6. Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb

Monday, June 26, 2023

Another bright and sunny morning greeted us.  Breakfast in our hotel was followed by an Uber ride to the intersection where the tourist bus begins its circuit around town. We were a bit concerned that there was no sign but some local shopkeepers reassured us that we were at the correct spot. And there was a delightful couple from Australia waiting as well.

Before long a large blue open-topped bus arrived and invited us to jump on board.  We did exactly that and climbed the stairs to claim the best seats as we four were the first customers of the day. Soon after, the bus left and went around a large block and ended up at the other end of the promenade where we had met. And guess what? The red Hop On Hop Off bus was there as well. We thought that is what we were going to ride on. But, having paid our fare on the blue bus, we decided to stick with it. (Jim had actually read some poor reviews of the red bus so were hoping the blue bus was better.)

The driver explained that this was, in fact, the official starting place for the tour and that we would wait for about 10  minutes for other passengers to arrive. In the meantime, the red bus left and all remaining passengers joined us. The advantage of the blue bus was that it is open-topped with clear views of everything. The driver also provided umbrellas lest it get too hot and sunny. (It did ... and the umbrella was invaluable, protecting head and arms from the intense heat.)

Our tour began at the Zrinjevac Park, a large and lush park with gardens and pathways and lots of shade. It was delightful and many people were strolling along the paths already. Next came the Lotrsiak Tower (1250), the last remaining medieval city tower.  Next was St. Mark's Square where the Parliament House, the Government House and the City Hall were all located. St. Mark's Church completes the Square. The church was badly damaged in the 2020 earthquake and is undergoing extensive refurbishment. One notable feature of this church is that the coat of arms of Croatia is embedded in the roof of the church. Very colourful, indeed!

We passed by the Stone Gate, an ancient access point to the original Zagreb built high on a hill. Adjacent to the gate was a small shop, the oldest pharmacy in Zagreb. It has been open continuously since it was first built in 1355. Wow!!

There is a tunnel dug under the upper town, providing shelter during World War II. A very modern building which stands out from the very old ones is the School of Music (2014) at Zagreb University. It is primarily steel and glass with a notable artifact in front - a full building height conductor's baton. Quite striking!

Nearby is a collection of old yellow brick buildings, each of which has been designated as a museum. Additionally there is a particularly ornate yellow building that is the home of the Croatian National Theatre. It is a beautiful building.

As we moved around the city, we passed narrow streets and alleys that provided apartments, small shops, outdoor restaurants and parking. Very crowded to say the least.

Our final stop was at the Cathedral. What a magnificent building. It was already under renovation when the 2020 earthquake struck, further damaging both the building and the steeples. It is said that this Cathedral has been in renovations for over 100 years and it is still not finished.

And this is where the tour ended. Advertised as being one hour in length, we had been on the bus for nearly two hours. We were very happy to have taken the blue bus. It was a terrific tour.

After climbing off the bus, Jim and I decided we really needed some liquid. We had been drinking water but the establishment across the street offered better options. Jim and I both ordered beer from Karlovacko; I had lemon and Jim had Crno. We enjoyed them thoroughly.

We returned to our hotel (Uber is so easy) and Jim ran some errands and I worked on the blog (and had a nap). The heat of the day had really taken its toll.

Dinner tonight was at a nearby outdoor restaurant. An Italiana pizza and a salmon salad to share was more than enough to satisfy our hunger. It was past dark when we returned to our room. And here we are, writing the blog.

Tomorrow we leave Zagreb and head for Budapest.