The Lower Town of Zagreb is a real city of museums. Four of them are located in parks between the railway station and the Jelaćić Trge. In the Yellow Pavilion (z 1897 r.), opposite the park, at the train station, temporary exhibitions of contemporary art are held. In the second building, also in the park, it houses the Strossmajer Gallery (closed. pn.), belonging to the Croatian Academy of Science and Art. There are paintings of the old masters here, including works by Polish artists: Matejko and Siemiradzki. If the gallery is closed, you can enter the courtyard inside and view the stone slab from Baśka (coming from 1102 r.) on the island of Krk, containing one of the oldest inscriptions in the Croatian language.
Contemporary Art Gallery (closed. pn.) by Andrija Hebrang 1, has a rich collection of paintings. In the nearby Archaeological Museum (closed. sb.), at Nikola Zrinjski Square 19, you can admire collections of items from the prehistoric times to the Middle Ages; among the exhibits are Egyptian mummies. There is a garden of Roman sculptures at the rear of the museum.
West of downtown, at Rooseveltov trg 5, there is the Mimara Museum (codz. 10.00-20.00, pn. 14.00-20.00; 2 $, pn. Free entrance), one of the most interesting art museums in Europe, occupying a neo-renaissance former school building with 1883 r. This diverse collection reflects Ante Topicia Mimara's love of art, a private collector, who has donated over 3750 invaluable works to his native Zagreb, although he spent most of his life in Austria, in Salzburg. The collections of Spanish painting are the most interesting, Italian and Dutch. Large sections are also devoted to ceramics, sculpture and oriental art.
Near the museum, at the Marśal Tito Way, the Croatian National Theater rises (z 1895 r.), and in front of him stands the Fountain of Life, the work of Ivan Meśtrovic with 1905 r. ethnographic Museum, Maźuranicia Square 14 (closed. pn.), has an extensive collection of Croatian national costumes. South of the museum is the National Library in the Art Nouveau style (z 1907 r.). To the Botanical Garden on Mihanovicieva Street (closed. pn.; Free entrance) it is worth going because of the exotic plants, interesting park layout, or to find a quiet corner to rest.
North of downtown, after 20 min by bus #106 from under the cathedral, he reaches Migoroj, one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe. Someone said, that people live here in better conditions than when they were alive. The cemetery is in the form of an English-style park, and it is surrounded by nineteenth-century long ones, neo-renaissance arcades.
Organized trips
In Zagreb, group walking tours are included in the price 8 $ from the person organized by Adriatours (tel.4552868), Zrinjevac 14. The tour minibus departs every Wednesday morning from the Hotel Esplanade and In-terContinental (15 $). General-turist (tel.4550888), Praśka 5, organizes day trips to castles and mansions in the hills surrounding Zagreb.
Cultural events
Every odd year (starting of 1961) in April, the Biennale of Contemporary Music takes place in Zagreb, the most important musical event in Croatia. Every even year in June, Zagreb hosts the Animated Film Festival. The largest international trade fair in Croatia is held in spring (half. IV) and in the fall (half. IX). During the Summer Festival, numerous open-air concerts and plays are staged in the upper town.
Accommodation
The campsite is located behind the restaurant Pod starim hrastovima in Sesvete, east of Zagreb. Access by tram #4, #7, #11 or #12 to Dubrava, then by bus #212 to Sesvete, you have to get off at Varażdinska cesta. It is only possible to walk from the bus stop 8 min to the north, along the road to a marked camping site. Even if it happens, that the campsite will be closed, There should be no problem with setting up a tent for one night. It is best to call the tourist information office or the mentioned restaurant before traveling.
Near Zagreb, in the town of Lućko, there is a campsite next to the Plitńce motel (tel 01/770494).
Shelters – There are few cheap accommodation in Zagreb. The noisy Omladinski Hotel (tel.434964), at Petrinjska 77, near the train station, has 215 beds (is open all year round). There are double rooms in the hotel without bathrooms too 35 $ and with a bathroom behind 47 $, plus tax amount 1,30 $ from person (there are no ones). There are also places in collective rooms included in the price 12,50 $. 10% the discount for HI members only applies to people up to 27 lat, sleeping in collective rooms. The hotel day lasts from 14.00 do 9.00.
In Studenthotel Cvjetno Naselje (tel. 534 524 or 4593560) in the south of the city (side of Slavonska Avenue) you pay 34 $ i 53 $ respectively for a single room- and double, plus 1,30 $ tax. Breakfast is included in the price. The rooms are well kept, each with a separate bathroom, and the staff is nice. High prices are caused by higher fees charged by foreigners, which is the result of the policy of the authorities higher than the hotel management. Unfortunately, the ISIC card and the tourist's apparent lack of wealth do not entitle him to discounts. The hotel has a self-service restaurant – a nutritious cola meal costs money 5 $. Hotel Cvjetno Naselje is open to tourists only from the middle of the 7th to the end of September. For the remainder of the year, it serves as a student residence. Access by trams #4, #5, #14, #16 or #17 south-west from Savska cesty to the Vjesnik stop. Opposite the stop is a tall building with the inscription Vjesnik – the campus is right behind it.
In July and August it is best to go straight to the Stjepan Radić student house (Jarunska 3, a block of Horvacanska street), located in the southern part of the city, near the Sava river (tram #5 or #17). Single costs here 20 $, and two – 26 $.
Private accommodation Agencja Staza (Heinzelova 3, tel.213082), near Kvaternikov trg in the eastern part of the city (trams #4, #7, #11 or #12), offers private accommodation close to its office and bus station, in prices 26 i 44 $ for one room- and double. If the stay is shorter than 2 days, prices go up to 31 i 52 $ respectively for single rooms- and double rooms. The prices are so high, because almost half of that amount is tax, 1/4 the sum goes to the agency, and the host only gets 1/4 this, what you pay. According to the notice, the Staza agency is open Mon-Fri. 9.00-18.00, sb. 9.00-13.00, but the office manager, Nadica Kratko, who knows English, lives right next door and provides, that tourists can call her at any time of the day and, as long as there is something free, they will get peace. Reservations cannot be made by phone. The rooms offered by Nadica are of a high standard, there are no complaints.
Private rooms can also be found through the agency Diprom (Trnsko 25a, 3523617). It is located in the Novi Zagreb district, south of the Sava River (access by trams #7, #14 or #16 to Trnsko). The price of accommodation in a single room is 22 $, in a double room – 40 $, plus 30% for a one-day stay. A double apartment costs money 48 $ plus tax of the amount 1,30 $ per day per person. 90% The rooms offered by the office are located in the high-rise buildings of the Novi Zagreb district, but there are also some in the city center and they cost the same. The office is located in the school building (pn.-pt. 7.00-16.00, sb. 8.00-13.00).
Two buildings away behind the Di-prom agency is Turistićko Druśtvo Novi Zagreb (Trnsko 15e, 3521523), where you can rent a room in blocks situated in this district behind 36 i 48 $ for one room- and double, plus 1,30 $ tax. And here it applies 30% surcharges, if you are only staying one night, a 20% when staying 2- or 3 days. The office is theoretically open Mon-Fri. 8.00-18.00, sb. 9.00-13.00.
If Zagreb is the first city in Croatia, which you are coming to, you shouldn't be put off by high prices, because on the coast, especially south of the island of Rab, prices for private accommodation are more than half that.