Song of the day

Accommodation

Up to now, both apartments we (2 persons and a dog) have rented in Zagreb have been spot-on! Each time we’ve rented for between €30-€40* which is relatively cheap for what we got. This would include private parking within the building, a super central location, spacious apartments with a private kitchen, pet-friendly at no extra cost and beautiful design which seems to be a common thread that runs through most rental properties in the Croatian capital.

*we’ve booked during the lower season in Zagreb, summertime and around Christmas should be a bit pricier.

Zagreb pet-friendliness

9/10.

Most coffee bars and restaurants in Zagreb are pet-friendly, but it’s always best to double-check with the waiter or look for a sign at the entrance.

With the exceptions of some restricted areas such as children’s playgrounds, sports fields, cemeteries, open-air markets, and school or kindergarten grounds, you are generally free to walk your pet anywhere in Zagreb as long as they are leashed and you clean after them.

When it comes to attractions, according to our research, only Zagreb 360 and the Ethnographic Museum allow pets as visitors. From experience, Lexi was also welcomed into the Museum of Broken Relationships (more about that later).

How to pay

Currency: Croatian kuna (HRK)

Card-friendliness: 6/10Bigger shops accept cards, many of the smaller ones, however, still do not. The bigger bakeries, cafes and restaurants we visited supported card payment. Interesting fact: The prices almost everywhere were written both in HRK and EUR. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean that payments in EUR are accepted but it could be useful in case you’re bad at math.

Snack of the trip

It’s a well-known unwritten rule that exploring a foreign country isn’t complete without trying local snacks. Unfortunately, we got carried away and failed this time. However, we asked our Croatian friends and the unanimous answer for the TOP Croatian snack to try was Smoki – “tasty, salty, peanut flavoured, crunchy, airy, delightful puffs”. A close second was Napolitanke – “flaky wafer cookies”. They seem very similar to the Bulgarian waffles Focus, which I may or may not be slightly addicted to so I already know I’ll be a fan.

Although we skipped the snacks, we definitely did not skip the pastries. Similarly to most Balkan countries, sweet and savoury pastries are a big part of the local cuisine and breakfast culture. They are also easy to find as there is a bakery at every second corner and usually close to bus stops.

Be mindful of the queues in the morning, people tend to grab a quick breakfast on their way to work. I had to stay under the pouring rain for about 15 minutes at 7 am to queue for the croissants you see in the picture on the left. Worth it! So make sure to bring an umbrella. 🙈

Food recommendations

The restaurant we stumbled upon was Vallis Aurea which happened to have 4.5/5 stars on Google. Although the waitress was very polite and Lexi got a bowl of water, we weren’t too impressed with the food.

However, as a Balkan child, I’m convinced that the food wasn’t as tasty as we hoped mostly because of the chef, not the cuisine itself. What you see in the picture is what we ordered from their lunch menu on the right (#4 and #6). Niko had the breaded porkchop which was close to the tradition for Croatia Zagrebački Šnicl. Traditional Croatian cuisine also includes very typical Balkan dishes such as sarma (stuffed cabbage), different types of red meat and fish stews, filane paprike (stuffed peppers), the very controversial tripe soup and more.

So what I will leave you with, as a Bulgarian, is to try all but be careful where you try it. Traditional cuisine is best cooked and served by ordinary people, not master chefs (personal opinion) and if you have only 24 hours in Zagreb, be smarter than us and do your research in advance.

Heard a boom?

“If you’re in central Zagreb and hear a loud boom echoing through the city, check your watch, and if it’s midday you have nothing to worry about – it’s only the Grič Cannon. Located in Zagreb’s historic Upper Town, a few steps from the upper funicular station, stands the distinctively white Lotrščak Tower. Peaking out of a window to the south, on its fourth floor, is the cannon which has been fired regularly at noon for nearly 150 years.”, explains Nikolas Pfanner from Timeout.

If you’re spending 24 hours in Zagreb, the chances are, you’ll hear the famous Zagreb boom at noon which is could be quite scary. Especially if you have no idea what’s going on and you happen to be having lunch right next to the funicular, which by the way is only a 66-metre track making it one of the shortest public-transport funiculars in the world. If you thought fireworks are bad for your dog, Lexi was shaking uncontrollably from the shock for solid 15 minutes afterwards the boom at noon. But it’s a 150-year-old tradition, can’t fight with that.

Otherwise, it’s a cool sight to witness in person. Protecting and nourishing traditions is what keeps a nation alive, right? Plus, there’s some charm in your echoing ears after. 😅

What to do?

explore the old town

The historic centre of Zagreb, known as Upper Town, is a great place to wander around and take in the architecture, museums, and churches. Don’t miss the colourful tiled roof of St. Mark’s Church, the beautiful frescoes inside the Church of St. Catherine, and the Museum of Broken Relationships*, which features objects donated by people from all over the world to symbolize the end of their romantic (and not only) relationships.

