As a passionate traveler, I dreamed about seeing the world before finding my favorite place under the Sun and staying there. When I first came to Zagreb I fell in love with the city, with its vibe, with the nature surrounding it, and with its people who are the biggest treasure of the city. I felt like I could live here, and here I am, 4 years later, still enjoying Zagreb with no expiration date.

Zagreb is a city with a laid-back and easy-going atmosphere. You can walk anywhere, stop for coffee or talk to the people while waiting for the tram. It comes down as a cultural shock to many foreigners when they see hundreds of people of all ages sitting in cafes with friends, sipping on coffee and chatting. “Do these people work? How do they have time for this kind of hanging out in the middle of the week in the middle of the day?” The answer is they don’t have time and they do have busy lives, but they love spending time with friends relaxing so they find time to grab a coffee and have a laugh.

And it is not just the younger generation that enjoys coffee and relaxation culture. You will see a lot of older folks on the farmers market talking to each other, older ladies having coffee together or walking their dogs in the park, while older gentlemen are reading newspapers or playing chess. Once you spend some time in Zagreb you will easily adapt to this culture and you will take it with you wherever you go.

The history of Zagreb starts in ancient times. Some sort of settlement was always here, but the city as we know it today was established in 1850. when two neighboring towns merged and the population started to grow. Zagreb was part of the Roman Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Yugoslavia, and in 1991 Zagreb became the capital of the newly created independent republic of Croatia. Later on, Croatia became part of the European Union as well. With such a rich history and buildings dating back to the 11th century, Zagreb is a perfect place for all history buffs.

Nowadays, Zagreb is the economic hub of the region, with numerous international companies opening their headquarters here. It also attracts digital nomads with a newly introduced digital nomad visa that allows them to stay for a year or longer. However, it has always been a beautiful tourist destination in the heart of Europe, well connected to neighboring countries and the Adriatic coast.

Things to do in Zagreb

In Zagreb, everyone will find something they love to do. The city has a variety of activities and attractions available, no matter if you like museums, nature, nightlife, food, or shopping. Planning your visit ahead of time is a great way to spend your time effectively. 

The city center is the right place for any tourist to start exploring. In the pedestrian zone, there are almost no cars, and the trams can take you to the heart of the city from where you can walk anywhere easily. Tram is very simple to use, you can buy tickets on the newspaper stand or inside the tram. The one-way ticket that lasts 30 minutes costs 4 kuna on the newsstand and 6 kuna inside the tram. The same price is for the busses too.

Ban Jelačić Square: Where Zagreb Visits Start

Ban Jelačić Square is the main square from where many tours are starting. If you take a walking tour of Zagreb you will most probably meet your guide by the statue on the main square. When locals meet with their friends in the evening they often “meet under the horse’s tail” or “under the clock”, so you can experience crowds in this square often, especially in the evening.

The square is surrounded by beautiful buildings, most of them built in the 19th century. They display a variety of architectural styles, from Biedermeier to Art Nouveau and Postmodernism. Except for the statue, the square is also known for the Manduševac Fountain, which was built above a natural spring that provided Zagreb with drinking water until the 20th century.

Check Out King Tomislav Square; It’s Different in Every Season

Only 10 minutes walk from the Ban Jelačić square, King Tomislav Square is another place in the city that is named after a famous Croatian ruler. The square also has a statue with a king on a horse, and it is looking at the main train station in Zagreb on one side, and the art pavilion on the other. Between the statue and the art pavilion is a stunning flower garden with a fountain, a place where many locals like hanging out. Here you will see people sitting on benches, walking dogs, kids playing, and tourists taking photos.

In wintertime, right before Christmas, this square is the largest ice skating rink in the city. Christmas time is truly magical in Zagreb and you will fall under the Christmas spell and feel festive even if you don’t usually celebrate Christmas. When I visited this square on the opening night for the Advent Festival, they had a “Nutcracker on Ice” performance and fireworks.

In spring this square is a symbol of the city, with magnolia trees blooming and people coming from all over the city to take photos in front of the beautiful flowery trees. Zagreb was postcard-like at that time.

Kaptol Cathedral: the Most Remarkable Landmark of Zagreb

Zagreb Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Zagreb landmark that everyone simply calls Kaptol or Zagreb Cathedral. This monumental sacral building was built in neo-gothic style by King Ladislaus. He started construction on the cathedral in 1093, and it was finished after his death in 1217.

The cathedral was several times partially destroyed and rebuilt again. The last time it was damaged was relatively recently, in an earthquake that struck Zagreb in March of 2020. The inside of the cathedral is as impressive as the outside, and the entrance is free. Be aware that this is a cathedral that is used for masses and the best time to visit is in the early afternoon before the evening mass. 

Go out in the evening in Tkalčićeva Street

Certainly one of the most popular streets for going out, for tourists and also for the locals. Here you will find all kinds of restaurants, pubs, bars, nightclubs, etc. For the best beer experience visit “Mali Medo” pub that serves craft beers and delicious food. If you want to try “rakia” which is a traditional fruit brandy that all Balkan people love, there is “Rakhia bar” in Tkalčićeva street as well.

You can basically “Eat and drink around the world” when you enter this street. From Arabic, American, Indian, and Chinese food, all the way to traditional Croatian food, every restaurant here offers unique specialties. Followed by cocktails, coffee, tea, and sweets.

The history of this street is very interesting. It used to be a stream that divided the two oldest Zagreb settlements, Gradec and Kaptol. Later on, between 1899 and 1941, almost the entire street was a brothel. It was the first “proper” red-light district of Europe.

At the beginning of the street, you will find the old sundial that always shows the right time. At the same place, there is the statue of Marija Juric Zagorka, a famous Zagreb journalist and writer. Don’t miss out on a photo op at the entrance to Skalinska street from where you can see a beautiful Zagreb cathedral. 

Have a drink in Radićeva Street

This street is parallel to Tkalčićeva street and also has bars, pubs, restaurants, boutiques, and souvenir shops. Radićeva and Tkalčićeva streets are connected with Krvavi most street, which means “bloody bridge”. The name of the street comes from the bridge that used to connect Kaptol and Gradec. On that bridge, there were so many fights that they used to call it “bloody bridge” because of it, and the name stuck to this day even though the bridge is long gone.

Radićeva street starts at Ban Jelačić Square and if you walk up the hill it will take you to the Upper Town and the Stone Gate. This famous monument is the eastern gate to the medieval town and the only remaining entrance of Zagreb’s old fortifications. The legend says that a shrine praising the Mother of God miraculously survived the 17th-century fire when the entire city burned down. You can see it on display, but be respectful because many believers come here to pray.