Zagreb

Croatian Pharmacy and Medical

Biochemistry Students’ Association

Student Exchange Officer:

seo.cpsa@gmail.com

Student Exchange Programme

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Welcome to Zagreb!

Welcome to Zagreb, the capital city of the Republic of Croatia. Zagreb is an old Central European city.

For centuries it has been a focal point of culture and science, and now of commerce and industry as

well. It lies on the intersection of important routes between the Adriatic coast and Central Europe.

When the Croatia became independent in 1991, Zagreb became a capital - a political and

administrative centre for the Republic of Croatia. Zagreb is also the hub of the business, academic,

cultural, artistic and sporting worlds in Croatia. Zagreb can offer its visitors the Baroque atmosphere

of the Upper Town, picturesque open-air markets, diverse shopping facilities, an abundant selection

of crafts and a choice vernacular cuisine. Zagreb is a city of green parks and walks, with many places

to visit in the beautiful surroundings. In spite of the rapid development of the economy and

transportation, it has retained its charm, and a relaxed feeling that makes it a genuinely human city.

Facts and Figures

Location: northern Croatia, on the Sava River, 170 km from the Adriatic Sea 45° 10' N, 15° 30' E situated 122 m above sea level Time: Central-European time (GMT+1) Climate and Weather: continental climate average summer temperature: 20° C average winter temperature: 1° C

Population: 790.017 (2011.)

Surface area: 650 sq. km.

Institutions:

The University

19 theatres

24 museums

65 galleries and art collections

Zagreb

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By Air

Zagreb Airport is located 17 km from the centre of the city, or 20-25 minutes by bus. Zagreb

International Airport provides direct line (bus shuttle) to Zagreb which will take you to the

Central Bus Station on Marin Držić Avenue. More information on bus schedule can be found

at www.plesoprijevoz.hr. Price of the one-way ticket is 30 kn (3,80€).

By Train

The Main Railway Station is located in the centre of the City (at Kralj Tomislav Square 12, a ten

minutes walk from the central city square).

By Bus

The Central Bus Station is located on Marin Držić Avenue, a few minutes by tram (line number 6) from

the central city square.

By Road

Main international roads are:

Trieste-Ljubljana-Zagreb Graz-Maribor-Zagreb Klagenfurt-Ljubljana-Zagreb Budapest-Varaždin-Zagreb

Getting to Zagreb

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ZAGREB MUNICIPAL TRANSIT SYSTEM (ZET)

The ZET ticked system uses the following types of tickets:

single tickets

daily and multi-daily tickets

monthly travel passes

yearly travel passes and cards

ZET uses electronic way of charging tickets. The electronic public transportation card can be

purchased either at ZET office or at the Tisak and iNovine newsstands at the price of 10 kn

(1,30€) and can be recharged with the amount up to 1000 kn that will later be used to buy

tickets inside the vehicle. The passengers should validate their single or daily tickets when

entering the vehicle. Price of a single ticket is 10 kn (1,30€) and it is valid for 90 minutes in all

directions. Passengers should validate their cards every time they enter a vehicle, but a new

ticket will be charged only if it has been longer than 90 minutes since your ticket has been

purchased. Prices of the daily and multi-daily tickets are: 30 kn (3,80€) for 1 day, 70 kn (9€) for

3 days, 150 kn (20€) for 7 days, 200 kn (25€) for 15 days and 400 kn (50€) for 30 days.

Passengers in the vehicle are obliged to present their tickets at the request of a ZET official.

nextbike Croatia – PUBLIC BIKE SHARING SYSTEM

Nextbike is a pretty new thing in Zagreb, but already has its fair share of users. To use it you

need to create and activate an account. In order to activate your account you need to pay

79kn (10€) which is onetime payment only. It is a nextbike loan and can be fully spent on

Transportation

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cycling. At the moment of activating your account, you are automatically using "STANDARD

package" which includes 30 minutes of free riding per day. If you exceed these 30 minutes,

each additional hour is 8kn (1€) whereby you reduce nextbike loan from the initial 79kn. It is

also possible to activate the "NEXTBIKE option" for 20kn (2,50€) / month, which enables more

favorable rent. Nextbike option includes 30 minutes free riding per ride and if you exceed 30

min, each additional hour costs 4kn (0,50€). The good thing is, if you already have a nextbike

account from your town, you can just continue to use your account here with no additional

charges.

ISIC

The best way to ensure your student status is accepted is by getting an ISIC card. The

International Student Identity Card (ISIC) is the only internationally-recognized proof of full-

time student status issued in over 130 countries. It is endorsed by organizations such as

UNESCO, the European Council on Culture and the Andean Community of Nations. The card is

recognized by universities, academic institutions, student organizations, national

governments and ministries of education around the world. As well as being able to prove

your student status internationally it allows you access over 42,000 exclusive benefits around

the world.

Student discount

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Student restaurants (“Menza“)

There are several student restaurants in the city that offer meals at lower prices. To be able

to get student prices you will need a local student card which we will provide for you. You will

most likely use student restaurant at the dormitory where you will be staying or the one at

the Student Center located at Savska cesta 25.

Supermarkets and bakeries

Most of the supermarkets in Zagreb open between 7 and 9 in the morning and close between

19 and 21 in the evening on workdays. Most places are opened all day on Saturdays and in the

morning on Sundays. Same goes for the bakeries, though there are some that are opened 24/7

(for example Mlinar at Savska cesta 56).

