Zagreb
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Zagreb. I’ve been there twice and odds are high I’ll once pass through again. It contains one of the main transportation hubs on the verge of west and eastern Europe and serves as a bustling focal point in between the Alps, the Adriatic Sea and the Balkan mainland. The city itself has a fair bit to offer on its own behalf, be it a world apart from the popularized Croatian image of coastal towns and island-hopping summer holidays. Zagreb contains proper capital city features, from exciting theatre programs to a nightlife to a wide array of museum collection, blending typical Croatian identity with an international flair.
Time for an exploration. Budget Bucket List presents 4 distinct city walks with a different motive: the tourist highlights, obscure sightseeing, a freebie loop and an art-themed endeavour. Which one rings your bell?
Itinerary 1: The Tourist Highlights
Total walking time: 1hr
Time for an exploration. Budget Bucket List presents 4 distinct city walks with a different motive: the tourist highlights, obscure sightseeing, a freebie loop and an art-themed endeavour. Which one rings your bell?
Itinerary 1: The Tourist Highlights
Total walking time: 1hr
Imagine, you’re in the unfortunate position to spend only one sole day in Zagreb. It’s obviously not enough to see the entire town and get a full feel of the place, but you want to at least give your best efforts to thoroughly sightsee. I’ve got your back with this itinerary! First of all, let’s understand the grounds we’re actually going to walk on by starting the day at the Zagreb City Museum. Without any background information the streets are indeed just “pretty streets” and the buildings are just another set of buildings, without understanding the subtle differences and multiple cultural and historical layers that shaped the outline and architecture. A pretty bland, superficial experience. The city museum allows you to dive deeper into Zagreb’s several timelines, providing knowledge that brings the city alive and allows you to make deeper connections between your observations. Worth the modest entry price! Alternatively, you can join one of the Zagreb Free Walking Tours (which, by default are never free as a generous tip is openly asked) which however doesn’t give you the liberty to head into sights or museums whenever you pass by them.
Heading south you’ll pass by the Croatian Parliament (Hrvatski Sabor), from where the country is governed. Besides the notable meaning of this building, the baroque architecture makes it worth a quick look. We enter the ancient medieval city passing through the Stone Gate, or “Porta di Pietra”, which is the only originally preserved entrance in the 13th century city wall. If you happen to be around on Tuesday at 8PM, you might catch the locals singing and praying to the rosary attached to it! We are now situated in the Upper Town (Gornji Grad), which is the “Old Town area” were many of the main sights are located, such as the Katarinin Trg Square, the St. Mark Church with its colorful roof and the Lotrscak Tower (which you can also climb). An unusual, yet rather popular stop, is the Museum of Broken Relationships. A museum I rather enjoyed, as it truly made my sequence of failed love attempts not even look slightly as bad as I thought. Far-reaching city views can be obtained strolling down the Strossmayer Promenade.
Heading south you’ll pass by the Croatian Parliament (Hrvatski Sabor), from where the country is governed. Besides the notable meaning of this building, the baroque architecture makes it worth a quick look. We enter the ancient medieval city passing through the Stone Gate, or “Porta di Pietra”, which is the only originally preserved entrance in the 13th century city wall. If you happen to be around on Tuesday at 8PM, you might catch the locals singing and praying to the rosary attached to it! We are now situated in the Upper Town (Gornji Grad), which is the “Old Town area” were many of the main sights are located, such as the Katarinin Trg Square, the St. Mark Church with its colorful roof and the Lotrscak Tower (which you can also climb). An unusual, yet rather popular stop, is the Museum of Broken Relationships. A museum I rather enjoyed, as it truly made my sequence of failed love attempts not even look slightly as bad as I thought. Far-reaching city views can be obtained strolling down the Strossmayer Promenade.
