Do your neighbors include dragons, Romantic poets, and the ghost of Nikolas Tesla? If so, you must be in Zagreb—one of Europe’s most underrated travel destinations.

Croatia’s capital is one of the best trips you can take without dreaming. A place where you exit a museum on a three-story slide, check the time by the noon cannon, and stroll through a traditional market that featured in a Jackie Chan movie.

Not average for Europe, or even Croatia. In a country the size of West Virginia, yet adorned by fantastical islands, parks, and villages, Zagreb is a singular sensation—a zany, zingy experience that specializes in zest for life.

Zigzagging to Zagreb

Many travelers bypass Croatia’s capital for Dubrovnik or Split. For others, it’s a layover. But you’ve opted to linger. Never mind that you’ve been told you could easily do Zagreb in a day.

Superficially, that’s true, given Zagreb’s compact scale. No sooner do you set out from your elegant but affordable apartment than an avenue as broad and welcoming as a hug guides you into the heart of Ban Jelačić, the city’s central square. No GPS required.

Iconic blue trams glide by. The red umbrellas of the Dolac Market blossom like poppies. You are encircled by an architectural timeline of Zagreb’s tumultuous history: its medieval emergence, its flowering under the Austro-Hungarian empire, the decadent charms of Art Nouveau.

History at a Glance

The panorama from a nearby skyscraper fills in many gaps. You see Communist functionalism and the shimmer of new hotels, contrasts separated in time by the breakup of Yugoslavia, five years of bitter conflict with Serbia, and Croatia’s optimistic entry into the European Union.

Returning to street level, you still have time to wander the cobblestone streets of Gornji Grad (Upper Town) before first nightfall.

Yes, you could see Zagreb in a day—the same way you could see “all” of New York from Times Square or the Empire State Building.

But for one of the best trips, take your time. Because as Zagreb becomes more familiar, it also becomes more fascinating.

Here Comes the Sun

See that big bronze orb on Bogovićeva Street? Many tourists take selfies beside it, or alas, scratch their names on it. This is Ivan Kozaric’s 1971 sculpture, “The Grounded Sun.”

Fewer know that 30 years later, Davor Preis quietly placed nine models of planets around Zagreb to complete the solar system. He even stayed true to scale. “Earth,” for example, is ¾ of an inch in size and 4.78 miles away from Kozaric’s sun.

Against All Odds

Likewise, photographers flock to Zagreb Cathedral. Some even step inside. If they lingered, they might learn something surprising.

High above centuries of artwork hang three massive chandeliers. Donated by Croatian American Stefan Stankić, those lights once illuminated the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas.

The story goes that when parishioners expressed concern about mixing the glitzy with the godly, a senior clergyman suggested they install the lights “temporarily.” Years later, that story is a testament to the miracle of a safe bet.

Croatia’s Workplace Creatives

Zagreb invented many emblems of office life, including the necktie. In the 17th century, Croatian soldiers serving in France sported elegant red scarves. Fashion-conscious Parisians dubbed the accessory cravate, a corruption of Croate.

Zagreb made its mark in other ways, too. The mechanical pencil and fountain pen are named for their Croatian inventor, Eduard Penkala.

Croatian Coffee Culture

Don’t look to Zagrebians for workplace efficiency in coffee culture. Croatians pity us Americans as we rush along toting our outsized paper cups, or isolate ourselves in public behind the barriers of our laptops.

In Zagreb, coffee is about social connection and savoring time. Allow 2-3 hours per cup and Never sip alone are the unspoken rules.

On Saturdays coffee culture is elevated to a social ritual known as Špica. You dress fashionably to do your errands, then meet your friends and hold court, choosing from hundreds of cafés. Some streets, like Tkalčićeva, are almost entirely comprised of cafés, each one a buzzing hive of conversation.

Statuary Citizens

Watching over these proceedings are the statuary citizens of Zagreb, so numerous they’ve got their own walking tours. Dragons, lions, and gargoyles abound, enough stone animals to rival the city’s zoo.

