November 29, 2022 - The fairy lights are on, and the smell of mulled wine, sauerkraut, and gingerbread fills the air wherever you go. The famous Advent in Zagreb is already attracting visitors, as are Split, Zadar, Opatija, and many other cities. Make sure you don't miss out on the fun in the east, though! Visit some of the Advents in Slavonia, and we promise you'll want to stay and live in the winter wonderland in the east.

Adventiranje Osijek

Advent Osijek official website

The long-awaited Adventiranje in Osijek is officially kicking off on the 2^nd of December at the beloved Tvrđa location (Osijek historic old town). Events in Tvrđa are always special with the 17^th and 18th-century^th century charm of the old town's streets. Pair that with Christmas decorations and a giant Ferris Wheel, and you've got yourself a perfect little evening of touring the stalls, tasting the sweets, and enjoying the lights and the music. The Advent stalls will be open from 4 pm until 10 pm on working days, while on Fridays and Saturdays, they will remain open until midnight. They will be open from 10 am until 5 pm on Christmas Eve. The Advent programme includes concerts, cooking and wine workshops, seminars, lectures hosted by Osijek's Slavonia and Archaeological museums, and workshops and events for the little ones.

Advent iz Davnina Slavonski Brod

Slavonski Brod official website

The fairytale Advent, inspired by the most famous author of Slavonski Brod, Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, will this year, too, shine its light and open its pages to all for a magical experience. Voted #4 in Croatia for the year 2021, Slavonski Brod has again prepared an ambitious programme consisting of concerts, theatre, culinary events, and gatherings, ensuring that every Advent weekend is full of fun. The programme started on the 26^th of November when the first candle was lit and will continue all the way to the 30^th of December.

Advent in Vukovar

Vukovar Tourist Board

An Advent Full of Magic is this year's slogan for Vukovar. It kicked off on Sunday, the 27^th of November when the first candle was lit, and the ice rink was opened. It will go on until the 23^rd of December, featuring a variety of music concerts, workshops and events, exhibitions, theatre plays, and a Christmas market. The market will be there on the weekend from the 16^th until the 18th of December from 5-7 pm, while on the 23^rd, it will be open from 9 am to 12 pm. The ice rink will be open every day from 9 am until 9 pm, while on Fridays and Saturdays, it will remain open until 10 pm. The location of most of the events is the backyard of the Eltz Manor (Vukovar Municipal Museum), and some will take place in the city library.

Advent in Vinkovci

Advent u Vinkovcima Fb Page

The oldest city in Europe also brings an advent full of fun for its residents and visitors alike. Moving from the Korzo promenade, this year's circular ice rink will find itself next to the river Bosut for magnificent views and a truly magical winter atmosphere. It will open on the 9^th of December. The Advent Film Tuesdays kick off today, on the 29^th of November, at 7 pm at the Joza Ivakić city theatre. The list of films includes The Stolen Princess, Paddington 2, Free Guy, and Arthur Christmas. The entrance is free. Those looking to buy Christmas ornaments or local products or donate to charities can do so every Saturday from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Christmas market in the city centre, where the candles will be lit, followed by concerts. On the 16th of December, the event of the season will take place - the Christmas treasure hunt race. The route is just shy of 2 kilometres and includes challenges, riddles, and tastings of local delicacies. Teams of up to three players can apply. It starts at 6 pm at Franjo Tuđman Square.

Advent in Požega

Požega Tourist Board

Sparkly and bright is the slogan of Požega's advent this year. Having unofficially started on the 26^th of November when the first candle was lit, the official opening will take place on the 3^rd of December with a theatre play, the opening of the ice rink, and a music and dance show. The rich programme will continue until the 31^st of December, with the New Year's Party being the final event. This season's events will include movie nights, storytime, concerts, workshops, and many charity events. The city will come together to create a winter wonderland, including its museums, theatres, and schools. The Christmas market will have its stalls set up from the 22-24 of December in the morning hours. And we especially like that there will be a Fitness recovery workshop on the 26^th of December.

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ZAGREB, 4 Dec, 2021 - Hotels in Zagreb as well as hotels open in December elsewhere in Croatia expect the Advent season and the Christmas and New Year festivities to contribute to hotel occupancy figures, however, the pandemic is likely to cut guest turnovers by 40% compared to 2019.

These figures were presented by the chairwoman of the hoteliers' cluster within the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), Josipa Jutt Ferlan, in her interview which Hina published on Saturday.

Jutt Ferlan says that the epidemiological developments make it difficult to forecast the results of this year's Advent season.

She projects that in December 2022 hotels could reach the volume of their business in December 2019.

