Zagreb
a:Grad Zagreb
r:Zagreb
Zagreb has been on my travel list for a while now and we finally managed to squeeze in a visit to Croatia's capital city in February 2018. Located in the north western part of Croatia, we arrived by plane at Zagreb airport and ordered an Uber car to take us to our hotel. Taxies are also available from the airport but they cost approximately double to Uber fare. Still good value for money and a fast solution to get into town. The city has under 1 million inhabitants and is not too large. And it reminded me of Vienna and even of Prague in many ways. Bring on sightseeing and exploring!
Stay here in Zagreb
a:Grad Zagreb
r:Zagreb
I first heard about this beauty of a hotel when I started working for the Regent Berlin. Six years ago, the (link: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10074&awinaffid=727981&clickref=Esplanade&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FHotel_Review-g294454-d301428-Reviews-Esplanade_Zagreb_Hotel-Zagreb_Central_Croatia.html text: Esplanade Hotel) was still part of Regent Hotels & Resorts and I traveled with the Salespeople of the hotel around the world. I have heard so many stories and facts about Zagreb's best hotel and was so looking forward to finally experiencing this for myself. And it didn't disappoint... The Esplanade Hotel was opened in 1925 for the passengers of the Orient Express and is located in this beautiful historic building which saw a complete renovation in 2004. It is the number one hotel address in Zagreb and located in close proximity to the train station as well as the inner city and most sights.. The hotel has just over 200 hundred bedrooms, 2 restaurants, a bar, and a stunning ballroom. Every member of staff we encountered during our stay was warm and welcoming and made sure we were looked after as best as possible. The hotel has a classic style with a lot of attention to detail and we felt right at home. A little note from the General Manager and a sweet little something from the kitchen awaited us in our very spacious, elegant room. Breakfast was served in the hotel`s fine dining restaurant which is decorated elegantly. The selection of food and drinks was sumptuous with a huge variety of many really tasty dishes to choose from. We felt so very well looked after during our stay and would not dream of staying anywhere else, should we travel back to Zagreb in the near future.
Sightseeing in Zagreb
a:Trg Katarine Zrinske
r:Zagreb
After a few hours at the Arena Centre Shopping Mall and spending some money, we headed back to the city center to explore. From the Esplanade Hotel, we headed north towards the Upper City, past the historic buildings of the old town, towards Ban Josip Jelacic square. All around the square are numerous, boutique, shops, restaurants, and cafes mixed with the historic sights of the city. Take the funicular to get to the highest point of the city for a great view all around. The Lotrscak Tower is a great spot for photos. And if you are in need of a break and something delicious, head to Tkalciceva Street. There is one restaurant and café next to another and you are spoilt for choice. There is a lot to see and discover in (link: https://www.infozagreb.hr/&lang=en text: Zagreb) and these are my top sightseeing recommendations: The Cathedral is a strikingly beautiful roman catholic landmark and the tallest building in Croatia. Constructed and firstly opened in 1217 it has a long history and suffered many setbacks. A great landmark of the city and a must-see in my opinion on your tour of the city. The (link: http://www.brokenships.com text: Museum of Broken Relationships) was recommended to me and is dedicated to failed relationships of any kind. It is the city's first privately owned museum and very popular with tourist (open 7 days a week) At the start of the idea for this museum, people sent items that reminded them of lost love or a lost relative and they wrote down the brief story that comes with this donation they made. Once the collection reached a significant size of items and stories, it started travelling the world before it found a permanent home in Zagreb. Since 2016, the city of Los Angeles also has a Museum of Broken Relationships! St. Mark's Church is still active and the parish church of the old Zagreb. On the roof, the tiles represent the coat of arms of Zagreb and the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slovenia, and Dalmatia.
Going out
a:Grad Zagreb
r:Zagreb
On Friday night, we visited a Jazz Bar. The hotel reserved a space for us and got a table right next to the band. I have to admit I don't know that much about Jazz, but Alex is really into music and he enjoyed it very much. The bar is called "Harmica" and they have live Jazz music every night of the week. What I loved most about it was that the musicians came in with their instruments to listen to the performance. They were guests like us, but at one point, one of them got his trumpet out and just joined the three other musicians performing for an impromptu session. That was pretty cool and the audience really enjoyed it too. Another tip I want to mention is a Café called "Velvet". We found it while walking the streets on Sunday afternoon. Very stylishly decorated from the inside, great selection of coffees and cake and for a quick espresso, they even have cushions on the window sills outside. Loved it!
