For the past few months, I have been in touch with a traveller to Croatia who was planning on visiting the country in the off-season. The lovely lady in question, Emily, was fully aware that March and April weren’t beach and sunbathing time – but seeing as she’s from California, those weren’t a priority for her! She also knew that the weather might bring some challenges, but hoped spring weather would be the norm. (In the end, she ended up encountering a non-March-typical massive snowstorm when trying to visit the Plitvice Lakes!) I decided to ask Emily some questions about her travels – read on to discover all about her experiences of visiting Croatia in the off-season.
Note: all of the amazing photos shown on this page were taken by Emily. Aren’t they just wonderful?
A beautiful view of Dubrovnik Old Town – you wouldn’t think this is Croatia in the off-season!
What made you decide to visit Croatia in the off-season (and in general)?
We have long had Croatia and the Balkans on our travel radar, and recently had friends who have travelled there and who really whetted our appetite for the trip. We chose to go to Croatia in the off-season because we were hoping to travel without big crowds. We had friends who told us that the Plitvice Lakes National Park and Dubrovnik were just jam-packed when they were there, and we really wanted to avoid that.
A basketball court in Dubrovnik’s Old TownDubrovnik’s colourful rooftopsDubrovnik is still buzzing in the evening, in the off-season!Easter celebrations in DubrovnikBeautiful wooden Croatian Easter eggsDolac Outdoor Market in Zagreb – re-sited from its usual location!
I know you visited Plitvice; although you were there in March, you encountered unexpectedly heavy snow! What was that experience like?
We were hoping that late March and early April, we would have at least decent weather. We were quite excited to see the waterfalls at Plitvice and that beautiful area. As it turned out, of course, we had all the snow, but that proved to be its own special adventure, so in the end, we didn’t feel too disappointed. Sadly, the park was completely closed, but there was a panoramic trail of the park- just a kilometre or two, but it had been tromped on enough that we could walk there and see some waterfalls in the distance.
When we were at the Hotel Jezero, they had an All Europe Junior Go tournament, so there were lots of families with smart kids who had a lot of pent-up energy from being stuck inside. Imagine soccer games in the hallways…it was fun, and we were only there for two days, so we went with it and had a good time.
Emily in the snow in the Plitvice Lakes region
How did you plan your trip?
We planned the trip by getting recommendations from our friends who had been there and looking at the Overseas Adventure Travel itinerary for their land-based and ship-based trips, and then checking with Google Maps and Rome2Rio to get help with transportation options.
I looked at Booking.com and Google Maps for hotel information and reviews. We really like to do things ourselves!
My husband loves to take care of the transportation, and I get to pick hotels, trying to maximise square footage and comfort with a reasonable cost.
Of course, in Dubrovnik, I queried “steps” in all the reviews, because while we can do stairs, we didn’t want to do hundreds every day. I completely failed in selecting our accommodations in Kotor – the fact that the bathroom was, while private, down 15 steps from the studio with the bedroom and kitchen was sort of buried.
Otherwise, the hotels and the Airbnbs we found were available at really reasonable rates and were of very high-quality.
The Greeting to the Sun, ZadarThe ForumThe pretty Old Town Harbour in Zadar
I understand you undertook several walking tours. Do you find these are great ways of getting to know a destination? How did you decide what tours to do?
We do find walking tours a great way to get oriented to a new city, and try to do them in every place we go. We like to do general walking tours and also street art tours when they are available. We didn’t find any street art tours in Croatia, but we did have one in Mostar. Last year, we had a phenomenal street art tour in London that took us through the Brick Lane area – have you ever done a street art tour? We also went on one in Paris that was quite cool!
For the city walking tours, we recently discovered Guru Walk. We liked that we could read about the tour guide and pick the tour accordingly.
A walking tour in Zagreb
It sounds like you enjoyed many parts of your travels, but do you have any particular highlights?
Marijana, our Zagreb tour guide, was amazing!
We particularly loved our time in Dubrovnik, but Zadar and Split were amazing as well – it was quite windy when we were in both cities, and we did wish for better weather.
The Riva in SplitA view over Split from the belltower
We were sorry we hadn’t arranged a stay on one of the outlying islands. We found the Adriatic to be just as picturesque and beautiful. We were blown away by the color of the water!
We also found the food to be so fresh and delicious! We think the quality of the produce is superior overall to what we get here. Although we live in California and get produce from our farmers’ markets, the fact that they use fewer pesticides and chemicals in the food in Europe, as opposed to the United States, really pays off in terms of flavor.
We liked taking the ferry from Split to Dubrovnik, and found the bus trips interesting.
Going to the Symphony at Lisinski Hall in Zagreb was also really cool – we like going to a concert when we travel to do something that brings us to a place that is more local than touristy. The restaurant we went to before the concert (Restoran Trnjanka – see it on the map) was super local-feeling. It was fun.
Thank you so much to Emily for taking the time to write about her experiences of visiting Croatia in the off-season. It sounds like a wonderful trip!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/emily-dubrovnik-old-town.jpg6801000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2026-06-01 12:21:512026-06-04 13:23:27Croatia in the off-season – absolutely worth visiting!
Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the top sights to visit in Croatia. With its stunning interconnected lakes and waterfalls, gorgeous nature and animal inhabitants (although the larger ones are rarely seen by people), it’s a wonderful place to spend a day – or hopefully longer. The inland location, in the Lika region of Croatia, is also somewhere that many visitors wouldn’t otherwise experience, preferring the coast or Zagreb. Visiting the park provides a wonderful opportunity to experience another slice of Croatia. My latest visit to the National Park was last month, at the start of the coldest season of the year. So what was it like visiting the Plitvice Lakes in winter? Is it worth it? Find out what I thought!
Early arrival
To make the most of my day, I decided to take the first bus from Zagreb to the lakes. That meant getting up before 6am (normally, waaaay too early for me) to make the 6.45am bus. The bus, run by Prijevoz Knezevic, ended up being a little mini-bus to my surprise, but no matter. The comfy seats and decent leg room were just the thing for a snooze all the way to the lakes. (The mini-bus was half full, and one small group also disembarked at the lakes.)
The bus stopped right by Entrance 1, from where it’s possible to visit the Lower Lakes – which are the ones that are accessible in winter. It is also this entrance you need to visit Veliki Slap (Big Waterfall – the clue’s in the name, as it’s the tallest waterfall around these parts). Funnily enough, although you’re visiting the Lower Lakes, you enter the Park from up on high and first experience one of the most beautiful and most famous views of the National Park.
A first view of the lower lakesLooking down toward Veliki Slap
I headed to the ticket booth to snap up my €10 ticket (which would be €40 in the peak summer months!) and then talked to the helpful guy in the adjacent booth who explained what paths and trails were open and would be possible to visit. In this case, he told me Trails A and B would be able to be followed. I decided to opt for the longer Trail B (which they say takes 3 to 4 hours, and 4,000 metres in length).
And then, reader, my adventure began.
Oh, wow!
As I’ve already hinted, just a few steps beyond Entance 1 is one of the most the unbelieveable sights of the Plitvice Lakes, looking down onto three interconnected lakes (Milanovac, Gavanovac, and Kaludjerovac) and the waterfalls inbetween them. You might even stand yourself here, take in the amazing sight, snap a photo or three, and then head home. But you wouldn’t, because you’re not crazy, are you?
From here, I descended down the path in the direction of Veliki Slap. This waterfall is actually in the wrong direction from the trails, essentially down a dead end, but if he’s the biggest guy in town, you need to pay him a visit – right?
Veliki Slap
Two things quickly became apparent to me. The first was that it was literally freezing (I do mean literally), so I had to dress myself in all additional items of clothing I wasn’t yet wearing.
The second I realised was that by arriving at the Plitvice Lakes just before 9am in winter, I had totally won in life. As I descended down to the Lower Lakes, I didn’t pass a single other person. On my way to Veliki Slap and back, I passed two people – Plitvice Lakes maintenance workers. Heading further around the paths, heading in the direction of Lake Kozjak, I passed only a handful of people – maybe 10 at most? Having the Lakes essentially “to myself” was really such a magical experience that I can barely put into words. It was probably one of the best days of my life!
The Lower Lakes in Plitvice on a winter morningThe lovely wooden paths in Plitvice
Heading round the wooden paths and admiring all the lakes and waterfalls, the lack of other visitors meant I could really go at my own pace. This also meant I could take in all the particular signs and points of interest I came across without being hurried along.
A plaque explaining how a set of falls are named after opera singer Milka TerninaA wonderfully still lakeMilanovac Lake
Time for a pit stop
On reaching Lake Kozak, I discovered a small souvenir shop and a small cafe. Of course, I made good use of both – I couldn’t leave without getting something for my fridge’s magnet collection. The cafe was relatively basic, but very warm and just the thing for a recharge, for both myself and my phone. It had a reasonable selection of hot drinks and offered things like sandwiches, burgers and chips and a few sweet treats. (Also, a fairly impressive range of Croatian spirits…I’m sure a shot would have been warming, but I didn’t go for it!) I would highly recommend a warming coffee and a slice of cheese strudel (savijača). Delicious.