It's about lunch time by now, so what about the freshest of the freshest of Croation flavors at the Dolac Market. Keep in mind that even though the market officially operates until 3PM, many vendors start packing up their stalls at about 1PM. With a full belly and renewed energy we walk onwards to the gothic Zagreb Cathedral, which is just around the corner. The most iconic church in town also features a treasury containing odd objects such as a piece of King Ladislaus’ arm and the mummy of a child killed by the order of King Herod. (As an earthquake in 2020 destroyed parts of the cathedral, it might still be closed due to ongoing restauration works). Walk back down the lively Jelacica Square and take a left to reach the Museum of Hangovers. I’m generally not a fan of those gimmicky type of museums, such as the oversaturated global offer of “museums of illusions” or “sex/torture museums”, but I’ve never heard of any hangover variant before. I wasn’t convinced, but many others were, looking at the sheer amount of positive reviews… your choice! As we covered most of the upper town area, it’s time to head down to the Lower Town (Donji Grad). You can either walk, which should be easy going down, or you can loop back via the WWII Gric Tunnel (from Stjepan Radic Street to Mesnicka Street) and opt on taking the Funicular Railway, simply for the novelty of it. It’s only 66m long, making it one of the shortest worldwide.
The Croatian National Theatre might make for an interesting evening activity (find their schedule here). Just down the road you’ll find the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, which is worth a walk-through on good-weather-days (open Wed-Sun until 7PM & Mon-Tue until 2.30PM)
The Croatian National Theatre might make for an interesting evening activity (find their schedule here). Just down the road you’ll find the Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, which is worth a walk-through on good-weather-days (open Wed-Sun until 7PM & Mon-Tue until 2.30PM)
Another Zagreb highlight (quite literally) is the Medvednica Mountain area, which offers the closest hiking opportunities from Zagreb. It is, however, a bit of a trip from the downtown area and you might want to dedicate a full day here. The fun part (at least, for me) is of course hiking up, but to save time and energy there’s also the possibility to take the cable car from the northern Podsljeme area up to the highest peak, Sljeme (1035m). The cable car station can easily be reached with Tram #15, Bus #227 and Bus #233. Find trail suggestions here.
Itinerary 2: The Obscure
Total walking time: 2.5hrs full stretch, 1:15hr with twice public transport.
Itinerary 2: The Obscure
Total walking time: 2.5hrs full stretch, 1:15hr with twice public transport.
The tourist highlights are all nice and swell, especially in a city like Zagreb, but it generally are the non-obvious, quirky little sights that maintain my interest. Luckily, there are plenty of those as well! Let’s kick off at the Axe Throwing Arena, shall we? Get stretched up for the day with some unusual morning gymnastics. After this you might feel fit enough to walk half an hour onwards to the next stop, the Park of Fountains, or you can take a bus up north from the Bundek stop. The locals enjoy dipping their feet in on hot summer days, while Friday ‘til Sunday an hourly light-and music show takes place between 9-11PM.
From there it’s only a 20-minute walk to the Cannabis Museum, located in the lower town area. That doesn’t sound too unusual from my perspective, having grown up in the Netherlands and even having lived in downtown Amsterdam, but it’s a pretty peculiar thing in Croatia where marihuana is still illegal… so unfortunately, nothing to take en route I’m afraid! (at least, not above-the-counter) That said, it would be pretty epic to show up high at the next stop: the Well of Life. You wouldn’t quite expect such an odd thing right in front an institution such as the Croatian National Theatre, but there it is… a well surrounded by crawling and twisting naked bodies, both children and starving near-skeletons on the edge of death, latching on to the edge with maniacal grimaces on their faces. It’s supposed to symbolize the circle of life and the joy it entails. Alright, if you say so.
Walking back a bit towards the Zrinjevac Park, you can find another unusual object: the Zrinjevac Meteorological Column. This ancient weather station out of 1884 was placed by a wealthy citizen and amateur meteorologist, who used these scientific instruments measuring temperature, humidity and air pressure to analyse the effects of climate change on human health. Revolutionary at the time, and with recordings that have proofed extremely accurate.
