Travel Guide > Europe > Croatia > Zagreb
Zagreb is Croatia's capital as well as its cultural, scientific and economic heart. Its compact city centre is easy to navigate on foot or by tram if you are feeling weary. The city is divided into three parts. The medieval Gornji Grad (Upper Town) is home to the Presidential Palace, historic St Mark's church and numerous museums and galleries. 19th century Donji Grad (Lower Town) is a much more lively area, packed with cafés, theatres and parks. 20th century Novi Zagreb (New Zagreb) is full of high-rises and has little to offer tourists.
The museums in Zagreb are usually open Tue-Fri 10.00-18.00, Sat 10.00-13.00, Sun closed.
Valuable historical collections are found in the Croatian Historical Museum, the Museum of the City of Zagreb, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian School Museum, the Croatian Hunting Museum, the Croatian Sports Museum, the Croatian Post and Telecommunications Museum, the HAZU (Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences) Glyptotheque (collection of monuments), the HAZU Graphics Cabinet.
The Croatian Museum of Natural Sciences (Demetrova Street 1) holds the world's most extensive collection of the remains of Neanderthal man found on one site - the remains of the pre-historic man of Krapina and stone weapon and tools.
The Technical Museum (Savska Street 18) keeps the oldest preserved machine in this area, dating from 1830 which still operates.
Many visitors find the Mimara Museum (Roosevelt Square 5), housing the donation by Wiltrud and Ante Topic Mimara, very attractive. Of the total of 3,700 most various works of art, more than 1,500 exhibits constitute permanent holdings, dating from the pre-historic period up to the 20th century.
The HAZU Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (Zrinski Square 11) offers permanent holdings presenting European paintings from the 14th to the 19th centuries, and the Mestrovic Studio, (Mletacka Street 8) with sculptures, drawings, lithography portfolios and other items, is a donation of this great artist to his homeland.
The Museum of Contemporary Art (Catherine's Square 2) follows and presents contemporary trends in fine arts.
The Museum and Gallery Centre (Jezuitski Square 4) introduces on various occasions the Croatian and foreign cultural and artistic heritage.
The Art Pavilion (King Tomislav Square 22) is the oldest exhibition complex in the Slavic south with regularly organized exhibitions. The exhibitions are also held in the impressive Mestrovic's building on Hrvatskih Velikana Square - the Home of the Croatian Fine Artists.
The Museum of Naive Art (Cirilometodska Street 3) disposes of more than one thousand works by a hundred and odd authors of the Croatian naive art. The World Centre "Wonder of Croatian Naive Art" (Ban Jelacic Square 12) exhibits masterpieces of the Croatian naive art as well as works of new generation of artists. The Modern Gallery (Hebrangova Street 1) comprises all relevant fine artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.
There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theatres and stages. The Croatian National Theatre is the most impressive building among them; the most famous of concert halls is the Concert Hall "Vatroslav Lisinski", named after the composer of the first Croatian opera.
For more info about each museum check www.zagreb-touristinfo.hr
Zagreb hosts many domestic and international events which attract visitors from all over the world.
Film festivals are becoming increasingly popular. They show non-Holywood films rarely shown in cineplexes.
Animafest: The World Festival of Animated Film used to run every second year, but since 2005 it is annual. It is dedicated to short animated films and longer feature films. The short edition of 18th Animafest will be held in Zagreb from May 31 to June 5, 2008.
Zagreb has a moderate continental climate with warm summers and fairly cold winters. Days average above 25 degrees Celsius from June to September, while winter nights are below zero from December to February. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year, with a littl more in summer.
International
Zagreb International Airport (ZAG), also known as "Pleso", is located 14 km south of the city. Croatia Airlines, the national airline, is based there and has destinations to many major cities in Europe. Some of the low-cost airlines flying to Zagreb include Germanwings, Ryanair and Wizz Air.
Domestic
Zagreb is linked to the coastal cities of Dubrovnik, Split, Rijeka, Zadar and Pula by the national carrier Croatia Airlines.
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment & Private Room Lessi | Pavla Radica 3A, | Apartment | 91 |
| Best Western Premier Hotel Astoria | Petrinjska 71 | Hotel | - |
| Buzz Backpackers | Dordiceva 24 (Ulica Ignjata Dordica) | Hostel | 74 |
| Buzz Hostel | Babukiceva 1b | Hostel | 84 |
| Centar | Gunduliceva 43 | Guesthouse | 78 |
| Dora Hotel-Zagreb | Trnjanska 11e, Trnjanska 11e, | Hotel | - |
| Fulir Hostel Zagreb | Radiceva 3A | Hostel | 88 |
| Grahor | Prilaz Gjure Dezelica 34 | Guesthouse | 86 |
| Happy Travels | Radiceva 6 | Hostel | 90 |
| Henrik Apartments | Gunduliceva 39 | Guesthouse | 75 |
| Hobo Bear Hostel | Andrije Medulica 4 | Hostel | 93 |
| Hostel Carpe Diem | Milana Sufflaya 3 | Hostel | 79 |
| Hostel Lika | Pasmanska 17 | Hostel | 77 |
| Hostel Mali Mrak Zagreb | Dubicka 8 | Hostel | 85 |
| Hotel Fala | 2. Trnjanske ledine 18 | Hotel | 77 |
| Hotel I | Remetinecka cesta 106 Remetinecka cesta 106 | Hotel | - |
| Hotel Phoenix | Sesvetska Cesta 29 | Hotel | 70 |
| Hotel Stella | Nadinska 27 | Hotel | - |
| Maksimir Hotel | Maksimirska 57/1 | Hotel | - |
| Miral Hotel | Horvatova 35 b | Hotel | - |
| Nas Dom Hotel | Avenija Dubrava 176 | Hotel | - |
| Nocturno | Skalinska 2a | Hostel | 86 |
| Palace Hotel | J.J.Strossmayera 10 | Hotel | - |
| Paradise Hotel | Strokinec 26 | Hotel | - |
| Pekas apartments | please contact us for directions, thank you | Apartment | 93 |
| Poljak Apartment | Ljudevita Posavskog 21/4 | Apartment | 94 |
| Porin Hotel-Zagreb | Sarajevska 41, Sarajevska 41, | Hotel | - |
| Ravnice youth hostel | I Ravnice 38d | Hostel | 83 |
| Rooms Kvatric | Livadiceva 19 | Guesthouse | 60 |
| Rooms Subiceva16 | Šubićeva 16/4, 4th floor (surname: Turina) | Guesthouse | 76 |
| Samobor Rooms | Tatjane Marinic 1 | Guesthouse | 64 |
| Youth Hostel Zagreb | Petrinjska str. 77 | Hostel | 72 |
All hotels and hostels have internet access. These days, many have WiFi as well, although WiFi is still a bit on the expensive side. There are several internet cafés in the centre of Zagreb.
This is version 11. Last edited at 15:13 on May 19, 09 by Utrecht (+2368). 16 articles link to this page.

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