On another autumn weekend, my friends and I flew to Croatia, namely to its capital Zagreb, which attracted us with its glorious past and many attractions. This ancient city is recognized as the country’s tourist center. It is located on the coasts of the Sava – the tide of the Danube, where the mountain peaks of Ursa are located.
How to get to Zagreb
A plane ticket from Moscow costs approximately 20,000 rubles* per person round trip. The local airport is located 15 km from the central part of the city. This distance can be covered by shuttle in 35-40 minutes.
Where to stay in Zagreb
Luxury hotels in the capital (Esplanade, Sheraton, The Westin, Hotel Le Premier) offer rooms at affordable prices. Booking a double deluxe room will cost a minimum of 1,100 Croatian kuna – HRK (approximately 11,800 rubles* per night per person. For an elite breakfast you will have to pay an additional 160 HRK (1,700 rubles*).
The cost of accommodation in classic inexpensive hotels (Annie’s Bed&Breakfast, Hotel Residence) costs about 300–700 kuna (from 3200 to 7500 rubles*).
Zagreb: immersion in the history and culture of Croatia
Zagreb attracts tourists with its numerous galleries, theaters, monuments, cathedrals, churches and monasteries. In addition, many old mansions here have been turned into museums. Zagreb is famous for its unique buildings in the Empire and Classicism styles. Many traditional local houses are decorated with figures of dragons, various mythical creatures and reptiles. Therefore, even without visiting memorable places, we admired the local color.
We started our sightseeing from the Archbishop’s Palace, built in the center of the Croatian capital. The magnificent building, built in the Baroque style, in the past served as the residence of local archbishops.
We continued our acquaintance with the religious monuments of the city at the Cathedral, which is considered the symbol of Zagreb. His image can also be seen on the state banknote of 1000 kuna. Over the long history of the cathedral, it was destroyed several times. But the religious complex was always restored, giving it an increasingly impressive appearance.
Then we visited the Historical Museum of Croatia. Its collection consists of more than 700 items, the list of which includes ancient objects made of glass, iron and ceramics. Almost all of the exhibits on display here were found during archaeological excavations in Croatia. Many of them date back to the XIV-XIX centuries. The museum additionally stores documents of historical value. Ticket price – 15 kn*.
Photo: Dedo Luka/shutterstock.com
Continuing our study of the history of Croatia, we went to the Museum of Ethnography. The exhibition consists of 80,000 items. The main part of the exhibits is dedicated to the vibrant and original local culture. The museum collection includes ancient gold and silver jewelry, ancient dishes, and household items. Particularly interesting is the collection of dolls from Leposav Perinic – all of them are dressed in real national costumes. Ticket costs 20 kn.
Photo: gary yim/shutterstock.com
We went to the Museum of Divorces with particular interest. Despite its sad name, the exhibition deserves special attention. Its exhibits consist of a variety of objects that testify to the broken relationships of couples in love. Many of them were brought from different parts of the world. In 2001, the institution received the European Museum of the Year award. Entrance: 30 kn*.
My parents talked a lot about the 80s in the USSR, and the Museum of the 80s helped us get in touch with them. It offers a unique interactive reconstruction of daily life in the former Yugoslavia that crosses past and future. The exhibition is designed in the form of an apartment of a wealthy Yugoslav resident, where you can touch and twist everything: for example, put on a vinyl record or smell the Red October perfume. We experienced a feeling of complete immersion in the world of the Soviet past. Entrance: 40 kn*.
We spent more than half a day in Maksimir Park. Its vast territory of 316 hectares accommodates 4 ponds, 11 monuments and buildings, and more than 10 thousand trees. The southern part is flat, here is the patrimony of European hornbeams and English oaks. Between the northern hills of Maksimir grow black alders, white willows, ash trees, small elms, white poplars, heart-shaped lindens, and on the hills themselves there are sessile and Turkish oaks, chestnuts, bird cherry, hazel, and European beeches.
Photo: Vladislav Mavrin /shutterstock.com
Of course, we couldn’t ignore the Zagreb City Museum. We began admiring the past of the capital by examining the building, which consists of three separate buildings: the convent of St. Clara from the 17th century, an observation tower built in the 12th century, and the largest granary in the city from the 17th century. The exhibition will help you see how weapons and uniforms, household items and clothing have changed. Standards, coats of arms, flags, and ancient maps will tell you a lot about the Middle Ages. Ancient archaeological excavations will complement the history of the country in prehistoric times. Entrance – 20 kn*.
Photo: Zdravko T/shutterstock.com
In the city center, we recommend visiting the Zagreb Gric Tunnel, built during World War II to protect the city’s inhabitants. It was abandoned after the war and reopened in 1990. At that time, the first rave parties were held in the Grich tunnel. Now this is a popular tourist route; exhibitions and filming are held here. It looks especially colorful during Advent (Nativity Fast).
Karlovac – a city of churches and fortresses
We decided to spend the third day of our trip in the city of Karlovac. We got here by train. The fare starts from €3*, we spent an hour on the road.
A room for one night for one adult, depending on the place of residence, will cost from 1650 to 9000 rubles*.
We began our exploration of the city with a walk along the former fortifications of Karlovac. Now, where there was previously a rampart and a ditch, there are three lines of boulevards. Inside an almost continuous ring are houses from the 18th and 19th centuries. Most of them were heavily damaged in 1991, during the collapse of Yugoslavia. Then the front line was only 5 km away, and the destruction is still hard to look at. The main square of Karlovac named after Ban Jelacic (Trg bana Jelacica) looks deserted.
With great interest we entered the Church of the Holy Trinity (Crkva presvetog Trojstva), located on the corner of the square. We were struck by its extremely low vaults, painted with frescoes in the Baroque style. If you walk one block from Strossmayerov trg, you can visit the tiny City Museum (Gradski muzej), located in the Frankopan Winter Palace. There is a model of old Karlovac, as well as a collection of local national costumes.
If you move in a southeast direction, along the street. Klaiceva, and then along the street. Ruski put, then after 10 minutes you will find yourself in a park near the Korana River, next to the cafe. From time to time, a flock of swans that are not afraid of anyone comes out onto the pebble beach. To see the Dubovac citadel, built in the Middle Ages, you need to walk 30 minutes outside the city in the opposite direction. Follow from the center to the west of the city along the street. Vladka Maceka (Ulica Vladka Maceka), and then turn left, towards the hill.
The castle used to be the property of the Frankopans, feudal lords of the island of Krk, who later seized power in mainland Croatia. Dubovac Citadel is a small but well-preserved building. The triangular courtyard is framed by three tiers of galleries. Climbing up to the outdoor terrace, you can enjoy the picturesque view of Karlovac, located in the valley at the foot of the hill.
4 km from the city towards Plitvice is the village of Turanj, where the Museum of the War of National Independence (Muzejska zbirka naoruzanja domovinskog rata) is located. There, near the destroyed Habsburg barracks, armored vehicles, tanks and artillery installations lined up in the open air. By the way, it was here in 1991 that Croatian defenders stopped the Serbian attack.
It was in Karlovac that our weekend in Croatia ended. This small town proved that you don’t always need to visit world capitals to see really interesting things.
*Prices valid at time of publication
