Country 10: Zagreb, Croatia

Vittoria
Apr 8, 2018
5 min read

31 Days On The Road ~ Location: Zagreb, Croatia ~ Transportation: Bus

We left Ljubljana and we waited for our bus under the sun. It was a little late but the weather was so great it didn't bother us. Our Couchsurfing host Nikola came to pick us up at the bus station and we boarder a tram heading to his flat. We dropped our things in our temporary home and we sat in the kitchen eating almonds and pumpkin seeds and chatting about Croatia, food, his degree and our project.

From the kitchen window you could see the roofs of an old billboard factory, now in ruins, and on the roofs there was a highway of cats coming and going, laying in the sun, sleeping, eating, chasing each other. I told Nikola I wouldn't need a tv if I lived there because I could just stare at the cats all day long. He said that the most cats he ever saw were more than 20 and all the neighbors take care of them by giving them food. When we left the next day to go explore the city we tried petting some of the cats closer to the gate, but they were too shy.

When we arrive in a new city I never know what to expect, but I have an idea of what the city looks like because of the research and pictures I have done and seen, and yet nothing ever prepares me for what the city really is like. The atmosphere, the people walking around, the weather, the smells and colours of the buildings, it all takes shape when we arrive in a new place, and somehow the puzzle pieces always reveal a picture that is completely different from what I have envisioned.

Zagreb seemed to me a city of young people, it has a lot of universities, museums, student halls, and everywhere you go you see young bright people marching somewhere. When you reach the heart of the capital, the main square by the Cathedral, you can see a stretch of restaurants and fancy shops, and that is where the wealthiest spend their day, between a glass of champagne and a Prada shopping bag.

We entered the cathedral which was busy with people confessing their sins before Easter. We arrived late at the food market, and most stalls were already closed, we walked down a beautiful road after the Park Opatovina, with more restaurants, pubs, and typical Croatian buildings.

Here you can watch the video about our time in Zagreb (thank you Nikola for the music recommendation):

Our itinerary included:

~ Etnografski muzej

~ Croatian National Theatre

~ The Well of Life

~ Ban Josip Jelačić

~ Zagreb Welcomes You

~ Cathedral of Zagreb

~ Park Opatovina

~ St. Mark's Church

~ "Poet" by A.G. Matoš

Best Moment

The day we were leaving Zagreb we decided to have breakfast at a lovely hotel close to our bus station, Bistro Fotic, that had a buffet with lots of options for vegetarians and vegans. The only other people in the restaurant with us was a lovely Australian couple, Pete & Anne, that befriended us immediately, as soon as they heard us speaking English. We exchanged emails and they invited us to stay at their place when we will visit Australia. It was one of my favourite moments because I was so touched by their kindness and generosity, they loved our project when we told them about it and they didn't hesitate to welcome us in their country and home. This is the best part of travelling: all the amazing people you meet along the way!

Worst Moment

While we were walking around Nikola received terrible news that his grandmother passed away. He was expecting this to happen because she was 94 and she wasn't feeling too well in the past months. But it was still very sad news and he had to leave Zagreb the next day in the morning to attend the funeral. We felt so hopeless and we didn't really know what to do or say, but he was incredibly kind to finish the tour of the city with us and let us stay the night. He told me the funeral went really well and it was great to see his family, which lives on one of the Croatian islands.

Healthy Tips

If you are in Zagreb you cannot skip the vegan restaurant Green Point, right in the center of the city. Their burgers are incredible, and everything on their menu, from fries to sauces, is homemade! And you can really taste the difference. They also encourage everyone who eats in their restaurant to leave a post-it note on the wall, with a kind message, a quote, some wisdom, and we advertised our website and project!

Minimalism Tips

After 30 days on the road we had a little inventory check and we got rid of some superfluous things. First of all, we have decided not to renew our WiFi contact, which is £20 a month, because we have found really good WiFi in all the countries we have visited so far, and we haven't really found problems navigating. So if you are travelling long-term I can ensure you, you won't need to have Data Contracts, but you can just use WiFi in restaurants, coffee shops or the hostels you are staying at. Secondly, I have decided to leave behind my second fleece jumper, because I barely wore it, and an extra pair of leggings I didn't even know I had with me, which was at the bottom of my clothing packing cube. Next things I will probably get rid of is one of my bras (I have a sport bra and a microfiber bra), one of the long sleeve shirts which I rarely used, and maybe one of the tank tops, because I never wear it. It's incredible how little you really need.

Final Warnings: Zagreb is a great city, I encourage you to get lost in its multitude of allies, climb all the way up to the hill so you can admire the view of the city. Also I advice to download the Lonely Planet Guide app, so you can have a map of the city, recommended places and historical information even when you are offline; all you have to do is download the guide when you have WiFi. Don't forget you can download any map on Google Maps when you have internet connection, pinpoint places you would like to visit, or restaurants you would like to try and when you are offline you can still access all that information and find your way in the city.