Zagreb

Getting from Ljubljana to Zagreb was the first main intercity bus trip I took on my holiday. Was also a new country, I was leaving Slovenia and entering Croatia. Everything was super smooth and comfortable, took just on 2 hours. I had booked all my bus travel with FlixBus (except in and out of Mostar as the times weren't ideal so used the GetByBus site for that). Some of the busses were the green FlixBus but other times they were others. This ride wasn't as scenic as the ones later on the Croatian coastline.

The bus trip was super comfortable. Some busses had free wifi which was nice to pass the time and chat to people without needing to use mobile data. I had a seat number that was in a range, which included the back row/seats. So I was one of the cool kids at the back of the bus. I sat on the left and then had 2 spaces free and then was another couple.

My FlixBlus

Relaxing on the bus

Bus interior, very spacious

Church on a hill

I've left Slovenia and now in Croatia

We got into Zagreb on time, I have heard from a few people that the busses can run late at times, I did have that on my one bus trip but others were perfectly fine.

Zagreb Bus station (taken from the Tram platform)

I had planned things so I knew how to get to tram stops etc. from the bus station (again, no time wasting)

Then was to get into town, I had figured out that I would take the Tram Line #6 to Trg Bana Jelačića (Ban Jelačić Square). Waited a while for it but it didn't come. A local then told us (was chatting with an American couple who were also heading there) that they were working on the #6 line that day and to take the #8 and then just walk the little bit. This was fine and not masses difference for me - maybe another 500m or so to walk.

Cool graffiti in Zagreb

On the way to my accommodation I headed past a lunch place I was hoping to get food from, but it was closed, maybe I didn't check the times in my research. It was a Sunday, a lot of shops and things are not open on Sundays in Europe. Headed for my accommodation which was very close to everything. Checked in and then relaxed for a few minutes before I got myself moving and headed out. Had lunch close by first (more of that in the Zagreb Food post) and then started an afternoon of sightseeing.

The photos next are from the 1st afternoon and my full day in Zagreb. I thought that 1.5 days there would be enough, and it proved to be the perfect amount of time to see and do all I wanted to.

Cathedral of Zagreb (argh scaffolding which I knew would be the case)

Cathedral of Zagreb

Market Dolac & Cathedral of Zagreb

Market Dolac

Market Dolac & Saint Mary’s Church

Flower Market

St. Mark's Church

Statue

Stone Gate

Croatian National Theatre

The Well of Life

Me infront of The Well of Life & Croatian National Theatre

University of Zagreb Academy of Music

Museum of Arts and Crafts

Close to midday I headed towards Lotrščak Tower. On the top of the tower there is the Grič Cannon. this goes off daily at 12pm, has done so for more than 137 years. I think it was initially so all the churches knew it was exactly 12pm and could sync their clocks. For those who know ... think of it as the Cape Town Noon Gun. Wow was the boom loud !!

Funicular to Lotrščak Tower (shortest in the world, only 66m)

Street heading up to Lotrščak Tower

Lotrščak Tower

Looking down on Cathedral of Zagreb from near Lotrščak Tower

After midday I headed to find the Grič Tunnel.

Info from Wikipedia: Grič Tunnel is a pedestrian tunnel located in the city centre of Zagreb, Croatia, under the historic neighbourhood of Grič, which gave the tunnel its name. The tunnel consists of a central hall, which is connected by two passageways to Mesnička Street in the west and Stjepan Radić Street in the east, and four passageways extending to the south. It was built during World War II by the Ustaše government to serve both as a bomb shelter and a promenade, but following the war it quickly fell into disrepair and disuse. The tunnel saw renewed use only in the 1990s, hosting one of the first raves in Croatia, and functioning as a shelter during the Croatian War of Independence. In 2016, the tunnel was remodeled and opened to the public, serving as a tourist attraction and hosting cultural events. Planned expansions include a museum and a lift.

Entrance to Grič Tunnel

Grič Tunnel

From my research I had seem there was this really cool building (well more the roof/ceiling) called Oktogon, so went and found that.

Oktogon Building

Oktogon

Tram in Ban Jelačić Square

Old Tram

Statue of Ban Josip Jelačić in Ban Jelačić Square

Ban Jelačić Square

Ban Jelačić Square Sunrise

Statue of Ban Josip Jelačić in Ban Jelačić Square

Statue of Ban Josip Jelačić in Ban Jelačić Square Sunrise

Restaurants & Bars

Franciscan Monastery of St. Francis of Assisi

Franciscan Monastery of St. Francis of Assisi from my accommodation window

Franciscan Monastery of St. Francis of Assisi

Monument of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Top of Monument of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Medical promotion for posture
Entered something with my email address, not knowing what it was, got email few weeks later that I won something but T&C say you had to live in Croatia

Street

Art Pavilion being renovated

Monument to King Tomislav

Park Zrinjevac

Mike in a tree in Park Zrinjevac

Meteorological Post in Park Zrinjevac

Bolt and Trams next to Park Zrinjevac

Amusing wifi sign

Annoying scaffolding inside Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Top of Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord

Shopping center phone booth

Shopping center swing bench

Statue at a table

On golf cart heading to Croatian Association of Fine Artists

Croatian Association of Fine Artists

Naughty dog !! Didn't you see the sign, next to Croatian Association of Fine Artists

Croatian National Bank

Museum of Hangovers

Playing with light trail photos of trams

As I mentioned before I like my webcams, in Zagreb I had found 2 that I kept tabs on before my travels. From these I knew about the scaffolding around the cathedral and could also orientate myself with the trams and other things. These: Webcam1 and Webcam2 both in Ban Jelačić Square. So as I do ... I had to go and take a snap of me on the one webcam.

Mike on Zagreb Webcam in Ban Jelačić Square

On the last evening and the next morning I felt a cough coming on. So checked when the pharmacy opened, it opened at 7am, it was just off Ban Jelačić Square, so headed out early before breakfast to get some cough mixture. Thankfully this knocked my cough in a few days - whew !!! This was when I took the sunrise photos of Ban Jelačić Square earlier in this post.

After breakfast I made my way back to the bus station, I could now take the Tram #6 that I had planned to take, on the day I arrived (obviously in the opposite direction). The photo below (from the one Webcam) was from my planning to show the tram stop locations, arrow pointing left was from the bus station and arrow right was to the bus station.

Tram stop in Ban Jelačić Square