Dodging raindrops in Zagreb!

It’s Friday the 13th! I’m not superstitious but was extra careful about my peanut allergy at the cute bakery we went to for coffee and pastries this morning. (Unfortunately the only thing they deemed safe was a croissant.)

Despite the rain, we decided to meet up with the walking tour I had booked to learn more about the city. We were surprised by how many other tourists showed up (enough to warrant two tour groups, one in Spanish and one in English).

History, culture, politics, a live canon shot, and humor were all on the menu and our guide kept us entertained for two hours. Croatia's history dates back to ancient times, with early inhabitants falling under Roman rule. The Croats arrived in the 7th century, forming a kingdom by the 10th century, which later became part of the Hapsburg dynasty. The VERY short version of Croatia’s recent history is as follows: After centuries under various empires, including Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian rule, Croatia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. (These transfers of power were not peaceful.) More on Croatian history can be found here https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17217954

Needing to warm up after our tour, we made a beeline for Vinodol, a well reviewed restaurant. It didn’t disappoint—we enjoyed a local white wine, a craft beer and some homemade soup.

We tried to visit a couple of art museums but both were closed. We had high hopes for The Chocolate Museum but it screamed “tourist trap” at the entrance, so we bailed!

All over Zagreb there are major renovations taking place due to recent earthquakes and gentrification. This city feels poised to rival other European capitals at some point in the future but is having some growing pains (most visibly in the form of graffiti).

Our favorite type of restaurant is a small bistro with a modern twist on traditional cuisine. The oxtail risotto and rabbit lasagna at Pod Zidom were delicious! https://podzidom.hr/bistro/ [Post Trip Reflection: This was our favorite restaurant from the entire trip!]

Tomorrow we are renting a car and making our way to “the Lake District” (our term). We are excited to get out into nature.Baca lagi