Zagreb, the capital as well as the largest city of Croatia, is an almost beautiful gem in Europe where the coastline of the country nearly conceals its real charm. Most of the popular things to do in Zagreb have a cultural heritage to talk about. Unlike the other seaside cities in this country, Zagreb is landlocked. The various Zagreb attractions have impressive architecture, green lawns, hilltops, climbing up and down, and mostly, they call for exploration.
Major Zagreb attractions
The vibrant and lively city of Zagreb has plenty of interesting things to offer. The Zagreb sightseeing trip will take you through its history, architecture, and several other engineering marvels as well. Here are the top 10 things to do in Zagreb for you.
- Lower Town
Made in the 19th century, this is the heart of the city of Zagreb. The peculiarity of this part is the grandeur buildings and houses along the wide roads. As part of the urban planning, one can find several patches of the green lawn as well. The large townhouses here were made during the Habsburg Empire.
- Upper Town
If the Lower Town is the business and cultural hub of Zagreb, Upper Town serves the oldest part with small houses, winding roads, cobbled streets, etc. Traffic is very minimal in this part and one can comfortably wander around this area to their heart’s content. The world’s shortest funicular of 66 meters connects the Upper and Lower towns, a ride on this is another best thing to do in Zagreb.
- Stone gate
The Stone Gate is between the Upper and Lower Towns and one would encounter it while walking across these towns. This is a medieval structure with a painting of the Virgin Mary and Jesus near it. Walk through this gate in silence and make a wish while you do so.
- Zagreb Cathedral
The Cathedral is the tallest building with twin towers. The Gothic interiors are spectacular. It was built in the 13th century but was destroyed in an 1880 earthquake. The current structure was rebuilt in the new Gothic style. with an observation deck at the top.
- Dolac Market
Just away from the cathedral is the Dolac Market where farmers from across the city come with their produce. The market has been functioning since 1930 and is a major point of trade in Zagreb. The farmers mainly come from the villages around the city and the quality of their products makes it worth the price, even if it feels slightly higher. One can also find a flower market right off the market.
- Zagreb Observation Deck
The skyscraper near Ban Jelacic Square provides an observation deck on its 16th floor that gives a 360-degree view of Zagreb city. You will need a ticket to enter this deck but the good news is that the ticket is valid for a long time and allows multiple entries within that period. Another view one can enjoy is the Promenade at the funicular.
- Oktogon
As the name suggests, it is an octagon-shaped stained glass roof of the passage that connects Ilica Street with Cvjetni Trg.
- Museums
Zagreb holds the record for the maximum number of museums per capita. The most interesting museum is the Broken relationship museum where people donated items that have sentimental value in their past relationships.
- Street Art along the Kneza Branimira street
Street art is unique to each city it is found and Zagreb is no different. Not only can you find beautiful art along the street but there also is some tracking of the art. You can track down the Solar System which is painted on the walls. These planets are painted at a strategic distance from each other, calculated at a specific ratio to the actual distance.
- Gric Tunnel
A tunnel built during the II World War and recently revamped, this 350-meter tunnel with six exits connects Stjepan Street to Mesnicka Street.
How to reach Zagreb
The Zagreb Airport is hardly 30 mins away from the city centre so it is easier to reach here when coming by flight. The train station is also close by and there are trains from other neighbouring countries as well. The other modes of transportation include a cab or a bus, especially when you are coming in from the other cities of Slovenia. The tram connects the bus station to the city centre. Here are the popular bus routes that will take you to Zagreb.
- Zadar to Zagreb bus travels for 3 hr 55 min and the ticket rates are USD 19 per person. The bus is operated by Arriva and has one daily service at 10.15 pm.
- Split to Zagreb bus services offer three daily trips at a rate of USD 26. The buses are operated by Arriva and Globtour for a travel duration of 5-7 hrs.
- Pula to Zagreb bus is operated by Arriva bus company and offers two services daily at a rate of USD 27 for the 5 hr 20 min journey. The buses are available at 11.30 am and 12.30 pm.
- Ljubljana to Zagreb bus The single service on this international route from Slovenia is operated by Union Ivkoni at 11.45 pm. The journey lasts for 2 hr 15 mins and costs USD 32 per adult. The starting and ending points are the respective bus stations.
Apart from these points of interest there also are plenty of options like cafes and restaurants where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a hot meal at any time. The famous Croatian dishes to look for are, Vonodol, Stari Fijaker, Pod Zidom Bistro, La Struck, etc. The Sunday Flea market is a great option for some shopping and getting some souvenirs. There also are regular flea markets on different days of the week at various locations. As you can see, Zagreb can offer a lot more than the other popular seaside destinations in Croatia. One just needs to allow it to reveal its marvels.