32 Things To Do in Zagreb (And What Not To Do) + In 2024

ZAGREB ESSENTIALS

Accommdation: Booking.com / Hostelworld

Getting there: flight (Skyscanner) / car / bus (Flixbus) / train (Trainline)

Getting around: foot / bus / tram / taxi

Activities: GetYourGuide

Food activities: EatWith

Read next: my tried & tested Croatia itinerary

By air: As Croatia’s capital, Zagreb is well connected with the world, particularly other European cities. I flew from London for €8! I use Skyscanner to get the best deals on flights.

By car: Many tourists cross the Croatian border by car. To hire one in Zagreb and explore further afield, use Rentalcars.com.

By bus: The Flixbus is the cheapest way to travel between cities in Europe. My ticket from Zagreb to Split was €15. Bargain! Book on the Flixbus website.

By train: Although there aren’t many trains in Croatia, you can arrive in Zagreb from other European cities. Use Trainline to find tickets.

To get around Europe, use Omio to compare journey prices & times.

Croatia’s most popular museum is the world-famous Museum of Broken Relationships, showcasing donated items from around the world that tell the story of love lost. As the museum explains, society has funerals and marriages but there’s no way to lament – or indeed celebrate – the ending of relationships.

I wondered if the museum but seem depressing. Far from it! The items and stories are a mix of funny, rude, jaw-dropping and thought-provoking. Many come back to the relationship with oneself and how healing and growth occur with the passing of relationships and time.

If I had to recommend just one thing to do in Zagreb, it’s this! Don’t miss it.

Entry price: 40kn (€5).

Address: Ćirilometodska 2, 10000, Zagreb.

Opening times: 10am-9pm.

Tip – stick around for a coffee or cocktail at the stylish cafe, Brokenships Bistro. With signs saying ‘we have drinks colder than your ex’s heart’, it could only be the Museum of Broken Relationships!

Zagreb is an arty city encompassing all types of creation from fine art to contemporary and even street art (more about that later). Here are a few of the best art museums for your Zagreb sightseeing plans:

• Croatian Society of Fine Arts (KOPAC) – built by Croatian sculptor Ivan Meštrović and converted to a mosque during WWII, this space displays work by famous Croatian artists. Entry costs 55 kuna, closed Mon & Tues. Head to nearby Monocycle cafe after.
• Museum of Arts and Crafts (temporarily closed in 2024) – this sunny yellow museum opened in 1880 to preserve national Croatian crafts. Browse over 100,000 items from fine art to ceramics and textiles. Entry costs 30 kuna.
• Art Pavilion (temporarily closed in 2024) – on the Lenuci Horseshoe, this is an iconic yellow mansion hosting art exhibitions from all periods. Tickets from 40 kuna.
• Mimara Museum – hosting over 3,000 items from around the globe belonging to private art collector, Ante Topic Mimara, the collection is almost as impressive as the neoclassic mansion housing it. Entry costs 40 kuna.
• Museum of Contemporary Art – in the south of Zagreb, the country’s biggest museum is worth a visit for modern art fans. Entry is 30 kuna or free on Wednesday mornings. Take a walk in Bundek Park after.
• The Croatian Museum of Naïve Art – near St Mark’s Church, this museum displays Naïve Art (a style with childlike simplicity popular in the 20th century). Entry costs 25 kuna.
• Lauba – catch number 11 tram to east Zagreb to visit this modern Croatian art gallery in an old warehouse with a bar. Entry costs 25 kuna.

3. More museums

The small blue-green star on top of the Stone Gate? An ancient device used to knock witches off their brooms, evidence of the horrific Witch Hunts of Europe that continued to the 18th century.

Perhaps you’re keen to visit Zagreb Cathedral for its own merit. Personally, I’ve seen one too many religious buildings in Europe and found the story about Vegas chandeliers more interesting!

The story goes that a Croatian was working in the Gold Coast casino in Vegas and asked the owner (at his mum’s request) if they could donate some decadent chandeliers to Zagreb Cathedral which badly needed new lights. The clergy accepted them once they were blessed with holy water!

As you can see from the photo, one Cathedral turret is under construction after being damaged in the 2020 earthquake.

Known as the ‘belly of the city’, Tržnica Dolac Market has been feeding the people of Zagreb since the 1930s. As a tourist, it’s unlikely you’ll need fresh produce (unless you plan to cook in your Airbnb) but it’s still a notable place to visit in Zagreb.

Goods on offer include fruit, vegetables, cheese, meat, baked goods… the list goes on! Small stands around the outskirts sell wine and typical souvenirs.

