24 hours in ZAGREB

You know like in all my 24 hours in….-posts I’ve written that there is so much more to see and one day is not enough? Well, when it comes to Zagreb, I don’t.

I’d argue that if you’re not in Zagreb for a conference, convention, or exhibition, a day is enough to cover the most important attractions, do some shopping, and have a meal of Zagorski Štrukli, dough – baked or boiled, sweet or salty – or Ćevapi, a type of traditional kebab.

Local Currency

In 2022, Croatia replaced its currency Kuna with €uros. The exchange rate is 1 US$ = 0,94 EUR as of July 2023, but you can check the conversion on this page. Credit cards are widely accepted.

Emergency Contacts

Police/Ambulance/General Emergency: 112

National Airline

Croatia Airlines

Airports

Franjo Tuđman Airport,  IATA Code: ZAG

Tourist Info Online and Onsite

There are actually tourist information offices in five locations: At the airport, the train station, the bus terminal, the Lotrščak tower, and the Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića 11, which is Zagreb’s main square.
They also have a quite good internet site.

At their offices, they supply you with information and a free map. Also, you can obtain a Zagreb Card for 13 €uros for 24 respectively for 18 €uros for 72 hours there.

At least if the weather is not that great and you use public transport more and visit some of the museums, it’s worth the price. However, I’m not sure if it pays on a sunny day.

Zagreb is not as tourism-oriented as other Croatian cities, therefore, you are more likely to run into people who do not speak English, and also credit cards are less accepted than in the more touristy places.

A great way to get more insight is to join one – or more – of the tours organized by Free Spirit Tours. They offer a free walking tour – of course, based on tips – and a range of themed tours. Even if you explore the city on your own, joining one of these tours adds some great background info from a local.

Getting Downtown and Back

24 hours in ZAGREB also differs from the other cities I’d covered insofar that you are more likely to get there by train, bus, or car than flying in.

However, if you do arrive at the Franjo Tuđman Airport, your best option to go to the city center will be by shuttle bus. Although the last bus is scheduled for 10.30 p. m. transport is organized for passengers who arrive later due to delayed flights, so don’t worry. The first bus from the city center leaves at 4:30 a.m. A single trip costs 6 €uros.

There is also city bus #290 that’s much cheaper but also far more complicated to take.

Zagreb has a comprehensive system of public transport, and tickets are fairly cheap. There is a price difference between buying tickets from a kiosk and from a driver. I’ve listed the current fares below.

period of validity	kiosk	driver
30 minutes	0.53 €uros	0.80 €uros
60 minutes	0.93 €uros	1.33 €uros
90 minutes	1.33 €uros	1.99 €uros
night	1.99 €uros	1.99 €uros

There is also a day pass for the ridiculous amount of 3.98 €uros. However, if you get a Zagreb Card, public transport within the city is included.

Morning Activities

If you’re not already at the main train station, you should get there since that’s where our tour starts. Starting at the bus terminal or the accommodation I truly recommend, you just hop on tram #6 towards Črnomerec and get off at the stop Glavni Kolodvor – that’s either two or three stops. But you can also easily walk the distance.

Across the street from the train station, Croatia’s first King, Tomislav, welcomes you to a beautiful green belt. Actually, it’s a row of lush parks where you can spend hours.

From the Train Station to the City Center

Start at the Botanical Garden two blocks west of Tomislav. It’s a wonderful oasis since access is free of charge, and it’s a beautiful, serene park.

At the end of the garden, just turn right to cross Trg Marka Marulića and continue up north through more gardens in the neighborhood of various faculties of the university.

Behind the State Archives is another interesting statue, showing Marko Marulić, a Renaissance poet and humanist.

Actually, the streets around this green area are named in his honor.

While the next section of this green belt is dominated by the Academy of Dramatic Arts, as you cross the Trg Republike Hrvatske, you finally have reached what is said to be Zagreb’s most beautiful building, the National Theater.

Since it was built at the turn of the 19th century by Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer, it deems a bit like the miniature version of the opera house in Vienna.

Obviously, the plays are in Croatian, but there are also ballets and operas, so it’s possible to enjoy its splendor even if you are not familiar with the language.

