Things to do in Zagreb
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Tolkien's House
This most unusual bar is just up the street from Lotrščak Tower. It's decorated in the style of Tolkien's famous books and has a cosy enclosed terrace where you can drink the best hot chocolate in Zagreb.
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Boban
It's not just the food at this Italian restaurant-bar-café that is sophisticated. It's also the cosy indoor lounge with comfy sofas that offer the perfect resting place for the foot-weary and the outdoor terrace that attracts Zagreb's most attractive people.
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Purger
This restaurant serves up a good assortment of meat and fish dishes at reasonable prices. It has an open-air terrace at the back. Recent graduates are inclined to blow their first pay cheque here.
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Nova
All very Zen and purely macrobiotic and more than welcome for those of the vegan persuasion. There's also shiatsu treatment, yoga classes and feng-shui courses.
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Nocturno
It's young, lively and inexpensive, and the wide-ranging menu never misses. The theme is Italian.
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Pekarnica Dora
Close to the train station, this bakery is open 24 hours for those late-night pastry needs.
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Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Kaptol is dominated by the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, formerly known as St Stephen's, whose twin spires soar over the city. Built on the site of an earlier Romanesque cathedral, which had been destroyed by the Tartar invasion in 1242, construction of this cathedral began in the second half of the 13th century following the prototype of the church of St Urban in Troyes, France.
Although the cathedral's original Gothic structure has been transformed many times over, the sacristy still contains a cycle of frescoes that date from the second half of the 13th century.
As the furthest outpost of Christianity in the 15th century, the cathedral was surr…
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Museum Mimara
Housed in a neo-Renaissance former school building (1883), the Museum Mimara displays a diverse collection showing the loving hand of Ante Topić Mimara, a private collector who donated over 3750 priceless objects to his native Zagreb, even though he spent much of his life in Salzburg, Austria.
The collection spans a wide range of periods and regions. There is an archaeological collection with 200 items from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome and early-medieval Europe; exhibits of ancient Far Eastern artworks; a glass, textile and furniture collection that spans centuries; and 1000 European art objects.
In painting, Italian artists Raphael, Veronese, Caravaggio and C…
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Mirogoj
A 10-minute ride north of the city centre on bus 106 from the cathedral takes you to Mirogoj at the base of Mt Medvednica - it's one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe. One wag commented that the people here are better housed in death than they ever were in life.
The cemetery was designed in 1876 by one of Croatia's finest architects Herman Bollé, who also created numerous buildings around Zagreb. In Mirogoj he built a majestic arcade topped by a string of cupolas, which looks like a fortress from the outside but is calm and graceful on the inside. The cemetery is lush and green and the paths are interspersed with sculpture and artfully designed tombs. Highlights …
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Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters
The Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters is a fine art museum exhibiting the collection donated to the city by the illustrious Bishop Strossmayer in 1884. The original collection was extended by subsequent donations from private collectors.
Housed on the 2nd floor of the 19th-century neo-Renaissance Croatian Academy of Arts & Sciences, the museum includes Italian masters from the 14th to 18th centuries such as G Bellini, Veronese and Tiepolo; Dutch and Flemish painters such as J Brueghel the Younger; and French artists Proudhon and Carpeaux; as well as classic Croatian artists Medulić and Benković. The interior courtyard contains the Baška Slab (Bašćanska Ploča), a stone ta…
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Mt Medvednica
Mt Medvednica offers excellent hiking opportunities. There are two popular routes: you can take tram 14 to the last stop and then change to tram 15 and take it to the last stop. Here you'll be near the funicular that goes to the top of the mountain; next to the funicular there is a clearly marked footpath that also takes you to the top. Or you can take bus 102 from Britanski trg, west of the centre on Ilica, to the church in Šestine and take the hiking route from there.
Allow about three hours for each of these hikes and remember that this is a heavily wooded mountain with ample opportunities to become completely lost. Take warm clothes and water, and make sure to return…
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Lotrščak Tower
The Lotrščak Tower was built in the middle of the 13th century in order to protect the southern city gate. For the last hundred years a cannon has been fired every day at noon commemorating an event from Zagreb's history.
According to legend, a cannon was fired at noon one day at the Turks camped across the Sava River. On its way across the river, the cannonball happened to hit a rooster. The rooster was blown to bits and, the story goes, that's why the Turks became so demoralised they failed to attack the city. A less fanciful explanation is that the cannon shot allows churches to synchronise their clocks. The tower may be climbed for a sweeping 360-degree view of the …
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Medvedgrad
The medieval fortress of Medvedgrad, on the southern side of Mt Medvednica just above Zagreb, is the most important medieval monument in Zagreb. Built from 1249 to 1254, it was erected to protect the city from Tartar invasions and is itself well protected by high rocks. The fortress was owned by a succession of aristocratic families but fell into ruin as a result of an earthquake and general neglect.
Restoration began in 1979, but was pursued with greater enthusiasm in 1993 and 1994 when the country was looking to honour monuments from its past. Today you can see the rebuilt thick walls and towers, a small chapel with frescoes and the Shrine of the Homeland, which pays ho…
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Trg Josip Jelačića
Zagreb's main orientation point and the spiritual if not the geographic heart of the city is Trg Josip Jelačića. Ban Jelačić was the 19th-century ban (viceroy or governor) who led Croatian troops into an unsuccessful battle with Hungary in the hope of winning more autonomy for his people. The statue of Jelačić in the centre stood in the square from 1866 until 1947, when Tito ordered its removal because it was too closely linked with Croatian nationalism.
