Esplanade Zagreb Hotel was purpose-built in 26 months as the official terminus luxury for the Paris-Istanbul Orient Express line. Since 1925, this Art Deco masterpiece has functioned as Croatia’s diplomatic reception hall—hosting Queen Elizabeth II, Charles Lindbergh, Orson Welles, and Josephine Baker within its 208-suite historic footprint. The copper-domed Emerald Ballroom remains Zagreb’s premier site … Continue reading Esplanade Zagreb Hotel: The 1925 Orient Express Palace Where European Elite Still Arrive