Zagreb

Introduction

St. Mark's Church, Zagreb

© Utrecht

Zagreb is Croatia's capital as well as its cultural, scientific and economic heart. Its compact city centre is easy to navigate on foot or by tram if you are feeling weary. The city is divided into three parts. The medieval Gornji Grad (Upper Town) is home to the Presidential Palace, historic St Mark's church and numerous museums and galleries. 19th century Donji Grad (Lower Town) is a much more lively area, packed with cafés, theatres and parks. 20th century Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb) is full of high-rises and has little to offer tourists.

Sights and Activities

Museums

The museums in Zagreb are usually open Tue-Fri 10:00am-6:00pm, Sat 10:00am-1:00pm, Sun closed.

• Valuable historical collections are found in the Croatian Historical Museum, the Zagreb City Museum, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian School Museum, the Croatian Hunting Museum, the Croatian Sports Museum, the Croatian Post and Telecommunications Museum, the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), the HAZU Graphics Cabinet.
• The Croatian Museum of Natural Sciences (Demetrova Street 1) holds the world's most extensive collection of the remains of Neanderthal man found on one site - the remains of the pre-historic man of Krapina and stone weapon and tools.
• The Technical Museum (Savska Street 18) keeps the oldest preserved machine in this area, dating from 1830 which still operates.
• Many visitors find the Mimara Museum (Roosevelt Square 5), housing the donation by Wiltrud and Ante Topic Mimara, very attractive. Of the total of 3,700 most various works of art, more than 1,500 exhibits constitute permanent holdings, dating from the pre-historic period up to the 20th century.
• The HAZU Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (Zrinski Square 11) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and the Mestrovic Studio, (Mletacka Street 8) with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, is a donation of this great artist to his homeland.
• The Museum of Contemporary Art (Catherine's Square 2) follows and presents contemporary trends in fine arts.
• The Museum and Gallery Centre (Jezuitski Square 4) introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage.
• The Art Pavilion (King Tomislav Square 22) is the oldest exhibition complex in the Slavic south with regularly organized exhibitions. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Mestrovic's building on Hrvatskih Velikana Square - the Home of the Croatian Fine Artists.
• The Museum of Naive Art (Cirilometodska Street 3) disposes of more than one thousand works by a hundred and odd authors of the Croatian naive art. The World Centre "Wonder of Croatian Naive Art" (Ban Jelacic Square 12) exhibits masterpieces of the Croatian naive art as well as works of new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery (Hebrangova Street 1) comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.

There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theatres and stages. The Croatian National Theatre is the most impressive building among them; the most famous of concert halls is the Concert Hall "Vatroslav Lisinski", named after the composer of the first Croatian opera.

Events and Festivals

Zagreb hosts many domestic and international events which attract visitors from all over the world.

• Film festivals are becoming increasingly popular. They show non-Holywood films rarely shown in cineplexes.
• Animafest - The World Festival of Animated Film used to run every second year, but since 2005 it is annual. It is dedicated to short animated films and longer feature films. The short edition of 18th Animafest will be held in Zagreb from May 31 to June 5, 2008.
• Zagreb Spring Jazz Review (24-29 April).
• Zagreb's International Days of Jazz (late October).
• Zagreb Summer Festival (June-July).
• International Folklore Festival in Zagreb.
• EUROKAZ is a theatre festival held.

Weather

Zagreb has a moderate continental climate with warm summers and fairly cold winters. Days average above 25 °C from June to September, while winter nights are below zero from December to February. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with a little more in summer, usually in the form of heavy showers. Snow is common in winter, though rarely very heavy.

Getting There

By Plane

International:
Zagreb International Airport (ZAG), also known as "Pleso", is located 14 kilometres south of the city. Croatia Airlines, the national airline, is based there and has destinations to many major cities in Europe, including Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Bol, Brussels, Copenhagen, Dubrovnik, Frankfurt, London, Munich, Paris, Podgorica, Pristina, Pula, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Split, Vienna, Zadar and Zürich. Some of the low-cost airlines flying to Zagreb include Germanwings, Ryanair and Wizz Air. LOT flies from Warsaw.

Domestic:
Zagreb is linked to the coastal cities of Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka, Zadar and Pula by the national carrier Croatia Airlines.

