Visiting Zagreb for the first time and wondering how to visit Zagreb? our mini travel guide to Zagreb Croatia is all you need. This Zagreb Travel Guide includes everything you need to know about the capital of Croatia to plan a perfect Zagreb vacation.
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Before You Plan a Trip to Zagreb
- Know if you need a visa for Zagreb. The holders of uniform visa (C) for two or multiple entries, valid for all Schengen Area Member States don’t need to apply for a separate visa for Croatia. Read our complete guide to Schengen Visa.
- Make sure to have a guidebook before you set foot in Zagreb. That makes getting around the city easy.
- As Zagreb is designed for strolling, you need comfortable and super light walking shoes. I wear Skechers while hubby loves Adidas and mini-me has got Adidas too. Read our guides to the best shoes for women and the best shoes for kids for your European family vacation.
Visiting Zagreb Travel Guide
Zagreb, one of our favorite European capital cities in the world remains a hidden gem in Europe because travelers are enchanted by the Croatian cities and towns with breathtaking Adriatic coastlines like Dubrovnik and Split so much so that they completely overlook the inland capital city of Zagreb. But, they don’t know what they are missing.
With a unique charm, rich culture and history, one-of-a-kind architecture, and lively vibes – it’s easy to fall in love with Zagreb, Croatia.
We spent a memorable day in Zagreb and enjoyed every second of our time there. How we wished we’d have earmarked some more time for Zagreb.
Read Next: Best Places to Visit in Europe with Kids
Where is Zagreb in Croatia?
Zagreb, the capital and the largest city of Croatia, is located in the northwest section of Croatia in the south of Medvednica Mountain (Zagrebačka Gora) along the River Sava.
Zagreb lies at the junction where Central Europe, the Mediterranean, and Southeastern Europe meet which makes it the heart of road, rail, and air transport in Croatia.
Vienna, Austria is about 370 km; Budapest, Hungary is around 345 km; and Ljubljana, Slovenia is just 140 km away from Zagreb.
In medieval times, Zagreb existed as two settlements, Kaptol which was inhabited by priests, and Grič (now Gradec) which was inhabited by civilians like merchants and farmers. Ban Josip Jelačić united the two medieval settlements in 1851. The unification of Kaptol and Gradec is now the Zagreb Old Town. Kaptol is the flat part while Gradec is the hilly area.
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Why Visit Zagreb
Not that you need a reason to visit Zagreb city, but here are a few 🙂
♥ Zagreb is gorgeous.
♥ It is full of surprises.
♥ It’s out-of-the-ordinary.
♥ It’s one of the cheapest cities in Europe.
♥ To dive into its intriguing culture and history.
♥ To experience the unique Croatian Coffee Culture
♥ To experience Croatian Beer and Wine
♥ It’s wonderfully compact and easy to explore.
♥ For Mirogoj Cemetery, one of the world’s most beautiful cemeteries
♥ Because it has Plitvice Lakes, one of the best national parks in the world
♥ Its people are welcoming and warm
Read More: The Best National Parks in Europe for Families
Best Time to Visit Zagreb
The best time to visit Zagreb is from April until October. I’d recommend skipping the summer months of June, July, and August as the temperatures and crowds are too much to handle.
If you ask me, I’d say visit Zagreb during the months of May and September as you’ll have the place almost to yourself plus the weather and accommodation prices both are cool 🙂
April and October can also be good months to travel to Zagreb.
Zagreb has some of the best Christmas Markets in Europe, so plan around December to celebrate Christmas in Zagreb.
Must-Read: Best Winter Destinations in Europe for Families
Weather in Zagreb
Zagreb has a coastal climate. The summers are hot and dry and the winters are snowy and cold. The average summer temperature is around 20° Celsius (68° Fahrenheit) and in winter it’s around 1° Celsius ( 34° Fahrenheit).
Rain is experienced relatively all around the year with September, October, November, and December as the wettest months and January, and February as the driest months.
How many Days in Zagreb?
Two days (48 hours) are more than enough to explore Zagreb.
