Zagreb Travel Guide
Central European in appearance and spirit, Zagreb bears the hallmark of centuries spent under Vienna and Budapest but remains staunchly Croatian.
Visitors to the capital of one of the newer members of the European Union will find an ever-increasing choice of plush accommodation and chic bars and restaurants, as well as the chance to see some of Croatia’s most important cultural sights.
Mount Medvednica rears up to the north of the city, which sits on a plain overlooking the Sava River. Picturesque Gornji grad (Upper Town) is made up of higgledy-piggledy cobbled streets and buildings dating from medieval times up to the 19th century.
In contrast, Donji grad (Lower Town) follows a geometrical grid-plan, with a series of green squares rimmed by AustroHungarian buildings erected from the late 19th century onwards.
The city is fuelled by caffeine: indeed, Zagreb’s café culture rivals that of Vienna. It’s not a place of Starbucks and people huddling behind their laptops nursing large lattes. Cafés are Zagreb’s pulse – they’re where people go to chat, get powered up on espresso and dress for the occasion.
On Saturday mornings, you can witness the Zagreb ritual of špica, when style-conscious people put on their smartest clothes and saunter from café to café in the streets of Trg Petra Preradovića and Bogovićeva.
On warm evenings, everyone (locals and tourists alike) head for the dozen or so cafés that line pedestrianised Tkalčićeva street in Gornji grad. Café terraces are squeezed into every available space in front of low pastel-coloured neoclassical houses. It’s reminiscent of the historic centres of Prague and Budapest – but with only a fraction of the crowds.
As more low-cost flights come to Croatia’s capital, visitors are realising that Zagreb is an appealing destination in its own right, and that there’s much more to this friendly and hospitable country than its coastal resorts.
Over the course of a millennium, Zagreb has bloomed from two vying medieval hilltop settlements into a sprawling modern European metropolis.
Stone Age peoples, Celts and Romans are all known to have rocked up in the spot where the city lies, but modern-day Zagreb kicked off in the Middle Ages.
Zagreb began life as two separate entities, Kaptol and Gradec, which today comprise the historic Gornji grad (Upper Town). Centred around the city’s landmark cathedral, Kaptol was a religious centre, while Gradec was home to craftsmen and merchants. The two groups didn’t always see eye to eye. Outsiders collectively referred to the settlements as Zagreb (meaning ‘behind the hill’), although they were not officially united as the City of Zagreb until 1850.
Boom time followed, with the late 19th century characterised by the arrival of the railways and the construction of Donji grad (Lower Town). A meticulously planned grid system created many of the wide boulevards, grand squares and neat parks you see in Zagreb today.
The 20th century was one of upheaval, bookended by optimism. When Croatia severed ties with the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918 and forged a new union with Serbia, Slovenia and Montenegro, Zagreb’s population swelled and the city flourished.
After WWII however, Croatia became part of Yugoslavia. Although Zagreb continued to grow geographically and economically, it always stood in Belgrade’s shadow. It was only when Croatia declared independence in 1991 that Zagreb regained some lost pride and became capital city once again.
Zagreb was struck by a 6.3-magnitude earthquake in 1880, spurring a massive construction programme revitalising and rebuilding many of the city’s older buildings.
Zagreb’s Art Pavilion started life as the Croatian pavilion at the Millennium Exhibition in Budapest in 1896; the pavilion’s iron framework was transported back to Zagreb, rebuilt and opened two years later.
With a 66-metre track, the Zagreb funicular claims to be the shortest cable car in the world.
Zagreb has an oceanic climate distinguished by hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
Spring (March to May) sees Zagreb at its best when everyone is outside strolling and sipping coffee. This is also the time when most of the city’s events take place including Fasnik (March), the Croatia Open (April) and Dance Week Festival (May).
Summer (June to August) is warm and often balmy, but often busy. June is the wettest month, so pack an umbrella.
Autumn (September to November) tends to be rainy but this also means fewer crowds. Daily highs gradually drop from 24C (75F) to 7C (45F) during the course of the season.
Winter (December to February) is often snowy and you can expect mornings to be quite foggy. Average temperatures are around 3C (37F) and plummet into minus numbers in January.
