Where to stay in Zagreb

Zagreb is the capital city of Croatia and a great place to start your Croatian trip. If you too are visiting the Croatian capital city but don’t know where to stay in Zagreb, we share here the best areas to stay in Zagreb and the best Zagreb accommodations in each of these Zagreb neighborhoods.

For many years, Zagreb hotels catered almost exclusively to business travelers, but it’s not the case any longer. And while, during the summer, Zagreb still remains a transit town that travelers visit for a day or two before heading to the coast, the number of visitors who at least spend a night in Zagreb increases every year. And so do the number and choice of Zagreb accommodation.

Whether you prefer hip and excellent hostels, boutique hotels, international hotel chains, or vacation rentals, Zagreb has you covered!

A variety of attractions, green urban areas, great restaurants, a laid-back vibe, lively bars and cafes, international flights all year round, lots of events, friendly locals, and affordable prices make Zagreb one of Croatia’s must-visit destinations.

Zagreb is a relatively small town, easily explored on foot or by tram. There are many great areas to stay in Zagreb, but Lower Town, Upper Town, Britanski Square, Kaptol, Maksimir, Tresnjevka, and Jarun are the seven best areas to stay in Zagreb.

Should You Stay in Zagreb?

You should definitely stay in Zagreb during your Croatian trip. Zagreb is a great starting point if you are visiting Croatia. It is the capital city of Croatia, its economic and business center, and with a population of just over 1.000.000, it is the largest town in Croatia. Zagreb offers more things to do than any other coastal destination in Croatia.

It also has the most international flights a year around. So, more often than not, Zagreb is an entry point for many visitors to Croatia.

Friendly locals and affordable prices are also a great plus for Zagreb tourists.

Zagreb is beautiful in spring and summer. According to the European environmental agency, Zagreb holds second place on the list of “most green cities”, just after Oslo, with 72% of its urban area covered with trees and water.

Many interesting events in Zagreb throughout the year, are also a good reason to visit the town. An event that combines art, design, spectacle, entertainment, and architecture, the Festival of Lights takes place in late Autumn or the beginning of spring. Zagreb Christmas market is one of the best in Europe, and it attracts a lot of tourists. An international street festival, C’est, is the best, which occurs at the end of May. Lots of concerts, live performances, and food festivals also take place in Zagreb during summer.

Besides great events, Zagreb also has a lot of free attractions like Dolac Market, Mirogoj Cemetery, Upper Town, and Zagreb Cathedral. An additional plus is that Zagreb can be easily explored on foot.

Restaurants in Zagreb are some of the best in the country. Zagreb also has lovely cafes and great places to have brunch. It doesn’t matter whether you stay in the city center, or one of many of Zagreb’s neighborhoods, you will find a lot of interesting places to eat.

Where to Stay in Zagreb: 7 Best Areas to Stay in Zagreb

Zagreb is among the smallest capital cities in Europe. This is great news for all of you who plan to visit Zagreb because, in a short stay, you can actually visit all attractions and still have plenty of time to spend lounging in cafes, restaurants, and parks while taking in the local vibe. This also gives you more choice when choosing the area to stay in Zagreb. Since nothing is too far away.

Lower Town, Upper Town, Britanski Square, Kaptol, Maksimir, Tresnjevka, and Jarun are the seven best areas to stay in Zagreb.

Lower Town is the best place to stay when visiting Zagreb for the first time. It is a great starting point to reach all must-visit places and has a good choice of hotels, hostels, and private accommodations.

The Upper Town is the oldest and most romantic part of Zagreb, and a great place to stay in Zagreb for couples. It is also centrally located and close to all major landmarks.

Kaptol is, along with Upper Town, the oldest area of Zagreb. It is a small neighborhood centered around Zagreb Cathedral and Dolac Market. Kaptol’s central location and historical significance make it a great place to stay in Zagreb. Kaptol, along with Lower Town, is also a great place to stay in Zagreb for nightlife.