Getting to Zagreb
As the capital city of Croatia, Zagreb is well-connected to the rest of the world by air and the European countries by road.
By Air
All the major airlines link Franjo Tuđman Airport Zagreb to the world capitals year-round. Croatia Airlines is the best bet if you are traveling to and from other European capitals.
We use and recommend Skyscanner to get the best deals on flights.
By Bus and Train
There are a plethora of international bus and train lines to Zagreb from other European cities and domestic bus and train lines to Zagreb from other Croatian cities.
You can check the bus schedules at the official website of the Zagreb Bus Terminal and train schedules at the Croatia Railways website and the Die Bahn website.
We use and recommend Trainline, Eurail, RailEurope, Omio, and FlixBus to book trains and buses in Europe.
By Car
We rented a car for our European adventure and drove to Zagreb from Ljubljana which took us a little over 2 hours.
Croatia is best explored by car. Croatian roads and motorways are a delight to drive on. Obviously, driving in cities isn’t fun with loads of traffic and parking problems. Read our detailed guide to renting a car in Europe.
We love Discover Cars when it comes to renting a car anywhere in the world.
Parking in Zagreb
We had faced parking issues in Ljubljana and thus, left our car at our Airbnb parking to save the hassle.
Like in other European cities, Zagreb has options for street parking and public garage parking. Short-time street parking is organized in 4 zones as per the distance from the city center. You can find a free parking spot outside the city center.
Public Garages are safe and have no time limit but are expensive. Petrinjska Street and Langov Trg are the closest to the center of the city. The parking cost ranges from 1 Kuna to 5 Kuna per hour.
Car Rental in Zagreb
We completely rely on and recommend Discover Cars to rent a car wherever you go.
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How to Get From Zagreb Airport to Zagreb City Center
Zagreb Airport (Franjo Tudman Airport) is about 12 km from the center of Zagreb.
The easiest, most comfortable, hassle-free, and of course quickest way to get from the airport to the city center is by private transfer where a knowledgeable local driver chauffeurs you to your hotel.
You can also hire a taxi from the airport to your hotel. The taxi stand is located at the Passenger Terminal where you’ll find many taxi service providers. The price per km starts from around HRK 13.
If budget is a concern, you can choose to travel by Airport Shuttle, Pleso prijevoz. It runs between Zagreb Airport and the Zagreb Central Bus Terminal as per the airport timetable. One-way tickets cost HRK 45.
Another option is ZET (Zagreb Electric Tram) which covers a distance of 19 km while making about 20 stops along the way. It runs every 35 minutes.
Getting Around Zagreb
Zagreb can be easily explored on foot, especially in the Old Town.
If walking is something you despise then Zagreb has a convenient and affordable public transport system consisting of trams and buses. Taxi and Uber are also an option while you travel outside the city center.
Zagreb Card
Zagreb Card is a tourist card that along with free entrance to various museums and attractions gives free access to public transport. Plus the card offers additional discounts and benefits to the cardholders.
You can buy a 24-hour (98 HRK) or 72-hour (135 HRK) card from the Tourist Information Center at Ban Jelačić Square.
Zagreb Tram
There are several trams running on as many as 20 lines connecting the various parts of the city. The tickets can be purchased from Tisak kiosks or from the tram driver.
A standard ticket costs 10 Kuna (during the day) and 15 Kuna (at night) and is valid for 90 minutes in one direction.
There’s an option to buy a daily ticket that costs 30 Kuna and allows you to ride the trams as many as you want and as much as you like in any direction. Likewise, 3-day, 7-day, 15-day, and 30-day tickets are available.
Zagreb Bus
Bus service in Zagreb consists of about 134 lines connecting the different parts of Zagreb and the suburbs with the city center. The ticket system is the same as for the Zagreb trams.
Taxi
The prime taxi providers in Zagreb are Taxi Cammeo, Zebra Taxi, Eko Taxi, and Radio Taxi Zagreb. The start prices usually vary between 6 Kuna and 10 Kuna and most of them cost about 6 Kuna per kilometer.
