Whether you long for summer all year round because it’s your favourite season of the year, or you’re like me and prefer a bit colder temperatures below 35+ degrees Celsius, the fact is that summer makes us full of life. Maybe it’s because people identify summer with vacation and are therefore more relaxed, or maybe it’s the fact that the days are longer and we feel like there’s more time in a day to do everything we want. Either way, I can’t think of a person who doesn’t enjoy relaxing with a refreshing cocktail in their hand during a hot summer day.

Good thing is that Zagreb offers a lot of places where you can sip your favorite mixture of colourful drinks while also getting a tan. Sure, it’s not like chilling by the pool or, even better, by the sea, but why not make the most of your summer in Zagreb, especially when you can get a tan that will make everyone think you were actually on the Adriatic coast? Here are my top 5 suggestions for places all around Zagreb where you can experience summer vibe of the city, drink cocktails and soak up sunshine.

Swanky Monkey Garden

Obviously, this has to be your number one stop this summer if you want to see one of the coolest places in Zagreb. It’s also my personal favourite place for cocktail-drinking in the city because it has a unique and special vibe to it. I’ve met some really interesting people there from all around the world because it’s really popular among tourists in Zagreb since it’s a hostel and a bar – all in one. So, just to clarify, the name of the hostel is Swanky Mint and the name of the bar is Swanky Monkey. Even if you’re not staying at the hostel, you can still come and refresh yourself by the pool (yes, they have a pool, you’ve read that correctly) with a perfectly made Mojito.

Image Credit: Swanky Monkey

The hostel is actually a renovated dry cleaning and textile-dye factory which dates all the way back to the late 19th century. What makes this place so special among other hostel is that by combining the industrial machinery that littered the site with new technology, Swanky has created a comfortable eco-friendly atmosphere that makes it a very special place to visit. Even if you’re not all that into hipster-looking places that combine vintage, colourful furniture with modern-day features, I’d still suggest you visit it because you can still relax and enjoy on the terrace surrounded by a beautiful garden, with great tunes in the background and fairy-lights during night-time. Basically, there’s always something to do there: if you want to hang out with your friends after work or if you’re tired from sightseeing the city, Swanky will embrace you and welcome you with good live music, artsy events, pub quizzes and yummy cocktails.

Oliver Twist

This is one of the most popular spots in Tkalciceva Street (or Tkalca, as locals call it) at any time of the year. During fall and winter, it’s a great place to warm yourself up in an authentic pub-looking interior, while during spring and summer it’s popular because of its outdoor terrace for soaking up the sun. The best thing about it is its location - it’s in the middle of the city centre. Tkalciceva Street is the main street in Zagreb for walking around, showing off your new summer outfits and checking out who else decided to stay in the city instead of heading out to the coast. Tkalca is always full of people so the view from Oliver Twist’s terrace will offer you a great opportunity to observe locals and tourists. You can even play a fun little game of trying to guess from afar who’s local and who’s not while enjoying a nice cold cocktail.

Bundek

One of the two most famous lakes in Zagreb is called Bundek and you might remember we’ve already written about it, its beautiful nature surrounding it and why it’s so beloved by locals for many years already. Aside from the fact you can also swim there and you have a beach so it’s almost like you’re at the seaside, it’s worthy to remember that there are a couple of bars around the lake and all of them have a terrace where you can relax, chill and enjoy yourself with a tall refreshing glass of your favorite cocktail.

Image Credit: Zagreb Tourist Board - Download area

My favorite combination of activities at Bundek during summer days is coming there with friends, throwing a barbeque for lunch/dinner, and while our meal is being prepared in the shades of trees with breeze cooling down temperature a bit, we’ll go for a swim in the lake, sunbathe later and grab a drink at the bar. In the evenings, we love to gather around and sing because there’s always that one friend who never goes anywhere without a guitar.

A most unusual garden

Just like the name suggests – it really is one of the most unusual places in Zagreb, but also, one of the most interesting ones and definitely inevitable place for cocktails in summer. Here’s the thing – sure, it’s a bar, but it’s a bar where you can drink your cocktails in a tree house. How cool is that?! I mean… a tree house! Maybe I’m overly excited because I’ve never had a tree house in my backyard as a child, but I still think I’d be equally excited over a bar that has a tree house terrace even if I had one.

 Image Credit: Josipa Zizic

Another thing that’s great about it is the fact that it’s less hot there since a tree house is surrounded by… well, you know, trees. It’s such a great feeling to come over there, grab a place in the shade, order a drink and go over your day with friends while refreshing summer breeze is gently caressing your skin.

Mio Corazon

Last, but not the least, is one of the places where I spend most of my summer evenings and here’s why – aside from great cocktails, you can also get great food at Mio Corazon. It’s recognizable for its Spanish vibe and not just because of the interior – everything there simply screams “Spain!” Food, waiters, drinks, music – even the name itself. You can try really good tapas there while swinging in your chair because you won’t be able to control your body to the tunes playing from the speakers.

Image Credit: Mio Corazon

And when it comes to drinks, they have a variety of them and they serve them with a lot of different fruits so you can expect that you’ll quench your thirst, but also refresh yourself with seasonal organic colourful fruits. Since they are located in Radiceva Street, you can make this your stop before exploring the Upper Town in Zagreb or after you’ve done all that, treat yourself for being a good tourist and enjoy amazing tapas and cocktails after all that sightseeing.

Header Image Credit: TZGZ Download Zona, J. Duval

Author: Paula Bracko