Quezi

over the roofs of Zagreb - courtesy Brenda Annerl - CC-BY

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and the country’s largest city.

The first recorded appearance of the name Zagreb is dated in 1094 though ancient Roman settlements preceeded it. In 1991, it became the capital of the country following secession from Yugoslavia.

Zagreb is not especially considered a tourist destination but it does have a lot to offer. The city is divided into three parts. There is the thousand-year old Gornji grad (upper town) which has the Presidential Palace, the church of St. Mark’s, the parliament, museums and galleries which are all set on cobbled streets lit by gas lamps. Then the 19th century Donji grad (lower town) with its shops, restaurants, cafes, theatres, parks and the modern post-war (WWII) Novi Zagreb which is full of high-rise buildings and basically has nothing to offer visitors. Zagreb is also nicknamed the city of museums, as there are 21 within the capital.

Diners will find a wide offering of places to eat and sometimes gastronomical surprises. One can enjoy local dishes or Mediterranean specialties that come to you directly from the Adriatic sea.  There is also an assortment of good international fare. Nothing reflects Zagreb’s rapid gentrification more than its shopping scene with stores, malls and little shopfronts in its two-storey houses. The highlight of shopping in Zagreb has to be a visit to Dolac, the market on the north side of Trg Bana Jelacica. Visitors looking for reasonably priced souvenirs and gifts should check out the craft stalls behind the fruit and vegetable section. Croatian wines, olive oils and truffle products make perfect presents.

The climate of Zagreb is classified as humid subtropical. The average temperature in winter is 1 C (34 F) and the average temperature in summer is 20 C (68 °F). Particularly, the end of May gets very warm with temperatures rising above 30 C (86 °F).

Zagreb is served by Zagreb Airport. Public transportation is tram, bus and taxi.

Zagreb population is 786,200 (2008).

+385 is the international calling code for Croatia.
1 is the area code for Zagreb

For more information about Zagreb

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