By Train

Trains are not the best way to travel to/from Zagreb except some usefull international links like the ones to Belgrade and Ljubljana and there are also direct trains to/from Budapest, Vienna and Munich.

By Car

Major highways connect Zagreb to the main cities in Croatia, including Split, Dubrovnik and Rijeka, as well as to places outside the country, with direct links to Hungary and Serbia. During the 21st century, there has been a major upgrade with new highways and missing links all added to the road transport system.

Zagreb is on the European route E65 from Sweden through Szczecin, Prague, Bratislava to Dubrovnik, Skopje and Chania in Greece.

By Bus

There are dozens of Croatian destinations served from Zagreb, including Split, Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Plitvice Lakes National Park, Rijeka, the Istrian cities and towns, Zadar and east towards Osijek. Also, international destinations are abundant including Belgrade, Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Mostar, Ljubljana, Vienna and Budapest.

Getting Around

By Public Transport

ZET provides public transport in Zagreb. It has trams, all inner-city bus lines, and most of the suburban lines.

The tram network operates 24 hours a day - from 4:00am to 12:00am there are 15 "day-time lines" (tram lines 1-9, 11-15 and 17), and from 12:00am to 4:00am there are 4 "night" lines (tram lines 31-34) which cover most of the day-time lines on a reduced (around 30-40 minute) frequency. Occasionally, buses replace trams on night lines. Tram line 3 does not operate Saturdays, Sundays and on public holidays. There are maps of the tram lines on almost every stop, so if you know the nearest stop to your destination you can simply figure out the shortest trip while you're at the stop.

As for the buses, there are 113 day-time and 4 night lines. ZET buses cover the area outside the city center, as well as some neighboring towns that administratively belong to Zagreb county. The buses use the same ticketing system as the trams.

A historic funicular railway (uspinjača in Croatian), one of the steepest and shortest in the world, operates between the lower and upper towns with a travel time of just one minute. Monthly, daily as well as single tram/bus ticket can be used, otherwise there is a 4 kn ticket for a ride. The funicular operates every 10 minutes, for a fee of 20 kn (in addition to regular tickets for everyone on board) an immediate start can be purchased.

By Foot

Most of Zagreb can easialy be navigated on foot. The New Town is just north of the train station and further beyond is the Old Town area, about 10-15 minutes from the train station. The bus station is about 15-20 minutes walk from the train station or you can catch a tram.

By Bike

Since 01-Jun-2013 there are automated public bicycle rental stations in Zagreb. It started with a three-month pilot period during which approx. 50 bikes were available at 6 stations in the city centre: at the main train station; in front of the Technical Museum at Savska Street; at the intersection of Petrinjska and Amruševa; at the intersection of Gundulićeva and Varšavska; in front of the National University Library; at Šubićeva Street at the green market on Kvaternik Square. The pilot was successful, three more stations have already been added, one of them in Novi Zagreb next to the Avenue Centar Mall at the tram/bus stop museum of contemparary art (muzej suvremene umjetnosti).

Eat

There are many take out, pizza-cut, sandwich bars and fast foods around the city. Most are located in the city center (main square - Ban Jelačić and surrounding blocks). There are also food chains such as the "McDonald's", "Daily Fresh", "Mlinar", "Pan Pek", and the preferred "Dubravica". Sandwich prices around the city varies from 10 to 20 kuna. You can also find many kebabs and pancake-to-go places.

