Croatia Archives | Real Posh Mom

#LEAPzg // Where to Stay in Zagreb, Croatia

April 25, 2017 By Jennifer 0

From 11th to 13th of May, LEAP Summit #LEAPzg digital community will be taking over Croatia’s capital, Zagreb. This city is rich in cultural heritage and an array of well-established galleries and historic architecture. Read my previous post on WHY YOU NEED TO ATTEND LEAP SUMMIT. I am excited that this year I am one of their official bloggers. Join me on my journey beneath Mount Medvednica, as I will be live blogging about how you can LEAP into action from smart women like Cathy O’Dowd, Lada Tedeschi Fiorio, Ivana Grbavac and many more. As people will be gathering from near and far, here are all the hotel information that you will need to plan your travel to Zagreb, Croatia.

LEAP Summit Lodging

The Westin Zagreb
This 5-star hotel in Zagreb is within walking distance to LEAP Summit and outdoor cafés.Distance to event: 5 min walk
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

Esplanade Zagreb – 5-Star Resort + Real Posh Favorite
This is our go-to hotel in Zagreb if you are looking for luxury, elegance and old world charm.Distance to event: 11 min walk // 12 min by tram
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

Red Carpet Apartments & Rooms
Distance to event: 0 min walk
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

Hostel Fancy
As an official LEAP Summit partner, you can enjoy a fancy way in a specially art-designed hostel with a great price.Distance to event: 11 min walk // 12 min by tram
contact: info@fancyhostel.com
PRICE: 11 EUR price per night per person
optional: 3 EUR/breakfast/day, 6.50 EUR/lunch/day
BOOK HERE.

Hostel Old Lab
Located in the center of Zagreb, this hostel offers a café with a terrace, as well as free WiFi access.Distance to event: 13 min walk // 10 min by tram
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

The Palace Hotel Zagreb
This traditional Art Nouveau hotel is centrally located.Distance to event: 16 min walk // 9 min by tram
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

Hostel 54
As an official LEAP Summit partner, enjoy this modest yet comfortable hostel set in the west part of the city of Zagreb for a great price.Distance to event: 19 min walk // 6 min by tram
Zagreb, Croatia
contact: booking@hostel54.com
PRICE: 10 EUR per night per person
BOOK HERE.

Hotel Jägerhorn
A 3-minute walk from the nearest tram stop, this polished hotel dating from the 19th-century is a great option during LEAP Summit.Distance to event: 26 min walk // 11 min by tram
Zagreb, Croatia
BOOK HERE.

Why I Want to Attend LEAP Summit Zagreb? #LEAPzg

March 2, 2017 By Jennifer 1

There are so many great ways to learn and sharpen your skills these days: you can read blogs, listen to podcasts, watch how-to videos on YouTube, and attend webinars, just to name a few. Why bother with the time and expense of attending LEAP Summit in Zagreb, Croatia?

If that’s your attitude, then you may be missing out on one of the best opportunities to take your game to the next level. LEAP Summit provides a unique learning and career building opportunities that you just can’t find anywhere else.

Below you’ll find 5 reasons why you should attend LEAP Summit and consider sending your students and employees to conferences as well. 🙂

1. Iron Sharpens Iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a person sharpens his friend. ” Proverbs 27:17 in the Bible. Stephen Covey also lists it as his sixth habit of highly effective people. To put it simply, “two heads are better than one.” Synergize is the habit of creative cooperation. It is teamwork, open-mindedness and the adventure of finding new solutions to old problems. People bring all their personal experience and expertise to the table, and together, they can produce far better results that they could individually.

I always return from a conference with new ideas and approaches that make me more effective and efficient at work. When people begin to interact together genuinely, and they’re open to each other’s influence, they begin to gain new insight. Don’t be “a dull axe” while your competition is being sharpened by others.

2. Meet Experts & Influencers Face-to-face

While not every conferences offers you the opportunity to meet people that you have been following online for years, your chances are greatly improved when you’re sharing the same space.

Sometimes it’s about taking a selfie with someone who’s influenced you, or sharing a business idea with someone you admire, or making a connection that can lead to finding your next mentor. This will never happen from an online success summit.

3. Networking Opportunities

Social media keeps me connected to people who are both local and live and work far away. However, there’s no substitution for meeting someone in real life.LEAP Summit has opportunities for attendees to mix and mingle, form new relationships, and strengthen existing ones. Over coffee or lunch, you may make a connection with the perfect provider or prospect. At a breakout session, you may find yourself sitting next to your next customer or mentor. Or, if you don’t go, maybe your toughest competitor will be sitting in your seat.

