Zagreb was a surprise. We were expecting this drab Soviet-era, crowded, inland city with dowdy old buildings. It hadn't been recommended very highly in the tour guides; "if you have time" sort of a ranking. What we found was a vibrant, beautiful city with many parks-trees-flowers. Many outdoor restaurants and being the capital and a university town added to the high activity level. We witnessed a large protest gathering from people demanding more bicycle paths. The university doesn't have a separate campus; its buildings are scattered throughout the city. Our hotel had the perfect central location across from a big park. We enjoyed several different scenic walking routes. A mountain with ski lodge and hiking trails is north of the city, and a substantial river defines the southern border. South of the river is somewhat ugly; that is where the Soviet-style concrete apartment houses are located. The countryside in northern Croatia is scenic: mixed crops, vineyards, orchards, pastures, forests, rivers all in good proportion. Old castles are somewhat common. Long-ago, the Christian crusaders passed through this area. At one castle, an antique sports car show was held outside while people inside with medieval costumes were hosting a festival. We ate at a recommended outdoor restaurant sited alone on top of a hill; the scenery was great; the food, disappointing.
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