One of the places in Zagreb that left the strongest impression on me is Jing Yuan, a tea house in the city centre. I’ve walked past it loads of times without even thinking of going inside (to be honest, the entrance looks quite uninviting). One day I spontaneously decided to check out their menu. I found out – to my surprise – that they didn’t actually have a menu. They serve one of the three simple home-cooked dishes instead.

As I sat down for a cup of tea (which I don’t usually drink), I was greeted by an enthusiastic hostess with a true knowledge and passion for tea. She first concluded I was a beginner in tea drinking (I didn’t even know that was a thing?) and then helped me work my way through their long menu of teas. You can have a proper tea drinking ceremony organised or just get a quick intro in pouring and drinking tea.

I found myself enchanted by the simplicity and elegance of this quiet, calming place. It felt like being in a parallel universe for a while. I could literally feel my heartbeat slowing down as I relaxed.

In fact, I liked the place so much that I was hesitant to write about it. I wanted to keep the secret to myself. Lately I’ve been working on being less selfish, though. So – here you go.