From there it’s only a 20-minute walk to the Cannabis Museum, located in the lower town area. That doesn’t sound too unusual from my perspective, having grown up in the Netherlands and even having lived in downtown Amsterdam, but it’s a pretty peculiar thing in Croatia where marihuana is still illegal… so unfortunately, nothing to take en route I’m afraid! (at least, not above-the-counter) That said, it would be pretty epic to show up high at the next stop: the Well of Life. You wouldn’t quite expect such an odd thing right in front an institution such as the Croatian National Theatre, but there it is… a well surrounded by crawling and twisting naked bodies, both children and starving near-skeletons on the edge of death, latching on to the edge with maniacal grimaces on their faces. It’s supposed to symbolize the circle of life and the joy it entails. Alright, if you say so.
Walking back a bit towards the Zrinjevac Park, you can find another unusual object: the Zrinjevac Meteorological Column. This ancient weather station out of 1884 was placed by a wealthy citizen and amateur meteorologist, who used these scientific instruments measuring temperature, humidity and air pressure to analyse the effects of climate change on human health. Revolutionary at the time, and with recordings that have proofed extremely accurate.
Ready for another museum? After the Cannabis Museum, why not give the Mushroom Museum a go (although not necessarily referring to the magic variant)? At this day and age, it’s the only one of its kind! Lunch time? Head to the Art Park to chew your sandwiches among some lost street art works (Unless you’re Hana from Google Reviews, who can’t “stress enough” how unsafe the park is for specifically women and “LGBT folks”, as she saw weird right-winged people doing shady stuff, and even worse, meeting up… Okay, Hana, thanks and bless your soul) As you’re right next to the lower funicular station, you might as well take a ride to the Upper Town, where the Zagreb 80’s Museum is located. The 80’s in former Yugoslavia, that is, a very specific niche.
If you have some zest for exploration left in you, I can present you two decent reasonably obscure options: First, having a drinking break at the Valhalla Metal Bar, or alternatively checking out the artworks at Zagreb’s main necropolis, the Mirogoj Cemetery (a 45-min walk, but bus #106, #203 and #226 will also get you there).
Two other eccentric stops include the Brestavac Sanatorium (a deserted tuberculosis hospital) and Villa Rebar (a ruin of the estate of Croatian fascist/nazi war criminal Ante Pavelic, responsible for genocidal actions against Serbs, Romani and Jews, who built an extensive secret tunnel system sprouting out of his residence). However, both are located in the forest of the Medvednica mountain, which requires a separate day of exploration.
Itinerary 3: The Freebie Loop
Total walking time: Approx. 1hr.
If you have some zest for exploration left in you, I can present you two decent reasonably obscure options: First, having a drinking break at the Valhalla Metal Bar, or alternatively checking out the artworks at Zagreb’s main necropolis, the Mirogoj Cemetery (a 45-min walk, but bus #106, #203 and #226 will also get you there).
Two other eccentric stops include the Brestavac Sanatorium (a deserted tuberculosis hospital) and Villa Rebar (a ruin of the estate of Croatian fascist/nazi war criminal Ante Pavelic, responsible for genocidal actions against Serbs, Romani and Jews, who built an extensive secret tunnel system sprouting out of his residence). However, both are located in the forest of the Medvednica mountain, which requires a separate day of exploration.
Itinerary 3: The Freebie Loop
Total walking time: Approx. 1hr.
Many mentioned attractions are already entirely free of charge. But why not make a sport of it? We’re Budget Bucket List’ers after all… let’s opt for an entirely free day in Zagreb, starting off with a laidback newspaper browse at the National and University Library. This modern building, freely accessible to all, offers besides reading rooms and a grand café, also several exhibitions. From there we can walk through the Park of Fountains onwards to the Trg Kralja Tomislava Square, which also features a monument dedicated to this first king of Croatia. Slightly to the left we can enter the free Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, walking passed the Croatian State Archives building (entry charged though). If you follow the park northwards you’ll pass the earlier mentioned rather bizarre Well of Life, which is just a stone’s throw away from the Nikola Tesla Monument (who was born in Croatia, with Serbian roots), the earlier described Meteorological Column and the freely accessible Multimedia Centre Be Proud, elaborating on the history of Croatian football.
