Great things to do in Zagreb in June

Born out of the ubiquity of concrete and a love for functional shapes, the architecture of Brutalism is frequently misunderstood. The very term seems to attract us for all the wrong reasons, inviting us to admire buildings for their roughness, or their obstinate refusal to be pretty. Recent years have seen the word Brutalism fall victim to a warped social media aesthetic in which it is exoticized as something east European, communist, falling to bits – an object of nostalgia or pity that is shorn of its social context. Touring the modernist neighbourhoods of Zagreb is something of an antidote to this – Croatian Brutalism is restrained and sympathetic to its surroundings in a way rather different to the application of the same style in, say, Sheffield or South London. Not all of it is pretty – Brutalism was above all a functional style designed to provide social planners with cheap solutions to big problems. However, there is plenty here of compelling interest – enough to justify Zagreb’s growing reputation as an unsung treasure-trove of Central-European modernism.

Compact and easy to navigate, Zagreb contains plenty of historic sights and fascinating galleries, complemented by destination restaurants, clusters of busy bars and numerous live-music venues. The main square divides the hilly Upper Town – museums, institutions of national importance, panoramic views – from the flat, grid-patterned streets of the Lower Town, with its gastronomic landmarks, designer boutiques and art galleries. Spread out east and west are areas of bucolic greenery while south over the Sava river stretches the post-war residential blocks of Novi Zagreb. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.

Zagreb is quickly gaining the big-city vibe of Vienna and Budapest, its Habsburg-era counterparts, while managing to hold on to its distinctive charm. Set below Mount Medvednica, where the last Alpine foothills meet the Pannonian plain, the city still feels like a big village. You can walk to most places you'd want to visit and the majority of tram routes pass through Trg bana Josipa Jelačića, the main square, making the city easy to navigate. Everything has an order common to German-speaking Europe, but with a Balkan sense of fun and after dark hedonism. Read our daytripper's guide to experiencing the best of Zagreb in one day. RECOMMENDED: more great things to do in Zagreb.

This attractive, Habsburg-era city is a grand place for a winter break in Croatia. The month-long Advent festival transforms the city into a lively celebration of Christmas, with several major locations dressed up with wooden chalets and glittering canopies of fairy lights. On crisp winter days, the snow-tipped Sljeme mountain range is an enjoyably bracing hike - and an unbeatable location for a beer once you've reached it's summit. Cutting-edge modern art, wonderful boutique shopping and sightseeing opportunities aplenty complete the winning mix. RECOMMENDED: more great things to do in Zagreb.

Whether you're having a night off the booze or have called time on drinking altogether, there are plenty of ways to socialise in Zagreb and still have fun. Board and tabletop game nights provide a sober, sociable alternative and are a great place to mingle with new people. Zagreb is no exception to the popularity of tabletop game culture and you can find both playrooms dedicated to tabletop games and venues which hold regular events. Here are five of the friendliest where you'll be welcomed for your gaming enthusiasm and not for your Croatian skills. RECOMMENDED: the 71 best things to do in Zagreb.

The good news? January is over. The bad news? It's still cold and grey outside. But that doesn't mean you should spend the month in hibernation. Warm yourself up at the Whisky Fair, visit the critically-acclaimed Device Art installations or see a range of indie heroes and seasoned rockers like The Lemonheads grace Zagreb's best live music venues. See, there's plenty of great things going on in Zagreb this month. Here's our pick of the best. RECOMMENDED: more great things to do in Zagreb.

Offering diverse and well thought-out movies, independent cinemas can be the place to catch up on some of the best films made around the world or the place to introduce a friend or date to one of your most cherished old classics. Luckily, Zagreb has a crop of art house cinemas showing the best of world and independent movies - with many screened in English. Here's where to find them. RECOMMENDED: The best film festivals in Croatia.

The distance from Zagreb to Split is just over 400km. The quickest way from Zagreb to Split is to zoom down the A1 motorway, a journey south of just over four hours and 400km plus, passing close to Zadar and Šibenik. Croatian motorways have a toll system, so be prepared to pay about €25 between the two main cities. To make the journey more comfortable, you can organise a Zagreb to Split transfer in style with Octopus Transfers. In fact, why not go from Zagreb to Plitvice Lakes which is on the route to Split, and take in the amazing cascades and waterfalls of Croatia’s most stunning national park. A Zagreb to Split via Plitvice Lakes transfer is both a cost and time effective way of travel! Buses from Zagreb to Split leave about every 30 minutes, average direct journey time around five hours, tickets €20. You’ll pay an extra €1 for every item of luggage you store in the hold. Some Zagreb to Split bus services actually stop at Plitvice Lakes, so again you can break up your journey, either with two buses or by arranging a transfer with Octopus from Zagreb to Plitvice or Plitvice to Split. Trains from Zagreb to Split take about six hours during the day, eight hours overnight, allowing you to arrive in Dalmatia with the day ahead of you. A Zagreb to Split train ticket is around €30 but you can also pay a supplement for a couchette, with extra services laid on in high season. If you are after a Zagreb to Split flight, the National carrier, Croatia Airlines, provides around...

Zagreb attractions number plenty of stately icons among their ranks, owing to the city's status as a former Habsburg hub and capital of a new nation. Towering cathedrals, a venerable zoo and a stately cemetery all provide plenty of things to do in Zagreb. Our experts pick out the best.

Zagreb can seem a bit grey and depressing in January when the kaleidoscopic Advent decorations are pulled down and the streets turn into a graveyard of jaundiced Christmas pines. But there's enough fun stuff going on this month to help you beat the post-Christmas blues. Don't miss 'Night of the Museums' - when the city's major cultural institutions throw open their doors for a special after-hours event, a free festival of late-night culture. RECOMMENDED: more great things to do in Zagreb this winter.