Royal India, Kaptol, 27 (Located in Kaptol, 2 minutes walk from the Zagreb Cathedral), ☏ +385 1 4680 965, ✉ [email protected]. Serves authentic Indian Dishes.
Asia, A. Šenoe 1, ☏ +385 1 48 41 218. 12AM-12PM. Chinese restaurant.
Caramba, Frankopanska 6. Mexican food.
Ivica i Marica, Tkalčićeva 70, ☏ +385 1 481 7321, +385 1 482 8999. Tu–Su 12PM-11PM. Wonderful food made only from natural ingredients, many sourced locally. Offers traditional, lite, diabetic, and organic cakes, ice creams and such.
Mali Medo, Tkalčićeva 36, ☏ +385 1 4929 613. Another traditional Croatian restaurant. Lively atmosphere, youthful clientele, and all very affordable. Excellent ćevapčići and gulaš, not to mention superb beer. Mains: 25–60 kuna.
Manzoku, Gajeva St. An excellent and so far only Japanese take-out in Zagreb. Tasty but rather expensive.
Mex Cantina, Savska cesta 154, ☏ +385 1 6192-156. Mexican food. Good service, great food, on Mondays they offer live music by the best Croatian mariachi band, Los Caballeros starting at 9PM.
Nishta Restaurant, Masarykova ul. 11, 10000, Zagreb (Located in between Marshal Tito Square and Octagon), ☏ +385 1 8897 444. 100% Vegetarian food.
Pivnica Medvedgrad, Samoborska cesta 217, Božidara Adžije 16, Tkalčićeva 36. Great food and beer for reasonable prices. Make sure to try 'čvarkuša' (4 HRK). 500ml beer: 12 HRK.
Restaurant Kvatric, Maksimirska 9, ☏ +385 1 2330 070. Croatian restaurant with very nice food for a reasonable price. Has a nice terrance in the back garden. Close to tramstop 'Kvaternikov Trg'.
Boban, Gajeva 9. Italian food.
Feniks, Jurisiceva 19 (5 minutes walk from the Zagreb's main square), ☏ +385 1-481 44 11. Mexican food.
Le Bistro, Mihanovićeva 1, ☏ +385 1 45 66 666. Daily 8:30-23:00. A French restaurant within the Regent Esplanade Hotel.
Panino, Nova Ves 11 (Centar Kaptol), ☏ +385 1 46 69 013. Nice little restaurant with great service and wonderful food. If you are into French and Istrian style food you will probably love this place.
Restaurant Suhina, Dr. F. Tuđmana 1, Orešje (near the Podsused bridge), ☏ +385 44 1 33 71 562. An old family-run restaurant on the old Samobor road that offers a variety of roasted food.
Takenoko, Nova Ves 11, in Kaptol Centar Shopping Center (Centar Kaptol), ☏ +385 1 48 60 530. Zagreb may not be synonymous with sushi restaurants, but this is one is superb. It is not cheap, but sushi they make is incredible.
Velika Klet Obitelji Bunčić, 20km from central Zagreb, ☏ +385 1 2781-132. A very popular place that offers Croatian cuisine, live music on weekends, a stable, fish pond and basketball courtyard.

Drink

Many bars are located around Flover square (Cvjetni trg), the main square (Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića), Preradovićeva, Tkalčićeva, Radićeva, Bogovićeva, and Gajeva streets.

Cica, Tkalčićeva. Bar mostly known for its great and varied choice of the local schnappses (rakija). Interesting always changing, gallery-like interior. The whole bar is small but offers outdoor seating. Very popular and crowded, brimming with young business and student clientele.
Funk club, Tkalčićeva 52, ☏ +385 98 672 338. 11AM- 02 a.m.. Cafe / bar that offers various music night programmes in the basement (mostly alternative, dj-s, world music) and spacial backpacker evenings. Very good atmosphere, lots of character, cheap and tasty Rakija shoots and excellent electronic music: funky, electro, jazz, d'n'b, house, dubstep.
Mali Medo, Tkalčićeva. Offers a good choice of local beer and food. Indoors smoking prohibited. Has a terrace facing Tkalčićeva street.
Melin, Tkalčićeva. A cheap bar brimming with young people and students. Offers indoors, a roofed terraced leveled seating and an open terrace facing Tkalčićeva street. Known for crowds of people often drinking even around the bar, in the park and playground in front of it.
Portal, Tkalčićeva. Next to Melin, offers same service, the Portal and Melin crowds often mix at the outdoors terraces.
Purgeraj, Park Ribnjak. A bar/club located in the Ribnjak park in the city center. Offers mostly rock, blues and alternative music. Daily happy hour when you get two drinks for the price of one. Sometimes hosts concerts. Popular with student crowd esp on Thursdays when it hosts the newly popular "take me out" evening offering a mix of indie and alternative music. In the summer, outside Purgeraj, in the Ribnjak park there are live concerts and various workshops offering summer fun under the name 'Park In Zagreb'. edit
Tolkien's House, Opatovina. A small fantasy cafe/bar for Tolkien lovers. Offers a variety of beers, cider and hot drinks.