Getting around Zagreb
Zagreb is served by an extensive network of buses and trams which are operated by:
Zagreb Municipal Transit System (ZET)
Telephone: +385 72 500 400
Website: www.zet.hr
The city centre is compact and manageable on foot, but to reach the outlying suburbs, public transport is necessary.
Regular bus and tram services operate through the day; at night, services are few and far between. Tickets, which are valid for 90 minutes in any direction, should be stamped upon boarding using the validation boxes. You can buy them either from a kiosk or, at a slightly higher price, from the driver. One-day tickets are also available.
The Zagreb Card (
Website:
www.zagrebcard.com ) offers 24 or 72 hours of unlimited travel on city public transport (including its famous funicular), free entry to four museums as well as discounts at numerous museums, galleries, attractions, restaurants, shops, nightclubs and car hire. Zagreb’s short funicular trundles up and down between Gornji grad and Donji grad every 10 minutes from 0630 to 2200.
Taxis in Zagreb are relatively cheap for a European capital city. There are taxi ranks outside the train and bus stations, near the main square and in front of the larger hotels. Recommended firms include:
Radio Taxi
Telephone: 1717 in Croatia only
Website: www.radiotaxizagreb.com
Ekotaxi
Telephone: +385 60 77 77
Website: www.ekotaxi.hr
Taxi Cammeo
Telephone: +385 1 1212
Website: www.cammeo.hr
All three companies have mobile apps for iOS and Android. Tipping is not expected beyond rounding up the fare. Alternatively, you can book a taxi via Uber.
Zagreb is quite easy to drive around – the roads are wide and parking is ample and cheap. Street parking is relatively easy to find, though spaces can be harder to find in the post-work rush hour (1700-1900). Watch out for trams, and don’t be tempted to park illegally as fines are heavy and your car can be towed away.
The centre of Zagreb is flat and makes cycling easy, but the steep and cobbled streets of Gornji grad can be hard work. Bicycle hire is available from:
Bicikli Zoric
Address: Kačićeva ul. 9, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 98 774 574
Website: www.bike.com.hr
Blue Bike
Address: Trg bana Josipa Jelačića 15, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 981 883 344
Website :
www.zagrebbybike.com rents bikes and runs group bike tours of the city.
Nextbike
Address: Petrinjska ul. 6, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 777 6534
Website: www.nextbike.hr runs the city’s small bikeshare scheme. Nextbike does not operate during the winter season.
Things to see in Zagreb
Attractions
- Strossmajerov Šetalište (Strossmayer Promenade)
This romantic footpath offers some of the finest views over Zagreb. The 19th-century promenade was built when the old town walls were torn down, and now allows views of the lower town below as well as the Sava River beyond. Old-fashioned gas lamps illuminate the cafés and the trees shadow the benches. Look out for the sculpture of Croatian modernist poet Antun Gustav Matoš, whose silver figure by Ivan Kožarić reclines nonchalantly on a bench. The most amusing way to reach it is by funicular (from Tomićeva, just off Ilica), although it is also quite feasible to walk up.
Address: Strossmayerovo šetalište 16-99, Zagreb.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Katedrala (Zagreb Cathedral)
There has been a church on this site in Zagreb since the 12th century, but today’s neo-Gothic façade, complete with twin steeples, was erected after an earthquake in 1880. Soaring upwards from the square outside the church is the startling gold statue of the Madonna, with four equally vivid angels at her feet. Inside, on the north wall, note a 12th-century inscription in Glagolitic script (a predecessor to Cyrillic) and a series of 13th-century frescoes. The tomb of Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac is a source of some controversy, as he had been convicted of colluding with the Nazis during the WWII but was later exonerated by Pope John Paul II.
Address: Gornji grad, Kaptol 31, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 4727
Opening times: Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00.
