Zagreb blends Central European poise with a Mediterranean soul. Settled since Roman times, the city flourished under the Habsburgs, leaving a legacy of grand squares and secessionist facades. Today its rhythm is set by coffee, trams, and the noon cannon that echoes from the Lotrščak Tower over Gornji Grad (Upper Town).

Fun fact: the city’s funicular is among the world’s shortest, and Croatia gifted the cravat (necktie) to the world. Zagreb is also a gateway to emerald day trips—think castle-laced hills in Hrvatsko Zagorje and the tumbling travertine of Plitvice Lakes.

Practical notes: Croatia uses the euro, tap water is excellent, and trams make getting around easy. Expect hearty Zagreb fare (štrukli, purica s mlincima, and čevapi), excellent pastries, and growing craft beer and natural wine scenes. Keep an eye on ongoing post-earthquake restorations (Cathedral, Mirogoj colonnades) and follow local signage at sites.

Zagreb

Zagreb is made for flâneurs: cobbles and church spires above, leafy parks and Belle Époque cafés below. The Upper Town holds the photogenic St. Mark’s Church and the musing Museum of Broken Relationships; the Lower Town unfurls the Lenuci “Green Horseshoe” of parks, pavilions, and galleries.

Come hungry. Breakfast on buttery croissants from Korica, graze across Dolac Market, and linger over štrukli baked to a crackling top. For dinner, choose between Michelin-starred creativity, traditional grill houses, or seafood straight from the Adriatic.

• Top sights: St. Mark’s Church, Lotrščak Tower, Stone Gate, Dolac Market, Nikola Tesla Technical Museum, MSU (Contemporary Art Museum), Maksimir Park, Mirogoj Cemetery (partial access during restoration), Grič Tunnel, street art along Branimirova.
• Where to stay: Lower Town (walkable to most sights), Upper Town (storybook quiet), or near Zrinjevac for park views.
• Book accommodations: Browse stays on VRBO Zagreb or compare hotels on Hotels.com Zagreb.
• Getting to Zagreb: Fly into ZAG (Franjo Tuđman Airport) or arrive by train/bus from Vienna, Budapest, or Ljubljana. Check routes and prices on Omio flights (Europe), Omio trains, and Omio buses.

Day 1: Arrival, Lenuci Horseshoe, and a First Taste of Zagreb

Morning: Travel to Zagreb. If flying, consider a pre-booked shuttle or rideshare from ZAG; the ride takes ~25–30 minutes. If arriving by train, the Glavni kolodvor station exits right onto the Lower Town parks.

Afternoon: Check in and stretch your legs along the Green Horseshoe: Zrinjevac, the Art Pavilion, and Tomislav Square. Pause for specialty coffee at Cogito Coffee (Varšavska) where light roasts and seasonal single-origin beans shine, or tuck into flaky pastries at Korica Bakery on Preradovićeva.

Evening: Dinner at Vinodol (Nikole Tesle) for dalmatian-style braised veal, grilled squid, and štrukli done the Zagreb way. For something simpler, Heritage Croatian Street Food serves mini-sandwiches stuffed with Istrian truffles, Pag cheese, and pršut. Nightcap at the Esplanade 1925 Lounge & Cocktail Bar—classics done with hotel-bar polish.

Day 2: Upper Town Icons and the Museum of Broken Relationships

Morning: Ride the tiny Uspinjača funicular to Gornji Grad. Climb Lotrščak Tower for views before the noon cannon booms. Wander to St. Mark’s Church to admire its tiled coat-of-arms roof, and slip through the votive candlelight of the Stone Gate.

Afternoon: Visit the Museum of Broken Relationships—poignant, witty, and one of Europe’s most original small museums. Lunch at La Štruk (Skalinska), ordering the classic baked štrukli plus a seasonal savory version. Walk the Grič Tunnel, a WWII-era passage now used for art events and a cool shortcut on hot days.

Evening: Book dinner at Noel (Michelin-starred) for inventive tasting menus featuring Croatian produce and wines, or choose Dubravkin Put on the edge of Tuškanac woods for refined fish and risottos. End with a glass of Croatian graševina at Bornstein Wine Bar, a vaulted cellar near Kaptol.

Day 3: Markets, Zagreb Cathedral Exteriors, and Maksimir Park

Morning: Start at Dolac Market—the city’s “belly.” Grab warm burek from Pekara Dubravica and fresh berries from an OPG farm stall. Stroll to the Cathedral area for views of the soaring spires; note ongoing restoration and respect any access restrictions.

Afternoon: Tram to Maksimir Park, a 19th-century English-style landscape garden. If you’re with kids (or young at heart), the Zagreb Zoo is compact and leafy. Coffee and cake at Orijent (Maksimirska) dates to 1936; try the signature moskva šnita or seasonal gelato.