*we’ll share our experience later on

visit the local markets

Dolac Market is the most famous market in Zagreb and a great place to browse for fresh produce, meat, cheese, and other local products. You can also visit the flea market at Hrelic to find unique souvenirs and vintage items.

take a stroll in one of Zagreb’s parks

Maksimir Park is a great spot for a picnic or a leisurely walk around the lakes, while the Botanical Garden is a lovely place to explore the different plant species from around the world.

grab a coffee with Croatian inventors and geniuses

Yeah, you read right. This is one of my favourite attractions I’ve seen around the world so far.

13 interactive sculptures of Croatian inventors and geniuses can be found on terraces and cafes throughout the centre of Zagreb. The initiative is called Sit&Meet as anyone could sit, have a coffee and learn more about the lives of these significant Croatian citizens.

The sculptures include:

1. Nikola Tesla (inventor)
2. Marko Polo (explorer)
3. Faust Vrančić (Polymath and inventor)
4. Slavoljub Penkala (engineer and inventor)
5. Nikola Šubić Zrinski (nobleman and general)
6. Ivan Meštrović (sculptor, architect, and writer)
7. Ruđer Bošković (physicist, astronomer and mathematician)
8. Dražen Petrović (basketball player)
9. Marin Getaldić (scientist)
10. Milka Trnina (soprano)
11. Ivan Vučetić (anthropologist and inventor)
12. Andrija Mohorovičić (geophysicist)
13. Josip Belušić (inventor)

visit a museum

Zagreb has several interesting museums, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Croatian Museum of Naive Art, and the Museum of Illusions.

attend a festival or event

Zagreb hosts several festivals throughout the year, including the Advent in Zagreb festival in December, the INmusic Festival in June, and the Zagreb Film Festival in November.

take a day trip

If you have more than 24 hours in Zagreb, consider taking a day trip to nearby attractions like Plitvice Lakes National Park (this has been on my list for so long and somehow I still haven’t been there) or the medieval town of Samobor

Museum of Broken Relationships

⬆️ Entrance gift show and museum entrance on the rightcool hipster coffee shop/cafe on the left

Museum’s Book ⬇️

The Museum of Broken Relationships is a unique (pet-friendly) and intriguing museum located in the Upper town of Zagreb*. It is dedicated to showcasing mementoes and artefacts from failed relationships, donated by individuals from all over the world. Each item on display is accompanied by a personal story or message, allowing visitors to connect with the emotions and experiences of others.

*there is one more museum in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Sounds fun, right? Not necessarily. Yes, there are those hilarious breakup stories but the museum explores other sorts of relationships too such as mother-son, brother-sister, grandma-grandaughter, etc. The museum offers a thought-provoking and cathartic experience, as visitors are encouraged to reflect on their own past relationships and the memories that linger.

the single item that absolutely broke me ⬇️

As a lovely addition, they have an incredibly cool gift shop. We couldn’t resist The Museum of Broken Relationships book and took one home, however, you’ll find other creative, hilarious and unique souvenirs you can buy as a gift either for friends, family or yourself.

Overall, if you have only 24 hours in Zagreb, the Museum of Broken Relationships is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring the complexities of human connection and heartbreak.

How to pay for the toll roads?

In Croatia, thankfully, there are no vignettes as in Slovenia and if you want to know why thankfully, make sure to read about our Slovenian experience and what happened before crossing the Croatian border in my previous road trip article.

There are two systems to collect tolls on the Croatian motorways: open and closed.

The open system is where entry and exit points are the toll booths at bridges, tunnels and shorter sections of the motorway and a standard tariff is paid that is determined by your vehicle category. Prices can be seen here.

The closed system is the motorways with several entrances and exits. A ticket is issued on entry, and the toll is paid at the motorway exit. In this case, the toll is calculated based on distance travelled and vehicle category.

In both cases, you can pay both cash or with a credit card at the toll station. The system is pretty straightforward, you can’t miss it, and you can’t be fined precisely because you cannot miss it. You can also use the interactive map Croatia has to calculate your tolls in advance.

Parking

We were lucky enough to be able to keep our car in the parking spaces within our accommodation buildings which happen to be in the actual centre. However, I’ve done a quick research about the parking situation in Zagreb and everything you need to know can be found at ZagrebParking. There you can check all parking zones, the respective charge per hour and how long you could keep your car parked there. You can check different types of payment methods along with detailed steps on how to use each one of them.

The least stressful option for me has always been the usage of the local parking application – it lowers the possibility of paying for the wrong zone, easy payment, stress-free extension of the parking time (if the zone allows it), notifications if your time runs out or a warning if you can no longer stay, and often, discounted prices. Therefore, the ZgPark application (iOS | Google) would be my parking weapon of choice. In addition, the website offers detailed information not only about public parking lots but about public garages as well as what to do in case your car gets relocated (I really hope you’ll never need to read that part).