I hate the term “hidden gem”. It’s often overrated and overused. However there are some places that fully deserve this name and I personally think Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, is one of them.

The country is famous for its breathtaking coast line with charming towns like Dubrovnik and crystal clear water. Each year thousands of people who visit Croatia head to the Adriatic Sea bypass the biggest town in the country. Big mistake!

Visit Zagreb, Croatia – a vibrant city with spectacular architecture and rich culture, the place it’s easy to fall in love with and enjoy every bit of it! Zagreb really is one of the best places to visit in Croatia!

Visit Zagreb, Croatia – the underrated capital of Europe

I don’t know too many people who were touring Zagreb. For me it was the second time there. The first I went to see Zagreb sights was over 10 years ago and I very vaguely remembered that it was a nice city but nothing more. As soon as I stepped back from the train station all the memories came back.

I arrived to Zagreb on Saturday evening and the city was bustling with people, all in the cheerfull mood, heading for a crazy night out. My accommodation, Swanky Mint Hostel, was located some 20 minutes walking from the train station, close to the main square of the city – Trg J.Jelacica – and all the bez Zagreb tourist attractions.

At first I planned to take the tram there (after all it was dark and I was in a fairly new place) but after seeing city being so lively I figured the walk will be much better idea. I had a very strong affection towards the place from the very beginning, I could already see there are so many things to do in Zagreb, Croatia and it was only getting better and better with time!

A perfect one day in Zagreb

The next morning I set off to explore the city. I had only one day in Zagreb and even if I wrote down from Spotted by Locals few places of Zagreb must see list, I still thought I have more than enough time! Well, I couldn’t be more wrong! The city turned out to be a great place to discover, with so many interesting spots and Zagreb attractions!

The weather was gorgeous, warm and sunny – more like beginning of September than mid-October, and Zagreb center was bustling with people. There were mostly Zagrebians, lazily chatting with friends while sipping coffee in one of the numerous cafes, browsing through the antiques at the Sunday antique market or shopping at the farmers market. It was just a perfect day to be in Zagreb!

Best places to visit in Zagreb

The center of Zagreb and the place where visitors mostly hang out consists of two parts – Upper Town and Lower Town. Even if they are located basically next to each other I felt they are so different!

I started my day in the Upper Town – Zagreb old town, more spiritual and so much calmer area. It’s very easy to reach it – you either walk up the stairs (not too many of them) or for less than 1€ the old fashioned funicular will take you up there. Fun facts: Zagreb funicular has the shortest ride in the world!

I opted for the first option and right after leaving empty and quiet stairs I found myself in a hive of tourists, exploring some of the best places to visit in Zagreb…

It could have been the bad timing as probably every tour that stayed in the city at that time started their Zagreb sightseeing in the Upper Town. But I must say I was really surprised how many people were there and that the majority was from Asia. I found the explanation later on, apparently there was a very popular reality show airing in South Korea that was filmed in Zagreb hence the city is flooded with tourists from there.

Still, I didn’t think of the Croatian capital as the popular touristic destination and I didn’t know Zagreb tourism is booming so rapidly. The street connecting the funicular with the beautiful St. Mark’s Church was full of souvenir sellers or street musicians – the typical view of many old towns all over the world, including old town Zagreb. That’s also where you will find one of the most interesting Zagreb museums – Museum of Broken Relationships.

The view from the upper station of the funicular is one of the best in the city, with beautiful houses and red rooftops of the Lower Town. But it gets even better on the viewing terrace of the Lotrscak Tower, also right next to the funicular station.

The ticket costs around 2.50€ but hardly anyone goes there, even if all the tourists pass it. The view is pretty spectacular, you can admire not only rooftops and churches of Upper and Lower Town but also can see other parts of Zagreb and the mountains that surround the city! I always love looking at the cities from above and the Lotrscak Tower was for me definitely one of the Zagreb highlights and one of the things you must do in Zagreb.

