Zagreb – the ninth most polite city in the world!
Zagreb is the capital city and largest urban area of Croatia. Its picturesque historical area of the Upper Town is known for its high concentration of museums, but also for numerous cafes, bars and restaurants serving delicious Croatian food. Zagreb is also the heart of contemporary Croatia’s culture, art, sports, and academic life.
Attractions and things to do
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The Zagreb Cathedral – a monumental Neo-gothic church.
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The Lotršèak Tower from 13th century, with a stunning views over the city. A cannon on the top of the tower is shot every day to mark noon.
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Maksimir park, first public promenade in this part of the Europe, opened in 1794.
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Mirogoj cemetery, with the impressive and picturesque arcades.
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Medvedgrad, the impressive mountain overlooking Zagreb, with a fortress and nature park Medvednica.
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Museum of Contemporary Art, and Mimara Museum.
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Excursion to the surroundings: to Trakošæan castle, to a palace in Maruševac, and to Stubièke toplice (spa, park with a bathing area) in Stubica Valley. The picturesque town of Krapina is known for the cave where remnants of pre-historic men of Neanderthal type were found.
Restaurants, what to eat, nightlife
Most of the restaurants and bars are located in The Upper and Lower Towns. Tkalèiæeva street in the Upper Town is especially crowded with cafes and clubs. In the Lower Town, there are Bogoviceva and Trg Preradovica, as well as Branimir Centre, just across from the train station.
Croatian food is influenced by Mediterranean cuisine, but has several specialties you cannot miss.Try turkey with mlinci; Zagreb steak: veal stuffed with cheese and ham and fried as the Viennese steak; or Kotlovina, a stewed, spicy meat. Croatian Štrukli is world famous specialty.
Shopping
There are a lot of shopping centres, shops and boutiques in Zagreb, as well as several shopping malls like Importanne Gallery, Kaptol centre, Branimir centre. Popular among tourist are many natural cosmetics, crystals, and the delicious cake Croaterra.
Getting here and getting around
Zagreb Airport (ZAG) called Pleso, with a number of European destinations, is located 17 km south-east of the centre. A bus transfer is available; it takes ca 25 minutes to get to the centre.
Five highroads connect Zagreb with all Croatian cities, and – among other foreign destinations – Trieste, Ljubljana, Graz, and Budapest.
The Main Railway Station is located in the centre of the City. Being a railway hub, Zagreb has direct services to major European cities, among them Vienna, Berlin, Budapest, Venice, and Ljubljana or Sarajevo.
Buses: Beside many domestic destinations, there are bus lines connecting Zagreb with other Balkan cities, as well as with many cities in Germany, and with London, Paris, and Amsterdam. The bus station is about 10-minutes-walk from the railway station (or three tram-stops away).
The public transport system in Zagreb consists of trams (mainly in the city centre), buses and trains (mostly in the suburbs). It is well-developed and convenient - the tram net operate 24 hours. Buying a Zagreb Card is an excellent option that facilitates moving around in the whole city.
A historic funicular railway (thus also a tourist attraction) between the Lower and Upper towns is one of the steepest in the world.
History
Zagreb has grown out of two medieval settlements on the hills Kaptol and Gradec (today´s the Upper Town), that merged first in the end of the 18th century.
In the 11th century Zagreb was a diocese (the cathedral is today standing there, in Kaptol); during the Turkish onslaughts on Europe (14th to 17th centuries) Zagreb was an important border fortress. When Croatian Viceroys chose in 1621 Zagreb for their seat, the city evolved into the administrative, cultural and economic centre of Croatia. The city changed appearance; it was modernized and rebuilt in baroque style.
Zagreb became then a centre for craft trade; it was also a popular place for trade fairs. The devastating earthquake in 1880 contributed to the further reconstruction and modernization of the city. Prestigious public buildings were erected, public parks were created, and the city got modern infrastructure and transportation.
In the 19th century the population increased tenfold, and continued to grow until the middle of 20th century.
After the WWII, between the railway and the Sava river, working-class quarters were constructed, and the city continued to spread out alongside the Sava River.
Climate & weather
Continental climate with four distinctive seasons. Hot and dry summers and cold winters, often with snowfall. The highest average temperature is 26°C /78°F, the lowest: -4°C/25°F.
Currency: Croatian Kuna (HRK)
Time zone: UTC (GMT) +1. Daytime saving time (DST) is observed.
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