Just the thing for a cold December morningInformation signs in PlitviceInformation signs in Plitvice
On I go
The cafe and shop are right by the shore of Lake Kozak, which has an electric boat running across it. This in itself is another awesome experience – the boat glides softly and quietly over the lake as you take in the nature on both sides.
The boat was actually the largest number of people I saw at any one time during my Plitvice winter adventure, with about 15-20 people on board. A few seemed to be part of small tour groups, who I assumed to be undertaking private tours of the Park. (I certainly saw one couple clearly being guided around the lakes.)
Lake Kozjak
I disembarked on the other side of the lake – past a sad, understandably closed ice-cream stall – to continue my journey on Trail B. Most of my fellow boatgoers seemed to disappear at this point (don’t worry, I don’t mean in a sinister way), so I assume they were heading up to Entrance 2, to be taken elsewhere.
Heading up the hill here, I encountered what’s called the “panoramic vehicle”, essentially a small coach with comically sized windows. (Comically big not small, although the latter would be more comical.) By this time, I was alone again, and the bus took me on a short journey to continue Trail B. Excitingly, this part of the Park had snow! Real snow, on the ground! Okay, only on the parts where no one walked, but as I had hoped to encounter Plitvice in snow (but delayed my visit for a few days to get better weather), it was a teensy bit exciting.
Panoramic vehicles in the Plitvice LakesSnow in the Plitvice Lakes
The bus dropped me off to continue my walk along the top of the canyon, towards Entrance 1, and I again encountered the lakes of Milanovac, Gavanovac, and Kaludjerovac from up high. By this time, the sun had properly emerged, and the temperature had gone up a few degrees, so the gorgeous lakes and waterfalls could be their best twinkly self.
And again on the paths back to Entrance 1, I only encountered one or two people at a time. Solo but not lonely at all. And no “fights” for the best photo viewpoint!
A panoramic view of the Plitvice LakesAnd a second panoramic view of the Plitvice Lakes!
Conclusion – was visiting Plitvice Lakes in winter worth it?
Oh my goodness, yes. A million times yes.
Visiting the Plitvice Lakes is worth it any time of year, but in peak season, you’ll encounter so many crowds of people that it will be practically like a traffic jam to get around. Nevertheless, Plitvice in peak summer is still a sight to behold.
The different seasons give visitors a different Plitvice experience. Sure, winter means hardly any fellow visitors, but also shorter opening times and quite strict logistics in terms of where you can travel from and at what times. You also have to pay closer attention to the weather. I would have loved to have visited in proper snowfall (tempted as I was by social media posts!), but I’m aware that that could have meant a more treacherous journey around the Park. I don’t regret waiting a few days for a cold but eventually beautifully sunny, dry day!
So yes, please do visit the Plitvice Lakes in winter. It is absolutely worth it.
A close-up of the interconnected Lakes in PlitviceThe view from Entrance 1, now almost four hours later
Getting to the Plitvice Lakes in winter
If travelling by public transport, it is easiest to reach the Plitvice Lakes in winter from Zagreb. With a journey time of around just two hours, and the fact that there are a number of buses per day, makes a day-trip very doable. Take a look at the Zagreb Bus Terminal website to look up bus schedules and to buy your tickets. Do also make your life easier and buy your return ticket before travel as well – you don’t have to use the same bus operator. Tickets are mostly electronic these days, and can be presented on your phone upon boarding.
You can also hire a car to make the relatively easy journey to the Lakes. Parking in the Lakes car park is free in winter (in December, January and February).
Alternatively, you may prefer an organised tour. Take a look at some of the possibilities below:
The park is open from 8am to 3pm, with both Entrance 1 and 2 generally open unless conditions prove otherwise. Ticket sales are only available until 1pm.
The electric boat over Lake Kozjak operates from 8am to 2.30pm/3pm (end time depends on the direction) in winter.
Good to Know
What to wear
Dress appropriately! And warmly! Winter at the park can be very cold indeed, so make sure you have appropriate winter clothing – which means many layers, and a proper winter jacket. A waterproof coat/jacket in addition wouldn’t be a bad idea, or at least take along a waterproof top layer that you can put on if you need.
Gloves are an absolute must, as are hiking shoes or boots or footwear that has a good grip when you’re walking. The paths can be wet and/or icy.
I personally didn’t have any hand warmers, but I saw a few other visitors with them. They seem like a good idea!
Eating, Drinking and Shopping
Right by entrance 1 is a small snack bar (think sandwiches, burgers, hot and cold drinks) for refreshment and a souvenir shop with Plitvice Lakes branding. Although the products comprised a mix of regular souvenir takeaways (t-shirts, baseball caps) and more pleasing items (carved wood ornaments, kids’ books on Plitvice), I found it to be rather expensive! I wanted to buy a book (in English) for my children, but baulked at the price of €15 for a very slim book!
I’ve mentioned the shop and cafe by Lake Kozjak for another pit stop. However, for a proper, hearty and very filling lunch, I would return to Entrance 1 and head over the footbridge to Licka Kuca (Lika House in English) Restaurant. Absolutely delicious food, typical of the Lika region, with very friendly service and a warm ambience. Recommended!
Getting there
If you’re using public transport – i.e. bus – you really do want to get to the lakes as early as possible. Although you’ll curse an impossibly early start, you’ll thank yourself when you get to the lakes and experience them!
Return buses might run a little late – they don’t start from Plitvice, but are travelling from further afield. Wait by the little wooden huts (make sure you’re at the hut that’s going in the right direction) and be patient!
Tickets
You can buy tickets for the National Park in advance online on the Plitvice Lakes National Park – Tickets webpage. But I wouldn’t bother, they are very, very unlikely to sell out in wintertime!
One thing to note is that you can buy a 2-day ticket for €15 in winter. If you’re driving yourself to the Lakes and staying locally, a two-day visit would be lovely.
More info
You can find out all the latest information on visiting the Park, including current conditions of trails and what can be visited, on the Plitvice Lakes National Park website.
January and winter may be a time of hibernating and staying indoors, keeping away from the cold. But it’s also a month of savouring wine – yes, really! The end of January brings St Vincent’s Day (Vincekovo in Croatian), which marks the start of a new wine-growing year. Officially, St Vincent’s Day is today – 22nd January – but celebrations usually take place on the nearest weekend. This is certainly the case in the central Croatian town of Sveti Ivan Zelina (around 40 kilometres northeast of Zagreb), which will mark Vincekovo on Sunday, 25th January 2026.
What happens on Vincekovo?
A very traditional event, Vincekovo starts with a holy mass in the morning, during which prayers are given to St Vincent to ask for an abundant wine growing season, as well as asking for protection of the vineyards against poor weather (frost, hail), pests, disease and similar.
The vineyards themselves are then visited to be blessed. A drop of good wine is poured on the vines, and they are then adorned with homemade sausages. These actions symbolise gratitude and hope for a good year ahead.
A small cutting of the vines is also performed, with this taken home and placed in water. In a few weeks’ time, the cuttings should show how the vines have fared over the winter, and whether a good harvest will be had later on in the year.
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, mass will be held a 11am at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (Kapeli Svetog Duha) before a visit to the vineyards at 12pm. After this, you can enjoy a glass of warming mulled wine and some delicious sausages from the local region, charmed by singing from the Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo Zelina (Croatian Singing Society Zelina).
Pouring wine and adorning sausages on the vines during Vincekovo
The history of wine and Sveti Ivan Zelina
The town has a long tradition of winemaking and cultivating vineyards. The parish priest of Donja Zelina, Dragutin Strazimir, wrote the first modern book on viticulture in Croatia. He also educated and encouraged the local population on wine production, not just to produce, but to strive to achieve the best quality – even to exhibit their wines. Strazimir organised numerous wine exhibitions during his life, and his legacy lives on in the number of wine exhibitions still held in Sveti Ivan Zelina today.
More info
This year’s Vincekovo event is being hosted by the Association of Winemakers and Winegrowers Brin from Kalinje, as well as the Town of Sveti Ivan Zelina and Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Board. As they say, “come, enjoy the charms of the wine-growing tradition and start the new year in good company!“
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Vincekovo_4-1.jpg13652048annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2026-01-22 12:45:222026-01-22 12:46:36Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina this weekend
I’ve just got back from a very lovely week in Zagreb, one of my favourite cities. It may not be a place that’s on everyone’s radar, whether that’s because they prefer to spend time in other parts of Croatia (they coast!) or other European cities are more famous for city breaks. Either way, that’s a shame as there’s so much to keep you occupied in Zagreb! And this time of year, the absolute number one activity is the Christmas celebrations. So please have a read of what I thought about Advent in Zagreb 2025.
