Zagreb, Croatia's capital and home to nearly a quarter of its four and a half million citizens, is the country's cultural, political and economic centre. Flanked by the green hills of Mount Medvednica, on the western fringe of the Balkans, it is a city rich in contrasts with a history of more than a thousand years. The Upper Town (Gornji grad) is the old historical nucleus - an ochre maze of medieval cobbled lanes, Baroque facades, courtyards, churches and leafy parks. From the ramparts that ring the town, one can almost touch the neo-Gothic spires of St. Stephen's Cathedral and the gilded dome of St. Mary's in lower Kaptol. There you will find Dolac - the city's delightful open-air/covered market, a cornucopia of fresh produce, dried fruits and spices, meat, fish, dairy products and flowers. Croatians enjoy the art of eating and take great pride in their cuisine. The ready availability of local produce and fish fresh from the Adriatic is something that people here still take for granted. Pedestrian Tkalca, Zagreb's little Monmartre, is another popular venue for doing what Croatians love best - strolling and people watching. Lined with bars, cafes, boutiques and galleries, the street follows the course of an ancient mountain stream. The old bohemian neighbourhood with its mills and bridges is gone, replaced by sturdier dwellings whitewashed in bright Mediterranean colours. Like many Central European cities, Zagreb owes much of its present-day appearance to nineteenth-century Vienna. The business of empire building, conducted by the Habsburgs, saw the expansion of the city in an orderly grid of streets and squares, parks and gardens, palaces, pavilions and public buildings. Today, the odd, grey socialist architecture of 1960's Yugoslavia interpolates with the Baroque and ice-cream coloured Art Nouveau facades of Zagreb's central city square - Trg Bana Jelacica.

Since Croatia split with Yugoslavia in 1991, the country has experienced profound change. A sense of optimism and prosperity is growing, but nowhere quite as much as in Zagreb. As the deadline for EU entry draws nearer, the capital projects a confident, well-heeled image with coffee, cuisine and culture getting the top marks. A combination of Mitteleuropa charm and Mediterranean joie de vivre give the city its distinctive flavour. Lounge bars, cafes and scores of excellent restaurants make for a lively gastro and social scene. And while you will not see locals doing a picnic in the park, sandwich kiosks, bakeries, pizzerias and cevapi-to-go offer inexpensive alternatives - fast food Croatian style.

Ask most people in Zagreb what their favourite sport is and they will probably answer soccer, tennis or skiing. Ask them how they spend their weekends and they will probably point to their walking shoes. Besides Tuskanac and Maksimir - Zagreb's oldest city parks - Medvednica mountain offers miles of signposted walking and hiking trails, picnic areas, ski meadows, inns and lodges. Just a half hour from Zagreb, the mountain can be reached by public bus or tram. A cable car operates throughout the year and runs from the foothills to the top of the highest peak (Sljeme at 1,034 m), offering panoramic views of Zagreb and the lush green mountain landscape.