Nestled in the hills of Northern Croatia, Zagreb is Croatia’s lively capital and most populated city. Despite its large size, Zagreb still feels very authentic, and we found Zagreb to be an excellent destination for learning all about Croatian history and culture.
In this Zagreb travel guide, we’ll give you a little taste of what you can expect in Zagreb, covering the things you should know before you go to Zagreb and 15 fun things to do and eat when you get there!
Check out our full Zagreb video guide below to see the city really come to life!
How to Get to Zagreb Croatia
Zagreb is in the north of Croatia and is easily accessible by plane, train, or bus. We wound up taking a train from Slovenia into Croatia and it was an easy and comfortable journey. Zagreb also has an international airport and since is one of the least expensive Croatian airports to fly into which is why many travelers start their journey in Zagreb and then travel via bus throughout the country.
The city itself is well connected with a public transportation system of buses and trams, so it’s really not necessary to rent a car once you arrive. Plus, we found Google Maps to be accurate and reliable when trying to navigate the public transportation system around the city.
The Top Things to Do in Zagreb Croatia
Zagreb has so much to offer the traveler and below is a list of 15 of our favorites!
1. Jelacic Square
Jelacic square is one of the main squares in Zagreb. It’s a popular spot of meeting up with friends as its central and so many trams pass through the square. On weekends, this square gets quite lively with street performers and an open air market filled with local products and flowers.
2. Free Walking Tour
Jelacic Square is also the meeting point for a free tour that we highly recommend. This tip-based tour is a great way to get oriented while learning the deeper meaning behind the monuments. As a bonus, our tour guide was an excellent storyteller. Our guide really made the history of Zagreb come to life, and you will love discovering all the little details that make this city so special.
Click here for the latest information about tour types and times.
3. Zagreb Cathedral
Zagreb Cathedral is part of a lovely square of monuments and bishop’s palace. It was originally classified as the city’s cathedral in the 1000’s but has been damaged and rebuilt several times due to earthquakes and invasions.
The most recent earthquake in 2020 caused one of its towers to crash into the bishop’s palace next door. So, if you see this beautiful church under construction when you arrive, that is the reason why!
4. Dolac Market
Dolac Farmer’s Market is the largest green market in Zagreb and it happens every day until about 2 pm. This place is always buzzing with locals and tourists alike buying fresh produce and you can even find a few souvenirs here as well.
5. Eat Strukli at La Struk
Trying local dishes is one of our favorite things to do when we travel, that’s why we were excited to try a Croatian Strukli from La Struk. This restaurant has both a boiled Strukli and a baked one. If was quite an experience to try, but we definitely enjoyed the tasted of the baked (gratinated) strukli the best.
We can highly recommend the truffle strukli. It really did have a lot of flavor!
Click here to see La Struck’s latest hours!
6. The Stone Gate
Stone Gate used to be part of Zagreb’s old city walls, but the real reason why this gate is so special is the shrine inside dedicated to the Mother of God. When the whole city burned down in 1731, the Mother of God icon was undamaged, so the icon is believed to have special powers to grant prayers. Surrounding the shrine are hundreds of stone tablets thanking the Mother of God icon for its blessing, so when you’re there it wouldn’t hurt to light a candle and say a prayer to see if the icon favors you as well.
7. St. Mark’s Church
No trip to Zagreb is complete without a visit to the iconic St. Mark’s church. This church is best known for its roof which has two coats of arms on it. The emblem on the right is the symbol of Zagreb and the coat of arms on the left represents three regions. The checkerboard represents Croatia, the 3 lions represent Dalmatia, and the black kuna represents Slavonia which are regions in Croatia.
8. Gric Tunnel
Gric Tunnel is a pedestrian tunnel built during the Second World War to protect the locals from air raids. It fell into disrepair for many decades, but was restored in the nineties to host parties and cultural events. They had no idea at the time that they would be using the tunnel as a war bunker again during the 1991 war of Independence. Thankfully, now it’s used mostly for tourism and as an easy way to cross through the hilly city center.
9. Eat Cevapcici
Another classic to try is the cevapcici, a delicious sausage dish that is common all throughout the Balkans. You can find cevapcici on nearly every menu in Zagreb so you definitely won’t have any trouble finding it!
10. Ride the Shortest Funicular in the World
Zagreb has one of the shortest funiculars in the world and it’s debatable rather it’s faster to take the stairs or the funicular. However, the funicular does make the Upper Town of Zagreb more handicap accessible. As a bonus, it can be a fun ride with a great view of the city.
11. Lotrscak Tower
Lotrscak Tower offers a spectacular view of St. Mark’s Church, Zagreb Cathedral, and the rolling hills that surround Zagreb. This tower is definitely worth the very low ticket price.
In addition to the views, on the first floor, you have a small Zagreb photography exhibit and the infamous cannon that was traditionally fired every day at noon. The cannon is silent currently since the pandemic and since the 2020 earthquake, but they do plan to restart the tradition again.
Click here for the latest hours and ticket prices!
12. Museum of Broken Relationship
Nex,t get really to have your heartstrings pulled at the Museum of Broken Relationships. The objects in this musesm are not very impressive in and of themselved, but they become powerful once you hear about the sentimental value they held for the owner. For the exhibit donor, this museum is a therapeutic way to let go of the hurt from their breakup and an intriguing way for nosey people like us to read some fascinating love stories.
13. Art Park Zagreb
If you like graffiti, then make sure to check out Zagreb’s art park. This city park has several colorful murals of graffiti and many of the pieces are quite impressive. Besides, a walk in a park is never a bad idea!
14. Walk Lenuci’s Horseshoe
Another great park to do in Lenuci House. This walk spans several city blocks with beautiful fountains, gardens, museums, and a theater along the way. It takes about 30 minutes to do the full horseshoe, but it is a truly beautiful stroll.
15. Nikola Tesla Technical Museum
If you love motors, cars, trains, and planes, then this is the museum for you. This technical museum shows the progression of technology over the years from the very first models of fire trucks to the later more advanced versions. This speciality museum is perfect for the gadget and vehicle lover as there are many impressive cars and planes to see.
Day Trips from Zagreb
A day trip that we highly recommend taking from Zagreb is to the Plitvice Lakes. This national park is stunning with dozens of waterfalls and beautiful blue-green water that you have to see to believe.
Plitvice Lakes is easily reached by bus so if you have an extra day in Zagreb, be sure to put Plitvice on your list.
Click here for the latest hours and ticket prices for Plitvice Lakes National Park.
How Long to Stay in Zagreb
I believe Zagreb merits at least 2-3 nights for the average traveler. Since I also highly recommend a day-trip to Plitvice Lakes, I would also add an additional day for that as well. We spent a full 7 days and didn’t feel like we ran out of things to do. If anything we felt like, we could have explored even more of the surrounding area.
Where to Stay in Zagreb Croatia
If you want to be within walking distance to all the major sights then I recommend staying near the city center. However, because Zagreb is well connected with trams and buses, it’s also possible to stay further out and commute in every day. This can save you money on accommodations but will increase your commute times.
Final Thoughts on Zagreb Croatia
We loved our stay in Zagreb. Although Zagreb is a big city, it still felt like it had a local vibe. Zagreb feels like the real honest Croatia and if you like authentic places then you should definitely add Zagreb to your list!
Also check out Croatia’s neighbor to the North, Slovenia!
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