Jutt Ferlan, who is also Cluster General Manager at Hilton hotels in Zagreb, tells Hina that inquiries about the Advent in Zagreb events and bookings of accommodations hint at good results notably during weekends this December.

Commenting on COVID certificates, she underscores that many business activities and many event organisers rely on the COVID certificate and on vaccination as a way out of the pandemic and return to the normal life.

In many European countries the COVID certificate mandate has already been introduced also for hotels, restaurants and cafes, she says adding that there are more and more foreign visitors who  ask why hotels or spa facilities in Croatia have not yet imposed the mandatory certificates.

If all other countries, our competition, introduce this requirement, then our "safe stay" designation will become meaningless, if we do not impose certificates, too, she explains.

Jutt Furlan added that the government's job-retention grants had made it possible for hotels to keep doing business and keep their workers during the lockdown.

She says that that during the last summer season, Zagreb hotels fared well, explaining that a good summer season along the coast also means a good summer season for Zagreb.

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November 29, 2021 - As a way to get into the holiday spirit and thank their most loyal fans, the Croatian Football Federation Advent has been announced with gifts for all ages this year. 

Advent has just begun, and the Croatian Football Federation, in cooperation with their commercial partners, is organizing an Advent giveaway for all loyal Croatia fans and social media followers, where you can win sports equipment, national team jerseys, gift cards, overnight stays in luxury hotels, plane tickets, match tickets and more, reports HNS.

What is it all about?

This Advent season, the Croatian Football Federation has organized 27 Advent competitions for the 27 days of Advent, which will be held through the official Croatian Football Federation Instagram account (@hns_cff) to thank the fans for their support in 2021.

Advent competitions will be held until December 24 with valuable gifts from their commercial partners Nike, Football Mania, Croatia Airlines, Zagrebačka pivovara, Hrvatski Telekom, Konzum, Hyundai Hrvatska, Zagreb Tourist Board, Čipi Čips, Heraldija, Puđa, PBZ, PIK Vrbovec, and others.

The rules for the Advent competitions will be published every day of Advent at 10 am on the official HNS Instagram profile. Each prize competition will end with the selection and announcement of the winners on Instagram by 11:59 pm the next day.

Participating in all Advent contests is free. All-natural persons who use Instagram and are older than 13 can participate, except those Advent contests whose prizes include products intended exclusively for adults, which will be further emphasized in the relevant posts.

Potential winners under the age of 18 must provide written consent from their parents or guardians. In addition, the parent or guardian confirms that they agree to provide personal information and the address of the Advent winner to receive the prize.

Advent contests will also be open to international participants, except for those Advent contests whose prizes cannot be submitted outside the Republic of Croatia, which will be available only to participants residing in the Republic of Croatia and will be further emphasized.

One person cannot win more than one prize during all Advent competitions. Participants are free to participate in several Advent competitions and/or content sharing to participate in each Advent competition several times, but they cannot be awarded more than once.

"Enjoy Advent, take part in our sweepstakes, and win valuable gifts for yourself and your loved ones to put under the Christmas tree!" concludes HNS. 

You can find the rules and general conditions of the HNS Advent competitions here.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

November 16, 2021 - Many cities on the Croatian coast seek to position themselves as attractive winter destinations, and the jewel of Kvarner Bay is not far behind, as Opatija celebrates Advent again this year with hundreds of thousands of special decorations in every corner of the city.

Winter will once again dress Opatija in lavish Advent attire, reports Turističke Priče. The most romantic and solemn part of the year is the best opportunity to get to know this famous European destination in a unique atmosphere. It is a time when holiday magic is felt in every corner of the city and makes every experience unforgettable.

Opatija celebrates Advent with hundreds of thousands of lamps and decorations, turning it into a winter fairy tale, which is why the staff of the landscaped city toured the world last year. In addition to the virtual walk, which aroused great interest last year, this year's Advent will offer a real touch with the city and the opportunity to enjoy a rich gastronomic and entertainment offer.

From November 26 to January 9, the Christmas atmosphere will expand to already known locations such as the Juraj Šporer Art Pavilion and Sv. Jakov, then, Angiolina Park, the Summer Stage and the city gloom (market), but also some new spaces - along the promenades in the area from the Savoy Hotel to Villa Madonna, on the terraces of the Continental, Milenij and Imperial hotels, in the Strauss cafe, all with a special offer food and drink.

