ZAGREB,
CROATIA
I had started my short break to the Croatian capital
Zagreb at the Europa Hotel, Gatwick airport. I had booked a one
night, pre-flight stay at the hotel. The one night stay included car
parking for the 5 days that I was to be away, it made for a far more
leisurely, relaxing start to the holiday.
My flight from London Gatwick to Zagreb was due to leave
at 07:50am, this meant a very early start. I checked out of the hotel
at around 04:45am, then drove to the APH off site car park. After
checking in my car I was transported to the airport by coach, the
journey took about ten minutes.
I arrived at the airport with plenty of time to spare.
Check-in was very quick and efficient, and once in the departure
lounge, I had time to relax and have something to eat and drink
before finally catching my flight. Flight time was just two and a
half hours, and uneventful. I was flying with Easyjet, so no frills.
But, all in all it was a good flight.
This was a late winter break, and snow covered the
ground on arrival at Zagreb airport. I had only ever been to Croatia
once before, to Split, on the Dalmatian coast. It was August, and was
sweltering hot on that occasion, quite a contrast to this trip.
However, although there was snow on the ground, it was relatively
mild, bright and sunny, and the weather would be kind to me
throughout my stay.
I took the airport bus to the bus station in Zagreb,
from there it was a short taxi ride to the Four Points by Sheraton,
my hotel for the next four nights. One of the first things I tend to
do, when arriving at a destination for the first time, is to pick up
a local map from the tourist information office. This I did, at the
bus station before getting my taxi to the hotel. Now armed with my
map, and having enjoyed a substantial lunch in the hotel's
restaurant, I ventured out to explore Zagreb.
With less than 800,000 inhabitants, Zagreb is not a
large city. Indeed, the entire population of Croatia is only around
4.29 million, far less than the population of the city of London.
Although my hotel was not situated within the city centre, it was
within a reasonable walking distance if one felt so inclined.
However, the easiest way to get around is to use the extensive and
cheap tram system. Tourism accounts for around 20% of Croatian GDP,
so it is very important to the Croatian economy.
As I had such an early start to the day, I decided not
to venture too far on my first day, and soon returned to my hotel. I
took advantage of the free internet access in the business centre,
had supper in the hotel bar, then retired for the night in my
comfortable room.
The following morning, after breakfast and catching up
on my emails, I headed into the city centre for a proper exploration.
I walked into the city, taking in the sights along the way. There
were numerous museums and art galleries to explore, but as today was
a beautiful sunny day, I decided to leave those for another time.
The city centre is split into the lower and the upper
town. After first exploring the lower town, with its modern shops and
restaurants, I climbed the steps to the upper town, visiting the
farmers market and the Cathedral along the way. I stopped for lunch
at a traditional Croatian restaurant, Ivica I Marcia. This excellent
restaurant is situated on Tkalciceva 70, and is one of Zagreb's
leading health food restaurants, serving food free from
preservatives, artificial colouring or GMO ingredients. The meal was
delicious and the environment very welcoming, with the restaurant
traditionally furnished, and the waiting staff looking resplendent in
their pristine national costumes featuring three hearts, a Croatian
national symbol. Next door to the restaurant, can be found their
sister restaurant Hansel and Gretel, a wonderful, magical place to
eat with children, with the restaurant attractively furnished in a
fairytale theme.
After lunch I had my first experience of a Zagreb tram.
Tickets for the tram can be purchased at ticket booths on the side of
the street. You can purchase either single tickets, or a day ticket
which allows unlimited travel within a 24 hour period. On this
occasion I purchased a single ticket to get me back to my hotel.
My second full day in Zagreb. Today, I purchased a day
ticket for the trams, allowing me to get around easily and experience
more of the city. Besides revisiting some of the sites that I had
seen the previous day, I also rode the Funicular from the lower town
to the upper town. The ride only took a mere one and a half minutes,
but it saved walking up an awful lot of steps! Once at the top, I
viewed the rooftops of Zagreb, it was a beautiful sunny, warm day,
and you could forget it was still winter, easily mistaking it for a
summers day.
To make use of my tram ticket, I decided to ride the
tram to its furthest point, Savisce, in order to view more of the
city and surrounding area. My round trip took me about one and a half
hours. On returning to the city centre, I went for dinner at Tratoria
Al Pittor, an Italian restaurant serving great food, in very relaxing
and interestingly furnished surroundings.
On my last day in Zagreb, I decided to travel further
afield. I had made enquiries at a tourist office regarding possible
coach tours. Unfortunately, as it was out of season, there were no
organised trips available. However, the helpful staff did suggest a
couple of places, within a short distance of Zagreb, that were worth
visiting. I had settled on Samobor, close to the border with
Slovenia.
I caught the tram to the main train station and made
enquiries. Unfortunately, there were no trains going to Samobor. I
then made my way to the main bus station, here I managed to book a
place on a bus to Samobor. The journey took approximately 40 minutes
and cost around £10 return. On arrival at Samobor bus station, I
made my way to the town centre, a 15 minute walk.
There was much more snow to be found here than there was
in Zagreb, but it was still sunny and warm. The walk into Samobor was
most enjoyable, as I was rewarded by an incredibly beautiful town.
The town was extremely busy, with locals and tourists out enjoying
the sunshine. I went to the tourist information office to pick up a
map of the area. The young girl who served me also informed me there
was a special re-enactment taking place that afternoon. The
re-enactment was of a medieval battle that had taken place over the
ownership of Samobor. The mock battle would be in full armour and
take place below the ruined castle, the site of the original battle.
On my way to the site of the battle, I visited a museum which portrayed Croatian life in times past. The walk to the battle site took me alongside a long and winding river, through fairly deep, bright and powdery snow. I was not alone on my walk, it appeared that the entire population of Samobor were also going to the battle!
The re-enactment was an impressive display of archery
and swordsmanship, great entertainment and very atmospheric with the
ruined castle looming over us, and the smoke from the burning fires
adding to the authenticity of it all.
After the battle, I went to a local restaurant and
enjoyed my penultimate meal in Croatia. Once again, I was not
disappointed, fantastic food at an unbelievable price. I returned to
Zagreb by bus and, once back at my hotel, had a drink in the bar and
savoured my last few hours in this delightful city.
The next morning, after a hearty breakfast in the hotel,
I booked a taxi to take me to the airport for my flight home to the
UK. This had been only a short break, but I felt that I had filled
every minute, and had seen a good deal of Zagreb and the surrounding
area. Would I return to Zagreb? Most probably, would I return to
Croatia? Definitely, without hesitation!
