Tourists of Zagreb: A Two Month Stay in Croatia's Capital

As the winter is approaching and Zagrebians tend to escape the cold air and rainy days by hiding in cozy living rooms and cafes, there are still a lot of tourists roaming the streets of our town. This time we've talked to Mariane from Brazil who visited Zagreb this fall and shared her experience of the city with us.

 

 

Image credit: Mariane Palacios

 

I'm Mariane, a tourism student from Brazil and I was in Zagreb for a whole two months. Before visiting Croatia, I was in Greece. I had three months to spend in the Schengen zone of the European Union, and I've chosen Croatia as my base during those months. I was backpacking around Europe and visiting different places in Europe while staying in Zagreb. Comparing to other parts of Europe, Zagreb is much cheaper, and you're close to many European cities, so it was a great choice for me. I've stayed in a hostel called Funk Lounge.    

 

During my stay in the city, I've visited many of landmarks like Maksimir Park, Museum of Broken Relationships, Dolac Market, St. Mark's Church, The Cathedral, Stone Gate, Funicular, Art Park, Lotrščak Tower, Zagreb Film Festival and so many others! My favorite was definitely Maksimir Park as it was located nearby my hostel and I could enjoy its beautiful nature. I used to run through the park every day, and I liked how big it is. Every day I could choose a different path to explore.

 

Image credit: Mariane Palacios

 

My first impression of the city was that Zagreb was a small town in which I wouldn't have much to do. But after a few days, I saw that it really has a lot to offer and many interesting places to see. I'm really glad I got enough time to explore it properly and experience it almost as a local during my stay.

 

Zagreb and Croatia, in general, are really different from my country. The weather, the history, the architecture just to name a few. Also, comparing to Brazilian cities, Zagreb is a much smaller and a calm capital, which I really enjoyed.

 

During my stay in town, I made friends with both other foreigners, travelers and also Croatians. I can't say there is one thing common to all Croatians I've met here. People can be really different from each other I guess, but they all wanted to make me feel at home in Zagreb, and I loved their effort.

 

 

Image credit: Mariane Palacios

 

The only thing that I would like to see improved in Zagreb is more places accepting debit/credit card. If you are not in the city center, it can be more difficult because a lot of places take cash only.

 

I would definitely go back to Zagreb and Croatia, and I'm already recommending it as a destination to my friends and family back home.

 

Header image credit: I. Vinković, TZGZ

Author: Darija Ilić