There’s even a tribute to a stray dog. Adopted by a construction crew in 1897, “Pluto” died defending the site from thieves. Workers were so grief-stricken they commissioned a memorial. Hidden in a private courtyard for over a century, the plaque was moved to a central location in 2013.

Then there’s Nikola Tesla. Born during a Croatian electrical storm, the “Inventor of the Electrical Age” brought alternating current to the world. Tesla also conceptualized—in 1901—what eventually became the smartphone.

Tesla’s spirit lives on as a secular patron saint of Zagreb’s intellectualism. You encounter his likeness throughout the city.

Every bookstore has a Tesla section. (Oh yes, in a city of free wifi, bookstores remain popular.) There’s also a technology museum named for Tesla.

Zagreb in Miniature

Speaking of museums, compact Zagreb boasts 37 of them. Mycology fans cluster in the Mushroom Museum. Kids walk upside down at the Museum of Illusions. There’s even something for the lovelorn, the Museum of Broken Relationships. Launched in Zagreb, it has added an outpost in Los Angeles.

The honor of most lovable museum goes to the Backo Mini Express, tucked away on Gundulićeva Street. Painstakingly created by model train enthusiasts, it is best seen after you explore the city. That way you’ll experience a sudden thrill of recognition—the modelers have re-created Zagreb locations in miniature.

Never Long Enough

Yet even in miniature, Zagreb defies the mind’s ability to take it all in. Yes, you could “do” Zagreb in a day, but a lifetime would never be enough.

August Šenoa, lover of all things Zagrebian, knew this all too well. Shortly before the Romantic poet and novelist passed away, he declared, “But I have so much more to write!” Leaving Zagreb on a Saturday morning as locals gather in cafés, you understand how Šenoa felt.

Because Zagreb—one of Europe’s most underrated travel destinations—is not your average city.

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$\"The$

Zagreb\u2019s details delight the eye.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n

