Anybody who has visited Zagreb once always looks for a way to come back. There is some inexplicable magic in the charming streets, old churches and the feeling of seething life in the Croatian capital. Here is a list of the most important things you have to see, do or taste while you are there:

Zagreb Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (Zagrebačka katedrala) – You will notice its high towers from any point in the city, while its beauty seen from a close view will definitely enchant you. It is the highest building in Zagreb, as well as in all of Croatia. The cathedral can seat up to 5,000 people. Inside it is adorned with stained glasses and massive statues, while its Gothic architecture creates a very specific atmosphere. It has almost twin towers, with only 1 meter difference. The northern one is 105 m high, while the southern – 104 m. The cathedral is situated in the central part of the city, at the Kapitol Square.

St. Mark s Church (Crkva svetog Marka) – What is impressive about it is its unusual roof – a colourful tiling representing the coat of arms of Zagreb and of the Habsburg Kingdom of Croatia. The Habsburg parochial temple dates back to the XIII century. The bell tower was built in 1725. There are three sumptuous altars in the church. A sculpture of the crucifix stands over the major one, while the on the altar dedicated to Virgin Mary there is a gold-plated sculpture of the saint. The church is located in the heart of the Old Town of Zagreb – Gornji Grad.

Mimara Museum (Muzej Mimara) – More than 3,500 pieces of art from different places and periods are exposed here. The exhibits are donated by a private collector. The archaeological collection is comprised of items from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Greece, Rome. You will see exhibits made of glass and textile, as well as a rich furniture collection from the Middle East. There are also works of Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Goya, Velazquez, and many others. The museum is sheltered in a Renaissance school building close to the Croatian National Theatre, in the central part of Zagreb. You will find your way following the numerous skateboarders in the area.

Maksimir Park – This is the largest park in Zagreb. It was constructed in an old British style. Here you can have a well-deserved rest or just have great fun amidst the rich greenery and crystal lakes. You can even keep fit by jogging and cycling or sit in the cafes and restaurants with your friends. Kids, on the other hand, can enjoy the zoo sheltering pandas, lions, kangaroos, crocodiles and other animals.

Botanical garden (Botanicki vrt) – Placed in the heart of Zagreb, the botanical garden is a small oasis amidst the busy city. Take a walk in the fresh air or simply sit and observe the varied plant collections and flower-lined paths. You will see many different plant species, including some protected ones. In addition, you will notice big number of turtles basking in the sun around the lake.

Stone Gate (Kamenita vrata) – It used to be the entrance to the city in the past. Inside the gate itself, there is a statue of Saint Mary with the Child Jesus in a niche surrounded by metal bars. The statue dates back to the XVI century. It is believed that it is a wonder-working statue and that’s why so many people come here to light a candle and say a prayer. Pray from your heart and your wish will come true. The Stone Gate is situated in Gornji Grad.

Lotrscak Tower (Kula Lotrščak) – A loud bang can be heard from its top every day. But don’t worry, it is not an attack alert. As the legend says, King Bela IV of Hungary ordered the cannon he bequeathed to be used every day. And since January 1877, the cannon is fired every single day at noon. It is said that apart from observing the king’s order, the ritual is also used to adjust the clocks in the city. The tower was built in the middle of the XIII century to protect the city. It is made of stones, different in form and size, mixed with bricks. The Lotrscak Tower is situated in Gornji Grad.

Jarun Lake – This is the “sea” of Zagreb because it offers something to everyone. You can swim, sunbathe in the sand with a drink from the numerous bars and cafes, or simply have fun in the water by windsurfing, rowing, water skiing, water wheeling, and you can even go fishing at the quay. On dry land there are big playgrounds for beach volleyball, football, golf, as well as specialised jogging alleys. You can also ride a bike or go roller-skating. The lake is situated in the southern part of the city.

