We have walked the streets of Zagreb daily, sometimes shopping, sometimes in search of planets or museums, sometimes up to Maksimir Park for a stroll through the forest. But we’ve also reached beyond the city limits to learn more about the culture and landscape of Croatia. Here are some highlights.
Miragoj Cemetery: A bus from Ban Jelacic Square took us to another recommended sight in Zagreb, this huge cemetery, the resting place for most prominent Croatians. Although Croatia has a sizable Catholic majority (86% in a 2011 census), Mirogoj accommodates those of all religions. Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish, and Muslim symbols appear on many gravestones. Some buildings were still closed, having suffered damage in recent earthquakes. But the cemetery is huge, and the many gravesites and mausoleums are large and beautiful.
Medvedgrad and Graficar: Wanting to visit Medvednica, the large mountain area north of Zagreb, we took an Uber up to Medvedgrad Castle, a Medieval fortress city built in 1254 which overlooks Zagreb. It looks like a newly built castle — because it is. The original was destroyed by earthquakes in 1590. In much more recent times, most of the castle walls have been rebuilt and the entire fortress is open now as a modern “Visitor’s Center” for Medvednica. We enjoyed the “Visitor’s Center” which told the history of Medvednica and its castle using media, and with plenty to engage young and old.
Learning that there would be a celebration of Croatian independence at noon, we postponed our walk up the slopes. We expected a crowd and an impressive celebration, but it was still pretty quiet even as we approached noon. We checked out the “Homeland Altar” with its “Eternal Flame” (which was not lit), where the ceremony would be held. Finally, a group of no more than ten arrived and held a brief ceremony with flowers to place on the “Homeland Altar,” speeches and singing of what we assumed was their national anthem. It was all in Croatian, so we understood little, but we observed with respect. The Homeland Altar, with its unlit “Eternal Flame,” is a nice installation, but this is not the place for any large gathering, for the castle is high up and remote without the parking or space for any large congregation.
So we didn’t begin our intended walk from the castle to Graficar, one of the food huts on the mountain, until about 12:30. It’s almost six miles of “moderate” hiking, but mostly uphill, so quite strenuous for us. But the day was sunny, a comfortable warmth for mid-winter, and many folks were out. Graficar was very picturesque but quite crowded with diners inside and out. We stood waiting in line quite a while before we could order our food. We enjoyed some very good bean soups to warm us up. From Graficar, we took a bus and a tram back down into Zagreb.
The Climb to Sljeme: Since that first visit to Medvednica did not take us to the summit, Sljeme, we planned a second visit. We took the bus up to Puntajarka, another “mountain hut” providing food and rest for weary hikers, bikers and skiers. After coffee and a snack at Puntajarka, we set out for a short hike up to Sljeme, the summit. The snow-covered path was challenging, with slush and ice along steeper sections, so we proceeded slowly and carefully, passing other hikers, some pulling their children along on wooden-runnered sleds. Approaching the summit, we had to cross the crowded ski slopes going down both the north and south sides down the mountain. This winter has been quite warm, so this is largely artificial snow. As we climbed up alongside the slopes, we enjoyed watching skiers of all ages enjoying a beautiful day on the slopes. It was a clear day, so we enjoyed beautiful views to the north, and back toward the south, to Zagreb.
Our Day Trip to Varaždin & Trakošćan: We found a guide, Zoran, willing to drive us beyond the city to some interesting sights north of Zagreb. He took us for an early morning visit to one of the many family-owned wineries in the region. We visited with the father and adult daughter (and Grandma), tasting their wines and learning about their business. A bit early for drinking, but we left with three bottles of fine wine. Next we visited the town of Varaždin, for a coffee break, a walk around town, and a stop for pizza since the place Zoran had planned on was closed. But the pizza was surprisingly great.
We visited the Varaždin Castle, on a beautiful setting in the town, which now houses a museum highlighting the history of the castle and the town.
After another long drive through valleys and mountains, Zoran took us to Trakošćan. Looking like another Disney production, Trakošćan Castle sits above on a small peak overlooking a lovely lake and forest. The beautifully decorated castle museum tells the story of the castle, the family who owned it, and the surrounding area.
On the long drive back to Zagreb, we made one more stop at a restaurant famous for its dessert: pancakes with forest berries and vanilla ice cream. Just delicious! It was a wonderful day, with great sights, wine, coffee, pizza, and ice cream. But perhaps the best of all was our time spent with Zoran, sharing his view of Croatian history and culture with us.
