Tuškanac Forest

Tuškanac is a wooded hill on the northern side of the centre of Zagreb, and Tuškanac Forest, its forest park, is one of Zagreb’s favourite places to walk, a pocket of dense woodland that begins only a few minutes from Ban Jelačić Square and the Upper Town. It works as a green lung for the capital, and it offers a quiet escape from the traffic and noise of the streets.

The forest covers the slopes of the hill, which rises between the Upper Town and the lower slopes of Medvednica, the mountain north of the city. Tall beeches, oaks, hornbeams and chestnuts shade a network of paths and stairways that climb the hill, and the air under the trees is noticeably cooler and fresher than in the streets below. In spring the forest floor is covered with wildflowers, in summer the canopy provides shade, in autumn the leaves turn gold and red, and in winter the bare branches reveal views over the roofs of the city. Birds are common, and squirrels are often seen. Paths of varying length allow short strolls or longer walks, and joggers and families use them at all hours.

The place also has cultural importance. Tuškanac was historically a fashionable residential district, where many of Croatia’s best-known artists, writers and intellectuals built or rented villas in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, attracted by the quiet and the greenery so close to the centre. Some of those villas still stand among the trees, giving the area a refined, secluded character, and they add an intellectual heritage to the setting. The area is also home to a small cinema, Kino Tuškanac, which has long been a centre of independent and art-house films in Zagreb, and which adds to the district’s cultural reputation.

Among the pleasures of the area is its gastronomy. Dubravkin Put, a restaurant set within the woods, is among the best-known fine-dining places in Zagreb, with attentive service, an impressive wine list and a refined menu based on Croatian ingredients. It has been recognised by guides, including the Michelin guide, and a meal here under the trees, with the forest around the windows, is a memorable experience that appeals to food lovers and nature lovers alike. Booking in advance is essential.

While the forest itself is a public space, it is free to enter at any time. Visitors can walk the paths at their own pace, looking at the plants and trees, and perhaps imagining the creative minds who once lived here. From the forest, paths and stairs lead to the Upper Town, so it is easy to include in a walking route, and Medvednica is a little farther on. Tuškanac suits walkers, joggers, families and anyone who wants a quiet break in the middle of the city.