Zagreb holidays are becoming increasingly fashionable, and the city has begun to seriously compete with Budapest and Prague for the title of most popular city in central Europe. It is not hard to see why this is the case, with many excellent hotels in Zagreb and numerous sights and attractions to keep you occupied, the city is very tourist-friendly. The city is split into the Upper Town, which has a medieval, intimate atmosphere, and the Lower Town, characterised by wide, sweeping boulevards and spacious parks.
Interestingly, the Upper Town (or Gornji Grad, as it’s called in Croatian) itself began as two distinct settlements which were often at war with each other. In the 1770s, Kaptol, which was the seat of the Bishop (and hence is the location of the spectacular Zagreb Cathedral) and Gradec, the free town which was home to the tradesmen and artisans, merged to form the historic northern part of Zagreb.
Following this the city gradually expanded southwards towards the Sava River, forming the Lower Town (or Donji Grad). It is in this area of the city that you will find the majority of the museums and shopping streets.
The boundary between these two areas of the city, Ban Jelacic Square, is home to a statue of the Croat hero Count Josip Jelacic, who became famous for abolishing serfdom in Croatia. The square is a good place to begin an exploration of the city, as nearly all the roads lead to and from it. The residents of Zagreb are known for enjoying the outdoors, and it is rare to find the city’s central park empty, even in winter. Indeed, the parks and the city’s two lakes are some of its best features. The biggest park is Zagreb, which also contains Zagreb Zoo, is Maksimir Park; this the place to go to relax, unwind and have a picnic, especially during the summer months. Zagreb also has an extremely lively nightlife; there are a large number of bars and club to choose from.
About
Zagreb
A good place to start a night out is Tkalciceve Street in Gornji Grad, or the main square, both of which feature a plethora of drinking establishments. During the summer months much of the nightlife moves to Lake Jarun, where you can relax on the beach during the day and sip cocktails by night. Getting to Zagreb is extremely easy. Most major airlines fly to Zagreb International Airport, which is 17 km southeast of the city centre; there is a bus link between the airport and the central bus station. It is also possible to arrive by train; Zagreb is a railway hub with direct services running to major European cities, including Vienna, Budapest, Zurich, Munich, Berlin, Salzburg and Venice. Rail links to other cities within Croatia are also especially good, thanks to the introduction of new ‘tilting trains’ which travel at up to 160 kph.
Attractions
If you’re a bit of a culture vulture then Zagreb is definitely the city for you; for starters it has more museums per square foot than any other in the world; just remember to pack some comfy shoes as you’ll definitely want to walk around as many of them as possible. The city’s numerous museums include:
• The Mimara Museum – housed in a late 19th century neo Renaissance palace this museum’s collection comprises of 3,750 works of art. These include works by Canaletto, Rembrandt, Rubens, Turner and Degas.
• The Croatian Natural History Museum – this contains one of the most important collections of Neanderthal remains anywhere in the world, including numerous stone weapons and tools.
• Museum of Technology – featuring the oldest functioning machine in the area (dating form 1830) and Nikola Tesla’s study.
Another famous attraction in Zagreb is Mirogoj, the city’s central cemetery. The picturesque architecture of this cemetery and attached church of Christ the King, surely make it one of the most impressive examples of its kind anywhere in the world. However, Zagreb city breaks don’t have to be busy affairs. Should you wish to spend your time relaxing, you can easily do so at one of the city’s lakes or parks. There are also many excellent walking, hiking and mountain biking routes criss-crossing Medvednica Mountain. When to go?
The best time to visit Zagreb really depends upon what you wish to do when you arrive in the city. There are many different Zagreb holidays to choose from. If, for example, you are planning a classic city break then it is best it visit in late spring, early summer, when temperatures are between 17 and 22 degrees C, perfect for walking around the city.
On the other hand, if you want to relax in a park or by a lake (or if you’re planning to visit Zagreb on the way to another coastal Croatian city) then it’s best to visit in high summer, when temperatures can reach as high as 40 degree C.
Zagreb is the only city in the world to host a Ski World Cup race. If you want to witness this incredibly popular sporting event (known as the Snow Queen Trophy), then you will need to visit the city in January.