What is Advent in Zagreb 2025?
Advent in Zagreb is the big Christmas market, fair, event…whatever you may call it…that takes over so many of Zagreb’s streets, squares, parks, promenades, museums and more. The event officially opened on Saturday, 29th November, and will continue to run until 7th January 2026. Whilst some aspects run almost all day, every day (for example, the food and drink stalls on the main square, the Ice Park skating rink and much more), other elements (concerts, museum events) take place only on certain days or for only part of the Advent run.
And whilst we’re officially in week two of Advent, there’s still plenty of time to enjoy the event. So book your flights to Zagreb now! Take a look at our Getting to Zagreb page for full details of these, and then our Accommodation in Zagreb page to find somewhere to stay.
Advent in Zagreb 2025 Highlights
The main square, Trg ban Jelacic
You can’t go wrong by starting your Advent escapade in Zagreb’s main square, Trg ban Jelacic, which is home to the giant Christmas tree, a small winter village installation (perfect for your festive selfies!), the Advent candles that are sited around Mandusevac Fountain and a number of food and drink (and trinket) stalls. Here, the Christmas tram starts and ends its journey as well. You’ll probably walk through this square a hundred times during your Zagreb exploration, so you’ll spend a lot of time here. It’s at night that the square really turns on the charm with all the fairy lights fully lit.
The giant Christmas tree on Ban Jelacic Square2026 is almost here!
The winter wonderland installation is home to a number of bells which you can ring, which adds a sweet little interactive element. Youngsters and the not-so-young seem to love ringing these bells. Even I had a go!
Funnily enough, I reached Zagreb a few days before Advent opened and saw the preparations of the main square. Turns out that even city decorations involve exasperated people slowly untangling fairy lights.
Advent Candles around Mandusevac Fountain, Ban Jelacic Square, Zagreb
Twinkly lights and excellent music in Zrinjevac Park
Just south of the main square is Zrinjevac Park. This park is also adorned with so many (really, so, so many) pretty Christmas lights, strung up on all of the many trees. The central pathway is lined by little souvenir stalls selling Christmas- and Zagreb-themed (and some that are neither themed) items. In the middle of the park is a bandstand that serves as a stage for musicians and bands who play from morning to late at night (obviously, several different acts play each day!) on the weekends, and evenings only on weekdays. Every time I was here, the quality of music was truly excellent, with a wide variety of songs (Croatian and English) and genres, some festive themed and many not. I heard a delightful chilled version of The Weeknd’s Blinding Lights, which of course has nothing to do with Christmas, but it was perfect for the general fun vibe!
Zrinjevac ParkThe central bandstand in Zrinjevac Park
Zrinjevac is also where you can find Santa giving his sleigh a little warm-up. Say what? Well, you can opt for a horse-drawn carriage ride around the park with Santa at the reins – how magical! Yes, he uses horses instead of reindeer here. I guess Santa must be giving his reindeer an extra sleep until he needs them on Christmas Eve.
Advent Zrinjevac is loosely its own thing within Advent in Zagreb. Take a look at the website to see the line-up of artists playing at the bandstand.
Feast at Fulliranje
Further south from Zrinjevac Par,k you come to Strossmayer Square/Park, which is home to Fuliranje, absolutely THE place to come to for tasty and inventive food. A great number of stalls, many of them run by established restaurants, eateries or names in the Croatian food world, have set up here offering their tasty dishes. It is here that the people of Zagreb descend to have a good time in the evenings, especially on the weekend, to indulge in the food and drink and general merriment. Should you want to experience Fuliranje but more quietly, come during the day – there were plenty of families here when I visited in mid-afternoon.
The 2025 edition of Fuliranje in Strossmayer Park in Zagreb during daytime
Another edition of Fuliranje, called Fooling Around, is located in the courtyard of the very grand Esplanade Hotel. This version has perhaps a slightly fancier selection of food stalls. Many are loosely themed around train travel, for the Esplanade was constructed for travellers who were stopping in Zagreb when travelling on the Orient Express. There was also excellent live music here too; I especially appreciated a rousing rendition of Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell when I was here!
Ice delights at The Ice Park / Ledeni Park
Further south again, on King Tomislav Square in front of the Art Pavilion, is the Ice Park (Ledeni Park in Croatian). I talked last year about how impressed I was with this skating rink – the 1,500 square metre rink is one of the largest in this part of Europe and covers so much of the square. As well as the usual large rectangular rink, you also have paths that lead you around the central fountain and further so you can skate past the Art Pavilion. This is also beautifully lit up and provides an awesome backdrop for the skaters.
Now, I’m not the biggest fan of skating (despite taking lessons…many, many years ago!), but the Ice Park is also a fun place to be just to take in the general atmosphere. Again, there are a number of food and drink stalls here, lining the rink, so you can easily enjoy some festive fun even if you don’t take to the rink.
The Ledeni Park / Ice Park skating rink, with the Art Pavilion in the background
The rink is priced at €5 for peak times (evenings and weekends) and €3.50 for off-peak times, for a one-hour session. This is also very reasonable, in comparison to Christmas rinks elsewhere! Ice Park is open every day, even on Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, so you can get in a skate session after some indulgence. You can even go skating at midnight on New Year’s Eve to celebrate the start of 2026…on ice!
The opening night of the Ice Park saw a free performance of the Nutcracker on the ice. Wonderful…but oh so busy! I would still recommend that you drop by for a future performance of this; there will be two more at 6.30pm on Monday, 15th and Monday 22nd December. Take a look at the Ledeni Park Program page for more details.
A performance of Nutcracker on Ice at Advent in Zagreb 2025
Warming drinks and tasty food
You’ll stuff yourself silly at Advent, really you will! Most of the main festive dishes have made a return this year, including sausages and fritule (doughnut balls). Something new is what they call germknedla, a giant dumpling filled with plum jam that’s traditionally topped with vanilla sauce and poppy seeds. Many stalls offer this with all sorts of different toppings too – chocolate, caramel, Oreo – but just be warned that these really are giant and will fill you up.
Warming winter drinks, of course, play a big part in the Advent experience, and I was pleased to see that white mulled wine was just as readily available as red mulled wine everywhere. (White is so much better, isn’t?!) But another favourite of mine, hot gin, was also on offer, as was hot pelin (made from the Croatian liqueur, Pelinkovac). Hot Aperol was a new one for me! A cup of mulled wine cost €3/€4 whilst other “cocktails” were around €8. Some locations offered drinks in a cute cup or mug (such as on the main square) for which you have to pay €1 or €2 extra, although you can get your money back for this if you choose not to keep the cup as a souvenir. But I thought the mug from the main square was definitely cute enough to keep!
Germknedla…so filling!
Another lively place for food and drink (and live music) is Cafe de Matoš, on the other side of Lotrscak Tower from the Moon Garden (see below). This long promenade again features many stalls selling really rather hearty food, and lots of warming drinks and cocktails. Head right to the end of the promenade for a perfect photo opportunity of Zagreb Cathedral!
Decorations by the Cafe de Matoš entrance
Live music
As I’ve already mentioned, there’s so much live music happening everywhere during Advent in Zagreb. One definite highlight for me was a free concert from the highly esteemed Zagreb Soloists in the Okotogon Arcade at midday on a Sunday. (They will repeat this on 14th and 21st December.) The lovely, smart setting was the perfect backdrop for the strings of this ensemble, who performed a 40-minute set of traditional and more modern Christmas (and non-Christmas) music.
Zagreb Soloists in the Oktogon Arcade
Moon Garden magic
Located on Strossmayer Promenade, just to the west of Lotrscak Tower and at the top of the funicular (which is not operating at the moment because of renovations) you will find the Moon Garden. Last year, this Advent element was held in Ribnjak Park, which was also special…but it’s even better this year. Head up here to enjoy this peaceful setting decorated fully with lights, hanging from the trees, fences and more. There’s a very special feeling here as people do revert to an almost childhood joy when encountering so many pretty lights. There’s also a decent view of Zagreb’s skyline, although at night – when you experience the full effects of the Moon Garden – there’s not too much to see.
The Moon Garden is the perfect place to relax for a little while, away from the crowds of the rest of Advent in Zagreb.
You can also enter Strossmayer Promenade (by ramp) from Mesnicka ulica to the west, right by an entrance to the Gric Tunnel.
Moon Garden on Strossmayer Promenade
The people
Was Advent in Zagreb busy? Oh yes! Everywhere was pretty full of Advent revellers, and Zagreb was generally taken over by a happy atmosphere. I encountered many visitors to Zagreb – young and old – who seemed to be really enjoying the Advent experience, delighted at the fact that Advent was happening “all over the city”.
