If Cafes in Croatia are Always Full, Who is Doing the Work?

One of the first impressions many visitors to Croatia have, apart from its breathtaking beauty, is the relaxed cafe lifestyle.
The cafes seem to be full of beautiful people all day, every day, as friends gather to gossip and complain (hey this is Croatia), nursing a single coffee for over an hour or more.
When I first moved here back in 2003, I became a little obsessed with this and would often wonder how the country actually functioned if seemingly the entire population spent the day in the cafe. Who actually did the work while the Beautiful People relaxed over that 2-hour espresso in the sun?
And then I realised a lot more goes on in Croatian cafes than gossip, complaining, and slow coffee drinking...
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Video produced by Igor Vuk of Wolf Media.
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[@croat1455]

One little note worth mentioning. We're more loyal to our cafes than our spouses and that's why you won't find a single Starbucks here. Great work mr. Paul. Stay Croatian and Keep Going!✊

[@PaulBradbury]

Haha, i don't see many locals switching cafes, good point

[@markopetrunic7598]

spending time in a cafe at least 2 hours a day is a basic human right in croatia, it's in our constitution. :D

[@PaulBradbury]

And then when you retire, you upgrade to the bench. A perfect life...

[@33neptun]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@vjekoslavvnucec326]

Haha, awesome as always Paul! :) Best from Zagreb

[@miropoljak8184]

Gospodine Paul,Vi ste dodana vrijednost Hrvatske! Pravi gospodin,a i svaka Vam je na mjestu! (Vjerujem da će Vam netko prevesti,a možda i znate!) Kapa do poda!

[@DrazenKlisuric]

I saw 1 million euro bussiness deal signed in 2AM at local pub, everybody drunk :D

[@sulicigor3565]

Thats why Starbucks and Nero have no chance in croatia , exept citycenter maybe !I have "my" Caffè, I know the owner very well , weiter know what kind of caffe I usualy drink , if somebody have a message or something ... Somethimes is like living room for neighborhood

[@TanjaVuPoems]

I remember growing up in Zagreb some 20years ago, my whole family was always very interested in being nicely dressed, not to impress however, but because people like us in central Europe (including Italy) were always fashion aware, especially in bigger cities such as Zagreb, Split etc. Also, people were careful to have clothes made with natural materials such as silk, cotton, wool etc. It was considered healthy- same is with organic food! So no, I dont think it has to do with “showing off”, its just a part of our culture in this particular part of the world! Greetings from Ireland (where btw, same as in most of UK from what i could notice, everyone mostly wears tracksuits and sweatpants- perhaps not at work but pretty much everywhere else;))not that there’s anything wrong with it, but just sayin’😁😉🙏👋🏻

[@loujag3766]

Exactly. These days when travelling to the North of Europe, some of us from Zagreb look like top models compared to most people. lol

[@TanjaVuPoems]

@@loujag3766 haha FACTS!😂😋😎😎👌👌

[@loujag3766]

@@TanjaVuPoems hahahahahahahaha I kinda wish it was not true, because I do not like people staring, but it truth. We just cannot look ugly, Tanja, right.

[@osmaks1518]

Ajde Zagreb i nekako, ali kakva crna srednja Europa, Split sigurno nije "Srednja Europa", niti zemljopisno niti po mentalitetu.. A prosetaj po vecim BiH gradovima, primjetit ces isto to sto spominjes, cak mozda i stepenicu izrazenije.

[@TanjaVuPoems]

@@osmaks1518 Split je srednje europski ali mediteranski grad, mentalitet je tipican mediteranski, a arhitektura i infrastruktura je moderna i vrhunska, a ljudi svi do jednog izgledaju kao da su dosli sa modne piste, pliz odi posjeti pa onda komentiraj!!😉

[@bijou201]

As usual, great content Paul! 😊 This is what I tell tourists and many of my international pals. This is just a big cultural thing, it's like a religion. And that's why Starbucks will never have business here. I think they've tried once. It was a failure.

