Which is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik?

Which is better, Zagreb or Dubrovnik? I saw this question somewhere on the travel forum. At first, I was a bit surprised. They are so different, you just can’t compare them.

But then I realised and understood: you are planning to go for the first time to Croatia; you wonder why to fly at all, and where to stay. There is never enough time on holidays, so you want to use it as wisely as possible.

Let me tell you about both Croatian cities, Zagreb and Dubrovnik. I will not tell you straight-forward which one is better; it’s just impossible to answer so definitely.

In this article, however, I will describe both of them, and you will know which one is better FOR YOU.

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Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Quick Comparison

Zagreb

Zagreb and Dubrovnik are very different, and it would be best if you could see both of them. Both are very worth visiting. But it’s not always possible, so let’s look at a quick comparison of both cities.

Zagreb is a much bigger city, the largest city in Croatia, it’s the capital of Croatia. It has around 800,000 inhabitants, or 1,000,000 if you look at the whole urban area. It’s quite typical (in a good sense!) Central Europe’s capital. It has a lot of places and landmarks to see, but they are a bit more spread in the city. There are quite a few tourists visiting the city, however, it still feels very local. And it doesn’t have these big tourist crowds.

And the very important thing is that, it’s not on the Adriatic coast. It’s around 3 hours to get from Zagreb to the closest towns on the Adriatic Sea.

Check out here for more Croatian Capital Facts.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is a smaller city; it has around 42,000 inhabitants, and it’s not even among the 10 biggest cities in Croatia. It’s smaller than other coastal cities such as Split, Zadar, or Pula.

However, it’s one of the most known Croatian and European tourist destinations. Its old town is absolutely beautiful and it’s been inserted on the UNESCO list.

It’s a coastal town, so it additionally has great sea views and a beach. All this, of course, implies incredible tourist crowds, especially in the highest season. That’s why it also feels less local, more international, and more touristy.

Do you slowly get the idea of which city is more for you? Let’s look in more detail at a few important points during any trip.

Weather differences and Touristic season

Both cities are in different climate zones. Zagreb is in a warm continental zone. It can get quite cold in the winter, and it can be snowy. Summers are usually hot.

Dubrovnik is in the Mediterranean zone; it doesn’t mean it’s hot and sunny all year around.

It means hot, humid summers and mild, rainy winters.

When it comes to the best time to visit. In Dubrovnik, it would typical South Europe season time. Peak season is in July and August, but generally speaking, the season lasts from around May to September.

You can of course visit Dubrovnik outside of these months; it will be calmer, but you can also feel it’s out of the season; some attractions may be closed.

Zagreb is more an all-year-round destination and a great idea for a city break at any time. Even (or maybe I should say especially?) during November and December, because of the amazing Christmas markets and atmosphere in the city. It has won the competition for Best Christmas Market Destination 3 times!

Anyway, if you have a chance, try to avoid visiting both cities during the main summer months. It can be just too hot to visit. Plus the crowds that you can expect, especially in Dubrovnik, it’s not really pleasant anymore.

The best time is spring, May, June and September. Same for Zagreb, but here you have to add Christmas time as well!

Dubrovnik also organises ‘Advent in Dubrovnik’, but it’s not yet that big or spectacular to travel mainly for this purpose.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Finance

Croatia is generally not a cheap country. Especially in the summer on the coast, it can get expensive.

Dubrovnik is just an expensive city. I can’t remember details or find this article now, but I remember reading some article which placed Dubrovnik on a very high position (was it maybe 3rd?) of expensive European tourist destinations. It was some time ago, and quite a lot has changed now due to price changes throughout Europe.

Anyway, be aware that Dubrovnik is just expensive, especially if you want to stay, eat out, and go for drinks in the Old Town.

You can try to make it cheaper (e.g., go during off- season or stay further from the old town).

Zagreb, even if it is capital, seems less expensive. I don’t want to say it’s super cheap; it’s not, but I would say it’s typical prices for the capital in this part of Europe. I actually just came back from Zagreb and didn’t see a big difference in prices between Zagreb and Warsaw or Tricity in Poland.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Airports

In both Zagreb and Dubrovnik, there are international airports.

Zagreb Airport is year-round airport with a lot of flights to main European and cities not only European. Dubrovnik is more seasonal; there are much more flights during the season.

So if you are looking at travelling from around June, you will find many direct flights to Dubrovnik Airport, with standard and low-cost flights. Recently, Ryanair announced that they are making Dubrovnik one of their bases.

You are able to get from many airports easily, and to Dubrovnik during the summer months even easier. More about these two and any other Croatian airports, you can read in this blog post.

To Dubrovnik, you can also get by ferry (for example, from Italy) or by cruises, which visit Dubrovnik often.

Zagreb is easily reachable by car, bus, or train from other European capitals, for example, from Budapest, Belgrade, or Vienna.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Accommodation

In Croatia, generally, renting rooms or apartments is very popular. Especially in smaller touristic towns, you will find mostly private apartments. However, in both cities, Zagreb and Dubrovnik, you can find many types of accommodation. So if you prefer bigger hotels, small boutique hotels, apartments, etc., you will find everything.

