Advent 2020 in Zagreb

Advent & Christmas in Zagreb

There is something special about Christmas in Zagreb. The city and its wider metropolitan area live a different lifestyle during the Advent season. As you might already know, Zagreb has held the title of the best European Christmas market in Europe for three consecutive years. 

Good food, mulled wine, chores, music and bands on every step. Coffee shops and restaurants intersect with street events, houses decked with art and Christmas ornaments and gifts, laughter and overall joy from the early morning to late-night dancing or ice skating in the middle of the week and the City Centre. 

If you work in the city, your lunch break might mean leaving a warm office to meet a friend and have a quick bite at the market stalls, catching up and planning your evening or weekend gathering. 

Yes, a late November and the whole of December make our lives magical and the everyday tempo an Advent tempo. 

A different set-up this year

The pandemic forced many organisations to reimagine their traditional settings. Even though we like everything about the Advent in Zagreb, maybe a year of pause will bring even more excitement to the Winter of 2021. 

This year Advent’s slogan is ‘Advent in Zagreb, feel the light’. This edition will also feature various cultural events, including ten festivals. The Mayor invited all residents to decorate their windows the best they can and contribute to the cause. City Mayor Milan Bandić talked about the decision that this year they will light up the outskirts of the city like never before, saying that Zagreb doesn’t end where the trams stop. 

The second project is a walk through the city’s churches. 

The addition of the third project in the format of Augmented Reality will cover 20 locations across the city which will feature concerts broadcasted on social media. This means that we can decorate our Christmas tree on the other side of the world, but enjoy a concert in Zagreb. 

This year, there will be only 15 decked houses and stands featuring 22 craftsmen, and there will be no ice skating on Tomislav Square this year. 

The Tourist Board announced they expect to end the year at a 30 per cent increase in both arrivals and overnight stays.