We spent one day in the Croatian capital of Zagreb as part of a Balkan Road Trip. It is a pleasant city, but it’s not very big (with a population of around 767,000) so a day is probably enough to see the main sights.

Getting There

As mentioned above, we drove to Zagreb as part of a road trip, arriving from Slovenia and departing the next day for Serbia. It’s an easy drive, as Zagreb is well served with motorways. If you’re not driving, Zagreb is equally well served with trains from across Europe. It has its own airport, around 10 miles south east of the city.

Getting Around

Zagreb isn’t very big and is easily explored on foot. The city is divided into an upper and lower section, connected by a funicular railway.

Where We Stayed

We stayed at 4city Windows, which is a small, centrally located B&B run by a lovely couple. It’s beautifully decorated (the owner is an illustrator and each room is unique), the owners are extremely welcoming, there is free parking on site and a lovely breakfast. I can thoroughly recommend a stay here.

Itinerary

Day 1

Drive to Zagreb Accommodation – 4city Windows Zrinjevac Strossmayer Square Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Dolac Market Trg Bana Jelačića Funicular Railway Museum of Broken Relationships St Mark’s Church

Attractions

1	Zrinjevac
2	Strossmayer Square
3	Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
4	Dolac Market
5	Trg Bana Jelačića
6	Funicular Railway
7	Museum of Broken Relationships
8	St Mark’s Church

Zagreb Day 1

Drive to Zagreb

The drive to Zagreb is a breeze, if a little dull and we arrive by mid morning.

Accommodation – 4City Windows

We check in to our B&B; 4City Windows, which is run by a lovely couple. We are in the Cartoon Room which features hand drawn cartoons from war time animated films.

Our hosts help us plan a route to visit the old city and we set forth to peruse the various churches, notable buildings and parks. It’s a pleasant walk as most of the roads are pedestrian and there are plenty of parks and squares.

Zrinjevac

We start with a wander round the gardens of Zrinjevac.

Strossmayer Square

I can’t resist a bit of communist art and there are some some such statues in Strossmayer Square.

Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Zagreb Cathedral (or the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, to give it its full name) with its twin spires dominates the city.

The cathedral is undergoing renovation. On display are new and old pieces of stonework to demonstrate the damage which has occurred over time. If pollution can cause so much damage to stone, what chance do our lungs have?

Dolac Market

Next, we cross the square to Dolac Market, vibrant with flowers and all manner of produce. We purchase some lunch from one of the stalls.

Trg Bana Jelačića

Then we sit on the edge of the statue in Trg Bana Jelačića to eat our calzones. It’s all glamour, this travelling malarkey. A peruse of my guide book tells me that the statue is of a 19th century viceroy who led Croatia into battle with Hungary. Tito ordered it to be taken down, but after his demise, the statue was returned to its place in the square.

Funicular Railway

Lunch sorted, we take the 18th century funicular railway to the upper town, where we accidentally get caught up in the filming of a documentary. From the top, you can look out across the lower town.

Museum of Broken Relationships

Next, we head for the intriguingly named Museum of Broken Relationships (somewhat ironically in Dverce street). People donate items which remind them of the end of a relationship, together with an explanation. There’s quite a range on display from the moving (a mother’s suicide letter) to the more humorous (a Divorce Day mad dwarf thrown at an ex’s new car).

My guide book describes the museum as ‘quirky and innovative’. While some of it is interesting and poignant, there are many long-winded self-indulgent explanations of failed love affairs. However, it’s kind of a Zagreb must-see so I’m glad we visited.

The Museum of Broken Relationships is open daily from 9 am, closing at 9 pm (or 10 pm between June and September). Entry costs €7.

St Mark’s Church

We round our day of sightseeing off at St Mark’s Church. The roof, tiled in the colours of the Croatian flag, complete with coats of arms is emblematic of the city, and indeed Croatia.

• Trip Taken: September 2018
• Updated: April 2023