But the National Theater is also a great place for a coffee break: The BisTAČ@HNK is known for excellent coffee and friendly service – on their terrace if the weather is nice. They are open daily from 8 a. m. to midnight, weekends till 2 a. m.

Saved by the Bell

While lingering over a coffee or an early glass of Croatian wine, prick up your ears.

At noon, you will suddenly hear a cannon shot from the Lotrščak Tower, announcing the mid-day in Zagreb. It is fired daily by a local cannon man whose – what a hot job, right?! It’s said that this tradition derives from the time when it scared away the Ottoman troops.

What? It’s already noon? Time passes so fast, but we are done with the morning walk, anyway, and ready for some traditional Zagrebian feast.

Morning Activities

Zagreb in the rain – definitely not as attractive as in sunshine, but still as interesting. There is a wide range of different museums and exhibitions to visit, so put on your gumboots and let’s go. Since you’ll probably take the tram more often and visit a couple of museums, getting a Zagreb Card might be a good idea.

Get by #6 towards Črnomerec and get off at the stop Glavni Kolodvor, the train station.
Then, walk past King Tomislav’s Statue and go to the Umjetnički paviljon, the Art Pavilion housed in a beautiful yellow building from the 19th century.
Since they operate like a gallery, i.e. there is no permanent collection, please check what is on.

Art Pavilion 
Umjetnički paviljon u Zagrebu 
Trg kralja Tomislava 22
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4841 070

During exhibitions, the pavilion is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11 a. m. to 8 p. m. (Friday till 9 p. m.)

Coffee Break in Style

I bet you are ready for a nice cup of coffee and maybe a sweet treat.

Good, since at the next corner is the Palace Hotel Zagreb, located in a majestic Art Nouveau Palace.

Enjoy a break in a splendid atmosphere full of old-world charm.

Palace Hotel Zagreb
Trg J.J. Strossmayera 10
10 000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4899 600
Email: palace@palace.hr

Ready to move on?

There are more interesting and inspiring exhibitions to come, so let’s go just to the next corner where art from the 19th to the 21st century is awaiting your visit.

Modern Gallery 
Andrije Hebranga 1
Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 60 410 40
Email: moderna-galerija@zg.t-com.hr 

The Gallery is open from Tuesday to Sunday 11 a. m. – 7 p. m. (Saturday and Sunday to 2 p. m.)

Since in this weather, you cannot admire too much of the architecture, let’s just go to an exhibition where they threw the first stone, namely the Archeological Museum of Zagreb where many epochs of the country’s ever-changing history are covered.

Archaeological Museum in Zagreb
Trg Nikole Šubića Zrinskog 19
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4873 101

The Museum is open from Monday to Saturday from noon to 6 p. m. (Saturday to 3 p. m.)

I guess after all this intellectual nourishment, you are ready for the real deal – Croatian delicacies?!

So now comes lunch.

Lunch

Whether rain or shine, you have to sample at least two typical Croatian dishes.

We’ll start with Zagorski Štrukli, a dish that in 2007 made it to the list of Croatia’s intangible cultural heritage by Croatia’s ministry of culture. So eating Štrukli, you’re basically on a cultural mission.

The best thing is that they come in sweet and savory versions, so everybody finds their piece of heaven.

No matter whom you ask for the best Štrukli, they will either take you to their grandma or recommend

La Štruk
Skalinska ul. 5
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4837 701
Open daily from 11 a. m. to 11 p. m. (Sunday to 10 p. m.)

Afternoon Activities

Now it’s time to work off some of the calories – and get to know the oldest and most important neighborhoods of Zagreb.

La Štruk, it’s just a stone’s throw from Zagreb’s imposing cathedral. It is not only the tallest building in all of Croatia but also higher than Notre Dame. Finished in 1217 – which was also earlier than Notre Dame – it is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary; and also to kings Saint Stephen and Saint Ladislaus.

The Cathedral can be visited daily from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. ( Sundays only from 1 p. m.)

The very center of Zagreb is indisputably the Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića.

Next to Jelačića’s statue is a small market and if you have the impression that this is a bit of a tourist rip-off, it only shows that you haven’t been to other places in Croatia. Since the closer you get to the coast, the more you pay for literally everything.

So if you have room in your luggage, stock up on souvenirs in Zagreb. I didn’t and I still regret it.

