Croatia – Our Two Step Start

Osijek, Croatia Travel Guide

Wanting to visit a city free of tourism while traveling Croatia? Meet Osijek! This smaller city packs a punch, and is a great place to spend 1-2 days while in Croatia! It was an amazing spot to slow down, and really take time to breathe!

So, here is our travel guide to Osijek in Croatia! We will share some things to do, places to eat, where we stayed, and some other helpful top tips!

*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

Things to do in Osijek

With Osijek being a smaller city (well, 4th largest in Croatia), it isn’t as cram packed as Zagreb, but still there are some great things to do!

Wander Ante Starčević Square

Ante Starčević Square is in the centre of Osijek city, surrounded by shops and cafes! Here you will find a cute water feature, alongside a statue of Ante Starčević himself! It is a great place to take time to relax and wander, as it is very quiet and peaceful.

Statue in Ante Starčević Square in Osijek Croatia

Visit Petar Pan!

We’ll be honest this place was so yummy it really deserved a spot on the list! Perfect for a hot sunny day, we stopped here for an ice cream break and was not disappointed! With a menu full of ice cream sundaes, they had ones designed to look like Disney characters which was so fun. The only downside was they didn’t take card (we believe), so make sure to have some cash!

Pinocchio themed ice cream at Peter Pan in Osijek!

Look how cute this Pinocchio themed ice cream was! Yum!

SS Peter & Paul

This Neo-Gothic co-cathedral in Osijek is really stunning! We saw this cathedral on the walk through to the city square, and it is breathtaking! We didn’t go inside, however we have heard some great things about the people running the cathedral.

Find the 8 statues!

Find the 8 statues of Osijek! We saw three of the eight and they are really special! Some include a mum holding her baby, the Croatian Paganini, an elephant, and a writer (one of Croatia’s most famous statues)! This can be a great way to explore and take in the city atmosphere as you find all of the statues!

Franjo Krežma Statue — *Franjo Krežma* – the Croatian Paganini

Walk along the Drava River

With a nice breeze, you will appreciate walking along the river in summer! We spotted some boats, and took this time to chat and decompress.

Osijek Zoo

We didn’t actually go to the zoo, however this is a recommended spot in Osijek. You can find tickets here! Some animals they have include lions, bison, zebras and giraffes!

Where to eat

We will be honest with you, the night we stayed in Osijek we struggled to go out due to Aimee’s health, so we got some snacks from the shop!

Mlinar bakeries

These are dotted around Croatia, but we made sure to grab snacks from here! Our top recommendation would be a chicken burek (we miss them very much)!!

Restaurants

As we didn’t visit any set restaurants, we will share a list of some recommended ones for you to try!

Ventidue (Italian, Pizza)
Lumiere (International, European)
Slavonska KuĆa (Croatian, European)
Zimska Luka (Croatian, European)
Waldinger (Michelin Star, International, European)

Travel Essentials for Osijek

Travelling Osijek was pretty straight forward, but these are some top things we recommend!

Croatian eSIM

For a ‘set’ amount of data, we found Airalo to be the best choice! You can find their packages here.

You can find bundles with unlimited data, that span across the whole of Europe, perfect for those backpacking around multiple countries… Find them here at Yesim!

Google translate app

Osijek was a little harder to navigate due to not everyone knowing English (it was a lot less touristic). Therefore, having the translate app was a godsend! The best thing about having the app version is you can use your camera to scan your surroundings (think menus, signs etc), and it will translate it to your language in real time!

Pre-booked transfer

If you are flying into Osijek (yes they have an airport!!), please try to book prior transfers. We struggled to find a bus and ended paying for taxi transfer, which we aren’t sure was the best deal. This was just based on our own experiences.

Where to stay

For this trip we stayed in such an amazing airbnb! We only spent £29 for a night, which at the time was a lot better than hotels in the area at our time of searching! We genuinely are so happy we stayed here, we will leave the link here, this isn’t an affilate link, just somewhere we wish to get the love they deserve!

We hope this guide helps you for your next trip to Osijek! It is an amazing city to visit for a stop-gap, and was a place to stop and breathe.

Find our Travel Essentials!

We have a full list of recommendations for any travels! Check out our:

We also recommend using these when planning your next trip!

Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.
Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!
Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!
HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!
Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!
Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!
ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Osijek Vlog here!

