Today, outdoor cafes are full, dance clubs pump music into the night air and art festivals are popular.

Croatia’s capital and largest city, Zagreb also was the cultural capital of the former Yugoslavia. The city boasts many museums, art galleries, orchestras and folk festivals. Today, outdoor cafes are full, dance clubs pump music into the night air and art festivals are popular.

Zagreb has several reminders of the Austro-Hungarian period, particularly the decorated facades and the deep yellow color of old government buildings.

Zagreb city can be divided into three areas: the upper town, or old town (the winding part up in the mountains), the lower town (the flat, gridlike section) and the new part (the surrounding plain covered with concrete-block apartment buildings). Confine your sightseeing to the first two areas: You won’t miss much by skipping the third.

Also worth visiting is the small village of Marija Bistrica, where the Church of St. Mary of the Snows houses a 15th-century statue of a black Madonna. The statue is credited with miraculous deeds and attracts many tourists and religious pilgrims to the area.

The Zagreb Film Festival takes place in late October, with screenings and public concerts part of the celebration.

When to travel to Zagreb

Summer is the popular time for a Zagreb holiday when the weather is warm and dry. Surprisingly temperatures reach a peak early in the season with hot spells in late May sometimes hitting 30°C and above. Winters are very cold and snowy, and autumn is sees plenty of rain and fog.