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 Zagreb is a city that exudes a Mediterranean lifestyle. It's a city to see and to be seen in. Chic boutiques, countless street side cafes filled with fashion conscious people enjoying good times with friends. It has an atmosphere and a pace of life that makes you feel great.
My stay in Zagreb was at the Regent Esplanade Hotel. Originally built for passengers arriving on the Orient Express, the hotel is just around the corner from the train station and a 10 minute walk from the city centre. Great people have stayed here, Charles Lindbergh, Orson Wells, Liv Ullman, Louis Armstrong and Woody Allen just to name a few. An unexpected invitation to have dinner with the Canadian Ambassador in the hotel had me panicking, I didn't bring a jacket with me on this trip. Not a problem, the concierge arranged to have a selection of jackets brought to my room so that I could select a proper fitted one and not look out of place at dinner. No charge for this, all part of the great service the hotel offers, in addition there is wireless internet access throughout the hotel and in every room, it's free, no cards to buy no codes to type in, it's like being at home. There are other fine hotels to choose from as well, the Sheraton Zagreb, the Westin Zagreb, Hotel Dubrovnik, Best Western Astoria and others.
Quick notes: Currency here is the Croatia Kuna (HRK) and $1Canadian or American will get you about 4.6 Kunas at today's exchange rates.
More value for your dollar in Croatia than countries using the strong Euro.
Electrical voltage is 220V.
Zagreb is known as the ‘city of museums’, and there are more museums per capita here than anywhere else in the world.
Zagreb's Pleso airport (ZAG) is about 17km southeast of the city. Taxi to city center with cost you about 200 Kuna.
Buses also make the journey from the airport to the main bus station, takes about 30 minutes and cost is 25 Kuna.
The great thing about Zagreb is that you can walk practically everywhere, or take a tram to get to where you need to go. I can't see it all but these are some of the highlights and I covered these on foot.
Mimara Museum which hosts Zagreb's most impressive art collection in 42 rooms displaying over 1,700 objects including paintings, statues and rare archeological finds. You will find works by masters such as Rembrandt, Van Goyen, Rubens, Van Dyck, Goya, Turner, and Degas. Entry fee is 20 Kuna.
 Zagreb Cathedral - The full name is The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Probably the most famous landmark in all of Zagreb as it can be seen from all parts of the city. Located in the Kaptol district of the upper town not too far from the Dolac Market. Constructed between the 13th and 15th century but some form of the cathedral dates back to the 10th century, now we're talking history here.
The left tower is currently shrowded in scaffolding as repair work seems to be going on.
After a short visit to the Cathedral it was on to the Dolac Market - A traditional market with fresh fish, meat, vegetables, fruit and other produce, in the Kaptol District. Make sure you visit the flower market that is attached to the main market as well.
Westward from the market I entered Kamenita Vrata Gate or "Stone Gate" It is the last remaining ancient city gate in Zagreb and was once the entrance to the Upper Town (Gornji Grad) district. It has been in existence since the middle ages. Inside is a small chapel that was constructed after a fire in 1731 destroyed all buildings around Stone Gate but left a picture of Mother Mary intact. The people of Zagreb believed this was a miracle and built the chapel to protect the painting. Today the painting is secured behind a metal grille and countless visitors coming to pray and leave gifts or light candles, quite a moving experience.
Continuing along I come across St. Mark's Church and the Croatian Parliament buildings. Built in the 13th century the church has undergone numerous architectural changes. Today you can't mistake the church for another, as its colorful tiled roof depicts the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia on the left and the coat of arms of the city of Zagreb on the right.
If you are in Zagreb at noon time make sure you head over to Lotrscak Tower built in the 13th century, it's just south of St. Mark's Church and over looks the lower town. Every day precisely at noon a cannon is fired and the locals set their watches to it. You can climb the tower for a few Kunas and get some great views.
Directly underneath the tower is the funicular of Zagreb one of the shortest and steepest funicular railways in the world. Hop on board and it will take you down to Ilica street in the Lower Town (Donji Grad) where you can shop to your hearts content. Ilica Street has brand name designer boutiques, shoe stores, snack bars and more. Keep walking east and you will arrive at Ban Jelacic Square the main square of Zagreb.
 This is the hub of the city. All the main trams pass through here, as well you will find the helpful tourist information office and yes they do speak excellent English and other languages as well.
During my brief stay they had a rock concert in the square that attracted about 60,000 people, what a great way to spend an evening in a European city.
Surrounding the square area are several pedestrian only streets that are lined with outdoor cafes, a great place to relax, enjoy the company of friends and people watch in a casual atmosphere.
Now for something completely different and relaxing - a visit to one of Europe's most beautiful and stunning cemeteries - Mirogoj. It may not be up there on the list of things to do in Zagreb but a lot of tourists do take the time to visit, and they are not disappointed.
The long arcades, the tree lined walks make it a contemplative resting place. Since 1876 some 300,000 souls have been buried here. It contains a religious mix of Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant , and Jewish faiths, something quite unique. If you make it to Zagreb do try and visit, it's a cemetery unlike any other you may have seen.
Well that was a quick visit to Zagreb.
I found the most affordable and direct route from North America on Skyservice Airlines.They are the only North American airline that offers direct flights to Zagreb from Toronto.
If you need assistance with tours outside of Zagreb, hotels in other cities such as Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar or even a sailing adventure in the Adriatic Sea Ban Tours can assist you with all your needs.
Here is a link to their website http://www.bantours.com
I'm off to explore the Adriatic coast of Croatia now. Zadar is my next stop will update you from there.
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