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Top 10 Zagreb, Croatia Tourist Attractions

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Zagreb, the capital city of Croatia, has a lot to offer. While you won’t find the beaches or the Adriatic Sea, you will find culture, history, restaurants, shopping, bars, and more. The city has three main sections; the Upper Town is a thousand years old and has the Presidential Palace and St. Mark’s Church. Lower Town dates to the 19th century and features theatres, restaurants, shops, and more and New Zagreb was constructed following WWII and is less popular among visitors. You will actually find more museums in Zagreb per square foot compared to any other place in the world, making it hard to pick. These top attractions are ideal if you only have a short amount of time in the city.

1: Zagreb Cathedral

Although most people refer to it as Zagreb Cathedral in English, the full name of this cathedral is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but it used to be called St. Stephen’s Cathedral. This cathedral features typical Gothic architecture and has two identical spires which are seen from around the city. The original cathedral was destroyed during the 13th century from the Tartar attack, leaving the current cathedral to be built during the latter part of the same century. It was also renovated following the 1880 earthquake, but it still has its medieval design.

2: Dolac Market

Dolac Market is an incredibly colorful open air market that features stands where you can buy a wide range of items. On the weekends, you will find people from around Zagreb visiting the market to get fresh products and groceries. You can buy seasonal products as well as hand-made souvenirs, and bargain for your items. The market is conveniently located close to Ban Jelacic Square, which is the main city square of the city. While the best-known part of the market is open-air, there is also a covered portion below where you will find fishmongers, butchers, and more.

3: Mirogoj Cemetery

Mirogoj Cemetery or Monumental Cemetery Mirogoj dates back to 1876 and it was made to replace eight cemeteries that were currently in use. The construction of the arcades, as well as their church, central portals, and cupolas, began in 1879. The arcades were completed in 1917 and the central portion in 1929, giving the cemetery a Neo-Renaissance style featuring balance and clear perspectives. Interestingly enough, all religions have their symbols represented equally within the cemetery.

4: St. Mark’s Church

St. Mark’s Church is an emblem in Zagreb, dating back to the 13th century. The roof is made up of colorful tiles and was built in 1880. You can find the Zagreb emblem on the right side and the coat of arms from medieval times for Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia on the left. There are 15 figures within the Gothic portal which was created during the 14th century. Inside, you will see various sculptures, but you can only enter the church during Mass and the anteroom during opening hours. You should also try to watch the guard-changing ceremony each Saturday and Sunday in the summer.

5: Maksimir Park

Maksimir Park is the perfect place to spend your afternoon or morning, whether you are alone, with family, your partner, or your pet. This 18 hectare park is an escape from the city, surrounded by nature without any car engines within earshot. The forest area first opened in 1794 to the public, and at the time, it was the only park of its type in this area of Europe. During your trip to Maksimir Park, be sure to stop by the City Zoo as this is conveniently located within the park. You will find five lakes spread throughout the park, in addition to tree-lined avenues, a mock Swiss chalet, and more.

Website: www.park-maksimir.hr

6: The Tower Of Lotrscak (Lotrščak Tower)

This tower was built during the middle 13th century as a means of protecting the southern gate of the city. Climbing the tower is one of the best ways to get a gorgeous 360 degree panoramic view of Zagreb. At noon every day, you will hear a cannon being fired from this tower. This tradition has been taking place for a hundred years and commemorates a time during the middle of the 15th century when the cannon fired at noon at the Turks. Legend says that the cannon accidentally hit a rooster, blowing it up and the demoralized Turks left.

7: Mimara Museum

The Mimara Museum hosts the largest collection of historical art in Zagreb. The contents of the museum include archaeological finds, statues, and paintings which are organized both thematically and chronologically. Unfortunately, there is not much explanation in English at this museum donated by Ante Topic Mimara. In addition to the permanent exhibits that include Gothic works to oriental carpets, there are also temporary exhibits related to art or archaeology.

Website: www.mimara.hr

8: Jarun Lake

Although Jarun Lake is most popular during the summer, this southern Zagreb Lake is popular year round. A section of the lake is set apart for boating competitions, but you can still swim in a large area of it. When you enter the area, head right if you want to go windsurfing or enjoy the pebble beach at Veliko Jezero or left for pedal-boat or canoe rental or swimming at Malo Jezero.

9: Mount Medvednica

Mount Medvednica translates to Bear Mountain in English and is the perfect place to go hiking, camping, or biking or to enjoy scenic natural beauty. The highest peak in the area is Sljeme, which measures 3396 feet high. There is also the Medvedgrad Fortress in the park, which dates back to the 13th century. You can also find the Veternica cave and skiing in the winter.

Website: www.lonelyplanet.com

10: Archaeological Museum

Zagreb’s Archaeological Museum has permanent collections that range from Prehistoric to Numismatic to Egyptian to Antiquities. The Numismatic Collection alone has nearly 280,000 items and the entire museum has more than 450,000 artifacts. The museum started as the National Museum in 1846 before 1866 when it became the “State Institute of Croatia, Slavonia, and Dalmatia.” When the umbrella museum dissolved in 1939, the museum was left as the Archaeological Museum.

