Lower town – Local tips (relaxing)

All jazz lovers coming by train won’t see much of Zagreb if they enter Bacchus. Situated less than 100m from the central train station, this bar offers food and drink for both body and soul, serving as a perfect welcome, farewell or just a quick resting place for an inquisitive wanderer.

A bar with history, a former legendary notorious hot spot and gay meeting point, reopened its doors in 2008. with a new concept, slowly regaining it’s undeservedly lost cult status.  The first thing that one notices upon entering is the details.

Everything here is about details. Every time you look around you will notice something new, from numerous antique writing machines, gramophones, radios, television sets, car models and wardrobes to a trapped baby doll, yellow rubber duck and a shark gnawing on a disco ball, to name just a few. The counter itself is made of an old bookshelf filled with books, and you get the check in one of them.

Jazz is played Wed-Sat, and the programme can be checked on their web page. If the weather is nice, you can sit in the garden up front, which reminds of a grandma’s back garden, extremely pleasant and relaxing.

The bar is rather small, with just 8 or so tables, which adds to the appeal, but should be taken into account when coming in the evening.

The wine list is rather short but carefully selected, featuring wines from Argentina, Chile, California, Republic of South Africa as well as Croatian pride and glory.  Besides wines, they offer a great list of cocktails and rakija made with herbs, berries, sour cherries, honey, pear, myrtle, and even nettle.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bacchus Jazz Bar | Art & culture, Bars, Music, Relaxing | Wine bottle from Kn 110
Trg Kralja Tomislava 16 | Lower town | +38514922218
10:00 – 00:00 daily

Hidden, but still in the midst of the town, just 5 minutes walk from the main square, this internet café brings much more then you expect. The owners, a young couple, are used to travelers having been some themselves: they traveled through 40 countries around the Globe and spent 5 years in Dublin; so you can always count on a pleasant conversation, a few advices on what to see and where to go in Zagreb, exchange experiences of your travels, etc.

Besides the 30% student discount on internet, they offer over 40 types of fresh juices and smoothies, cheap sandwiches, daily soups, fruit salads, tea, dozen types of coffee to go and lately they got great cookies – so you can make it a chill out zone for couple of hours. My favourite is definitely big smoothie that Martina (the owner) mixes, depending on her inspiration. She is always inspired!

They also have a summer garden in which you can relax after sightseeing or just spend some time in shade if it’s too hot.

All in all, the name is a great resume: a funky cyber connected place that deserves to be better known by the passers-by of this town.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cyberfunk c@fe | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Snacks | Big smoothie Kn 23.00
Masarykova 26/courtyard | Lower town | +38516399070
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 22:00

Džamija is a great place to go to if you simply want to stop and take a five minute break, read a book, enjoy the sun or talk to a friend. If art is something that interests you, you can always check some exhibition, because the building itself is a museum.

Džamija is a Croatian word for mosque. Even though this building really was a mosque from 1944 for a short period of time (before that it was a Association of Artists Ivan Meštrović, and now is a Croatian Association of Artists) local people still call it džamija. But the word has hardly any religious connotations.

The round shape of the building, its exterior and the fact that the place is surrounded by the roads, streets and traffic jam has always made me think of džamija as a getaway island from the city noise, situated in the city center. Even though you can still hear the noise while sitting there, it is only a background noise that you don’t pay much attention to.

When I was in high school this was my number one spot to go to when skipping classes. Nowadays is my number one spot when I just want to sit and relax.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Džamija | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Trg žrtava fašizma | Lower town
24 hours daily

King Tomislav square is the first thing you’ll see in Zagreb if you come here by the train, because this square and king Tomislav’s statue are directly opposite of the main railway station.

This place is really nice, especially the park behind the statue. It has become sort of the first station to tourists that visit Zagreb. It is pretty big, full of flowers, benches and green grass. You’ll get an impression that the statue of Tomislav is calling you to take off your bags and have a little break after a long travel.

But tourists are not the only ones that love this place. During the day, local people also like to have mini breaks, so the benches are always full. The park is not empty even when the night falls because young people like to hang around there.

If sitting on the bench is not your style, at the northern side of a park, in Art Pavilion, there’s a coffee bar so you can sit there. That can also be a great way to start your “Zagreb experience”.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
King Tomislav square | Relaxing | Free
Trg kralja Tomislava | Lower town
24 hours daily

Kolding is one of the coffee bars that I always return to. It is in the very city centre, in the Berislavićeva street, but still, it is not a coffee bar that you go to just to be seen. You go there to enjoy yourself.

And the first thing you’ll enjoy when you come to Kolding is the interior decoration. A big photo of  the street of some town (unfortunately, I’m not sure what town it is) covers the entire wall and a couple of palm trees will make you feel really cosy and comfortable.

Then you’ll sit down and order your drink. Very soon you will start  to feel like you could just sit here, doing nothing, for hours. And that’s what is so great about Kolding: its easy going atmosphere is infectious and something you always want to repeat. Whether you come here just to get a coffee in the morning or a drink in the evening, you’ll return pretty soon; you simply can’t help it. I know I never can!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kolding | Bars, Coffee & tea, Relaxing | Beer Kn 15.00
Berislaviceva 8 | Lower town | +38514872488
Mon – Sat 08:00 – 01:00, Sun 12:00 – 01:00

Marko Marulić’s square is a part of so called Lenuzzi’s green horseshoe, a series of eight green squares which also include Zrinjevac, Strossmayer’s square, King Tomislav’s square, Ante Starčević’s square, Botanic garden, Brothers Mažuranić’s square and Marshal Tito’s square. Lenuzzi’s green horseshoe is the most valuable and indigenous urbanist project in Zagreb at the end of 19th century.

The square got its name by a Croatian Renaissance poet, one of the most important figures in Croatian literature. Marko Marulić is even called the father of Croatian literature.

The square itself and its surroundings are really enjoyable. The statue of Marko Marulić dominates the entire place and his impressive figure tells a lot about his importance. On the square you will also find the beautiful building of the former National and University Library. Today this is the building of Croatian State Archives.

Even if you don’t like to visit buildings during your travel, you should at least visit this square because it will give you a chance to get a more complete picture of Zagreb.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Marko Marulić’s square | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free
Trg Marka Marulić’s | Lower town
24 hours daily

Zrinjevac is one of the most beautiful parks in Zagreb, situated in the very center of town. It is a perfect spot for a short break after dealing with the city crowd on the near by main square or for a romantic early night walk.

On the south side of the park you’ll see statues of some very important people in Croatia’s history, science and culture. In the middle of the park there’s a music pavilion, and on the north side you’ll find a meteorological column.

Zrinjevac will make you feel nice and kind of poetic and romantic at any time of the year. In spring and summer you’ll enjoy the sun and lie down next to the flowers while in colder days of fall and winter you’ll sit on some bench with hot chestnuts warming you up.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Zrinjevac park | Relaxing
Trg Nikole Zrinskog | Lower town
24 hours daily