GREAT THINGS TO DO IN ZAGREB WHEN IT RAINS + MY FAVOURITE ONE!

If you’re in Zagreb and the weather is not great, here’s a blog post about the greatest things to do in Zagreb when it rains!

Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, is a charming city worth visiting any time of the year. Of course, some parts of the year will be sunny and dry, while other ones do get quite a bit of rain. If you’re visiting in autumn or early spring, there’s a big possibility you’ll have at least one or two rainy days.

Don’t let that dampen your plans! Zagreb has a variety of indoor attractions that will keep you entertained and cozy. Here’s a list of the things I love to do in Zagreb when it rains, and one that’s my absolute favourite!

read more >>> 20 BEST THINGS TO DO IN ZAGREB

FUN THINGS TO DO IN ZAGREB WHEN IT RAINS

VISIT ZAGREB’S MUSEUMS

Zagreb has plenty of museums, which are a great activity anyway, but especially if you already have to be indoors. Zagreb has many historical museums, but it’s also home to many modern and fun ones. If you’re a history buff or an art lover, check out the stunning Mimara museum. You can also visit the Etnographic or Archaeological Museums, or the Zagreb City Museum.

If you’d prefer to visit the fun and modern ones, the most popular are the Museum of Broken Relationships, the Museum of Illusions, or the Museum of Chocolate. They are all in the city center and you can reach them easily!

TRY THE BEST OF LOCAL CUISINE

What better way to avoid the rain than by trying some delicious Croatian cuisine? Zagreb has sooo many excellent restaurants focused on Croatian food, and some of the dishes are just a must-try! Some of the restaurants I would recommend visiting are Ficlek, Didov San, La Štruk, Stari Kotac, and Batak.

In these restaurants you can indulge in hearty local dishes like štrukli (a baked cheese pastry), sarma (stuffed cabbage), purica s mlincima (turkey with baked dough) or cobanac (a delicious stew). Read our guide to great Zagreb restaurants here!

INDULGE IN COFFEE CULTURE

If there’s one thing Croatians are exceptional at, it’s drinking coffee. Zagreb has a very vibrant and active café scene, and there’s no better way to spend a rainy day in Zagreb than by sipping coffee in one of many cafés.

For an abundance of cafes head to Tkalciceva Street or Cvjetni Square. There you’ll find many charming spots where you can relax, read a book, or people-watch while enjoying a hot beverage. Croatian coffee culture is strong, so take your time and savor the moment. Additional great cafes on different locations around town are Cogito, Quahwa, Mr. Fogg, Kavkaz, Très Chic Café, Most Unusual Garden, A’e… Any of these are absolutely worth checking out if you’re searching for a great cup of coffee!

GO WATCH A MOVIE

A rainy day is incomplete without a good movie, and Zagreb has some excellent options for cinema lovers. If you’re interested in modern movie theatres with blockbuster films and new releases, check out Cinestar. They have several locations all over the city, so you’ll find one that that far from you. If you’re more interested in art-house films, you should check out Kino Tuškanac. It’s an artistic movie theater in the city center.

RELAX AT A SPA OR THERMAL BATHS

Rainy days are perfect for some relaxing activities at the thermal baths. While there aren’t any in Zagreb, there are 2 options not that far from the city, so if you have a car this could be a great option. Stubičke Toplice (45-minute drive) and Terme Tuhelj (50-minute drive) have wellness treatments, saunas, and pools which will definitely get you to unwind.

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GO SHOPPING AT A MALL

If you feel like doing some shopping while staying dry, head to one of many shopping centers in Zagreb. The biggest one is Arena Centar, but there are several others such as Centar Cvjetni, Z Centar, City Centar One West/East.

All the shopping centers offer a range of international and local brands, as well as entertainment options like bowling and a cinema. They also have several restaurants and cafes, so you can really spend the whole day in one of them if you choose to do so!

