Zagreb is a fairly safe destination, but as the national capital, there is perhaps more crime than in smaller cities, so there are a few things you should watch out for. We don`t recommend taking taxis from the airport, as the price getting into the city is much more expensive than other options like buses and Uber. Some taxi drivers who work the airport also try to take advantage of travelers who don`t know the proper exchange rates, so it is best to just avoid taking taxis from the airport.

Beggars can be a problem in the city center, and around some popular sights such as Lotrscak Tower, at the top of the Zagreb Funicular. Many of these beggars employ children to tug at the heartstrings and get more money for their families. Ignore them completely and keep on walking. It`s actually the children you will need to watch out for as they tend to be the ones who don`t take `no` for an answer. Keep walking and do not engage.

The best way to get a good exchange rate, apart from going to a bureau de change, is to use an international ATM. Keep in mind that you shouldn`t bring kuna into the Eurozone because those countries will not exchange kuna for Euros. Spend them or exchange them BEFORE leaving Croatia. Keep in mind that neighboring Slovenia, while part of the former Yugoslavia, does use Euros, so you will be out of luck if you want to exchange kunas even in Slovenia.

We have researched a number of complaints about a specific bar that caters to tourists, the Bulldog Pub located at Bogoviceva ulica 6. It overcharges for drinks served to tourists while not doing the same to locals. The complaints have become so numerous that we feel like we should mention it specifically.

While Zagreb is safe at night, we strongly advise against walking at night in areas that are not well-lit. We also advise against walking in parks at night, whether it is well-lit or not. Here are some other tips: 1) Carry small amounts of cash with you. Do not pull out all the money you will be spending on your trip. 2) Even though you are carrying small amounts, break up the amounts and store them in different areas on your person. 3) Keep your documents in a separate place on your person. Don`t take your passport out sightseeing with you, unless you absolutely need it. 4) Use common sense, like you would in the U.S., when visiting an ATM. `Skimmers` are also an issue in Croatia, so study the ATM before using it, and if you feel like it looks suspect, find another ATM to use. Be mindful of your surroundings while withdrawing money.

Croatia’s currency is the euro (€), like Slovenia and most of the other countries in the European Union. Croatia joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2023. The kuna, the former currency, will be accepted by businesses for only two weeks, until January 15, 2023. After January 15, 2023, you will have to pay using euros at businesses nationwide and not kunas. If you have spare kunas from past trips to Croatia, they can be exchanged at Croatian banks for euros until December 31, 2025.

Credit and debit cards are widely used in Croatia and you will find most businesses accept them. Bank and currency bureau hours are usually 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, with an hour break for lunch typically taken at noon or 1 p.m. ATMs are widely available in Croatia; many of them do not charge fees themselves, but note that your home banking institution may charge a fee for withdrawing money abroad.

Croatians are some of the most multilingual people in Europe. It is estimated that 81% of adults can speak English at least conversationally, by far the most popular foreign language. Zagreb is a very popular tourist destination, so you should be able to get by with English in most areas, especially in Kaptol, the Upper Town, and around the University of Zagreb. If you cannot communicate with someone, show them this sentence and they will most likely happily assist you: Da li itko ovdje govori Engelski? (Does anyone here speak English?)

If you are going into an area that isn`t primarily geared toward tourists, try not to dress too skimpy or revealing. Croatians will consider this inappropriate. Casual dress is fine, but not too casual. If you pass someone on the street, nod, smile, or say a quick hello. Croatians respond very favorably to greetings, even from strangers. Croatians love coffee (kava), so if you make friends here, you will most likely be called to someone`s house or a cafe for a coffee date. Please be on time, though; Croatians value promptness!

If visiting a home, bring a bottle of wine or spirits, or possibly a bouquet of flowers. (Note: A bouquet with an even number of flowers is considered taboo, as even-numbered flower bouquets are reserved for presenting to the dead at the cemetery. Make sure the bouquet has an odd number of flowers.) Even if you are not feeling hungry or thirsty, happily accept any refreshments offered by the host; it is rude not to. Croatians will fill plates and glasses once they are emptied, so if you are full, tell your host `nema vise`. It means `no more`.

With Croatia being a very Catholic country, you will find that many people say grace before beginning a meal. As a foreigner, you aren`t expected to know how to say prayers in Croatian, but a nice bow of the head is respectful, even if you are not personally Catholic or Christian yourself. Finally, keep your hands on the dinner table; it is considered indecent to keep them folded in your lap. (This rule is not as stringent when seated around a coffee table.)

Note: Do not refer to the Croatian language as `Serbo-Croatian`, don`t refer to Croatians as `Yugoslavians`, and don`t call Croatia `Yugoslavia`. Many reminders of the former Yugoslavia are evident all over Croatia, which is not surprising considering Marshal Josip Broz Tito was a Croat. However, the Croatian culture and identity have undergone their latest resurgences in the years since independence in 1991, and reminders about `the time before` could sit quite awkwardly with people to whom you have just become acquainted (especially older people). Unlike in Slovenia, where their war of independence lasted a handful of days, Croatia`s was protracted and lasted four-and-a-half years. If a newly-acquainted person brings the topic of Yugoslavia first, be respectful, listen, and ask questions but not rude or prying questions. Some people miss the life in Yugoslavia, some do not, and many are now not even old enough to remember it. It is a sensitive topic.

Zagreb is known as the `City of Museums`, and many of the museums that are open to the public here were some of the first of their kinds in Southeastern Europe. The Archaeological Museum in Zagreb (Arheološki muzej u Zagrebu) has been open since 1836, and includes a collection from Ancient Egypt, which is the only one like it in the former Yugoslavia. Opening its doors to large-scale temporary art exhibitions is the Neoclassical-inspired Art Pavilion (Umjetnicki paviljon). Other art museums include the Klovicevi Dvori Gallery, Lotrscak Tower (Kula Lotršcak), the Mimara Museum (Muzej Mimara), the Museum of Contemporary Art (Muzej suvremene umjetnosti), and the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters (Strossmayerova galerija starih majstora). Other museums in the city include the Croatian State Archives (Hrvatski državni arhiv), the Museum of Arts and Crafts (Muzej za umjetnost i obrt), and the Zagreb Ethnographic Museum (Etnografski muzej Zagreb), and all of that`s just for starters!

The Zagreb Card (www.zagrebcard.com/?lang=en) entitles cardholders to free city transport within one zone, either on ZET buses or trams, for the length of the card. There`s also free admission to the Broken Relationships Museum, the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Zagreb 360 Observation Deck, the Zagreb Zoo, and the Zagreb City Museum. There are also discounts available for other museums, which are as follows: To name just a few, 50% off the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, 50% off the Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters, and a discounted ticket to the Mimara Museum for 20 kunas. (Those discounts are just to name a few.) All in all, it is a decent investment: a 24-hour Zagreb Card costs 98 kunas, but a 72-hour card costs 135 kunas, the rough equivalent of $20, which is decent for limitless single-zone tram rides plus free admission to many museums. To purchase the card, and to find out more about its benefits, visit the URL linked above.