Website: www.glas-koncila.hr
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Markov Trg (St Mark’s Square)
Zagreb’s main square until the 19th century is home to the neoclassical Sabor (parliament) and the baroque Banski dvori (Ban’s Court Palace). The centrepiece is Crkva svetog Marka (St Mark’s Church), which is best known for its eccentric red, white and blue tiled roof featuring the coats of arms for Zagreb and the Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia. This was added to the 13th-century building in 1880. Here you’ll find one of Ivan Meštrović’s most compelling works, his depiction of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
Address: Trg Sv. Marka 5, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 485 1611
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Website: www.zupa-svmarkaev.hr
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
- Museum of Broken Relationships
One of Zagreb’s latest museums has become a hit among visitors from all over the world. This strange and endearing collection of unlikely objects tells stories of love lost and found – from wedding dresses never worn to an axe used to chop up an ex’s furniture. Exhibits have been collected from across the globe, although many relate to the experiences of people in the region during the painful break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. It’s poignant and funny at the same time, and the gift shop is worth a look for unusual souvenirs.
Address: Gornj grad, Ćirilometodska 2, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 485 1021
Opening times: Daily 09:00-21:00.
Website: www.brokenships.com
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Trg Bana Jelačića (Ban Jelačić Square)
This large paved piazza has been Zagreb’s main square since Donji grad came into being in the 19th century. Pedestrianonly (with the exception of trams), it’s a lively public meeting place rimmed by several elegant pastel-coloured Secessionist facades and open-air cafés. The centrepiece is a bronze equestrian statue of its namesake, Ban Jelačić, the Croatian viceroy under Austro-Hungary. Temporary markets and exhibitions pop up in the centre of the square.
Address: Donji grad, Trg bana Josipa Jelačića, Zagreb.
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
East of Zagreb’s centre, the 316-hectare (780-acre) Maksimir Park dates back to the late 18th century and is the largest green space in the city. This vast expanse of lush lawns and oak woods was remodelled in 1843 with English-style landscaping that includes artificial lakes, streams, meadows and romantic follies. There is also a small zoo, a very busy café and a football stadium that’s the home of Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatian national team. As it’s only a short tram ride from the centre, it’s a popular summer spot for locals who haven’t deserted to the coast.
Address: Maksimirski perivoj 1, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 2320 460
Opening times: Daily 24 hours.
Website: www.park-maksimir.hr
Admission Fees: No
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Croatia’s best-known 20th-century sculptor, Ivan Meštrović, lived and worked in this 17th-century house intermittently during the 1920s. It is now a charming memorial museum, exhibiting a collection of his sculptures and sketches from the first 40 years of his life. Here you can see the plans for some of his most important projects, including the statue of Grigur of Nin, which is now by Diocletian’s Palace in Split, and the Crucifixion, which can be seen in St Mark’s Square near the museum. The works displayed here give interesting background details about much of the artist’s collection, which you’ll find scattered around the city.
Address: Gornji grad, Mletačka 8, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 485 1123
Opening times: Tues-Fri 10:00-18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-14:00.
Website: www.mestrovic.hr
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- Muzej za umjetnost i obrt (Museum of Arts and Crafts)
This Zagreb museum offers a fascinating walk through the history of Croatian design, with a bit of inspiration from the British Arts and Crafts movement of the late 19th century. Furniture, ceramics, silverware, porcelain, glassware, textiles, religious art and clocks are displayed in chronological order, from the baroque period up to the industrial age. The building itself, dating from 1880, is an impressive affair and was designed by Croatian architect, Herman Bollé, who also created the elaborate Mirogoj Cemetery.
Address: Donji grad, Trg Republike Hrvatske 10, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 488 2111
Opening times: Tue-Sat 10:00-1900; Sun 10:00-14:00.
Website: www.muo.hr
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
The long, tumultuous and complex history of Zagreb is detailed in a 17th-century former convent that’s not far from St Mark’s Square. Scale models of the city show the constant changes since its prehistoric foundations, through the Middle Ages, and during its time as an outpost of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Reconstructions of historic shop fronts give a taste of life in the 19th century, the time of the Croatian national revival. The period during the 1990s civil war in Yugoslavia is covered in intricate detail.
Address: Gornji grad, Opatička 20, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 485 1361
Opening times: Tue-Sat 10:00-19:00, Sun 10:00-14:00.
Website: www.mgz.hr
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: No
UNESCO: No
- The Museum of Contemporary Art Zagreb
Some 12,000 artworks fill this gleaming structure across the Sava River in the Novi Zagreb district. The Museum of Contemporary Art is the biggest museum in Croatia and focuses on national artists. It also features works by Marina Abramoviċ and Max Bill, among others.