Some slight misses
Now, last year I loved the experience of the Christmas tram, which takes you on a short (20-minute) circular sightseeing journey from and back to the main square, during which Santa and an elf put on a “show” on board. This year, my experience wasn’t so great – from not being able to buy tickets at the booth because it was closed (despite it saying it should be open!) to being made to buy them online via a URL that didn’t make any mention of the Christmas tram, to my chosen tram (the modern one) breaking down forcing me onto the next one fifteen minutes later…it seemed as if there were some early “operational difficulties”, let’s just say. I also chose an evening tram this time round (they only run in daytime on Friday and the weekends) but it was hard to see much of Zagreb in this tram at night.
The Christmas tram (the 100-year-old one!) at Advent in Zagreb 2025
I would still recommend the Christmas tram – especially if you have kids – but book a daytime one! You will be able to see much more of your surroundings.
Another miss for me… Gric Tunnel is located just west of the main square, and often hosts installations for different events throughout the year. Last year for Advent, the tunnel housed a Polar Express interpretation, with light shows and a miniature running train. This year, the tunnel features bells (the theme of this year’s Advent in Zagreb) recreating – but not fully playing – Jingle Bells. It’s not bad, but not great. Sorry to say it, but some lights would really make the tunnel more special!
A rather lonely-looking Gric Tunnel, with bells mounted on the ceiling to play Jingle Bells
Other delights in Zagreb
If you’ve had your fill of Advent and want to do something else for a second, there really is plenty to occupy your time in Croatia’s capital city. Take a look at our Sightseeing in Zagreb, Eating and Drinking in Zagreb or Shopping in Zagreb pages to get you started. Or just head to our Zagreb section and take it from there!
Absolutely, YES! It’s a very fun experience, full of Christmas cheer, fun events, and hearty food and warming drink. (What else do you want at Christmas time?) As the main part of Zagreb is fairly compact, it’s also super easy to get around the main parts of Advent in Zagreb as well. All in all, book your flights to Zagreb now!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/aiz2025-advent-sign-2.jpg7501000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-12-10 11:57:442025-12-10 11:57:46Visit Croatia Review: Advent in Zagreb 2025
Advent in Zagreb is the big one when it comes to Christmas festivities taking place in Croatia in December. So much of Croatia’s capital is taken over for Advent, from the main square and other popular squares, parks, promenades, museums and more. But what if you’re not heading to Zagreb this winter? Find out what other Christmas events in Croatia are taking place this December below!
Note: If you are heading to Zagreb, I’ve written a separate post about this year’s Advent in Zagreb celebrations – read it here: Advent in Zagreb 2025 is coming!
Christmas events in Croatia – Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik hosts one of the few Christmas events in Croatia not to be called Advent! The Dubrovnik Winter Festival will this year run from 29th November 2025 to 3rd January 2026, with a very rich programme of events for its twelfth edition.
Live music is an important part of the Winter Festival, with famous Croatian singer Doris Dragovic (Eurovision fans may remember her from the 1999 contest!) opening the festival on 29th November. There will be additional concerts from famed Croatian stars throughout December (and one by Abba tribute act MANIA on 12th December), whilst, of course, the big event will be the celebrations to ring in the New Year. Dino Merlin will headline the New Year’s Eve concert, joined by young local sensation Jakov Jozinovic.
New Year’s concert on Stradun in Dubrovnik (Credit: Dubrovnik Winter Festival)
Kids are not forgotten, with a special list of activities to take part in. Of interest might be the regular Advent Walk Through the City, a one-hour walk suitable for 8 to 12-year-olds in which they can learn more about local festive customs and saints whose feast days take place near Christmas. Christmas Magic opens on 8th December, which will feature theatre and music performances, whilst from 13th December head to Fort Lovrijenac to stop the Grinch stealing Christmas!
Regular Winter Festival attractions such as the ice rink in Lapad Bay and the magical North Pole station by Pile Gate will return, as will the winter huts on Gunduliceva poljana and the party Cabrio bus.
Christmas events in Croatia – Split
Split gets the Christmas party started a little early with Advent in Split running from 27th November 2025 to 7th January 2026. So much of the city will be taken over by Christmas cheer, with locations such as Pjaca, Obrov Street, Sperun, Mertojak Advent Park and Prokurative Square. Do also make sure to take a walk down the Riva for general Christmas fun and to enjoy a lovely atmosphere.
Pjaca in Split at Christmas (Credit: Advent in Split)
If you’ve little ones in tow, you should head to Djadin Park. This will be taken over by twinkly lights and will also be the location of the Advent candles, the first of which will be lit at 5.30pm on Saturday 29th November. The park will also host many fun workshops and activities, including painting, bauble making, jewellery design, and a Lego workshop on Sundays. (The first one is on 7th December.)
Christmas events in Croatia – Istria
Advent in Pula will run from 30th November 2025 to 11th January 2026, and if you want to experience ice skating in a Roman amphitheatre (yes, really!), this is the place to come to! I’m of course talking about the ice rink that gets set up in the Arena. This 900 square metre ice rink will be officially opened on 5th December and is a truly unique experience – especially as the site will be lit up with gorgeous lights. The City of Graz Park will be where to head to for the kiddies – including Mr and Mrs Claus’s house – whilst Portarata Square will be the location for all the Christmas concerts. The City Market will be where the Advent candles are lit every Sunday, and it’s here you can enjoy a hearty serving of seafood risotto (for free!) from the Giant Pan.
The ice rink in the Arena (Credit: Advent in Pula)
Advent Porec (6th December 2025 – 4th January 2026) is centred around Matija Gupca Square, where the fun concerts will take place. There will be numerous daily concerts all month long, as well as music for kids, games, and an Istrian Soup Making Competition (on 27th December) and more! Santa’s Office will be held at Porec City Library, if you need to have a chat with him, and don’t forget that the ice skating rink here is free!
Advent Rovinj (29th November 2025 – 10th January 2026) will feature a traditional Istrian wooden batana boat as its central motif. Most of the fun will take place in a special Advent Zone on Marshal Tito Square, including the ice rink (opens on 12th December), live music, a kids’ New Year countdown (from 11am on 31st December) and the concert to see in 2026. The Batana Eco-Museum is also central to the celebrations this year, with St Nicholas visiting on 6th December, regular Christmas workshops, and a farewell to the year brunch on 31st December.
Christmas events in Croatia – The Kvarner Riviera
Opatija’s Christmas celebrations (28th November 2025 – 6th January 2026) are called The Most Beautiful Advent by the Sea and if you see how they decorate the town, you will agree! Hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights transform Opatija into a fairy tale – have a preview in the Advent Virtual Walk. Most of the action takes place in Angiolina Park – home to many concerts – and by Juraj Sporer Art Pavilion, which will be a great gathering place for a bite to eat or something to drink. Opatija’s Ice Rink will be located in the Open Air Theatre and will officially open on 13th December.
Rijeka Advent will take place from 29th November 2025 to 11th January 2026, with the main celebrations taking place on the city’s thoroughfare, the Korzo. Rows upon rows of Christmas huts will offer you lovely little souvenirs, a mulled wine or a necessary portion of fritule (doughnut balls)! Another must is Winter on Gradina at Trsat Castle up on the hill above Rijeka. The castle is transformed into a magical place, decorated as it is with so many beautiful lights!
The Korzo in Rijeka at Christmas (Credit: Rijeka Advent)
Christmas events in Croatia – North Dalmatia
Zadar’s Christmas Market is officially open from today, 24th November! (It will run to 1st January.) The celebrations start today as it is Zadar’s patron saint’s (Sveti Kresevan) day today. The main locations of the Christmas celebrations will be around Peter Zoranic and Five Wells Square, with Zlatarska Street, behind Cedulin Palace, a new spot for 2025. Enjoy numerous concerts (remember the 1990 Eurovision singer Tajci? She’s playing on 6th December!) through the run, as well as great food and festive drinks, and lovely stalls selling winter trinkets.
Adventura Sibenik is one of the most fun Christmas events in Croatia, with a very strong emphasis on live music; many, many concerts will take place throughout Adventura’s run. Most concerts will feature Croatian stars – names that you perhaps may not be that aware of, aside from 2024 Eurovision runner-up Baby Lasagna who will be performing on 30th December. The New Year’s Eve concert – officially always referred to as doček – will feature Morcheeba and jazz-funk musician Philip Lassiter.
Most of Adventura’s action will take place in Robert Visiani Park, which will also feature many places for top gastro treats. Nearby in Poljana Square, you will find the ice rink and Christmas shopping huts.
Christmas events in Croatia – Northern Croatia
Advent in Varazdin (28th November 2025 – 6th January 2026) is another very popular and well-loved event, and has been named as the most beautiful Advent in Croatia for the last two years! There are so many wonderful Christmas experiences to be had here.