Medvedgrad Castle – This is the most significant architectural complex from the Middle Ages close to Zagreb. The aristocratic town dates back to the XIII century. The castle was built by the Bishop of Zagreb. The fortified walls are like rings, the towers are massive, while the entrances – well-fortified. Take a walk amidst the ruins and feel the spirit of time. Nowadays, knight tournaments and historical festivals are organised here. The castle is situated on the southern side of the Medvednica Mountain.

Archaeological Museum (Arheološki Muzej) – The museum is not very big but it stores more than 400,000 exhibits from different times and ages. Here you can see the world-famous ‘Zagreb mummy’ – a woman from Egypt who was discovered wrapped in a linen book containing the longest and still untranslated text in Etruscan. The collection of stone monuments from Roman times is really impressive. The museum is located in the central part of the city.

Museum of Contemporary Art (Muzej Suvremene Umjetnosti) – The museum presents both Croatian and foreign cultural heritage. It houses paintings, black and white drawings, sculptures, paper art, photos from the XIX and XX centuries, as well as a collection of films and videos produced in the 1960s. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions. There is also a café inside the building.

Museum of Broken Relationships – Bring some tissues for a very emotional trip. This museum is one of a kind in the world. Here you will be faced with thousands of stories about broken relationships of couples from all over the world. You will see items connected with different emotions – broken picture frames with photos, broken vessels and vases, wedding dresses, damaged phones, forgotten stuffed toys. The museum has come up with an interesting cure for those overwhelmed with sorrow – a rubber that erases the bad memories. There is nothing to stop you from trying, is there? So take a look at the exhibits at the Museum of Broken Relationships.

Shopping in Zagreb – Fashion stores of world famous brands are lined up on the two sides of the main commercial street in Zagreb – the Ilica Street. There are also big universal stores offering everything. Tkalciceva Street (Tkalčićeva Ulica) is full of stores and galleries sheltered in XIX century houses. Kaptol Centar – the most modern mall in the city, is located in the same area, too.

Dolac Market – This is a popular market where local famers offer their fresh high-quality products – fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, cheese, freshly-baked pastries. The market is open every day except Sunday. It is located next to the Ban Jelacic Square, close to the Zagreb Cathedral.

Try some strukli – This is a traditional pastry dish with goats cheese, which can be either baked or boiled. It is similar to Bulgarian banitsa. It is best for breakfast and is offered in almost all bakeries. Bon Appétit!

Taste the paprenjaci – These biscuits will both delight and confuse you at the same time. The sweet-scented baked dish presents an unusual combination of honey, walnuts and… black pepper! This is the taste of Zagreb – original and unforgettable.

Nightlife in Zagreb – Tkalciceva Street (Tkalčićeva Ulica) is the most popular place to start the night fun with its numerous bars, restaurants, and cafes in Zagreb. Most of the discotheques in Zagreb open doors after midnight and close after 4 a.m. During the summer the nightlife in the city is concentrated around Jarun Lake. There is a great variety of cocktail bars, discotheques and clubs where you can have some fun.

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It’s strange: one day an iron is just an iron. Then you use it to iron your wedding suit and something happens. It’s still an everyday object, but suddenly it oozes sentimentality, not just steam. When that marriage breaks down and the iron is all you have left, it becomes the object around which you frame the entire story of your failed romance.

These tragic mementos are a dime a dozen in the unique Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb, Croatia.

The idea

Humanity is built around stories — those we hear and those we tell. This museum is a collection of heartbreak stories shared by people all over the world, each accompanied by an object related to that story.

It all started when the founders — Olinka Vištica and Dražen Grubišić — broke up after a four-year relationship. While they were trying to split up their furniture, they couldn’t decide what to do with all the small things that they didn’t really need but couldn’t throw away, because each of those items had sentimental value, or as they called it, ’emotional heritage’. They often joked that they should open a museum to display those items. Eventually, that’s what they did.

