Seasonal Zagreb

Spring in Zagreb - Top 5 Places to Visit and Enjoy the Nature Awakening!

During January and February, you don't see many people on the streets because it’s really cold. But it’s a completely different story during and after March!

It looks as if people are waking up from their winter sleep and they're looking forward to warmer months of the year. Coffee shops are full, every part of the city is alive and everybody is looking for a place in the sun, taking a walk or just sitting in a park and listening to birds chirping. Watch your step, because people are dusting off their bicycles and taking a ride. You’ll notice people sitting on pretty much every green area taking a break or just hanging out with their friends.

I’m a nature enthusiast and when we talk about spring, I instantly think of beautiful nature in Zagreb. I’ll show you my 5 favourite places in Zagreb that I like to visit in spring! Let’s begin!

1. Botanical garden

Botanical Garden is just a perfect place to visit in spring! It is located near the city centre, only 10-minute walk from Ban Jelacic Square. As you can assume, it is filled with more than 10,000 plants brought from all over the world as well as with the exotic ones. You have 5 hectares of the garden in which you can really enjoy and admire the beautiful greenery and flowers along with several fishponds. It opens in early days of April and there is no entrance fee. My advice is to be patient, wait for the opening and pamper yourself with the enchanting scent of flowers and a nice walk among the trees!

Image Credit: Marko Vrdoljak, Zagreb Tourist Board

2. Lake Bundek

Lake Bundek, located in Novi Zagreb, is an artificial lake, but it is so beautiful that you will wish to come again and again! Why? Because the park around it is always well kept, filled with flowers and full of recreational facilities. You can have a barbeque with your friends because the park is filled with tables, benches and barbeque grills which you can use whenever you want! Who wouldn’t like to throw a barbeque party next to a lake with swans and ducks?

Image credit: Juraj Kopac, Zagreb Tourist Board

3. Park Ribnjak

Park Ribnjak is located just 5-minutes walk from the city centre, between Ribnjak Street and the walls of Zagreb cathedral. It’s fascinating how quiet it is considering the vicinity to the city centre, traffic and all that noise! The park is named after Croatian word for fishpond because that was its purpose at the beginning. Fishponds surrounding cathedral and walls of Upper Town were part of Zagreb’s defence in the 15^th century. Now it is a beautiful park with large, old trees with huge branches so beautiful that you will adore coming to this park. There are children’s playgrounds, a small, but a charming fountain, along with numerous benches to sit back and relax. I’m sure that size of this park and its beauty will leave you breathless!

Image credit: Goran Vranic, Zagreb Tourist Board

4. Park Zrinjevac

What to say about park Zrinjevac - Zagreb's very own Central Park? It’s a perfect little park located on Zrinski Square, just a few blocks away from the city centre. You’ll be amazed by its charm and magnificent buildings surrounding it. Due to its history and importance, it is really well-kept and many people find this park the best place to take a break from a busy lifestyle. Prepare some nice music on your mobile phone, sit on a bench and enjoy!

Image credit: Marko Vrdoljak, Zagreb Tourist Board

5. Park Maksimir

And last, but not the least – magnificent park Maksimir, located in a district of the same name! It’s the oldest park in the city of Zagreb, with a great history behind it. It’s the first public park in the south-east Europe and one of the first ones in the world! Isn’t that fascinating? But wait till you read what you can find in it! Apart from many paths for a nice stroll, beautiful centuries-old oak woods, great number of birds and five lakes, Maksimir is the location of Zagreb’s ZOO, as well! Take a day off, walk through Maksimir park and finish your stroll by visiting the ZOO where you can see numerous domestic and exotic animals. Your best day ever will be over sooner than you think because you’ll lose yourself in the beauties of Maksimir and ZOO!

So, what are you waiting for? Pack your lunch, gather your friends or your significant one and take a tour of these beautiful parks of Zagreb! Botanical garden, park Ribnjak and Zrinjevac are located near the city centre. After you visit them, you can get on a tram No. 6 and visit lake Bundek in Novi Zagreb, or tram No. 5 to visit Maksimir. You can thank me later!

Header Image Credit: Marko Vrdoljak, Zagreb Tourist Board

Author: Tajana Pran