Time has finally arrived for the most anticipated celebration of the year! That’s right, Christmas is finally just around the corner and that means it is time to celebrate with your loved ones, friends and family. You wonder how Croatians celebrate Christmas in Zagreb? Just picture this…The mesmerizing aroma of fritule with melted chocolate and the scent of roasted chestnuts intertwining with the festive music concerts in the enchanting parks decorated with Christmas trees. Zagreb has gained much attention as a Christmas destination the past few years due to the Zagreb Advent Festival. Many people actually don’t know that Zagreb Advent was awarded three times in a row as the Best European Christmas Market, from the year of 2016 to 2018. Surprised? If you weren’t aware of Zagreb as a Christmas destination, now you know where to travel this December and where to spend Christmas.
The Christmas Market in Zagreb is ready to open on 26th of November and welcome Christmas as well as the New Year of 2023 with a warm heart! You will have a great time whether you decide to go with friends or family since there are entertaining activities for everyone to participate in. Many musical performances, exhibitions, a variety of museums to visit and a great opportunity to try local food from local start-ups to excellent chefs! Of course, the impressive ice park wouldn’t be missing from the Zagreb Christmas Market in the Tomislav square, accompanied by joyful Christmas music and many events. A quite distinctive characteristic of Zagreb Advent are the wooden hats along the Strossmayer Promenade and the Wooden Nutcrackers. One of the highlights of Zagreb Advent is getting a taste of the delicious mulled wine in the cold winter nights while admiring the captivating Christmas decorations.
This year the Zagreb Advent includes in total 20 arranged locations, of which three of them are new and belong to the outer part of the city center. What is really worth mentioning is that Dr. Franjo Tuđman Square is turning into an amusement park! It's called Winter Park and it’s open for children and younger adults to enjoy their time while having fun playing games! A big wheel will be placed in the park for a panoramic view. Zagreb Advent has already started and will be open till 7th of January 2023. You can find more detailed information about the programme of Zagreb Advent in the official website here. Make sure not to miss this magical time of the year in Zagreb!