Day trips · Zagreb · Croatia
6 best day trips from Zagreb
Where to go when you want a day away from Zagreb, and how long it really takes.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Hrvoje Bađinec, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
The classic day trip from Zagreb is Plitvice Lakes National Park (About 2–2.5 hours by bus or car). The closest option is Samobor, about 25 km away.
Key facts
- Day trips in this guide
- 6
- Closest
- Samobor (25 km)
- Most popular
- Plitvice Lakes National Park
Day trips compared
| Destination | Distance | Travel time | How | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plitvice Lakes National Park | 130 km | About 2–2.5 hours by bus or car | Bus from Zagreb bus station, car or tour | First-timers, Families, Couples |
| Samobor | 25 km | About 30–40 minutes by bus | Bus from Zagreb bus station or Črnomerec | Food lovers, Families, Quiet stays |
| Varaždin | 85 km | About 1–1.5 hours by car, bus or train | Bus, train or car | Culture, Couples |
| Trakošćan Castle | 80 km | About 1.5 hours by car | Car or organised tour | Families, Couples, Culture |
| Krapina Neanderthal Museum | 60 km | About 1 hour by car | Car or bus | Families, Culture |
| Ljubljana | 140 km | About 2–2.5 hours by bus or train | Bus, train or car | First-timers, Couples, Culture |
The day trips
130 km · About 2–2.5 hours by bus or car
1.Plitvice Lakes National Park
Croatia's best-known national park has 16 terraced lakes linked by waterfalls and wooden boardwalks, listed by UNESCO since 1979. Arrive early in summer, when footpaths become very busy.
- Getting there
- Bus from Zagreb bus station, car or tour
- Best for
- First-timers, Families, Couples
25 km · About 30–40 minutes by bus
2.Samobor
A small town of pastel houses beside a stream, famous for kremšnita custard cake, a hilltop castle ruin and the wooded Samobor hills for walking.
- Getting there
- Bus from Zagreb bus station or Črnomerec
- Best for
- Food lovers, Families, Quiet stays
85 km · About 1–1.5 hours by car, bus or train
3.Varaždin
Croatia's Baroque former capital has a moated castle, palaces and an elegant cemetery with sculpted hedges. In late summer it hosts Špancirfest, a street festival of music and performance.
- Getting there
- Bus, train or car
- Best for
- Culture, Couples
80 km · About 1.5 hours by car
4.Trakošćan Castle
A romantic hilltop castle above a lake in the Zagorje hills, with furnished rooms and a lakeside walking path. Combine it with Varaždin or a lunch of štrukli in a country inn.
- Getting there
- Car or organised tour
- Best for
- Families, Couples, Culture
60 km · About 1 hour by car
5.Krapina Neanderthal Museum
A modern museum beside the Hušnjakovo site, where remains of Neanderthals were found in 1899, tells the story of human evolution with life-size reconstructions.
- Getting there
- Car or bus
- Best for
- Families, Culture
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140 km · About 2–2.5 hours by bus or train
6.Ljubljana
Slovenia's compact capital has a car-free old town on the Ljubljanica river, Plečnik's bridges and a hilltop castle. It is a long day trip but an easy overnight extension.
- Getting there
- Bus, train or car
- Best for
- First-timers, Couples, Culture
Day-trip tips
- Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
- ZET buses cover the outer districts, Mirogoj and Medvednica, and leave from hubs such as Kaptol and Črnomerec.
- For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.
Questions travellers ask
+What is the best day trip from Zagreb?
Plitvice Lakes National Park. Croatia's best-known national park has 16 terraced lakes linked by waterfalls and wooden boardwalks, listed by UNESCO since 1979.
+How long does it take to get from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes National Park?
About 2–2.5 hours by bus or car — Bus from Zagreb bus station, car or tour, about 130 km.
+How long does it take to get from Zagreb to Samobor?
About 30–40 minutes by bus — Bus from Zagreb bus station or Črnomerec, about 25 km.