Dolac is Zagreb's best-known farmers' market, set on a raised square just above Ban Jelačić Square, between the old hilltop towns of Gradec and Kaptol. Under rows of red umbrellas, farmers from the villages around the city sell fruit, vegetables and flowers, while a covered hall underneath holds butchers, cheese sellers and more. Watching over it all is a bronze statue of a market woman: Kumica Barica.
Dolac Market at a glance
- Where: on a terrace up a flight of steps from Ban Jelačić Square, below Zagreb Cathedral and the Upper Town.
- Opened: 1930, on the site of demolished town walls and houses of the old Dolac neighbourhood.
- What it is today: Zagreb's largest and busiest market, with an open-air level for produce and an indoor hall below for meat, dairy and other goods.
- Time needed: 30–45 minutes to browse, longer if you stop to eat.
From Harmica to Dolac
For a long time Zagreb's main market was held on Harmica, the square that is now Ban Jelačić Square. When the city decided to move it, there was a long debate about where it should go. The architect Viktor Kovačić, who was also involved in channelling the Medveščak stream, proposed the site between the Church of St Mary and Kaptol. To make room, a stretch of the old town walls and several houses of the old settlement of Dolac were pulled down; the nearby street name Pod zidom, 'under the wall', still recalls them.
The market opened in 1930 and has been the city's main trading place ever since. Around it, the trades spread into the neighbouring streets: flower sellers gather on Petrica Kerempuh Square to the north and on Splavnica, the lane that links Dolac with Ban Jelačić Square, while Opatovina further north has stalls for clothes and crafts. In 2006 the city added the statue of Kumica Barica, a tribute to the women who have supplied Zagreb's kitchens for generations.
What to look for
- The red umbrellas: the rows of red parasols over the open-air stalls, best seen from the top of the steps or from the edge of the terrace.
- Kumica Barica: the bronze statue by the sculptor Stjepan Gračan of a kumica, a woman from the countryside around Zagreb who sells her own produce.
- Sir i vrhnje: look for the local speciality of fresh cottage cheese and sour cream, sold in the covered market.
- The covered hall: go down the stairs to the indoor level under the terrace, where butchers and other traders have their counters.
- The flower stalls: the flower sellers on Splavnica and Petrica Kerempuh Square, right next to the market.
Who is Kumica Barica?
Kumice are women from the villages around Zagreb who grow their own fruit and vegetables or make their own cheese and cream and bring them to sell at the city's markets. When the statue was put up, the people of Zagreb chose its name, Barica. Its model was a real market woman, Đurđica Jančić, who sold her produce at Dolac for more than 50 years.
Tips for your visit
- Come in the morning, when the stalls are fullest and the farmers have just set up.
- Try something on the spot: seasonal fruit, a cup of fresh sir i vrhnje, or a bunch of flowers for your room.
- Combine Dolac with the cathedral on Kaptol and the cafés of Tkalčićeva Street, both a few minutes away.
Nearby
- Ban Jelačić Square: Zagreb's main square, with the equestrian statue of Ban Josip Jelačić, just down the steps.
- Zagreb Cathedral: the neo-Gothic cathedral on Kaptol with its twin spires, a few minutes' walk east.
- Tkalčićeva Street: a lively street of cafés and bars along the line of a former stream, just west of the market.
- Stone Gate: the old gate to the Upper Town with a much-revered painting of the Virgin Mary inside, a short uphill walk.
See Zagreb with World City Trail
Our Zagreb scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 42 minutes of walking. It includes the Botanical Garden and the Croatian National Theatre.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Zagreb.
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Facts checked in October 2026.