Address: Novi Zagreb, Avenija Dubrovnik 17, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 605 2700
Opening times: Tue-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 11:00-18:00.
Website: www.msu.hr
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
To enjoy a unique panorama of Zagreb (including Kaptol, Gradec, the Upper and Lower Town), head to Zagreb 360°, located on the 16th floor of a skyscraper at Ban Josip Jelačić Square. It’s an enchanting spot to take in views of the city and the surrounding countryside. Your ticket allows multiple entries throughout the day and there’s also a café and free Wi-Fi. It’s good to come in the daylight hours for the views and return at dusk to watch the sun go down.
Address: Ilica 1, Ban Josip Jelačić Square, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4876 587
Opening times: Mon 10:00-17:00, Tues 14:00-22:00, Wed and Sun 10:00-23:00, Thurs and Fri 10:00-23:45, Sat 09:00-23:45.
Website: www.zagreb360.hr
Admission Fees: Yes
Disabled Access: Yes
UNESCO: No
Tourist Offices
- Zagreb Tourist Information Centre
Address: Trg Bana J. Jelačića 11, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 4052
Opening times: Mon-Fri 09:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00.
Website: www.infozagreb.hr
The main tourist office is located centrally on Trg bana Josipa Jelačića (Ban Josip Jelačić Square). There’s another tourist information office in:
- The main railway station ( Telephone: +385 99 210 9918 ) which is open Mon-Fri 09:00-21:00 and Sat-Sun 10:00- 16:00.
Tourist passes
- The Zagreb Card ( Website: www.zagrebcard.hr ) is a great way to save money on museum and gallery entry fees.
It is available for 24or 72-hours, giving holders free travel on all public transport within Zagreb, free entry to several museums and discounts on museum and gallery entry fees. Concessions are offered in some restaurants, bars and shops too as well as car rentals. The card can be bought at the main tourist office and is widely available in hotels, bars and shops.
Things to do in Zagreb
- Chill out with the locals around Lake Jarun
Southwest of Donji grad is Zagreb’s ‘artificial sea’, which sprawls along for 2km (1.2 miles). An easy tram ride from the city centre, it is hugely popular in the summer months as people paddle around the rowing lake, relax on the shingle beach and chill out in the cafés.
- Jump at the Lotrščak Tower cannon
Built to watch over the southern gate of the old town.
Lotrščak Tower (
Telephone:
+385 1 485 1768 ) is known for the almighty bang that goes off every day at noon, when a single cannon round is fired. As well as a shock, the 13th-century tower offers fantastic views of the city.
- Spot a fake at the Mimara Museum
You’ll do more than a few double takes in the:
Mimara Museum
Telephone: +385 1 482 8100
Website: www.mimara.hr
Comprised of more than 4,000 Old Master artworks including Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Renoir, it’s not entirely clear whether the pieces amassed by collector Ante Topiċ Mimara are what they say they are.
- Wander the artworks of Mirogoj Cemetery
The great and good are buried in suitably over-the-top style at:
Mirogoj Cemetery
Telephone: +385 1 469 6700
Website: www.gradskagroblja.hr
Effectively an open-air sculpture park, ivy-clad arcades and cupolas give a taste of what to expect; the tombs of Ivan Meštroviċ and Ivan Rendiċ are elaborate works of art.
Zagreb tours and excursions
Zagreb tours
The travel agency Event organises two-hour walking tours of Zagreb with a guide in period costume. The tour starts from outside the Zagreb Tourist Information Centre (TIC) on Trg Bana Jelačića, then concentrates on the Upper Town, taking in the Dolac open-market, the cathedral, St Mark’s Church, and a view over the city from Lotrscak Tower. It also includes a coffee break at an old-fashioned café.
Upon request, the agency can also arrange a three-hour tour combining walking and a bus ride, plus alternatives such as ‘Zagreb by Night’, ‘Religious Zagreb’ and ‘Green Zagreb’. All these tours can be booked through the TIC, through Event itself, and at some hotels.
Telephone: +385 915 567 247
Website: www.freespirittours.eu
Zagreb excursions
Best known for its kremsnita (custard pie), Samobor makes a pleasant excursion, with its romantic cobbled street, elegant main square and the picturesque riverside Mala Venecija (Little Venice). The nearby Zumberak and Samobor Nature Park is criss-crossed by hiking paths.
