Zagreb, Croatia
We reached the capital city via car in about four hours from our home in northern Italy.
Generally, when we travel, we go for budget accommodations, usually opting for apartments over hotels, even though we are only three. It just makes more sense for our lifestyle.
We've been mostly lucky with apartments across Europe, but there always seems to be one issue or another that we deal with, from no parking to restricted arrival times to bathrooms that aren't exactly as pictured to suspicious owners. But, you know...what are you going to do? It just comes with the territory of budget accommodations. We deal with it.
The travel agent in the family, I do always check the hotels, too, and for this trip, there was an offer we couldn't pass up: a five star hotel within our budget: Hotel Esplande. Oh, yes. Oh, YES!
My word. Tell me: Why must we travel any other way? It is so completely uncivilized, like air travel in the States. What a chore!
We also spend a lot of time in parks, coffee bars/caffes and churches. On this trip we also attended an Easter mass at the cathedral on the hill, found an incredibly cool "work out" public park just outside our hotel, and visited the weekly market at the same time the rest of the city's inhabitants were there procuring the Easter Sunday meal. (Ask me how much I enjoyed that?!)
Samobar, Croatia
This little light of mine will soon be eleven. She LOVED the five star treatment; I impressed upon her the value of an education once more.
The dollar goes FAR in this city.
The city is impeccably clean.
Eat the strukli; it is not overrated.
We slept late, took naps, ambled here and there, discovering this and that. There are, however, tons of tips online to help you plan a full day or two of activities in this city.
Stay at the Esplanade Hotel.
Samobar, a quaint town about 30 minutes outside of Zagreb is worth a stop. It hailed the day we were there.
I would return.
Next trip: Paris, with Grandma.
The last apartment we stayed at in Europe ended in our quick departure 2 days later and switching to a hotel. The floors were so dirty and despite the housekeeper coming and cleaning them again-they remained still dirty. It was super hot! No air and the toilet stunk. We were in Milan! Just to give you a picture of how bad it was-Addy was a baby at the time and she would crawl on the floor and within minutes her legs were black as a coal miners face. Happy you had a great experience! She is getting way too big. Tell her to stop! Have fun with Grandma in Paris!
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