I spent the winter semester 2025/26 in Zagreb, and it was a very special and memorable time for me. I did not have many options when choosing where to go for my study abroad, so Zagreb was more of a spontaneous choice. However, I am very happy that it turned out this way.

Before coming to Croatia, I mainly associated the country with the sea and summer. Since I arrived at the end of September and stayed throughout the winter until February, my experience was quite different from that image. The winter itself was similar to what I am used to in Germany, but I still felt that there were many sunny days, which made the colder months more enjoyable.

For me, Zagreb is a very livable city. It is not too big, but has everything you need. There are many cafés, bars, and clubs, some of which are open during the week, which is especially nice for Erasmus students. The city has a beautiful center with monuments, plenty of shops, and even nearby mountains where you can go hiking. During the Christmas season, the city becomes really festive. The Christmas market is much bigger than I expected, and the streets and shops are beautifully decorated with lights, creating a very cozy atmosphere. Over time, I went from not knowing the city at all to feeling very comfortable and connected to it.

One of the nicest parts of my experience was meeting people from all over the world. At first, it can feel challenging and scary to arrive without knowing anyone, but that changes very quickly. Through Erasmus events and university, I met many international students, and I also got used to speaking English in my daily life. Even though I am no longer in Zagreb, I still have these connections, which mean a lot to me.

At my faculty, there were only a few international students, which actually made the experience even better, as we all knew each other. Going to lectures often meant going to the menza together, where we were always impressed by how cheap the food was thanks to student discounts. In general, I found Zagreb quite affordable, especially thanks to student discounts and living in the dormitory, which is much cheaper than renting a flat.

I also took a Croatian language course. Even though Croatian is not the easiest language, I learned some basics and, for example, how to introduce myself. However, it is good to know that you can easily get by with English in Zagreb. Besides that, the Faculty of Croatian Studies offers some interesting courses about Croatian history and culture for international students.

Traveling is also a big part of studying abroad. Zagreb is in a great location, which makes it easy to visit other cities and countries. My friends and I often used FlixBus, which was usually quite affordable. During my stay, I visited Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Sarajevo, Mostar, and Zadar, which are places I might not have visited on my own otherwise, as they are quite far from my hometown in Germany, Braunschweig.

Although all of these places were great, Zagreb itself is the most special to me, as I spent the most time there and really got used to it. I already know that I would like to come back one day. Even though my choice to go there was rather random, I am very happy it turned out to be Zagreb, and I would recommend it to everyone.