- Samobor Tourist Information Centre
Address: Trg kralja Tomislava 5, Samobor.
Telephone: +385 1 3360 044
Website: www.samobor.hr
The slopes of Medvednica Nature Park are perfect for hiking. The highest peak, Sljeme (1,033m/3,389ft), offers great views and can be reached by cable car. From here, marked footpaths lead through woodland and several mountain huts offer hearty meals and basic overnight accommodation. There are also 15 mountain biking trails, and in winter it is possible to ski.
Telephone: +385 1 458 6317
Website: www.pp-medvednica.hrShopping in Zagreb
Zagreb is a good shopping city, with many international and local brands dotting the city centre. Ilica Street is the main shopping drag, and for those who prefer shopping centres, Centar Kaptol is just a short stroll from the main square Trg Bana Jelačića. Zagreb also boasts numerous open-air and sheltered markets throughout the city.
Fashion buffs can shop in Escada, Gundulićeva 15, and Mango, Ilica 20. Other big European brands are also represented along Ilica and Vlaška, which run west and east respectively off Trg Bana Jelačića. Souvenir shops line Trg Svetog Marka (St. Mark’s Square).
The highlight of shopping in Zagreb has to be a visit to Dolac, the market on the north side of Trg Bana Jelačića, open Monday to Friday 0630-1500 (Saturday and Sunday 06:30-13:00). Colourful stalls vending fruit, vegetables and flowers set up on the raised piazza outside, while an indoor area below displays meats and dairy products. Visitors looking for reasonably priced souvenirs and gifts should check out the craft stalls behind the fruit and vegetable section.
The most traditional department store in Zagreb is Nama, Ilica 6, but other popular shopping centres include Branimir Centar, at Branomirova 29, and Centar Kaptol, Nova ves 17.
Shops in Zagreb are generally open Monday to Friday 09:00-19:00 and Saturday 09:00-13:00.
Great Zagreb souvenirs include a ‘Croata’ tie (ties apparently originate in Croatia) or some local produce from Dolac Market. Croatian wines, rakija (fruit brandy), olive oil and truffle products also make perfect presents. Purchase them in
Bornstein
Address: Kaptol 19, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4812 361
Website: www.bornstein.hr a charming vaulted brick cellar in Gornji grad.
For quirky and fun creations by local designers, check out:
Take Me Home
Address: Josipa Eugena Tomića 4, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 7987 632
Website: www.takemehome.hr
The standard VAT rate in Croatia is 25%.
Restaurants in Zagreb
The Zagreb restaurant scene very much focuses on Croatian food, with variations between the more central-European slant of Slavonia (think: sausages, pickled cabbage and potato dumplings) and the Mediterranean offerings of Dalmatia and Istria (fish, seafood and risottos). There is a budding move towards haute cuisine, though it’s always in the higher price brackets. The Zagreb restaurants below have been grouped into three pricing categories:
Expensive (over 300HRK)
Moderate (200HRK to 300HRK)
Cheap (up to 200HRK)
Prices are for a three-course meal per person with half a bottle of house wine, tax and service included.
Expensive
Cuisine: Seafood
Seafood is the speciality at this highly acclaimed restaurant in Zagreb, with fresh fish arriving daily from the coast. The owner is from Dubrovnik, so it’s Dalmatian food all the way, and the crowds that vie for tables vouch for its quality. The restaurant is in a leafy area northwest of the town centre, and there’s a wonderful terrace for outdoor spring and summer dining.
Address: Dubravkin put 2, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 483 4975
Website: www.dubravkin-put.com
Cuisine: International, Croatian
Steak becomes theatre at the DoubleTree Hilton’s ultra-modern restaurant in Zagreb’s Green Gold business district. Succulent cuts of Black Angus steak feature prominently, but the menu is incredibly varied with its range of international classics and Croatian specialities. Save room for rich but unmissable dishes like oxtail and foie gras ravioli. The wine list leans heavily towards top-class wines produced in Croatia rather than just the usual suspects from France and the New World.
