Medvednica — literally "Bear Mountain" — rises directly behind Zagreb to a peak of 1,033 metres at Sljeme. The whole massif is a protected nature park: dense beech and oak forests, a network of marked hiking trails, several mountain huts (planinarski dom) serving hearty Croatian food, and the medieval fortress of Medvedgrad ("Bear Town") on a southern outcrop with sweeping views over the city.
A cable car climbs to within ten minutes of the summit; reopened in 2022 after years of works, it leaves from the Zagreb suburb of Šestine and reaches Sljeme in fifteen minutes. From the top, the trails fan out in all directions; locals walk for an hour to a mountain hut, eat grah (bean stew) and gulaš, and walk back. In winter Sljeme operates a small ski area that has hosted World Cup slalom events.