''Opatija celebrates Advent by constantly raising the bar of quality and we always make new efforts to not only meet but also exceed the expectations of our guests. After our Advent fairytale shone like never before last year and conquered the whole world with its staff, we want to further enhance this holiday atmosphere and lavish landscaping of the city this winter in order to provide everyone with unforgettable memories. We are glad that the Most Beautiful Advent by the Sea, as one of the largest winter events in Croatia, has reunited many tourist entities in our city, which will be presented with a special arrangement and special program'', said the director of the Opatija Tourist Board Suzi Petričić.

An additional atmosphere during a walk through the city will be provided by the traditionally decorated shop windows along the main road as well as the smells of hot chocolate and various desserts from the famous Opatija cafes and pastry shops. This year, as in the past six years, the Tourist Board of the City of Opatija will award cash prizes to the most beautifully decorated shop windows, inviting business owners to get involved in arranging their shop windows and be part of the Advent atmosphere in the city.

To learn more about one of Kvarner's most impressive jewels, be sure to read our complete Total Croatia guide, Opatija in a page. Now in your language!

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November 20, 2020 - The latest on Split Advent 2020, which will be held without the famous holiday houses this year.

The safety of visitors is a priority of the City of Split, the Split Tourist Board, and Spalatum D.M.C., longtime organizers of Advent events in Split, reports Dalmatinski Portal and Slobodna Dalmacija.

"Following the epidemiological situation in Croatia and keeping in mind the health of its fellow citizens and visitors, a decision was made that this year's Advent offer in the city will still take place without houses that serve food and drinks and sell souvenirs. The company Spalatum D.M.C., otherwise in charge of their maintenance, will continue its engagement as technical support at Advent, as every year so far," D.M.C. announced.

"It is almost unthinkable nowadays to set up Advent in any city without the favorite houses, but the epidemiological situation and the health of our fellow citizens must come first. We monitor the situation in the country every day to respond in a timely manner to all instructions and warnings related to the SARS-CoV-19 virus because Advent is made up, above all, by humans. The decision on the absence of houses was made as a proactive measure, which, I believe, will significantly increase the security of the entire event. I thank all the caterers and craftspeople who have expressed interest in participating in Advent, and I hereby ask them to understand. I believe that we will all work together to ensure that we have the opportunity to work together again next year," said Ante Šunjić, director of Spalatum D.M.C.

Advent in Split will be held this year, but in a different edition than ever before. The program is still being finalized in accordance with all the necessary epidemiological measures and will be available soon, both on the Split Tourist Board website and on social networks.

Stay tuned.

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November 27, 2019 - The holiday magic returns to Opatija this winter, whose streets, squares and parks will be decorated for one of Croatia’s best Advent celebrations on the coast.

Novi List reports that the Advent Program will give citizens and visitors six weeks full of vibrant and engaging events at three major locations - in front of the Juraj Šporer Arts Pavilion, on the Summer Stage and in front of the City Market - but also in Sv. Jakov Park, on Slatina, in the Gervais Center, numerous city hotel and catering facilities, as well as the mountain lodge Poklon, the organizers from the Opatija Tourist Board announced.

Advent in Opatija will open on Friday, November 29, with lighting Christmas decorations and lamps on a giant Christmas tree in front of the town market, while all Christmas decorations throughout the city will be illuminated simultaneously. For the first time, the fairy-tale holiday atmosphere will extend to the entire area of Sv. Jakov Park, which will shine with over three kilometers of lights, a thousand decorative balls and decorations, and numerous freestanding light decorations.

The Christmas lighting will also be accompanied by an entertainment program from 5 pm, with a performance by Klapa Kastav, the choir of the Opatija Kindergarten, and DJ Alex Sabattini. On the same day, around 4 pm - the little ones are invited to socialize in the Nutcracker House, which will be located in the Juraj Šporer Arts Pavilion during the holidays. Elves and nutcrackers will greet children and offer various workshops and performances, which they will be able to enjoy daily: until December 20, weekdays, from 4 pm to 7 pm, and onwards from 12 to 7 pm, while on weekends it’ll be open from 10 am to 7 pm.

Not only the children will be entertained at Šporer, but anyone into great music, hearty winter delicacies and a festive atmosphere can enjoy the Christmas Fair, open on weekdays from 12 pm to 11 pm and on weekends from 10 am to 11 pm.

The music program will kick off with the Xfinity band, which will open the festivities at 8 pm on Friday, November 29th. Until January 2, a number of DJs and well-known musicians will perform, including experienced Whiteheads, Kantridersi, Dellboys, Iman Trio Acoustic, The Janitors, Techno Vikings, Dražen Turina Šajeta, The Bourbon Hunters, Jed Becker’s Group, Vedran Ružić Trio, and Martina Majerle, but also the best Croatian chanson Marko Tolja and many others.