One of the highlights is the Magical City of Santa Claus (in the courtyard of Sermage Palace), which comprises six wonderfully decorated huts such as Mrs Claus’s house, the Sweet Cottage, the Grinch’s Cave and Grandma’s House, which this year will feature puppets and costumes from theatre performances in cooperation with the Croatian National Theatre. Santa himself will only start appearing from 8th December, mark it in your calendars! Santa’s Magical City will also be the home of many fun workshops for kids, including Christmas crafts, STEM, Lego, cookies, art and more.
Christmas cheer on the Korzo in Varazdin (Credit: Advent in Varazdin)
Varazdin’s main square, Korzo, will be the main focal point of celebrations, with crowds gathering to enjoy warming food and drink and excellent live music. Nearby is Varazdin Cathedral, where the Advent Candles will be lit every Saturday, whilst also nearby is the County Palace, which will feature something rather inventive – a giant Advent calendar! Each day from 1st to 24th December, a new photograph will be unveiled in a window of the Palace.
Wintertime in Varazdin also means ice skating – the city is home to one of the largest ice rinks in Croatia, measuring an impressive 1,900 square metres. Even more excitingly, the ice rink is already open now!
Another highlight of this Advent (there are so many…) is the 23-metre-tall Ferris Wheel on the Korzo that can be seen high in the air from all around. The wheel operates daily from 2pm (from 11am on the weekends) until 9pm or 10pm.
Advent in Varazdin is a very well-organised and exciting experience, and I would urge you to take a look at the informative website…and then make your way to the city to enjoy it in real life!
Christmas Events in Croatia 2025
Here’s a roundup of some of the main events taking place:
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Blagdanski-sajam-rijeka.jpg12791920annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-11-24 12:54:512025-11-24 13:00:49Advent and Christmas events in Croatia 2025
We are only a week or so away from December, and all of the very merry, festive cheer that that month brings! You will likely know that Christmas celebrations take place in many towns and cities all across Croatia, the largest and most visited being in Croatia’s capital city, Zagreb. This year, the event – Advent in Zagreb – sees many favourite elements return, along with new items in the calendar taking place. Officially on from 29th November 2025 to 7th January 2026, find out everything you need to know about Advent in Zagreb 2025 here!
Where will Advent in Zagreb 2025 take place?
All over Zagreb! Unlike some European markets or experiences in other cities, Advent in Zagreb occupies multiple central, large spaces – such as the main square (Ban Jelacic Square), Strossmayer Park, Zrinjevac Park and Tomislav Square. But so many other venues and locations will also offer festive cheer throughout the Advent in Zagreb run. Really, the festival takes over so much of the city – it’s not contained in just one space!
Although many of the festivities will run for the duration of Advent, do note that some will only run on specific days or for only part of the official dates. Do always check the official website – www.adventzagreb.hr/en – to see what’s happening when!
Advent in Zagreb 2025 Highlights
Some of the best spots to head to first during Advent in Zagreb include the below. You can’t help but have fun here!
Trg ban Jelacic
Zagreb’s main square will once again be the central spot for many of the Advent celebrations, and where you should head to first to get your bearings and start immersing yourself in the spirit of Christmas. It is here that the main Christmas tree is situated, beautifully decorated. Here you will also find a magical winter wonderland, perfect for snapping yourself in whilst in a festive pose! One side will also see a market where you can indulge in some tasty food and warming drinks (try my favourites, hot pelen or white mulled wine!), or pick up a few souvenirs.
The Christmas Tree on Ban Jelacic SquareThe decorations in Ban Jelacic Square
The main square is also the location of the Advent Candles, located around Mandusevac Fountain. The first candle will be lit at 4.30pm on Saturday 29th November, the official opening day of Advent in Zagreb.
The main square will also be the location for a concert – featuring no fewer than eight Zagreb choirs – at 11am on Christmas Eve, and for seeing in the New Year during the New Year’s Eve celebrations. Details of the latter have yet to be announced, so watch this space!
Zrinjevac Park
Another of my favourite spots was all the fun of Zrinjevac Park, which is home to many, many stalls selling lovely little trinkets. In the centre of the Park is the bandstand, which, of course, hosts many a musical number. Around the bandstand, you’ll find plenty of other stalls selling food and drink. The beauty of Zrinjevac Park is its space; you can retreat a little away from the mass of people whilst still enjoying the atmosphere. And the twinkly lights! So many twinkly lights!
The stalls in Zrinjevac Park are open daily from 12pm (10am on weekends) until late. You can really have your fill of Christmas excitement here!
Zrinjevac Park
Fuliranje
Just south of Zrinjevac Park is Strossmayer Park, which will host the ever-popular Fuliranje…which translates to Foolin’ Around in English. Here is where some of the best fun is had, as well as so much incredibly tasty food. 16 different food establishments will be feeding the revellers, with stalls from establishments such as Noel, SpudBud, Gdje Je Jura? and Burger Institute all present. Not forgetting drinks – festive hot drinks, cocktails, beer, wine…
There’s another, smaller but no less charming edition of Fuliranje/Fooling Around on the outdoor terrace of the Hotel Esplanade. This one is themed after the Orient Express, a nod to the Hotel Esplanade once being a stop on this train tour.
Grič Tunnel
Gric Tunnel, just to the west of the main square, is an interesting experience any time of year. During Advent, the tunnel is always transformed into something rather special, with the enclosed space utilised very well. This year, the installation For All to Hear will see eight mechanical bronze bells play different versions of Jingle Bells.
Nearby, Grič Park will be adorned with beautiful arches of lights.
Moon Garden
Moon Garden was another of my highlights last year, and this year, the spectacular yet peaceful light installation moves to Strossmayer Promenade in the Upper Town. I found Moon Garden a great spot to get away from the Advent crowds…for many spots can get very busy indeed!
The Moon Garden (shown in 2024 when in was in Ribnjak Park)
Ledeni Park / Ice Park
Located in King Tomislav Park, with the imposing Art Pavilion as a very impressive backdrop, is the Ledeni Park ice skating rink. It’s a very large rink, certainly comparable to large-scale rinks in other European cities. But what makes this one even more fun, in my opinion, is the ice paths that encircle the central fountain – you can enjoy a leisurely (or high speed!) skate all around the edge of the park rather than just sticking to a small patch of ice that you might have to do on more traditional rectangular rinks.
Ledeni Park is open daily – even on Christmas Eve/Day and New Year’s Eve/Day. On New Year’s Eve, it’s even open until 2am, so you can see in the New Year on ice, if you wish!
(Christmas) music to your ears
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without some glorious musical pleasures!
Music and Art Group Kralj will be hosting pop-up performances of Christmas cheer in several locations around the city, including the Stone Gate, Krvavi Bridge, Radiceva Street and Stara Vlaska Square. Performances take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm or 7.50pm; take a look at their Instagram for more details.
Zagreb Soloists will be holding their wonderful performances at the Oktogon Centre every Sunday at 12pm whilst the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra will be putting on four wonderful evening concerts to spread some musical holiday cheer. The first of these will take place at 8pm on Sunday 30th November at the Church of St Blaise. Entrance is free, but spots must be reserved by emailing zagrebacki.komorni.orkestar@gmail.com.
Evenings with Brahms will take place in the Hungarian Cultural Centre in Zagreb, involving a rare Streicher piano built in 1868! Entry is free, but you must reserve a spot prior to each concert by emailing info@uocristoforium.hr. Concerts take place on 1st, 3rd, 8th and 12th December.
What could be better than enjoying music at that icon of Zagreb, St Mark’s Church? Classic and religious music will be played at a concert by The Oratorio Association at 12.30pm on Sunday 14th December, and they will also perform a midnight mass on 24th December.
One of the magical musical moments I enjoyed at last year’s event was the Advent Under the Lantern by Lotrscak Tower. After the traditional lighting of the gas lamps, the Association Musica Nota will perform some wonderful carols.
Advent Under The Lantern
Watch out for sudden tram flash mobs! The Maranatha Association will sing their heart out on a tram going from Ban Jelacic Square through the Lower Town.
Head to the Cravaticum Museum of the Cravat or Tklacicevs Balcony (performances alternate between the two) to hear Ad Gloriam Brass and Wind Ensemble.
Advent in Zagreb 2025 for families
What could be more delightful for younger ones than a ride in a sleigh with Santa? There will be evening rides in Santa’s carriage sleigh, every day from 6pm to 8pm, around Zrinjevac Park. The ride will cost €15 for adults and €8 for children.
Mala Scena (Small Scenes) Theatre will be hosting twice daily, weekend performances of “Saving Father Christmas” – a tale of a girl called Iva who needs to help rescue Father Christmas, with her grandmother, as he’s been trapped by a witch!
From 20th December, head to Opatovina Park to view a live nativity scene. Members of the local Cenacolo Community have created all aspects of the nativity – from the set, the costumes and the music to the performance itself. There will be three performances a day, at 4pm, 5pm and 7pm.
