Zagreb’s city center is divided into two main sections Gornji grad (Upper Town or Old Town) and Donji grad (Lower Town). The upper town includes the historical walled city and the adjacent area to the east of the wall. Overall it’s easy to get around and everything is close by. We had plenty of time to see it all in one day.
Exploring the historical walled city in the Gornji grad area
A leisurely walk through Zagreb’s Old Town is a must, as this is where most the historical attractions are. Due to the location of our hotel, we started our walk at the foot of the stairs beside the world’s shortest funicular, which has been connecting the Lower Town to the Upper Town since 1890. When we visited it wasn’t running but it was only a short hike up the adjacent staircase anyway!
At the top of the stairs we found the Lotrščak Tower and opted to come back later to climb it. Gornji grad is so small that it really wasn’t a problem. Instead we continued on to the 16th century Church of St Catherine. Amazing city-views can be seen from the church’s back terrace. Since the doors were locked, we didn’t have a chance to visit the inside but we got a glimpse through the window. The interior looked quite lavish, as is typical with the Baroque style.
Continuing on through the narrow cobblestone streets we made our way to St Mark’s Square with the iconic St Mark’s Church at its center. The distinctive tiled roof is unique and the design represents the coat of arms of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia and the one to the left the City of Zagreb.
Other sights of interest within the city walls include the Parliament (although it’s closed to the public), multiple museums, galleries and specialty stores.
We exited the walled city by the medieval Stone Gate housing a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. As the story goes: “In 1731 a painting of the Virgin Mary miraculously survived a great fire.” People still come to worship here and light candles. By chance, we were in town for May 31st, which is when the day of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated, and we saw a lot of worshipers at the site.
Visiting Zagreb’s Cathedral
Outside the city walls but still within the Old Town, there’s the magnificent Zagreb Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which dates back to the 12th century. Although it has been restored many times over the centuries it remains one of the city’s most important sights. It was remodeled in a Neo-Gothic style during the 19th century and the two 108 m (354 ft) tall spires are unmistakable!
Next to the cathedral there is the Archbishop Palace, although it’s closed to the public, it’s still nice to see from the outside and worth a visit. The Dolac Market was nearby and had fresh produce, sweets and other traditional foods on display 
as well as artisanal pieces, clothes and souvenirs. We bought some lavender, a specialty crop in Croatia, and the perfect souvenir! Of course, we had to sample some of the mouth-watering Croatian cookies found all over the market!
Climbing the Lotrščak Tower
This historic 13thcentury tower is one of Zagreb’s best-preserved fortifications. It houses a cannon that is fired everyday at noon, so you can time your visit accordingly. For us climbing the spiral staircase was the main purpose of our visit, as we like to get a bird’s-eye view where possible. We weren’t disappointed! Splendid panoramic vistas could be had in every direction. We could see the cathedral rising above all other structures, St Mark’s Church sitting in the heart of the Old Town, the Croatian National Theatre located in the Lower Town, and even our hotel in the distance!
Walking around the Donji grad area
The Lower Town might be a bit more modern than Gornji grad but it still has the elegance of another era with lovely and well-manicured parks and gardens. It’s the perfect place for a stroll or to relax and people-watch. The stylish architecture only adds to the experience.
We started our U-shaped itinerary from the Park Zrinjevac where we saw beautiful fountains. Also, open-air concerts take place in the Music Pavilion. Across the street we saw the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts, which is the gallery of the old masters, and the Park Josipa Jurja Strossmayera with a large fountain at its center. We were told that in the wintertime this park turns into a huge ice skating ring.
From here, we continued toward the rail station and turned right past the botanical garden and then headed back towards the Old Town to get a closer look at the Croatian National Theatre. It’s in a class by itself and it is the place to go to see an opera or a ballet. Unfortunately we didn’t have tickets, but something to consider when planning your visit.
Going to the Torture Museum
This museum is well set up with digital tablets that give information about the various items on display that are triggered by scanning QR codes at each exhibit. The museum contains quite a collection of diabolical torture devices from another era. It’s even possible to ‘experience’ some of them.
The museum also talks about the torture that’s still going on today and plays a chilling video (as I’m writing this, the hair on the back of my neck stands on edge) on the topic. It really makes us think! This museum nailed it, and shows us how cruel humans can really be, leaving me to ponder why when we refer to a more gentle way we call it the ‘humane way’! No other living creature takes pleasure in torturing or tormenting it’s own kind. The pain inflicted and damage caused can be much worse than the pain that any other animal would inflict. Animals only kill for survival and do not take pleasure in it. When they challenge each other for dominance, as soon as the opponent yields, the battle stops. Perhaps humans should take a lesson from the animal kingdom and stop the senseless killing and torture that still goes on in our day and age!
If this museum is too intense for you, there are plenty to choose from. To name only a few: The Croatian Museum of Naïve Art, the Mestrovic Gallery, the Museum of Croatian History, the Museum of Illusions, the Museum of Broken Relationships… If you are a museum lover, you would probably need another day or two to explore Zagreb to your delight. We were more anxious to move on to see waterfalls and lakes in Plitvice Lakes National Park so we had to make do with a single day.
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