One of the first acts of the new government in 1990 was to dig the statue out of storage and return it to the square. Most of the buildings date from the 19th century but note the reliefs by sculptor Ivan Meštrović …
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St Mark's Church
One of Zagreb's most emblematic buildings is the colourful St Mark's Church, with its unique tiled roof constructed in 1880. The tiles on the left side depict the medieval coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, while the emblem of Zagreb is on the right side. The 13th-century church was named for the annual St Mark's fair, which was held in Gradec at the time, and it retains a 13th-century Romanesque window on the southern side.
The Gothic portal composed of 15 figures in shallow niches was sculpted in the 14th century. The present bell tower replaces an earlier one that was destroyed by an earthquake in 1502. The interior contains sculptures by Meštrović.
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Ethnographic Museum
The Ethnographic Museum is worth a visit. Housed in a domed building dating from 1903, the museum contains some 70,000 items cataloguing the ethnographic heritage of Croatia. Only about 2750 exhibits are on display, including ceramics, jewellery, musical instruments, tools and weapons, as well as Croatian folk costumes, gold-embroidered scarves from Slavonia and lace from the island of Pag.
Thanks to donations from the Croatian explorers Mirko and Stevo Seljan, there are also exhibits from South America, the Congo, Ethiopia, China, Japan, New Guinea and Australia.
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Stone Gate
Don't miss the Stone Gate - the eastern gate to medieval Gradec Town (Gornji Gradec), now a shrine. According to legend, a great fire in 1731 destroyed every part of the wooden gate except for the painting of the Virgin and Child by an unknown 17th-century artist. People believe that the painting possesses magical powers and come regularly to pray before it and leave flowers.
On the western façade of the Stone Gate you'll see a statue of Dora, the heroine of an 18th-century historical novel who lived with her father next to the Stone Gate.
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Jarun Lake
Jarun Lake is a popular getaway for residents any time of year but especially in the summer when the clear waters are ideal for swimming. Although part of the lake is marked off for boating competitions, there is more than enough space to enjoy a leisurely swim.
Take tram 5 or 17 to Jarun and follow signs to the jezero (lake). When you come to the lake you can head left to Malo Jezero for swimming and canoe or pedal-boat rental, or right to Veliko Jezero, where there's a pebble beach and windsurfing.
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Maksimir Park
Maksimir Park is a peaceful wooded enclave covering 18 hectares; it is easily accessible by trams 4, 7, 11 and 12. Opened to the public in 1794, it was the first public promenade in southeastern Europe and is landscaped like an English garden-style park with alleys, lawns and artificial lakes. The most photographed structure in the park is the exquisite Bellevue Pavilion, which was constructed in 1843, but there is also the Echo Pavilion and a house built to resemble a rustic Swiss cottage.
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Dubravkin Put
In a woodsy area northwest of the town centre, this upscale refurbished restaurant is Zagreb's trendiest spot. The décor is light, pleasant and modern, with pine floors and ceiling lights, but it is the outstanding fish specialities that attract Zagreb's fashionable crowd. The owner is from Dubrovnik and the cuisine is inspired by his native Dalmatia, with risottos as starters and main courses of perfectly grilled fish. The restaurant is not cheap, but it makes a fine evening out.
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Meštrović Atelier
Highly interesting for its insights into Croatia's most recognised artist is Meštrović Atelier. From 1922 to 1942, Meštrović lived and worked in this 17th-century house, which now presents an excellent collection of some 100 sculptures, drawings, lithographs and furniture from the first four decades of his artistic life. The museum reflects the artist's preoccupations with philosophical and religious themes as well as nudes, portraits and self-portraits.
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Kaptolska Klet
This huge and inviting space is comfortable for everyone from solo diners to groups of noisy backpackers. There's a huge outdoor terrace for romantic dining and a brightly lit beer-hall-style interior for reading a newspaper or celebrating a birthday. Although famous for its Zagreb specialities such as grilled meats and spit-roasted lamb, duck, pork and veal, as well as homemade sausages, it also turns out a nice platter of grilled vegetables and a vegetable loaf.
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Banski Dvori
Banski Dvori (Ban's Palace) was once the seat of Croatian viceroys and is now the presidential palace. The building is composed of two baroque mansions and houses courts, archives and other government offices. In October 1991 the palace was bombed by the federal army, in what some believe to have been an assassination attempt on President Franjo Tudjman. From April to September there is a guard-changing ceremony every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at noon.
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City Museum
Don't miss the City Museum in the 17th-century Convent of St Clair, which is built along the eastern wall of the town. Since 1907 the convent has housed a historical museum presenting the history of Zagreb in documents, artwork and crafts, plus interactive exhibits that fascinate kids. Most interesting is a scale model of old Gradec. Summaries of the exhibits are posted in English and German in each room and evocative music accompanies your visit.
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Arts & Crafts Museum
The Arts & Crafts Museum was built between 1882 and 1892. The museum exhibits furniture, textiles, metal, ceramic and glass dating from the Middle Ages to contemporary times. You can see Gothic and baroque sculptures from northern Croatia as well as paintings, prints, bells, stoves, rings, clocks, bound books, toys, photos and industrial designs. The museum also contains an important library and there are frequent temporary exhibitions.
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