Zagreb Hop-On Hop-Off Panoramic Bus Tour

Ban Jelačić Square and Zagreb Cathedral

The heart of Zagreb is Ban Jelačić Square, a wide pedestrian square lined with 19th-century facades, cafés and trams, with the equestrian statue of the ban after whom it is named and the Manduševac fountain at its edge. It is the natural place to begin a Zagreb city tour, and most visitors pass through it several times a day.

A few steps away, Zagreb Cathedral raises its twin neo-Gothic spires above the city. The church has medieval origins, but its present silhouette dates from the major restoration that followed the earthquake of 1880. The spires were damaged again in the 2020 earthquake, so restoration work may be visible during your visit. Hop off here to see the cathedral square, its golden Virgin Mary column and the busy Dolac market just behind.

The Upper Town: St. Mark's Church and St. Catherine's Church

On the hill above the main square lies Gornji Grad, the Upper Town, the oldest part of Zagreb with cobbled lanes, gas lamps and quiet squares. Its symbol is St. Mark's Church, a Gothic church whose colourful tiled roof, laid in 1880, shows the coats of arms of the medieval Kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia and of the city of Zagreb. The square around it is also flanked by the Croatian Parliament and Government buildings.

Nearby, St. Catherine's Church is often called the finest baroque church in Zagreb, with a white facade and an interior of rich stucco decoration from the 17th and 18th centuries. If you want to explore on foot, hop off near the Upper Town and walk its lanes for an hour or two before catching a later bus.

The Green Horseshoe: Art Pavilion, the railway station and the State Archives

South of the centre, Lower Town's Green Horseshoe is a U-shaped chain of parks and squares lined with grand 19th-century buildings. The bright yellow Art Pavilion stands at its heart; its iron frame was first built for an exhibition in Budapest in 1896 and re-erected in Zagreb in 1898. At the southern end, the main railway station of 1892 faces a long park towards the city centre.

The route also passes the Croatian State Archives, a superb Art Nouveau building completed in 1913 as the national library, and the Mimara Museum, whose wide-ranging art collection fills a neo-Renaissance former school. Nearby, the round pavilion of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists, built in 1938, has had an unusual history: it served briefly as a mosque in the 1940s before returning to its role as an exhibition hall.

Museum of Arts and Crafts and the Croatian National Theatre

On the western side of the Green Horseshoe, Republic of Croatia Square gathers two of Zagreb's most handsome buildings. The Museum of Arts and Crafts, founded in 1880, displays furniture, glass, textiles and design from many centuries in a fine historicist building, and is a rewarding stop for anyone interested in European decorative arts.

Facing it, the Croatian National Theatre, opened in 1895, is a neo-baroque landmark with a warm yellow facade, domes and a lively square in front. Opera, ballet and drama are staged here throughout the season, and even from the bus its exterior is one of the most photographed in the city. This part of the loop is ideal for a short hop-off and a walk to the nearby university and botanical areas.

Mirogoj Cemetery

North of the centre, the bus climbs to Mirogoj Cemetery, opened in 1876 and widely considered one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Europe. Its long neo-Renaissance arcades, ivy-covered walls and green domes enclose a vast park of trees, paths and fine sculptures, and it is the resting place of people of many faiths side by side.

Mirogoj is peaceful at any time of year, but especially atmospheric in autumn colours or on a soft, misty morning. Because it lies away from the main sights, the hop-on hop-off bus is one of the easiest ways to get to Mirogoj Cemetery without a taxi. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for a quiet walk through the arcades before rejoining the loop back to the centre.