December 28, 2021 - The Red Slope on Sljeme officially received the green light for the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Snow Queen Trophy 2022.

This was confirmed by Emmanuel Couder, director of the FIS World Cup for technical disciplines for men, who checked the quality and snow control of the Sljeme slalom track, mandatory for all organizers of FIS World Cup races, reports Gol.hr.

After inspecting the track, Emmanuel Couder said: "I am very pleased with the snow situation on Sljeme and the situation on the track. There are 70-100 centimeters of solid, compact snow cover on the Red Slope and the track is very well prepared. The organizers and staff of the Sljeme Ski Resort have prepared a good surface and produced sufficient amounts of snow."

After the FIS confirmation, Vedran Pavlek, director of the Organizing Committee of the race, added:

"I am delighted. Sljeme's Red Slope has never been so well prepared so early, which was confirmed by our skiers who have been training on the Red Slope for the last ten days. The snow on the Red Slope is enough to withstand the eventual southerly wind announced. Although the temperatures are higher than the average for this time of year, there is enough snow on Sljeme, and we even have spare snow on the side in case we need it. In the coming days, we will work with FIS representatives to decide when and what the final preparation of the track will be, depending on the weather forecast."

The FIS Ski World Cup Snow Queen Trophy 2022 races are scheduled for January 4 and 5, when the world's best slalom skiers will compete for points, the title, and the crown. The first run of the women's race will be on Tuesday, January 4, at 12:30, and the second run at 16:05.

The best men's slalom skiers will compete on Wednesday, January 5, with the first run starting at 15:30, while the second run begins at 18:40.

Unfortunately, to hold the race safely and follow the epidemiological measures, the FIS Ski World Cup Snow Queen Trophy will be held again this season without spectators and guests, and the world's best slalom skiers will not be greeted by fans this time either.

However, everyone will be able to watch the event on HRT2.

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

December 28, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 14 international Croatia Airlines Zagreb routes will run in January, while Ryanair drastically cuts its lines in Zagreb during the same month.

Croatian Aviation reports that in January, the Croatian National Airline will continue to connect Zagreb with a total of 14 international destinations. This is the same number of destinations as in December, and it should be noted that the number of weekly operations has not been drastically reduced, as was the case in January this year.

Croatia Airlines will operate from Zagreb in January 2022 to:

Amsterdam, daily (A319 with 144 seats),

Vienna, 3 times a week (DashQ400 capacity 76 seats),

Brussels, 10 to 12 times a week (DashQ400),

Dublin, 2 times a week (A319),

Frankfurt, 21 to 28 times a week (A319, DashQ400),

Copenhagen, daily (A319, DashQ400),

London, 3 times a week (A319),

Munich, 10 to 12 flights a week (DashQ400),

Paris, daily (A320, A319),

Pristina, 2 times a week (DashQ400), ACMI charter Trade Air,

Rome, daily via Split (DashQ400),

Sarajevo, 6 times a week (DashQ400),

Skopje, 4 times a week (DashQ400),

Zurich, 10 to 14 flights a week (DashQ400).

Unlike last year, when DashQ400 aircraft were used on almost all routes, this January Croatia Airlines will still use the Airbus fleet, mainly to larger European hubs with a significant number of transfer passengers, such as Frankfurt, Paris, and Amsterdam. The Airbus fleet will also travel to Dublin, Copenhagen, and London, and at the very beginning of the new year to Munich.

Until mid-January, Croatia Airlines will continue to connect Osijek and Munich, while daily flights from Split to three international destinations are available - Frankfurt, Munich, and Rome.

Recall, before the holidays, Croatian Aviation was contacted by several passengers who had tickets on Ryanair flights in January but were informed by the airline that their flight had been canceled, without further explanation as the airline was not required to compensate for the cancellation if more than 15 days before the travel date.

Croatian Aviation reported that flights on the following routes had been canceled:

Zagreb - Brussels Charleroi - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Sofia - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Dusseldorf Weeze - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Frankfurt Hahn - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Karlsruhe - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Memmingen - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Naples - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Podgorica - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Oslo Torp - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Malmo - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Basel - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Manchester - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 03.02.2022.

In addition, the number of weekly operations has decreased on certain lines:

Zagreb - Gothenburg - Zagreb, from 3 to 2 flights a week,

Zagreb - Milan Bergamo - Zagreb, from 4 to 2 flights a week,

Zagreb - Paphos - Zagreb, from 2 to 1 flight per week,

Zagreb - London Stansted - Zagreb, from 7 to 4 flights a week.

