I just came back from my holiday in Croatia, and thought it would be great to share my trip to Zagreb with the world. Check out my guide to maximising your week in Croatia.
Day 1: Zagreb– At the airport, find the Tourist Information Center and purchase a Zagreb Card. The card provides you with 72 hours of unlimited public transportation in Zagreb, discounts at nearly all of the museums as well as many restaurants and shops, and many other concessions. Holders of the card receive a booklet with a list of the card’s possibilities. Take the shuttle from the airport to the bus station and into town to find accomodations. Zagreb offers two youth hostels as well as many mid-rage and a few posh hotels. It is also common to arrange inexpensive accomodations in family-owned pensions, or guesthouses. Walk the streets of Gornji grad, the upper town, which houses Zagreb’s art and archaeological museums.
Day 2: Museums– Explore the entirety of Croatia’s cultural heritage without leaving the city center. Start at the Arheološki muzej, the archaeological museum, for an understanding of prehistoric and ancient Croatia. Highlights include the Zagreb mummy and bandages with the world’s oldest known Etruscan inscription. Continue to Musej Mimara, with 3,700 works of pre-20th century art including Rembrandt, Goya, and Degas. Finally, follow the flow of time to the contemporary art museum, Muzej suvremene umjetnosti.
Day 3: Walking Tour and Medvedgrad– Meet at the Tourist Information Office in Ban Jelacic Square at 10am for a two hour walking tour around Gornji grad. The tour stops at most of the main sights and provides historical background information about the city and its people. After lunch at Ivica i Marica, specializing in local, natural ingredients, embark on your own tour by hiking up Medvedgrad, the small mountain overlooking the city. At the top sits the preserved fortress Medvednica, offering superb views.
Days 4 & 5: Samobor–Take the bus from the city center, approximately a 30 minute ride. Samobor is a lovely, well-preserved medieval town endowed in 1242. It’s also said to be the home of Croatia’s best kremšnite, a well known treat of puffed pastry filled with custard. Take in Baroque castles and monasteries from the 17th century, and taste the famous cake as one of the main square restaurants. If you’re looking for a top-shelf souvenir, some of Europe’s best crystal is cut in Samobor. Tourism in Samobo has traditionally focused on scenery and hiking, as the town is located in the foothills of the picturesque Žumberak Mountains separating Croatia and Slovenia. Nature loving visitors will especially enjoy Samobor, as it borders the nature park Žumberak - Samoborsko gorje.
Day 3: Walking Tour and Medvedgrad– Meet at the Tourist Information Office in Ban Jelacic Square at 10am for a two hour walking tour around Gornji grad. The tour stops at most of the main sights and provides historical background information about the city and its people. After lunch at Ivica i Marica, specializing in local, natural ingredients, embark on your own tour by hiking up Medvedgrad, the small mountain overlooking the city. At the top sits the preserved fortress Medvednica, offering superb views.
Days 4 & 5: Samobor–Take the bus from the city center, approximately a 30 minute ride. Samobor is a lovely, well-preserved medieval town endowed in 1242. It’s also said to be the home of Croatia’s best kremšnite, a well known treat of puffed pastry filled with custard. Take in Baroque castles and monasteries from the 17th century, and taste the famous cake as one of the main square restaurants. If you’re looking for a top-shelf souvenir, some of Europe’s best crystal is cut in Samobor. Tourism in Samobo has traditionally focused on scenery and hiking, as the town is located in the foothills of the picturesque Žumberak Mountains separating Croatia and Slovenia. Nature loving visitors will especially enjoy Samobor, as it borders the nature park Žumberak - Samoborsko gorje.
Days 6 & 7: Karlovac– Also within easy reach of Zagreb is Karlovac, less than an hour’s drive away at the junction of 4 rivers. Its location makes it a favorite destination for swimming, rafting and kayaking. Outfitters can plan a trip for you on fairly short notice. Explore the fortress and museums, but save time for Karlovacko, the famous brewery. Karlovac can be reached by bus or train.
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