Museum fun during Advent in Zagreb
Zagreb is home to many fine and fantastic museums, home to exhibits ranging from the very traditional to the modern and eclectic. It is these very museums that will also host a number of top Advent events…
The Museum of Chocolate will present a special exhibition showing Christmas chocolate products through the ages, from chocolates to Advent calendars to advertisements.
The Croatian Natural History Museum will run a rich series of events, from workshops to film screenings (including that Christmas classic, Home Alone!), classical music concerts and lectures.
Zagreb City Museum is worth a visit any time of year, but especially at Christmas, as they always host a lovely variety of events! These include regular concerts by the Zagreb Soloists, a special edition of a “pub quiz”, crafts workshops including making Christmas wreaths and Christmas baubles, and a guided tour of “The Spirit of Old Zagreb Cafes”.
Arty types will delight in the Museum of Unfinished Art‘s Friday evenings. Join them to explore different art techniques – with some guidance and a glass of wine – and create your own work of art.
A beautiful scene – St Mark’s Church at Christmas
Other Advent fun
Something new for this year will be special rides provided by Old Zagreb. They will offer scenic drives of many of the sights of Zagreb in an electric replica of a retro car.
The reconstructed Upper Town will also host much more of the Advent in Zagreb celebrations this year, with a number of spectacularly decorated spaces and art installations. Be sure to take a walk through the Upper Town this year!
Getting to Zagreb and Accommodation
Zagreb is very well served with flights all year round. Croatia Airlines flies from London Heathrow three times a week, whilst Ryanair fly from London Stansted daily and from Dublin as well. There are also numerous flights direct to Zagreb from all over Europe – find out more on our Getting to Zagreb page.
You can search for and book hotels, hostels, apartments and more on our Accommodation in Zagreb page. Croatia’s capital city is blessed with an abundance of accommodation options, something for all budgets and tastes!
More info
The official website is www.adventzagreb.hr/en, where you can find details of all the goings on. Do also read up my Visit Croatia Review: Advent in Zagreb about all the fun I had attending last year’s event! And take a look at the video of my experience below.
Advent in Zagreb 2025 29th November 2025 to 7th January 2026 multiple locations all over Zagreb www.adventzagreb.hr/en
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/advent-zagreb-2024-st-marks-church-copy.jpg682750annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-11-21 15:41:242025-11-21 15:43:40Advent in Zagreb 2025 is coming!
Although January is a fairly quiet time of year as far as events go, it is the month that one of the most charming items on the calendar takes place. Vincekovo! Vincekovo is St Vincent’s Day, officially on 22nd January each year, although most celebrations take place on the weekend before or after. What celebrations might that be, you wonder? As the patron saint of wine, Vincekovo marks the start of the new wine-growing year.
Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina
In Sveti Ivan Zelina, the small town that lies around 40 kilometres northeast of Zagreb, Vincekovo celebrations will be held this Sunday, 26th January 2025. The day will start with a mass at 11am at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (Kapela Duha Svetoga). The mass will see winegrowers praying to St Vincent to bless them with an abundant wine harvest during the year, and to protect the vines from frost or hail, disease, pests and similar.
At 12pm, the day moves on to the blessing of the vineyards. Winemakers visit their vineyards to pour a drop of good wine on the wines and adorn them with homemade sausages. These symbolise gratitude and hope for the year ahead.
Winemakers also take a cutting of the vines, to take home and place in water. After a few weeks, they will show how the wines survived through the winter, indicating the possibility of a good harvest.
Following this traditional ceremony, the Hrvatsko pjevačko društvo Zelina (Croatian Singing Society Zelina) will perform, and guests will be able to indulge in a warming glass of mulled wine and a delicious meal of cooked sausages.
The organisers say – “Come, enjoy the charms of the wine-growing tradition and start the new year in good company!”
Wine and Sveti Ivan Zelina
The town has a long tradition of winemaking and indeed of celebrating wine – the first wine exhibition having been held here as far back as 1860. It was Dragutin Strazimir, the parish priest of Donja Zelina who did much to promote winegrowing. As well as writing the first modern book on viticulture in Croatia, he encouraged winegrowers to exhibit their wines and strive to achieve the best quality in their product. This, in turn, improved the economic standing of the region.
His legacy lives on in the wine exhibitions that are still held in the town to this day, and to the importance of wine growing in general in and near Sveti Ivan Zelina.
I
More info
You can learn more about the town and its Vincekovo celebrations on the Sveti Ivan Zelina Tourist Board website. Why not come down for the weekend and stay in one of the lodgings there and take part in this traditional event?
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Vincekovo_4.jpg7491000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-01-21 14:15:352025-01-21 14:15:40Vincekovo in Sveti Ivan Zelina, 26 January
John Clayton is a UK citizen who has been living in the coastal city of Rijeka for 15 years. Following on from his previous post about Croatia: cycling heaven, and also cycling hell, in his latest post here, John talks about something you may now consider about Croatia – cross-country skiing!
I’ve just discovered the perfect winter activity for Croatia. I’m just not quite sure what it is called: Nordic ski touring? off-track cross-country skiing? Backcountry cross-country skiing? All are used but none quite have the right ring. Whatever the name is it, the mountains in Croatia are perfect for it.
Maybe it’s easier to describe than name, making your own cross-country ski trails to explore the mountains. This is very common in Nordic countries and in parts of the US but rare elsewhere. However, it turns out I have the perfect terrain on my doorstep. Gorski Kotar is the mountainous region just northwest of Rijeka, bordering Slovenia. It is almost entirely forested and when the snow falls the forestry trails transform into a perfect, picturesque network of snowy tracks just waiting to be skied.
Beautiful skiing wildernessSkiing in the twilight on Bitoraj
We discovered this niche type of skiing almost by accident. A couple of times a year we would go cross-country skiing in Slovenia using rented gear. It was certainly fun but the equipment was never very good and the boots always hurt. So we bought cheap sets of traditional track cross-country skis, aiming just to have something cheap but better than worn-out rental equipment. Once we had the equipment of course we wanted to use it. So whenever there was enough snow, we’d find ourselves making our own tracks up at Platak – the main ski “resort” in Croatia. We made many excellent trips but clearly our equipment wasn’t ideal so last year we invested in wider skis, stiffer boots and binding, and touring poles with wider baskets. It has proved to be a great decision as it has opened up so many new amazing winter adventures in the mountains.
Bear tracksWolf tracks
Over Christmas this year we explored the forest around Begovo Razdolje, the highest village in Croatia, near Mrkopalj. We had two beautiful sunny days, skiing our way up into new areas with trails forking off at every turn, all waiting to be explored another day. Other than a handful of hikers on snowshoers in the distance, we had the mountains to ourselves. Ourselves and the bears to be precise, both days we came across fresh bear tracks – shouldn’t they be hibernating?
Heading down to Begovo RazdoljeHeading up from Begovo RazdoljeSkiing past a memorial to Patizans at Matic Poljana
Transport to skiing and cross-country skiing locations in Croatia
Unfortunately, there is no public transportation to Begovo Razdolje so we had to hire a car, which luckily is remarkably cheap here in winter. More conveniently there is a public bus to Platak from Rijeka on weekends. Platak is the most popular ski area in Croatia and is just 35km from Rijeka. We recently had another fabulous snowy day exploring the trails in this area, and as usual, the more we explored the more potential we found for future trips. The weather was great in the morning but the snow forecast for the afternoon turned out to be rain, so we retreated to “Mali Dom” at Platak to dry out and to be revived by hot wine.
More surprisingly for Croatia, we even managed to go skiing by train. The trains in coastal Croatia are notoriously bad so rarely useful for leisure purposes. I like to think that we might even be the first people ever to ski by train in Croatia. We took the early afternoon train from Rijeka to Vrata, just a few minutes past Fužine, and headed up the slopes of Bitoraj mountain. We turned back just in time to catch the train back at 5pm. It was only a two-hour ski trip but a truly remarkable one, boarding the train in Rijeka in ski boots and being back home within four hours having skied in Gorski Kotar. All for less than €5 each!
Just in time for the train back to RIjeka
Of course, Croatia, famous as a hot summer destination, does not have reliable snow and like everywhere else is affected by climate change. As I write this, the mountains are almost bare of snow. Three days of rain cleared the snow completely and the few flakes that fell yesterday look pretty but are nowhere near enough to ski on. Now we have to be patient and hope for more snow while appreciating that we had such an excellent Christmas.
Croatia can be very snowyOn Bitoraj mountain
I’d love to be able to propose Croatia for a cross-country skiing holiday but it’s just not realistic. It really can be truly incredible but luck plays too much of a role when planning any snow sport here. You need to be nearby and waiting. However for anyone in the region when the snow does fall, the opportunities are as good as anywhere in the world. Maybe there should be a name for this combination of skiing, patience and luck, Gorski Hrvatskiing? No, perhaps not.
