The Upper Town
St Mark's Church and its tiled roof, the Stone Gate, and Lotrščak Tower, where a cannon is fired every day at noon.
A short guide from people who live here
Things to do in Zagreb and Istria.
The capital's old streets and markets, the Istrian coast and its hill towns, and the day trips worth getting up early for. What we'd tell a friend who's coming to visit.
Zagreb
Zagreb in a weekend
A capital you can walk across, with cafés on every corner and a mountain at the end of the tram line.
Dolac market
The city's open-air market, just above the main square. Go in the morning, when the stalls are full.
Museum of Broken Relationships
Objects left behind when love ended, each with its story. Funnier and sadder than it sounds.
Mirogoj
The city cemetery: long arcades, domes and old trees, and one of the calmest walks in Zagreb.
Tkalčićeva
A street of cafés and bars below the Upper Town, busy from the first coffee to the last drink.
Medvednica
The mountain above the city. A cable car runs up to Sljeme, with forest paths and mountain huts at the top.
Istria
Istria: the coast, the hill towns, the food
Croatia's westernmost peninsula: Venetian harbour towns on the sea, medieval villages on the hills, and some of the country's best food and wine.
Rovinj
An old town on a small peninsula, climbing up to St Euphemia's bell tower. Best early in the morning or at sunset.
Pula and its Arena
One of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres anywhere, still used for concerts and the summer film festival.
Poreč
The Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage site, with sixth-century mosaics that still glow.
Motovun and the hill towns
Walled villages above the Mirna valley. Come in autumn for the white truffle season.
Brijuni National Park
A group of islands off Fažana, reached by boat: Roman ruins, deer, cycling paths and quiet coves.
Cape Kamenjak
A protected cape at Istria's southern tip, with rocky coves and clear water for swimming.
Day trips
Day trips from Zagreb
Lakes, castles and small towns within a few hours. Some are easy by bus; for others, a guided day trip saves you the driving.
Plitvice Lakes
A national park of terraced lakes joined by waterfalls, about two hours from Zagreb by road. Start early to beat the crowds.
Rastoke
A village of old water mills in Slunj, where the Slunjčica river falls into the Korana. A natural stop on the way to Plitvice.
Samobor
A small town west of Zagreb, a castle ruin above it and its famous custard cream cake, the kremšnita.
Varaždin and Trakošćan
A baroque town in the north, and a castle on a hill above a lake, an hour further on.
Ljubljana and Lake Bled
Slovenia's capital and its alpine lake with an island church, both within reach in a long day.
Where a guided tour makes a day easier, such as a boat to Brijuni or a day trip to Plitvice, we link to tours we'd book ourselves. Some of these links earn us a commission; the price you pay stays the same. How this works
When to come
Spring and autumn
Mild, green and quieter. The best time for walking, the national parks and the hill towns, and autumn is truffle season.
Summer
The coast at its busiest and warmest, with open-air festivals and concerts. Book boats and tours ahead.
Winter
The coast slows down, while Zagreb fills its squares with Advent markets through December.
About VANI
VANI is made in Croatia by people who live here. We write about what's worth your time in Zagreb and Istria, and we keep adding to it.
Write to us: vani.eu.kalimera@gmail.com