Croatia: Postcard from Zagreb

Greetings! After our adventures along the delightful Dalmatian Coast, and our multiple day trips to see the stunning Plitvice Lakes and Istria Peninsula, my sister and I continued to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia.

Today I'm sharing some photos that I took during our walks to explore Zagreb. We happened to be there on Friday and Saturday when the locals were out in full force to enjoy the sunny and warm weather.

We began our first walk at Kaptol Square in Zagreb's Upper Town, dominated by the huge Zagreb Cathedral, with its soaring twin spires, its cobblestone streets, and red tile roofed buildings.

Zagreb Cathedral and surrounding buildings

From the Cathedral, we walked to the large Market with red umbrellas and many stands offering flowers, fruits, veggies, meats, as well as puppet toys, souvenirs, and household items. The streets near the market were packed with restaurants, trendy cafes, and a vibrant shopping scene.

Zagreb Market

From the market, we walked to St. Mark's Church with its brightly coloured roof, Stone Gate (the stone gate into town with a Virgin Mary shrine popular for prayer and candle lighting), Strossmartre Gate, and Lotrscak Tower. This is a large tower with daily cannon blasts and an observation area providing panoramic city views and the view of the funicular.

St. Mark's Church, Stone Gate, Lotrscak Tower

Views of Zagreb and the Funicular

We continued to explore the winding streets of the Old Town and reached Ban Jelacic, the city's main square, accessible only by foot and by tram. It’s a popular meeting spot thanks to the giant statue of Josip Jelačić on his horse that acts as a convenient landmark.

Ban Jelacic, Zagreb's Main Square

For our second walk, we started from the main square, and walked south towards Zagreb Central Train Station and the Botanical Garden in Zagreb's Lower Town. The parks, gardens, and fountains along this stretch are beautiful. On the weekend when we were there, the locals were out to enjoy the green space, outdoor art exhibits, blossoming trees, and sunshine.

Park and Central Station in Zagreb

The main streets in Zagreb's Lower Town form a U-shaped or horseshoe-shaped area with many beautiful and big buildings. It would be time well-spent to explore the history and the architecture here.

Buildings in Zagreb

Building in Zagreb

Zagreb is a charming and pedestrian-friendly city. We enjoyed our walks both in the Upper Town and Lower Town. The weekend was beautiful so even though there was an extensive tram network in Zagreb, we decided to walk and did not use the trams.

This city was our last stop in Croatia, before flying home from Zagreb International Airport. Our time in Croatia was amazing. I hope you've enjoyed visiting (or revisiting) Croatia through my lens.

I'd love to hear your comments.