Zagreb Travel Tips. An article sharing travel tips about visiting Zagreb. How to get there and more…

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 Travel Tips – How To Get From The Airport To Zagreb

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 Travel Tips – Best Way To Get Around Zagreb

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.

Best Places To Stay In Zagreb

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.  

What To Eat And Drink In Zagreb

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. 

Top 7 Experiences You MUST Have While in Zagreb

1. St. Mark’s Church is a parish church for the old part of Zagreb’s center. The church is centrally located on St. Mark’s Square in the district of Gornji grad, located close to the Croatian parliament Sabor. The parts of the church that are of Romanesque architecture are the best evidence that the church was built in the 13th century. Likewise, the altar that was formerly part of St. Mark’s Chapel. In the 1300s, the church underwent a total renovation and was rebuilt in Gothic style.

St Marks Church

2. Gornji grad-Medveščak is a great district of Zagreb to have a walk and enjoy the culture. The district includes Gradec and Kaptol where several of the city’s landmarks, historic and lively buildings are located. The district is also the center of Croatia’s political power and in Gornji grad-Medveščak, among others, is the Croatian parliament Sabor. 

3. Ban Jelačić’s square is the central square of Zagreb. The square is named after the track and Count Josip Jelačić of Bužim and is located in the city’s central parts of the Lower Town, just below Zagreb’s historic center. Here you’ll find historical landmarks, museums and restaurants. 

4. Maksimir Park is a huge city park in Zagreb. It opened to the public in 1794 and is the oldest and largest public park of the Croatian capital. The park covers an area of ​​316 hectares in the district of Maksimir and is habitat for several plant and animal species. The Maksimir Park is a protected cultural heritage and since 1925 Zagreb’s zoo has been located in the park. It’s located around 10-15 minutes outside the city center, and it’s well worth a visit if you want a relaxed afternoon promenade in the sun.
   

   Beautiful park in Zagreb

5. The stone gate is a culturally marked city gate in Zagreb. It was probably erected in the 13th century and then constituted one of four city gates to the royal market town of Gradec, which today is part of Zagreb’s historic center. The city gate is the only remaining gate from the former city wall. Its present design dates from the year 1760. 

6. The Croatian National Theater, commonly called HNK Zagreb, is a theater, opera and ballet house located in the city center. It is owned and operated by the Croatian Ministry of Culture and is Croatia’s national opera and ballet scene. The Croatian National Theater in Zagreb is one of six national theaters in Croatia. Here you can enjoy plenty of cultural events if you want, but just seeing the majestic building from the outside is worth the trip. 

National Theatre In Zagreb

7. Zagreb Archaeological Museum exhibits around 450,000 archaeological objects, mainly from Croatia but also from elsewhere. The museum is housed in the Vranyczany-Hafner Palace at Zrinjevac in the Lower Town district. 

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