One of the best things about living in Zagreb is that there is always something to see and do. In addition to tourist attractions and museums, there are many festivals and events to check out year round. If you run out of things to do in Zagreb or simply want to get out of town for a while, Zagreb is within easy driving distance of several beautiful regions in Croatia, including Zagorje, Slavonia, Gorski Kotor, Istria, and northern Dalmatia.
Tourist Office
The Zagreb Tourist Board provides information about the city, maps, accommodation information, advice on using public transport, and information about tours and attractions. There are several tourist information centers in Zagreb, but the central office is located on the main square.
Trg bana J. Jelacica 11
Tel.:+385 1 48-14-051, +385 1 48-14-052, +385 1 48-14-054
Summer hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-9.00pm; Sat/Sun: 9am-6pm
Winter hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-8.00pm; Sat: 9am-6pm; Sun: 10am-4pm
Zagreb Main Railway Station
Summer hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-9pm; Sat/Sun: 9am-6pm
Winter hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-9pm; Sat/Sun: 10pm-5pm
Zagreb Airport, Pleso
Tel.: +385 1 62-65-091
Summer hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-9pm; Sat/Sun: 9am-6pm
Winter hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-9pm; Sat/Sun and Holidays: 10am-5pm
Zagreb Bus Station
Summer hours: Mon-Fri: 8.30am-9pm; Sat/Sun and Holidays: 9am-6pm
Winter hours: Mon-Fri: 9am-9pm; Sat/Sun and Holidays: 10am-5pm
Lotršcak Tower, Strossmayer Promenade
Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Free information line: 0800 53 53
Email: info@zagreb-touristinfo.hr
Sightseeing
In addition to Zagreb's many museums and galleries, there are also several historic and cultural attractions worth visiting. Apart from Mirogoj and Maksimir, they are all an easy walk from the city center.
Trg bana Jelacica - The main square is the heart of Zagreb. It's the central meeting point in the city and a thoroughfare for several tramlines. From here, you can head north to Dolac, the Zagreb Cathedral, Tkalciceva, and Upper Town, west down the shopping street Ilica, or south to the Green Horseshoe or Flower Square (Cvjetni trg), the most popular place for Saturday coffee.
In the middle of the square is an equestrian statue of Ban Jelacic, a 19th-century leader who sought increased independence for Croatia.
Dolac - Just north of the main square, growers, vendors, and artisans peddle their goods every morning at Dolac, the largest outdoor market in Zagreb. Spend some time strolling along and sampling produce, and then take some with you for an picnic in the park.
Tkalciceva - This picturesque pedestrian street branching off to the left of Dolac is a great spot for people watching. Bars, cafes, and boutiques line the street, which at one time was a creek that separated the two medieval towns of Kaptol and Gradec.
Zagreb Cathedral - The twin spires of the Zagreb Cathedral, just a few steps beyond the main square, are visible from miles away. The neighborhood around the cathedral is known as Kaptol, and it was one of two medieval towns that eventually came together to create modern-day Zagreb. The cathedral has changed quite a bit over the centuries, with the current structure designed and constructed during the late 19th century by Herman Bolle.
Upper Town - The second of the two medieval towns, Gradec, is now modern day Gornji grad, or Upper Town. This quaint area above the main square is home to several museums, including the Meštrovic Atelier, the Zagreb City Museum, and the unique Museum of Broken Relationships, as well as iconic St. Mark's Church and the medieval Lotršcak tower and Stone Gate.
The Green Horseshoe -Milan Lenuci, a late 19th-cenutry city planner who valued urban green space, is responsible for the series of lush parks and squares that form a U or horseshoe shape in the center of Zagreb. Zrinjevac, a park with a 19th-century promenade just south of the main square, caps one end of the horseshoe, and Trg Maršala Tita, the home of the Croatian National Theater, the other. The majestic Art Pavilion, just north of the main train station, and the Croatian National Archives, a stunning art nouveau building, are also located on the shoe. Linking the horseshoe's two legs is the Zagreb Botanical Garden - a whimsical (and free!) oasis in the center of the city.