The map I took from the hostel had a walking route marked, both in the Upper and Lower Town, and I followed it with occasional detour to the backstreets. In more or less one hour I could visit all the best things to see in Zagreb Upper Town – St. Mark’s Church, Kamenita Vrata and eventually the Cathedral.

Considering all of them are religious sites it’s no wonder I felt a really elevated, spiritual vibe there. Kamenita Vrata in particular was a special place. A gate, part of the old city walls, that hides a sacred image of the Mother of God is where people of Zagreb often come to light a candle and pray…

More Zagreb sights

At the border of Upper and Lower Town, few steps away from Trg J.Jelacica there’s a Dolac Market where locals buy their fresh fruits, vegetables and just about everything else and few lost independent tourists seem to be overwhelmed with the scene. A colourful spot is also a perfect place to get some delicious local goodies for a snack.

I bought some grapes and they were the best ever, super sweet and yummy!! I love visiting local markets and Dolac Market was another one of best things to do in Zagreb for me!

The very heart of the city and of the best places to see in Zagreb is Trg J.Jelacica – a fairly big square surrounded by splendid houses, the finest example of Zagreb’s architecture from the times of Austria-Hungary. That’s where all the action and Zagreb activities take place, a meeting point for people, the very core point in the capital of Croatia (or maybe even in the whole country). Trg J.Jelacica is also a great starting point to discover the Lower Town, probably the most beautiful part of Zagreb.

Zagreb – a typical Central-European city

Again, when I was wandering around this part of Zagreb I kept wondering where exactly I am. This place could be as well in Brno, Graz, Sarajevo or any other big city that used to belong to Austria-Hungary Empire. The big park between the train station and Trg J.Jelacica was full of people, sitting on the grass and enjoying the beautiful weather.

Suddenly there were hardly any tourists around and for a while I felt like I belonged there, that Zagreb is my kind of place. Just like Brno this was a great example of the Central European city and it could easily compete with Prague, Vienna or Budapest.

The Lower Town was where most of Zagrebians hang out. The cafes were full of people, so were parks and squares. It wasn’t as crazy as on Saturday evening but still I found Zagreb a vibrant capital with lots of great places to see, things to do, events to attend (when I was there the Zagreb Film Festival was about to start).

The fact that the city is kind of off the beaten path and still undiscovered made it even more special to me. I’m sure it’s a matter of months till the place becomes another “must visit” destination in Europe and Zagreb travel will be really frequent – to be honest the city totally deserves it! I wouldn’t be surprised if Zagreb city break will be soon yet another European travel trend.

Another face of Zagreb

In the evening I went again for a walk around Upper and Lower Town. This time it was different, calm, quiet, peaceful. The city was slowly getting ready to sleep and that’s when I saw even more magic in it.

It felt kind of surreal that after the busy morning I suddenly had the cobbled streets of the Upper Town all to myself. And that’s why it’s worth spending more than just few hours there, to see every face of Zagreb and to fall in love with it!

If you are asking yourself “is Zagreb worth visiting?” I guess you know my answer by now. Don’t wait to long and visit Zagreb as soon as possible, it’s definitely worth it!

Further reading

I published many articles about Croatia that you might find useful when planning your trip there. Here are some of them:

• 33 Best Places to Visit in Croatia
• 25 Wonderful Things to Do in Zagreb, Croatia
• The Bay of Abandoned Hotels in Kupari, Croatia – the Urbex Heaven
• 23 Amazing Things to Do in Dubrovnik, Croatia
• How to visit Krka National Park in Croatia
• 11 Perfect Day Trips From Split, Croatia
• 17 Fantastic Things to Do in Hvar, Croatia
• Visiting the Abandoned Željava Air Base in Croatia
• 19 Best Things to Do in Rijeka, Croatia
• Visit Opatija, Croatia – the Charming Seaside Town
• and many more!

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations). You can also join my Facebook group about traveling in the Balkans and ask your questions there.

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