Have you ever been in a situation where you found yourself in a completely new city for the first time, and you were just in awe how the buildings, the architecture, the urbanism, the gardens around you were beautiful? Well, I sure have. You were strolling around breaking that personal pedometer record on your phone, thinking of all the things you saw and how they impressed you. And then, you felt that uncomfortable feeling when you, well, need to go. There isn't any prettier way of saying it. Of course, being a well-mannered lady or a gentleman that you are, you aren't even thinking of going into a restaurant or a bar where you don't plan on ordering something or staying. After all, most of those toilets say "Ladies" or "Gentlemen" right there, at the door. Luckily, the urban planners thought of a solution. And this topic might cause that little scorn while reading it, but it's nothing to jest about. It's incredibly unhealthy to hold back when you have to use the bathroom. 

The Importance of Public Toilets

As I already said, I'm pretty sure you've been in a situation, where you found yourself in a new city or a country, and you don't really know if the restaurant or a bar owner will let you use their restroom if you're not a guest. And, I think that is the main reason why we always tend to avoid those situations where you could experience that they turn you down if you ask only to use the restroom. The toilets of public buildings should be free for entrance, but unfortunately, that's not the case. What's done about that in Zagreb? Public restrooms. And here, we have a couple of them, so you're nicely covered, and you can enjoy the sights of the city center with a peace of mind. 

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Some people are popularly called "pee-shy"; those would be the people who can't go just anywhere. Although I can completely understand them, I, fortunately, have no problem with that, but some people need a particular commodity and privacy to do what needs to be done. On the other hand, some people aren't picky at all about those places, and that's an even bigger problem. I don't know about all the other countries, but I suppose it's similar everywhere. Public urinating is punishable by law, and even more important than that, it's pretty repulsive — another excellent reason for having a proper public toilet on strategic locations. 

Take Notes, This Might be Important

Now, this is the part you'll want to save or memorize in any other way you find convenient. Zagreb has several public restrooms spread across the city center, so everyone walking around would be nicely covered. The most used, and the one most known is undoubtedly the one next to the main Ban Jelačić square; it's also one of the biggest public restrooms in Zagreb. It's free, spacious, and it's below the ground level. This was also the case with the previous public restroom that was right there, on the main square, but it's closed today because the new one, on European square, or to be more precise, on Cesarčeva street, replaced it. Just about 200 meters from it, on Dolac market, there's another, small, but very decent public restroom. Although you might have to wait in line for it a bit, it's a lifesaver while shopping at Dolac market. 

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The Oldest Public Restroom in the Capital

Just a couple of tram stops after the main square, there's another square, and with it, another public restroom on the Britanac square. It's built way back, in 1908 but it's still buzzing with the charm of old Zagreb. It's located between the stands on Britanac square, and it's the same from the day it was set up. The black and white tiles on the floor might bring you back to some old times, but, more importantly, it will save you in the time of need, while browsing some antiques on Britanac. If you're looking at the map of Zagreb, around a kilometer of air route above Britanac square is another, in the Nazor park.

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In total, Zagreb counts 27 public restrooms, but those listed in this article are the ones in the town center. It's only logical to end this blog post in the same style. With the info about public restrooms! When coming in, and going from Zagreb, there are also public restrooms on two main stations. One at the railway station, which has also one just outside the station, in the underpass of Importanne center, and the other one, at the central bus station, is not free. The entrance fee is two kunas, which is a real drag if you have to go, but don't have any change. That's why I decided to end this post with that information. When traveling, always bring some change. :)

Photo Credit: M.Vrdoljak/TZ Download Zona 

Header Image Credit: J. Duval/TZ Download Zona

Author: Tibor Trupec