Website: www.amz.hr

Top 10 Dubrovnik, Croatia Tourist Attractions

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city_walls1: The City Walls

Dubrovnik is a city of rich history, and all it takes is a trip to the City Walls to see it for yourself. These barricades have been standing, intact, since the 12th century. No enemy army was ever able to penetrate them, even during the eight sieges visited upon the city since the 9th century. The walls even sustained the earthquake of 1667, to which so many other buildings and structures in the city fell prey. Over the years, Dubrovnik developed a reputation for being “unconquerable”, thanks to the fortitude of the City Walls.

Website: www.croatiatraveller.com

franciscan2: Franciscan Monastery

This monastery was built in 1317. Like so many other buildings in the city, it was largely rebuilt after the 1667 earthquake, although many original elements still remain. Marvel at the bell tower and the gorgeous stone architecture. Enjoy a turn through the vibrant courtyard. Afterward, visit the Pharmacy, which has been continuously operational since the monastery’s foundation and displays ancient tools and instruments on its shelves.

Website: www.dubrovnikcity.com

stradun3: The Stradun (Placa Street)

Don’t just stop at the City Walls; dive into Dubrovnik’s Old Town on this famed pedestrian walkway. The esplanade is approximately 984 ft (300m) in length and features many of Dubrovnik’s most historic sites. It is bookended by bell towers, 15th­century water fountains, and the eastern and western gates into the walled city. Every February, the procession for the Feast of St. Blaise traverses the Stradun. To walk down Stradun is to walk alongside centuries of history, a history that you can feel with every step.

Website: www.dubrovnikcity.com

sponza4: The Sponza Palace (Palača Sponza)

Built in the 16th century, the Sponza Palace has been, at varying points in its history, a treasury, a customs office, a bank, a mint, and a school. It was one of the buildings that endured the earthquake of 1667, which was especially good news since it was such a pivotal center of affairs of state. It is now home to the city archives, and the front square hosts the opening ceremony of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival every year.

Website: www.dubrovnikcity.com

cathedral_assumption5: Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin

The first cathedral on this site was built in the 6th century, and many other cathedrals came and went before the one that stands today. Also known as Dubrovnik Cathedral, its alternate name likely comes from the gorgeous 16th century painting of The Assumption that hangs above the altar. It stands next to the Cathedral Treasury which possesses, among a long list of relics, the arm, leg and skull of St. Blaise, as well as a fragment of the True Cross.

Website: www.sacred-destinations.com

blaise6: The Church of St. Blaise

St. Blaise is the patron saint of Dubrovnik, because, according to legend, he warned the town of a forthcoming surprise attack by the Venetian ships that had been peacefully harboring in the bay. Thanks to this advance warning, Dubrovnik was able to fortify itself. The Venetians, seeing that their efforts had been thwarted, sailed back home. Ever since, St. Blaise has been hailed as the city’s protector, and this church was built in his honor. The original church was constructed in the 14th century, but was destroyed first by a fire and then by an earthquake. Its current iteration was finished in 1714.

Website: www.dubrovnikcity.com

cable_car7: Dubrovnik Cable Car

There is nothing like a ride in a cable car, and Dubrovnik takes this experience to the next level. This cable car covers almost a half­mile (778m) in under 4 minutes, and the views afforded at the top are breathtaking. From atop Mount Srdj, all of Dubrovnik is visible below, with the cerulean blue of the Adriatic sea twinkling inthe sunlight beyond. While at the top, visit the Imperial Fortress; most recently the front line of the so­called Homeland War of 1991, it is now home to the Museum of the Croatian War of Independence.

Website: www.dubrovnikcablecar.com

lokrum8: Island of Lokrum

Once the site of a Benedictine abbey and monastery, Lokrum is now a popular tourist destination. In the time of the Benedictines, this island was used to cultivate all manner of exotic plant life, many of which still exist in the island’s famed botanical gardens. Archduke Maximilian Ferdinand of Habsburg built a mansion on the island in the 19th century, and one of his remaining legacies here are the peacocks he brought in from the Canary Islands.

Website: www.lokrum.hr/en

rector9: Rector’s Palace

Until the fall of the Dubrovnik Republic in 1808, this palace housed the Rector, whose official duties included the daily ritual of accepting the keys to the city gates in the evening and returning them in the morning. The Palace was also the seat of the Small Council, whom the Rector appointed. While the Palace had the typical halls for receptions and dances, it also had an armoury, a gunpowder warehouse, and a dungeon. The gunpowder warehouse proved to be problematic when the palace was damaged by explosions in 1435 and 1463. After the earthquake in 1667, the repairs to the Palace made it into its current architectural blend of Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque styles.

Website: www.dubrovnikcity.com

pile_gate10: Pile Gate

The wooden drawbridge to this gate used to be raised every evening, and its keys handed to the Rector in an elaborate ceremony, which was repeated every morning when the Rector returned the keys. That ceremony may have ended with the fall of the Dubrovnik Republic, but the stately gate remains. St. Blaise, the patron saint of the city, looks down upon the passersby filing into the old city. The outside gate leads to a smaller inner gate, which leads onto the Stradun and all the marvels of Old Dubrovnik.

Website: www.viator.com