Glad to have you here looking for Zagreb travel tips. As a matter of fact there’s plenty to explore in this beautiful city that maybe you didn’t know of. Zagreb is Croatia’s capital that perhaps gets lost in the background among the big cities in Europe when it comes to travelling.
It’s a hidden treasure with only the Adriatic sea between itself and Italy. Croatia’s coastal cities have understandably attracted visitors from all over the world for generations.
But in this post we’re turning our eyes to Zagreb, which is located inland of Croatia and offers amazing food, plenty of culture and great architecture. Croatia as a country has only existed in its current form since the 1990’s, but it’s incredible that Zagreb has been around as a city for thousands of years.
When you start to explore the streets and surroundings you begin to get the feeling that we’ve all been missing out on Croatia’s real hidden treasure.
Zagreb International Airport is located 17 kilometers to the southeast of the city center. It’s served by most European carriers and now many international carriers as well. It’s also worth noting that there are several regional airports for example Ljubljana and Maribor, both within a 2 hour drive of Zagreb. So if you can’t find a direct flight to Zagreb it’s well worth investigating one of those other airports.
Public transport in Zagreb
There are a couple of options to get from the airport into central Zagreb. There’s a bus service provided by Croatia Airlines. The bus leaves every 30 minutes between 8am and 8pm and costs 30 kuna ($4.5) into town.
Alternatively the 290ZET Bus will take you into the city and from there you can transfer to trams or buses.
You can also take a taxi into town. The taxi rank is located just outside arrivals and the ride costs between 100-190 kuna ($14-$27) for the 20 minute journey into the city center.
Zagreb’s public transport system is robust with trains, trams, buses and taxis. The 15 tram lines is the best bet to get around the city, they
cover most of Zagreb and the network runs 24 hours a day.
Dolac Market
The ticketing system on the public transport works on a zone system. The good news is that most of central Zagreb is within zone 1. It’s only when you venture outside of the city that you need to start thinking about the zone system.
A single zone ticket valid for 30 minutes costs 4 kuna ($0.5) and is good for unlimited travel on any form of transport in a single direction. Other tickets available are 90 minutes, 24 hours, 72 hour, 7 day, 15 day and 30 day passes.
You can buy your ticket from the ZET offices, newsstands or directly from the bus or tram driver themselves.
As with many cities in Europe you need to validate your ticket by inserting in the yellow machine when you board the bus or tram. You’ll need two tickets if you intend to travel between zones.To avoid all hassle it’s easiest to just get a daily or multi day ticket which you only need to validate once.
When looking for Zagreb travel tips and hotels, there are a few things to think about. What kind of stay you are looking for, if you want to have fun or just relax. You don’t want to end up in the wrong part of town as an expected quiet stay might turn into a nightmare if you’re in the party district. Here are the three best options to stay in Zagreb, depending on your preferred taste.
Central: Donji Grad (Lower town) is a modern part of the city where a lot of hotels are located. This is also the commercial center of Zagreb and here you’ll find shopping centers, art museums, restaurants, concert halls and it’s a great place to stay.
Ban Jelacics Square
Nightlife: Gornji Grad (Upper town) is located in the center, you’ll find Zagreb’s bar street, its main square and it’s also the most historic part of the city. Close to all of the tourist attractions and restaurants, Gornji Grad is one of the best places to stay in Zagreb.
Relaxed: In Park Ribnjak you’ll find plenty of nice apartment rentals, it’s located in a large park and has great walking paths, cultural attractions and it’s one of the best neighborhoods for families. Park Ribnjak has its roots back to the 15th century and you’ll still find some medieval walls surrounding it.
When it comes to Zagreb travel tips, the city as a whole is famous for its food. Both the raw ingredients and the end result. Because Croatia has a large coast it’s food culture consists of a lot of fish and seafood. The most famous market in Zagreb is the Dolac market filled with local fresh fruits, vegetables, seafood and meat.
Croatian Cheese
The traditional most famous dish in Zagreb is a hot dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream called Strukli. A popular dessert that most restaurants serves, at a place called La Struk they serve nothing but strukli. Try it out!
Cuspajz is a meat and vegetable stew that is served weekly in croatian homes and you can also find it in restaurants, the best one being Mount Medvednica.
Knedli is a traditional desert that is round dumplings of plums or apricot rolled in breadcrumbs and sugar. Sure to make your tastebuds happy.
The beer culture in Zagreb is well and alive and you’ll find great bars and beer all over town. Try out the Dezman bar and Tolkien’s place for a great bar experience.
St Marks Church
Beautiful park in Zagreb
National Theatre In Zagreb
Bonus: If you are a sports-fan and enjoy football (soccer), then make sure to go to the Maksimir stadium when the 2018 World Cup runners-up Croatia’s national team play.
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Travel Tips
Mark Ford – Founder of Plus1Travel.com