4. Learning in a New Space

Remember that scene in Dead Poet’s Society when Robin Williams made his students stand on a desk to get a fresh perspective?Many businesses have meetings off-site because it’s easy to find ourselves in a rut. Sitting in the same chair, in the same office or in the same coffeehouse, can keep us from thinking of new ideas. Taking a break out of the office, sitting in a new space, can spark us to new approaches that will grow our businesses.

5. The Energy of Like-minded Individuals

There’s nothing like being in a room of like-minded people, who are willing to take time away from school or work to learn something new and want to “better” themselves.

When you sit at the Summit, you discover that you’re not alone in wanting to improve your skills and bring something back to your office or organization. That energy is lacking in all online learning channels, regardless of how much chatter there may be around a hashtag.

LEAP Summit provides a unique convergence of networking, learning and fun into a single package. It forces you to grow and challenge yourself. Oh, and it is in Zagreb, my FAVORITE capital city in the Balkans. Just read about what you can do and see!

4 Smart Coffee Spots for a Zagreb Coffee Break
Photo Journal: Secret Walks in Zagrebarium

Next Steps

All of this has been on my mind a lot lately, as I countdown to LEAP Summit Zagreb on May 11-13, 2017.

The primary focus of the Summit is on themes connected to innovation, entrepreneurship and business development, leadership, creativity, inspiring and life changing stories, success stories and career development.

Date: 11-13 May, 2017
Place: Studentski centar, Savska cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Cost: 300 kn (~€40) – 1500 kn (~€200), depending on when you buy tickets!

Learn More & Register for LEAP Summit Now >>

What other reasons are there for attending LEAP Summit? What lasting impressions did it leave for you? Leave your answers in the comments below…we read every one!

10 Best Beaches in Southeast Europe

February 2, 2016 By Jennifer 0

It isn’t hard to find the best beaches in Southeast Europe when there are so many to choose from, but rather harder to choose which beaches to leave out! Here are our top picks for the best beaches in Southeast Europe, from islands in Croatia to the off-the-beaten path islands in Greece, here is where you will find them…

#1. Egremni Beach, GreeceEgremni Beach on Lefkada Island is not on the popular and well-known Greek islands, but this is a beach where you can actually relax and blend in to local life.

#2. Elafonisi Beach, GreeceElafonisi Beach in Crete is another such Greek beach worth mentioning.

#3. Jaz Beach, MontenegroIf you’re looking for a little adventure on a sandy beach, then Jaz Beach, outside of Budva, is perfect for you. It’s one of Montenegro’s gorgeous beaches on the Adriatic coast.

#4. Lubenice, CroatiaCres Island is home to beaches and crystal-clear coves at Lubenice, accessible by a steep path through the underbrush, so make sure to wear some good hiking shoes. Your hike to this secluded beach will be easily forgotten once you reach the beach.

#5. Navagio Beach, GreeceAlso known as Shipwreck Beach, this is one of the most iconic beaches to visit in Greece, and the picture certainly shows you why! This exposed cove is surrounded by crystal blue waters and trails around to catch the best view.

#6. Rana e Hedhun Beach, AlbaniaIn northern Albania is the wonderful beach of Rana e Hedhun (Powdered Sand). It is a pristine beach where sand dunes climb nearly halfway up the face of the mountainside.

#7. Šunj Beach, CroatiaŠunj Beach is 1km strip of sand sloping gently into warm, shallow waters. There are two restaurants, both of which rent deck chairs and beach umbrellas, and a choice of activities from beach volleyball to tennis.

#8. Sunny Beach, BulgariaSunny Beach stretches 8km along the Black Sea with fine golden sand. It is also home to some of the coast’s last remaining natural sand dunes and rare plant species. Sunny Beach is across the bay from the historic town of Nesebăr.

#9. Sveti Stefan Beach, MontenegroSveti Stefan is one of the most renowned beaches and certainly an icon for coastal Montenegro.

#10. Zlatni Rat, CroatiaZlatni Rat (Golden Cape) is situated near the city of Bol on the southern coast of the island of Brac. It is a narrow white pebble beach with an amazing shape that shifts with the changes in tide, currents and wind. Zlatni Rat is bordered by pine trees, where you can find remnants of ancient Roman civilization, including a swimming pool.

4 Smart Coffee Spots for a Zagreb Coffee Break

September 29, 2015 By Jennifer 1

Coffee culture has always been particularly strong in Zagreb, not just in flavor but in society. People value a good strong espresso, cappuccino or latte in a ceramic mug rather than an overpriced sweet “coffee” drink that they take away as they walk through town. People want to chat or do business in a relaxed way, sitting at a café with a delicious cup of locally roasted coffee. While in Zagreb, there are four coffeehouses that make me want to come back, so here’s my list!
Eli’s Caffe
Locals come here for great coffee, located on the most prominent street of Zagreb, Ilica. This is not only a coffee bar, but also a coffee roaster. Owner Nik Orosi is a pioneer in the field of all things coffee, sourcing coffee from specific producers and roasting it himself for maximum freshness and flavor. Eliscaffe coffee brand is available for purchase, which is where I get my supply every time I am in town – convenient for true addicts. Eli’ s Cafe is known as “no logo, just taste!”, and it just opened its second location.