If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

Check out our Social Media’s below!

Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

We post daily content of our travel experiences and also must know travel tips so be sure not to miss out on this!

Thank you for reading this blog, and have a good day.

Grič Tunnel – The underground experience of Zagreb

Visiting Zagreb is such a great location for adventure… From unique and quirky museums, to vibrant nightlife and rich history, this beautiful European city is one to visit! One very unique thing to do whilst in Zagreb is visiting the Grič Tunnel. What started as a World War 2 protection, this underground has became an interesting part of this city- from hosting raves, being a hot photoshoot location… we will break down why you need to visit this Zagreb attraction!

The Grič Tunnels also appear in our Zagreb Vlog which we will link below!

*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

What is the Grič Tunnel?

Why does the Grič Tunnel exist?

Related to the second world war, this tunnel was initially constructed between 1943-44 to serve as protection for the locals. Their purpose was to help towards giving shelter during bombings during world war 2 and the Croatian War of Independence. The Grič Tunnel is only a section of all of the tunnels in Zagreb, but is the only one open to the public.

There are Croatian legends stating there was a vast amount of tunnels, which would’ve been destroyed during the 1880 earthquake, which it is said to have disappeared with all of the church gold. Whether that is true or not, this is a very cool legend to tell!

It was argued this tunnel was not worth the expense it caused, with many arguing it was unnecessary. The initial plan was larger, with plans of boasting an underground hall being discarded during the building process. The tunnel spans over 350 metres, and has a capacity of 5,000 people, which is what added to the call of it being unnecessary due to the smaller capacity allowance.

The tunnel through history

After being bomb shelter, the prior mentioned underground hall was added, and it transformed into a food warehouse space… However, shortly it came discarded and abandoned. It simply became a place where homeless people could find shelter, and space for drug users.

Interestingly, the 1990’s brought the revival of the Grič Tunnel, hosting historic raves; turning a once war shelter into a vibrant nightlife scene. With remodelling, this spot hosted one of the first raves in Croatia, with DJ’s coming from Germany, the U.K. and more!

The tunnel did however still use some of it’s intended use; due to the Croatian War of Independence, the air raid shelter was in use between the war (1991-1995), with additional temporary toilets being built to aid in this hard time.

Calls to renovate the tunnel came with the 21st century, with a historic proposal being set in 2015. With work beginning in 2016, there was three main stages to this renovation. There has still been some controversy regarding this Tunnel, since key modern safety precautions still haven’t been followed, even post renovation.

Events in the Grič Tunnel

As mentioned before, the Grič Tunnel has had some interesting key moments! Here are some of the top ones so far!

1993 Under City Rave

Hosting a ‘techno’ rave, this 1993 rave was an exciting moment for the Croatian nightlife scene! Renowned DJ’s such as DJ Mate Galic from Berlin, DJ Beamish from London, Random Logic from Slovenia, and many others featured at this great event! It was even aired on MTV.

Expecting only 300-400 people, this initial rave brought 3,000 ravers in October of 1993, at the first international rave, called the ‘Under City Rave’.

Advent in the Tunnel

During the Christmas months, this usually dark and monotone location is transformed with colourful bright lights and decorations, to create a magical advent location to visit!

From concerts to exhibitions, this space is transformed into such a beautiful surrounding- imagine winter wonderland, or the nutcracker aesthetic!

The advent causes some of the entrances to be closed off, however we think it is worth it for sure! Admission is usually free, with opening times between 9am and 10pm.

Flora Art

Hosting a beautiful flower exhibition, this is yet another breathtaking use of this war tunnel space.

Croatia je Hrvatska

In 2017, the tunnel hosted yet another interesting exhibition, this time being the Croatia je Hrvatska. Appearing as a time machine, the exhibition used projectors, props and music to allow guests to explore social, political, economic and other events of Croatian history! Featured in this exhibit was use of the central hall, creating a ‘Rainstorm’ room, with constant rain.

In 2018, this interesting exhibition was awarded the international award IIDA Global Excellence, proving the pure excellence of the space and history of this tunnel.

How to visit Grič Tunnel

With entrances at Mesnićka street, or through two other entrances in the current Art Park below Lotršćak Tower, this is a free to enter spot, that during non-event periods only takes a 5-10 minute walk.

It is open between 9am-9pm daily, and is a must visit for your trip to Zagreb!

