Croatia
Zagreb is the Croatian capital that most travellers skip on the way to the coast, and the ones who stop are glad they did. The city falls into two halves.
Up on the hill, the Upper Town of Gradec and Kaptol keeps its medieval street plan, the tiled roof of St Mark’s Church, the Lotrščak Tower whose cannon fires every day at noon, and the twin spires of the cathedral, reopened to visitors in 2026 after the 2020 earthquake. Below, the Lower Town spreads out in Habsburg-era blocks, green squares and cafés, linked to the hill by a funicular that has been climbing its 66 metres since 1890. In between are the red umbrellas of the Dolac market, the Museum of Broken Relationships, which turned other people’s heartbreak into one of Europe’s most original museums, and Mirogoj, a cemetery so beautiful it doubles as a park. Above the city rises Medvednica, reached by a five-kilometre cable car, and two hours south lie the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes, Croatia’s most famous national park and the classic day trip from Zagreb. From late November to early January the whole centre turns into Advent in Zagreb, one of Europe’s best-loved Christmas markets. This guide books what is worth booking, from a Plitvice day tour with park entry to a food and wine walk, explains the Advent dates and the places to go, and matches you to the right hotel, from the Orient Express-era Esplanade to a value base opposite the station.
Museum of Broken Relationships
Zagreb’s most original museum: objects left behind by love affairs that ended, each with the donor’s own short story. Funny, sad and surprisingly moving, in a baroque palace in the Upper Town, open daily until late evening.
Mirogoj Cemetery
One of Europe’s most beautiful cemeteries, designed by Hermann Bollé, with ivy-covered arcades, green domes and sculpted tombs set in parkland on a hill above the city. Free, peaceful and unforgettable, especially in autumn.
Dolac Market
The belly of Zagreb: a hilltop terrace of red-umbrellaed stalls just above the main square, piled with fruit, vegetables, cheese and flowers, plus a fish market and covered halls. Free, lively and best in the morning.
Plitvice Lakes National Park Day Tour from Zagreb
Croatia’s most famous national park, a chain of turquoise lakes and waterfalls joined by wooden boardwalks, on a small-group day tour from Zagreb with park entry, transport and an English-speaking guide included. The easiest way to see Plitvice without a car.
Croatia’s most famous national park, a chain of turquoise lakes and waterfalls joined by wooden boardwalks, on a small-group day tour from Zagreb with park entry, transport and an English-speaking guide included. The easiest way to see Plitvice without a car.
Zagreb’s most original museum: objects left behind by love affairs that ended, each with the donor’s own short story. Funny, sad and surprisingly moving, in a baroque palace in the Upper Town, open daily until late evening.
Zagreb’s medieval hilltop quarter: St Mark’s Church with its famous tiled roof, the Lotrščak Tower and its noon cannon, the Stone Gate and the Strossmayer promenade, reached by one of the world’s shortest funiculars. Free to wander, best on foot.
The largest church in Croatia and the city’s landmark on Kaptol hill, reopened to visitors in 2026 after the 2020 earthquake. Free to enter, open daily, with restoration of the exterior still under way.
FreeOne of Europe’s most beautiful cemeteries, designed by Hermann Bollé, with ivy-covered arcades, green domes and sculpted tombs set in parkland on a hill above the city. Free, peaceful and unforgettable, especially in autumn.
FreeThe belly of Zagreb: a hilltop terrace of red-umbrellaed stalls just above the main square, piled with fruit, vegetables, cheese and flowers, plus a fish market and covered halls. Free, lively and best in the morning.
A three-and-a-half-hour guided food walk from Ban Jelačić Square, with up to six traditional Croatian dishes and four wines in small groups of up to fifteen. The quickest way to understand what Zagreb eats and drinks.
A wraparound terrace on the 16th floor of the skyscraper on Ban Jelačić Square, with a bird’s-eye view of the main square, the cathedral, the Upper Town and Medvednica. Open until late evening, and spectacular over the Advent lights.
A five-kilometre gondola ride from the edge of the city to the summit of Medvednica, climbing 754 metres in about twenty minutes. Forest walks, views over Zagreb, winter skiing and a breath of mountain air within an hour of the main square.
Two capitals of charm in one day: a guided walk through Ljubljana’s old town, then Lake Bled with its island church and clifftop castle. A guided minivan tour from Zagreb, with an English-speaking guide and driver.
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
$$$$Lower Town (Donji Grad), by the main station
Zagreb’s legendary grand hotel, built in 1925 for passengers of the Orient Express and fully restored in 2004. Art Deco glamour, 208 rooms, the Oleander Terrace and a health club, steps from the main station and the Lower Town squares.
Rates on Expedia →Lower Town, Strossmayer Square (Lenuci Horseshoe)
A Secession-era palace on Strossmayer Square, welcoming guests since 1907 and often called Zagreb’s first true hotel. Art Nouveau rooms, a frescoed café serving štrukli, and the Lenuci Horseshoe parks outside the door.
Rates on Expedia →
$$Ban Jelačić Square, city centre
A Zagreb institution right on Ban Jelačić Square, welcoming guests since 1929. 214 rooms and 8 suites, a historic café, a steak house and the best possible position for Advent, the Upper Town and the market.
Rates on Expedia →
$$$Lower Town, east of the main station
A modern, design-led four-star a short walk east of the main station, with 151 rooms, a restaurant cooking with produce from Dolac market, a fitness centre, covered parking and pet-friendly rooms. Fresh, relaxed and practical.
Rates on Expedia →
$Lower Town, opposite the main railway station
A dependable three-star directly opposite Zagreb’s main railway station, with free buffet breakfast, free Wi-Fi and King Tomislav Square across the road. The best-value base for day trips and train travellers.
Rates on Expedia →The practical primer for a first visit to Zagreb: what to book ahead, the Advent in Zagreb 2026 dates and locations, getting around by tram and funicular, how many days to give the city and how to fit in Plitvice Lakes.
How to choose your base in Zagreb, from the Orient Express-era Esplanade and an Art Nouveau palace on Strossmayer Square to a classic hotel on Ban Jelačić Square, a modern Canopy by Hilton and a value three-star opposite the station.
