Zagreb, Croatia: Zipping Through Croatia’s Capital City

Zagreb, Croatia: 

In 2020 I had been looking forward to finally seeing my parents. They were coming for two weeks to spend time with my partner and myself in a country I’d been dying to visit for so long: Croatia. I had everything booked, planned out, and was psyched to say the least. Two weeks before our trip, the first wave of covid hit. Everything shut down and we of course had to cancel our trip. Flash forward to July 2021, covid has still prevented me from seeing my family but my partner and I decided since we couldn’t go home to the States, then we would finally make our way to Zagreb Croatia.  

We drove down from Lake Balaton in Hungary and decided to make a pit stop in Zagreb for half a day to see the city, stretch our legs and also see a friend who I’ve been trying to visit for close to 5 years now. Lucky for me, she was in the city for that morning and was able to meet for brunch at a fantastic place called Melt (see the article below) . It was wonderful to see her before she headed off to Zadar and we continued on our Zagreb day exploration. 

ACCOMMODATION:

We have done mostly day trips or have stayed with friends when visiting Zagreb, so I don’t have any personal recommendations for accommodations but have no fear! You can search here for all the best options and find exactly what you need.

Hostels:

If you are more interested in parties, nightlife and having automatic meet ups then maybe a hostel is for you! Check out the options here.

TRANSPORTATION:

The trip from Lake Balaton to Zagreb was around 3 hours and we just needed to show passports, vaccinations and in my case, my visa. They stamped my passport since I’m non EU and we were back on our way. One key thing to know is all the highways in Croatia have tolls, so be prepared to pay. Prices ranged from €7-€25 but it gets pricey when you add them all together. However, if you really want to enjoy Croatia, I highly recommend having a car to travel between cities, as public is not very reliable or quick. 

** Tip: remember that Croatia still uses their own currency of Kuna. It’s roughly 7 kuna = 1 euro 

SIGHTS in Zagreb: 

Dolac Market:

Our first stop was very close to our brunch place. The Dolac Market is a farmers market located in Gornji Grad, just a few meters from the main square, Ban Jelačić Square. They have lots of stalls full of fresh fruit, veggies, flowers, and souvenirs, such as woven baskets, purses and handmade hats which I was so thankful to find one I loved! 

Address: Dolac 8, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Zagreb Cathedral:

Right up the street from the market you cannot miss the beautiful Zagreb Cathedral. This 13th-century cathedral features twin neo-gothic towers standing 108 m (354 ft) tall, making it the tallest building in Croatia. The beautiful fountain in front adorns gorgeous golden angel statues representing the full name of the cathedral: The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saintly Kings Stephen and Ladislav (what a mouthful, phew). This beautiful landmark is a must while in the Zagreb, and you can see it from many viewpoints around the city.

Address: 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

ST. Mark’s Church: 

Another beautiful church you shouldn’t miss is the St. Mark’s Church, with an astounding mosaic roof. Due to the recent earthquakes it was blocked off and we couldn’t enter the church, but nonetheless were able to truly enjoy the beauty of the outside. 

Address: Trg Sv. Marka 5, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

Museum of Broken Relationships:

One of the unique things I had heard about was the Museum of Broken Relationships. It’s a collection of items and stories from people all around the world who have donated a piece of themselves and past loves to be preserved and shared with the world. It was conceptual used in 2006 and since then has toured internationally. There are some wild items in here and the stories are all one of a kind, but yet have elements that we can all relate to. If you want to escape the heat, it’s an interesting place to visit 

Address: Ćirilometodska ul. 2, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO DO: 

Wander the streets and admire the beautiful buildings covered with vines.

Look for new vantage points to see the Cathedral.

Visit the Zagreb 360 bar, also known as the Zagreb Eye for rooftop views of the city.

Admire the street art.

Grab an ice cream in the central square.

Visit the Mirogoj Cemetery. 

It was a quick but nice stop to see the city. Hopefully I will be back to visit my friend and can see more to share with you all! We left the city late afternoon and continued our trip down to Split, around a 3.5 hour drive. If you are headed to the coast and are driving, I highly recommend stopping in Zagreb for at least half a day! 

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Happy travels xx

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_______________________________________ Trip: July 2021

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