Day 11 Explore Zagreb
• Destination: Zagreb
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodations: Best Western Astoria Hotel or similar
Breakfast: Included at the hotel.
Morning: Explore Zagreb on a walking tour with a local guide. A city of more than 800,000 people, Zagreb has been Croatia’s capital, intermittently, since 1557. First, we’ll explore Zagreb’s modern Donji Grad, or Lower Town, whose well-designed street grid was laid out in the 19th century. This area is home to many of Zagreb’s civic and historic monuments.
Next, we’ll take a ride on a funicular (the shortest in Europe) to view the medieval monuments in the city’s Gornji Grad, or Upper Town. In this older part of the city, two medieval settlements, Gradec and Kaptol, developed between the eleventh and 14th centuries on neighboring hilltops divided by a brook. Fortified by ramparts and moats, the two rival towns fought over the centuries—the nearby street called Krvavi Most, or Bridge of Blood, is a testament to the historic rivalry.
In contemporary times, Gradec and Kaptol form two of the districts that make up Zagreb’s hilly Upper Town. Among the highlights of Upper Town are the tall twin spires of the Cathedral of St. Stephen, an ancient church dedicated to the Assumption. The cathedral’s neo-Gothic façade was added after an earthquake in 1880 destroyed its dome and bell tower. Our tour concludes with a visit to Dolac Market, a bustling collection of open-air stalls located across from the cathedral near the 14th-century Church of St. Mary.
Lunch: On your own. Perhaps you’ll sample Zagreb’s popular štrukli, a dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream, or cuspajz, a meat and vegetable stew. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to provide recommendations.
Afternoon: The rest of your afternoon is free in Zagreb. You might choose to visit one of the city’s many unique museums, including Upper Town’s beloved Museum of Broken Relationships, an eclectic collection of items sent in by heartbroken people from around the world, along with heartfelt stories of their breakups.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: Continue your discoveries in Zagreb on your own, perhaps grabbing a nightcap with your fellow travelers in one of the city’s many bars.
Meeting in the lobby at 8:45 am, we walked to King Tomislav Square and met the local guide under the tail of the statue.• Destination: Zagreb
• Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
• Accommodations: Best Western Astoria Hotel or similar
Breakfast: Included at the hotel.
Morning: Explore Zagreb on a walking tour with a local guide. A city of more than 800,000 people, Zagreb has been Croatia’s capital, intermittently, since 1557. First, we’ll explore Zagreb’s modern Donji Grad, or Lower Town, whose well-designed street grid was laid out in the 19th century. This area is home to many of Zagreb’s civic and historic monuments.
Next, we’ll take a ride on a funicular (the shortest in Europe) to view the medieval monuments in the city’s Gornji Grad, or Upper Town. In this older part of the city, two medieval settlements, Gradec and Kaptol, developed between the eleventh and 14th centuries on neighboring hilltops divided by a brook. Fortified by ramparts and moats, the two rival towns fought over the centuries—the nearby street called Krvavi Most, or Bridge of Blood, is a testament to the historic rivalry.
In contemporary times, Gradec and Kaptol form two of the districts that make up Zagreb’s hilly Upper Town. Among the highlights of Upper Town are the tall twin spires of the Cathedral of St. Stephen, an ancient church dedicated to the Assumption. The cathedral’s neo-Gothic façade was added after an earthquake in 1880 destroyed its dome and bell tower. Our tour concludes with a visit to Dolac Market, a bustling collection of open-air stalls located across from the cathedral near the 14th-century Church of St. Mary.
Lunch: On your own. Perhaps you’ll sample Zagreb’s popular štrukli, a dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream, or cuspajz, a meat and vegetable stew. Your Trip Experience Leader will be happy to provide recommendations.
Afternoon: The rest of your afternoon is free in Zagreb. You might choose to visit one of the city’s many unique museums, including Upper Town’s beloved Museum of Broken Relationships, an eclectic collection of items sent in by heartbroken people from around the world, along with heartfelt stories of their breakups.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: Continue your discoveries in Zagreb on your own, perhaps grabbing a nightcap with your fellow travelers in one of the city’s many bars.
We walked to the funicular. Zagreb's funicular is a charming and historic mode of transportation that connects the Upper Town with the Lower Town. This iconic cable car system offers a scenic ride and provides a unique perspective of the city. The funicular has been operating since 1890, making it one of the oldest funiculars in Europe.
We wandered through the old town. We stopped at St. Mark's Church. The church's most striking feature is its tiled roof, adorned with the coats of arms of Zagreb and Croatia-Slavonia.
We passed through the The Stone Gate. It's one of the few remaining gates from the city's medieval walls and is now a popular pilgrimage site. It contains a small shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
We also passed the Statue of St. George Slaying the Dragon and the Cathedral. Unfortunately, the Cathedral was damaged in the 2020 earthquake is not open. Pictures of the towers without scaffolding are pretty amazing.
After the tour, Sharon and I walked the horseshoe. Lenuci's Horseshoe is a unique feature of Zagreb's Lower Town, a horseshoe-shaped system of parks and squares that forms a green oasis in the heart of the city. Designed by urban planner Milan Lenuci in the late 19th century, the horseshoe is a testament to Zagreb's commitment to urban green spaces.
Sharon and I toured the botanical Garden. The Zagreb Botanical Garden is a serene oasis nestled within the city's vibrant Lower Town. Founded in 1889 and opened to the public in 1891, it's a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and locals seeking a peaceful escape. It is home to over 10,000 plant species, including native Croatian flora and exotic plants from around the world. The tour guide had described it as a small botanical garden, but I was impressed by the variety.
We had a late leisurely lunch at Restoran Boban. I had Ricotta stuffed spinach ravioli in dessert wine sauce with prawns, while Sharon had Chicken marinated in mustard and honey, zucchini, feta cheese, crispy croutons, and pine nuts on a bed of baby lettuce and cherry tomatoes. I liked my meal more than she did.
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After lunch, we went back to the old city. Sharon did a little shopping on the way. We ended up at the Museum of Broken Relationships. It is a unique and thought-provoking museum. It's a collection of donated objects from people all over the world who have ended significant relationships. These items, accompanied by personal stories, offer a glimpse into the emotional experiences of love, loss, and heartbreak.We had toured the Love Stories Musuem in Dubrovnik. I was pleasantly surprised by the Broken Relationship Museum; I enjoyed it more than I expected.
Sharon and I had a drink in the bar at hotel. Holly, Van, Sharon and I finished the day with dinner at the Michelin rated Pod Zidom Bistro. For starters, Sharon and I shared CHESTNUT AND MUSHROOM SOUP [chestnuts / mushrooms / mushroom oil / hazelnut praline paste] and APPLE AND KOHLRABI SALAD [apples / kohlrabi / apple gel / mint and lemon dressing / almonds]. We both had PORK TENDERLOIN WITH CORN AND PUMPKIN [pork tenderloin / pumpkin puree / polenta cakes / pickled pumpkin / kale chips]. The starters were very good, but the main was uninspired...
Wandering back to the hotel, we crashed just before 10 pm.
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