Square; it is the cultural center of the city, so much that it is also known to residents as the Theater or University Square.
Piero: the square in fact rises around the Croatian National Theater; on the sides there are the Faculty of Law and the rectorate of the University of Zagreb (one of the oldest in Europe), the Academy of Music with the conservatory and then the Academy of Dramatic Art of the University of Zagreb, the Museum of Arts and Crafts and the School Museum.
Angela: we now move towards Rooseveltov Square where the Mimara Museum is located, perhaps the most important museum in the Croatian capital; there are inside works by Velasquez, Raphael, Rubens and Goya, some rarities from Egypt as well as a beautiful library right next door.
Piero: there are also the Ethnographic Museum and the Museum of Sciences and Techniques nearby.
Angela: we take advantage of the walk for a visit to the markets and typical shops; it is a good opportunity to learn about local customs and to buy something typical for our lunch.
Piero: after lunch we will return to the area again for an extensive visit to the Ledeni Park, the main city attraction in this period, which made the Christmas markets in Zagreb famous.
Angela: it looks like one large park, but it is the result of three of the most beautiful squares in the city together.
Piero: I must say that the whole city contributes to making the Christmas period magical and to making Zagreb the capital of the Christmas markets, but this park alone conquers everyone, young and old.
Angela: it becomes even more beautiful and interesting for children because a giant ice skating rink is installed along the entire path of the square: the central space is very beautiful and then the whole path around the park.
Piero: in addition to the Christmas attractions, these squares host numerous important monuments and statues; towards the end of the park, in front of the central station, there is the equestrian statue of King Tomislav; then you will find the Art Pavilion, a beautiful Art Nouveau building with a yellow facade.
Angela: further up there are the beautiful Habsburg-style palace of the Palace Hotel and the Gallery of Modern Art.
Piero: a walk in this park is a must especially if you are traveling with children and teenagers and especially if you visit Zagreb during the Christmas period.
Angela: at this point we go back to the apartment. We walk again through Ban Jelačić Square, which is getting ready for the celebrations of New Year’s Eve.
Piero: before returning, however, we decide to visit the Belvedere, called Zagreb Eye 360 °: it is a terrace located on the sixteenth floor of the only skyscraper in Zagreb.
Angela: the ascent with the lift is subject to a fee, there are reductions for children under 15 and it is free for the little ones: it is not very cheap, but it is worth it. I always suggest booking in advance to avoid long queues. In addition to the terrace, the sixteenth floor also hosts a bar where we stop for a coffee.
Piero: the terrace offers a privileged view of the beauties of the city from above. Moving around you can enjoy a beautiful view of the entire Croatian capital.
Angela: now we return home to prepare our dinner: being in the town center, we will have dinner at home at home and then we will join the celebrations in the Square of the new year.
Piero: then a walk in the Square accompanied by music, people dancing, fireworks, toasts. After that we will go to bed because tomorrow we leave early heading south to continue our journey to discover the Balkans!
Angela: but first click HERE to review all the images and watch the video that traces our two days tour of Zagreb!
