Trip highlights
- 1Upper Town (Gornji Grad)
- 2Dolac Market
- 3Plitvice Lakes National Park day trip
- 4Zagreb Cathedral
- 5Café culture on Tkalčićeva Street
Daily spend
Where you're going
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In pictures
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Day-by-day plan
Arrival & Upper Town
Monday, June 7
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Arrive at Zagreb Airport (ZAG)
Zagreb Airport
A shuttle bus connects Zagreb Airport to the main bus station in about 30 minutes.
Buy the shuttle ticket on board — no need to pre-book for this short, frequent route.
☀️ Afternoon
Upper Town (Gornji Grad) and St. Mark's Church
Gornji Grad, Zagreb
Explore Zagreb's historic Upper Town, including St. Mark's Church with its colourful tiled roof depicting the Croatian and Zagreb coats of arms.
Ride the world's shortest funicular up from Lower Town — it's been running since 1890.
🌙 Evening
Dinner on Tkalčićeva Street
Tkalčićeva ulica, Zagreb
Zagreb's liveliest pedestrian street, lined with cafés and restaurants in converted 19th-century townhouses, perfect for an evening stroll and dinner.
This street follows the path of a former stream that once ran through the city.
🍽️ Meals
Airport café breakfast
Croatian · $8
Upper Town café lunch
Croatian · $13
Tkalčićeva dinner
Croatian · $28
Dolac Market & Lower Town
Tuesday, June 8
Est. spend
$95
per person
🌅 Morning
Dolac Market
Dolac 9, Zagreb
Zagreb's main open-air market, a riot of colour with farmers selling fresh produce, flowers, and cheese under red umbrellas just steps from the cathedral.
Go early in the morning when the market is at its liveliest and freshest.
☀️ Afternoon
Zagreb Cathedral and Ban Jelačić Square
Kaptol 31, Zagreb
Visit the twin-spired Zagreb Cathedral, then continue to Ban Jelačić Square, the city's central meeting point and tram hub.
The cathedral's spires were restored after a 1880 earthquake and are visible from much of the city.
🌙 Evening
Dinner in Lower Town
Donji Grad, Zagreb
A relaxed dinner of modern Croatian cuisine in one of Lower Town's elegant Austro-Hungarian-era buildings.
🍽️ Meals
Dolac Market breakfast
Croatian · $9
Lower Town lunch
Croatian · $14
Lower Town dinner
Modern Croatian · $30
Plitvice Lakes National Park Day Trip
Wednesday, June 9
Est. spend
$180
per person
🌅 Morning
Drive to Plitvice Lakes National Park
Plitvice Lakes National Park
About two hours south of Zagreb, Plitvice is a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its cascading series of 16 turquoise lakes connected by waterfalls.
Book a guided day tour or arrange a private driver to avoid navigating park bus logistics yourself.
☀️ Afternoon
Plitvice Lakes boardwalk trails and boat ride
Plitvice Lakes National Park
Walk the wooden boardwalks weaving through and over the cascading lakes, including a boat ride across the largest lake, surrounded by dense forest.
Wear good walking shoes — the boardwalks can be slippery from waterfall spray, even in summer.
🌙 Evening
Return to Zagreb
Zagreb
Drive back to Zagreb in the early evening after a full day immersed in one of Europe's most striking natural landscapes.
🍽️ Meals
Pre-departure breakfast
Croatian · $8
Plitvice visitor centre lunch
Croatian · $16
Zagreb dinner
Croatian · $30
Museums & Departure
Thursday, June 10
Est. spend
$70
per person
🌅 Morning
Museum of Broken Relationships
Ćirilometodska ul. 2, Zagreb
Zagreb's quirky, internationally famous museum displaying donated objects and stories from failed relationships — equal parts funny and poignant.
Read the captions carefully — they're often the most affecting part of each exhibit.
☀️ Afternoon
Final souvenir shopping
Ilica ulica, Zagreb
Browse Croatian lavender products, Licitar heart cookies, and local crafts before departure.
🌙 Evening
Transfer to Zagreb Airport
Zagreb Airport
The shuttle bus runs from the main bus station to the airport in about 30 minutes.
🍽️ Meals
Hotel breakfast
Croatian · $8
City centre lunch
Croatian · $13
Airport snack
International · $9
Before you go
📅 Best time to visit
May to September offers the warmest weather and the fullest access to Plitvice's trails and boat services. Autumn brings striking foliage colours to the lakes, also a great time to visit.
🛂 Visas
Croatia is part of the Schengen Area. Visitors from the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and most Western nations can stay visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across Schengen.
💱 Currency
Croatia uses the Euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted in Zagreb; carry some cash for Dolac Market stalls and Plitvice park concessions.
🆘 Emergency numbers
police: 192
ambulance: 194
💬 Things you won't find in a guidebook
- Plitvice Lakes is a full-day commitment from Zagreb — leave early to maximise time on the boardwalk trails.
- Dolac Market is most vibrant in the morning, especially on weekends when farmers from the countryside sell direct.
- Tkalčićeva Street is the social heart of Zagreb in the evening — expect a lively café and bar scene.
- The world's shortest funicular connects Lower Town to Upper Town and has operated since 1890 — a fun, quick ride.
- Zagreb's Advent Christmas market (if visiting in December) is considered one of the best in Europe.
One thing worth not skipping
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