Medvednica: the mountain on the city’s doorstep

About Medvednica: the mountain on the city’s doorstep

By the ULTIMATE Zagreb Editorial Team

Few capitals have a mountain like Medvednica: a ridge of beech and fir forest rising right behind the city, protected as a nature park, with trails, mountain huts, a medieval castle and, at the top, Sljeme.

A mountain for the city

Medvednica runs along the north of Zagreb, its slopes covered in forest and protected as a nature park. Its highest point, Sljeme, is just over 1,000 metres high.

Getting up

A modern cable car carries visitors from the northern edge of the city to the top of Sljeme. Many people hike up instead, on marked trails through the forest.

From the tram stop to the forest takes minutes.

Medvedgrad and the huts

On the southern slopes stands Medvedgrad, a medieval castle with views over the city. Mountain huts, the planinarski domovi, serve hearty food, bean stews and štrukli, to hungry walkers.

Winter

In snowy winters, Sljeme has ski slopes and sledging, and the forest becomes a winter wonderland.

Our advice: take the cable car up, walk through the forest to a mountain hut for lunch, and hike down to Medvedgrad for the view. Wear proper shoes and check the weather and cable car times before you go.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Medvednica: the mountain on the city’s doorstep before you go.