The ’emotional heritage’ of broken relationships

The concept of emotional heritage resonated with visitors. After all, we’ve all experienced loss in one way or another. That said, this museum is not a pity party, but as the founders themselves describe it: an “art concept which proceeds from the assumption that objects possess integrated fields — ‘holograms’ of memories and emotions — and intends with its layout to create a space of ‘secure memory’ or ‘protected remembrance’ in order to preserve the material and nonmaterial heritage of broken relationships”.

The most random objects reveal stories that can make you laugh, like the toaster a woman took when moving out from her boyfriend’s place to teach him a lesson: “That’ll show you. How are you going to toast anything now?”

Or the frisbee that a boy gave to his girlfriend as a second anniversary present.

There are also stories that will make you cry, like the chaplet left behind by a high school sweetheart who died in a car crash, or the little rubber piggy that symbolizes the impossible love between an Israeli girl and a Danish boy who met on an exchange program in the USA.

Then there are those emotionally ambiguous exhibits, like the axe a German woman used to chop up her ex’s furniture, or the stiletto shoe a prostitute gave to a client who turned out to be her long-lost childhood love.

After all the stories have been read and felt, visitors can share their own tale in the museum’s book of confessions.

You can probably guess only by this view which one is our most popular exhibit 😉 . . . #Brokenships #musuemofbrokenrelationships #permanentdisplay #museum #axe #breakupstories #zagreb #croatia #exhibition

A post shared by Museum of Broken Relationships (@brokenships) on Nov 16, 2017 at 9:43am PST

Helpful info

The museum’s address is Ćirilometodska 2 in the Upper Town in Zagreb, Croatia.

In the summer months (June 1st  September 30th) it is open every day from 9 am to 10:30 pm.

In the winter (October 1st — May 31st) every day from 9 am to 9 pm.

Tickets cost 30 HRK (around 5 USD) for adults and 20 HRK (around 3 USD) for students, seniors and people with disabilities.

In the museum, you’ll also find a cozy cafe with a beautiful summer terrace and a souvenir shop with some unique presents to take back home.

In 2006, a second museum of broken relationships opened at 6751 Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles.

Pin it for later, when you feel like sharing your break-up stories:

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Only in Zagreb, you can see… The Museum of Broken Relationships.

Stop by and check our redesigned souvenir shop! 🙂 #brokenships #museumofbrokenrelationships #shopdesign

A post shared by Museum of Broken Relationships (@brokenships) on Jun 14, 2017 at 11:43am PDT

When I want to take a walk in nature I go to… Sljeme (the highest peak of Medvednica Mountain, just north of Zagreb); Maksimir Park.

Few people know that… Zagreb is a city of dragons and tunnels. Dragons are well-incorporated into Croatian culture – in Zagreb, there are two sculptures of St George slaying a dragon, a reference to the famous myth in which he saved the princess of Silene from the jaws of the beast. Dragons have found their place in many local brands’ logos, too. And there is even a secret society in the city called the “Order of the Brethren of the Croatian Dragon”.

Another mystical element of the city is its secret tunnels. It’s believed that there are underground passages throughout the whole old city – some of them are open to tourists and you can join an organized tour to explore them.

Zagreb is also home to the shortest cable car in the world. The Zagreb funicular is only 66 m (216 ft) long and connects the Upper and Lower towns.

Make sure you try… zagrebački odrezak (breaded and fried veal steak, filled with ham and cheese); štrukli (dough with different fillings).

Mouthwatering štrukli / Wikipedia

The best place for coffee and cake is… Kava-tava place.

The best view of Zagreb is from… the Zagreb Eye; the Upper Town.

Zagreb as seen from the Zagreb Eye / Zagreb 360°

Whenever I want to enjoy some tranquility I go to…  Zrinjevac Park.

When I was a kid my favorite place to go was… Trg Bana Jelačića (Ban Jelačić Square); the Upper Town.

>>> Read more from our Through the Eyes of a Local series.

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