Zagreb, Croatia

We have shifted gears. Instead of moving from place-to-place every few days, we have set up base in Zadar, Croatia for a month. We will be making excursions from there. Our first was to Zagreb – Croatia’s capital.

Zagreb is a city of contrasts. It is a cosmopolitan city of about a million people. As short-term visitors we live in an artificial world, disconnected from the normal residents. We experienced two sides of the city, neither of which probably represents reality for most residents.

Zagreb’s old city (in fact two old cities, Gradec and Kaptol, that merged) is beautiful. In two days we were able to wander most of the streets of both parts of the old city. The two parts are connected by steep cobblestoned streets, a 260-step staircase (we counted) and the world’s shortest funicular – 66 meters long.

What is now called Upper Town (the former Gradec) is lined with impressive old palaces. We spent the better part of one afternoon there on the sidewalk patio of a terrific little restaurant people-watching. A great way to spend the day.

At the centre of Upper Town is the iconic St. Mark’s Church, probably the most photographed location in Zagreb. In the summer the historic Cravat Regiment (after whom that indispensable men’s fashion accessory, the cravat, is named) perform Changing of the Guard ceremonies at the Parliament building next to St. Mark’s Church.

The lower town houses the city market and Zagreb Cathedral. It is full of narrow old streets lined with restaurants and cafes. We got up early one morning to wander the market as it was being set up, then relaxed with coffee watching the locals arrive to buy their fresh produce for the day, not to mention the pigeons helping themselves to whatever caught their eye.

Adjacent to the historic old city is the “newer” city (still old in North American terms) with modern shopping streets and numerous parks. Zagreb is known for its cafe culture. The streets of every neighbourhood are lined with countless cafes where people spend hours relaxing with friends.

Everything sounds great so far. You are probably wondering “What’s the other side of the city they’re talking about?”

We stayed in an apartment about a 10-minute walk from the old city. In that short walk the city transforms. Our neighbourhood was pre-dominantly apartment blocks from the Communist era. No doubt utilitarian in their day, they are now mostly dilapidated shambles, at least from the outside. The streets are depressing.

Our building was a perfect example. From the outside it looked like a wreck – plaster crumbling and graffiti covering most surfaces. The entrance was dank and dark. Thankfully our own apartment was modern, clean and lovely. Beyond the inner ring of rundown Communist-era buildings was what appeared to be a modern suburban city with up-to-date apartments and infrastructure – the neighbourhoods where most average people live.

We loved our short time in Zagreb. It is a beautiful city with a rich history. However, it still has a lot of work ahead to overcome the damage of the Communist era, and what they call the Homeland War of the 1990s.

Next Stop – Slovenia

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