There is a popular saying that Croatia is a small country made for a big holiday, and after visiting Zagreb, Croatia’s capitol city, I can say it is definitely true.
Beautiful Croatia is geographically situated in the southern eastern part of Europe with neighboring countries Hungary, Slovenia and Serbia.
The former Yugoslavia is known to be a popular summer destination as the Adriatic Sea draws many tourists from around the world. Even amongst other European countries, Croatia is highly favored by Slovakia, as many Slovaks enjoy vacationing in Croatia during the summer, dubbing the Adriatic Sea as the ‘Slovak Sea.
In April 2010, I decided to travel to Zagreb for a typical tourist trip which involved photography, shopping, sight-seeing, and experiencing the night life (also I just needed to get out of Bratislava for a change of scenery).
With a population of over 800 000 inhabitants, Zagreb is a very cosmopolitan capitol city with just about everything from a beautiful historical centre; countless cafes, bars, night clubs and restaurants; shopping centre’s for the avid shopper; and, of course, very friendly Croatian people. It’s not hard to socialize with the locals as the city centre is filled with people in pubs and bars who are mingling and drinking with the vast amount of tourists and expatriates visiting Zagreb. I have had the greatest blessing bestowed upon me to meet such a wonderful man in Zagreb during my visit to Croatia, and I can say that I really do love this country! During my visits to Zagreb, I’ve come up with some places that I can recommend are worth checking out if you plan to visit this beautiful city.
Shopping – City Centre One
Zagreb has many shopping centres, and if you love to shop, it is recommended visiting City Centre One. City Centre One was opened in 2006 and contains many designer label shops such as: Humanic, Guess, Bata, and Peek and Cloppenburg.
Not only is City Centre One a state-of-the art shopping centre, it also holds monthly events to promote local Croatian culture and causes for children. Currently, from May 27 to June 6, 2010 City Centre One is showcasing the Small Strawberry Fair.
I really enjoyed shopping at City Centre One; there are many stores that offer a lot of selection from men’s and women’s clothing with very reasonable prices.
Fine Dining – Baschiera Pizzeria Restaurant
Baschiera pizzeria restaurant is an elegant and modern facility serving traditional Italian dishes such as pasta and pizza. Baschiera’s clean and trendy interior design is perfect for a romantic date, dinner with friends, or a corporate lunch, as the décor is pleasant to the eyes and creates a warm ambiance to it. The food was amazing, I can recommend the chicken breast with spinach sauce with rice, I can say, it was simply delicious. With a diverse menu where you can choose many variations of Italian cuisine, it’s no wonder why Baschiera pizzeria is one of my favorite restaurants in Zagreb.
Night life – Purgeraj and Sax Night Clubs
The night life in Zagreb is something to definitely boast about. With many night clubs located in the city centre, there is a lot to choose from. Located behind the Zagreb Cathedral, Purgeraj is a hip and local night club which always draws in many people for a great night of drinks and music. After Purgeraj, you can walk down Palmoticeva street and Sax night club is also a hot spot you can check out for live music and dancing. Sax hosts many music bands covering rock and pop music and also acts as a lounge for patrons to sit down and enjoy a drink. I really liked these places because people are generally welcoming to tourists and there is a very good vibe between people.
