Last updated: 15 July 2023
We arrived in Zagreb quite late, we had enough time to get a feel for the city, check out the old town square & Cathedral while having a stroll through the deserted Christmas markets which munching on a Croatian Christmas sausage before calling it an early night.
Zagreb by day
During the day it became apparent that Zagreb was going to be a short lived visit. There didn’t seem to be much to do and see. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the local markets which seemed to sell anything and everything a person could want. The wind was again icy cutting straight through my coat to my core.
Escaping the icy winds in the nearby Roman Catholic Zagreb cathedral was a welcome treat. I was surprised to know that it’s the tallest building in Croatia but more so, that it was one of the few churches we’ve been to where non-worshippers aren’t slugged an admission. It was nice to wander within the walls of the church without trying to justify the entry fee.
Zagreb attempts to mimic the London icon viewpoint, the London Eye, with views over the city as far as the eye can see. It’s aptly named the Zagreb Eye. A covered balcony that runs around the top floor the tallest high-rise it left a lot to be desired. The lukewarm welcome from the staff didn’t make this activity more attractive. Apparently there’s a nice cafe/restaurant up there but they weren’t open for us to give a verdict. Its 15 HRK (less than £2) to go to the top.
Croatia’s capital just seemed a bit lacklustre. It was Christmas time and yet other than the markets themselves the rest of the city seemed sleepy.
By this time it was tilting towards the afternoon. We had a few options but mainly of the same path: head for the Hungarian border to Pécs or venture elsewhere along the way. We looked at our map and spotted a little city on the edge of the Croatian/Bosnian border, Slovonski Brod. It had a bridge spanned the Danube separating the two countries. While we knew we couldn’t take the car across without voiding the insurance on our car, there was discussions of maybe crossing on foot. It seemed like a doable adventure as it was only ‘a couple of hours away’ so we set off for the car, and that’s when it all went horribly wrong.
The Essentials
Zagreb to Slovonski Brod
Distance: 118 miles (190km)
Driving time: 2 hours (felt like 10!)
Driving conditions: Hair-raising! We were on edge the entire leg of this trip. I’m sure it aged me. We drove slow along the slippery snow-riddled roads that spiralled through small deserted towns. We’re Australian, we don’t get snow or roads like this. What happens if you skid? Slip and slide into a tree? Or worse? Tiny desolate towns that, I was convinced, if we needed help, we’d never get it. Stopping for fuel at the first opportunity and filling it to the brim, I wasn’t sure when the next servo would appear. We didn’t stop along the way. Between the snow, the fog and the empty streets there was really nothing to see.
Insider tips: Unless you’re Bear Grylls or some kind of Wilderness Explorer, don’t do it.
Currency: Kuna (roughly 100 Kn = £10)
So I said at the start that this was Zagreb to Pecs, which really isn’t that far. But there’s a bit more to the story…