Address: Grada Vukovara 269a, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 600 1914
Website: www.oxbogrill.com
Cuisine: Modern Croatian
Set inside the dining room of the renowned Zagreb Esplanade Hotel, this elegant restaurant takes the best of Croatian cuisine and gives it an innovative spin. Under the restaurant’s soaring ceilings and sparkling chandeliers, beautifully crafted dishes such as roasted veal with foie gras are served by impeccable, polished staff. During summer, dinner is served on the attractive terrace.
Address: Mihanovićeva 1, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 456 6644
Website: www.zinfandels.hr
Moderate
Cuisine: Croatian
Best restaurant in Zagreb. The food is exceptional, carefully crafted, and beautifully presented—which describes all aspects of this intimate, hidden gem tucked away in Kaptol. The dedication, talent, and passion of the staff is on full display and you will not be disappointed.
Address: Ul. Ivana Tkalčića 84, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 99 8099 772
Website: www.torero.hr
Cuisine: Italian
A vaulted brick cellar in the centre of Zagreb’s Donji grad is the warm setting for this Italian restaurant owned by Croatian footballer Zvonimir Boban. It’s solidly and classically Italian, with handmade pasta dishes such as tagliatelle in a creamy truffle and mushroom sauce, plus rich risottos with squid ink. Treat yourself to a giant Boban starter platter for two featuring a great selection of salamis, cured meats, cheeses, olives and pickled vegetables.
Address: Gajeva 9, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 1549
Website: www.boban.hr
Cuisine: Croatian
This atmospheric vaulted brick cellar dates from the 18th century and specialises in seasonal produce, much of which they get from nearby Dolac Market. In fact, the market’s proximity is reflected in the restaurant’s name. Not surprisingly, it’s heavy on the meat, with dishes such as veal in a truffle sauce, grilled rump steak, pork loin with mushrooms and chicken stuffed with prosciutto. But you can have lighter dishes such grilled sea bass or tuna.
Address: Opatovina 31, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 9009
Website: www.lanterna-zagreb.com
Cheap
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Sleek locale presenting a variety of contemporary Latin American dishes with global flavors. The menu changes often, presentation is top notch and if you visit during the winter time when the terrace is closed, make sure you book a table in advance.
Address: Ul. fra Filipa Grabovca 1, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 996 132 926
Website: www.eltoro.hr
Cuisine: Croatian
This popular beer hall is known for its hearty dishes and its own-brand brews served at heavy wooden tables. It was Zagreb’s first microbrewery when it opened in 1994, and it still serves up generous portions of Croatian staples such as sausages, beans and roasted veal. The beers are top quality, brewed traditionally and without preservatives. The garden is a lively spot in the summer, when street musicians serenade diners. You’ll find other branches around the city.
Address: Ilica 49, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4849 922
Website: www.pivovara-medvedgrad.hr
Cuisine: Croatian, Italian
One of Zagreb’s most affordable restaurants is tucked away in a busy little pedestrianised side street near Dolac Market. The pizzas are especially good, but there’s also an excellent selection of risottos, pastas, salads and steaks – all combining Croatian and Italian flavours. In the summer, tables are set out on a covered platform that follows the upward slope of the narrow street. It’s not haute cuisine, but it’s great value.
Address: Skalinska 4, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 3394
Website: www.restoran.nokturno.hrZagreb Nightlife
Zagreb’s nightlife is lively and varied for a city of fewer than a million people. You’ll find the highest concentration of small bars and cafés lining the pretty street of Tkalčićeva in Gornji grad. On warm summer nights, people also head out to the clubs along the shore of Lake Jarun.
Bars in Zagreb
Built in 1925 as Zagreb’s stop on the old Orient Express, the cocktail bar of historic Esplanade Hotel still allows patrons to bask in its elegant art deco interior. It’s Old World glamour and sophistication here, with bartenders concocting classic cocktails from the 1920s onwards. The resident DJ provides a subtle soundtrack to the Thursday Night Chill Out, when the bartenders surpass themselves in trying to come up with creative drinks.
Address: Mihanoviceva 1, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 456 6633
Website: www.esplanade1925.hr
A former button factory has been imaginatively refashioned as a live music venue in the southern part of Zagreb, not far from the Sava River. Inside the cavernous space, it lives up to its name: lots of vintage furniture and remnants of the building’s industrial past. And then there’s the venerable punk, indie and rock played by live bands in the separate room housing the stage. If it all gets too noisy, escape onto the big summer terrace.