Top tip – it’s cash-only. Brush up on your Croatian please (‘molim’) and thank yous (‘hvla’ pronounced fala) because the older locals manning the stands are less likely to speak English than young people working in cafes.

Foodies, keep reading: I have lots of gastronomic things to do in Zagreb coming up.

More markets

In the heart of the city, Tržnica Dolac is both a local haven and a Zagreb tourist attraction. For a totally local alternative, visit Tržnica Trešnjevka before 2pm. From flowers to cheese, honey, jam and veggies, it’s an atmospheric experience whether or not you buy (although there’s a bakery stand, Dubravica, where I think you WILL want to buy!).

Although it’s a trek from the centre, one of my favourite coffee shops, Karibu Kaaawa is just around the corner. If you’re at a loose end, take a 25-minute stroll from town.

10. People-watch on Tkalčićeva Street

Ranked as the #1 thing to do in Zagreb on Trip Advisor, Tkalčićeva is a pedestrianised street prime for people-watching. There are outdoor cafes and restaurants benefitting from live music. In the evenings a bunch of lively bars get going.

Did you know neckties originate from Croatia? Croatians started wearing neckties for good luck during the war but the French adopted them as a fashion item during the Napoleonic wars, calling them ‘cravats’ after the word ‘Croat’ (the name for Croatian people).

If you want to buy your own cravat to take home, alongside other souvenirs, wander the length of Radićeva.

This eerie – and arty – tunnel runs underneath Zagreb, connecting several areas of the city. The Grič Tunnel was built as a World War II evacuation tunnel, repurposed as a storage unit, then abandoned for years.

In the 1990s, it became a popular venue for underground raves. Finally, in 2016, it was reopened as a cultural centre. Spot modern art exhibits as you walk through.

With a few relatively clean public toilets, it’s also a useful addition to Zagreb city centre.

Several entrances have colourful designs adorned with street art including one in the park next to Roots cocktail bar.

For panoramic views, one of the best things to do in Zagreb is climb the Lotrščak Tower. Admire the city to one side and the mountains to the other. Visit just before sunset to see the city bathed in golden light.

The tower is home to the Grič cannon, a notable Zagreb landmark fired daily since 1877 to mark midday. After the 2020 earthquake, it’s temporarily out of action.

Entrance is just 20 kuna and opening times are 11am-7pm, closed Mondays. It’s a steep climb to the top but I believe in you!

If you’re looking for things to do in Zagreb at night (and fancy something more unusual than hitting the bars) you might be interested in the Croatian National Theatre. This neo-baroque palace is part of Lenuci’s Horseshoe (a U-shaped set of parks with notable buildings including the Botanical Gardens).

Theatre, opera and ballet all take place at the National Theatre with tickets from 50 to 170 kuna. Get dressed up and enjoy your night!

Top tip – it’s best to watch the opera or ballet as the language barrier won’t be such a problem. Watching a theatre production in Croatian may be a little confusing.

Petar Preradović Square is connected with Ilica street via the Oktogon, a gorgeous passageway designed by architect, Josip Vancaš, in the late 1800s. It’s worth wandering through to snap some photos and admire the symmetrical glass-domed ceiling.

Walk through from 8am to 8pm (or until 3pm on Saturdays. Closed Sunday).

Nearby on the street outside, you’ll notice a huge gold orb. This is part of the Zagreb Solar System, an art initiative featuring small planets dotted around the city.

If you’ve exhausted the other things to do in Zagreb, spend half a day relaxing in Park Maksimir, the oldest and largest green space in the city.

Bring a picnic and sit by the lake or visit the open-air cafe pavilion in the centre. On a sunny day, this is a lovely place to grab a coffee and overlook the long promenade running through the centre. Considering it’s not a speciality coffee shop, I thought the coffee was decent!

Maksmir is a bit of a trek from the city centre so I would recommend catching the tram. Numbers 4, 11 and 12 stop near the entrance.

As I discovered on my mission to find the best restaurants in Ljubljana, Slovenia, one of the top dishes from the Balkan region comprises of cheese and dough. Bliss!

There are two ways to serve štrukli: baked and wrapped in dough, or in a dish (pictured above): kind of like white lasagne. La Štruk restaurant serve both types for 35 kuna with toppings including truffles, walnut & honey, pumpkin pesto, and even sweet ones like blueberry.

For a super-indulgent option, I can vouch for the truffle cheese!

