I'm doing a nine-day cycling tour in Croatia next summer. I've booked flights allowing three full days in Zagreb before the tour and three days in Dubrovnik after. The three days before allows for jet-lag recovery (one does not jump on a bike first thing with one's body clock off by nine hours!), allowance for connections going sideways (track record is about 30% for me), and time to see some sights. At the end there's time to explore Dubrovnik.
Anything I shouldn't miss?
Where does the tour begin and end? Do you mean three nights or four nights in each?
Departing PDX-DEN-MUC-ZAG the July 11 arriving late evening 12th. (Booked Polaris business with miles.) Welcome dinner for the tour Thursday the 16th. So three full days plus morning the 16th. Tour runs through three national parks, an overnight in Split, then down through the islands to Ston. Transfer to Dubrovnik afternoon of the the 24th.
Flying back to Zagreb the 28th, then ZAG-ZRH-SFO-PDX the 29th.
Tour says hotel in Split is actually within Diocletian's Palace(!)
I’ve always stayed in Zagreb only briefly, and the town is pleasant enough that you could chill for three days, but if you think you’d be up for it, I am sure there are some day trips you can do via public transport, such as Samobar and Varazdin.
I’m more familiar with the options around Dubrovnik, where you could just stay and do day trips, or if you could head somewhere else for a couple days because the old town itself is tiny. You could explore Bosnia or Montenegro or head to an island and recover from the biking with coves all to yourself—like Mljet and Lastovo.
Zagreb is pretty small, tourist-wise everything is basically a short walk from Jelevic Square. I would recommend staying around there. Hotel Jagerhorn is a nice choice. Zagreb has a lot of “quirky” museums you might call tourist traps in other cities, but seem to suit the youthful college vibe around here. The Museum of Broken Relationships and the Museum of Naive Art are legit top-notch museums. Don’t miss them. I would also recommend finding yourself a guide for a good walking tour for some Croatian history and hidden spots.
I find Zagreb to be just a very friendly, charming city. It’s a perfect place to chill. It rewards exploring, there’s a lot of little passages and courtyards tucked away. Summer is happening, with tons of people out enjoying themselves every night of the week. On separate trips I found a big free music festival in one of the big parks, and a local food truck/party zone behind the National Theatre. Great fun. Be sure to treat yourself to some ice cream, some of the best anywhere.