Uber
Uber in Zagreb surprisingly offers great service at modest rates. The start charges are 6 Kuna and then about 3 Kuna per kilometer. The cost per minute is 0.60 Kuna and 13 Kuna is the minimum price.
It’s not as cheap as public transport for solo travelers but a great alternative for family or group travelers.
We used it extensively and found the Uber drivers in Croatia to be pleasant, honest, and helpful. I’m saying this based on two instances we had in Zagreb and Dubrovnik.
Hubby forgot his iPhone somewhere in Zagreb and realized it soon after boarding the Uber. He wasn’t sure where. Maybe at a restaurant where we had dinner or at one of the two shops, we stopped by for souvenirs or…he had no idea.
The driver went out of his way to help us in tracing the mobile phone with a genuine smile. These kinds of gestures every now and then retain our faith in kindness and humanity.
Bicycle
I can’t emphasize enough that biking is the best way to explore European capitals. There are many public bike rentals in Zagreb that have locations scattered across the city where you can rent and return the bikes.
We’d strongly recommend Bike.com.hr, and Pedaloo to rent a bike in Zagreb.
Alternatively, you can choose one of many biking tours in Zagreb.
On Foot
The center of the city can be easily explored on foot. You can either take a self-guided walk or join one of the numerous free or paid walking tours in Zagreb.
What to do in Zagreb
There are so many beautiful places to visit in Zagreb. We have a dedicated post about the best things to do in Zagreb, Croatia for you.
Walking the Zagreb Old Town is the best thing ever! Out of all the Zagreb attractions, we loved Mirogoj Cemetery ( it’s super-gorgeous), the Museum of Broken Relationships (it’s different), St. Mark’s Church (wowzers), and Zagreb Cathedral (Zagreb must-see).
How can you not visit Dolac Market, the belly of Zagreb?
Are you a coffee lover like me? Head to Špica to experience the coffee culture of Croatia.
Spend some time at Maksimir Park, Zagreb’s largest and oldest public park.
Read More: Vis Island in Croatia – A Gem of a Croatian Island
Where to Stay in Zagreb
Zagreb has a vast, easy, and affordable public transportation system so no matter which neighborhood you stay in Zagreb, you wouldn’t have to struggle to get around in Zagreb.
We found the accommodation options in Zagreb a great value for money as compared to other capital cities in Europe.
We’ve rounded up some of the best Zagreb accommodation options from Hostels to apartments, boutique hotels, luxury hotels, and Airbnb to help you decide where to stay based on your budget or travel style.
Hostels in Zagreb
Budget Hotels in Zagreb
Luxury Hotels in Zagreb
Apartments in Zagreb
Airbnb in Zagreb
We stayed on Bianca & Marko’s property and loved every bit of our stay. It’s fairly close to the center of the city yet away from all the hustle and bustle of it.
Where to Eat in Zagreb
Zagreb has plenty of traditional restaurants serving Croatian cuisine and chic cafes that vouch for its vibrant cafe culture.
Being a vegetarian, I was apprehensive as Croatia was marked as the sixth-worst country in Europe for vegetarians as per the study by The Eco Experts but I had a great vegetarian food experience in Zagreb. Though, I found the Croatian Islands attesting to this study.
Here are the few restaurants and cafes we tried during our time in Zagreb:
Restaurants in Zagreb
Vegetarian Restaurants Zagreb
Cafes in Zagreb
Experience the lively Croatian Cafe Culture with a cup of coffee accompanied by a Croatian cake.
Hendrick’s garden (A Most Unusual Garden)
It’s not your regular cafe. This is a great place to read a book or two, write your heart out, work on your laptop, and relax for hours with a cup of coffee or tea.
Bars in Zagreb
Obviously, you would want to feel the craft beer culture in Croatia and Zagreb has plenty of breweries, pubs, and bars to taste and enjoy nice brews.
What to Eat in Zagreb
You’d love Croatian food if you are a non-vegetarian as most of their traditional dishes include meat. Hubby and mini-me enjoyed some of them. For me, I was happy with the side dishes (potatoes, cabbage, and root veggies) and of course, desserts.
