Renting a car in Zagreb is a perfect idea for those who like to travel at their own pace. With a car, you can plan your route or go on adventures without a plan, get up early or stay in bed longer, spend hours wandering around a place you like or drive away if it's not what you like.
To avoid wasting valuable time searching and selecting a suitable car during your vacation, you can book a car online in advance.
There many roads leading from the Croatian capital to majestic medieval castles, to lush forests with hiking trails of varying difficulty, to beautiful clear lakes and waterfalls that don't freeze in winter.
There are a whole host of old towns with a leisurely pace of life not far from Zagreb. Here you can enjoy the architecture, sometimes “grand and sleek” and sometimes untouched by restoration. Walk around the local outlandish sights. Sit in a café or restaurant with national cuisine and the atmosphere that can only be grasped when travelling on your own.
You choose convenient pick-up/drop-off location and time when booking your car.
You can pick up your booked car either at the airport or in the city itself.
Picking up:
It usually takes about 15-20 minutes.
Dropping off:
In general, it is not difficult to drive in Croatia as long as you observe the traffic regulations and know about the local driving culture.
The police rarely stop drivers but there are quite a few speed cameras on the roads. Fines for driving offences are rather high. The most common fines are for speeding, talking on the phone, and not wearing a seat belt.
Parking is chargeable in the centre of Zagreb. You can pay at a parking meter, via text message, in the mobile app or at a TISAK kiosk.
It is not a good idea to leave your car where it is prohibited to do so. Fines are issued instantly in the capital.
The major cities of Croatia are connected with a network of toll roads. This is a great option, if you need to get from point “A” to point “B” quickly. They are quite easy to use and accept payments in cash or by card.
Petrol stations are frequent on the main highways and in the large cities. The large networks offer fuel of good quality, and many petrol stations have a rest area and a small café.
The fuel prices vary everywhere. The fuel is most expensive on toll roads.
You'll spend a couple of days in old Zagreb, it’s a very interesting, scenic city. The only one where some of the streets still have street lamps that are still lit manually by the lamplighter.
If you're planning a trip to Plitviče Lakes, make sure to stop at Rastoke, the watermill village, on the way. Some of those were built as far back as the 1600s and are still in operation!
Zagorje, to the north of Zagreb, has some of Croatia's most beautiful national parks: a whole host of ancient castles surrounded by slightly cultivated nature.
Just a two-hour drive from the capital is the almost untouched alpine region of Gorski Kotar, the Croatian Alps. Pine foothills, snowy peaks, hiking trails. You may see a lynx or even a bear there.
And almost on the border with Slovenia and Hungary is the ancient capital of Varaždin, which has remained the country's architectural and cultural centre to this day. Go there for music events and various festivals!
Travelling around Croatia by car will be something to remember for a lifetime.
