About Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital of Croatia, a roughly 4 million people country located in south Eastern Europe which is mainly located around the Adriatic Sea (Italy is on the other side of that sea).
While it’s mostly known for the beaches and cities like Split & Dobrovnik, its capital is located in central Croatia.
Like with most of those countries fortunate enough to have a ton of beaches, Croatia hosts thousands of tourists over the summer months but this drastically decreases come September. Temperatures get colder, school starts again and seasonal workers move to where they’re needed more.
Zagreb on the other hand is the political and historical center which lots of times is the first stop due to getting there by plane before people head to the coast of surrounding countries.
Zagreb's history
Though it was only named Croatia's capital in 1945, this city has been around since 1094 though its history is mostly shaped through legends and tales.
The common story most go by is that it used to be two settlements (Gradec & Kaptol) - one of which was rich, the other poor and providing for the rich side. They used to be separated through a river however this one ceased to exist along the way and the main "border" is rather historically through a street called Krvavi most (Croatian for "Bloody Bridge") these days.
Over the last centuries, Zagreb served as an important fortress against the Ottoman incursion, a royal city, seat of the Croatian viceroys and
The division between church on one side and political/ economical focus on the other side can still be seen today.
You will also notice several construction sides across downtown which try to repair the damage a rather strong earthquake back in 2020 caused.
How to get from the airport to the city center
There are 3 ways to get to the city center: by bus, shuttle bus or taxi. They all use the same route but obviously buses host more people and therefore it takes longer than if you take a taxi but you need about 20-30min in general.
We choose the local bus which is #290.
Now here is where information online gets trickier… it takes about 30min from the airport to its final stop in the city center and you can buy tickets on the counter, by the bus driver or with their local app.
Getting tickets online is not only quick and convenient but you also buy tickets for a discounted price.
But how do you do that exactly?
1. Download the ZetMobile app
2. Create an account & load money on the account (min. Is 1€ and a 30min ticket starts at 53 cents, 60min costs 93 cents)
3. The bus (or later in the city the trolley) comes, you need to select which ticket you want and scan the QR code- that CODE IS ON EVERY DOOR WHEN YOU GET INTO THE BUS/TROLLEY. That’s what confused me since you cannot buy tickets in advance- only on the spot
4. If you need to change busses or trains you have to scan the new code when you get in
5. It shows how much time you have left in the app and the time starts once you scanned the QR
You can also buy day tickets at local kiosks but since we were just there for a few days and like to explore by foot, single journey tickets are my preferred option.
Side note: Public transport is VERY punctual and might even get there a few minutes before the time shown on Google Maps. You can look up the timetable and live departures through the ZetMobile app too and take this in consideration if you're used to less reliable public transport.
What to see and do in Zagreb (& surrounding)?
1. Zagreb Cathedral - at the moment of written this (August 2025) you won't be able to get into the church as it was damaged during the 2020 earthquake and currently the assumption is that it won't re-open for the next few years but it's one of the main attractions of the city
2. St. Mark's Church - build in the 1400 and right in political heart of the city, you won't be able to avoid this one though currently it's usually only open during Masses and you won't be able to get close/ inside otherwise
3. Dolac Central Market - Perfect to get fresh fruit, meat, flowers and other regional products (open year round except for Sundays and national holidays)
4. Stone Gate - it's located in the Upper Town and a main spot for religious travelers. Legend has it that everything got destroyed in a fire except for the painting of the Virgin Mary which is still located there today
5. Watch the canon being fired from the Lotrscak Tower every day at noon and go up on the roof for the best view of the city! (Entry fee is only 3€)
5. Take a free walking tour - they are quite big! Ours was about 30 people on a Sunday morning
6. Visit one of the main squares around the Ban Josip Jelacic Statue - the starting point for most tourists and of course home to more legends (ever heard of the Mandusevac fountain?)
7. One of the shortest funiculars in the world is the Uspinjaca which connects Upper and Lower Town - it's a short ride and personally I would rather walk up to the tower (see #5) and enjoy the view from there but it's very famous among tourists
8. Famous museums such as the chocolate museum, the City of Zagreb museum, the hangover museum or the museum of broken relationships
9. Tunel Gric - if you are interested, there are several tours available explaining the importance of this tunnel during two main wars (WW II & Croatian War of Independence) as it serves as a bomb shelter during this time
10. Visit the Mirogoj cemetery - it might be odd for you to visit a cemetery but this one is known for its beautiful architecture and of course well known figures
11. Go up the mountain top - the cable car ride only costs 10€ for a round trip and takes about 20min. While food options are limited (and the stands only take cash!) it's a great place for a pick nick or hike with a beautiful view over the city and it's surroundings
12. Take a day trip to Ljubljana (it's only 2,5h away!) - Interested? Click here shortly to find out what you can do there!
Bonus: Have you noticed that there are cravats hanging in all different places around there? That's because it was invented there and Zagreb even has a museum for it too (they pride themselves on museums if you can't tell yet!). Turn it into a challenge and see how many you can count during your trip. I came up to about 12 throughout the city.
Where to eat in Zagreb (vegetarian friendly options)?
Good Food Centra - we went there on the first day and they have lots of options for bowls and burgers (price range from 7€)
Koykan Tkalceiceva - if you like falafel or gyros this is a great option. Their menu is quite big giving you the energy to explore the surroundings
Julija - they serve traditional food from Croatia and also have a few vegetarian friendly options
Layali Lebanese Restaurant - a Lebanese restaurant right in the heart of the main restaurant street
Bread Club - This is a bakery with fresh pastries (& bread of course) serving a delicious hot chocolate
We also went to Ozujsko Pub Tkalca and while the ribs were apparently good, vegetarian options weren't anything special (the menu shown on the outside of the pub is not accurate though the options are still huge!) and I personally wouldn't go there again.
Typical Croatian food includes:
Black rice
- Börek (pastry usually filled with meat or cheese)
- Cevapi (minced meat)
- Strukli (cheese-filled pastry)
What to expect if you're in Zagreb on a Sunday or national holiday?
Here is what I would have liked to know and should have done my research before but I take things as they come. Since 2023 the Croatian government introduced a law that shops are only allowed to open on a few Sundays throughout the year which they can choose themselves. It's quite common across Europe but be aware that while the souvenir shops and most of the touristic places are probably open especially in the summer, local supermarkets, the famous market and regular shops usually aren't.
On national holidays you can expect about the same. Museums, shops and supermarkets will stay closed but restaurants were partially open. Souvenir shops were mostly open as well.
How much should you budget for?
In my research (and most likely yours too) most of the websites still use the old currency (kunas) however Croatia has been using the Euro since 2023 (yes, lots of changes that year!) and the conversions you see are NOT the same. Prices went up massively and locals aren’t happy.
If you're wondering how much individual things cost, let me give you a few examples:
Lunch per person 15€/person
Coffee 3,50€
Sandwich 5,50€
Pack of cheese 100g 2€ (If you prefer to go to the grocery store to buy items yourself)
Ticket for public transport for 60min: 93 Cents
Museum tickets 5-10€
For reference here is what we spent during our 3-day stay (prices per person, flown in from Dublin):
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