Zagreb's main square - Trg Ban Jelacic
(and the statue of him too)
Prague and Budapest
are the most popular cities in Central Europe for foreign visitors.
But these two now have a competitor in Zagreb, the capital of
Croatia - which, let us reassure you, is a dazzling place.
Take a look at our guide to Zagreb on the following pages, or read on the for a general introduction below:
The city is divided into three parts: the thousand-year
old Gornji grad (upper town) which contains the Presidential
Palace, the historic church of St. Mark's, the Croatian parliament,
and museums and galleries which are all set in cobbled streets
lit by gas lamps; the 19th century Donji grad (lower
town) with its shops, restaurants, cafes, theatres, parks; and
the modern post-war (WWII) Novi Zagreb (new Zagreb) which
is full of high-rise buildings and basically has nothing to offer
tourists.
Zagreb is called a city of museums as there are
more of them per square foot than any other city in the world.
But this doesn't mean that there is nothing else for you to do
if you aren't a history buff. One of the many pleasures that the Zagrebcani (the people of Zagreb) enjoy is sitting in
one of the numerous cafes watching the world go by. In the evening,
you can visit one of the many restaurants, sampling a delicious
Croatian dish, and finish the day in the one of the bars or clubs.
Whatever you choose to do, you are guaranteed to have a good time!