Address: Savska Cesta 160, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 6191 715
Website: www.vintageindustrial-bar.com
This cosy bar is right by Zagreb’s train station, but it has nothing in common with the usual run of railway taverns. Inside the stone vaulted interior is an artfully arranged jumble of old books, vintage household goods and some strange but amusing pieces of ‘art’. As the name implies, there’s live jazz on weekends, with people spilling out into the comfortably ramshackle garden with its mismatched chairs.
Address: Trg Kralja Tomislava 16, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 98 322 804
Named after the writer Miroslav Krleža, who lived in the same building, Krolo has become a place where artists, writers and locals mingle. The charming wooden interior will get you in the right mood to enjoy coffee, read a newspaper and escape the rumble of the city.
Address: Radićeva 7, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4830 980
Clubs in Zagreb
After a recent refit, Tvornica Kulture established itself as one of the top mid-sized venues playing live rock and pop. Café during the day, concert hall during the night, with live bands and DJ, the venue is open every night of the week and promises a great time with amazing prices.
Address: Ul. Pavla Šubića 2, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 777 8673
Website: www.tvornicakulture.com
You’ll need to look smart to get into this classy club by the shore of Lake Jarun, so leave your trainers at home. Once you’re allowed into the chic, chandelier-filled interior you can join local celebrities and the odd sports star on Fridays for hip hop and R&B or Saturdays for house music. On sultry summer evenings, the large wooden terrace overlooking the lake throbs with people dancing to guest DJs such as David Guetta.
Address: Matije Ljubeka 33, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 99 444 2444
Website: www.gallery.hr
Močvara is Zagreb’s most alternative music venue that hosts, well, alternative music nights, both with live acts and DJs. The venue organises themed parties too – anything from film showings to old-school hip hop via death metal and 1970s nights. It’s in an unlikely location near the Sava River, but don’t be put off by the brutalist, graffiti-covered exterior that looks like an abandoned office block.
Address: Trnjanski Nasip bb, Zagreb
Telephone: +385 1 6159 667
Website: www.mochvara.hr
Live music in Zagreb
Grunge and goth fans head to this agreeably scruffy club that’s an uphill hike north of St Mark’s Church in Gornji grad, where happy hour takes them back to the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. When it gets too stuffy inside, grab your breath in the funky courtyard and collapse in one of the old ski cable cars that have been turned into tables. It’s long been the hangout for alternative rock fans who like their nostalgia dark.
Address: Jabukovac 28, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4834 397
This is a favourite among students, who share cabs from Zagreb to this buzzing club with a terrace overlooking Lake Jarun. Its two floors usually feature different musical styles (house, R & B, electro, trance) with resident and international DJs, plus the occasional live act thrown into the mix. Its café is open all day if you want a place to chill out before things start warming up around midnight.
Address: Aleja Matije Ljubeka, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 3640 231
Big DJ parties take over this popular Zagreb club most Saturday nights. The rest of the week, KSET is a live music hotspot, with huge international stars and local names performing to packed audiences in the relatively intimate interior. It’s a popular student venue too, thanks to the low bar prices and snug red leather booths. The music choice usually caters to most tastes, so you’ll find everything from hardcore metal to reggae and jazz.
Address: Unska 3, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 612 9758
Website: www.kset.org
Classical music in Zagreb
- Hrvatski Glazbeni Zavod (Croatian Music Institute)
Croatia’s oldest music institute has been delighting Zagreb’s classic music lovers since 1827, when it was founded by a group of music-loving friends. Within this venerable neoclassical building are performances by chamber ensembles playing everything from baroque music to Croatian folk songs. There are informal concerts of other musical genres including tango too, and the institute is also home to an extensive music library and archive.
Address: Gundulićeva 6, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 4830 822
Website: www.hgz.hr
- Koncertna Dvorana Vatroslav Lisinski (Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall)
Zagreb’s most prestigious concert hall is also home to the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. It hosts classical music performances as well as the occasional pop, rock and jazz concert. You will find theatre productions here too. International orchestras and choral groups make regular appearances, and the concert hall has a rich programme of operas including classic works by Mozart and Wagner. As well as the main hall, there’s a smaller venue for chamber productions.
