If you’ve ever thought about visiting Zagreb, Croatia, I wholeheartedly suggest you do so. I spent five days in the capital city of Croatia, and it was one of the top three cities I’ve ever been to.

With beautiful girls, great nightlife, and various attractions, Zagreb is a must-see destination.

Here are some tips and ideas if you visit.

Some of the information in this article you can find online, but mainly these are my personal tips from being there.

The Gem of the Balkans: Zagreb Croatia

Where is Zagreb in Europe?

Zagreb is the Capital city of the country of Croatia. Croatia is one of the six or seven countries that made up the former Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia broke up in 1991.

For orientation purposes, Croatia is across the sea from Italy, and north of Greece. Zagreb has about 1.2 million people.

If Americans think about Croatia at all, we usually think about the picturesque coast on the Adriatic sea.

The two cities of Split and Dubrovnik on Croatia’s western coast are two of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Are Croatians Nice to Tourists?

Yes, Croatian people are some of the nicest people in the world.

I don’t know why they are so nice, but one reason I can think of is that in Zagreb, they don’t get a lot of tourists. I got the impression that they wanted to show their best side because Croatians don’t meet a lot of Americans.

Ironically, in my experience, there is an inverse relationship between how many tourists a place gets and how nice the locals are.

Zagreb is about 4 hours by train inland from the beautiful coast. So it doesn’t get overrun by tourists.

Croatian Girls

Based on books, forums, and the internet, I didn’t have any real expectations about social life, good or bad, in Zagreb, Croatia.

While I knew there were good-looking girls in Croatia, I didn’t know what to expect.

Croatian Girl Features

Most single guys will like Croatian girls.

Croatian girls are tall, in shape, with long hair. While most of the girls are brunettes, there are some good-looking blondes.

Additionally, Croatian girls put effort into their appearance and they carry themselves with a certain elegance and self-confidence.

The only other place I’ve seen women with such grace and femininity is Moscow, Russia.

Bottom line: Croatian girls are good-looking.

Croatian Girls’ Attitude

Although Croatian girls don’t have a worldwide reputation as being the hottest girls in the world, don’t tell them that – they have healthy self-confidence.

Croatian girls are nice and outgoing and similar to American girls. Croatian girls will give you the first 5 minutes, but if you bore them, you’ll lose them – just like American or western girls.

This is the opposite of Russian and Swedish girls. Those girls, give you noting the first minute (the “icy first minute”) then, if they like you, they’ll warm up and turn into the nicest girls in the world.

If you want to date Croatian girls, go here: InternationalCupid.com

Do Croatians Speak English?

Yes. I’d say about 75% of Croatians in Zagreb speak perfect English.

I met a few girls who did not speak much English at all, but they were the exception.

Croatians learn English in school, but as I said in my How Does the Language Barrier Affect Tourism article, that doesn’t mean anything.

Before I went to Sweden in 2017, I was told Swedes were fluent in English, but when I got there, I was shocked by how few people knew English.

Where To Stay in Zagreb

The main square of Zagreb is called Ban Jelačić Square. There is a street called Ilica Street that runs horizontally, east/west next to the square.

If you can, stay somewhere near this square. All of the major sights, restaurants, and bars will be within walking distance. This area is very walkable.

Where is Downtown Zagreb?

Everyone calls Ban Jelačić Square “downtown.” If you’re from the U.S., this may be a little confusing because, in Zagreb, there is a part of town with tall buildings that looks like a “downtown.” but that’s not what they are talking about.

Tip: If you come into Zagreb by train from say, Hungary, (I left Zagreb by train to Hungary) or Slovenia, the train station is about 2 or 3 miles from the square. It took me 20 minutes to walk to the train station.

Tip: There are many affordable Airbnbs in the center of Zagreb. I stayed in an apartment right off the square and it was perfect. You should be able to get an apartment in the center for about 75 USD.

While I did not travel outside the main city center to the surrounding suburbs, Zagreb felt bigger than its relatively small size.

What to See in Zagreb

In my opinion, there are at least seven (7) sights that you must see when you visit Zagreb.

Ban Jelačić Statue

This area is the heartbeat of Zagreb. This statue is located in the middle of Ban Jelačić Square. The statue is dedicated to Count Jelacic Josip. He is most known for leading Croatians in a revolt against Hungary in 1848.

St. Mark’s Church and Parliament Building

St. Mark’s Church is in what’s called old town Zagreb. The church is about a 20-minute walk from the center square.