Lingering in Croatia’s Capital<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Do your\u00a0neighbors include dragons, Romantic poets, and the ghost of Nikolas Tesla?\u00a0\u00a0If so, you must be in\u00a0Zagreb\u2014one of Europe\u2019s most underrated travel destinations.<\/p>\n
Croatia’s capital\u00a0is one of the best trips you can take without dreaming. A place where\u00a0you exit a museum on\u00a0a three-story slide, check the time by the noon cannon, and\u00a0stroll through a traditional market that featured in a\u00a0Jackie Chan movie.<\/p>\n
Zagreb is not your average city.<\/p>\n
Not average for Europe, or even Croatia. In a country the size of West Virginia, yet adorned by fantastical\u00a0islands, parks, and villages, Zagreb is a singular sensation\u2014a zany, zingy experience that specializes in zest for life.<\/p>\n
$\"St$
Often rebuilt and renovated during its 800 years, iconic St. Mark’s Church outlasted
fire, earthquake, war, and 18th century plans for demolition.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Zigzagging to Zagreb<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Many travelers\u00a0bypass Croatia’s capital for Dubrovnik or Split. For others, it\u2019s a\u00a0layover. But you’ve opted to\u00a0linger. \u00a0Never mind that you’ve been told you\u00a0could\u00a0easily do Zagreb in a day.<\/p>\n
Superficially, that\u2019s true, given Zagreb\u2019s compact scale. No sooner do you set out from your\u00a0elegant but affordable apartment than an avenue as broad and welcoming as a hug guides you into the heart of Ban Jela\u010di\u0107, the city\u2019s central square. No GPS required.<\/p>\n
Iconic blue trams glide by. The red umbrellas of the Dolac Market blossom like poppies. You are\u00a0encircled by an architectural timeline of Zagreb\u2019s tumultuous history: \u00a0its medieval emergence, its flowering under the Austro-Hungarian empire, the decadent charms of Art Nouveau.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
“The Belly of Zagreb,” Dolac Market has been feeding locals and visitors since 1926.
\u00a9 paulprescott72\/ iStock<\/p><\/div>\n
History at a Glance<\/strong><\/h4>\n
The panorama from a nearby skyscraper\u00a0fills in many gaps. You see Communist functionalism and the shimmer\u00a0of new\u00a0hotels, contrasts separated in time by the breakup of Yugoslavia, five years of bitter conflict with Serbia, and Croatia\u2019s optimistic entry into the European Union.<\/p>\n
Returning to street level, you still have time to wander the cobblestone streets of Gornji Grad<\/em>\u00a0(Upper Town) before first nightfall.<\/p>\n
Yes, you could see Zagreb in a day\u2014the same way you could see \u201call\u201d of New York\u00a0from Times Square or the Empire State Building.<\/p>\n
But for one of the best trips, take your time. Because as Zagreb becomes more familiar, it also becomes more fascinating.<\/p>\n
Oh, I see<\/strong>:\u00a0 The longer you explore Zagreb, the more there is\u00a0to discover.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
Hidden in plain sight, Zagreb’s 11-acre Botanic Garden is a downtown paradise.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Here Comes the Sun<\/strong><\/h4>\n
See that big bronze orb on Bogovi\u0107eva\u00a0Street? Many tourists take selfies beside it,\u00a0or alas, scratch\u00a0their names\u00a0on it. This is Ivan Kozaric\u2019s 1971 sculpture, \u201cThe Grounded Sun.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fewer know that 30 years later, Davor Preis quietly placed nine models of planets around Zagreb to complete the solar system. He even\u00a0stayed\u00a0true to scale. \u201cEarth,\u201d for example, is \u00be of an inch in size and 4.78 miles away from Kozaric’s\u00a0sun.<\/p>\n
$\"Ivan$
It’s always sunny on Bogovi\u0107eva street.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Against All Odds<\/h4>\n
Likewise, photographers flock to Zagreb Cathedral. Some even step inside.\u00a0If they lingered, they might learn something surprising.<\/p>\n
$\"Zagreb$
Zagreb Cathedral has a surprising connection to “Sin City.”
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
High above centuries of artwork hang\u00a0three\u00a0massive chandeliers. Donated by\u00a0Croatian American Stefan Stanki\u0107, those lights once illuminated the Gold Coast Casino in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
The story goes that when parishioners expressed concern about mixing the glitzy with the godly, a senior clergyman suggested they install the lights \u201ctemporarily.\u201d Years later, that story is a testament to the miracle of a safe bet.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
What happened in Zagreb stayed in Zagreb . . .
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Croatia’s Workplace Creatives<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Zagreb invented many\u00a0emblems\u00a0of\u00a0office life, including the necktie. In the 17th century, Croatian soldiers serving in France sported elegant red scarves. Fashion-conscious Parisians dubbed the accessory cravate<\/em>, a corruption of Croate<\/em>.<\/p>\n