You can get a guided tour of the Tunnel included in a walking tour, which will give you an in-depth history and explanation of the rich history of the Grič Tunnel, such as this one here.

Similarly, there is a walking tour that’ll explore the Croatian war and communism themes, in a history guided tour, featuring the Grič Tunnel, find it here.

For such a short timeframe, yes! This tunnel might only take 10 minutes of your day, but it felt very impactful! We had never been anywhere like this, and we took time to sit on one of the sides and soak in the surrounding of the tunnel.

It is a unique place to take some photos, so it’s another reason to visit to get some interesting photos for your instagram page!

Photoshoot in the Grič Tunnel of Zagreb, Croatia. Taken by Ourtwostepstart

There is also a very ‘spooky’ feeling to this tunnel, with some of the closed off areas giving an eerie atmosphere… if you are into this type of thing, 100% make it a must visit spot!

Want to book a great hostel in Zagreb? Check out this one!

Want help planning your Croatian adventure?

We now offer custom travel planning support! Experience the pinnacle of travel planning, ensuring your journey is luxurious, well-organized, and unforgettable! Find our Basic package, Standard package, and Luxury package, ready for your Croatia trip! We have made a blog post explaining these packages further here!

We post weekly Youtube Videos now! Please check out our Croatia Series!

Our Latest Video!

Our favourite must-needed travel resources

Where to Fly

Trip.com – Find amazing flight deals, with over 2 million flight routes, and being one of the world’s leading online travel agencies.

Kiwi – Use Kiwi’s amazing service that is pioneering in the flight space! They use virtual interlining, which means they can provide seamless connecting flights into one single itinerary!

CheapOair – Being one of the fastest growing online travel companies in the US, CheapOair offers great flight deals, hotel rooms, rental cars and more!

Where to Stay

Booking.com – Offering over 28 million accommodations to book, we will always use booking.com! Having a rewards system built in, the more you book, the more perks you get!

HostelWorld – You cannot budget travel without hostel world! Having over 17,000 hostels, boasting over 13 million reviews, hostel world is one our of top websites for budget travel! They are now offering more ways to meet people abroad, with meet ups, group chats and more available!

Vrbo – Find stunning vacation rentals with Vrbo! Offering over 2 million paid listings in 190 countries, find memorable experiences with this accommodation service!

Where to Explore

Viator – A trip advisor company, viator offers over 300,000 experiences over 200 countries, including water sports, walking tours, boat trips, food tastes tours and more! Including activities for many budgets, check out Viator!

Eat With – Experience authentic travel experiences with locals worldwide! Use eat with to book unique and intimate dining experiences, such as dinner parties in big restaurants, big feasts with a local family, cooking classes with a local and more!

Get Your Guide – Book unique (and common too!) experiences and activities worldwide, including skip the line tickets to big attractions worldwide!

Where to get Connected

Airalo – With over one million people using Airalo, it is our go to eSIM provider for our worldwide trips! Having data packs from over 200 countries, find combined area packages and deals to suit your travel style and data needs!

Where to be Protected

ETKA – Every age from 3 to 85 can buy ETKA’s travel insurance, offering multilingual 24/7 chat support, and your insurance policy within 2-3 minutes!

Our Top Traveller’s Essentials

Backpack – Osprey Farpoint 40 – This backpack is a staple amongst many travellers! Being a lot cheaper than the luxury brands, this is a quality backpack from a well known brand. It boasts quality durability, is lightweight with a great framework and is a great option for most people! This backpack has a hip strap to help carry the bag, a breathable harness strap, and comes in multiple colours!

Compression Packing Cubes – Compression cubes are our favourite packing accessory! These cubes are similar to the normal packing cubes, but feature a compression zip, meaning you can compress your clothes down… this makes packing easier, limits the space you are using, and means more room for souvenirs etc!

Powerbank – Don’t lose power when travelling! It isn’t always guaranteed to find charging ports, so we would always suggest carrying a spare power bank, just incase you do run low on power when you need it!

Universal Travel Plug Adapter – Most backpackers/travellers visit multiple countries during one trip. And that means it isn’t guaranteed you will be using the same plug head during each place. A universal plug is great as it lets you switch between each plug head style all in one item! We love ours, it has USB slots meaning multiple items can be charged at once.

Find our full packing list guide here.