British Square (Britanski Trg) is a cool and hip area of the Lower Town. However, its cool atmosphere, nice cafes, and lovely accommodations make it stand out from other parts of the Lower Town. It is an excellent place to stay for urban travelers.

Maksimir is a neighborhood in Zagreb located 3km east of the city center. If you prefer your accommodation to be among tree-lined, calm streets, then Maksimir is a great place to stay in Zagreb. It is also a good place to stay in Zagreb on a budget.

Tresnjevka is a working-class neighborhood southwest of the center. Not touristy at all, it is a great place to feel the local vibe.

Jarun is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of Zagreb. It is named after Lake Jarun, often called Zagreb’s Sea. Jarun is considered the most beautiful Zagreb neighborhood. Jarun is the best area to stay in Zagreb for families with children.

Lower Town

Zagreb Lower Town is a great place to stay for first-time visitors. It is actually the largest part of the town, spreading from Jelacic Square west toward Britanski Square, east to Kvaternik Square, and south to the central train station and Westin Hotel. The Upper Town and Kaptol start north of the Lower Town.

The Lower Town is the city center. Most of Zagreb’s attractions, including Zagreb Main Square, Zrinjevac Park, Ilica Street, Botanical Garden, National Theater, and different museums, are all located in the Lower Town. It is also a starting point for visiting the Upper (Old) town and Kaptol, which are only 5 minutes by foot away from Lower town.

The best areas of Lower Town to stay in include Marticeva, and Vlaska Street, Main Square, Flower Square (Cvjetni Trg), and the area between Main Square and the central train station.

Marticeva Street, a street full of quirky cafes and modernist buildings, is popular among designers, hipsters, and artists. Vlaska Street is a street full of interesting courtyards, great restaurants, and lovely bars.

Zagreb’s central square, also called Jelacic Plac or Main Square, is known for the statue of Count Jelacic on the horse, the Mandusevac fountain, and the 19th-century buildings surrounding it. It is also a starting point for roaming around the lower town.

Flower Square (Cvjetni Trg) is a lovely small square, just a few minutes walk from the main square. It is car-free, and there are small streets surrounding it. Here, you will find many cafes, bars, restaurants, the Cvjetni shopping mall, the Octogon Passage, and several Museums like the Chocolate Museum, Bicko Mini Extress, and Train Models Museum.

Many streets connect the Main Square and Central Train Station, the most prominent being Petrinjska Street, and a series of parks, including Zrinjevac, Strossmayer, and King Tomislav parks. This is also a great area to stay in Zagreb.

Last but not least, a little neighborhood around Trg Zrtava Fasizma (Square of the Victims of Fascism) is also among the best places to stay in Zagreb. Constructed in the 1920s and 1930s, the area features beautiful residential, commercial, and other buildings made by famed Croatian architects like Viktor Kovacic, Edo Sen, and Ivan Mestrovic. The Mestrovic Pavillon is a centerpiece of the square. It’s only a 10-minute walk from Main Square and just a few minutes by tram.

There are so many great cafes, bars, and restaurants in Lower Town that it’s impossible to list them all. We’ll mention just a few of our favorites, but we encourage you to research further. Check our post on 20 Best Cafes for Brunch in Zagreb, Must-try Zagreb Restaurants, Where to Have Lunch in Zagreb, and The Best Places for Beer in Zagreb.

Mali Bar, O’Brok, and Gajbica all serve yummy, fresh, and seasonal food for affordable prices. Nav and Theatrium by Filho are the places to go if you like fine dining. Famed Croatian chef Mate Jankovic runs Sol on the main square, and it serves Croatian-style tapas. Soi Fusion, Torikaya Ramen Bar, and Saralee’s Thai Street Food are all good choices for Asian fusion food in Zagreb. Cafe Bar Finjak is the cutest and most Instagrammable cafe in Zagreb. It also serves great coffee! For specialty coffee, go to Quahwa or Cogito’s U dvoristu! Swanky Monkey Garden, Dezman Bar, and Roots are famed for their cocktails. You’ll find yummy cakes at Le Kolac. Korica, Boogie Lab, and Bread Club are synonyms for great bakeries in the Lower Town. All bake amazing sourdough bread and sweet and savory pastries.

