The colored tram rolls onto Trg railway Jelačića, Zagreb’s central square and traffic hub that divides the city into two – an upper and a lower district. Above is Donji Grad with its cohesive medieval villages of Kaptol and Gradec, where believers show their reverence at the prayer place Kamenita Vrata (Stone Gate), and where fashion-conscious young girls shop for designer clothes around Tkalčićeva and Radićeva and then proudly display their purchases at the coffee bars along the promenade.
Population: 4.5 million
Capital: Zagreb
Language: Croatian
The White House in Washington DC and Diocletian’s Palace in Split have one thing in common? Both buildings are built of stone from the island of Brac, which is located off Split.
the world’s premier puppet festival takes place in Zagreb. In July you can visit puppet workshops, go to exhibitions and much more.
Zagreb
Wherever you are in Zagreb you can see the sylvass tower of the cathedral. Those who do not want to go up the hilly streets on foot can instead hop on Zagreb’s 120-year-old tram, Uspinjača. Below is the busy main street Ilica with its newer, lower district, a sea of cafes and restaurants as well as beautiful examples of good urban planning. Zelena Potkova (The Green Horseshoe) is a cohesive horseshoe-shaped area consisting of parks and the city’s major cultural institutions such as the Archaeological Museum, the National Theater of Croatia, the Ethnographic Museum, the Zagreb Botanical Garden and the Strossmayer Gallery exhibiting bishop, politician and art lover Josip Jay.
In addition to the Green Horseshoe, there is more greenery by Lake Jarun in one outer part of Zagreb, as well as in the Maksimir National Park and the Mirogoj Renaissance Cemetery in the other part of the city. Take an excursion north to the ancient cities of Samobor and Varaždin. Zagreb, the capital of Croatia with 1.1 million inhabitants, is an often forgotten metropolis – mainly because it is often overshadowed by Croatia’s several thousand kilometers long coastline towards the Adriatic Sea, an attractive island kingdom and many beautiful national parks.
Istria
The coast of Croatia begins in the north of the peninsula and the popular holiday area of Istria. Here are the cities of Rovinj with its Venetian houses and charming fishing villages, Poreč with the Romanesque basilica Euphrasius which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List, and Pula, the city where the great Irish author James Joyce lived and taught. The city is also known for its 2,000-year-old amphitheater, which offers classical concerts and theater – this is also on UNESCO’s cultural heritage list.
Outside Pula are the Brijuni Islands, today a national park area. Here, former Yugoslav President Tito had his summer residence where he entertained city leaders from all corners of the world. Istria’s outlying areas are packed with beautiful small villages and a good kitchen that, among other things, houses a certain preference for truffles, which are plentiful around the town of Motovun. In the old seaside resort of Opatija with its nice beach villas, it is possible to take a walk in the character of history.
Kvarner Bay
A holiday in Croatia can also be arranged to Kvarner Bay, which begins where Istria ends. It consists, among other things, of the large, vibrant port and industrial city of Rijeka and of the islands of Cres, Lošinj, Rab and Krk, where, as in so many other places in Croatia, you can enjoy your holiday on the many naturist beaches and naturist resorts. During a trip to Kvarnerviken, the hinterland offers exciting explorations, not least in the impressive Plitvice National Park with its many waterfalls and its rich flora and fauna, and in Paklenica National Park which offers good climbing opportunities.
Southern Croatia
According to Top-medical-schools, a trip to Croatia should also include Dalmatia with its stunningly beautiful coastal towns and interesting islands. Experience the lively port city of Zadar from where you can take a boat out to the Croatian island kingdom. See Šibenik with its 500-year-old and UNESCO-listed St. Jacob’s Cathedral and add at Splits. Spend your holidays in and around the ancient city built around the almost 2,000-year-old palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian. In the surroundings around Split there are more travel memories from Roman times – for example in the archeologically interesting Salona or in beautiful Trogir.