Thank you for reading about Visiting the Grič Tunnel

If you would like to support our own travel Journey, please check out all our other blogs, and subscribe to the newsletter where we are currently uploading daily blogs!

Check out our Social Media’s below!

Finally, share this post with your friends! Let’s build those travel plans and make memories!

We post daily content of our travel experiences and also must know travel tips so be sure not to miss out on this!

Thank you for reading this blog, and have a good day.

Chillout Hostel Zagreb – Hostel Review

Want a central hostel in the heart of everything while in Zagreb? After spending one night in this traveller friendly hostel/hotel combo, we wanted to share more! The Chillout Hostel has the best of both worlds; hostel dorms for the budget friendly extrovert, and hotel and private facilities for those liking a bit more privacy!

Carry on reading to hear about our experience in this hostel, and why you should be staying here for your next Zagreb trip!

*This post contains affiliate links, which we may earn from. This does not come at an additional cost, but helps us to pursue this dream 🙂

Chillout Hostel Zagreb, Croatia

Chillout Hostel Location

Situated in the heart of Zagreb city centre, Chillout Hostel is in Ilica 16, right next to all of the landmarks, nightlife, shops, restaurants and more! Just on the doorstep you will found countless things to do and see! It is also near tram links, meaning easy access around the rest of the city!

The hostel itself shares areas with the Timeout Heritage Hotel, so you will enter the same entrance for both!

Private Room Experience

For our stay, we stayed in a private room, with private en-suite bathroom. This came at €60 per night for 2 people.

To begin with, the room was beautiful and extremely unique! The walls were covered in a newspaper print, with fascinating and quirky stories printed throughout! It then had green and gold accents… it really was stunning! The room had high ceilings and a balcony (somewhat communal? It was chained off between rooms but still visible to other rooms).

We had a double bed which was comfy, a full length mirror, a vanity dresser, wardrobe and fridge to keep things cool! (Please don’t forget to grab your snacks though… as sadly we forgot our chocolate in there 😦 …)

The bathroom was very clean. We had a sink with a large mirror, then a shower cubicle with a GREAT water pressure… oh the little things in life! The flooring even had glitter running throughout!

We were also given an electronic key card for entry, which also gives you additional perks which we will explain a bit further down!

Other Rooms Available

Within the Chillout Hostel, you can book a standard double en-suite (which we booked), a mixed dorm of 6 bunk beds (from around £30), or a mixed dorm of 4 bunk beds (from around £35).

The dorms include their own en-suite bathrooms, and as many European accommodations, you will need to pay a city tax additionally.

The hostel had many social areas!

We decided to have a drink in the rooftop terrace the evening we arrived- there is a great cocktail menu, it just depends what your budget is as most cocktails were €10+. The terrace was busy, staff were attentive, and music was playing etc!

Rooftop Terrace at Chillout Hostel in Zagreb

Elderflower Spritzer at the Rooftop Terrace at Chillout Hostel in Zagreb

Another area was the downstairs seating, which you would’ve walked through to reach check out! Although we didn’t sit here, we saw many people using this as a working area in the morning, but a social area in the evening!

Bunker Nightclub

Now this was fun! Additional to the social areas mentioned above, this hostel features it’s own built in nightclub!

We mentioned the key cards didn’t we? So, the entry fee of the nightclub is squashed once you show your key card, meaning free entry to their club!

Each night is themed different, with our stay falling on the 00’s disco night! However, it was mores a late 00’s-10’s music, with the odd more modern song included!

The club was split into different areas, with extremely cool neon graffiti throughout! The drinks were a little expensive, however that is to be expected in most night-clubs.

Rick and Morty Graffiti in the bunker nightclub

mirror selfie in Chillout Hostel's nightclub

Tours available

At the hostel desk you will find different posters and leaflets, including some discounts for tours! One of the discounts included is for the museum of hangovers, something we will soon be sharing about!

Just ask at the front desk for any assistance.

There is also a group chat you can join, telling you about anything happening at the hostel!

We would recommend staying at the Chillout Hostel! It was in such a great location, with clean facilities and friendly staff. You can book it here.

Is it worth the cost?

For a capital city hostel in Europe, we did think the price was okay! In comparison to local hotels we couldn’t really complain!

There was a few cheaper options, but for this location and the nightlife we are happy with our choice!