Sleep

Chillout Hostel Zagreb, Fra Andrije Kačića Miošića 3b, ☏ +38514849605, ✉ [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. A brand new hostel in the city centre, free linen, free towels, free wifi, 24-hr bar and reception Dorm bed: 97-127 kn.
Dizzy Daisy Hostel Zagreb. Dorm bed: 100-150 kn.
Fulir Hostel Zagreb. 2 rooms, including a 12-bed dorm. Great place to meet people, but can be a wait to use the bathroom.
Funk Lounge, Ivana Rendića 28b (From main train station: Take a tram number 4 (direction Dubec), and get off on the 7th station (Masiceva). Continue along Maksimirska street until you see 'Dublin Pub' across the street on your left side, cross the street and go behind 'Dublin' on the right side in 15-story building. Just by Mlinar bakery and hair stylist is the entrance.), ☏ +385 1 555 2707, ✉ [email protected]. Check-in: from 13:00, check-out: until 11:00. dorm from: €13, private from: €20.
Hobo Bear Hostel, Meduliceva 4. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00. A cozy hostel very near the town center. There is a basement hang out lounge with a TV, including cable and many DVDs, as well as free (fast) internet and computers. The staff is amazingly helpful and speak perfect English, the beds are comfortable and come with free linens and blankets, and there is also a well stocked kitchen facility. Dorm bed: 105 kn.
Hostel Carpe Diem, Milana Sufflaya 3. Dorm bed: 80 kn.
Hostel Lika, Pašmanska 17. Small and cozy hostel a bit out of the city center. Dorm bed: 100 kn.
Hostel Mali Mrak Zagreb, Dubicka 8. Dorm bed: 100 kn.
Nokturno Hostel, Skalinska 2a. Free internet access, free linens and towels. Dorm bed: 130 kn; Single: 200 kn.
Logistics Youth Centre, Jakuševečka 87, ☏ +385 1 6626 035. Logistic youth center, also works as a regional information center. From the host, you can get complete information about everything that interests you. The space has 10 rooms, lobby with fireplace, dining room, kitchen and a cinema hall, where you can stream movies from your laptop. The most interesting part is the terrace with space for tents and 30 seats. Located further from downtown, but the center has its own bus which runs as needed. Parking for approximately 30 vehicles.
Old Town Zagreb Hostel, Dordiceva 24 (Ulica Ignjata Dordica). Dorm bed: 100 kn.
Palmers Lodge Zagreb, Branimirova 25 (300 m from the main train station, 700 m from the main bus station.). Dorm bed: 115 kn.
Ravnice Youth Hostel, I. Ravnice 38d.
Hotel Jägerhorn, Ilica 14, ☏ +385 1 48-33-877. 3-star hotel Founded in 1827, Hotel Jägerhorn is the city's oldest standing hotel.
Arcotel Allegra, Branimirova 29 (300 meters from the central railway station (Glavni kolodvor)), ☏ +385 1 46-96-000. 4-star hotel which is Zagreb's first "lifestyle" hotel. All rooms are spacious and air-conditioned and feature mini bar, safe, internet connection, bigscreen TV and DVD player. A very cool touch are the free apples supplied in your room in a very funky holder!
Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria, Petrinjska 71 (not far from the central square of Ban Jelačić), ☏ +385 1 48-08-900. 3-star hotel.
Panorama Hotel Zagreb, Trg Kresimira Ćosića 9 (in the business district of Zagreb some 2.5 km away from the central railway station (Glavni kolodvor)). 4-star hotel.
Hotel Aristos, Cebini 33, Buzin (in the vicinity of the Zagreb airport at the southern gates of Zagreb, in the Buzin commercial center), ☏ +385 1 66-95-900. 4-star hotel.
Hotel As, Zelengaj 2A (2.5 km north-west of the railway station (Glavni kolodvor)), ☏ +385 1 46-09-111. 4-star hotel. edit
Hotel Central, Branimirova 3 (150 meters from the railway station (Glavni kolodvor)), ☏ +385 1 48-41-122. 66 room 3-star hotel from €57. (updated Apr 2018 | edit)
Hotel Dubrovnik, Gajeva 1 (overlooking Zagreb's main square - Ban Jelačić Square), ☏ +385 1 48-63-500. 4-star hotel. Clean, centrally located, good service. Some rooms are small.
Hotel Holiday (at the western entrance to Zagreb not far from the Zagreb Fair), ☏ +385 1 34-96-621. 3-star hotel.
Hotel I, Remetinečka cesta 106 (near the southern entrance into Zagreb, south of the Sava and in the vicinity of Zagreb Fair), ☏ +385 1 65-42-238. 3-star hotel.
Hotel International, Miramarska 24 (several hundred meters south of the central railway station), ☏ +385 1 61-08-800. 3-star hotel.
Hotel Jadran, Vlaška 50 (in the city center some 500 m east of the cathedral), ☏ +385 1 45-53-777. 3-star hotel. There is a big shopping center near-by - the Importanne Gallery.
Hotel Laguna, Kranjčevićeva 29 (near the Cibona Business Tower), ☏ +385 1 30-47-000. 3-star hotel.
Hotel Phoenix, Sesvetska cesta 29 (in an eastern suburb of Zagreb - Sesvete. It is located some 500 meters from the motorway on the main road that leads from Zagreb to Dugo Selo.), ☏ +385 1 20-06-333. 3-star hotel.
Palace Hotel, J.J. Strossmayer Square, ☏ +385 1 48-14-611. 4-star hotel. It was built in the Secession style in 1891 and converted into a hotel in 1905. The Arts Pavilion is 50 m away.
Esplanade Zagreb, Mihanovićeva 1 (just across the central railway station), ☏ +385 1 45-66-666. Built in 1925 for passengers of the famous Orient Express train, which connected Paris and Istanbul. If you can, check the Emerald Ballroom with its soaring dome shaped roof. The hotel includes the Zinfandel's Restaurant, Le Bistro and the Esplanade 1925, the hotel's lounge and cocktail bar.
Sheraton Zagreb Hotel, Kneza Borne 2, ☏ +385 1 45-53-535. Check-in: 2 PM, check-out: 12 PM. Features air-conditioned rooms and suites with classic furniture and marbled bathrooms. It also includes King Tomislav Restaurant, Fontana Restaurant, Piano Bar, Café Imperial, 17 meeting rooms and an 800-m2 Grand Ballroom.
Westin Zagreb, Kršnjavoga 1 (next to the Mimara Museum and the Croatian National Theatre), ☏ +385 1 48-92-000. Check-in: 2 PM, check-out: 12 PM. The hotel features the Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Shower and probably offers the best view in the city.

