When Zagreb lights up…
Towards the end of November, Zagreb begins to light up, as it does every year. Lights are hung above familiar streets, decorations appear in shop windows and wooden Advent stalls take their places around the city centre. We pass them while going to work, running errands or sitting on the tram, watching the preparations continue from one day to the next.
We are always happy to see old and new decorations returning to the buildings and trees. Then, one evening, the lights are finally switched on. However many times we have seen Zagreb decorated for Advent, that first evening still feels special.
The streets we know so well look warmer, the parks glow beneath thousands of small lights and people stay in the city centre after work and school have finished. The messages soon begin arriving: When are we going for mulled wine? Who is free this weekend? Which Advent location should we visit first? For many of us, that is when the Advent season truly begins.
Featured image credit: Julien Duval / Zagreb Tourist Board
The streets we return to
Some Advent locations and programmes change every year, but there are favourite streets and squares that we cannot wait to visit again. Zrinjevac is one of them. Its plane trees and old music pavilion are part of Zagreb throughout the year, but during Advent they are covered in lights. Music comes from the pavilion, people gather around the many stands and the smell of mulled wine follows us through the park.
Another favourite is King Tomislav Square, where the ice rink is traditionally set up. With the Art Pavilion and city lights behind it, it brings a wonderful winter atmosphere to this part of Zagreb, while skating is always fun for both children and adults. From there, we like to continue towards Strossmayer Square and Fuliranje, where we look forward to seeing what Zagreb’s chefs and restaurants have prepared for the season.
Of course, Ban Josip Jelačić Square is another place we visit whenever we are in the city centre. Bogovićeva Street and Cvjetni Square have their own Advent atmosphere. Café terraces fill with people standing together in winter coats, holding warm drinks and greeting friends. It is one of our favourite parts of the city for meeting, mingling and spending time together.
The Grounded Sun remains in Bogovićeva Street, where we stopped during our earlier walk through Zagreb in A Universe in the Heart of Zagreb. During Advent, it becomes part of another familiar scene, surrounded by lights, busy terraces and people moving between different locations.
Those who know its story may also remember that the Sun is only the beginning, with the planets of Zagreb’s hidden Solar System waiting across the city. These are places we visit throughout the year, but Advent gives us another reason to return to them together.
What we can’t wait to taste
Part of the excitement is finding out what will be served at the Advent stands each year. We always return to the classics. There are fritule covered with sugar or warm chocolate, grilled sausages, sarma, roasted chestnuts and cups of mulled wine held between cold hands. We compare them with those from previous years, and everyone usually has a favourite stand.
A special mention has to go to germknedle. Soft and warm, filled with plum jam, chocolate or another sweet filling, they arrive covered in vanilla sauce, chocolate, poppy seeds, pistachios or some new combination that has appeared this winter. Warm and sweet, they are a perfect treat for this time of year.
Alongside them, we find kurtoši, doughnuts with many different fillings, sweet pastries and new desserts created especially for Advent. The savoury offer changes just as much, from traditional winter dishes to new versions of street food prepared by local restaurants. There is something for every taste, and anyone interested in gastronomy will always find plenty to try.
The Zagreb Advent we love
Advent in Zagreb is larger than the one many of us remember from childhood. Today, it fills more streets, parks and squares, welcoming visitors who come to see the city during the Christmas season. Our lives have changed alongside it. Children who once came to see the lights with their parents now bring children of their own.
Friends who once met after university now organise their evenings around work and family commitments. Still, some things remain reassuringly familiar. We walk the same streets, return to the same places and gather around the same tables and café terraces. We buy decorations we probably do not need and promise ourselves that we will start Christmas shopping earlier next year.
For a few weeks, Zagreb feels both festive and completely like home. Every year, we hope for a snowy Christmas. When the snow does arrive, the city becomes the Christmas scene we have been waiting for.
When the lights come down
In January, the wooden stalls begin to disappear and the decorations are taken down. The streets return to their usual light, the stands close and the smell of mulled wine and fritule disappears from the city centre. For the first few evenings, Zagreb feels a little emptier without them.
We pass the same parks and squares and almost expect the lights to still be there. Soon, everyday life continues and conversations move towards other plans. Still, we know that before long, another November will arrive.
The decorations will appear again, someone will send the first message about mulled wine and we will begin deciding which stand to visit first.
Beyond Zagreb: A Christmas Journey through Croatia
Our Christmas journey does not have to end in Zagreb. Together with our partner Journey2Croatia, we are sharing a shorter look at a seven-day festive itinerary that continues south towards Šibenik and Dubrovnik.
Along the way, Christmas markets give way to historic towns, local wineries, regional food and traditions shared with local hosts. The itinerary preview is available to J2Insider members. Become a J2Insider to continue reading.
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