A Reflection of Advent in Zagreb

(post by Ivan)

What made Zagreb win the award for the Best European Destination for Advent?

With Advent behind us all now, vendors are surely rubbing their hands together (with how much money they made) and most of the citizens of Zagreb are still in awe of what a spectacle this year’s celebration turned out to be. I have to admit – this year, Advent in Zagreb was very special to me. (Partly because I was celebrating this season as a new father :)

When I headed to the city to explore this year’s Advent, my first mission was to find parking. Most of underground garages were completely full and it was a pain in the @$$ to find a spot, which is pretty uncommon for this otherwise quiet city. This is my only complaint. I suggest taking public transit!

Now, let’s talk Advent. As I was walking through the streets, the first thing what I noticed were the thousands of lights and the brightness of downtown as a whole. Sun sets at 4:30? No problem. Everything sparkled and was illuminated –  this year the city did an incredible job in the design and decor of the entire advent program. It was bright, but tasteful, not tacky.

What hit me next was the constant flowing river of people streaming down the streets. These same beautiful streets oozed with the scent of mulled wine, sausages, cinnamon and other delicacies. Guests were cozily squeezed together, trying to warm up around the decorated stands, while enjoying time with their friends and families.

There was a fullness in the air which is hard to describe, but easy to feel. In every corner I felt it. This advent, I got a deep feeling of pride for being a resident of this beautiful city. Not to say that past years lacked this same glitz and festive atmosphere, but finally this year, the city was wholly discovered by Europeans, and not just passed up like a leftover appetizer sitting on a platter for hours. Zagreb actually became the best destination in the old continent.

So what happened? Why did they discover us now? Why this year? Predictability. Before this year, Advent had been brilliant and very well visited in Zagreb, but the offer was always the same. Visitors knew how the city would be decorated, where they would go, what they would see. Basically, a large tent on the square with restaurants, and some stands in Bogovićeva and Gajeva. And that was Advent in a nutshell. Only a few years ago Advent began to expand and take residence in Zrinjevac Park, too.

Last year something changed again, and Advent had even more to offer. It spread through the city like wildfire with stands and wine offerings surrounding an even larger radius, yet still all within 10 minutes walking distance from the main square. Personally, I think that’s what changed this Advent’s popularity in Zagreb. Tourists loved that there was so much to offer, to see, and to do. Unlike other cities where Christmas fairs are concentrated in one place with the basics, Zagreb really stepped things up.

The huge outdoor skating rink that was built using a pathway system was definitely a hit, and setting it up at King Tomislav Square was smart. The Christmas fair in the European Square (just off the main square) was something else that the people of Zagreb loved. You could visit Advent 20 times and always find something new to see, to do and especially to eat.

Until recently, Advent’s gastronomy consisted of sausages, fritters and mulled wine. This year, so many flavors from around the world could be sampled – from Austrian germ dumplings to Dutch pancakes and Japanese sushi. However, traditional Zagreb dishes like a ham hock (buncek) or “sarma” were definitely among the most popular and like every year, I could not resist.

With this expanded, more diverse experience, Zagreb attracted and appealed to many more people than previous years, which surely contributed to its success. Zagreb stepped up its game and in my humble opinion, definitely deserved the title of Best Advent Destination in Europe. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this season – it surpassed my expectations and now I can’t wait to see what next year will bring.

​-Ivan