On a practical note, we are now using 80mm backcountry cross-country skis with backcountry “BC” NNN boots and bindings. This set-up is perfect. However, there is plenty of fun to be had on traditional track ski gear. The narrow pole baskets sinking into fresh snow is probably the biggest frustration.
Thank you once again, John, for such an informative and in-depth post, with some gorgeous photos too! Hopefully, this will inspire readers to give cross-country skiing in Croatia a go!
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Beautiful-skiing-winderness.jpg5631000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2025-01-17 21:49:022025-01-17 21:49:04Is Croatia a cross-country skiing paradise? Almost!
I had the very pleasant experience of visiting Zagreb this past weekend and enjoying one of its prime attractions – the Advent in Zagreb Christmas celebrations. Read on to find out what I thought in my review: Advent in Zagreb.
(Then, once you’ve read this review, book yourself a flight – or other mode of transport – and get yourself to Zagreb!)
What is Advent in Zagreb?
Taking place from 30th November 2004 to 6th January 2025, Advent in Zagreb is the large-scale Christmas celebration (and for New Year too, when the time comes!) that takes over so much of the city. Many of Zagreb’s squares, main streets, parks, museums and more are taken over with pretty Christmas decorations, with a number of different markets selling festive food and drink and Christmas trinkets. There are also lovely interactive installations in certain locations, such as in the Gric Tunnel.
Let’s go back to this “festive food and drink” that you mentioned…
Yes, let’s, because you know what’s even better than regular food and drink? Festive food and drink! Also, judging by the crowds at some of the food stalls, this seems to be everyone’s priority!
The absolute top spot for food and drink is Fuliranje in Strossmayer Park which has so many different options. Sausages are practically everywhere (served in a bun with toppings of your choosing) but you can also opt for inventive versions of mac and cheese, pizza, sandwiches, noodles and more.
Fuliranje does get crazy busy in the evenings, however. If your mission is to knock back a drink or three and have fun with friends, definitely come down to Fuliranje on an evening. If you’re simply hungry and want to sample as many of the different food options, try it during the daytime!
There is also a smaller Fuliranje setup on the terrace of the five-star Hotel Esplanade. The food options here are slightly more upscale – including stalls from the hotel itself and the Michelin-starred Noel Restaurant, for example – so I would recommend heading here if you fancy trying something slightly different.
Music, music, everywhere
There seemed to be music playing absolutely everywhere I turned, certainly in every marketplace. Many times it was a DJ playing, but my musical highlight was in Zrinjevac Park where different bands played live music in the evenings. And they were truly excellent, drawing rather large and very merry crowds of all ages.
A band plays in Zrinjevac Park
There are other special musical events taking place throughout Advent in Zagreb at certain dates and times. I caught the end of a Zagreb Soloists classical concert at the Zagreb City Museum on Sunday morning which was wonderfully stirring. Another gem was the lighting of the lantern at the base of Lotrscak Tower (which takes place at 4.30pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) which was accompanied by the excellent acapella group Klapa Kana G.
My absolute favourite Advent in Zagreb spot was Zrinjevac Park. The organisers have done such a good job of decorating the park’s trees, greenery and fountains to give it a really magical feel. The photos (or maybe just my photos!) don’t do it justice. The park’s main avenue hosts a number of little wooden huts with Christmas and other lovely souvenirs on sale – for the most part fairly unique and great quality, no tourist tat here!
Zrinjevac Park, fully decorated for Advent in Zagreb
The central part of this park is the bandstand which featured live music every evening (see above) which really put everyone in a happy, party mood. Around the bandstand were food and drink stalls, and I spied St Nicholas walking through the crowds, occasionally doling out a small present to a young child.
Santa also gives sleigh rides (actually in a horse-drawn carriage) around Zrinjevac although I sadly didn’t witness this. (Technical difficulties meant these rides couldn’t operate on Saturday night. I blame Rudolf.)
Ledeni Park Ice Skating Rink
As you walk south from Ban Jelacic Square through Zrinjevac Park and then through Strossmayer Square/Park (where Fuliranje is), you’ll come to Tomislav Square (in front of the Art Pavilion) in the next block. It is here that Ledeni Park (ice park in English) is located, a large-scale ice skating rink. And such a beautiful one at that! Gorgeously decorated – with the imposing Art Pavilion, all lit up, providing a grand backdrop – the ice rink has one central rectangular rink. There are then two ice paths that go around the edge of the park which is such a great idea – allowing the flow of skaters to pass by quickly.
Ice skating at Ledeni Park – the Art Pavilion can be seen in the distance
Not being the biggest fan of ice skating (despite taking ice skating lessons in my youth!) I didn’t get my skates on, but it was lovely to watch the young (and young-ish) people of Zagreb – as well as many visitors – whizzing by.
There are also some food and drink stalls here and they were much quieter than those in the other parks and on the main square. So Ledeni Park is a good place to head to if you don’t fancy waiting in long queues for food! There are a number of high tables set next to the rink for watching, as well as a large elevated cafe-style area which is an ideal spot to climb up to for a wonderful view.
Christmas Tram
I’ve always loved trams as a method of public transport, so Zagreb’s blue trams have a special place in my heart. For Advent in Zagreb, there’s a special Christmas tram – adorned with all sorts of Christmas decorations, including a large Santa hat on the front – that operates on a special loop starting and ending on the main square, Trg ban Jelacic. It’s a very fun and unique experience!
The old-fashioned version of the Christmas Tram. Hey Santa, put your hat on!
There are two trams that operate as a Christmas tram – a modern tram and a 100-year-old tram! (Yes, really!) Try and go on the old tram if you can to get a really special experience; I believe this tram departs on the hour and half past the hour.
So what happens on board? Well, you travel with Santa and Mrs Claus who generally make jokes and have a bit of a back-and-forth (in Croatian) and get everyone excited and happy. We were put through our paces of a round of “If You’re Happy and You Know It…” (again, in Croatian) whilst the rest of the time Christmas music (of course including Mariah) played in the background. Santa tried to have a bit of fun with the younger travellers by asking them silly questions – this time in English and Italian too, depending on the child – on his microphone and at the end the kids could also take a photo with him and Mrs Claus if they weren’t too scared. (Why is it that some young kids are terrified of Santa?) The kids were also given a couple of chocolate bars as a treat towards the end of the journey.
All in all, a must! And it’s very nice to see Zagreb’s trams used in this special way.
Things to know:
Tickets for the tram cost €5 per person and can be bought at the special booth on the corner of the main square and Praska Street. This is also where the tram departs.
The Christmas tram operates with departures every 15 minutes from Monday to Thursday, 4pm to 7pm; on Fridays, 12pm to 4pm; and on Saturdays and Sundays, 10am to 4pm.
Note that at busy times you will need to buy a ticket in advance of your journey. Meaning that you might turn up to buy a ticket at 12.30pm, but the next tram that has a free seat is at 2pm.
Journey time is just under 30 minutes
Trg ban Jelacic
Of course, I can’t not mention Zagreb’s main square as a highlight of Advent in Zagreb. It’s here that the main Christmas tree – a 16-metre tall fir tree – is positioned, right next to the statue of Ban Jelacic himself. Good ol’ Josip isn’t decorated in any way, but behind him a large LED-lit “2025” has been hung on a building, whilst to the right of him stands a little festive forest with the main “ADVENT ZAGREB” sign. A prime photo opportunity!
The Christmas Tree on the main square, Trg ban Jelacic (who can be seen in the distance)
The main square is also home to Mandusevac Fountain, which traditionally is the location of the four advent candles. I think the decoration and “candles” around the fountain look so pretty, a big thumbs up to whoever thought of it originally.
Further to the edge of the square are the stalls selling food and drink, centred around a stage where most times I heard a DJ “spinning” tunes. Among these food stalls are large-scale decorations depicting famous elements of Zagreb – such as Gric cannon, an old-fashioned Sljeme cable car, a wooden version of Princess Manduša and others.
Polar Express in Gric Tunnel
Gric Tunnel – running west of the main square – is often the location for interesting art installations should there be a special event taking place in Zagreb. Advent in Zagreb is no exception, and this year there’s an audiovisual interpretation of the animated film The Polar Express. It’s a rather magical experience, despite being relatively simple – the tunnel certainly creates some of the magic. Look out for a mini train above you about halfway through the tunnel!
Polar Express in the Gric Tunnel
Fritule
These mini doughnut balls are a must. Have them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and then a late-night snack too. Try a different topping each time!
Advent in Zagreb 2024’s most infamous fritule offering – if doughnut offerings can be infamous – was something called Dubai Fritule. These fritule are topped with a melted version Dubai chocolate – kataifi pastry that’s covered in pistachio and tahini and then chocolate. Apparently Dubai chocolate is a viral sensation…well, I’ve not heard of it before!