Cogito Coffee Shop
At Cvjetni trg, you can have coffee in countless cafes, but if you look closely you’ll find excellent coffee in a small café, hidden in a passage and decorated in an industrial, hipster-style. Cogito Coffee Shop make truly amazing coffee. The concept was devised by two Matijas, who were frustrated that there were not enough coffee roasters in town, so one of the Matijas opened a roasters in Jurja Žerjavića Street, right next my next favorite coffee shop called Cafe u Dvorištu, which was opened by the other Matija.

U Dvoriste
U Dvoriste is situated in a quiet backyard setting in the center of a building block. Immediately next door, there’s a small roastery – Cogito Coffee Roasters – where you can see where your coffee was roasted. You can enjoy a delicious coffee with milk or even a cup of aeropress coffee, as well. Naturally, they also sell their coffee – either in bean or ground version. Do you know why Cogito Coffee blend is called “Tesla”? Because their location actually used to be a lightbulb factory.

42 Coffee Co.
In the cozy ambient of 42 Coffee Co., located on (old) Vlaška, they serve top-notch coffee and guarantee pure pleasure. The lovely barista will chat with you about all the wonders of coffee. Industrial decor paired with a giant community table with a dog-friendly environment, and you have yourself a winning combination.

Honorable Mention: Chocolat 041
There are few reasons why locals love this place. First it is owned by once very famous football player Zvonimir Boban; Second, decoration is unique with lamps made of old cassettes, chairs look like big puzzle toy or old chairs taken from high school classrooms. This place is fun for the WHOLE FAMILY when you are wanting coffee but need something for your kids to enjoy, too. The ice cream is superb, and the range of irresistible cakes – all of which are based on chocolate in some way or another – almost guarantees repeat visits. Order a delicious espresso which goes sooo well with chocolate, and you’ll have a sweet experience for the whole family.

Which of these coffeehouses are your favorite? How do you like your coffee?

Photo Journal: Secret Walks in Zagrebarium

July 28, 2015 By Jennifer 1

My family stopped in Zagreb, Croatia while traveling with our Eurail passes, but little did we know that this modern-city has its roots established during Victorian times. Zagreb, Croatia is probably best known as a large city which managed to stay romantic with unlimited possibilities for visiting music and theatre events, art exhibitions, museums and enjoying pleasant walks, interesting architecture and lots of parks in the center of the city.

But, thanks to the Secret Zagreb’s Zagrebarium, we think Zagreb is also the steampunk capital of the Balkans. Once my family started exploring the city with Iva, owner and tour guide of Secret Zagreb Walks, we learned that Zagreb has a well-preserved historic Austro-Hungarian Victorian district, so from there it’s only one minor conceptual shift in thinking to make Zagreb all things steampunk. To Iva’s credit, she has fully embraced the steampunk vibe, going so far as dressing in costume and creating a steampunk-themed map—that my kids have declared as one of the best maps and still look at since we got home.

The tour begins at the beautiful Zagreb Main Station. From there you will see traces of the city’s great expansion in the 19th and early 20th centuries and hear stories of amazing minds and incredible events that happened in Zagreb! I don’t want to give an spoilers, but if you are a red-head, you are in for a great story…and beware. 😉 Also, did you know that the fountain pen was invented in Zagreb? This and other interesting facts will be told. Some stories will grab your kids attention that they will be talking about them for days. You will also follow the footsteps of Nikola Tesla in Zagreb, reveals the connection between great 20th century rock stars and Croatian scientists, searches for links between superstition and science and gives insight into earth-shaking events.

The tour will end, as you enjoy a short yet memorable cable car ride up the world’s shortest funicular, where you can see the whole city on a hill. But watch your time, as you may want to cover your ears when the cannon goes off from the tower. It was a highlight for the kids on the tour.First thing is first, if you have never been to Zagreb, you MUST come! Next, you need to book the Zagrebarium tour, where Iva searches for the fantastic side of Zagreb. You will hear interesting tales of amazing minds and incredible events as you explore the city’s best-known sights and some hidden gems. Then, the following days you can explore independently and see for yourself how magically ingenious Zagreb is. Oh, and make sure to see the changing of the guards at St. Mark’s Cathedral! Your whole family will pull out their phones to record this ceremony performed since the 17th century.