Plitvice Lakes Bliss and Red Zagreb

My first stop in Croatia was Zagreb. It’s the capital did you know? I stopped there so I could go to the much adored Plitvice Lakes, but I also really enjoyed the red city.

Plitvice Lakes

To walk through Plitvice Lakes on a sunny day can only be described as Bliss. The lakes are a two and a bit hour drive out of Zagreb. And they are amazing! You really should go and check them out, but don’t take my word for it, I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.

If you do plan on heading out there here are a couple of tips to make sure your experience is as good as mine.

Go by bus: you don’t have to go with a tour group. It’s easy to catch a bus, just head to get by bus to make sure you reserve a seat.
Go early: the tour groups that you’re avoiding arrive around 9:00am. If you’re there early you can get ahead and avoid the crowds. My bus left at 5:45, if you can manage it’s worth it.
One day is enough: the lakes are so beautiful so if you really wanted to take your time you could spend more then a day. However, you are able to walk through most of the walking tracks in one day.
Bring a picnic: they do sell food but it’s much nicer to find somewhere to sit and eat a picnic lunch.
Get home: the last bus leaves around 5:50 so make sure you don’t miss it.

Red Zagreb

I decided that Zagreb is the city of red. Red umbrellas, red strawberries, red cherries, red radishes and red for broken hearts, but not mine, cause I really enjoyed this place more then I thought I would. It’s humble and chilled out, a rare find for a capital city.

There isn’t a lot in the way of sights to see but that meant it was easy to take things slow. They have an amazing farmers market in the shade of hundreds of red umbrellas. There you can pick up some fresh produce like cherries, strawberries and radishes for cheap.

There is also a Museum of Broken Hearts which is the first of its kind that I’ve heard of. It’s one of the most interesting museums I’ve been to. Not very large but you’ll find you can spend hours reading the stories of people who have donated items that hold the memory of a broken heart.