The old and the new face of Croatian capital
Zagreb, the Croatian capital, is the oldest and most important administrative, political, cultural, industrial, commercial, scientific and academic centre of the Republic of Croatia, with about one million inhabitants. The city is situated in the valley of the river Sava at the foot of mountain Medvednica. The Croatian metropolis consists of two city entities: the historical medieval Upper Town which developed in the second half of the 19th century and between the two World wars, and New Zagreb, with modern residential areas on the other side of the Sava river.

Zagreb has a population of approximately one million people and it is one of the most important European centers for rail, road and air traffic. Croatian capital has an interesting preserved historical center with a medieval allure and a Central European ambiance. Among the medieval walls and towers, baroque palaces and courts and precious monuments to the feudalistic history of Kaptol and Gradec - a new contemporary Zagreb has emerged. Of course, the modern age has changed the past, but its traces remain eminently visible, especially on Kaptol and the Upper Town. Cultural heritage, history and tradition are visible all over facades roofs and attics of buildings, and certainly on the old scripts found in museums and archives.

The University of Zagreb has been open for 300 years, and the Croatian Academy for Arts and Sciences was founded 120 years ago. With its numerous cultural events and shows, theatre performances, museums, galleries and exhibition places, Zagreb not only attracts it's inhabitants but also it's guests.
Zagreb is lively all year around, especially during international cultural, commercial and sport events and other happenings. There are various fairs: flower and garden exhibition "Floraart" (beginning of June), the international review of original folk dances "Smotra folklora" one of the oldest and largest in the world (mid-September) and others. For recreation and entertainment one can go to many excursion places in the "Zagorje" hill- side region north of Zagreb or the seaside resort on the Adriatic coast, at about 200 kilometers distance from Zagreb.

Indeed there are many reasons to visit Zagreb, and one of them is - it is easy to visit because it is the junction for many European and trans-continental train, road and flight paths.
Irressistible challenge for visitors Croatian capital has luck. It is still one medieval city which has not yet been flooded with hordes of tourists and chains of fast-food restaurants. They say it is swiftly becoming the new Prague - the seriously hip alternative for a weekend break, with all the beauty and the buzz but with fewer tourists. Here is plenty of scope for lazy exploring in this town.
Did you know that Zagreb has more museums here per square foot than any other city on the planet? www.amz.hr, www.etnografski-muzej.hr, www.muo.hr, www.hismus.hr.

And when you get tired of walking, dear visitor, just do what the locals do. Sit in any one of the hundreds of cafes and watch the world go by. Cafes are a Zagreb obsession.
Don`t miss "the biggest café in Europe" - Tkalčićeva Street, a 1.000-yard stretch of caffeinated terraces.

If you want to go shopping, start on Ban Jelačić Square and continue to walk down the main shopping street, and also the longest street in town, Ilica. Zagreb is not the shopping capital of Europe, but you can still sniff out some great gear. Or, you can walk through Dolac market, buy a fresh cheese and sour cream, fruit, vegetables or flowers. If you are having a lunch in town, try traditional strukli, a mouth-melting warm cheese pastry, and turkey with mlinci (Zagreb-style Yorkshire pudding) for an altogether Croatian experience.
Because of all its characteristics, Zagreb, the city of friendly people, has always been a special and irresistible challenge to everyone.