#TouristsOfZagreb: Zagreb Through an Eye of a Brit
While exploring Zagreb in April, we met Jennifer. She is a British engineer and a first time visitor in Zagreb and Croatia.
''I’m working my first job after my master's degree, and I’m currently on a personal mission to explore every country in Europe. Croatia is the 23rd country which I have visited so far.''– Jennifer told us while introducing herself.
Image credit: Jennifer Thompson
So, why Zagreb and Croatia?
I was very sure that I wanted to visit Croatia next, so when I had a chance to go on holiday this spring, I've read articles, blogs, and guides about Croatia to choose a city to visit. I chose Zagreb because it is cosmopolitan, culturally and historically rich, with plenty of things to do and the opportunity to travel outside the city to the countryside or Plitvice Lakes if I fancied it while here. The bonus was that it’s an affordable place to have an adventure.
What did you see in Zagreb during your stay?
I saw a lot of the museums, for example, the Museum of broken relationships and the Museum of illusions. There are a plethora of quirky museums in which you can happily spend a morning or afternoon. I also spent a lot of time just walking around the city, including taking the free walking tour, which was incredible, and occasionally stopping for coffee in the cafes as a break. The coffee in Zagreb is wonderful! I very much enjoyed sitting in one of the many coffee shops to read my book or knit.
Image credit: Jennifer Thompson
What did you find different in Zagreb to your home country?
The architecture here is very different to the UK. It felt a lot like Munich rather than a former communist capital such as Bucharest. It also felt very safe for a European capital. The people were very nice when I struggled with Croatian and very welcoming in general. Also, the style of museums is very different to the UK where museums are a place to spend an entire day with broad themes and free rather than a very quirky and interesting place to spend a few hours.
Was there something you didn’t like in Zagreb?
I didn’t particularly enjoy the fact that you could smoke in bars and cafes. It meant I had to be more selective about where I went if I wanted to settle with my coffee. I also wasn’t a fan of my hostel. It was a tad too dingy for the place it sold itself as a party hostel. But as a city, Zagreb more than made up for the accommodation. I barely wanted to go back there as I was enjoying the city so much.
Header credit image: M. Vrdoljak, TZGZ
Author: Darija Ilić