Every Saturday from November 30, one Advent candle will be lit in the park on Slatina, near the most famous Opatija fountain. On the first evening, starting at 7 pm, Martina Majerle and KUD "Učka" Matulji will perform.

The Summer Stage will again become a winter stage this year thanks to an ice rink, which will be open daily until January 12, from Monday to Thursday from 1 pm to 9 pm, Friday from 1 pm to 10 pm, Saturdays 10 am to 10 pm and Sundays 10 am to 9 pm.

Medo Skating Club from Zagreb has prepared an attractive program for the opening ceremony scheduled for Sunday, December 1 , at 5 pm. In addition to the ice rink, there will Christmas cottages and music programs every day from 7 pm, and a skating school on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3 pm to 5 pm.

The Gervais Center will host the Chocolate Festival from December 6-8, as well as numerous other events such as the presentation of the Feel & Taste tourist offer at the Indigenous Products Fair, stand-up performances by Ivan Saric and a festive Christmas and New Year concert with Renata Sabljak, Gianni Stipanic and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra. At the Gervais Club, located on the lowest floor of the cultural center, fans of electronic music will enjoy a pre-Christmas party, and fans of martial arts can attend the Opatija Fight Night 11.

Following the Christmas lighting on November 29, the City Market will be the venue for New Year's Eve events and Christmas fairs, and at the turn of the Old and New Year, the 'Opatija Tribute to the Legends' program will hit the stage with the Queen Real Tribute, Abba Real Tribute and special guests.

However, this will bejust one of four New Year’s events in Opatija. Namely, Šporer will welcome the new year with the Groovers, the children on the Summer Stage will celebrate at noon, while the rock'n'roll Dellboys will take the Summer Stage at night.

In addition to New Year's Eve, Advent at the Market will offer several other exciting programs, including the illusionist show by Andrei Skedel, the Alen Vitasović concert and the "Crazy Christmas Eve in Opatija", which will fill the day with music and gastronomy before the space in front of the market turns into a big disco at night.

“The road will even be closed for traffic, so music and dance will prevail in the center of the city,” said the organizers.

In addition to the central locations in Opatija, the holiday program will also take place in other parts of the city, and about 250 different programs will be held from November 29 to January 12.

Santa Claus will once again return to his winter residence on Poklon, where a Christmas fairy tale will be held from December 13 to December 15 in the Učka Nature Park. Famous trainer Mario Mlinarić will lead everyone interested on a Christmas walk from Opatija to Veprinac on December 14.

In addition to socializing, music and gastronomic specialties, holiday time is also associated with gift-giving, and Opatija will give the gift of free parking to its citizens and guests. 

From December 1 to February 29, private cars will not be charged on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, except in zones 0a and 0b located in the area from the Palace to the Admiral Hotel, including parking behind the bus station near the Admiral Hotel and Joakim Rakovac Street.

You can learn more about Advent in Opatija here.

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November 26, 2019 - Can't make it to Split? Don't fret, Advent in Kastela will spice up Split's surroundings from December 1, 2019, to January 5, 2020. 

Leteci odred, Crvena jabuka, Psihomodo Pop and New Year's Eve with Alen Nizetic - are just some of the performers the people of Kastela and their guests will enjoy this year as part of the "Advent in Kaštela 2019" program, which will take place at the Novi Park in Kastel Luksic, the City of Kastela reported on Monday.

The event program was officially presented by Kastela mayor Denis Ivanovic, together with his deputy mayor Jadranka Matok Bosancic, head of the Board for Social Affairs and General Affairs Sandra Zokic, and director of the Kastela Tourist Board Nada Marsic.

“It all starts on December 1st at 6 pm with the Luka Nizetic concert. This year we have paid special attention to our children, for whom we have prepared numerous events within the Advent Fairytale, while everyone else will enjoy concerts and the great gastronomic offer of our Advent houses. Also, on Christmas Eve, bakalar (or cod to non-locals) will be distributed at the cathedral in Kastel Stari, during which several Kastela klapa groups will spontaneously gather and spread cheer around the citizens with their songs.”

We tried to design the best possible program this time, too, so we hope that everyone will find something for themselves this year as well,” said mayor Ivanovic, stating that an ice skating rink has been set up near the Novi Park to the delight of the youngest. Between Christmas and New Year, a concert will be hosted by one surprise guest, who will be announced later. We can say one thing - it will be a big name in Croatian showbiz. 

Every Sunday, starting at 5 pm, the Advent candles will be lit at Dardin in Kastel Novi, on an 18-meter-long wreath. To conclude, on the Feast of Saint Stephen, everyone will be able to see a live nativity scene in Kastel Novi.

You can see the full program for Advent in Kastela here. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

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