SEE A PERFORMANCE AT CROATIAN NATIONAL THEATRE

If you’re in the mood for some culture and you love art, you might want to attend a performance at the Croatian National Theatre – HNK for short. This historic theater is absolutely stunning, and it hosts various types of performances from opera and ballet to drama and concerts. Even if you don’t speak Croatian, I would still recommend checking it out, especially if there’s a ballet or a concert you’d like to attend. Check out which performances are available right here!

GO ON A CRAFT BEER TOUR

Zagreb has a growing craft beer scene, and a rainy day is the perfect time to sample some locally brewed beers. If you’d like a guided tour, The Garden Brewery gives a tour of their brewery every Sunday. You can find more details here! If that’s not for you, you can do your own sampling at The Garden, Craft Room, The Harat’s Pub, or the Beertija. You’ll get to learn more about different beers and taste a variety of unique flavors offered in Zagreb.

EXPLORE THE FAMOUS ZAGREB TUNNEL – GRIC

If you ever wanted to visit and walk through an underground tunnel, visiting the Gric Tunnel in Zagreb is the perfect activity for you. This WWII-era tunnel runs beneath the Upper Town and has been repurposed as a pedestrian passageway, so you can get from one side of the city center to the other one. It’s also a popular event space in Zagreb, often hosting art installations and exhibitions, especially during Christmas time. It’s completely free and quick activity, so definitely add it to your plans.

GO CARTING

If you’re an adrenaline junkie, this activity is for you. There’s an awesome carting arena in Novi Zagreb, with 8 different types of tracks. You can book a time slot online on their website and have an incredible evening full of fun. Their most popular packages are their Grand Prix and the Love Pack. They range from 25 to 40 euros. While this is probably the most expensive activity on this list, it’s definitely the most exciting one as well.

GO WATCH A BASKETBALL GAME

If you’re a sports fan, you can catch a game of some of Croatian sports teams. While football might not be the best idea during a rainy day, there are often basketball games you can watch at Dražen Petrović arena. It’s the home base to Cibona Basketball Club and you can watch one of their games for 5 euros. It’s a super fun activity, especially if you need to stay indoors. Grab a beer and some popcorn, and you’ll have a fun night!

VISIT AN ESCAPE ROOM

If you’re visiting with a group of friends, Escape Room might be a great activity for you. The Escape Room Arena is situated right next to the Carting Arena and it has 5 game rooms from which you can choose the best one from you. You’ll then spend the next 60 minutes solving puzzles and finding clues until you unlock your room. The prices range from 50 euros for 2 people to 70 euros for 5 people.

If this Escape Room Arena is not close to you, you can check out other ones such as Fox in a box – Escape Room, Portal Escape Room, or ClueGo Escape Room.

HAVE FUN AT AMAZINGA

If you’re up for some more adrenaline, Amazinga will definitely make that possible. Amazinga is the biggest entertainment center in Zagreb and it is home to various activities such as Trampoline Park, Laser tag, VR Park and more. It’s perfect for all ages, it doesn’t matter if you’re a child or a grownup – you’ll both have fun!

There are various packages at different price points which you can check out right here!

SPEND YOUR EVENING AT PAINT AND WINE

Finally, my absolute favourite rainy-day activity is Paint and Wine. In this workshop, you choose a painting you’d like to paint and spend 2 hours carefully painting the chosen art. The whole time you have a guide which leads you through the whole process. While you paint, you have 3 different options of wine you can indulge in. The more you drink, the easier it is to paint!

This activity is around 28 euros and it includes all art supplies and the wine, so the price is more than fair. Check out their future workshops!

MY PERSONAL TAKE ON ZAGREB WHEN IT RAINS

Honestly, I love Zagreb much more when it’s sunny, because my favourite things to do there are all about parks and lakes. That said, even when it rains there’s still plenty to do, you just need to plan a bit. I’d highly recommend a Paint & Wine activity, but thermal baths, a theatre show, or even a basketball game are all really fun options too.

CONCLUSION: THINGS TO DO IN ZAGREB WHEN IT RAINS

Zagreb might not be the most exciting place when the weather is bad, but there are still plenty of things you can do to keep yourself entertained. I’ve personally tried almost all of these and they’re all great, so I’m sure you’ll still have a really lovely time.