Walking Up

With or without shopping – turn into Radićeva Ulica at the square’s northwest corner.

One block up, you’ll spot the entrance to a narrow alley Zakmardijeve Stube where street artist Boris Bare rolled out a red carpet for you. Walk it, work it, and then climb the stairs to the upper part of town.

Walk the Zakmardijeve Stube all the way to the Lotrščak Tower, from where you’ve hopefully heard the cannon shot at noon.

Yes, the weather is great and so are the views, however, I think you shouldn’t miss a visit to the  Museum of Broken Relationships since it’s so special and unique.

Plus, the opening hours are extremely visitor-friendly – you can go there even late in the evening.

The museum’s collection was started by artists Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić as their own relationship broke. It then was presented in various countries.

Therefore, today, it consists of donations from people all over the world. They refer to all kinds of relationships and vary from hilarious to extremely disturbing.

My tip: They have a gift shop with very cool, of course, topic-related, gimmicks and souvenirs.

Museum of Broken Relationships
Ćirilometodska 2
10000, Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4851 021
Email: info@brokenships.com

Opening hours: Daily from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., from June to September to 10.30 p. m.

Iconic Structures

To get to the probably most iconic building of Zagreb, St. Mark’s church, just walk up one block.

Apparently built in the early 13th century, the church underwent a major remodeling between 1866 and 1882 and this was also when the flashy roof was added. The tiles are laid in a pattern representing the coat of arms of Zagreb as well as the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia.

It is certainly worth it to stroll a bit around this neighborhood and pay attention to the wonderful architecture mainly from the 18th century.

Stop for a moment at the Katarinin Trg, named after the Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church which was built in the 16th century and is known for its opulent baroque interior.

To the right is Gornjogradska Gimnazija Zagreb, the Upper Town High School of Zagreb, founded by the Jesuits in 1607 as the city’s first high school.

Zagreb at your Feet

The trail between these two buildings takes you to the panoramic viewpoint of Zagreb.

This, by the way, is also the place where in Summer the Estate Cinema takes place – showing movies, organizing concerts, and more. If you happen to be in town in August, make sure to check out their program.

On the right side of the viewpoint are stairs that lead back to Zakmardijeve Stube from where you walk back to the main square Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića.

Dinner will be served around the Dolac, the square where the daily farmer’s market is taking place. To get there, just turn into one of the small streets on the Trg’s northern side and walk up one flight of stairs.

Afternoon Activities

Despite the bad weather, you must visit some of Zagreb’s icons, and La Štruk it’s just a stone’s throw from Zagreb’s imposing cathedral.

The Cathedral can be visited daily from 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. ( Sundays only from 1 p. m.)

The view from the Zagreb 360°-observation deck might be disappointing when it’s cloudy, but since it’s included in the Zagreb Card, you might want to give it a try. Plus, it’s conveniently located adjacent to the Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića, so up you go!

Zagreb 360°-observation deck
Ilica 1A
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4876 587

Open daily from 11 a. m. to 11.45 p. m.

A Quick Ride

Most of Zagreb’s iconic buildings like the Lotrščak Tower are located in the Upper Town.

From this tower, every mid-day is announced by a real cannon shot. Also, the iconic St. Mark’s church with its colorful roof is up there.

To get up, just walk the main shopping street Ilica westwards and turn right into Tomiceva ulica where you can take the funicular up.

It is said to be the world’s shortest funicular ride since it takes only four minutes – and since it’s part of the public transportation system, it’s included in the Zagreb Card.

So you get off at the Lotrščak Tower which – unless the cannon is booming – is pretty unspectacular – but across the street is one of the city’s most quirky attractions, the Museum of Broken Relationships.

Started by artists Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić as their relationship ended, it presents all kinds of pieces and tokens from…broken relationships; all kinds of relationships, not only between men and women.

Visiting Zagreb’s Most Original Museums

While Vištica and Grubišić started the exhibition with their personal items, over the years, many people from all over the world donated their special pieces. They vary from hilarious to extremely disturbing.

After the exhibition, which started out in a container, toured different countries, since 2010, this award-winning collection is housed in Zagreb.

My tip: They have a gift shop with very cool, of course, topic-related, gimmicks and souvenirs.

