Days 85-86 (May 30 - 31, 2013): Zagreb, Croatia

The Quick Facts:

* Traveled up the coast from Split to Zagreb, a magnificent train ride full of beautiful vistas of the Croatian countryside
* Spent one day in Zagreb, the surprisingly scenic and cosmopolitan capital of Croatia
* Stayed at the Chillout Hostel – a nice place but better suited for people in their mid-20s rather than mid-30s…we were having a tough time finding a place so had to stay here.  There are probably better options but it was in a great location, clean, and the wifi worked.

The Good:

* Zagreb is surprising, due partly to the low expectations I had going in but also to the beauty (both architectural and natural) of the city and the friendliness of its inhabitants
* The church of St. Mark is unique, and the Zagreb Cathedral is a dominant, forceful fixture within the town

The Bad:

* We encountered a particularly surly ticket officer at the train station, but hey, isn’t that part of the job description?!? 

Our day in Zagreb began with a ride on the funicular that takes you to the top of the hill in the Gradec section of the city.  Up here, there are beautiful views of the city as well as the unique Church of St Mark:

 

Down the hill and toward the center of town is the Zagreb Cathedral, which is massive and quite a sight!

We then went to the Mimara Museum, which is a decent art collection but perhaps the most beautiful part is its building:

 

Toward the train station (first picture below), there are a series of three parks that are quite lovely to walk through:

 

And that was our day in Zagreb.  A nice city, a nice stopover from Split before a few days in Slovenia.

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