The Lower Town offers the widest choice of accommodations in Zagreb. Most hotels in Zagreb, including Westin, Sheraton, Best Western Astoria, and Hilton Canopy, are located in Lower Town, as well as various hostels and apartment rentals.

Stay here if you want to be in the heart of everything, and if you don’t have much time in Zagreb, so you need to visit the main attractions within the little time you have. Lower Town is the best place for first-time visitors to stay in Zagreb.

Upper Town

Upper Town is the oldest and the most romantic part of Zagreb, full of historical sites like St. Mark’s Church, Parliament, Lotrscak Tower, and the Stone Gate. Many museums, like the Museum of Naive Art and Broken Relationships Museum, are also located in the Upper Town. The Upper Town is the best place to stay in Zagreb for couples.

Rows of small old houses, whose beautiful facades hide interesting inner courtyards, gas lighting still lit by hand every evening, are the main features of the streets of Upper Town. Cozy cafes, nice views over the Lower Town, and small but lovely parks add to the charm of this part of the city.

Proximity to Zagreb attractions, restaurants, bars, and nightlife make the Upper Town an attractive place to stay in Zagreb. Parking is limited, and accommodation options mainly consist of apartment rentals. You can reach the Upper Town on foot, by cable car, or a bus. However, if you don’t like to walk up on slopes, other areas of Zagreb will perhaps better suit you.

The tavern Didov San, located on Mletacka Street, serves traditional Dalmatian fare. It is a good place to taste some Dalmatian classics like baby beef stew with gnocchi (pasticada), eels, frogs, or stuffed peppers. Zagreb’s oldest bar, Pod Starim Krovovima, serves inexpensive drinks in a casual atmosphere. It’s popular among locals, and it has live music in the evenings. A terrace overlooking Stone Gate, lovely interiors, and great coffee make Kavana Lav an excellent stop for a break while exploring the Upper Town. Palainovka Cafe is another of the locals’ favorite cafe bars in the Upper Town. It has a wonderful outdoor terrace under the shade of trees, comfy chairs, and a good choice of cocktails and cakes.

Kaptol

Kaptol is, along with Upper Town, the oldest area of Zagreb. It is a small neighborhood centered around Zagreb Cathedral and Dolac Market.

Kaptol’s central location and historical significance make it a great place to stay in Zagreb. Tkalciceva Street, Zagreb’s most vibrant street, divides Upper Town and Kaptol.

So, generally speaking, Kaptol is a small but vibrant neighborhood featuring Zagreb Cathedral, Dolac Market, and Tkalciceva Street. It is a great place to stay in Zagreb for the nightlife.

You will find many bars, restaurants, and cafes in this small neighborhood. Originally a stream that divided Kaptol and Upper Town, when they used to be two separate and not-too-friendly towns, today, vibrant Tkalciceva Street, lined with bars and cafes, is the lifeblood of Zagreb’s nightlife. Otto & Frank serves a yummy Zagreb breakfast with poached eggs, and it is served all day! However, for the best breakfast and brunch in town, head to Bistro Broom44. It’s right at the Dolac Market. Another great place to have breakfast, light lunch, or just some pastries and coffee is the recently opened Salo. Pod Zidom is one of the best addresses when it comes to casual bistro dining. Tolkien’s House and Harat’s Pub are among the best places for a beer in Zagreb. One of the oldest wine bars in Zagreb, Bornstein is a great place to learn about Croatian wines and to go winetasting in Zagreb.

Britanski Square

The beauty of Zagreb is in its relatively small size. There are so many cute corners, a little bit away from the main square but within 10 minutes from the city center on foot. Britanski Square, colloquially called Britanac, is one of those places.

