Zagreb: Not a City of Lights

Things are a little dark at night in the Croatian capital; unlike other city centres there does not seem to be a need to light every building or, indeed, provide the coffee and beer drinkers in a variety of cafes in the city’s squares with enough light to clearly see their tipple of choice. That said, despite what various of the guidebooks said, there is a good and full nightlife.

But it is a very different night life to those in other European cities, where coffee and sparkling water are popular drinks and not considered the weak option. That said, it is a city of contradictions. Walk up Tkalciceva and there are a number of bars catering for those more desirous of its intoxicating powers: the very young, new drinker or the foreign, English-speaking tourist. As I wandered up the town hill to take the above darkened photograph, I was welcomed by the sound of a young jazz group playing to locals, on the other side of the hill a bar played out the latest ‘turbofolk’ for more drunken, younger clients. If that’s not a variety of night life, then I don’t know what is – however dark it is!!