Crossing the Jelacic Square we reach yet another free museum: the Blessed Alozije Stepinac Museum, providing background information on this former archbishop of Zagreb (even though he was found guilty of cooperating with the fascist Ustase Regime, who carried out the genocide on the Serbs). Alternatively, a more mellow pastime could be a stroll through the cozy Tkalciceva Street, which also transforms into the main nightlife area when the sun sets. Move onwards to Radica Street and through the well-known Stone Gate, to explore the Upper Town area with sights such as the St. Mark Church, the Croatian Parliament Building, the Katarinin Trg Square and the Strossmayer Promenade.
Crossing the Jelacic Square we reach yet another free museum: the Blessed Alozije Stepinac Museum, providing background information on this former archbishop of Zagreb (even though he was found guilty of cooperating with the fascist Ustase Regime, who carried out the genocide on the Serbs). Alternatively, a more mellow pastime could be a stroll through the cozy Tkalciceva Street, which also transforms into the main nightlife area when the sun sets. Move onwards to Radica Street and through the well-known Stone Gate, to explore the Upper Town area with sights such as the St. Mark Church, the Croatian Parliament Building, the Katarinin Trg Square and the Strossmayer Promenade.
Time left to explore some more freebies? Further out of the centre you can enter the Jewish Museum, the Maksimir Park with its Jarun Lake, the Mirogoi Cemetery and the Zagreb Mosque all cost-free. Of course, when you’re fit enough to mount the Medvedcina Mountain on foot, this is yet another free activity.
Itinerary 4: An Artsy Endeavour
Total walking time: 40min with 1 bus (or 1:35hr without bus)
Itinerary 4: An Artsy Endeavour
Total walking time: 40min with 1 bus (or 1:35hr without bus)
Are you the type of person that can just knock out a series of 4-5 museums in a row, all surrounding one singular topic: art? Well, first of all, if you answered “yes” to that question, scroll down to the contact form… I need more travel friends like you. But second of all, let’s get down to it. I’ll show you what your options are in Zagreb. We start off at Atelijer Mestrovic, concentrated on the life and works of this specific artist. The Croat/Yugoslavian sculptor, architect and writer was a prominent figure in the Secession Movement (of which Gustav Klimt was also a member) and is considered one of the nations most distinguished artists. The unusual Well of Life, earlier described in this article, is from his hand. Passing by the Statue of Saint George (in Croatian context symbolizing the victory of Christianity over Paganism), you’ll soon arrive at the Croatian Museum of Naïve Art, an informal break. The ample collection displays key works in the genre, which is characterized by a playful, simplified and frankly a f*ck-all-rules nature and created by mainly self-taught artists. It is in fact the first Naïve Art Museum worldwide, that must count for something.
Descend down to the Illica Street, which boasts several private galleries such as (at the time of writing) the Art Salon Zagreb, Galerija Ulupuh, Trotoar and even the wine- and paint studio (I don’t need any more conviction) Art Bottega Zagreb. Onwards to some big shots on the list: in the Lower Town area we can visit the Museum of Arts and Crafts, situated in a stunning Neo-Renaissance Palace, and the Mimara Museum next door. The latter is named after the filthy rich yet generous donor, who collected no less than 3,750 valuable artworks from all over the world. From glassware straight out of Alexandria to ornate crosses and precious pieces from the hands of Rembrandt, Degas, Renoir, Goya, Bosch and Velazquez. On the opposite side of the spectrum: the National Museum of Modern Art, which is at walking distance, focuses on new-age works of mainly national and Eastern European artists such as Kozaric, Racic and Becic. Not done yet? Good! Hop into the grand Art Pavilion, a 600m² exhibition space without a permanent display. Instead, the building (which was actually built for the 1896 Millennium Exhibition in Budapest to have its skeleton then transferred to Zagreb) offers a space for one-off exhibitions of notable art movements and artists, both Croatian and international. Miro, Rodin and Warhol are a few names of the previous guest-exhibitors.