British Square (Britanski Trg) is located west of the main square. It is a bohemian neighborhood centered around a green market with an interesting vibe, cafes, and shops. The area of a green market transforms into various fairs at the end of every week. The porcelain, glass, ceramics, and jewelry fair takes place every Thursday, the used books fair on Friday, and the antiques, art, and antiquities fair on Saturday and Sunday. For this reason, there is always a good atmosphere in Britanac Square. It is always lively, happy, loud, and buzzing with people.

Get your carbs fix at the Artisanal Bakery Bread Club. They make some of the best loaves and pastries in town using only sourdough. Enjoy your cup of joy at Eli’s Cafe! This small cafe bar has, hands down, the best coffee in Zagreb. Hidden in the inner courtyard off Ilica Street, the Ro-Do Bar is the place for late-night drinks and music. Zrno Bistro Bar serves vegan and vegetarian dishes for affordable prices using organic ingredients. Stari Kotac 2, just like the original and highly popular restaurant Stari Kotac in Precko, serves grilled meat prepared over the woodfire. Salumeria Mangia sells all things Italian, including yummy paninis, while one of the best Zagreb butcheries, The Meat, has its shop on Britanac Square since 2023.

The Museum of Illusions is a good place to visit if you are searching for indoor activities, want to have some fun, or are traveling with kids and looking for activities that will keep them entertained.

You won’t find any hotels in this part of the town. Instead, you will find a good choice of vacation rentals and hostels.

Maksimir

Maksimir is a neighborhood located in the eastern part of Zagreb. It is home to Maksimir Park, one of the most beautiful urban parks in Europe. The park is popular among locals, especially on weekends when they find refuge from the busy city life. Zagreb ZOO is located in the southern part of Maksimir Park.

This leafy Zagreb neighborhood is also home to Dinamo Zagreb stadium and several faculties, like the Faculties of Economics and Transportation.

If you visit Zagreb in spring, when the Japanese cherry trees blossom, Sulekova Street, located in the Maksimir neighborhood, becomes the prettiest street in Zagreb.

It is a great place to stay in Zagreb on a budget and if you are looking for good value for money. The neighborhood is a bit out of the center, so the accommodation prices are more affordable.

However, it is still conveniently located. You can reach the main square in 15-20 minutes by tram or 30-40 minutes by walk. And a walk from Maksimir to the city center will give you an insight into a different Zagreb. You will feel the pulse of the city outside of the main tourist areas.

If you like a thin-crust pizza, head to Duksa, one of the best pizzerias in Zagreb! Bota Sare is among the most well-known Croatian restaurants for oysters, Croatian-style sushi and sashimi, and other fresh seafood. It’s one of the best places in Zagreb for quality, affordable seafood lunches. One of the rare cat cafes in Zagreb, simply called Cat Caffe Zagreb, is in the Maksimir neighborhood. Orijent is one of Zagreb’s best and most popular old-school pastry shops. If you like ice cream and chestnut puree at Orijent, they are handmade (like all other products here) and taste amazing! Just across the street from Orijent, you’ll find Dvoriste, a popular cafe bar with a lovely inner courtyard where you can chill for hours.

Tresnjevka

Tresnjevka has always been predominantly a working-class neighborhood. However, with the new constructions and new residents moving in, this Zagreb neighborhood gentrified a lot. We love Tresnjevka for its vibe, excellent farmer’s market where fresh produce is available daily, side streets with rows of small, modest houses, and its cool neighborhood’s cafes and bistros.

Tresnjevka is located in the southwestern part of the town and within an easy walk from the main square. Tram no. 12 brings you directly to the main square, while tram no. 9 connects the neighborhood with a central train station.

The neighborhood is not touristy, and it is a great place to feel the local vibe. Technical Museum Nikola Tesla is at the beginning of the Tresnjevka district, just across from Drazen Petrovic’s Museum and Memorial Center. Drazen Petrovic has been the most popular Croatian basketball player of all time.

