Some see it as a vibrant capital and others as a city built on a human scale. People love Zagreb for being green and close to nature, as well as for being a metropolitan city full of opportunities. Zagreb embraces all of these identities.

In one moment it acts like a rather formal institutional capital, only to loosen up in the next and charm you with its laid-back flair. Some of its streets never stop buzzing with metropolitan zest. But turn a corner and you will find yourself in a bucolic alleyway, where the only sound is that of birds chirping away.

Zagreb’s street plan betrays the city’s multiple identities. The historic centre nestles among hilly meandering streets that blend in with the surrounding greenery. The newer parts of the city are more spacious, with broad avenues ideally suited to the flatlands beside the river.

Zagreb is unfussy about where in the world it is. The map shows it rooted well inland, but the Mediterranean breeze is never far away, especially in the way the city lives. Zagreb people are easygoing and love spending time with friends, especially outdoors and over food.

The southern mindset is so strong in Zagreb that even in the winter months people flock to café and restaurant terraces. Nothing really puts a stop to having fun in the city's streets and squares.

This fusion of Central European and Mediterranean lifestyles makes Zagreb a metropolis where everything is just around the corner. It’s in an urban patchwork such as this, where some areas fizzle with energy and others are tranquil and balmy, that everyone gets a piece for themselves. There is no one single Zagreb, and this is what makes Zagreb a singular city.