Croatia's inland capital and cultural heart
A city of grand Austro-Hungarian architecture and home to a multitude of museums and the majority of the country’s residents, inland Zagreb is Croatia‘s cultural hub. Legions of visitors have flocked to the city in recent years and yet Zagreb has managed to retain its old world charm, extending a warm and inviting welcome to all of its guests.
The city can be roughly divided up into three historical parts. First up, is the thousand-year old “Gornji Grad” or “Upper Town” which contains the Presidential Palace, St Mark’s Church with its iconic roof, the “Sabor” or Croatian parliament, and a plethora of museums and galleries set on cobbled medieval streets lit by gas lamps. Next comes the 19th century “Donji Grad” or “Lower Town” which is full of shops, restaurants, cafes, theatres, and parks. Characterised by high-rise towers and mainly residential in nature, the newest part of the city is nearly entirely post World War II and is aptly named “Novi Zagreb” or “New Zagreb”.
Enjoy your time in this lively little capital strolling the cobbled streets, watching the world go by in busy cafes and darting between collections in the many museums and galleries. You’ll also find that it’s a year-round outdoor city thanks to the presence of Jarun Lake in the southwest where people venture to swim and sail; Mount Medvednica where Zagrebians hit the ski slopes; and the hiking destination of Samobor. The otherworldly green and blue lakes of the Plitvice National Park are also easily accessible on day trips.
Highlights
Take a tour around Gornji Grad and Kaptol to see Zagreb’s medieval churches, palaces, museums, galleries, and government buildings
Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the 13th century Lotrscak Tower
Take in a performance at the Croatian National Theater
Stroll around Mirogoj, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe
Try a traditional hearty Croatian “rucak” lunch
Learn about Zagreb’s rich Roman history
Spend some time at Jarun Lake and its shingle beaches
Ski on Medvednica Mountain
Hike at Samobor
Kate Herz
Senior Travel Designer
Luxury Accommodation in Croatia
Why book with Jacada?
Personalised design
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Trip Inspiration
Where to go
Dubrovnik
Glimmering on the Adriatic coast, enchanting Dubrovnik is Croatia’s most up-market destination. The city delights with its Mediterranean-style culture and the marbled streets of its UNESCO World Heritage old town.
Discover moreHvar
Hvar is Croatia‘s sunniest island and one of Europe’s most sunlit spots. Rivalling even France’s famed Saint-Tropez in terms of glamour, it’s become Croatia’s most popular destination and attracts luxury yachts, sun-seeking adventurers, and visitors of all kinds.
Discover moreIstria
The picturesque towns of Rovinj and Opatija offer you a coastal escape surrounded by historic charm.
Discover moreKorcula
Korčula has long been known for her dense and lush pine-woods and is one of the greenest islands in the Adriatic sea. Lying just off the Dalmatian coast stretching parallel with the nearby mainland, the island is also one of Croatia‘s most populous, its woodlands and vineyards bordered by sleepy hamlets and dreamlike fishing villages.
Discover moreSplit
Split is a vibrant living city, dramatically located between pine-strewn mountains and the turquoise sea.
Discover moreZadar
Intriguingly unique, Zadar is a northern coastal hub with a very particular character. Although it’s definitely less busy than the tourist centres further south, it is one of Croatia‘s larger metropoles and a living, vibrant city.
Discover moreMeet your Europe team
When to visit
With its medieval towns, red-roofed houses and busy ports, Croatia is stunning year round. To ensure a truly memorable trip, the best time to visit Croatia is either side of the hottest part of summer – from May to June and then September to October.
Beach break
June - September
Hiking
May - September
Winter Wonderland
November - March
Plan your trip to Zagreb
Whatever you want from your adventure in Zagreb, our team of expert travel designers are ready to help.
Kate and Symmone exceeded all expectations by crafting for us a personalized 4 country, 29 day cultural journey focused on different cultures, local people, local food, "off the path" excursions, history, scenery, stories, smiles, and laughter. They did a great job understanding how we like to travel, our expectations, and goals. Every detail of this adventure was taken care of…
We had an amazing time and experience that was truly above and beyond what we could’ve planned or imagined. Everyone was so professional and warm and the schedule was so well organized and planned for every detail which eliminated any stress on our part. This was truly unforgettable. I loved the special excursions especially our enchanting lunch with the chef…
Jacada made our trip planning and execution so easy and enjoyable. Our travel consultant (Hanna Fischer) was wonderful to deal with and made great suggestions for the trip. Then the travel concierge (Alice Cosso) took over and helped with restaurant and other arrangements, including some minor changes to the itinerary. Every arrangement on our trip--drivers, guides, etc.--went smoothly and all…
Jacada did a fabulous job planning our trip in Slovenia and Croatia. They provided excellent advice about where to go, arranged for special activities for my family, and were extremely flexible even as our plans evolved after we arrived.
With the help of Jacada we were able to experience a spectacular stress-free family vacation to Croatia. Our trip designer thoughtfully planned out our itinerary so that we had the perfect balance of adventure and site seeing. We hiked waterfalls, went white water rafting and enjoyed tours of Diocletian’s place, Dubrovnik’s fortress, and Hvar. All of the Jacada drivers and…
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