One of Zagreb’s most popular sourdough bakeries, Bread Club Tresnjevka, has one of its outlets in the Tresnjevka neighborhood, near the farmer’s market. A grocery store, Vrutak, stocks the best choice of Croatian and international wines, beers, and spirits. Pizzeria Karijola was the first pizzeria in Zagreb to bring to Zagreb Roman-style pizza with extremely thin dough and high-quality ingredients. It was over 15 years ago and is still considered one of the best pizzerias in town. Bekal, a new trendy restaurant in Zagreb, serves interesting and tasty dishes, from starters to desserts, all made on a woodfire. For great sushi and accompanying cocktails, visit Izakaya on Selska Cesta Street! Fidel Gastro is among the neighborhood’s best places to have a bite, cocktails, and listen to good music. Head to Gladni Vuk during lunch hours for a cheap but good meal. It’s one of the most popular cheap eats in Zagreb. Choco Cafe is a good place for an afternoon snack or brunch in Zagreb on weekends!

Dom Sportova, a multipurpose sports arena, and the Kranjceviceva soccer field are in Tresnjevka.

Here, you will find several hotels and vacation rentals suitable for all budgets and travel styles.

Jarun

Located in the southwestern part of Zagreb, Jarun is considered the most beautiful Zagreb neighborhood. The neighborhood developed around Lake Jarun in the late 1980s when Zagreb hosted The FISU World University Games. The neighborhood is also home to the University Campus Stjepan Radic, where 4.000 students live.

Jarun is 7km away from the city center, and not very touristy. It is a residential area of Zagreb with a completely local vibe and a rather common neighborhood look. Despite all that, people enjoy visiting Jarun for its relaxing vibe, outdoor activities, and facilities like sports courts, cycling and running trails, skate parks, playgrounds, rowing, canoeing, kayaking, etc., and for a variety of bars, cafes, and picnic areas. Jarun is the best area to stay in Zagreb for families with children.

Jarun also has a nice green market where you can shop for fresh produce if you are staying in one of many vacation rentals in the Jarun neighborhood.

Alegria is an excellent neighborhood bistro where you can eat great homemade food for affordable prices. Egoist in Veslacka is a great place for brunch in Zagreb. Whether you feel like having a nice coffee, freshly squeezed juice, a craft beer, a raw cake, or a full meal of healthy, thoughtful, and yummy savory dishes Health ‘n’ Joy is the place to go when staying near Jarun neighborhood. A green oasis amidst the hectic Savska Street with relaxing music, yummy cakes, and a dangerously good choice of gins and whiskeys, Hendrick’s Garden is a great chill-out place in Zagreb! Pattaya, Gallery, Aquarius, Roko, and Best are popular nightclubs at and around Jarun Lake!

The connection with the city center is not as excellent as is the case for Maksimir. However, tram 17 will take you directly to the main square. The ride lasts 25 minutes. It takes about an hour on foot to reach the center of the town.

Map of the best places to stay in Zagreb

We’ve located each of these properties on the map below, along with full contact details. We hope we helped you choose the best place to stay in Zagreb.

Further reading

If you plan to visit Zagreb, check out our Zagreb Travel Guide or go to our post covering the top things to do in Zagreb. We are huge foodies, and Zagreb has a lot to offer in that regard. We’ve put together a post on the best places in Zagreb to have a cheap lunch, and the must-try Zagreb’s restaurants.

Beer lovers can check our post on the best places for beer in Zagreb. If you are visiting Zagreb over Christmas time, find out why Tomićeva Street and Zrinjevac Park are the hot spots you shouldn’t miss.

If you have any additional questions regarding your upcoming visit to Zagreb, please feel free to email us at info(at)frankaboutcroatia.com. We are always happy to help.

Have you been to Zagreb before? Do you have any accommodation in Zagreb to recommend? Let us know in the comments below.