Where should you stay in Zagreb?

Quick pick by traveler type

• First visit: the Lower Town around Ban Jelačić Square or along the Green Horseshoe of parks.

• Nightlife: Kaptol and Tkalčićeva, the café and bar street between the two hills.

• Budget: the blocks south of the square toward the main station, or apartments a few tram stops out.

• Families: the Lower Town near the parks of the Green Horseshoe, which give children space between sights.

• Transit-focused: around the main railway station at the southern end of the Horseshoe.

• Quiet and romantic: the Upper Town, among gas lamps and cobbles, once the day visitors have gone.

Lower Town around Ban Jelačić Square: the default

Donji Grad, the Lower Town, is Zagreb's 19th-century Austro-Hungarian grid: wide streets, grand facades and the U-shaped chain of parks known as the Green Horseshoe. Ban Jelačić Square is the hinge between it and the old hilltop towns. Nearly every tram line passes through or near it.

It suits first-timers, families and most short stays. From here the funicular up to Lotrščak Tower is a few minutes' walk, Dolac Market is just behind the square and the museums sit along the Horseshoe. Our Zagreb guide recommends this area for exactly that reason.

The downside: rooms facing the square or the main tram streets get traffic and tram noise. Ask for a courtyard side.

Upper Town (Gornji Grad): quiet, historic, uphill

The Upper Town is the medieval hilltop settlement of Gradec: St. Mark's Church with its tiled roof, the Lotrščak Tower whose cannon fires at noon and the Strossmayer promenade looking over the city's red roofs. At dusk the gas lamps are still lit by hand.

It suits couples and anyone who wants the old town to themselves in the evening. It is genuinely quiet at night, because much of it is government buildings, churches and museums.

The downside: there are few hotels, mostly apartments, and few restaurants up top. Every trip down and back up is a climb or a funicular ride, and arriving with luggage over cobbles is hard work.

Kaptol and Tkalčićeva: cafés and evenings

Kaptol is the other hill, crowned by the twin-spired cathedral. Between it and the Upper Town runs Tkalčićeva, once a creek between two rival settlements and now the street where Zagreb sits for hours over coffee by day and drinks at night. Dolac Market is at its foot.

It suits travelers who want to step out into the city's social life and food lovers who want the market in the morning; see what to eat in Zagreb.

The downside: noise. On summer weekends Tkalčićeva's terraces stay busy late, so pick a room on a side street or at the back.

For the same location with less noise, look at Nova Ves, the street that continues north from the top of Tkalčićeva toward the cathedral's back side. Apartments on its lower stretch are roughly a 10 minute walk downhill to Ban Jelačić Square and Dolac, and the evenings are noticeably calmer.

Around the main station: the practical base

The Glavni kolodvor, the main railway station, sits at the southern end of the Green Horseshoe, facing King Tomislav Square. Ban Jelačić Square is roughly a 10 to 15 minute walk north through the parks, or a short tram ride.

It suits people arriving and leaving by train, early departures and anyone using Zagreb as a base for day trips; see day trips from Zagreb. Rooms here are usually cheaper than right on the square.

The downside: the streets immediately around the station are more functional than pretty, and the evening walk home is longer. The main bus station, where the airport shuttle ends, is in a different place, about 2.5 km south-east of the main square, so do not confuse the two.

Booking advice: airport, seasons and nights

Airport: the airport shuttle bus runs to the main bus station roughly every 30 minutes, takes about 35 to 45 minutes and costs under €10 (≈ $11.1) one way, and a tram connects from there to the centre. If you are staying in the Upper Town, plan the final stretch with luggage.

Season: Zagreb is inland, so it is quieter than the coast in high summer. August, when we were there, is hot, and many residents head to the coast. May, June, September and October are pleasant for walking. December brings the Advent market, when central rooms fill and prices rise.

Read the address: some listings that say Zagreb are in Novi Zagreb, the residential district of tower blocks south of the Sava river, a tram ride from the centre. Check the map pin against Ban Jelačić Square before booking.

Check-in: many central places are apartments with self check-in. Ask for the exact entrance and code arrangements in advance, especially in older Lower Town buildings with courtyards.

How many nights: two days covers the two hills, the market and a museum or two; three or four allows a day trip and slower café time. Our how many days in Zagreb goes into detail. Zagreb is also the natural start of a Croatia route: ours continued to Osijek in the east before reaching the coast, and our Croatia itinerary and Osijek guide show how. Entry rules are in do I need a visa to visit Croatia.

Frequently asked questions