Out and About
Most of Croatiaâs tourist industry is concentrated on the Adriatic coast, in Dalmatia and the Istrian peninsula, including the numerous islands. International airports serving the coast include Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Rijeka and Pula. A motorway system (www.hac.hr) connects most of the countryâs main cities and runs along the coastline to PloÄe near KorÄula. This is a big improvement on the scenic but often slow and serpentine coastal road, the Jadranska Magistrala (Adriatic Highway). Island-hopping is a great way to experience coastal Croatia; one of the main ferry companies is Jadrolinija, www.jadrolinija.hr.
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St. Markâs Church in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia
Inland Croatia also has plenty to interest visitors, including the lively capital Zagreb, impressive mountain scenery, castles, spas and the outstanding Plitvice Lakes National Park. From Zagreb, the autocesta (motorway) runs east to Slavonia.
Zagreb
A charming old quarter, a number of museums and leafy parks and a lively nightlife make Zagreb 1 [map] an ideal city-break destination. Many people heading for the coast tend to bypass the capital and in doing so miss out on this compact, lively metropolis, whose younger residents give it a buzz that is particularly evident in its myriad cafés on a balmy evening. Be aware, however, that the city dwellers too tend to head for the coast in the summer months, during which time the hot capital becomes abnormally quiet. The city skyline is set to change dramatically in the coming years, with a number of office skyscrapers approved for construction. In March 2020, the city suffered a major earthquake which left one person dead and 27 more injured; many historical buildings in the city centre also suffered damage.
Donji Grad
Spreading north of Glavni Kolodvor, the central railway station, is Donji Grad (Lower Town). Standing proud in Trg Kralja Tomislava, the square opposite the station, is the equestrian statue of King Tomislav A [map] , the first of the Croatian kings, his commanding figure a symbol of the city and meeting point.
North of the central railway station is a string of neatly tended squares, often filled with students reclining on benches and older citizens idling by the fountains. Trg Kralja Tomislava is home to the Art Pavilion (UmjetniÄki Paviljon; www.umjetnicki-paviljon.hr), an Art Nouveau building housing temporary exhibitions. At the time of writing, it is closed to the public due to damage caused by the 2020 earthquake.
The Zagreb Card represents good value if you plan to spend some time in the city. Choose from 24 or 72 hours. Holders are entitled to free admission to four major museums and the city zoo, reduced admission in many galleries and museums, free public transport, and theatre, restaurant and nightclub discounts. The card is available from the tourist information office on Trg Bana Josipa JelaÄiÄa and most Zagreb hotels. See http://zagrebcard.com for more details.
The next park north is Strossmayer Trg, containing the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters B [map] (Strossmayerova Galerija; temporarily closed following the 2020 earthquake). It was commissioned by the eponymous Slavonian bishop in the 19th century and has a collection of works by Italian masters including Tintoretto and Veronese. Look out also for the BaĆĄka Tablet, said to be the oldest example of Croatian Glagolitic script, brought here from its original home on the Kvarner Gulf island of Krk.
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The Art Pavilion
A few blocks west, in Trg MarĆĄala Tita, is the Museum of Arts and Crafts C [map] (Muzej za Umjetnost i Obrt; www.muo.hr; TueâSat 11amâ7pm, Sun 10amâ2pm), designed by the Austrian architect Hermann BollĂ©, whose name pops up all over the city, including the Mirogoj Cemetery (for more information, click here). The eclectic collection includes ceramics and furniture, clocks, silverware, glass and religious art. Next-door is the grand, neo-Baroque architecture of the Croatian National Theatre.
Diagonally opposite the museum, facing Rooseveltov Trg, is Zagrebâs most impressive museum; the Mimara D [map] (Muzej Mimara; www.mimara.hr; temporarily closed due to the consequences of the 2020 earthquake), housed in an old grammar school. The artists represented include Raphael, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, VelĂĄzquez, Gainsborough, Turner, Delacroix, Renoir, Manet and Degas. There have been persistent mutterings from certain sections of the art world about the dubious authenticity of some of the work, but if you take it on face value the 4,000-strong collection is impressive. The contents were donated to the city by Dalmatian collector Ante TopiÄ Mimara and also include archaeological finds from around the Mediterranean.
A brief detour along Savska cesta will take you to the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum (TueâFri 9amâ5pm, SatâSun 9amâ1pm) and its collection of historic machinery including planes and automobiles.
Trg bana Josipa JelaÄiÄa
The epicentre of Zagreb life, Trg bana Josipa JelaÄiÄa E [map] , is surrounded by grand 19th-century buildings. The statue of the viceroy, Ban Josip JelaÄiÄ, erected in 1866 and banished by Tito in 1945, has been returned to its prominent position at the heart of this plaza. Today, the square is the best place to take the pulse of the city.
Kaptol
The Kaptol district breaks away uphill from Trg Bana Josipa JelaÄiÄa. Without doubt, the highlight here is the neo-Gothic Zagreb Cathedral F [map] (temporarily closed for restoration) with its twin bell towers, designed by Hermann BollĂ©. Unfortunately, in March 2020, the cathedral suffered in the earthquake with one of its spires breaking off. Reconstruction is underway at the time of writing. A religious building has stood on the site since the reign of the Croatian kings in the 10th century and it is still a place of devotion for many local residents. Notable features include a series of 13th-century frescoes that have survived the cathedralâs numerous traumas, including a devastating earthquake in the 19th century. The cathedral is also the last resting place of the controversial Croatian clergyman Archbishop Stepinac (d.1960), who was accused of colluding with the Nazi puppet regime during World War II, but is considered a martyr by many Croats. Look out for Ivan MeĆĄtroviÄâs relief of Christ with Stepinac. Until the completion of the Dalmatia tower in Split, this was the tallest building in Croatia.
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Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica, the central square of Zagreb, sets the pace of the city
A short walk west from the cathedral is Dolac Market (MonâFri 6.30amâ2pm, Sat 6.30amâ3pm, Sun 6.30amâ1pm), where locals can be seen haggling over the fresh fruit, flowers and vegetables. A sprinkling of bars and restaurants overlook the small market square, providing a good view of the action. If youâre planning on catching a train from Zagreb to Budapest, Vienna or the coast, the market is a good place to stock up on provisions, if you get there before 1pm.
Gornji Grad
The oldest part of the city is Gornji Grad (Upper Town), which still retains some of its historical charm. You can reach it by walking up from the cathedral, but it is more fun to take the funicular from Donji Grad. At the top is the LotrĆĄÄak Tower G [map] (Kula LotrĆĄÄak; TueâFri 9amâ7pm, SatâSun 11amâ7pm), where an art gallery with a modest array of paintings for sale is a prelude to the main attraction â a sweeping view of the city from the observation level, accompanied at noon by loud cannon blasts.
Just north of the tower is one of Zagrebâs most intriguing attractions, the Museum of Broken Relationships (Muzej prekinutih veza; www.brokenships.com; daily JuneâSept 9amâ9pm, OctâMay 10amâ9pm). Stories of love lost and found are told through objects donated by people around the world, and the result is poignant and compelling.
Below LotrĆĄÄak Tower, Strossmayer Promenade (Strossmayerovo ĆĄetaliĆĄte) offers similarly fine views of the city spreading across the plain, with its main buildings, including the cathedral, clearly visible. The most intriguing bench from which to savour the vista is the work of modern artist Ivan KoĆŸariÄ, with the ...