Mirogoj Cemetery - This beautiful and expansive cemetery in the foothills north of the city center was designed at the end of the 19th-century by Herman Bolle. An impressive arcade houses the tombs of several of Croatia's most notable artists, scientists, writers, philosophers, and politicians, and sculptures by some of Croatia's celebrated artists, such as Edo Murtic and Ivan Meštrovic, are located on the cemetery grounds.
Maksimir Park - Maksimir, the first public park in Southeast Europe, was founded in 1787 and extensively redesigned in the 19th century. It boasts a grand promenade, a lookout tower, and scenic paths that wind through the woods and around several duck ponds. Maksimir is also home to the Zagreb Zoo. Tickets for the zoo cost 30 kunas for adults and 20 kunas for children ages 7-14. Children under 7 are granted free entry.
Tours
There are several tour companies and individual tour guides who offer thematic tours of Zagreb. You can explore the city by bus, tram, bike, Segway, or on foot.
The best way to find a tour is to simply browse the offerings of different companies for tours that interest you. By law, local guides must be licensed, so you can rest assured that your guide is knowledgeable about the city.
For tours of Zagreb, check out:
- Blue Bike Tours
- Funky Zagreb
- Private Guide Zagreb
- Secret Zagreb Walks
- Segway City Tour Zagreb
- Zagreb City Tours
- Zagreb Talks
- Zagreb Tourist Guide Association
- Zdenac života
Additionally, during the summer, the Zagreb Tourist Board organizes regular free tours of the Zagreb city center at 10 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m.
If you want to see more of the city, you can catch one of two tourist bus lines organized by ZET, Zagreb's public transportation company. A ticket costs 70 kunas and you may hop on and hop off as you please. You can download a brochure about the tourist bus lines for more information.
Festivals
Zagreb hosts many festivals throughout the year, from Turkish film to puppet theater. Here are just a few of the festivals that draw crowds year round.
Spring
Zagreb Wine Gourmet Weekend - An international food and wine festival that promotes regional products.
ZagrebDox - This international film festival focuses on documentary film covering a wide range of subjects.
Subversive Film Festival - This festival features political, experimental, philosophical films that center on a chosen theme. The theme for 2016 is "Politics of friendship."
Summer
Strossmartre (Ljeto na Štrosu) - All summer long, this leafy promenade in Upper Down hosts concerts, open-art film screenings, arts and crafts fairs, and pop-up bars peddling Croatian wine and rakija. Great fun and a good place to escape the summer heat.
Tjedan suvremenog plesa - Dance Week Festival takes place at the end of May through early June and is Croatia's primary international festival of contemporary dance, movement theatre, and mime.
Cest is d'Best - An international street festival that celebrates street performance (and performers) of all varieties.
Fall
Zagreb Film Festival - Another film festival celebrating international and national short and feature-length films. Always accompanied by lively merrymaking.
Winter
Advent in Zagreb - While it's not an official festival, Advent in Zagreb keeps the capital city lively through the holiday season and is a lot of fun. Visit Christmas markets, drink mulled wine, and attend concerts around the city.
Discounts
Zagreb Card
Though it's meant for tourists visiting Zagreb for just a few days, anyone can take advantage of the Zagreb Card. This discount card provides discounted entry to most of the museums and attractions in Zagreb, as well as discounts at restaurants and bars, shops, and theatres. The card also includes free public transportation. A 24-hour card costs 7.90€, while a 72-hour card costs 11.80€.
Collective Buying Websites
There are several collective or group-buying websites in Croatia that offer deals on goods and services at significantly reduced prices. Several of these websites run travel deals and discounts on attractions and entertainment.
Collective buying websites in Croatia include:
Update 14/03/2016
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