From the Balkans to Bavaria! We explore the history and unique museums of Zagreb (Croatia), take a day trip to stunning Lake Bled (Slovenia) for that famous cream cake, and then brave the massive tents of Oktoberfest in Munich. Three litres later, my liver protested!
After leaving Sarajevo, our next stop was Zagreb, Croatia. It had been a while since we stayed in a hostel, but we found one in a great location and decided to give it a try. After hours on a bus crossing Balkan borders, the last thing we wanted was to wander with our backpacks, so we treated ourselves to an Uber and settled into life in Croatia’s capital.
Zagreb – Burgers, History and War Stories
Zagreb surprised us right away with a burger festival in a nearby park. Gourmet burgers, live music, and Croatian beer? Not a bad welcome. It wasn’t cheap, but after a long travel day it definitely hit the spot.
The next morning we joined a free walking tour from the main square. It was packed—about sixty people—which isn’t ideal for hearing the guide, but we still learned a lot. Zagreb has a charming old town that’s divided into the Upper and Lower towns. We wandered narrow streets, passed cafes and old churches, and stopped at murals celebrating famous Croatian inventors like Nikola Tesla, Slavoljub Penkala (inventor of the fountain pen), and Ivan Vučetić (developed fingerprint identification).
Up in the Upper Town we saw beautiful viewpoints, St. Catherine’s Church, and the highlight—St. Mark’s Church with its colourful tiled roof. We didn’t go inside because the priest apparently isn’t fond of tourists. Fair enough.
Zagreb is also full of quirky museums, including the Museum of Broken Relationships, which showcases real breakup items and their stories. Only in Europe. Instead, we visited Zagreb Cathedral—a towering Gothic beauty and an easy walk from our hostel.
We later did a paid walking tour focused entirely on the Croatian Homeland War. It was intense and sobering but incredibly educational. We walked through tunnels used as bomb shelters during the war and learned about the brutal siege of Vukovar and missile attacks on Zagreb in the early 1990s. Even today, the scars of Yugoslavia’s breakup are still visible in the city and among its people.
A Quick Detour to Slovenia – Ljubljana and Lake Bled
We squeezed in a day trip to Slovenia—because when Slovenia is only 90 minutes away, how do you not go? Ljubljana is clean, calm, and charming, like a smaller Prague without the crowds. The old town has pastel buildings, romantic bridges, markets, and even fresh milk vending machines on the streets. Yes, milk vending machines. Naturally, we tried it.
We wandered through the historic centre and took the funicular up to Ljubljana Castle for city views before heading to Lake Bled. Even in a short visit, Lake Bled lived up to the hype—emerald water, mountain peaks, and a romantic little church on an island in the middle of the lake. We skipped the overpriced boat ride but did try the famous Bled cream cake. Worth it.
Munich – Beer, Brass Bands and Bad Decisions
From Zagreb we took a painfully long bus ride north through Slovenia and Austria to Munich, Germany—for one very specific reason: Oktoberfest. The world’s biggest beer festival had been calling our name, and we answered.
Our Airbnb was a lucky find—cheap, clean, and available last minute. On our first morning we explored Munich with a walking tour in Marienplatz. The city is full of Bavarian culture, lederhosen, and history. Then we headed straight for the Oktoberfest grounds expecting a beer garden. What we found was a massive carnival—roller coasters, food stalls, parades, and enormous beer tents holding over 10,000 people each.
We started in the Augustiner tent where beer comes in one-litre steins and Bavarian music gets the crowd singing. Let’s just say things got fuzzy after about three litres. Day two we tried the Oide Wiesn (Old Wiesn), a more traditional area with brass bands and folk shows. Day three we ended up in the Hofbräu tent, which was pure chaos—dancing on benches, steins flying, and random people hugging you like old friends. It was impossible not to get swept up in the madness.
Between beers we walked through the English Garden to watch river surfing—yes, surfing in Munich—before grabbing a final stein at Hofbräuhaus. At this point my liver filed an official protest.
Leaving Bavaria Behind
By the time we left Munich we were exhausted, slightly dehydrated, and pretty sure we didn’t need to see beer again for a while. But Oktoberfest was one of those crazy life experiences I’m glad we did once—though my body says once is enough. From here we’re off to Genoa, Italy for a completely different adventure before boarding a 23-day cruise that will eventually land us in Mauritius. Stay tuned—things are only getting more interesting from here.
Reflection
Looking back on this stretch—from the charged history of the Balkans to the postcard beauty of Slovenia and the beer-fueled joy of Bavaria—it reminded me why we travel in the first place. Travel isn’t just about landscapes or food or checking places off a list. It’s about stepping into the world as it really is—complex, joyful, tragic, inspiring. One week you’re learning about war in a tunnel beneath Zagreb, and the next you’re clinking steins with strangers in Munich who feel like old friends by the end of the night. It’s a constant reminder that the world holds both beauty and bruises—and that every mile teaches you something new.