Note: I know of two ways to get up there. You can take the tram (called a funicular) up the hill to the old town and Church. Or, you can walk up the stairs right next to the tram.

Cathedral of Zagreb

About a 5-minute walk from the main square, there is a beautiful Cathedral called the Cathedral of Zagreb.

The Cathedral of Zagreb is a grand neo-Gothic church located in the heart of Zagreb, Croatia. It was built in the late 19th century and features twin spires, beautiful stained-glass windows, and intricate carvings. It is the tallest building in Croatia and a popular landmark in the city.

Note: If you want to go inside, you can not wear shorts.

Dolac Farmers Market

Before going to Zagreb, my research kept turning up this huge farmers’ market. Yes, it’s impressive and massive, and right there off the main square. But since I’m not a “foodie,” I couldn’t appreciate the thousands of fresh fruits and vegetables being sold there.

But if you like to cook, you’ll love this place.

360 Zagreb

360 Zagreb is a lounge on the 16th Floor of a skyscraper right there on Ilica Street on Ban Jelačić square.

You will see the best views of Zagreb from this lounge 600 feet in the air. You’ll see that Zagreb is big as hell and you can also see over into the nearby country of Slovenia.

By the way, 600 feet is the height of the Space Needle in Seattle, Washington. There is no charge, and you can go in very casually dressed or dressed up at night.

Zagreb View and Love Locks

I saw this view online before I went to Zagreb; however, I didn’t know where it was, Moreover, I wasn’t looking for it when I got there. I stumbled on it after visiting St. Mark’s Church, the Parliament Building, and the Museum of Broken Relationships.

You’ll see this lookout spot as you walk away from the old town – you can’t miss it. While the coffee bar 360 Zagreb is much higher and gives you a better view, this spot gives you the best view of the Zagreb Cathedral.

You also get the benefit of seeing hundreds, if not thousands of love locks at this spot.

Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb

The Museum of Broken Relationships is one of the most popular attractions in Zagreb, Croatia. The museum was interesting. Basically, you walk around reading people’s notes about their breakups and sad stories.

It is right next to St. Mark’s Church and the Parliament building, so you might as well stop in.

It cost $6 USD (2019). I spent about an hour there reading the notes I found interesting. You could probably spend 4 hours in there if you read each sad story.

Fun Fact: I think there are other ‘Museums of Broken Relationships” in the world, but the one in Zagreb is probably the only one 30 yards away from a fence full of love locks.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go to any other Museums, but there are many in Zagreb that I’ll check out when I return.

Nightlife

I was only in Zagreb for a week so I obviously couldn’t go everywhere. But I did go to a few places.

Time Restaurant & Bar

Time Restaurant & Bar is the best place to go in Zagreb.

Half a bar and half sushi restaurant, this cozy spot is the perfect place to dress up a bit and enjoy some sushi.

With a nice atmosphere and a crowd of celebrities and sports stars, this is the place to be if you want to meet some beautiful Croatian girls.

When I was there, my girlfriends and I met a guy named Ivan Pazanin. Apparently he is a Masterchef with a popular TV show in Zagreb. Very cool humble guy.

The whole place was not very big. Looking into the restaurant from the bar it was a nice bar where people dressed up a bit. Nice shoes and sports coats were the norms.

I got there at about 11:00 pm which was a bit early.

Tip: If you‘re in a bar anywhere in the world, the early crowd is always 75% girls.

Johann Franck Bistro, Coffeehouse

Club Johann Franck is located on the town square, just 20 yards away from the Ban Jelacic statue. This bar offers something different during the day, evening, and night. Basically, it’s a big bar and lounge with a patio. During the day, it is a great spot to grab some coffee and relax. In the evening, there is a restaurant on the third floor. At night, the whole place turns into a crowded club.

The club is a young crowd, and it gets packed. It is amazing how different the place is from day to night.

La Bodega Zagreb

The third-best bar in Zagreb is called La Bodega. This place was small but there were very good-looking girls in there. Lots of couples on dates, with a few tables of 4 or 5 girls.

No real mingling, just people sitting around talking to each other. But if you want to see what Croatian girls look like, they were here.

Bottom line: Croatian nightlife is not super busy (at least in October), but you will have fun.

Summary

I’ve traveled to about 15 countries and approximately 45 cities. Zagreb Croatia is one of my favorites. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I know I’ll go back.