Evening: Contemporary bistro flavors at Pod Zidom (near the market) pair Adriatic fish carpaccio with natural wines. Prefer casual? Submarine Burger grills dry-aged patties with Croatian cheeses. For music and cocktails, slide into Swanky Monkey Garden—jungle vibes in a historic mint.

Day 4: Medvednica and Mirogoj’s Sculpture Garden

Morning: Ride the Zagreb Cable Car up to Sljeme on Medvednica Nature Park for cool air and forest trails; plan 3–4 hours, with a cocoa stop at a mountain hut. Return by mid-day; cable car roundtrip runs roughly €12–15.

Afternoon: Taxi or bus to Mirogoj Cemetery. While the arcades are under restoration, the grounds remain a serene sculpture park of stone angels and ivy. Swing by the Martićeva design district afterward for indie boutiques and a macchiato at Program Bar.

Evening: Traditional grill night at Pivnica Medvedgrad (Ilica) with house-brewed lagers, sausages, and hearty stews. Sweet finish at Vincek, the beloved patisserie, for kremšnita or chestnut purée.

Day 5: Day Trip to Plitvice Lakes National Park

Morning: Depart early by bus—most direct coaches take ~2–2.5 hours; budget €12–20 one way. Compare schedules on Omio buses. Enter at Entrance 1 or 2 and follow a marked route (C or H) combining wooden boardwalks and boat/ferry crossings.

Afternoon: Continue the loop past cascades that tumble over living travertine. Pack a light picnic or use on-site eateries; crowds ease the farther you walk from the main falls. Aim for a mid- to late-afternoon return bus to Zagreb.

Evening: Back in town, keep it easy with comfort-food at Ficlek (Petrinjska)—try Zagreb-style steak (cordon bleu), štrukli soup, and seasonal sides. If you’ve got energy, craft beers await at The Garden Brewery taproom in Žitnjak; a taxi makes it simple.

Day 6: Art and New Zagreb, Bundek at Sunset

Morning: Breakfast at Amélie near the main square—airy cheesecakes and excellent coffee. Tram across the Sava River to MSU, the Museum of Contemporary Art; look for the kinetic façade and rooftop slide installations when active.

Afternoon: Walk or taxi to Bundek Park for lakeside paths and swans. Alternatively, explore street art along Branimirova’s former “Art Wall,” then duck into the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum back in the Lower Town for exhibits on mining, energy, and a vintage planetarium.

Evening: Seafood supper at Zinfandel’s in the Esplanade if you’re in the mood for refined service and Dalmatian flavors, or go pan-Asian at Takenoko (sushi and robata). Cocktails afterward at Dežman Bar, tucked into a leafy passage off Ilica.

Day 7: Samobor Sweets or Varaždin’s Baroque—Choose Your Finale

Morning: Option A—Samobor: A sweet half-day 30–40 minutes by bus (~€4–6, check Omio buses). Stroll the small square and order the famed samoborska kremšnita at U Prolazu or Kavana Livadić. Option B—Varaždin: Baroque palaces and a compact castle, ~1.5–2 hours by train or bus (~€6–12 via Omio trains or buses).

Afternoon: In Samobor, hike up to the ruined castle for views, then return to Zagreb for lunch. In Varaždin, try Restaurant Bedem by the city walls for seasonal Croatian dishes, then head back mid-afternoon.

Evening: Back in Zagreb, toast your week with a wine tasting flight at Pupitres or Bornstein—sample graševina, malvazija, and plavac mali with local cheeses. For a last dinner, Didov San serves Dalmatian comfort plates in a stone-walled setting, or keep it light with small plates at Pod Zidom.

Where to Stay and How to Get Around

• Stay: Search apartments and townhouses on VRBO Zagreb. Compare hotels—from grand dames like the Esplanade to boutique gems—on Hotels.com Zagreb.
• Arrivals and onward travel: See options and prices on Omio flights, Omio trains, and Omio buses. Examples: Ljubljana–Zagreb by train ~2–2.5 hours (~€8–15); Vienna–Zagreb ~6–7 hours (~€25–40); Budapest–Zagreb ~5–6 hours (~€20–35). Day trips by bus (Samobor, Plitvice) are frequent and affordable.
• In-city tips: Trams are frequent; buy tickets at kiosks or via mobile. Coffee culture is serious—don’t rush your cup. Tipping is appreciated (5–10%) but not obligatory.

After a week in Zagreb, you’ll know its rhythms: the midday cannon, the market’s strawberry scent, and the evening glide of trams past lantern-lit streets. With castles, lakes, and hillside trails within easy reach, it’s a city break that feels like several trips in one.