We arrived quite late in the evening to Croatia’s capital – Zagreb. The plane landed in Franjo Tuđman Airport Zagreb, which is quite modern airpot I must say. We’ve picked up our rental car, which costs us only € 102 for 9 days with unlimited mileage and we’ve got pretty new Open Mokka, with only 19,000 km!
We’ve stayed in Hotel Residence Zagreb. Given we’ve paid for Deluxe room it was more like economy not deluxe. Also on Expedia it said 4 star hotel. I would give 2 the most. The air conditioner was not working and in the room it was 24°C, so possible to sleep, but not very pleasant. No hair conditioner, no lotion just a big bottle of Gel & Shampoo in one. Also not much of the view from the window and that ugly wall gets lit up at night haha. I really don’t recommend this hotel. Maybe you can find something close to the centre and with better service as this one is 30min away by tram.

Zagreb is most famous for its vibrant café culture, with many outdoor cafes spilling out onto the streets in the summer months. It is also known for its many museums, galleries and theaters.






The bronze statue of St. George and the Dragon, created by sculptors Andreas Kompatscher (Italian) and Arthur Winder (Austrian) created in 1906. It is located near the Stone Gate.
This depiction of Saint George is distinct from the usual one, which usually portrays him in the act of slaying the dragon. Instead, this painting shows George after his battle with the dragon, with the animal lying dead at his horse’s feet. He is presented in the same way as a hunter would give respect to a defeated animal, as if he is thanking God for his victory. George has taken off his helmet and his hands are crossed. Both he and his horse are looking downwards, and the horse has long hair on its legs and a knot in its tail, appearing as a typical medieval working horse.

The Stone Gate is located on the east side of the city, at the end of the main street, Strossmayerovo šetalište. It was built during the 13th century and is the only remaining gate of the original city walls. The gate consists of two towers, one on each side, connected by a stone arch. The gate is decorated with stone reliefs depicting the Virgin Mary, St. Mark and St. John the Baptist.
The gate was originally part of the city’s fortifications and was used to regulate the entrance of people and goods into the city. It was damaged in the Great Fire of 1731, but was later restored in 1760.

The painting of the Virgin Mary in Zagreb dates back to the first half of the 17th century. It is in the Stone Gate. The painting was commissioned by the Governor of Zagreb, Ivan Lenković, and was painted by an anonymous artist. It is believed to have been painted between 1650 and 1670. The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus in a tender embrace. In the 17th century, the painting was said to be miraculous and was believed to have saved the city from a great fire in 1731 and it survived the fire which destroyed Stone Gate.

We were quite unlucky as the St. Mark’s Church was close for renovation as well!


The Museum of Broken Relationships is a unique museum that opened in 2010, dedicated to the preservation of lost love. It was founded and opened by Olinka Vistica and Drazen Grubisic, two Croatian artists who wanted to create a space to explore the complexities of human relationships. The museum collects items from former lovers worldwide and displays them with accompanying stories, creating an emotional and powerful exhibition. It also hosts educational events and workshops to promote understanding of relationships and the emotions associated with them.
We arrived to museum around 11:00 am and there were only few people inside, but just before 12:00pm it was very crowded. Probably due to fact that people flock to nearby Lotrščak Tower just before 12:00pm to see the canon. The entrance is € 7 for an adult. It is not very big (~5 small rooms), but takes time to read the articles.

What would you do if you’ve got a book like that from your loved one?

Well I must say that was very unconventional way, but nowadays you would also need to block in all social media, emails haha.





