Cuisine and restaurants in Zagreb
In Zagreb, as in the whole Croatian Zagorje, hearty meat cuisine prevails. The influence of former and present neighbors is easily guessed in it. Austrian schnitzel, thick sauces based on Hungarian paprika, spicy Slovenian kulen sausage. The Turkish trace is in all kinds of kebabs and meatballs, and the old connection with Vienna is felt in desserts, pastries and cakes.
Zagreb is the capital of a maritime country. Fish, octopuses, squids, edible shellfish come to restaurants directly from the Adriatic Sea.
On the go, you can have a bite to eat “burek” – a pie stuffed with meat, cheese or potatoes (10-20 HRK). This most common Croatian fast food is sold everywhere. In cafes that are open from early morning until late at night, you can drink a cup of coffee and enjoy donuts “riganise” with jam or sweet pancakes “palacinke” with various fillings.
Croats drink beer in Pivnica, either their own or well-known world brands. Konoba mainly serves wine. These family-run, tavern-like establishments are mid-priced, with a good meal here costing around HRK 200. It is in them that you should order authentic dishes – Zagreb steak with cheese and ham or “hollow” – meat stewed in wine with spices. The restaurants offer not only local but also international cuisine.
A feature of Zagreb is the numerous fountains with drinking water. You can use them to fill a bottle with water or just wash your face in the heat.
Entertainment and attractions
The Croatian capital has many parks, museums, galleries, monasteries and cathedrals. The symbol of the city is the Cathedral of St. Stepan, next to which stands a memorial pillar crowned with a gilded figure of the Holy Virgin Mary. Since the 13th century, the highest hierarchs of the church and the Croatian nobility were buried in it. Next to the temple is the Baroque Archbishop’s Palace, which was rebuilt over 13-19 centuries. The local Franciscan monastery with the church of St. Francis has existed since the time of Francis of Assisi (13th century).
The center of Hradec is the Gothic church of St. Mark (Trg Sv. Marka 5, 10000), near which the buildings of the Croatian National Assembly (1908) and the presidential palace Banski Dvori are located. In addition, in this part of the city you can visit the Croatian Historical Museum (off. site in English), the Museum of Naive Art (Ul. Sv. Cirila I Metoda, 3, Gornji grad 10000), the Historical Museum (Ul. Antuna Gustava Matosa 9, 10000).
The lower town was built in accordance with the town planning plans of 1865 and 1889. Its quarters, squares, parks and mansions are made mainly in the style of eclecticism, neoclassicism and secession. Here are the Archaeological Museum (off. site in English), the Strosmeier Gallery (Trg Nikole Subica Zrinskog 11, 10000), the Academy of Fine Arts (off. site in English).
On the square of King Tomislav there is an equestrian monument to the first Croatian king. On Marshal Tito’s Square is the neo-baroque building of the Croatian National Theatre. The square in front of the theater is decorated with the “Fountain of Life” by Ivan Meštrovic. And next to the National Theater is the Mimar Museum, which houses paintings by famous artists.
In the eastern part of Zagreb, there is the largest garden and park ensemble in Croatia ” Maksimir ” (Maksimirski perivoj, 10000) – an English-style park, laid out in the 18-19 centuries. In 1925 a zoo was opened here. Another example of English-style landscape gardening is the Mirogoj Cemetery (1876, Aleja Hermanna Bollea 27, 10000), which is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. The sights of the cemetery are its entrance gates and arcades along the western wall, where the rich and famous residents of the Croatian capital found eternal rest.
Recently, the capital of Croatia has enriched its tourist offer with another project “Zagreb inside”, which includes two new city tours called “Zagreb’s Women’s Side” and “Do you speak Croatian?”
Weather
The climate of Zagreb is temperate continental. Winter is relatively snowy and cold, especially in January and February. Spring is the most comfortable time to explore the city. However, in May the temperature can exceed 30 °C. June is the summer record holder for the number of rains. The hottest months are July and August. The beginning of autumn is warm and rainy, but at the end of October, night temperatures can drop below zero. See citypopulationreview for weather information.
