Why Zagreb?
I found a $16 flight from Italy to Zagreb, Croatia and just booked it. That’s how I got here. Dubrovnik, Croatia was on my radar for the Game of Thrones tours and beautiful beaches, but that felt like better group trips. Since I was alone, I stayed a week in Zagreb, a quiet – true Croatian city and made day trips to Plitvice Lakes National Park and Ljubljana, Slovenia. This is one of my favorite trips, nothing overzealous, just a lot of slow exploration. I just loved hanging out with myself.
Sightseeing
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital, and it actually dates back to Roman times (27 BC), but the name Zagreb came officially in 1094 (!!!). It became a free royal city in 1242, which sounds fancy and important because it was. Over time, Zagreb grew into the country’s political and cultural hub, mixing medieval vibes with modern energy. Today, it’s the biggest city in Croatia, with ~800K people.
Zagreb Cathedral: A Gothic beauty with towering spires — hard to miss and a must-see for architecture fans.
Ban Jelačić Square: The vibrant heart of Zagreb and its main meeting spot—perfect for people-watching.
Saint Mark’s Square: Famous for its colorful tiled roof showcasing Zagreb’s and Croatia’s coats of arms—definitely one of the city’s most iconic photo ops.
Gornji Grad (Upper Town): Cobblestone streets, some rustic cafés, and old churches. This is the heart of Zagreb. Be sure to visit the Kamenita Vrata (Stone Gate)— the last remaining city gate from the 18th century. There is a chapel that survived a massive fire. Locals come here to light candles, and pray to Saint Mary. I sat here for a while too.
Dining in Zagreb
Out Zagreb – A chill rooftop spot with great vibes. I kept it simple and went for drinks only, but it’s definitely a solid place to unwind and people-watch.
Gostionica Ficlek – The most beautiful lunch I had. Raised a glass of exquisite wine to the Zagreb Cathedral just outside while enjoying some elite roast and potato dumplings.
Noel Zagreb – I treated myself to dinner at this fine dining spot. Sleek atmosphere, flawless service, and creative dishes that made solo dining feel like a luxury.
Theatrium by Filho – Gorgeous setting with beautiful ceramics and cutlery. They played 50 Cent while I ate truffle scallops in an empty restaurant. I laughed because I thought…are they playing this just for me? I hope so, I loved it.
La Struk, Zagreb – This place only serves štrukli, Zagreb’s famous comfort food. This place has 8K+ positive reviews on Google. I knew it was dough and cheese dish, but when my plate arrived it was just cottage cheese wrapped in mushy potato carbs. My exact thought: “What in the carb nation tarnation is this?” After a few bites..I caught on. I love cheesy greasy gooey macaroni, and they love this. Same concept different plate.
(Zagorski štrukli (pronounced zǎːgorski ʃtrǔkli) is a traditional Croatian dish from the Hrvatsko Zagorje and Zagreb regions. It’s dough stuffed with fillings like cheese, boiled or baked. It’s a cousin to the Slovenian štruklji – showing the two nations share cuisines.)
Plitvice Lakes National Park: Nature’s Masterclass
I caught the 6 AM FlixBus to Plitvice National Park, Croatia’s most famous national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was extremely easy to navigate – I walked to this address – Autobusni Kolodvor (Avenija Marina Drzica 4, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia) one day prior just to put eyes on it, and figure out how to get there. I bought a roundtrip bus ticket minutes from the kiosk, and the next day I arrived right as the bus arrived.
It’s a 2 hour bus ride, and super easy. Buses left on time, didn’t hit any traffic.
You’ll buy the entrance fee upon arrival, it’s $23 for adults – the fee changes based on the season. You can also book tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line.
This massive park is packed with stunning waterfalls, turquoise lakes, and so many long hiking trails. I barely spoke to anyone — just soaked in the freshest air I’ve ever breathed, walked 29K steps, and was back in Zagreb by 6 PM. Many people came with huge cameras, walking sticks with the intent to hike all day. The trip totally worth it if you’re wondering how to visit Plitvice National Park from Zagreb.
Alternatively, you can book a semi private tour and transfer from Zagreb for about $120 USD. Going by myself, I spent ~$40 USD.
Day Trip to Slovenia: Ljubljana & Lake Bled
Slovenia is only about a two-hour drive from Zagreb. To cross country borders, and just avoid any further planning, this time I did join a small group for a day trip for about $100 USD. I booked this through Get Your Guide. This included transportation to and from, a little bit of guiding in Ljubjana but not much + and a boat ride to Lake Bled’s castle.
Ljubljana, Slovenia’s charming capital, is known for its picturesque old town and riverside cafés. I started at the Nebotičnik Skyscraper, a great spot to get a bird’s-eye view of the city. From there, I could easily see Ljubljana Castle and decided to stroll over, taking my time and snacking on Slovenian pastries along the way. I was a bit rushed to meet my group, though, so honestly, I might have preferred skipping the castle and just enjoying a relaxing lunch at a cozy café like Le Petit.
Certainly, the highlight was Lake Bled, which was the next stop on our tour. You’ve definitely seen this lake before because it used to be a Microsoft screensaver. It’s a small lake, with a tiny island with a charming church and a medieval castle perched above it all.
Once on the island, you can pay about $25 USD to visit the church on the island – Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. There isn’t much else to do beyond walking around and taking in the view. I didn’t want to pay the fee on principle, so I did what felt right – walked around and minded my business.
Next, we went to Bled Castle, which is not on the lake, but in the foot hills.
The views would have been great, but it was quite foggy when I went. My favorite part was unexpectedly the paleoanthropology section, where they reconstruct what early humans in the region may have looked like. The surrounding Slovenian territory has evidence of very early human habitation. Cro-Magnon artifacts have been found in caves like Potok Cave, dating back to the Paleolithic period.
(Cro-Magnon is an old-school term for early modern humans—basically people who looked a lot like us—who lived in Europe during the Upper Paleolithic period, roughly 40,000 to 10,000 years ago)
Final Thoughts
Zagreb is a fantastic base for exploring Croatia’s natural beauty and venturing into neighboring Slovenia. Whether you’re here for the relaxed city life of Zagreb, or the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park, or the fairy-tale charm of Lake Bled and Ljubljana, this trip offers a perfect mix of culture, nature, and solo travel fun. Plus, Zagreb itself is super affordable, quaint, and surprisingly high quality—exactly what you want when you’re wandering solo.