Croatia, Zagreb. One look back and two glances ahead

Croatia and its capital Zagreb were the fourth stop on Christa Klickermann’s European journey. Lavender blossom in Hvar, the picturesque ancient towns of Rovinj, Opatja, Split, Porec and Dubrovnik, the picture-perfect fishing villages of Rastoke and Trogir, along with secluded beauty on the island of St Andrea – the Hamburg-based Austrian had visited Croatia’s stunning towns, as well as its romantic islands and bays, countless times in the past. The country’s capital Zagreb, on the other hand, was uncharted territory. Would she be just as pleasantly surprised by the capital as she was by Croatia and the Croats on her previous visits? Or would her journey to the country’s interior lead to grey and outdated Eastern Bloc charm and the decaying relics of unimaginative socialist town planners?

When her local bookshop owner in Bavaria tells her they don’t stock any travel guides for Zagreb because “no one goes there”, Christa is both surprised and unsettled. But the capital of the 28th and newest member state of the EU is a surprise package. Instead of monochrome Eastern Bloc charm, she encounters a young, diverse city that is well on its way to becoming a modern, European capital, along with people who know that maintaining close ties to their families, culture and their natural treasures is precisely what makes them special.



Croatia and its capital Zagreb were the fourth stop on Christa Klickermann’s European journey. Lavender blossom in Hvar, the picturesque ancient towns of Rovinj, Opatja, Split, Porec and Dubrovnik, the picture-perfect fishing villages of Rastoke and Trogir, along with secluded beauty on the island of St Andrea – the Hamburg-based Austrian had ...



Europeans at heart is a vivid and colourful series of travel and culture books, short stories that brings you closer to Europe’s countries and its people. This eBook is an extended and updated travel account taken from ‘Europeans at heart. A journey of discovery through 28 EU capitals’.



CONTENT



+ The thrill of the unknown

+ Croatia (HR) at a glance

+ One look back and two glances ahead

+ Christa Klickermann, talking with Josefine and Jan

+ Additional Links

+ He who knows nothing, must believe it all: Europe, the key facts

+ In touch with Europe – an authentic journey of discovery



Croatia, Zagreb. One look back and two glances ahead



The popular holiday destination of Croatia is the most recent member to join the EU. Its beautiful capital is located right at the heart of the country, away from the throngs of tourists, but after years of communism and war, its citizens are perfectly poised to carry their country into a promising future at the heart of Europe.



We’ve visited Croatia countless times before. It is a holiday destination rich in diversity which is located right on Bavaria’s doorstep and boasts over a thousand islands, picturesque coastal towns, idyllic bays, crystal-clear seas and impressive natural parks. We have been to see the lavender blossom in Hvar, strolled through the beautiful old towns of Zadar, Rovinj, Opatja, Split, Pula, Porec and Dubrovnik, savoured the picture-perfect quiet of the coastal villages of Rastoke and Trogir, as well as the romantic setting of the remote island of St Andrea. And now we are finally going to discover the capital, Zagreb.

The sun’s rays coax me out of my bed early the next day. Now I just have to convince the marmot slumbering next to me that there is nothing finer than to witness a city coming to life at the break of day. I love those special moments when the darkness of the night gives way to the early morning silence, and the city slips into the bustling and noisy cloak of everyday life. Bernd is not able to put up much resistance so early in the morning, and so we find ourselves standing on Jan Belacic Square just few moments later. This centrally-located city square separates the Donji Grad downtown area from the historical Upper Town, Gornji Grad, and is the ideal point from which to explore both parts of the city.



Christa Klickermann has always been passionate about building good relationships both at work and in her private life. For 25 years, she worked on forming effective partnerships with her business clients during her time as a freelance marketing consultant in the field of customer management. Away from work, the 58-year-old Austrian has been happily married for 37 years and is mother to three grown-up children, as well as being a grandmother.



In 2012 she said goodbye to her career and fulfilled a long-held dream by moving with her husband from Bavaria to the very north of Germany. She now lives and works in Hamburg as a freelance author, speaker and blogger. On her travels, in her Europeans at Heart book series and in her intercultural panel sessions/readings, she tries to gain a closer understanding of people and their cultures, whilst promoting a peaceful and humane Europe.