Antique fair on British square
You should absolutely visit the antique fair on British square if you're staying in Zagreb during the weekend.
British square, commonly known as Britanac, is just a five to ten minutes walk from the main city square or, if you prefer public transport, two tram stations (lines 1, 6 and 11) from the main square. British square is in the very heart of the city and over the years, it has become a real cultural checkpoint for all the fans of antiquity.
The locals always say that Britanac is one of the symbols of the city, always crowded and full of people who either search for nice antiques or enjoy their first coffee of the day.
The fair has been held every Sunday from 8 AM to 2 PM for 14 years now. A variety of old items of artistic value attracts many citizens of Zagreb to the fair.
If it's not raining or snowing, sellers arrive early in the morning to Britanac, where they carefully match items and decorate their stands while sipping their first morning coffee.
This is the perfect chance for you to experience a lively and picturesque local gathering. The best time for a visit is in the early morning or around noon when the fair is swarming with people.
You can buy almost everything at the fair – from decorative things, old books, to collectibles of both local and international origin. Vintage jewelry, paintings, dusty books from decades ago, shiny porcelain, chandeliers… Everything here has its own story and history. Well, that's the beauty of antiques.
Image credit: Cimet i bijela čokolada (http://cinnamon-white-chocolate.blogspot.com/)
It's also a good place for souvenir shopping. If you're not interested in standard, commercial souvenirs, visit Britanac and you'll find interesting and unique souvenirs. You can find old socialist stamps and coins from the time of Yugoslavia and, in general, you can learn a lot about Croatian and Balkan history. The souvenirs bought here are really special and unique; there is little chance of finding something similar anywhere else in Zagreb.
The prices of the antiques are diverse, they depend on the time period in which they're made, but you can always try to bargain, after all, you're at the urban market. Generally, you'll be able to lower the price down for a couple of hundred Kunas.
Image credit: Cimet i bijela čokolada (http://cinnamon-white-chocolate.blogspot.com/)
If you just like to observe, you can sit in one of the various cafe's on British square and enjoy your coffee while absorbing the interesting life of the market. Just sit and listen to this beautiful story which Zagreb is telling you. After couple of minutes, you'll start to feel like there's no better place to be on Sunday morning.
Look around and somewhere in the crowd you'll probably see a group of grandpas playing chess and fighting about the next move. Grandmas are probably sitting somewhere around you, sipping coffee, exchanging recipes and making plans for today's lunch.
After your coffee, you can walk down Kukuljevićeva Street, north from Britanac, towards park Zelengaj, quite an oasis in the city center. Involve all your senses and enjoy the fresh air, beautiful nature, and greenery... All that in about ten minutes walk from British square.
It doesn't matter if it's winter or summer, nature is always showing off here. Take a break and sit for a while on a bench, take that dusty old book you bought at the fair and start reading. Soon you'll get lost in some past times, at the same time enjoying beautiful birdsongs from the forest.
When you decide it's time to come back to 'civilization', go back to Britanac. It will probably be empty - everyone has gone home for lunch, happy about their unique purchases earlier that day.
There you go, you have just spent your Sunday as if you were one of the locals. Feels good, right?
Header image credit: Cimet i bijela čokolada (http://cinnamon-white-chocolate.blogspot.com/)
Author: Dora Kršul