Museum of Broken Relationships
Ćirilometodska 2
10000, Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4851 021
Email: info@brokenships.com

Opening hours: Daily from 9 a. m. to 9 p. m., from June to September till 10.30 p. m.

Only one block up on the other side of the street is another museum worth visiting, the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art.

Naïve Art, often depicting rural sceneries, has a long tradition in Croatia and this museum shows some real masterpieces. Therefore, you have the opportunity to purchase some unusual souvenirs like e. g. prints of the exhibited paintings.

Croatian Museum of Naïve Art
Ćirilometodska ul. 3,
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4851 911
Email: info@hmnu.hr

Opening hours: Daily from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m., Sundays till 1 p. m.

One block further up you’ll finally get to the most iconic building of Zagreb, St. Mark’s church – a house of worship under an unusually colorful roof.

The tiles are laid in a pattern representing the coat of arms of Zagreb as well as the Triune Kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia.
Probably built in the early 13th century, from 1866 to 1882, the church underwent a major reconstruction.

Grand View

For the best view of the Zagreb Cathedral walk back to the Museum of Broken Relationships and turn left into Katarinin Trg.

To your right, you’ll pass Gornjogradska Gimnazija Zagreb, the Upper Town High School of Zagreb, founded by the Jesuits in 1607. Next to it is the Saint Catherine of Alexandria Church, built in the 16th century and known for its opulent baroque interior. As you walk between these two buildings, you get to the panoramic viewpoint of Zagreb. From here you access the old town over a couple of stair flights.

At the end of the stairs is the narrow alley Zakmardijeve Stube where street artist Boris Bare rolled out a red carpet for you.

From here, turn right and walk back to Zagreb’s main square Trg Bana Josipa Jelačića.

To get to the Dolac, the square where the daily farmer’s market is taking place, just turn into one of the small streets on the Trg’s northern side and walk up a flight of stairs.

Your Ćevapi, an unmissable Croatian staple, is already waiting for you.

Dinner

Doubtlessly, dinner should be Ćevapi, another iconic Croatian dish.

Preferably served in a large flatbread and accompanied by fixings like Ajvar, Kajmak, and grilled pickled peppers.

Right below the Dolac square are two great options to sample this delicacy – I find they are equally good:

Bistro Na Dolcu
Ul. Pod zidom 1A
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4827 758

PLAC Kitchen & Grill
Dolac 2
10000 Zagreb
Phone: + 385 – 1 – 4876 761

Nightcap

I assume you don’t feel much like walking, so it’s good that there is a really nice ‘waterhole’ just around the corner from either of the dining places.

Called after the street where it’s found, at Pod Zidom Wine Bar you don’t get only…wine, but also a range of good cocktails at reasonable prices.

Another advantage is the stop of tram #6 towards Sopot – only a few steps away.

Pod Zidom Bistro & Wine Bar
Ul. Pod zidom 5
10000 Zagreb
Phone: +385 – 99 – 325 3600

Unfortunately, they are closed on Monday.

Accommodation

In Croatia, it is very common to book yourself in a privately run Sobe – which is a room – or an Apartman – which is…you know it. Usually, both options come without breakfast, but with facilities so that you can prepare your own. Plus, there are bakeries all over the place selling not only plain bread but all kind of sweet and savory pastries. Obviously, there’s no need to worry, you won’t be starving.

On this map, you find some lodging options that will cater to all your needs*:

Booking.com

As a matter of fact, Zagreb was just a transit stop on my way to the Adriatic coast. If you are planning on visiting Croatia anywhen soon, read this post about my road trip through Croatia and get all the information that will be relevant for your own travel.

Pinnable Pictures

If you choose to pin this post for later, please make sure to use one of these pictures:

Note: I’m completing, editing, and updating this post regularly – last in July 2023.

Did You Enjoy This Post? Then You Might Like Also These:

* This is an affiliate link. If you book through this page, not only do you get the best deal, I also get a small commission that helps me run this blog. Thank you so much for supporting me!

Icons: money bag by Roundicons from www.flaticon.com, police car, train, sun, glass, and bed by Freepik from www.flaticon.com, takeoff plane and board made by ultimatearm from www.flaticon.com, info made by Roundicons from www.flaticon.com, umbrella made by Kiranshastry from www.flaticon.com, food plate by Vectors Market from www.flaticon.com