[@PaulBradbury]

I really cant imagine Starbucks in Croatia

[@j.p.9295]

I live in London, but dont ever go to Starbucks . I am proud of you Croatia for keeping that rubbish out of our country. 👍 ❤ Kavica ☕

[@osmaks1518]

Vama kojima se ne svidja taj aspekt naseg stila zivota, slobodno pohrlite na "zapad" u moderno robstvo. Cak su vam od 1.1 olaksali i ukinuli granice! Dok mukotrpno budete radili da platite stan, rezije i kredit za auto popit cu jednu kavu i za vas, ne brinite 😂 Zasto? Zato sto mi se moze!

[@antebabich9957]

Take je care. Popit ćemo mi i jednu rakiju za nje😊

[@igor6270]

it should also be mentioned that those coffees sometimes turn into the fact that you don't get home until the morning. Because after the coffee he goes "let's go have a beer and let's go" ... and that's the biggest lie ever told because you can never stop at one beer. And so you go for coffee and wake up with a headache the next morning.. :)

[@Ines-uw5gi]

To us, "pomalo" does not mean that work should be postponed, but rather that we should not be nervous about time, just like driving, five minutes more or less is not worth the risk of driving fast. It is important that you are satisfied and happy = healthy. When a man gets sick, he cannot work, that's much more harmful for the economy than our "pomalo" lifestyle. Also, we live by the sea and that's why we're used to finding time to relax by it, and many cafes are located along the waterfront. If I lived in Zagreb, I would probably do meditation instead.

[@Poreckylife]

I grew up in Croatia and i Hated going to Cafe. It was so uncomfortable but the coffee quality was good. It's a total waste of time. They go there to gossip and complain. Yuck 🤢

[@Poreckylife]

@@matiyak4571 I stopped going with people. I go now and enjoy my coffee alone. So much better!

[@j.p.9295]

​​@@Poreckylife So you are going to café 😅

[@fapmashina1]

Although I completely agree with you on almost all points, esp. about drinking coffee as a style of life and doing business at cafes, I don't necessarily agree about last remark that you'll do meeting with public officials more easily at coffe than in a official way. I'm working in public sector and I'm always avaliable for all our citizens in my office and there's fairly easy to set meeting. Also, I know many others that work in s public sector and things are very much the same for them. I'm even often avaliable to our citizens/ business partners after working hours throughout other channels of communication like viber and WhatsApp, sometimes even private email... Maybe some public workers in Dalmatia tend to be as you've described but that is sometning very unlikely in Zagreb or majority of continental Croatia. Keep on doing great videos! 👍 Kind regards from Slavonski Brod

[@PaulBradbury]

Thanks for your comment and I agree with you. I guess my observation was mostly based on living in a small Dalmatian community.

[@fapmashina1]

@@PaulBradbury Yep, you're right on that. People in Dalmatia, esp. in small places are often very relaxed in so many ways, sometimes even too much relaxed for our continental taste. Many of them usually say "polako, polako" which sometimes can easily drive us from other parts of Croatia mad! 😁 Enjoy your life and do visit us in Slavonski Brod! 👍👍👍

[@Ines-uw5gi]

@@fapmashina1 To us, "pomalo" does not mean that work should be postponed, but rather that we should not be nervous about time, just like driving, five minutes more or less is not worth the risk of driving fast. It is important that you are satisfied and happy = healthy. When a man gets sick, he cannot work, that's much more harmful for the economy than our "pomalo" lifestyle. Also, we live by the sea and that's why we're used to finding time to relax by it, and many cafes are located along the waterfront. If I lived in Zagreb, I would probably do meditation instead.

[@fapmashina1]

@@Ines-uw5gi Well, there's something to it. I can understand how mesmerizing Adriatic sea can get. Also, I agree that there shouldn't be stress about doing work. But some folks turn this southern lifestyle in plain laziness.

[@Phiyedough]

I have to go to a cafe to transfer money from my UK bank to my Croatia bank. Where I live there is no mobile phone signal but I need to get a text message authorisation to complete the online transfer.

[@stipe3124]

In Dalmatia there are rich and poor people but nobody will starve because with culture that wants you to be goodlooking and go to Caffes there is also a culture of having your own vegetables in field or in small garden, like literaly everybody has this small piece of land where you plant Tomatoes, Cucumbers or Cabbage in the Winter, there are people withouth large houses or people that live in old houses and almost for modern times non human conditions, but in Croatia nobody died from hunger, even during war there was no food problems. In distant past there were cases with hunger and sickness, in 19 century Grape sickness forced alot of people to emigrate and natural hazards would do alot more damage because not everything was available and fixing something was hard but in modern times not really. So in the end you have paradox that some people earn not much but have house and a garden, good clothes and always go out to drink coffea and than someone from the outside of Croatia comes and asks "How is this possible?"