Learn

• University of Zagreb

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet cafés are available in all major cities. They are relatively cheap and reliable. A free Wi-Fi signal can be found virtually in every city and can be found in cafés, restaurants, hotels, some libraries, schools, colleges etc. Mostly it's free, but sometimes a fee is required or you can use it for a limited time only. Internet connections with unlimited downloads costs 178 kn (€24) per month via T-Com and just 99 kn with some other providers like Metronet or Iskon.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Croatia is: 385. To make an international call from Croatia, the code is: 00.

Croatia uses the GSM 900/1800 system for mobile phones. There are three providers, T-Mobile (also operates the Bonbon prepaid brand), Vip (also operates the Tomato prepaid brand) and Tele2. Over 98% of the country's area is covered. If you have an unlocked phone, you can buy a prepaid SIM card for 20 kn. There have been promotions in which SIM cards were given avay for free with newspapers (7 kn) and sometimes even literally handed out on the street. GSM phones bundled with T-Mobile or Vip prepaid SIM cards can be found in post offices, grocery stores and kiosks at varying prices.

An alternative to using a mobile phone is Calling Cards which can be found in postal offices and kiosks, there are two providers, Dencall and Hitme. You can buy cards from 25 kn.

Post

Hrvatska Posta is the national postal service of Croatia and has pretty fast and reliable service throughout the country and internationally. It takes several days by airmail to other countries in Europe, but over a week to the US for example. They have a direct link to the pricelist, where you can see the prices of sending postcards, letters and parcels both domestically as well as to other countries. Post boxes are yellow in Croatia and the times of collections are indicated on the box. The opening times of post offices vary, but mostly they are open from 8:00am to 7:00pm Monday to Friday and until 2:00pm on Saturdays, though some might keep shorter or even a longer hours, just ask around. You can buy stamps here, or at newsstands. Prices start at around 10Kn for sending a letter or postcard to neighbouring countries, a few more further away. If you want to send packages internationally, it might be better to check companies like FedEx, TNT, DHL or UPS. They are reliable, fast and usually not much more expensive than Croatia's postal service.

External Links

• Official Governmental Website.
• Zagreb Tourism website.