My ‘window collecting’ mission in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city, was as hurried as our day and a half there.
Arriving via Germany, Austria, and Slovenia earlier in the morning, we settled into our apartment, and took to the streets, while dodging raindrops and securing some goodies at one of the local supermarkets. Our whirlwind exploration took us to a café where we enjoyed Latte Macchiatos, then to St. Mark’s Church, probably one of the city’s most well-known landmarks thanks to its brilliant-colored tiled roof bearing the coat of arms of Zagreb.
Though I have been to Zagreb twice, I haven’t given the city the attention it deserves; both times, I was en route to Bosnia-Herzegovina. And as regular readers of this site could attest, when we have devoted extensive chunks of time to Croatia, we’ve spent most of it exploring the country’s twinkling Adriatic Coast. The winter temperatures in Dalmatia are simply more alluring than the country’s continental climate, and we yearned to escape Europe’s brutal helpings of ice and snow.
But the winding cobblestone lanes of Zagreb’s Old Town are etched in my memory. So too is its promise of eclectic museums as well as its varied architecture, much of which harks back to the days when Zagreb was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
And so it would be that we had a hasty rendezvous with Zagreb, before hopping on a bus bound for Sarajevo where we’d commemorate the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I , when Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated. I’d also do more ‘window hunting’ in Sarajevo.
From this Zagreb window series, I like the blend of diamond-in-the-rough façades. Some are shedding their stuccoed exteriors and in turn are exposing their brick innards. They contrast dramatically with the pristine lime-green and cranberry-colored examples. I also appreciate how a mother holding a fair-faced infant deliberately chose to include her little one in my picture’s frame, even though she decided to remain anonymous. :)
Where in the World?
Planning Pointers:
- Though Zagreb is deserving of a longer stay, most of my trips there, I have been in transit. One December, Shawn and I stayed at Apartment Lucy City Center Rooms (affiliate link). The apartment was compact, but since it was centrally located, and had a pleasant kitchen and bathroom, it offered everything we needed for one night. The Uber ride from Zabreb’s train station to Apartment Lucy was a short one, too. During a summer stay, we spent two nights at the ApartMeant To Be (affiliate link). The host was friendly and helpful, and the apartment was spacious and within walking distance to Jelačić Square and the Dolac Market.
- For more on the city’s sites, see the Croatian National Tourist Board’s website.
Photography & text © Tricia A. Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
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