by Kevin Mcinturff

Created on: August 14, 2008   Last Updated: August 20, 2008

While visiting Croatia a couple of years ago in September, my wife and I found the country to be filled with incredible beauty and hospitable people. Situated between Hungary and Bosnia, Croatia has a rich historic past which dates to the time of the Romans. While in the capital city of Zagreb, we first noted that the Austrian-Hungarian architecture was very similar to Budapest which is a combination of eastern and western European influences.

While in the city, we first visited the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary which was formerly known as St Stephen's Cathedral. The twin Spires of the Cathedral are a landmark feature of Zagreb and one of the most famous structures in Zagreb. My wife, being an art lover, next had us going to the Croatian Artists Center which is an exhibition space for contemporary artists in Zagreb and Croatia. My favorite was the Stone Gate, which was built in the 13th Century. As the story goes, in 1731 a fire destroyed much of this area, burning all the houses to the ground. The gate displayed a painting of Mary and Jesus which was "miraculously" undamaged by the fire. Of course, there are many other places to visit and next time we go we plan on visiting the Mirogoj Cemetery which is located north of the city.

Getting to Croatia was not very expensive. We were able to fly roundtrip non-stop on Czech airlines for about $1000 each out of JFK. We stayed at the Laguna which is a three star hotel for about $70 a night. There are some five star hotels, such as the Regent Esplande, which run around $250 a night if you want more luxury. The best way of getting around the city is to use the tram. Tickets run about $1.25 for a 90 minute pass.

The food was incredible. It is obvious that the chefs take a great deal of pride in their cooking. Much of the cuisine is based on hearty meat dishes, with sides of beans, soups, and cabbage salads. The breads are made of maize, barley or both. The wines are also very good. Prices range from $6 - $20 per person.

We found that visiting Croatia was a good choice. We were able to see a lot of history and experience the elegance of Europe on a very affordable budget. We cannot wait to return to this wonderful country again.

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