Zagreb is a city with a long and rich history which is still kept alive in its numerous museums and legends, as well as in its colourful tradition which is part of the everyday life of its inhabitants. Zagreb nourishes its rich culture and abounds in events: film, theatre and street festivals such as the World Theatre Festival, the Contemporary Dance Festival, the documentary, animated or activist film festivals, as well as sports events and classical and pop music concerts.

If this makes you want to discover Zagreb’s attractions, you can turn to the concierge service of the Zagreb Palace Hotel, whose friendly staff will be happy to buy the tickets for a concert or a theatre play, or organise a visit to a museum, a tour of one of Zagreb’s landmarks, or a trip to one of the near-by castles.

Landmarks - Sightseeing in Zagreb

Zrinjevac park - The Zagreb Palace Hotel faces Zrinjevac, one of the oldest parks in Zagreb. The time seems to have stopped at Zrinjevac: if you take a walk from the old music pavilion, erected in 1891, down the path under the canopy of ancient plane-trees, you will reach the even older weather post. The pavilion is the venue for promenade dances and concerts – only a fraction of the rich Zagreb concert offer – and the place for the inhabitants of Zagreb to revive the spirit of past times. The park is surrounded by numerous institutions, such as the Archaeological Museum and the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, as well as the Supreme and County Court and the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

Ban Jelačić square - The walk along Zrinjevac will lead you from the Palace Hotel to the Ban Jelačić Square, the main city square. What used to be a space below the old city walls is today the centre of Zagreb with the statue of Ban Josip Jelačić and surrounded by coffee shops and stores. The Manduševac fountain was build where a forgotten spring used to be. Legend has it that the origin of the name of Zagreb lies in this landmark– the spring is where the beautiful Manduša scooped water and gave it to the soldiers. You can also find a quiet spot on this busy square: the clock, where you will often witness a meeting between close friends or lovers, which gives a special charm to this Zagreb square.

Dolac market - Just behind the Ban Jelačić Square, where the old ruined walls used to stand, stands Dolac, the largest and most famous Zagreb farmer’s market, popular among the inhabitants of Zagreb and an important part of Zagreb’s tourist offer. There you can also find a statue of the peasant woman, representing the women from Zagreb’s surroundings who traditionally sell quality and fresh home-made products at the market. Dolac is one of the must-see Zagreb attractions. Apart from home-made groceries, grown and produced the old way, Dolac also offers traditional craftsmen’s products and souvenirs

Flower Square - Not far from the Palace Hotel, in the very heart of the downtown (Donji grad), is the Petar Preradović Square, known as the Flower Square (Cvjetni trg). This pedestrian square, the favourite meeting place famous for its flower stands, is frequently the venue of various Zagreb events: concerts, promotional activities, political rallies, even demonstrations, which gather many of the city’s inhabitants at this square teeming with life, especially during the Zagreb Advent Fair. You can also see the statue of the poet Petar Preradović and the Orthodox church, built in 1866.

Zagreb Cathedral - Only a five-minute walk from the Palace Hotel is the Zagreb Cathedral, the largest Croatian sacral building and on of the most important Zagreb landmarks. Erected in the 13th century where an old church used to stand, in the Romanesque and Gothic styles, the Cathedral was heavily damaged by enemy attacks and, most of all, in the large earthquake in the late 19th century. After the earthquake, the Cathedral was thoroughly renovated in its current form, with two slender neo-Gothic towers. Hundreds of believers visit the grave of the blessed Alojzije Stepinac, and some of the most beautiful Zagreb concerts are also held in the Cathedral.

Botanical Garden - The Zagreb Palace Hotel is located in the immediate vicinity of yet another park: the botanical garden, a protected monument of culture and one of the favourite Zagreb’s parks. This small park, first founded in 1889 for the needs of the University, is only a ten-minute walk from the Palace Hotel. Apart from being a place where the visitors can find pleasant shade and a quiet place to relax in the centre of Zagreb, you can also see and smell plant species native to various parts of Croatia.