• Cogito – this is one of Zagreb’s most famous cafes with excellent third wave coffee and baked goods.
• In the Yard – also serving Cognito coffee, this is a hidden gem with outdoor seating and cool murals. I get the feeling it’s local students who hang out here rather than tourists (but you’ll still feel welcome). I had a great matcha latte while befriending some local cats.
• Korica Bakery – I don’t think you’ll find better baked goods in Zagreb. The cruffins (croissant muffins) were delicious with various fillings like pistachio cream and chocolate. I paid 30 kuna for a cruffin and cappucino.
• Quahwa – this speciality roastery is spacious with a warehouse feel, giant roasting machines and booths for co-workers upstairs. Although I kept it simple, there are lots of unusual options like espresso tonic and matcha lattes.

Read next: a complete guide to speciality coffee in Zagreb

25. Sample Croatian tapas at Heritage

Easily some of the best food I had in Zagreb was at Heritage Croatian Food, a tiny restaurant using fresh ingredients sourced sustainably in Croatia. Try one of the meat or fish flatbreads (24 kuna) with a fig, cheese and walnut salad (55 kuna and serves about four… I ate it solo, obvs!).

Wash it down with Croatian wine or craft beer. DON’T do what I did and order a mint juice. Weird. Don’t know what I was thinking!

In peak season, make sure to book ahead. It’s the #1 rated restaurant in Zagreb and there are only a few tables.

26. Meat coma at Pri Zvoncu

When a tour guide mentioned a local restaurant off the tourist track with huge portions of food, I knew I had to go! Pri Zvoncu is a cosy, authentic spot serving Croatian dishes as well as general European dishes with a focus on meat and fish.

With a friend from the Plitvice Lakes tour, I tried an enormous Weiner schnitzel, a pork fillet stuffed with cheese and ham, the fried cheese starter, and tiramisu. We were stuffed and paid €25 each.

Bonus item – I just visited Zagreb again and discovered the city’s best burgers at Submarine. My Beyond Meat burger with truffle cheese fries was to die for!

It goes without saying that you should be respectful as there will be locals remembering their loved ones. I only got my camera out when no one was around.

I’ve heard that All Souls’ Day (November 2) is a particularly atmospheric time to visit when candles are light and flowers laid.

Catch bus number 226 or take Uber/Bolt there (€5) from Zagreb centre.

31. Plitvice Lakes

Read next: How to visit Plitvice Lakes from Zagreb

Although it’s 2 hours away, one of the most popular things to do near Zagreb is visit the majestic Plitvice Lakes National Park. The natural wonderland of flora and fauna is world-famous for its cascading waterfalls and sixteen lakes with brilliant blue water.

I visited in February and had the rare and magical experience of seeing Plitvice almost empty! In the summer months, it’s undeniably more green and bountiful but receives up to 18,000 tourists visit PER DAY, turning into a packed Disneyland.

To get there, you can drive, take a public bus or an organised day trip. There are two types: mass coach trips from April-October that take a shorter hike around the park, and small group tours (max 8 people) all year which take you deeper into the park, climate dependant.

I would obviously recommend the latter! Small group tours cost around €30 more so it depends on your budget, of course.

Plitvice entrance fees (included in the price of tours) vary from €10-35 depending on the season.

Although it’s an expensive excursion, it’s high on my bucket list next time I visit Zagreb. You may have tried truffles before but do you know they’re harvested in Istria in Northern Croatia?

Several companies including Truffle Hunting Zagreb will take you from Zagreb to Istria to hunt your own truffles and eat them during the tour. I’m drooling at the thought.

I was recently interviewed about my travels by the Nomadic Foodie podcast and I noticed he also has an episode on truffle hunting from Zagreb. Check it out!

One evening when I was trying to avoid a 30-minute walk to dinner, I accidentally caught the tram in the wrong direction not once but twice!

It took me over an hour to get to dinner. Fail! Make sure to check you’re getting the right number in the right direction. It’s surprisingly easy to go wrong since trams sometimes travel in the direction of traffic and sometimes in the opposite direction.

How to get around Zagreb

It’s easy to get around Zagreb on foot. If you stick to the city, you won’t need any transport. If you leave the city centre, your best options are…

Trams: These are a quick and efficient way to travel around. Buy tickets for 4 kuna at any newspaper stand (look for the red Tisak stands) then validate them on board. Generally, only the machines at the front and back carriage have the validation machines.

Bus: I didn’t take any myself but I hear you can pay onboard with cash (6 kuna).

Uber/Bolt: These taxis work as they do elsewhere. Travelling from one end of the city to the other generally costs 35 kuna. My airport taxi was 90 kuna.

Cycling: Rent a Next Bike for 5 Kunas per 30 minutes. Download the app, register then unlock bikes using your phone.

Tour bus: finally, for a tourist-friendly way to see the city, take the open-top bus tour.