Holiday times are ahead of us and that means it’s time to whistle Mariah Carey songs and try out best mulled wine and sausages. After Advent in Zagreb has been voted best Christmas market in Europe three years in a row, we started exploring this year’s rich cultural and entertaining programme that offers much more than just wine & sausages.
A couple of new locations joined the Advent programme, such as Academy of Fine Arts’ garden in Ilica 85, where visitors can enjoy the bright lights in the magic Christmas garden. Academy’s Christmas garden will host exhibitions of young & aspiring artists, concerts, children's festival Eko Limach Fest and culinary workshops, all followed by rich gastro offer. Another reason to visit this magical artsy garden is to check out exhibited sculptures of Croatia’s most prominent artists, such as Meštrović or Augustinčić! This Advent location is pure eye candy.
Another magical location is Moon Garden in Park Bela IV. in Zagreb’s Old Town. If you want to take yourself or your loved one on a most romantic date night, Moon Garden is your finest choice, serving you a dreamy magical atmosphere. Illuminated lamps and light installation of a thousand golden-glowing lamps make this charming and intimate garden a perfect place for sharing holiday wishes with your beloved ones. It’s simply stunning!
You want to bring your kids to Advent in Zagreb, but you’re not sure which locations might be most interesting for them? Don’t worry, we’ll share our recommendations! If your kids like ice skating, you can take them to Šalata or Velesajam, and if not, we’re sure they will love The Little Museum of Wonders. In this museum, located in Ilica 92 and Ilica 67, kids can participate in different creative workshops, attend language schools, make Christmas tree decorations and watch Professor Balthazar (who remembers?). In Ribnjak Park children can go and watch an interactive theater performance, The Red Riding Hood. When you buy tickets, you get to choose if you’re team Wolf, team Granny or team Red Riding Hood. What would be your team?
If you want to leave kids at home and treat yourself with a glass of mulled wine, you should probably head to one of the most popular Advent locations - Fuliranje. Hotel Esplanade is hosting Fuliranje on its wonderful terrace Oleander, where you can find 12 restaurants and many great DJ’s and musicians. If you find yourself sipping wine or cocktails at Fuliranje, make sure you try some of the creative recipes Good Kut has prepared this year (spoiler alert: there are vegan options, too!). Enjoy the flavours and aromas around Fuliranje, there is so much to try!
Speaking of Fuliranje, our vegan friends and plant based food lovers might go out of their minds after they try Beg’s Plant Based Butchery. At least we did. If you go for plant based chilli con carne or dark chocolate chilli you won’t regret. Only thing you might regret is not trying KAJ chai: apricot rakija combined with black tea and lemon juice will lift up your spirit and warm you up. What more could you wish on a cold winter day? Let us know what impressed you most at Zagreb's Christmas Market!