A long walk down (55 minutes) or an easy tram (#6) or bus ride (#220, #221) will bring you down the Museum of Contemporary Art, displaying 12,000 objects of today’s day and age. And then… and then… I have properly worn you down, haven’t I? You’ve done well, I tip my hat.
Descend down to the Illica Street, which boasts several private galleries such as (at the time of writing) the Art Salon Zagreb, Galerija Ulupuh, Trotoar and even the wine- and paint studio (I don’t need any more conviction) Art Bottega Zagreb. Onwards to some big shots on the list: in the Lower Town area we can visit the Museum of Arts and Crafts, situated in a stunning Neo-Renaissance Palace, and the Mimara Museum next door. The latter is named after the filthy rich yet generous donor, who collected no less than 3,750 valuable artworks from all over the world. From glassware straight out of Alexandria to ornate crosses and precious pieces from the hands of Rembrandt, Degas, Renoir, Goya, Bosch and Velazquez. On the opposite side of the spectrum: the National Museum of Modern Art, which is at walking distance, focuses on new-age works of mainly national and Eastern European artists such as Kozaric, Racic and Becic. Not done yet? Good! Hop into the grand Art Pavilion, a 600m² exhibition space without a permanent display. Instead, the building (which was actually built for the 1896 Millennium Exhibition in Budapest to have its skeleton then transferred to Zagreb) offers a space for one-off exhibitions of notable art movements and artists, both Croatian and international. Miro, Rodin and Warhol are a few names of the previous guest-exhibitors.
A long walk down (55 minutes) or an easy tram (#6) or bus ride (#220, #221) will bring you down the Museum of Contemporary Art, displaying 12,000 objects of today’s day and age. And then… and then… I have properly worn you down, haven’t I? You’ve done well, I tip my hat.
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Croatia Facts
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
Croatia Facts
- Capital: Zagreb
- Language: Croatian
- Population: ± 3.8 mln (Zadar: 70,800)
- Sq km: ± 56,594 (Tallinn: 194)
- Currency: Euro (€ - EUR)
- Electricity Outlet: C + F / 220-240 V / 50 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +385
- Emergency Phone: 112
- Visa: Schengen visa (Croatia is part of the EU). Easy visa application here.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: Oceanic Climate (Cfb)
- High season: June-August
Short History Recap
Around 400BC: First Greek colonies on Adriatic Islands. 100BC: Roman rule. 600s: Croats arrive. 1102: Union with Hungary. 1527: Croatian Assembly after defence against Ottomans, dynasty Habsburg to Croatian throne. 1699: Liberation of Ottomans. Adriatic coast and islands under Venice. Dubrovnik Republic independent. Napoleon abolishes Venice and Dubrovnik Republic. → 1815: Habsburg Monarch. ’47: Croatian official language (replacing Latin). ’48: Defence Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation → Croatian provinces united. 1918: Entry Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes after dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. ’29: Renamed Yugoslavia. ’41: Nazi Germany invades → "Greater Croatia" formed, incl Bosnia & western Serbia → fascist puppet government. The regime acts brutally against Serbs & Jews as it seeks to create a Catholic, all-Croat republic. ’45: 1 of the 6 constituent republics of the Yugoslav socialist federation. ’71: "Croatian Spring" (nationalist movement). ’80: Tito dies → slow disintegration of Yugoslavia. ’89: Collapse of communism in eastern Europe. ’91: Independence declared. ’92: UN sets up 4 protected areas in Croatia keeping Croats and Serbs apart. Involvement in Bosnia War, supporting the Bosnian Croats against the Bosnian Serbs, then against the Bosniaks (Muslims). ’95:Croat forces retake 3 of 4 areas created by the UN. Croatian Serbs flee to Bosnia and Serbia. ’96: Restores diplomatic relations with Yugoslavia. Joins Council of Europe. ’98: Croatia resumes control over the 4th UN area. 2003: EU application. ’09: Nato. ’13: EU member.
