Zagreb is the kind of capital that reveals itself slowly. It doesn’t shout — it invites. A stroll through Upper Town takes you past gas-lit lanterns, hidden courtyards, and tiny museums dedicated to everything from broken hearts to illusions. The Lower Town hums with café culture, where locals linger over espressos and ideas. Green parks, Austro-Hungarian architecture, and weekend markets give it a refined, lived-in charm — but the creative energy here is unmistakable. Zagreb is full of pleasant contradictions: stately yet quirky, relaxed yet imaginative. Come for the culture, stay for the vibe — and leave with a sense of a city that’s somehow both grand and intimate.

In Split, history isn’t behind glass — it lives and breathes around you. The city’s heart beats inside Diocletian’s Palace, a sprawling Roman complex where homes, shops, and cafés now nestle within ancient marble walls. By day, the stone alleyways buzz with life; by night, they glow softly under the flicker of lanterns. Beyond the palace gates, palm trees sway along the Riva, locals sip rakija by the harbour, and the scent of lavender mingles with sea breeze. Hike up Marjan Hill for sweeping views of the islands, or take a ferry to where the Adriatic opens wide. Split is where past and present don’t just coexist — they dance.

Istria is where Croatian soul meets Italian elegance. This lush, heart-shaped peninsula offers a gentler, more pastoral side of the country — where roads wind through vineyards and olive groves, and every hilltop town feels like a scene from a medieval storybook. In Rovinj, pastel houses tumble toward the sea, fishermen haul in their daily catch, and evenings are best spent on a terrace with a glass of malvazija in hand. Inland, Motovun and Grožnjan lure you in with cobbled lanes and the scent of truffles drifting from rustic kitchens. Whether you’re tasting wine in a family-run cellar, cycling along the Parenzana Trail, or watching the sunset from a quiet terrace, Istria invites you to slow down — and savour every moment.