Many people told me that Croatia’s political capital wasn’t worth visiting. So after we left the coast for our final three days in Zagreb, I had low expectations. But, what we experienced was nothing short of lovely. The northern temperatures were much cooler and allowed us the opportunity to explore the city all day long without having to break for the heat. We discovered a city reminiscent of the Austro-Hungarian architecture of places like Vienna and Munich with the familiar old-world feel that is so classically European.

Zagreb is such a liveable city and was definitely a refreshing break from the throngs of tourists that we’d been dodging the entire trip. We kind of felt like celebrities as we road our uber-touristy Hop-on Hop-off bus, waving at everyone we passed in the streets. It sounds ridiculous but it was actually extremely fun and an interesting social experiment.

With beautiful parks, historic buildings, and a plethora of pubs, there was plenty to keep us busy. So when we casually stumbled across the preparations for a great celebration in the old Kaptol, we were thrilled to learn that in mere days Croatia would officially join the European Union as the 28th member. What an exciting time to experience the culture of a country rebounding from years of war, economic turmoil, and political change. It is my opinion that Zagreb is severely overlooked as a travel destination and no trip to Croatia should be complete without visiting the nation’s capital.