Visit Zagreb - a capital eager to come back after the 2020 earthquake 

Small, yet inviting many new hotel chains

Yes, I live in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. 

It certainly is a bigger place compared to the city where I was born, Szekesfehervar Hungary,

But a city which many people flee. 

They have been fleeing it more or less since Croatia joined the EU in 2013.

So, 11 years on, you would expect that Zagreb would have benefited a lot from the accession, the country even more, as there are regions, Slavonia, in particular, so in need of some cash injection and investment.

But, it isn't so.

Why visit Zagreb?

Although this text didn't begin well, let's not continue in the same vein.

Because Zagreb is in certain ways a terrific city.

First of wall, because it's small. Smaller in the numbers of its inhabitants each year.

Many of them either scouring other European cities to earn a more dignified living, and others, not wanting to exit the country, moving to the countryside or smaller neighbouring cities like Samobor, Zaprešić Dugo Selo or Sveta Nedjelja.

These may be more cosy to live in, not that crowded, but the centre of Zagreb isn't that crowded anymore.

Since the 2020 earthquake.

Those living in the Zagreb city centre "eloped" to its suburbs - it's exactly the centre which suffered a lot from the 2020 Zagreb earthquake.

If you're seeking for some calm, head out into to the streets of Zagreb on a Sunday, because Sundays are particularly quiet.

The shops remain closed. Owing to the decision by the Croatian government, either to "push" people more towards the Church or enable mothers working on Sundays before it, to spend more time with their families, shops are to close for 16 Sundays a year (each shop, supermarket or shopping centre determines on which of these 16 it won't be open for customers).

Visit Zagreb for their budding specialty coffee scene

It's places like these that will give you enough caffeine to get you through the day.

Try specialty coffee, locally roasted in Zagreb  or served at these places:

• Four Wheel Coffee Roasters, Martićeva ul. 
• Luta, Ul. Radoslava Lopašića
• Monocycle specialty coffee, Ul. Kneza Mislava
• Broom44, Dolac 8
• Express Bar, Petrinjska ul. 4
• Cogito Coffee, Vlaška ul.
• Augusto, Metalčeva ul.

Before visiting Zagreb, make sure to equip yourself with some history about the emergence of the specialty coffee scene in Zagreb.

You'll enjoy the coffee more, if you read more about it.

Pay a visit to Zagreb for their world-known museums

These are the 10 niche museum you can visit in Zagreb.

The idea for some of the strange and quirky museums evolved right here, in Zagreb,Coming from Zagreb, the concept for these was then planted into other European cities, not to mention New York, so the whole world got to know  Zagreb as the city which first entertained the idea of opening up such a museum and then bringing it about.

Some of these are:

• Zagreb 80's Museum. Speciality Museums. ...
• Museum of Illusions Zagreb

• Muzej čokolade Zagreb (Chocolate Museum Zagreb) 
• Mushroom Museum. Speciality Museums. 
• Drazen Petrovic Museum - Memorial Center. History Museum

But the Zagreb earthquake in 2020 wasn't merciful towards many of these museum.

Old museums were heavily damaged.

First damage reports mention a museum clock which stopped just after the eartquake hit.

More to come. Especially on new hotels.

Until then, check some of the photos from Zagreb on the homepage or get yourself the 2024 Zagreb Weekly Planner.