Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Zagreb’ Category

Croatia is much more than its gorgeous coast and islands. There’s Zagreb, Croatia’s capital and repository of Croatia’s tortuous history and complex culture. Now that you’re venturing into Croatia, why not get a taste of its legends, historical tales, folklore and music? From now until the end of September the Zagreb Tourist Board has turned the winding streets of Zagreb’s Upper Town into a “time machine” that allows visitors to experience the sights, sounds and flavors of Old Zagreb. Enter the “time machine” each Saturday and you’ll see reenactments of Zagreb’s favorite stories, musicians strolling the streets playing love songs for coins as they did in olden days and opportunities to sample local cakes and fruit. In front of the Cathedral, on Tkalciceva street and in front of the nearby Tourist Office there will be folk music and dance performances and all around the Upper Town you’ll see everyone from shopkeepers to postal clerks dressed in traditional style. Expect a detour into the dark side with witches, executioners and city guards making an appearance. When it all becomes too much, head to the heart of the Lower Town, Zrinjevac square, where  weekly pop-classical concerts will be performed by local and guest orchestras.

It sounds like a ball and a great experience for kids. Remember, it’s every Saturday from now until the end of September. See more about Zagreb.

The verdict is in! Some 300 culinary experts including chefs, journalists, food writers and industry professionals voted in an anonymous poll for the best restaurants in Croatia. It’s an ambitious project and the results will be published in a book to appear in May. Also in the works is a website and other PR materials. Meanwhile, gastronomes can use this list to plan their trip to Croatia. Serious foodies will clearly want to concentrate on Zagreb which has the most restaurants on the list.

1. Bistro Apetit, Zagreb

2. Takenoko, Zagreb

3.Prasac, Zagreb

4. Plavi Podrum, Volosko

5. Batelina, Banjole

6. Dubravkin put, Zagreb

7. Le Mandrać, Volosko

8. Draga di Lovrana, Lovran

9. Kukuriku, Kastav

10. Nautika, Dubrovnik

11. Apetit City, Zagreb

12. San Rocco, Brtonigla

13. Vinodol, Zagreb

14. Johnson, Mošćenićka Draga

15. Mano, Zagreb

16. Pelegrini, Šibenik

17. Baltazar, Zagreb

18. Foša, Zadar

19. Carpaccio, Zagreb

20. Damir & Ornella, Novigrad

Restaurant Wine-Bars

1.Dubravkin put, Zagreb

2. Plavi podrum, Volosko

3. Apetit City, Zagreb

Regionalne liste

Slavonia

1. Hotel Dunav, Ilok

2. Kormoran, Bilje

3. Klub restoran Waldinger, Osijek

Zagreb Region

1. Mala Hiža, Mačkovec

2. Špiček, Zaprešić

3. Kod špilje, Otruševac

Istria-Kvarner

1. Plavi podrum, Volosko

2. Batelina, Banjole

3. Le Mandrać, Volosko

Dalmatia

1. Nautika, Dubrovnik

2. Pelegrini, Šibenik

3. Foša, Zadar

The countryside around Zagreb is one of the most under-appreciated regions of Croatia and Veliki Tabor its crown jewel. This 16th-century castle has long been striking on the outside and eerily empty inside. That’s now been fixed. After a long restoration, the castle is now open for visitors. Go. You won’t be disappointed. I even liked it way back when there was nothing much to see, just because it conjured up an era of star-crossed lovers and fair damsels. Now, it’s even more beautiful and it contains a museum that takes you through its history.

With a web of international flights, Croatia should not lack for visitors next year. Here’s an early roundup of 2012 flights to Croatia:

Monarch Airlines will fly from Manchester, Birmingham and London Gatwick to Dubrovnik.

Croatia Airlines will start two weekly flights from Munich to Dubrovnik on April 16. Alas, this year’s service from Vienna and Istanbul to Dubrovnik will be retired. Zadar will get a direct weekly flight from Paris Charles de Gaulle starting on May 1. And this year’s popular Zagreb to Athens route will resume next summer, making it easy to extend your Mediterranean holiday to Greece. In more good news, fun-loving French  can spend New Year’s in Dubrovnik with a direct route from Paris Charles de Gaulle that will run twice weekly  all year.

Why do Russians visit Zagreb in winter? Who knows. Maybe Zagreb is warmer than Moscow. Maybe they’ll make a beeline to the balmier Dalmatian coast. This year Aeroflot will maintain daily flights between Zagreb and Moscow throughout the year.

Connections to Scandinavia and Central Europe are already scheduled for next year. Check out the following (with a thanks to Ex-Yu Aviation news):

Stockholm – Dubrovnik (March 25) SAS

Karlsruhe – Zadar (March 28) Ryanair

Copenhagen – Split (March 31) SAS

Helsinki – Dubrovnik (April 02) Finnair

Dubrovnik – Munich (April 16) Croatia Airlines

Zadar – Paris (May 01) Croatia Airlines

Bern – Split (May 05) SkyWork Airlines

Frankfurt – Rijeka (May 05) Condor

Frankfurt – Dubrovnik (May 13) Condor

Manchester – Pula (May 19) Jet2.com

Zurich – Dubrovnik (May 27) Edelweiss Air

Bergen – Split (June 25) SAS

Stavanger – Split (June 25) SAS

Copenhagen – Dubrovnik (July 04) SAS

Rotterdam – Split (July 07) Transavia.com

See more on cheap flights to Croatia!

Sightseeing in Zagreb could be a challenge on June 4 and 5 when Croatia’s capital will be abuzz with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Although Pope John Paul II made several visits to Croatia, this will be the first for the current Pope. As Croatia is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, the turnout is expected to be large and enthusiastic. With crowds, security details and ceremonies, central Zagreb will be a holy mess. Here is the program:

June 4

• 11am arrival at Zagreb’s Pleso Airport followed by a meeting with the President in the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister in the Apostolic Nunciatore at 1.50pm. Both are in Gornji Grad or Upper Zagreb
• 6.15pm meeting at Zagreb’s National Theatre with local political, religious and diplomatic luminaries.
• 7.30pm prayer vigil in Zagreb’s central Jelacic Square

June 5

• 10am mass in Zagreb hippodrome
• 2pm lunch with Croatian bishops
• 5pm vespers and prayer at the tomb of Stepinac at Zagreb Cathedral
• 7.45 departure for Rome from Pleso Airport.