Zagreb is a Pleasant Way-Stop
A SLEEPY CITY THAT’S EASY TO SPEND A FEW DAYS IN
Zagreb, the capital and largest city of Croatia, is usually stopped in as a gateway for travelers making their way to the more popular Croatian cities along the Adriatic Coast. That’s how I ended up there. After my flurry of large capitols, Zagreb was a welcome reprieve - a quieter, less impressive city with its own kind of quiet charm.
The city is by no means a must-stop on a trip through Europe, or even through Croatia - but if you find yourself there, it’s quite easy to enjoy.
STROLL AROUND LENUCI’S HORSESHOE
The most beautiful section of Zagreb, in my opinion, is its Lower Town. This was largely built up in the 19th and 20th century when Zagreb was part of the Habsburg Empire - and the architecture here looks like other major Austrian-Hungarian cities. I think the easiest way to explore it is to walk along Lenuci’s Horshoe - a connected string of green spaces that houses the most impressive architecture of the area. If you’re looking for a quiet place with more nature within the city, you can go to the Botanical Garden on the southern end of the horseshoe.
WANDER THROUGH THE OLD TOWNS
I think the most interesting part of historical Zagreb is that there isn’t one old town - but two. Upper Town and Kaptol developed separately at the same time, and weren’t unified for hundreds of years. Each has distinct architecture and city planning - allowing for two separate old town experiences. Neither rank among the most stunning old towns in Europe, but each is quietly charming and the two together offer a pleasant way to spend a day.
A good walking route is to start at the Funicular downtown and walk up (or ride the funicular) to upper town. You can stroll through the upper town and end at the Stone Gate, which essentially separates Upper Town and Kaptol. Then, you can walk north along the Main Street (Ul. I Ana Tkalcica) in Kaptol for a while, then on your walk back you can keep going south to see the Cathedral of Zagreb and Ban Josip Jelacic (the city’s main square).
I don’t think any particular piece of architecture is awe-inspiring or a must-see, so it’s a fine place to just stroll and see what catches your eye.
OTHER THINGS TO DO
If you’re spending more than a day in Zagreb, there’s plenty more to do. Here are some of the most common:
Shop at a Market: Downtown by the main square, there’s a large produce market - Trznica Dolac. I found that this one catered to tourists, so if you’re looking for a more local market experience, I’d advise heading to Park Bartola.
Head to a Museum: Zagreb is FULL of museums; I read that it even has the most museums per capita - but I can’t confirm that. The most famous is the Museum of Broken Relationships - which houses artifacts and stories from around the world of relationships that ended. Other popular museums include the Natural History Museum, the Archaeological Museum, and the Modern Gallery.
Take a Lake Day: If you’re looking for a relaxing day in nature, you have a couple of options. Not too far from downtown, you can go to Park Maksimir, which offers several small lakes and is generally not busy. If you’re looking for a proper lake day, you can go out a bit further and relax along Lake Jarun.
Walk through Gric Tunnel: Gric Tunnel was a bomb shelter during World War 2 and is now a passage under Upper Town that tourists can walk through. I found it underwhelming - but pictures of the tunnel are one of the most common snaps of Zagreb by tourists, so I may be an exception.
Visit Mirogoj Cemetery: If you’re like me and find cemeteries beautiful, Mirogoj Cemetery is a beautiful necropolis a bit out of center city. It’s a long walk - or a bus ride on No. 106.
Mostly, I think Zagreb is a good place to just relax and see what catches your eye. I would advise against spending your time running between the various sites - because most of them will be underwhelming as individual experiences.