Restaurants

If you don't feel like eating in a student restaurant, the city is full of other possibilities to

choose from. A good choice might be Nokturno located in Skalinska Street in the very heart of

Zagreb. It offers a large variety of food at affordable prices. Another place to visit should also

be restaurant Mali medo located in Tkalčićeva Street 36. Aside from the comfortable ambient

and typical Croatian dishes, they are even better known for the five types of their home-made

beer.

Food

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Weekdays

The most popular recreational spots in Zagreb are located on the lakes Jarun and Bundek. The

dormitory you will be staying at is located in the vicinity of the lake Jarun, the bigger of the

two. Recreational Sports Center Jarun, situated on Jarun Lake in the southwest of the city, has

fine shingle beaches, a world-class regatta course, a jogging lane around the lake, several

restaurants, many night clubs and a discothèque.

Zagreb ZOO is located inside the Maksimir Park, Zagreb's oldest public park. The Zoo is open

every day, including weekends and holidays. The ticket price for adults is 30 kn (3,80 €) on all

days except Mondays when it is 20 kn (2,50 €).

Zagreb has two botanical gardens. The Zagreb Botanical Garden is located in downtown

Zagreb and is a part of the Faculty of Science. It is home to over 10,000 plant species from

around the world, including 1,800 exotics. Botanical garden of medical plants “Fran Kušan“

is a home of several hundreds of different medical plants and is a part of Faculty of Pharmacy

and Biochemistry.

The main shopping street in Zagreb is Ilica. Situated in the center of the city, it is full of small,

charming boutiques, and shops of well known brands, as well as pleasant cafes and patisseries

to have a sweet break before moving on. Most stores here are opened till 21 on workdays but

only work mornings on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays. If you feel like shopping on

weekends, there are plenty of malls in Zagreb that you can choose from, the two closest to

your dormitory being Arena Centar and Avenue Mall.

Free time

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Weekends

Secrets of Grič is an interactive theater night tour of

Gornji grad (“Upper town“) intended for visitors and

citizens of Zagreb who want to discover the

historical and mystical side of the capital. The tour

is based on the historical facts, romanced history

taken from the novels by Marija Jurić Zagorka, and

the famous urban legends. The tour last 1h and

costs 20 €. Tours are held in Croatian on Fridays and in English on Saturdays. Tickets need to

be booked in advanced so you should let us know soon if you are interested.

If you prefer to do your sightseeing during the day, Blue Bike Zagreb offers guided tours of

Zagreb on bikes. The tours are delivered in English and cost 23 €. Tours are limited to 12

persons so if you want a place, you need to book it in advance.

National Park Plitvička jezera is the best known and the most visited national park in Croatia.

There is a bus from Zagreb to Plitvice every day and the ticket price in one direction is

approximately 100 kn (13€).

Samobor is a little town in a fertile valley of the Sava River, at the footings of Samobor

Mountains. It is a genuine town-museum. Each house, square or street tells its history. The

ruins of the medieval burg above the present town witness the rich history as well as

numerous exhibits in the Town Museum. Samobor is the most developed tourist place in

Zagreb County, and favorite destination of many Zagreb citizens and other guests. It is

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especially notable for its food and drink and attractive festivals. From Zagreb, Samobor can be

reached by Samoborček bus lines that leave from several locations in Zagreb.

There are many bus lines during summer that offer one day trips to coastal towns of Crikvenica

and Novi Vinodolski. Most of them leave early in the morning and return in the evening which

gives you all day to enjoy the beaches and the beautiful Adriatic Sea. Return tickets can be

found starting from around 130 kn (17€).

Zagreb is located at the foothills of Medvednica Mountain. Its summit Sljeme is one of the

favorite weekend retreats of Zagreb residents. Unfortunately our cable car is at the moment

under construction, but there is a bus that will take you to the top where you can have a

cheap, fresh and hearty food at one of the many mountain lodges (“planinarski dom”).

In 1899, on a hill called Hušnjak near modern Krapina,

the archaeologist and paleontologist Dragutin

Gorjanović-Kramberger found over eight hundred

fossil remains belonging to Neanderthals. At the site

where the Neanderthal remains were discovered

there is now a state-of-the-art Neanderthal museum

which also includes an extensive segment on

evolution, making it one of the most interesting evolutionary museums in Europe. It is

surrounded by a park with many statues of Neanderthals and their game, a bear, a moose and

a beaver set in the actual locations. Krapina is located in the hilly Zagorje region of Croatia,

approximately 55 km from Zagreb, and can be reached by train in approximately 2,5 hours.

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Important Notes!

Don't forget to bring a white lab coat with you when you are coming. It is the official

clothing of pharmacists in Croatia and you will need it for your internship. Some

pharmacists require that you bring medical clogs as well so make sure you ask your

LEO if that is the case for you.

Average summer temperature might be 20°C, but make sure you bring lots of clothing

with you for temperatures well above 30°C if you are coming in summer, as well as a

light jacket in case of rainy days. Don't forget to check the weather report before your

arrival either, so you know what kind of weather to expect when you get here.

If you are given a local student card so you can eat at the student restaurant for student

prices, don't forget to give it back before you leave. Our students are borrowing those

cards to you and will need them back after you return home.

Student restaurants ("Menza") are only opened during the school year. They are closed

during the summer holidays (between July 15 and September 1).

Important

Croatian Pharmacy and Medical Biochemistry Students' Association

Udruga studenata farmacije i medicinske biokemije Hrvatske

SEP Guide to Zagreb

CPSA 2014 ©