At the end of our trip in Croatia, we headed inland from the coast to Zagreb, where we were going to be flying out from. We had less than a day in Zagreb, and I loved it so much I am determined to go back and spend more time there. Maybe set up a little home base there and take day trips out, into Slovenia, or Bosnia – I actually had begun the planning stages for this when the pandemic came down. I found the Airbnb and everything. That’s how much I loved Zagreb. I want time there, time to just wander around.
I said to Davor, our wonderful guide, “So I really want to see the Cathedral if you could just point us in the right direction …”
He said, “Oh. You’ll be able to find it.”
A slightly mysterious and intriguing comment – which I didn’t fully understand until we arrived in Zagreb, and finally got a look at the Cathedral. Uhm, yeah. No way you can miss it. Those two spires are so huge you can see them peeking up over every building, wherever you are. One of the spires was behind scaffolding (and had been for years) and last year a pretty big earthquake hit Croatia and that spire was damaged and had to be taken down). Our visit to the Cathedral was amazing: we arrived at exactly the right moment, when the full golden light of sunset hit the building face directly – making the entire thing BLAZE into something that seemed almost supernatural. And when we went inside, we were plunged into almost total darkness. I went to go dab my finger in the holy water basin and was nearly overrun by an entire high school soccer team, clattering in their cleats to beat me to the holy water punch.
I’ll be back, Croatia!
Years ago, in the late sixties, my parents were posted to the embassy in Belgrade and I went over for the summer after college. It was then one country, under Tito, and quite different from now, after all the wars. Still have memories of wonderful people, food, everything. But Belgrade had nothing on Zagreb! I agree with you. Go back. I never did and I’ve regretted it.
Am loving these daily pictures. So much life, so much history, so many stories.
Yeah, I mean I was in Zagreb for 15 hours or something like that – maybe less – but I fell in love with it, just walking around. and the good thing about it is it’s inland – so it is closer to other things within the Balkans. I MUST go to Mostar – that’s my #1, but I would also like to go to Sarajevo and for sure Belgrade. Mostar is pretty much a day trip from Zagreb – my heaven would be to “settle” in Zagreb for … a month? Two? (I found some very cheap airbnbs) – and just explore the city, with intermittent trips out. Very do-able!
Please go when travel is possible once more. And write about it for us. And take lots of pictures. Heaven!
I will for sure go back! That’s the plan!! Once the world opens up. Whenever that will be. :(