Address: Trg Stjepana Radića 4, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 612 1166
Website: www.lisinski.hr
Theatres in Zagreb
- Hrvatsko Narodno Kazaliste (HNK) (Croatian National Theatre)
Established in 1895 in a beautiful neo-baroque building, Zagreb’s National Theatre puts on productions of drama, opera and ballet throughout the year. The wide-ranging programme includes Croatian translations of dramas by such playwrights as Chekhov, Ibsen and Molière, as well as classic operas and ballets by Tchaikovsky, among many others. The theatre also mounts productions by Croatia’s most renowned playwrights and composers.
Address: Trg Republika Hrvatske 15, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 488 8488
Website: www.hnk.hr
Zagreb’s home for contemporary, creative and often challenging theatre has been running since 1994. The actors and directors have won numerous awards since then and have brought their productions to theatres all over Europe, the Middle East and North America. Many of the productions on show are original Croatian plays, but international playwrights have their work staged here as well.
Address: Bleiweisowa 27, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 370 4120
Website: www.teatarexit.hr
Music and Dance in Zagreb
Just up the street from the Cathedral, in a handsome terracotta-coloured building, is Zagreb’s premier theatre for musicals, operettas and light live entertainment. Komedija Theatre is also the place to come for Croatian productions of major Broadway and West End musicals. If you want to see some of the country’s traditional performance arts in action, the playhouse also puts on occasional folklore dance performances.
Address: Kaptol 9, Zagreb.
Telephone: +385 1 481 3200
Website: www.komedija.hrZagreb Food And Drink
Food In Zagreb
Traditional Croatian-Zagreb cuisine is mainly centred around meat and seafood dishes, but there are still some great options for vegetarian travelers. Many restaurants in Croatia will serve pasta and risotto dishes that can be altered to make them suitable for vegetarians.
Known locally as crni rižot, this is made with cuttlefish or squid, olive oil, garlic, red wine and squid ink, which gives an intense seafood flavour and black colour. Popular all along Croatia’s coastline, this dish will turn your mouth and teeth black – but it’s worth it.
- Zagrebački odrezak – Zagreb cutlet
Zagrebački odrezak, roughly translated as Zagreb cutlet, is a regional classic consisting of cheese and ham sandwiched between slices of veal, which is rolled, breaded, and fried to perfection. Some cooks opt for pork, chicken, or turkey, instead of veal, so you’ll be able to choose as you please.
Faširanci are mini meat patties spiced to perfection. These ground beef and/or pork patties are most often served with čušpajz, a cabbage stew.
- Štrukli – cheese-filled dough dish
To make štrukli it is necessary to mix a dough made from flour, salt, an egg, lukewarm water, a little vinegar and oil, leave it to rest and then roll it out and fill it with a combination of cow’s milk cheese, salt, eggs and sour cream, with the addition of sugar for sweet štrukli.
- Ajngemahtec – veggie stew
veggie stew. While the name sounds Germanesque, this dish is a staple across northern Croatia. Ajngemahtec is derived from the
- Knedle sa šljivama – plum dumplings
These dumplings are made by small plums into a potato-based dough. Then they are simmered in water and covered in buttery breadcrumbs. These Hungarian plum dumplings look lovely when cut in half.
- Sir i vrhnje – cheese and sour cream
Cottage cheese is made from the curds of various levels of pasteurized cow’s milk, including nonfat, reduced-fat, or regular milk. It’s also offered in different curd sizes, including small, medium, or large, and is available in creamed, whipped, lactose-free, reduced sodium, or sodium-free varieties.
Drink In Zagreb
Major Croatian cities, such as Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik, boast reliable water infrastructure and high-quality tap water. The rigorous treatment processes and regular monitoring contribute to the consistent delivery of safe tap water to residents and visitors
Technically, there is a law that prohibits drinking in public. Although I’ve never heard of anyone getting fined, it is uncommon to see people carrying open alcohol around, so you will stick out. On a bench or on a beach is fine.
A type of fruit brandy is considered the national drink of Croatia. the most popular alcoholic drink in Croatia. It is one of those things you must try, even if it’s not really your thing. Rakija is a very strong fruit brandy, with up to 40% alcohol content.