Zagreb made its mark in other ways, too. \u00a0The mechanical pencil and fountain pen are named for their Croatian\u00a0inventor, Eduard Penkala.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
From officer’s cravat to office staple:<\/strong> Honor Guards
of the Cravat Regiment started a trend.
\u00a9 The Zagreb Tourist Board\/ Marko Vrdoljak<\/p><\/div>\n
Croatian Coffee Culture<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Don\u2019t look to Zagrebians for workplace efficiency in\u00a0coffee culture. Croatians pity us Americans as we rush along toting our outsized paper cups, or isolate ourselves in public\u00a0behind the barriers of our laptops.<\/p>\n
In Zagreb, coffee is about social connection and savoring time.\u00a0 Allow 2-3 hours per cup <\/em>and Never sip alone<\/em> are the unspoken rules.<\/p>\n
On Saturdays coffee culture is elevated to a\u00a0social ritual known as \u0160pica<\/em>. You dress fashionably to do your errands, then meet your friends and hold court, choosing from hundreds of caf\u00e9s. Some streets, like Tkal\u010di\u0107eva, are almost entirely comprised of caf\u00e9s, each one a buzzing hive of conversation.<\/p>\n
$\"The$
Tkal\u010di\u0107eva, like many streets in Zagreb, is lined with caf\u00e9s.
\u00a9 csfotoimages\/ iStock<\/p><\/div>\n
Statuary Citizens<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Watching over these proceedings are\u00a0the statuary citizens\u00a0of Zagreb, so numerous they\u2019ve got their own walking tours. Dragons, lions, and gargoyles abound, enough stone animals to rival the city’s\u00a0zoo.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s even a tribute to a stray dog. \u00a0Adopted by a construction crew in 1897, “Pluto” died defending the site from thieves. Workers were so grief-stricken they commissioned a\u00a0memorial. Hidden in a private courtyard for over\u00a0a century, the plaque was moved to a central location\u00a0in 2013.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Architect Josip Vanca\u0161’ memorial to a stray dog is beloved in Zagreb,
where pets are welcome in many establishments.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Then there\u2019s Nikola Tesla. Born during a Croatian electrical storm, the \u201cInventor of the Electrical Age\u201d brought\u00a0alternating current to the world. Tesla also conceptualized\u2014in 1901\u2014what eventually became\u00a0the\u00a0smartphone.<\/p>\n
Tesla’s spirit lives on as a secular patron saint of Zagreb’s intellectualism. You encounter his\u00a0likeness throughout the city.<\/p>\n
$\"Ivan$
“Meeting you has been a burning desire of mine ,\u201d wrote Tesla to artist Ivan Me\u0161trovi\u0107
in 1924. Croatia\u2019s greatest scientist & most celebrated sculptor became friends for life.
\u00a9 Sergio Delle Vedove\/ iStock<\/p><\/div>\n
Every\u00a0bookstore has a Tesla section. (Oh yes, in a city of free\u00a0wifi, bookstores remain popular.)\u00a0There\u2019s also\u00a0a technology museum named for Tesla.<\/p>\n
Zagreb in Miniature<\/h4>\n
Speaking of museums, compact Zagreb\u00a0boasts 37 of them. Mycology fans cluster in the Mushroom Museum. Kids walk upside down at the Museum of Illusions. There\u2019s even something for the lovelorn, the Museum of Broken Relationships. Launched in Zagreb, it has added an outpost<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
The honor of most lovable\u00a0\u00a0museum goes to the Backo Mini Express, tucked away\u00a0on Gunduli\u0107eva Street. Painstakingly created by model train enthusiasts, it is best seen after you\u00a0explore the city. That way you\u2019ll experience a sudden thrill of recognition\u2014the modelers have re-created Zagreb locations in miniature.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Backo Mini Express is the biggest model railway in southeast Europe.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Never \u00a0Long Enough<\/h4>\n
Yet\u00a0even\u00a0in miniature,\u00a0Zagreb defies the mind\u2019s ability to take it all in. Yes, you could “do”\u00a0Zagreb in a day, but a\u00a0lifetime would never be enough.<\/p>\n
August \u0160enoa, lover of all things Zagrebian, knew this all too well. Shortly before the Romantic poet and novelist\u00a0passed away, he declared, \u201cBut I have so much more to write!\u201d\u00a0Leaving Zagreb on a Saturday morning as locals gather in caf\u00e9s, you understand\u00a0how \u0160enoa\u00a0felt.<\/p>\n
Because Zagreb\u2014one of Europe\u2019s most underrated travel destinations\u2014is not your average city.<\/p>\n
$\"A$
Portrayed standing nonchalantly on the street where he was born,
August \u0160enoa is credited with inspiring Croatians\u2019 love of reading.
\u00a9 Joyce McGreevy<\/p><\/div>\n
Ride the slide at Zagreb’s Museum of Contemporary Art, here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
Relive Jackie Chan’s 1987 “tour” of Zagreb, here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
See Zagreb’s Backo Mini Express, here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
Comment<\/a> on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
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