Dinkwads Abroad

As the capital of Croatia, Zagreb is the largest, but least visited, city of Croatia. Distinctly different from its counterparts on the coast, Zagreb brings the feeling of an authentic city. With Zagreb, you get to experience a city that feels lived in and real, rather than polished and curated for tourists. It should be on anyone’s itinerary to see a different side of the country than the more traveled Dubrovnik or Split.

When your’e planning your trip to Croatia, Zagreb is definitely worth a visit! And if you’re planning to see two countries in one trip, see my perfect two(ish) week itinerary here to combine Slovenia along with Croatia. This is my ideal route based on how we structured it, laid out plainly for you to go ahead and book! And you can read details on everywhere we stayed/ate/drank here, or details on what we did here if you’d like all the detailed logistics on how to work it into your trip and to read my thoughts on the city!

Where To Stay

I would recommend staying in either Upper or Lower Town of Zagreb to be close to public transportation and the main sites. Depending on how you arrive in Zagreb (likely by bus or plane), it will likely require either a taxi or tram ride into the area. But once there, most everything you’ll want to do is nearby. If you struggle with stairs or walking on an incline, I recommend sticking to Lower Town so you don’t have to climb the stairs every day just to get to your accommodations.

We stayed at Ilica Luxury Center Zagreb (full review here), which was right in the heart of lower town, right off the tram line and just across the street from the funicular to get to Upper Town! While it was a great stay, especially for the price, here are some other places in the area you may consider!

Budget

Right off the main square, this place has everything you need onsite at a great price! Comfortable rooms, onsite bars and restaurants, a club, and other forms of entertainment, this place offers a ton to do so you don’t even have to leave your hotel!

While a little further away from the main square, this apartment stay is still in lower town and close enough for easy access to all the amenities Zagreb has to offer!

Mid-Range

Modern amenities a few blocks off the main square, with a free breakfast included! It also includes an onsite bar and restaurant.

Manda Heritage Hotel

Draškovićeva ul. 15A, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Check Availability Here

Clean and comfortable rooms in lower town at a very reasonable price!

High End

For those who want to splurge a little bit!

Met Boutique Hotel

Praška ul. 4, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Check Availability Here

A chic hotel right in the heart of Lower Town, complete with a spa, gym, bar, and restaurant!

art’otel Zagreb

Petrinjska ul. 7, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
Check Availability Here

A modern art hotel complete with an onsite restaurant and terrace!

What To Do

As the largest city in Croatia, Zagreb has plenty of options of things to do! Read my full breakdown, costs, reviews, links, and helpful logistics for what we did in my full post here! And to see how we structured these into our day, see the full day by day itinerary.

Take a Walking Tour

See the city and learn the history and culture of Zagreb along the way! I highly suggest this Crobites tour for a combination of sites, history, and some local treats! Or you can just go with a classic walking tour like the ones you can find here.

Visit St. Mark’s Church

St. Mark’s Church is the most famous landmark of Zagreb! Its colorful tiled roof features the coat of arms of the Triune Kingdom (Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia) and Zagreb, and is worth a visit!

Shop the Dolac Market

Grab some fresh baked goods, local produce, and other delicacies at the huge Dolac Market, open daily!

Ride the world’s shortest funicular

Take a ride on the world’s shortest funicular! Travel from lower town to upper town in a quick 1 minute ride!

Climb Lotrscak Tower

After riding the funicular, climb to the top of Lotrscak Tower to see the city from above! Get there shortly before noon to see them shoot off the daily cannon!

Day Trip to Plitvice National Park

Having done a day trip to Plitvice National Park to see the waterfalls from Zagreb, I actually suggest doing it as part of your route from Split to Rovinj (see my full suggested itinerary here). But if you are not taking that same route or would prefer to just sit back and let a guide take you, you can book a day trip here! Most also stop at Rastoke, a picturesque village built on cascading waterfalls, so it makes for a day trip full of beauty!

Museum of Broken Relationships

Explore the memorabilia from real peoples’ prior relationships, from the heartbreaking to the absurd to the comedic.

