The oldest settlement in the current metropolitan area of Zagreb was a Roman town known as Andautonia, now referred to as Šćitarjevo, dates back to the first century AD. The first mention of “Zagreb” however, appears to be from a document dating back to 1134, proving the establishment of Zagreb around 1094. At this time the city was separated into two centers: a smaller, eastern Kaptol, which housed mostly clergy and the Zagreb Cathedral and the larger, western Gradac, which was home to mainly farmers and merchants.

The two centers merged in 1851 under rule of Ban (ruler) Josip Jelačić. In honor of this, the main city square, Ban Jelačić Square, was dedicated to him.

Though Zagreb is the largest city, with over 1 million inhabitants, as well as cultural, economic, cinematic, sporting and governmental hub of Croatia, is hasn’t received recognition as an attractive tourist site for many years. Due to its central location in the Pannonian Basin, it gives easy access to Central Europe and the Adriatic Coast. After gaining independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, Zagreb was declared the capital of Croatia and has been developing economically, technologically and culturally ever since.

To be completely honest, during our trip to the Balkans we chose to go to Zagreb mostly because the flight was very cheap from our departure location, rather than to visit the city specifically. Looking back, it was definitely a worthwhile stop, with many historical monuments, interesting medieval architecture, delicious food and low prices.

We also happened to be there when Croatia joined the EU in July 2013, so there were tons of festivals and our hostel owner even planned a traditional Croatian barbeque for all of us to enjoy!

When visiting Zagreb, I would recommend spending some time just walking around, enjoying the city and admiring the architecture, especially the historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square, composed of the Gornji Grad and Kaptol, a collection of medieval churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings. You can easily walk to this area or take the funicular on the nearly Tomićeva Street. Also, the 13th century St. Marks Church was really cool!

Also, don’t forget to check out the many museums that Zagreb has to offer, especially my person favorite The Museum of Broken Relationships!

If you are visiting during the summertime, the weather is warm day and night, which brings many festivals and gatherings to the public spaces. While there are many internationally famous artists that visit Zagreb for paid concerts, we happened upon a live band playing a free concert in the center of a city park, apparently a frequent occurrence during the Croatian summer.

Also, you can find tons of super cool street art throughout!

And lastly, make sure you check out the various markets they have available. Outside the train station there was a women selling the smallest and most delicious strawberries I’ve ever had in my life! But they were so good, and SO cheap!

[Wikipedia], [Zagreb.com], [Lonely Planet]

Stari Grad is the historical heart of the island of Hvar (not to be confused with the city of Hvar, located on the other side of the island).

Located at the end of a long, protected bay, surrounded by excellent agricultural land has long made Stari Grad an ideal settlement for inhabitants. The area of the town today was first settled by the Neolithic tribes of the Hvar culture, who occupied the island between 3500 and 2500 BC (not too long ago…). They traded with other settlers around the Mediterranean and remains of their existence as well as their successors, the Illyrian tribe, such as pottery and other artifacts have been found in the area.

Stari Grad gets its original name, Faros or Pharos, from the ancient Greeks who formally settled there in 384 BC. The nearby plain was designed and constructed with roads and designated standard fields were divided up. Today, the Stari Grad Plain is considered one of the best-preserved examples of ancient Greek agriculture throughout the Mediterranean and is currently a UNESO World Heritage Site.

Over its long history, Stari Grad has been home to many different groups such as the Romans, the Slavs, the Venetian Republic, the Turks, the Austrian Empire and finally part of the Dalmatian Kingdom, part of the larger political body of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Visiting the town today, it almost feels as though you’ve stepped back in time. Tourism has become the main income for the town; though not large enough overpower the “authentic” feel. There are still many magnificent archaeological sites that date back to pre-history and classical times. The Stari Grad Museum also displays collection of artifacts from local sites, both land and sea.

Some of the most famous sites include: the Old Town Walls, Greek Settlement, Stari Grad Plain, Roman Villas, Maslinovik (Greek tower in the Stari Grad Plain), and Glavica (Illyrian fort above Stari Grad).

We went during the month of July, when summer was at its hottest point. Warmed by the warm summer sun, but surrounded by a pine tree forest, Stari Grad is one of the few places in Dalmatia that provide a cool, fresh breeze all throughout the year.

The town also has a really nice, slow-paced, relaxed atmosphere. I can imagine its location on the water, the fact that it is an island, perhaps because it is so small (with about 2,000 inhabitants), or maybe it has the inherent wisdom that comes from being over 5,000 years old that makes it that way. Either way, it is a really great place to visit. There is also a small stone platform at the edge of the town where you can swim and the sunset is unbelievable!

There are also some nice little restaurants and cafés in the city center that are open day and night. The town lights up beautifully in the evening, perfect for a stroll along the promenade by the harbor.

To get to Stari Grad, we took the ferry from Split to Ferry Port Stari Grad, which took about two hours. You could walk to the town from the port, or take a bus. We ended up taking the bus because it was super hot out that day. We did find, however, that region didn’t have too much available to book online. We just bought the tickets for the ferry and bus on the spot, which seemed to be the normal procedure.

It has also become popular for residents to turn the historic buildings into accommodation, which means you could end up staying in a really cool place. We, for example, stayed in a castle in the center of town!

[Wikipedia], [Hvar Info]