Main sights & attractions
Upper town (Grič or Gradec) & Kaptol
Upper town and Kaptol are two hills on which Zagreb's history
began. On Kaptol you will visit the Cathedral and enjoy the quiet
atmosphere of the surrounding alleys and courtyards. Going west you
will get to Dolac - Zagreb's biggest and oldest food market,
and going down and east you will pass through one of the oldest
streets - Vlaska, to relax in the beautiful park Ribnjak behind the
Cathedral.
Getting around upper town is easy, but you have to make a choice
from many interesting options - a ride in one of the city's
landmarks, the blue funicular which will take you right up to
Lotrscak tower, or go up Tkalča, a unique, picturesque pedestrian
street - once a creek flowing between two hills, today a favorite
relaxing coffee zone during sunny days. From Tkalča you can either
cross the Bloody bridge to the cobbled Radiceva street and enter
the Upper town through the only surviving gate - Stone Gate, or go
further up the steps to the Museum of Zagreb.
Upper town will put a spell on you and you might forget
about time...and do take your time to explore the narrow streets
and courtyards going around St. Mark's Church with its unique
colored tiled roof, Croatian Parliament and Government house,
Zagreb's most beautiful baroque church St.Catherine's, Lotrščak
Tower with the cannon going off every day at noon (don't stand too
close!), explore the galleries and discover the secrets hidden in
the palace walls and small sleepy squares...
Lower town
This is the historical center of Zagreb which developed when the
Upper town became too crowded. If you start from the Main square
(Trg bana Jelacica) it is easy to follow the trail on which the
Lower town developed. Start at the top of the Green horseshoe, in
the park Zrinjevac, pass the Archeological museum, Academy of
Science and Arts and the Art pavilion, take a break in the park in
front of the oldest hotel in Zagreb - Regent Esplanade. Relax in
the botanical gardens before checking out the old Art nouveau
National Library, Croatian National Theatre and many museums
surrounding it at the west end of the "Green horseshoe". For an
ideal finish find a nice table in the coffee zone around the Flower
square (Trg Petra Preradovica) to pick up some favorite local
habits, making it even sweeter with a delicious pancake or a bowl
of ice cream.
Maksimir park & ZOO
Maksimir is Zagreb's largest and most beautiful park. It is the
first, one of the largest and most beautiful promenade parks in
southeast Europe. Wondering through its deep shades, monuments,
lakes and rivers will give you a break from the urban experience
and take you back to the pace of 19th century. Zagreb's ZOO is
situated in the park and FC Dinamo Zagreb soccer stadium is just
across the street from the main entrance of the park. To get there
take a short tram ride east on #11 (from the hostel or the Main
square) or #12 (from the Main square).
Lake Jarun
A fifteen minute ride on tram #17 going west will take you to
"Zagreb's sea", a favorite place to escape the summer heat and the
most popular year-around recreational area for the residents of
Zagreb. The complex has two large lakes for swimming, kayaking,
canoeing, surrounded by skating, cycling and running tracks and
playgrounds…Jarun is one of the best nightlife spots in
Zagreb after midnight, especially in the summer.
Mirogoj cemetery
Impressive arcades with copper domes surround one of the most
unique cemeteries in Europe. In its arcades, peaceful shades and in
monumental parks, Zagreb's main cemetery honors many great names
from Croatian history. Bus #106 will take you there from the
station in front of the Cathedral.
www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr
Day trips from Zagreb
Medvednica hill (Sljeme peak)
The hills behind Zagreb offer many hiking trails, with hikes
ranging from a few hours to all day. To reach Medvedgrad, the old
fortress on the mountain, you can take city bus #102 from Britanski
Trg (1 minute walk from the hostel) for about 15 minutes and get
off in Sestine in front of the blue roofed church. Take the road to
the right of the church, after about 10 minutes walking it will
turn into a hiking trail. It's a 45-60 minute hike to reach the
fortress. From there you can also reach the highest peak - Sljeme.
www.pp-medvednica.hr
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Located roughly 2 hours to the south of Zagreb, is something
that you can't miss during your travels in Croatia. Several buses
leave from Zagreb's main bus terminal each day as scheduled and
cost about 70 kuna. We recommend the 8:40 bus, as it will allow you
5 or 6 hours of hiking before you will need to catch a return bus.
Entrance to the park costs 110 kuna, with a 50% discount for ISIC
(student) card holders. We also recommend that you pack a lunch
from the open market or bakery, since there are not many restaurant
options around the National Park. www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr
Samobor
A picturesque small town with typical Central Europe
architecture, famous for its relaxed atmosphere, cake Kremsnita and
the street Carnival. With a creek running through a mill just next
to your table in old town square the hours will pass like minutes.
Samobor is located about 45 minutes from Zagreb. It's accessible by
city buses that leave from the main bus terminal every 30 minutes.
www.samobor.hr
Varaždin
"The pearl of Baroque" is the nickname of this small town famous
for its beautiful palaces, museums, old town castle, Croatian
National Theatre all nested in the perfectly preserved city centre
networked with small "stress free" streets and squares which offer
some of the best parties of the year during the "Špancir festival"
and go back in time every year during the "Baroque evenings".
There are daily buses from the Main Bus Station - the ride
takes about 1 hour. www.turizam-vzz.hr
Travel to and from Zagreb
By Bus - www.akz.hr
By Train - www.hznet.hr, www.bahn.de
By Boat - www.jadrolinija.hr
By Plane - www.zagreb-airport.hr