Visit the Art Pavilion

Enjoy the striking architecture from the park outside, then go inside to view art from all different movements and periods.

Where To Eat

Read my full reviews of the places we ate and specifics on what we ordered, how much it cost, and whether or not you need cash or a reservation! But these are the places you should add to your must try list!

Heritage

Petrinjska ul. 14, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A small restaurant honoring Croatian heritage with a focus on fresh, local and regional ingredients.

Otto & Frank

Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 20, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Bistro offering comfort food with a modern, refined twist.

Tvornica Pljeskavica Kosta

Savska cesta 107, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A real local gem serving cevapi and grilled meats in a casual setting. Come hungry, because this place will definitely fill you up!

Burek

Dolac 2, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

The perfect spot for the traditional Croatian fast food, burek! Cheap and filling, this is a great way to try a classic!

Gostionica Ficlek

Pod zidom 5, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Highly rated restaurant serving Croatian classics.

Konoba Didov san

Mletacka ul. 11, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Croatian specialties with a rustic atmosphere.

Kai Street Food

Jurisiceva ul. 2A, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A blend of culinary treats from all over the world, specifically street foods from different cuisines!

Where To Drink

Whether you’re here for the caffeine or cocktails, we’ve got you covered! If you want to see everywhere we drank in Korcula and read my reviews, read my full post here.

Coffee

Cacao

Trg Petra Preradovića 6, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Grab a great coffee with some delicous pastries!

Quahwa

ul. Nikole Tesle 9-1, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A true local gem with a focus on quality coffee, and known for their Turkish coffee!

Libations

Goblet Beer Store

Prisavlje 2, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

A fantastic beer shop with rotating drafts and a massive selection of cans and bottles from both local and regional breweries.

Bacchus Jazz Bar

Trg Kralja Tomislava 16, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Beer and coffee in an inviting courtyard with live jazz music!

Valhalla Beer Hall

Ul. Pavla Radića 3a, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Great beer selection with a Viking theme. If you’re not a smoker, plan to visit on a nice day so you can sit outside as it can get quite smoky inside.

A’E Craft Bar

Ul. Pavla Radica 54, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Wine, cocktail, and beers on a terrace overlooking the city below.

The Swanky Bar

Ilica 50, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

It’s in the name – this place looks swanky! With a cool terrace, an Asian fusion menu, and a large drink list, this is a great option to sit and hang for a bit!

FAQs And General Tips

How long do I need in Zagreb?

If you aren’t doing a day trip to Plitvice or elsewhere, two nights should be plenty to see everything in Zagreb. However, if you plan on doing a day trip, I may give yourself an extra night to not feel rushed.

Do I need to make dinner reservations?

Some of the places we ate (Heritage and La Struk) definitely require reservations, even in off-season. However, we got in the other restaurants without a reservation no problem. If you’re traveling peak season and would like to go to somewhere specific, I would recommend making reservations ahead of time. If you’d like to see where we ate and where I recommend, check out my blog about where we ate!

Will I be able to get around easily speaking English?

Everyone we interacted with spoke English fluently, so you shouldn’t have any issue at all.

Is Zagreb safe?

Zagreb may look a little more rough around the edges than the polished Dubrovnik or Split, but don’t let that fool you. It’s perfectly safe. The crime rate is incredibly low, and it’s in fact considered one of the safest capital cities in Europe.

Will I need a lot of cash?

We used credit card everywhere. But while it is very credit card friendly, definitely make sure to have some cash on you just in case!

How to get to Zagreb?

See my full itinerary here with details on how to work Zagreb into a full Croatia/Slovenia trip! If you’re not driving or you don’t fly directly in, you’ll likely need to take a bus into town.

Where else should I go in Croatia?

Great question! We fell in love with different places all over Croatia, and you probably will too! While we visited Dubrovnik, Korcula, Split, Rovinj, and Zagreb, other popular places to visit are Hvar, Trogir, and Zadar. To see my perfect itinerary based on where we went and what we learned, check out my ideal itinerary here with all the details of where to go and how to get there!