If you are planning a visit to Zagreb or already arrived, you must be wondering: What to do in Zagreb? That’s why we put together a list of some of our favourite attractions to get you started. And the best thing is, if you stay at the Main Square Hostel, you are mere minutes
away from most! So, not to keep you waiting, here’s our favourite things to do in Zagreb.
Visit Gornji Grad
Gornji grad or Gradec is the historical core of Zagreb and the home to many of it’s iconic landmarks. The main square of the Upper Town is Trg sv. Marka (St. Mark’s Square) dominated by Crkva Sv. Marka (St. Mark’s Church) with it’s colorful roof depicting the historical coats of arms of Croatia and the city of Zagreb.
For those interested in sacral buildings there’s much more to see in the Upper town, such as St. Catherine’s church, the former Jesuit monastery turned into the Klovićevi dvori gallery, the monastery of St. Clare or Opatička street named by the nuns that lived there. South of St. Mark’s Square you can also find a Greek Catholic concathedral of St. Cyril and Methodius.
Gornji Grad is also where you will find the most beuatiful Baroque palaces, Banski dvori which are the seat of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, towers, remnants of the old city walls and the Stone gate, and finally the beautiful Lotrščak tower, which is a famous
lookout point with a beautiful view of the Lower Town. Be there at noon and hear the Grič cannon fire, and then hop over to St. Mark’s Square to watch the city guard change.
Visit museums
Whether you are a true culture lover with a taste for the classical or you want to see something different in a musem, Zagreb is the place for you. Surely one of the most popular attractions is the Museum of Broken Relationships which contains donated items that tell little stories about break-ups. If non-traditional museums like these are what excites you be sure to also check out the Museum of Illusions and the Zagreb’s Museum which is a completely interactive snapshot of life in Zagreb 30-40 years ago. The “sugar on top” (as Croats would say) of non-traditional museums is the Museum of chocolate in Zagreb.
For the classics among you Mimara Museum is full of Gothic art, Icons and European scupltures, while the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb will take you on a trip through time. Be sure to also check out Atelier Mestrovic dedicated to one of the greatest stonemasons ever born as well as the Art Pavilion with one of the best locations next to the most popular parks in the Zagreb city center, Zrinjevac and Tomislavac.
Hike or Ski
When you come to Zagreb and look to the north you will see Medvednica, which is the go to place for all you hikers and skiers visiting Zagreb that want to enjoy some good hiking or skiing. To be more precise, Sljeme is your destination as the most popular peak on
Medvednica. It’s also where the ski resort Sljeme is located which every winter hosts the Snow Queen trophy.
If climbing peaks is a bit too much for you, then a stroll through the beautiful Maksimir park may be more your speed, especially if you also visit the Zoo park Maksimir. This green oasis will enchant you and show you why Park Maksimir is the most famous Zagreb park.
Tkalča – the center of city life
No matter what you do, all roads lead back to Tkalča where our hostel is located as well. Tkalčićeva street or as the citizens call it Tkalča used to be a red lights district and it’s no less visited now. It has become the center of city life and the most famous street in Zagreb dedicated completely to restaurants and bars. This is why if you want the best food in Zagreb you come to Tkalča, and if you want the best nightlife in Zagreb, you also come to Tkalča!
Join our pub crawl
We will show you a good time! Although we are a quiet hostel, our partner hostel Whole Wide World is much less so, and as they say: su casa es mi casa. All Main Square Hostel guests can participate in daily fun activities such as the best pub crawl in Zagreb! So, the last (or first) thing to do in Zagreb for you is: Join our pub crawl and have the time of your life!