By air
Zagreb (ZAG), ~17 km
Europe · Croatia
Zagreb, Croatia
A café capital of upper and lower towns
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September; December for Advent
Don't miss
St Mark's Church
The Cathedral
The Dolac Market
Ban Jelačić Square
Things to do
The Upper Town
The Dolac market
Advent in December
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Nick Savchenko from Kiev, Ukraine · CC BY-SA 2.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
The Museum of Broken Relationships
Questions travellers ask
Is Zagreb worth visiting in winter?
In December, yes — for Advent. Otherwise, May to September is the time to go; bring layers.
What are the must-sees in Zagreb?
The Upper Town, St Mark's Church, the Cathedral, the Dolac Market and Ban Jelačić Square.
What local dish should I try in Zagreb?
Štrukli. Browse the Dolac market too, and linger in a café — this is a café capital.
Is there a lesser-known stop in Zagreb?
The Museum of Broken Relationships is the city's hidden gem.
About Zagreb
- Riverside
- Hills
Where it is
Zagreb is the capital and largest city of Croatia, in the north of the country, spread between the southern slopes of Medvednica mountain and the banks of the Sava river.
History
Zagreb grew from two medieval hilltop settlements: Kaptol, the seat of a bishopric founded in 1094, and Gradec, a royal free town from 1242. The two were united in 1850, and the city grew into the cultural and political centre of Croatia under the Habsburgs; in 1991 it became the capital of independent Croatia.
People
Zagreb's people speak Croatian, and the Kajkavian dialect of the north-west is still heard in the city and the hills around it. Café life is central to the city's rhythm, and local dishes include štrukli, dough filled with fresh cheese and boiled or baked.
Known for
- St Mark's Church and its tiled roof
- Zagreb Cathedral
- The Dolac open-air market
- Café terraces in the Upper and Lower Towns
- Advent in Zagreb
Did you know?
Zagreb's funicular, linking the Lower and Upper Towns since 1890, has a track only about 66 m long, making it one of the shortest public funiculars in the world.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.