Zagreb is two medieval hills, a 19th century grid and a chain of parks laid out as a horseshoe. This guide sorts the upper town, the lower town and the two outings that repay the tram ride: Mirogoj and Maksimir.
Zagreb's old town sits on two hills. Kaptol holds the cathedral and has housed the church for centuries, while Gradec next door hosts the politics, with parliament and government around St Mark's Church. Between them lies Dolac market, and below them the lower town spreads out as a 19th century grid threaded by a chain of parks known as the Lenuci Horseshoe. Once you see that pattern you no longer need a map: history above, museums and parks below, and the funicular between them covers the height difference in 64 seconds.
The upper town: everything within ten minutes
From Jelačić Square the route climbs past Dolac, whose red umbrellas shade the fruit and vegetable stalls every morning, up to the Stone Gate. Candles burn in the archway before a painting of Mary that survived the city fire of 1731, and people pause here in the middle of the passage. Beyond it opens St Mark's Square with the coat-of-arms roof of St Mark's Church, the parliament and the Ban's residence. St Catherine's Church and its terrace sit two lanes away, as do the Museum of Broken Relationships and the studio of sculptor Ivan Meštrović. At noon the cannon in Lotrščak Tower fires its midday shot, and half the city has set its watches by it since 1877. For the way down take the Strossmayer Promenade under the chestnut trees, or the Grič Tunnel, a Second World War air-raid shelter that now runs as a cool passage beneath the hill.
- Mirogoj lies a ten minute bus ride behind the cathedral and ranks among Europe's most beautiful cemeteries: ivy-covered arcades by Hermann Bollé sheltering all of the city's faiths side by side. Free to enter.
- Maksimir Park opened in 1794 as one of Europe's first public parks. Five lakes, meadows, the Vidikovac belvedere and the Echo Pavilion sit along one tram line, with Dinamo's stadium across the road.
- For rainy days: the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum with live demonstrations in its Tesla cabinet, the Museum of Naive Art with the Hlebine painters, and the Museum of Illusions for families.
- In summer the city moves to Jarun lake, with gravel beaches, a loop path and lakeside stages, and to Bundek in Novi Zagreb. Both are a tram ride away, swimwear is all you need.
The lower town: walking the green horseshoe
The lower town is best walked as a sequence of parks. From Jelačić Square it is two minutes to Zrinjevac with its plane trees, music pavilion and museum facades all around. Strossmayer Square and Tomislav Square follow, with the Art Pavilion and the equestrian statue in front of the main station, then the horseshoe turns towards the Botanical Garden. Along the way sit the Archaeological Museum, the canary-yellow National Theatre and the Ethnographic Museum. If the evening still has room, take the Oktogon passage to Ilica and finish on Cvjetni trg, the flower square, where the city sits over coffee until the lights come on.
“Zagreb's best single attraction is the walk itself: two hills, a green horseshoe, and in between a city that sits over coffee and has time.”
Practically, Zagreb is easy: the airport is half an hour by bus, trams run on tight headways, and the upper town is entirely walkable. The cathedral is still being restored after the 2020 earthquake, its scaffolded towers standing over Kaptol. The city also works as a base for Plitvice, with the lakes a good two hours south by bus. And if you come in Advent, the horseshoe and the promenade host the Christmas market that made Zagreb Europe's best Advent city three years in a row.
Watch
Zagreb on video
A short official city film to help you picture the place before you go.
Zagreb: all inclusive
Frequently asked questions
- How many days do you need for Zagreb?
- The upper town and the green horseshoe fit comfortably into one full day. A second day is worth it for Mirogoj in the morning and Maksimir or the museums in the afternoon. Using Zagreb as a base, add a day trip to the Plitvice Lakes, a good two hours away by bus.
- What can you see in Zagreb for free?
- A great deal: the Stone Gate, St Mark's Square, the Strossmayer Promenade, the noon cannon at Lotrščak Tower, every park of the horseshoe, Dolac market, Mirogoj and Maksimir. What costs money, essentially, are the museums and the climb up the tower.
