A Weekend Guide to Zagreb, Croatia

Hello from home! While this post is focused on travel, I am actually writing this from the comforts of North Carolina. Right before I got sent home due to the COVID-19 outbreak, I was fortunate enough to spend a lovely weekend in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. After taking a five hour bus ride up to the city, I was immediately in love! I’m a sucker for old architecture, cool museums, and fun shops. Unfortunately, though, my laptop stopped working while I was there, thus putting a major dent in my plans. While I was devastated to have lost my computer as well as some of my data, I tried to make the most of my few days in Zagreb. Even when things don’t go as planned, it’s important to remain positive! I thought I would share some of my favorite spots from my trip, as well as a fun vlog that I put together. Hopefully it can inspire your future travels!

where to stay

When I was originally booking my trip to Zagreb, I had my eye on hostels. They are a cheap, fun, and efficient way to travel. Plus, you get to meet some pretty cool people! I had originally booked my stay at the Chillout Hostel located in the center of Zagreb. However, the hostel was under construction, so they put me up in the Timeout Heritage Hotel for the same cost as my stay at the hostel. The location was amazing— I was within walking distance of every site, museum, and restaurant I had wanted to see. My room had a lovely view as well! When I return to Croatia, I definitely will be staying here again.

where to eat

Upon my arrival in the city, my first stop was Zrno Bio Bistro. As a lover of organic and veggie based food, I was immediately in love! Zrno is a 100% organic, local, and vegan restaurant just outside of the main city square. I ended up getting a delicious salad and some yummy sweet potato fries. I had some mint matcha to top off my meal. Yum!

If you’re looking for a good breakfast spot, I recommend Otto & Frank. I had a lovely bowl of apple and cinnamon oatmeal and a latte. What a perfect way to start the day! I also recommend walking along the street that Otto & Frank is on— the architecture is so cute!

If you see a pretty pink building in Zagreb, it’s probably Melt— a gelato and brunch bar. They have both gluten free and vegan options which I love. I ended up getting gluten free avocado toast and some incredible vanilla gelato! Recently I’ve been having issues with gluten, so I was thrilled to see that they served my favorite meal in gluten-free form. Plus, the pink walls make it a perfect place to take pictures.

For a quick smoothie or an on-the-go snack, I recommend Bio&bio. Bio&bio reminds me of Whole Foods, an organic and green grocery store. They have a little café in the Zagreb location, so I decided to try out their berry smoothie. It’s the perfect refresher to perk you up between your museum and shopping trips!

One of my friends in Split recommended Kavana Lav to me. It’s a quiet coffee shop tucked in the upper town! The walls are covered with the coolest art and the aesthetics of the place are unbeatable. I spent an entire afternoon here just relaxing and enjoying the space.

If you find yourself craving a good, classic burger, stop by Burgeraj. On my final full day in Zagreb, I had a yummy burger here. It was just what I needed! It was a little taste of home while I was still abroad. If you go, be sure to check out the potato wedges, too!

Sweets are always a good idea, and there’s no better place to get some than Cremme: The Cookie Factory. On my last night there, I stopped by to try a brownie a la mode— a yummy, warm cream cheese brownie with vanilla ice cream on top. What a perfect way to end a day!

where to shop

If you remember my Tokyo guide, then you know that I adore visiting farmers markets when I travel! I stopped by the Dolac Market while I was in Zagreb to pick up some stunning daffodils! I’m a sucker for local produce, so I oogled over the fresh veggies while I was there. The market is definitely a must-visit if you’re in the area!

Visiting Britanski Trg was probably the highlight of my trip to Zagreb! Britanski Trg is an open-air flea market, filled to the brim with antique art and killer vintage items! I ended up picking up a vintage map, some cool art pieces, a dope pair of vintage sunglasses, and a few gifts for friends and family! I wish I could have bought some of the old furniture, too! A girl can dream, I suppose.

I love supporting local artists and artisans when I travel, so I knew I would love Take Me Home. Take Me Home is a souvenir shop filled with art from local creators! I picked up a hand painted lavender satchel for my mom. There were so many cute items for kiddos as well! If you visit, you’ll be able to find a souvenir for everyone in your life.

Another killer shop in the area is Notes of Zagreb. This little store specializes in home fragrance, but with a twist— each scent is inspired by Zagreb! I picked up a room spray in the scent “The Well of Life,” but you can pick up anything from reed diffusers to candles.

where to relax

Zagreb is filled with beautiful buildings, but two of my favorites were the St. Mark’s Church and the Zagreb Cathedral. I’m a big art history nerd, so seeing both churches in person was incredible. I adore the architecture of both, and the interior of the Zagreb Cathedral was breathtaking. Definitely visit these churches and enjoy their beauty!

If you’re a museum person, definitely check out the Museum of Broken Relationships. While I wasn’t able to visit many of the museums I had planned to, I’m glad I got the chance to visit this one. This museum features mementos from ended relationships alongside notes about the relationship. It was really interesting to spend time with each piece. If you visit, be sure to bring tissues, because some of the stories are heart-wrenching!

One hidden gem I found while I was in the city was the Zagreb Art Park. While it may at first seem like an average park, you will soon notice that the whole area is covered with interesting and fun graffiti. I really loved the crochet graffiti in the area as well! If you want a quiet, quirky place to rest, definitely visit this spot.