FREE Sights / Activities
PAID Sights / Activities
Find the full list here.
Evening Entertainment
Local Festivals
- Sights: Tkalciceva Street, Strossmayer Promenade, Gornji Grad (Upper Town), Donji Grad (Lower Town), Cathedral of Zagreb, St. Mark’s Church, Mirogoi Cemetery, Ban Josip Jelacic Square, Dolac Market, King Tomislav Square, Porta di Pietra / Stone Gate, Holy Mary Monument, Ilica Street, Radiceva Street, Well of Life, Republic of Croatia Square, Nikola Tesla Statue, Square of Petar Preradovic, King Tomislav Statue, Statue of St George, Hrelic Flea Market, Zagreb Mosque, Croatian Parliament Building, Holocaust Victims Memorial, Old City Walls, Art Park Zagreb, Zagreb Fountains at University Park Light Night Show, National University Library, Brestavac Sanatorium, Villa Rebar, Zrinjevac Meteorological Column.
- Museum: Multimedia Centre Be Proud – History of Croatian Football, Blessed Alozije Stepinac Museum, Jewish Museum Zagreb, Croatian Museum of Architecture.
- Hikes / Nature: Maksimir Park, Zrinjevac Park, Jarun Lake, Medvedcina Mountain & Nature Park, Wake Park Jarun, Botanical Garden.
PAID Sights / Activities
- Sights: Tunel Gric, Lotrscak Tower.
- Museums: Museum of Broken Relationships, Museum of Hangovers, Zagreb 80s Museum, Museum of Illusions, Croatian Museum of Naïve Art, Zagreb City Museum, Chocolate Museum, Tehnicki Muzej, Mushroom Museum, Archaeological Museum Zagreb, Museum of Arts and Crafts, Atelier Mestrovic, Muzej Mimara, Cannabis Museum, Art Pavilion, Museum of Selfie and Memories, Museum of Contemporary Art, Moderna Galerija, Tortureum Museum of Torture, Zagreb Ethnographic Museum, Typhlological Museum, Zagreb Observatory, Croatian History Museum, Police Museum, Klovicevi Dvori Gallery, Croatian School Museum, Drazen Petrovic Museum, Mestrovicev Paviljon – Croation Association of Artists, Croatian State Archives, Zagreb Rocket Attack Memorial Centre.
- Other: Funicular Railway, Karting Arena Zagreb, Brix Zagreb Distillery, Axe Throwing Arena, Recreational Sports Centre Jarun, Free Spirit Tours (tip required), Vinoteka Bornstein, Zmajska Pivovara Brewery, Tennis Holidays Croatia, Zagreb Cable Car, Valhalla Metal Bar, Rafting.
Find the full list here.
Evening Entertainment
- Nightlife Areas: Tkalciceva Street, Opatovina.
- Theatres: Croatian National Theatre Zagreb, Concert Hall Vatroslav Lisinski,
Local Festivals
- Snow Queen Trophy – Jan
- Festival of Lights - Mar
- Dance Week Festival – May/Jun
- Inmusic Festival – Jun
- Zagreb Beer Fest – Jun
- Zagreb Pride - Jun
- Zagreb Film Festival – Oct
- Zagreb Jazz Festival – Oct/Nov
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains: Spar, Konzum, Diona.
- Markets: Dolac Market.
