Archive for April, 2007
April 23rd, 2007 | 
Author: The Sunday New York Times has run another article extolling the virtues of Zagreb. Here’s what they say:
Take Vienna’s florid architecture, throw in Budapest’s bubbling cafe culture, and you get Zagreb, Croatia’s grand capital. A showcase of fin-de-siècle architecture capped by not one, but two hilltop medieval towns, Zagreb’s unexpected beauty is drawing sophisticated weekenders.
One could spend an entire day just wandering from cafe to cafe on Trg Bana Jelacica, the main square, chatting with the friendly and fashionable locals. At night, the action moves to the city’s old-style restaurants. At the rustic favorite Vallis Aurea (Tomiceva 4; 385-1-48-31-305), you can order hearty dishes like pork cutlets or rump steak for under 8 euros. Afterward, cross the street to Vinoteka Pantheon (Tomiceva 5; 385-1-48-33-907), a chic new bar that serves Croatian delicacies and wine.
The shopping is surprisingly good, too. All the global fashion labels are present, but residents are just as likely to peruse the Hrelic flea market on Sunday mornings for 1960′s chandeliers and Modernist furniture. The one thing Zagreb lacks is designer hotels, which is just as well, considering that grand places like the Hotel Dubrovnik (Gajeva 1; 385-1-4863-555; www.hotel-dubrovnik.hr), on Trg Bana Jelacica, start at just 120 euros (about $165).
Although I like the Hotel Dubrovnik, mainly for its outstanding location, it’s not quite true that there are no “designer” hotels. Oh yes there is! The Arcotel Allegra also has a great location and has put a lot of effort into the modern decor and design.
Read more about accommodation in Zagreb
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Dubrovnik has been on the eastern Mediterranean cruise circuit for some time. Now it seems almost obligatory to include a stop in Dubrovnik on any cruise sailing between Italy and, say, Greece. Recently cruise companies have discovered other Croatian ports of call. Split, Rovinj, Zadar, Korcula, Hvar and Pula are all scheduled to be graced by the big cruise liners. Yesterday, Windstar announced two brand-new Adriatic routes to start in 2008 and they do look enticing. From Venice to Dubrovnik, one route stops at Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split and Korcula and another route goes from Dubrovnik to Venice with stops at Kotor, Hvar, Sibenik, Rab and Trieste. This is great news for the many, many people that would like to cover the Adriatic coast between Venice and Dubrovnik without having to travel by land. See more on Croatia cruises.