[@Phiyedough]

I'm British and in UK we have to pay huge amounts in property tax, which that can be a real struggle for people on a low income. The main reason I can survive in Croatia is because there are no such crippling taxes.

[@lavina58]

😊🙌👌👍🍵

[@nakkiewildvangst2656]

It's possible bc most of the ppl are mortgage - free and still live with their parents i.e family home

[@smetljesm2276]

There is also the ussue of constant traffic. It's like everyone is working in their cars😂😂😂 Who's in the office?

[@antebabich9957]

Well I cannot agree with you with the dressing part. It does exist but I wouldn’t say it is a rule. Not about my friends and I live in the capital. Once I was with one of my friends, an engineer who has a good business and earns serious money, we were at the restaurant eating and drinking for several hours. When the waiter gave as the bill we fought who’s gonna pay. After he said to me: imagine what kind of idiots are we; when I am buying a trousers and have to pay for it 50 Euros I am about to cry. But when we have to pay what we ate and especially drinks we don’t care about the amount since we find it’s the best possible way to spend the money. Have to say it’s not the case only in Croatia; in Bosnia and Serbia is the same or even worse ( read better) ❤️🤣🤣🤣

[@croat1455]

The negative comments here from people who can't even recognize a culture value or speciality in their own society, spill out here exactly the same thing they attack. Complaining about complaining is a very Croatian thing to do. 😂

[@josipcavar9915]

Bunch of people sippin’ coffee everyday for 2 hrs yet complaining about not having enough money for their basic needs.. #shittymindset

[@zhaw4821]

Complaining is a hobby. They have a life.

[@croat1455]

Complaining part I agree with and also gossiping but if you look it up closely we don't use so much psychiatrist therapy as others, exactly because we do the therapy part on coffee.

[@grigorijefimovic1087]

The waiters

[@loujag3766]

lol

[@michellebaresic3829]

I hope you mean, that they are friendlier these days😅

[@utvara1]

I'm a Croat and I hate the "cafe culture" here. I hate it not just because I don't like drinking cafe or smoking, and also smelling others drinking and smoking, I also despise the frivolous and superficial nature and unspoken etiquette involved in the whole "culture" and the "being seen" thing 🤮. It revolves around consistently being "seen" and building up some sort of reputation in a set of cafes. If you fail to do that, others will think less of you. I also hate the interaction between the cafe culture and Croat overall mentality because it leads to small tight knit groups that are supposed to effortlessly manage a good balance between hedonism and getting stuff done, something that is not my strong side. I know it is a cliche but I am more of a work hard play hard type of dude and this "inbetween" means I don't get to relax and enjoy "the experience" OR get anything done. It is not for me and I envy Anglosaxon no bullshit approach and that people are serious, organized, have a schedule and a formal way of doing things and not everything is "winging it", relying on reading body language on quasi formal cafes etc. Cafe culture is a big reason why nothing really gets done around here, in my honest opinion. Something like 60% of Croat students skip their classes trying to "be seen" doing the cafe culture. It is dysfunction and we picked up that "culture" from Ottoman Empire where also nothing got done. Yes yes, it is a more "chill" approach to life but I grew to thoroughly hate it. Every time I go out on a date with a woman of color people "see me" and spread my reputation around etc. They talk about you but then pretend they don't know you since you did not follow some retarded unspoken etiquette rule or were not "seen enough" or your chlothes were of cheap brands.

[@SoulGudman-wc4oq]

You sound like a true I-see-snobs-everywhere snob. Especially with the Anglo-Saxon part. Wtf? Coffee lifestyle is definitely not the reason why Croatia is underperforming in some things. Many things for example we have that money can't buy. Safety's definitely one of them. And that's all us. No one else. And all our bad's have nothing to do with coffee. We're a young country with typical baby country disease. We'll get there. Our way. With coffee on the table between us. It's just a couple of you here "The against" naturalists.

