Croatia
Croatia's economic, cultural and administrative heart sits on the north bank of the river Sava. Here, a labyrinth of peaceful cobbled streets links the city's oldest and finest monuments: the Cathedral, St Mark's Church (noted for its red, white and blue tiled roof) and the Sabor (seat of the Croatian Parliament). At the foot of the Upper Town lie Trg Bana Jelacic, the main square, and Dolac, the colorful open-air market. The main square links the Upper Town to Donji Grad (Lower Town), the commercial center of modern-day Zagreb, with theaters, shops, cinemas, museums and cafes.A number of important 19th-century public buildings are located here, including Glavni Kolodvor (main train station), the imposing neo-Baroque Croatian National Theater and the Academy of Arts and Sciences. The Museum of Arts and Crafts traces Croatian craftsmanship from the Renaissance up to the present day, while the Mimara Museum presents a rich collection of painting, sculpture and ceramics from abroad. Also worth visiting are the Museum of Zagreb, the Archaeological Museum and the Gallery of Naïve Art. The city boasts one of Europe's very first planned parks: Maksimir, a magnificent feat of landscaping, with lakes, pavilions and sculptures, dating back to 1794.