Zagreb is one of the youngest capital cities in Europe (it was named Croatia’s capital in 1991) but the city’s history is centuries old. Travelers on Zagreb flights usually stay in the city long enough to catch a connecting Zagreb flight to other places in Croatia, but those who have stayed there awhile can attest to the city’s charm.
What you’ll see and do in Zagreb mainly depends on the weather, but those lucky enough to land there on a sunny day will find the city alive with energy. Weekdays are aflutter with commuters heading to and from work, lunching on park benches and sipping coffee from sidewalk cafes. The evening comes to life with jazz clubs and candlelit restaurants lining the cobblestone streets. The flight to Zagreb may just be a stopping point for further travel, but the city’s small town charm will capture the hearts of visitors.
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Zagreb has a continental climate with four seasons. Summers are hot and dry and temperatures can reach the upper 70s (F) in July and August. Fall temperatures drop to the 60s and 50s, and it is often foggy and rainy. Winters are cold, with January and February temperatures ranging from the mid-20s to upper 30s. Snow is typical from December to March. By the end of May the temperatures are warming up.
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Not yet as popular a tourist destination as the Dalmatian coast, Zagreb has more museums per square foot than any other city in the world. Because the city does not have a high season per se, any time is a good time to visit. If you arrive on a rainy, gray day, the city may seem closed. But wait until the sun comes out to see Zagreb’s energy and vitality.
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A bus service connects to the city center's bus station, leaving from outside the international arrivals hall. A taxi rank is also situated right outside the international arrivals.
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The center of Croatia’s capital is easily explored on foot. There is little crime in Zagreb, and in the city center it is no more than a half-hour walk to the museums and restaurants. For public transportation, Zagreb provides an efficient and extensive network of trams through most of the city and a bus network. The electric trams are reliable and fast, and they run 24-hours a day. The trams connect to buses that cover the outlying districts.
Driving in Zagreb can be frustrating. Not all streets are marked, and when they are the signs are typically small and ornamental plaques attached to buildings. To add to the confusion, many buildings post very small street numbers or do not bother posting them at all. On top of all this, there is a maze of one-way and pedestrian-only streets and parking is difficult to find.
Taxis are available but are very expensive.
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- Croatia is the birthplace of the necktie. In the 1600s, Parisians adopted the neck gear of dashing Croatian mercenaries fighting for Louis XIII of France. The word “cravat” derives from “cravate”, a corrupt French pronunciation of “Croat”. Genuine Croat ties can be picked up in select shops around Zagreb for about 500 Kuna.
- Zagreb’s most exclusive shopping street is Ilica, but for a different experience go to Hrelic, the flea market by the Sava River, on a Sunday morning, or to Dolac, the farmers' market. North of Jelacic Square, the market opened in 1930 and sells vegetables, fruit, meat and fish (Fridays and Saturdays).
- Most European cities have an Old Town, Zagreb has two: Gradec, the fortified city, and Kaptol, the ecclesiastical center, seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop. The Gothic cathedral, with twin spires visible from many points around the city, is consecrated to the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Stephen.
- Take the funicular to the medieval Upper Town in time for the midday gun. Each day, since 1877, a gun has sounded from the Lotrscak Tower.
- The Mirogoj Cemetery is a beautiful graveyard. Started in 1876, Herman Bolle, the Viennese architect, designed the main building, and work continued until 1929. The cemetery is pan-denominational. Catholic, Protestant, Muslim and Jewish graves are there.
- Museum lovers will have plenty to occupy them in Zagreb. There are several including: Mimara Museum, with almost 4,000 artifacts spanning three millennia; the Hunting Museum, taxidermists’ heaven; Croatian Naive Art Museum; Typhlology Museum, which houses items associated with the education, rehabilitation and everyday life of the blind and partially sighted; Croatian School Museum; and Croatian Sports Museum.
- Sljeme Medvednica is a short tram ride north of the city. Most of the mountain is a nature park, but there is skiing – day and night – too. Go midweek to avoid the crowds.
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