[@najljepsemore9199]

I left Croatia when it was Yugoslavia. Every time I go back my blood pressure goes up. I have nothing in common with family members. I don't like the way they talk bad about everyone. They are the best in everything and everyone else is no good. One thing they love is to get money and they expect it also. And they "cry" they don't have enough, da su digli kredit za ovo ili ono. Do I care? Not one bit. But they have an apartment in the city, a house left from their parents on one of the islands and some of them build another house so they can rent it out in the summer. And then they tell me they can't live good. And that cafe culture is pure laziness. My opinion of course. Have a good day everyone and you too Paul. Am your subscriber and i love your channel!

[@TanjaVuPoems]

Cafe culture in Croatia is actually influenced by Austrian-Hungarian empire Croatia was a part of for centuries! Go to Vienna or smth and you’ll see countless coffee places and that same culture over there too! Just sayin’;)

[@sulicigor3565]

Sorry but it is our life!You can choose -juice or water !

[@najljepsemore9199]

@@sulicigor3565 Totally understand.

[@loujag3766]

As someone born and raised in Cro, but never felt Croatian, because I am really not, and while I do support healthy social life, too many people are there just talking lies most of the time. Sorry.

[@croat1455]

Wait, what?

[@bijou201]

Depends on people you hang out with. And also, age is important. I remember ourselves in teens and youth period, ofc ppl tell lies and gossiping. But also ppl discuss about various topics, from news, politics, jobs, health or just being there for each other - for problems. Like a shrink to each other.

[@zuska168]

What lies ? I don't understand than.Its often smalltalking to relax

[@sulicigor3565]

That is Just your opinion- nothing more , nothing less ! I live here too and I am not the same opinion.

[@loujag3766]

@@sulicigor3565 Exacty. Not to be taken overly seriously.

[@dinkohrvat344]

Living in Australia I see why the country is a mess. They are super lazy and their cafe lifestyle is just an extension of their extreme apathy and laziness . I am selling my house in Korcula ....plans to return to the home of my great grand parents is gone forever. I waited 14 years to get the title to my house because the courts are so backward and LAZY.

[@ksuntesic]

Croatians lost their jobs in the war back in 1990. Since than they are hanging in caffe bars nurturing non working culture. That's the reason Croatia is the worst EU Country..

[@croat1455]

Eurostat: People in Balkan countries work the longest weeks When the European countries for which this information is available were compared, Turkey had the longest working weeks at 42.9 hours in 2020, which is the latest data. Turkey was followed by Montenegro (42.8 hours, 2020 data) and Serbia (42.3 hours). These are the countries having average working weeks of longer than 40 hours. Greece and Romania were followed by Poland (39.5 hours), Bulgaria (39.2 hours) and North Macedonia (39 hours). This all suggests that people in Balkan countries have the longest average working hours per week. The shortest weeks: Netherlands, Austria, and Norway In the list of countries with the shortest average working weeks in 2022, the Netherlands (32.4 hours) was followed by Austria (33.7 hours), Norway (34.1 hours) and Denmark and Germany (both 34.6 hours). How many hours do people work in the UK, France, and Spain? The UK (36.4 hours in 2019) had the same amount of average working hours as the EU. France and Italy (both 36.2 hours) had slightly lower figures than the EU. People in Spain worked 36.5 hours per week, which was only 6 minutes more than the EU average. The shortest weeks: Netherlands, Austria, and Norway. In the list of countries with the shortest average working weeks in 2022, the Netherlands (32.4 hours) was followed by Austria (33.7 hours), Norway (34.1 hours) and Denmark and Germany (both 34.6 hours). And where is Croatia here? 13. place out of 35 European countries (EU average excluded). You draw your conclusions and in the meantime maybe Paul, you could make a video on how people here have an expert level opinion about everything, most often no need to check the facts or feel the reality.

[@riobabic8960]

@@croat1455most of the people in the Netherlands collect disability ! It’s a joke country !

[@sulicigor3565]

Ha ha ha ..Thats lies , of course .. You are not croatian , of course 😂😂

[@najljepsemore9199]

The problem there are the salaries. Much lower than compared to the rest of the Europe.

[@sulicigor3565]

@@najljepsemore9199 where? Salary in cro is in 18 place in eu .