Lotrščak Tower was built in the 13th century by the city’s founder, King Ladislaus of Hungary. It is the oldest structure in Zagreb and one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city.
The tower was initially used as a watchtower to protect the city from invaders. It was also used to signal the arrival of important visitors and the start of important celebrations. The tower was damaged several times throughout its history, including an earthquake in 1880 and World War II bombing. However, it has been restored several times and is currently in good condition.
In the 19th century, the tower was used as a prison, and later as a shooting range. In the 20th century, it was used for tourist attractions, including a zoo and a clock museum. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction and is open to the public. Visitors can explore the tower, view the city from the top, and learn about its history.
The Legend of Lotrščak Tower canon, which is being fired every day at midday, dates back to the 16th century when the city was under siege by the Ottoman Empire. It is said that a cannon mounted in the tower was fired and a cannonball flew across the Sava river and struck a chicken being cooked for the pasha’s dinner, leading him to believe it was an omen of bad luck. As a result, the superstitious leader called off the siege, thereby saving Zagreb.
The sound is really loud so be prepared! I literally jumped (and made a sound haha).
Later on we took stairs down instead of Funicular.




Apparently before mobile phone era, this clock was a popular meeting spot.

The Ban Josip Jelačić Statue is a bronze equestrian statue is one of the most famous and recognizable landmarks of the city. The statue was commissioned by the Croatian Parliament in 1866, and was created by Austrian sculptor Anton Dominik Fernkorn. It was unveiled on October 10, 1866 in honour of the 50th anniversary of Jelačić’s victory in the Battle of Szeged against the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

Central plaza has a big intersection of tram routes, so you will see quite a lot of trams here.
Later on we walked through three beautiful parks: Park Zrinjevac, Park Josipa Jurja Strossmayera and Ledeni Park until the Central Train Station (Glavni kolodvor).





The King Tomislav Statue is a bronze equestrian statue was erected in 1947 to commemorate King Tomislav, the first ruler of Croatia and the founder of the Croatian state. It was designed by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović and stands 28 meters high, making it the tallest equestrian statue in the world. In addition to its size, the statue is also noteworthy for its intricate details, including the finely detailed costume and individual hair strands of the king’s horse. We’ve noticed a lot of people where just sitting next to it and enjoying the Sun.




After a walk through that long green park we took a tram back to see the famous tunnel. Tram costs us only € 0.53. The only problem was marking the ticket. It seems you can mark it only in the front of the tram (at least in the old one we’ve took), but the machine was working quite intermittently, so we managed to mark only 1 of 3 tickets. Luckily we haven’t been caught.


The cars and motorbikes cannot overtake Trams without risking going into another tram coming from front.

There was a street fair with a lot of people, but we were famished, so we wanted to see the famous tunnel and head to the restaurant.



Grič Tunel (also called Gradec or Gornji Grad) was built during World War II as a bomb shelter and transport link through the hill of Gornji Grad. It measures 350 meters long and up to 5.5 meters wide, connecting Mesnička and Stjepan Radić Streets. Despite criticism of its expense, construction went ahead, though changes were made to the original plan. After the war, the tunnel was used as a warehouse and was largely abandoned, becoming a home for the unhoused and others seeking temporary shelter. In the 1990s, the tunnel was revived with rave parties and proposals for a “museum of senses”. Finally, in 2016, it reopened as a cultural center, with displays of Croatian culture, everyday life and science. Visitors can take a walk through the history of Croatia and Zagreb, and explore interactive exhibits such as a Rain Room and a Tesla machine.

Later on we headed to the restaurant. First we wanted to try La Štruk, which had a good rating (4.6 stars) and it was serving Croatian specialties. After queueing in a corridor for awhile in front of a very bad smell toilet (smelled like a sewage!) we’ve got the table, but just to find out that no one will bother to come and take our oder. We’ve waited like 10-15min and left. Also quite limited food options.
So next stop was Capuciner restaurant with 4.4 rating. I’ve ordered some pork skewers and rib-eye steak. All was very delicious.


After the meal we’ve got Chocolate souffle with an ice cream. I think it was one of the best desserts I’ve had in my life!

The total for 3 people came as € 72.33 and we were happy they were accepting credit cards!
Quiet good place for a meal.




Would you recommend visiting Zagreb?
Yes if you are planning to go out clubbing. Otherwise no.
Very good outlook, insightful as always. I must say I dont feel like visiting it given your account so I might just give it a day and then move on 😀
Just choose a nicer hotel for sure 😉