Some of the must-try Croatian dishes are:
- Sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese and sour cream)
- Crni rizot (black risotto)
- Zagorsk Štrukli (dough filled with cottage cheese and sour cream)
- Sopamik (savory pie filled with Swiss chard)
- Cuspajz (vegetable stew served with polenta, parsley, carrots, celery, and sour cream)
- Paprenjac (traditional Croatian cookies)
- Rozata (custard pudding)
- Krostule (traditional pastry)
- Knedli (sweet potato dumplings)
- Fritule (Croatian fried dough pastry)
You Must Read: Blue Cave in Croatia: A Croatian Natural Wonder
Shopping in Zagreb
From local stores to huge shopping malls, Zagreb has plenty of options for a shopper in you. It’s always good to shop directly from the manufacturers in local markets rather than in shopping malls.
Museum gift shops are also a good option to shop for local Zagreb souvenirs.
Ilica Street has some unique stores where you can shop for handcrafted local products.
Some of our recommendations are:
- Bashota at Ilica for Croatian jewelry
- Croata at Oktogon for Croatian cravats
- Hippy Garden (Croatian fashion brand) at Masarykova for clothes
- Natura Croatica at Preradoviceva for gastronomic souvenirs
- Arkadija Bookstore at Trg bana Josipa Jelačića for bookish souvenirs
- Bloody Bridge Souvenirs for all kinds of souvenirs for all budgets
Souvenirs to Bring From Zagreb
- Licitars (red heart honey dough cookies)
- Licitar-shaped fridge magnets
- Šestine motif umbrella or clothes
- Lavender products like soaps, cosmetics, or dried lavenders
- Wooden toys for kids
- Croatian candies and chocolates for kids: 505 s crtom, Kiki, Bajadera, Griotte, Cedevita, Peppermint, Arancini, and Bronhi are some of the iconic Croatian candies.
- Cravats (ties)
- Traditional Croatian lace
- Croatian jewelry
- Croatian cheese
Day Trips from Zagreb
Located close to some of the region’s best attractions, Zagreb offers amazing day trips. You can rent a car, ride public transport, or join one of many guided tours to one of the day trip destinations.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, Rastoke, Samobor, Krapina, and Varazdin in Croatia, and Ljubljana and Lake Bled in Slovenia are recommended destinations for day-tripping from Zagreb.
Have you ever been to Zagreb Croatia? How did you like it? We are all ears.
If you want to visit Zagreb sometime soon, make use of our Zagreb guide. We sincerely hope our travel guide to Zagreb helps you plan a perfect trip to Zagreb. If you have any queries, let us know in the comments section below. We’ll be happy to help.
Also, we’d be obliged if you could take five minutes of your time to share this post with the world if it helped you in any way.
Recommended Reading:
- Renting a Car in Europe
- Schengen Visa for Europe
- How to Plan a Trip to Europe
- The Epic 14 Days in Croatia Itinerary
- 7 Best Places to Visit in Croatia
- The Blue Cave in Croatia
- The Island of Vis in Croatia
- Coolest Things to do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
- One Day in Dubrovnik Itinerary
- Best Things to do in Split, Croatia
- A First Timer’s Guide to Visiting Split, Croatia
- Plitvice Lakes National Park, Croatia
- Things to do in Zagreb, Croatia
- Where to Stay in Zagreb, Croatia
- One Day in Zagreb Itinerary
- Things to do in Zadar, Croatia
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Hi, I read your information on Zagreb with interest as we are visiting there in December.
It appears to be compact enough to do it on foot.
Unless I missed it somewhere you don’t mention how to get from the airport to the city centre by public transport which is probably the first thing people want to know.
Arriving in a new city is always daunting but if someone with the knowledge can describe exactly what to do to achieve a hassle free transfer makes such a difference to your visit. Regards.
Hi Alan,
Thank you so much for stopping by. You are right. Navigating a new city isn’t easy. It’s always good to know how to get to the center from the airport and how to get around the city beforehand. I usually try to mention all the required details in my posts. I don’t know how I missed adding such an important piece of information. I’ve just added the airport transfer section. Thanks for your comment 🙂 Happy Travels!