- Local Dishes: Crni Rizot (black risotto), Pag Lamb / Janjetina (spit roasted), Ispod Peke (slow cooked meat/fish under dome in ashes), Pasticada (marinated beef stew), Corbanac (meat stew), Boskarin (oxen), Brodet / Brudet (fisherman’s stew), Gregada (fish stew), Odojak (suckling pig), Mijesano / Raznjici (skewers) Buzara (mussles in wine broth), Istarski Fuzi (pasta), Pljeskavica (Balkan hamburger), Cevapcici (sausages with bread), Kotlovina (grilled meats), Riba S Gradela (grilled fish), Rastika (collard greens stew), Grah (pork hock bean stew), Varivo od Mahuna (green beans stew), Manestra (bean soup with meat), Punjene Paprike (stuffed peppers), Sarma / Sinjski (stuffed sauerkraut), Zganci (polenta), Salata Od Hobotnice (octopus salad), Burek (cheesy pastry), Strukli (cottage cheese pastry), Viska / Komiska Pogaca (sarine pie), Soparnik (savory swiss chard pie) Truffles, Oysters, Sardines, Paski Sir / Skripavac / Skuta (typical cheese), Prsut (prosciutto), Kulen (sausage), Fritule (deep-fried donuts),
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Croatia, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here. That said, these are concentrated in the bigger cities, you won’t pass many of them hiking.
- National Drink: Rakija (brandy), Dunjevaca (quince spirit), Slavonska Sljivovica (plum brandy), Biska (misletoe brandy), Teranino (liquor), beer, wine (mainly Istarska Malvazija, Dingac, Posip, Babic, Grk, Plavac Mali, Prosek, Teran, Zlahtina, Grasevina).
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: Of all Balkan countries, Croatia is the most expensive one. Expect Western European prices for food and accommodation. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Agoda is often not transparent about prices, adding a lot of additional costs in the last booking-step. Opodo is another decent option. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, and seem to focus on the more upscale boutique stays nowadays. Writer’s Choice: I Couchsurfed.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Croatia is a rather active one. If your’re bikepacking you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially illegal in Croatia. If you would like to do so, make sure you hide well and be rather stealthy.
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Croatia is a very safe country with a low crime rate.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Most Croatian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are generally accepted everywhere, even in the countryside.
- Simcard: Buying a local simcard is by all means cheaper than using your international roaming option. The main providers are T-Mobile, A1 and Telemach. T-Mobile has the biggest coverage, Telemach the smallest. Part of the data will also work within the EU (although some tourist packages will only work in the EU). E-sims are also increasing in popularity, which can be ordered online. As usual, never buy a sim at the airport, where you’ll be ripped off with expensive tourist packages. Instead, buy it in the phone stores in the cities or even in convenience stores, post offices and gas stations (Tisak, INA, Hrvatska Posta, iNovine).
Transport
- Walking: Zagreb has a very compact and walking-friendly city centre. To explore outer areas of the city, alternative transport migh be needed.
- Cycling: Cycling is a very efficient way to get around. There’s a bicycle share system called NextBike, charging very low 30-min rates.
- Public Transport: Zagreb has buses and trams as the main ways to get around. Night time routes are available. You can use the standard apps like Google Maps and Moovit for easy navigation, or find a local journey planner here. You can buy cheaper paper tickets in the kiosks for 30, 60 or 90 minutes durations, which you’ll have to validate upon entry. Alternatively, you can buy a ticket on the tram or bus, which costs more. The Lower and Upper Town area are also connected by a funicular railway, which is more a tourist attraction than anything useful as we’re talking about 66m. A cable car connects Gracansko Dolje with Sljeme at Medvednica Mountain (via Brestovac). Find full information on routes and prices here.
- Taxi / Uber: Croatia has taxi apps such as Uber.
- Train: Croatia has a train network, with three train stations in Zagreb (the main one is located at Trg Kralja Tomislava 12, reached by tram 6 and 13). It is operated by HZPP and it’s possible to buy tickets online here.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Croatia. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from the airport.
- Airport: Zagreb Airport (ZAG). The cheapest way to get to the center is by local bus 290.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Croatia, but definitively not common. I hitchhiked on plenty occasions in Croatia and I always managed with relative ease (as a woman alone). More info on hitchhiking in and out of Zadar can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- In Croatia: Rijeka, Pula, Plitvice, Zadar.
- International Destinations Close By: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy.
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