City of love

Sitting on his horse with a sword brandishing over his head, is Saint George, cast in bronze, about to slay a deadly dragon. The Roman soldier-turned-martyr and saint has two statues dedicated to him in Zagreb. In the second statue, he is portrayed more as a victorious knight while the dead dragon lies vanquished under his feet. The legend of St George slaying the dragon to save a princess is a story that you will hear all over this Croatian capital.
However, there is more to Zagreb than just dragons and knights.The city is divided into two parts – the Upper Town or Gornji Grad and the Lower Tower or Dornji Grad and you can zip across these two in a quaint funicular in barely a minute. With romantic churches and quirky museums, Zagreb is home to just 8,00,000 denizens and is unlike any other European capital.
The “kissing spots”
One of the oldest areas of Zagreb is the Kaptol, which was the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop since the 11th century. Towering above every monument in the city stands the medieval Gothic Cathedral. The twin spires dominate the skyline of the Croatian capital. The frescoes here are one of the oldest, although the cathedral has been renovated several times. The Croatians were threatened by invasion from the Turks and the Bishop built fortifications around Kapitol. However, I was told that the cathedral is known more for its “kissing spots” than its military history!
Walk Around Lower Town
The Lower Town is a montage of museums and monuments where you can see the stamp of the Austrian Hungarian Empire in the Baroque monuments. Statues and sculptures greet you everywhere, surrounded by lakes and parks. The Lower Town designed by Milan Lenuci is shaped like a horseshoe and includes six squares with monuments and gardens. You cannot miss the artistic corner of Zagreb with its Art Pavilion, Museum of Contemporary Art and Museum of Arts and Crafts besides the National Theatre.
Croatian Truffles
The Croatians are proud of their cuisine but it is their truffles that brings foodies to Zagreb. No meal is complete without the prized black truffles. There are three kinds of truffles that grow in the forests of Istria besides the white truffle as well. Sipping Croatian wine at Trilogija, a quaint restaurant, located near the Stone Gate in Upper Town, I was lost in a world of dreams as the lights of the city came up.
The Romantic Churches
Everything in Zagreb is extremely charming and quaint including the medieval churches. Start your tour of the Upper Town with the romantic St Marks Church located in a cobbled street square named after the church. The church painted in white has ceramic tiles on its roof that represents the Zagreb Coat of Arms and the flags of the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavania and Dalmatia.
Let your Heart Break
There are several museums in Zagreb, but if you have time for just one of them, then it has to be the Museum of Broken Relationships. Stories of heart break are narrated from all over the world. Personal objects like shoes, gloves, wedding dresses, letters, toys that are on display here narrate heart wrenching stories as my eyes welled up.
The Greats Lie Buried
Mirogoj Cemetery is one of the oldest and serene landmarks of Zagreb and was established in the 19th century. This is where the most famous Croatians from artists to industrialists, architects to writers, scientists to politicians lie buried.
Feel the Buzz
In Zagreb, coffee is more than just a drink. It is where locals meet and greet and spend hours in animated conversations. The café culture here takes you into an old world charm as the coffee is influenced by both Turkish, Italian and Viennese flavours. Some of the iconic cafes you must visit are Eli’s Café, Kino Europa Café, Velvet among others.
Shop for the Licitar
The Dolac Market is a daily farmer’s market, where you can buy everything from fruits to vegetables and flowers to souvenirs. Red umbrellas greet you the moment you step in here. This is where I shopped for Licitar, the symbol of Zagreb as the pretty wooden red hearts are found everywhere. The city beats to the rhythm of these hearts which were actually “gingerbread hearts” gifted as tokens of love during the medieval era.
‘Well of Life’ by Croatian sculptor Ivan Mestrovic is a must-see artwork when visiting Croatian National Theatre