Places in Zagreb

In Zagreb, I stayed in two places. Court 5 Apartments are small, but very modern, and have everything needed. The apartment is in a great location (just next to the main street Ilica, yet silent), and I really recommend it for a comfortable visiting of Zagreb.

Hotel Central is partially renovated (and partially still in older style) to stay for 1-2 nights because of its good location if you arrive late by train; it’s just next to the train station. I’ve stayed there for one night after my train trip from Budapest.

Hotel Dubrovnik is a popular, almost iconic hotel in the very centre, just on the main city square.

Places in Dubrovnik

In Dubrovnik, I can’t fully recommend any place. I’ve been in the city a few times just for day trips. When I stayed in Dubrovnik longer, I rented a room from a lady who reached out to tourists at the bus station. It wasn’t the best place, but at least the price was reasonable, and the lady was very nice. She would prepare me coffee in the mornings and talk with me so that I could practice my Croatian.

For sure, it’s a city with more hotels than other small coastal towns. Look at Rixos Premium Dubrovnik or Boutique Hotel Porto.

If you are looking to stay in an apartment, check out this one for a great stylish apartment with a view or this one for a bit more standard but also looking nice with a good rating.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: What to see

Zagreb

There are a lot of things and they need separate articles. But briefly, just that, you get a short summary.

Zagreb is divided into two city parts. Lower Town and Upper Town. In Upper Town, you can find many museums, charming streets, Tower, Croatian parliament and other governmental sites, Saint Mark’s Church, and Zagreb Cathedral. In Lower Town you find Ban Jelačić Square or buildings of the Art Pavilion or the National Croatian Theatre.

‘In between’ both parts there is Dolac Market and Funicular, called the shortest funicular in the world.

Zagreb is quite a green city; there are many smaller and bigger parks. It’s also said to have the biggest number of museums per capita, so you will not be bored even if you stay longer.

And endless cafes to stop by for a coffee, both ‘standard’ ones as well as with speciality coffee. Well, coffee break and meeting are Croatian things, so obviously you will have a place to drink coffee in Dubrovnik too.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik town is called ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’. Dubrovnik’s Old Town is a must-see and the biggest tourist attraction. When there, walk on the main squares, but also turn to the small streets. A walk on the city walls is another great attraction. Just maybe don’t do it in the middle of the day during the biggest heat.

You can also take the Dubrovnik cable car to the Hill Srđ to get breathtaking views or the boat to Lokrum Island for a little bit more peace.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Atmosphere

Again, it’s something not comparable. Zagreb is a big capital city and you can feel it in its vibe. Although I would say it’s calmer than sometimes capitals are. And Zagreb means coffee and people at cafes.

Because of geography and history, you can find some touches from Hungary or Austria, for example, in local food.

Dubrovnik has a different vibe; it’s more touristic and less local. Also, it has a typical Mediterranean vibe, architecture, and beautiful sea views and beaches. And, of course, more seafood in restaurants. It’s also quite elegant. If I were to compare it with any other touristic place in other countries, it would probably be Santorini vibe.

In one sentence, I would say it’s more ‘holidays’ atmosphere in Dubrovnik, while Zagreb has a more ‘city-break’ atmosphere.

In Zagreb, you need more time. And when it comes to Dubrovnik, I think a full day of visiting can be enough to see and feel it.

So, as you see, it’s two very different destinations. The good news is that, even if they are not too close to each other, it’s not difficult to travel between them.

Which one is better Zagreb or Dubrovnik: Summary

As you see, differences between Zagreb and Dubrovnik are big, and it’s not possible to reply in the simple way ‘which one is better’.

If you ask me for my totally personal opinion, I prefer Zagreb. Dubrovnik is very beautiful, but it’s a city to see quickly and travel further; it’s too touristy. Zagreb feels more local, and it’s more of ‘place to stay’ for me. Again, it’s just a personal view of a Croatian philologist.

I hope explanations and descriptions will make it easier for you to decide which one is more for you and which one you should visit first.

I think the more adequate question would be: ‘ which one is better, Split or Dubrovnik’. Of course, they are still different, but they share more common characteristics. Both are at the coast, both are in Dalmatia, and both have Unesco World Heritage Site monuments (in Split there is the famous Diocletian’s Palace). From those two, I prefer Split as ‘place to stay’, but it’s again just a personal view. The good news is that Split and Dubrovnik are close enough to see both of them during one journey. Here, you can read how to travel between them.

One thing I’m sure about. Whichever you choose, you will enjoy your stay very much. Believe me, Croatia has something special (after all, I’ve visited it over 10 times now and spent 5 years studying about it😊).

Check out more from the Croatian section of the blog:

About Amazing Coastal Towns

About Zadar City

Here you will learn what to buy as a souvenir from Croatia.