Whilst these fritule are apparently fantastic, they do cost a whopping €11.10, so save up before you buy a portion. A hearty portion of “normal” fritule, which is easily enough for two people (or one very greedy Visit Croatia) go for around €5.
Fritule and hot gin
Hot festive drinks
Is it just me who thinks mulled wine is the only hot festive drink? (Putting hot chocolate to one side for a minute.)
Imagine my surprise to find white “cooked wine” (as it’s called kuhano vino in Croatian) which is far more delicious to drink. (Top tip for Brits: Marks and Spencer are apparently selling this for the first time this Christmas, so stock up!)
And then further surprise at the offer of HOT GIN! Like regular gin but hot, with a few spices and a lemon slice. Immense, the perfect winter drink. (Hey, Marks and Spencer – want a drink idea for Christmas 2025?!)
What is called “Hot Pelin” is certainly also worth a try. It is made with Pelinkovac, a Croatian herbal liqueur that has some health benefits. (Of course it does.)
H
I spotted other hot festive cocktails on offer – including something intriguing with whiskey – but didn’t partake. But I would recommend you try it!
T
Review: Advent in Zagreb Conclusion
Wonderful!
Seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed Advent in Croatia, and I think you will too! It’s a very merry and very festive Christmas event that’s easy to get to and easy to walk from place to place.
Zagreb was also truly bustling with locals and visitors from other countries (I mostly overheard Italian, German and Spanish voices, with some Brits here and there) which was great to see.
Have a look at my recap video below to see some of the best highlights:
Our itinerary for Two Days in Zagreb might give you further ideas for what to do beyond Advent in Zagreb!
Finally, take a look at our Getting to Zagreb page for information on the best ways of reaching the city, including flights from the UK, Ireland, Europe and further afield.
On you’re in Zagreb, be sure to pick up a copy of the Advent in Zagreb guide from the tourist office on the main square. It has a FULL (very full) listing of everything that’s taking place during the event. (*Whispers* more so than the official website!)
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/advent-in-zagreb.jpg7501000annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2024-12-09 14:20:182024-12-27 13:23:11Visit Croatia Review: Advent in Zagreb
I recently wrote about the fantastic Advent in Zagreb that will be kicking off this Saturday, 30th November in Croatia’s capital city. Many of the favourites of this largest of Christmas events will return this year, including the beautiful tree on Ban Jelacic Square, a great atmosphere and excellent food at Fuliranje, multiple concerts and live music, special events at museums and ice skating at Ledeni Park. But let’s take a look at some of the other Christmas celebrations in Croatia being held this 2024 festive season for there are many!
Many of these Christmas events feature very similar elements – all will have regular live music sessions, plus food stalls telling typical Christmas and winter fare (think fritule – doughnuts – mulled wine and hot drinks, and bakalar – cod – in Dalmatia). New Year’s Eve is always a big event, with a free concert to see in the New Year that will normally be accompanied by fireworks!
If you’re visiting a location not mentioned here, you won’t be missing out. Just ask locally for even small towns really get into the festive spirit with Christmas food, drink, music and good cheer. (And beautiful decorations!)
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Istria
Advent Porec will largely centre around the main Matija Gupca Square. It is here the Advent will open at 4.30pm on Friday 6th December with the lighting of the first advent candle and the arrival of St Nicholas and Krampus, the two figures who will either reward good children or “punish” naughty ones! The square then hosts many events over the course of Advent Porec, from concerts to children’s plays, photo opportunities with Santa and of course the New Year’s Eve concert. Advent Porec will also offer an ice skating rink that is free for the duration of the event.
Illuminated stiltwalkers at Advent Porec – watch out for them at the opening! (Credit: Advent Porec)
Advent in Pula opens this Sunday, 1st December, running until 6th January. A highlight will surely be the Arena being covered in 1,200 square metres of snow (yes, really!), decorated with Christmas trees and pumped with mist and illuminated. This very festive setting will be the setting for Pula’s 600-square-metre winter ice rink. (Wow!) Another highlight is the merry train that will operate from 21st to 30th December. The start and end point of the train’s journey will be The Arena, and it will embark on a marvellous 30-minute journey through the streets of Pula to take in all the festive cheer. Of course, there will be a full musical programme as well as multiple fun events for kids. Watch out for a multitude of skydiving Santas landing at Uljanik Stadium on 16th December between 10am and 11am! (And handing out sweets!)
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Kvarner Region
If you like your winter fun all sparkly and twinkly, you must head to Opatija Advent. On from 29th November to 6th January, this event was placed on European Best Destinations‘ list of the “Best Christmas Lights in Europe”. Multiple locations of the town will be festooned with hundreds of lights – if you like to see a preview, take a look at this Advent Virtual Walk. Head to the famous lungomare seaside promenade which will be turned into a “Xmas Street”, or the Hotel Imperial for food kiosks selling tasty treats. The Amadria Park Opatija Hotel will also be offering festive food fun, such as Breakfast with Santa on 5th December! Finally, be sure to swing by beautiful Angiolina Park for all sorts of live performances.
Advent in Rijeka (30th November to 7th January) will be filled with gastro offerings and a Christmas market on the prettily decorated pedestrianised thoroughfare, the Korzo. An absolute must is visiting Advent on Gradina (3rd December to 6th January) at a Christmas light-adorned Trsat Castle which itself hosts live music, kids’ activities, food booths and a nativity scene.
Adent on Gradina in Trsat Castle, above Rijeka (Credit: Rijeka Tourist Board)
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – North Dalmatia
Would you believe – there’s one Christmas festival that is already under the way in Croatia! The Zadar Advent & Christmas Market actually opened this past Sunday 24th November (it will run until 2nd January). The central part of it is indeed the Christmas market on Petar Zoranic Square – come here to indulge in fritule (mini doughnuts), mulled wine and more and enjoy numerous concerts, sometimes several in one day. Head to Five Wells Square on the morning of 24th December to catch the arrival of Santa Claus!
Adventura Sibenik is one of the loveliest Christmas festivals in Dalmatia; this year it will be on from 6th December to 4th January. A whole heap of live music events will feature including two New Year’s Eve concerts – one in front of the cathedral (featuring singer Mario Biondi), and one in the park (with Dubrovnik band Silente and local faves BluVinil). There will also be a Christmas Fair with plenty of delicious food, ice skating and more. Adventura Sibenik is also the only plastic-free Advent in Croatia!
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Split
This year’s Advent in Split (30th November to 6th January) will have the rather sweet tagline “to you and yours”. Befitting Croatia’s second-largest city, this is a very big event – live concerts in multiple locations (on the Riva, on Pjaca Square and more); kids’ activities including crafting and workshops; a Christmas bus; full-on festive decorations on the Riva, in Dioceletian’s Palace cellars, and on the Peristyle; and much, much more.
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Dubrovnik
The Dubrovnik Winter Festival is a large-scale event that is now in its 11th year. It will kick off on 30th November and run until the 6th January. You can enjoy Santa at the Rector’s Palace; a retro fair; “Days of Codfish” and of course New Year’s Eve celebrations on Stradun. And much more, of course!
A highlight for visitors will be the free sightseeing tours in English at 9.30am every Saturday morning. Meet outside Pile Gate Tourist Office to join a tour of the Old Town and finish it at St Blaise’s Church where there will be a free folk performance at 11.30am. (Tours conducted in Croatian take place at 12.30pm.)
Christmas on Stadun (Credit: Dubrovnik Winter Festival)
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Northern Croatia
Advent in Varazdin starts on 29th November (to 6th January) – it’s where you need to head to visit “the most beautiful advent in Croatia”! Santa has his own city here which is a real highlight – board the elevator to head directly up to Santa’s house! If he’s temporarily not in when you visit, snap some festive shots and enjoy a sweet treat instead. Be sure to make time for the panoramic Advent Ferris wheel that’s open daily, a true festive treat and a great way of seeing Varazdin from above. Enjoy live music and excellent food on the Korzo – where the Advent wreath in front of the Cathedral will be lit every Saturday.
The Ferris Wheel in Varazdin (Credit: Adent Varazdin)
ll-on festive decorations on the Riva, in Dioceletian’s Palace cellars, and on the Peristyle; and much, much more.
Christmas celebrations in Croatia – Eastern Croatia
Advent in Osijek will take place from 30th November to 31st December and will be full of “good wishes from Osijek”. Join Santa at the Archaeological Museum or pop along to the fun fair in King Drzislav Park. Ride the fun-filled Christmas tram and have a skate at the rink!
More info on Christmas celebrations in Croatia
Take a look at the following websites to learn more about what’s happening where and when for Christmas celebrations in Croatia 2024:
https://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/advent-porec.jpeg9201300annazhttps://www.visit-croatia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/visit-croatia-logo5.jpgannaz2024-11-26 15:18:222024-11-27 14:06:19More Advent and Christmas celebrations in Croatia 2024
