Kaptol

Kaptol is a historic neighborhood that is considered to be the center of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zagreb and is definitely one of the most recognizable parts of the city.

Kaptol is a historic neighborhood that was founded in medieval as episcopal village. Today it is considered to be the center of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Zagreb and is definitely one of the most recognizable parts of the city. Its main landmark is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Saints Stephen and Ladislaus, known simply as the Zagreb Cathedral, the largest sacral building in Croatia and one of the most valuable monuments of Croatian cultural heritage.

Image credit: Zagreb Tourist Board, Marko Vrdoljak

In the vicinity of the Cathedral is Dolac which is the most visited and the best-known farmer's market in Zagreb. It is located only a couple of meters away from the main city square, Ban Jelačić Square, between Kaptol and Upper Town. Every day you can find a wide variety of fresh local groceries from all parts of Croatia. It has both an inside and an outside market. The open market is famous for the characteristic red Šestine umbrellas, that are used to protect stands from the sun and rain, and give a specific picturesque view over the market from the sky.

Dolac

Image credit: Zagreb Tourist Board, Marko Vrdoljak

There is also a Gallery Kaptol, one of Croatia's leading galleries. It buys, sells and exhibits some of the most prominent national artists, from modern to contemporary ones.

Image credit: Gallery Kaptol

In terms of gastronomy offer on Kaptol, Baltazar is one of the city’s oldest restaurants that is still open and runs very successfully. It is divided into three objects - the meat restaurant Baltazar, the fish restaurant Gašpar and the wine bar Melkior. All dishes are mostly traditional specialties made of only the top groceries, with occasional modern twist as seasonal ingredients change.

If you want to try dishes made by some of the Zagreb’s most prominent chefs, Viktor Kranjčec and Tomislav Špiček, you should visit Kaptolska Klet which is near the Cathedral. It offers seasonal specialties such as creamy pumpkin soup and chestnut desserts during this winter time.

Image credit: Kaptolska Klet

There is also a Japanese restaurant Takenoko, known to have one of the best sushi in the city. It is located in Kaptol Centar, which is one of the most popular shopping centers in the city center. Locals tend to come there not so much for shopping as for socializing in one of the many cafes, and bars. Some of the most popular ones are definitely TORTE i to Café, Khala bar, and Jimmy Woo.

TORTE i to Café is known for its cozy ambient and amazing desserts. The most popular one is cheesecake, which is reputed to be the best cheesecake of all cake shops in the city. Its recipe is one of the most searched for recipes online and there are many variations available claiming to be the exact as the original one.

Image credit: TORTE i to Café

Khala Lounge bar & Club and Jimmy Woo are popular both for day coffee and night drink, especially during the weekends when they turn into night clubs.

Image credit: Khala Lounge bar & Club

Header image source: Zagreb Tourist Board

Author: Lucija Mamić