Croatian Aviation adds that it is very likely that the suspended lines will not return to traffic in early February, but only with the summer flight schedule, which is expected given the low demand and new travel complications caused by the pandemic.

Ryanair failed to attract enough passengers to its routes during the pandemic, and a bigger problem for the airline itself is very poor yield, which is confirmed by 10 euro tickets one way even a day or two before the flight.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

Railway connectivity between the capital and the biggest Croatian port has been more than inadequate lately, with no express lines available and a single direct line in operation

Rijeka city councillors Ivana Prica and Kristian Čarapić of SDP criticised the poor railway connectivity between Rijeka and Zagreb at a recent press conference, reported Novi list (Marinko Glavan). The councillors demanded that the Croatian Railways (HŽ) reinstate the high-speed train line between Rijeka and Zagreb that was scrapped last year.

‘The last remaining express service operating on the route Rijeka-Zagreb-Osijek was cancelled on December 24th of last year, while the express line Zagreb-Rijeka-Zagreb has been scrapped even earlier. It thus became impossible to travel by rail from Rijeka to Zagreb and back on the same day. It’s shameful that the capital city and the biggest port in Croatia aren't better connected in terms of railway passenger transport’, they said.

A quick search of the HŽ booking page reflects the painful reality of travelling by rail in Croatia. Not only is there no express service between Rijeka and Zagreb, but there’s only one direct line connecting the two cities at present. That particular trip takes 4.5 hours, a tedious ride compared to 2 - 2.5 hours it takes to get to the capital by bus or little over 1.5 hours if you’re travelling by car.

Other four available services involve a change of train halfway through and take anywhere from 5.5 hours for an early morning service to almost 11 hours in case of a night line:

Trip duration listed on the timetable is the best case scenario. The site warns that ‘due to work on certain sections of the railway, deviations from the published timetable are possible’. This is a frequent occurrence that’s more than likely to extend the duration of your trip by an hour or two and involves a transfer from a train to a bus.

The timetable could use some work as well. The only direct line departs from Rijeka at 1:58 PM and arrives in Zagreb at 6:29 PM. It’s unclear who would find this convenient, as you’d technically waste half a day before departure and would effectively be forced to stay in Zagreb overnight in case you need to get anything done.

There are two morning lines, departing at 5:30 and 7:35 AM, but they only arrive in the capital at 11 AM and 12:42 PM respectively. If you opted for one of these, you’d have no way of getting back to Rijeka on the same day, unless you were willing to either hop on a return train an hour after your arrival, or endure a 13-hour overnight train ride. Here’s the schedule:

The only direct line from Zagreb to Rijeka departs at 8 in the morning and also has a 4.5 hour trip duration. The timetable doesn’t match a normal workday schedule, and frequent travellers on this route - such as college students - essentially don’t have a choice but to travel by bus.

It’s a shame, as travelling by rail is not only more comfortable than taking a bus, but is also the most sustainable mode of passenger and freight transport.

Bus lines between Zagreb and Rijeka (and vice versa) are much more frequent, with several companies operating on the route and departing every hour or so throughout the day.

There’s not much to complain about on that front, except if you were looking to make a day trip to Zagreb during the holiday season. The last Zagreb-Rijeka bus departs at 7 PM on most days (weekends included), so if you were hoping to revel in the festive spirit of Advent in Zagreb, you’d be limited to daytime activities.

Arguably, Christmas markets are best enjoyed in the evening, and you’d have an hour or so to get a cup of mulled wine and appreciate the sparkling lights before hurrying back to the bus station. This goes for those travelling back to Istria as well, as the mentioned 7 PM service is also the last one that continues on to Pazin and Pula after a stop in Rijeka.

Perhaps a good way for the capital to generate more overnight stays in December, but considering how popular Advent in Zagreb has been in recent years, it could use a few more bus lines in evening hours to accommodate those who don’t necessarily want to spend the weekend.

December 22, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines Barcelona-Zagreb flights return next summer, and Pristina-Zagreb flights are reduced in January and February. 

The Croatian national airline, Croatia Airlines, will reintroduce a scheduled flight between Zagreb and Barcelona in the 2022 summer flight schedule, reports Croatian Aviation.

The flight between the two cities was introduced for the first time in the summer of 1999, and then again in the summer of 2009. The line operated regularly until the summer season of 2020 when it has not been in operation due to the pandemic.

The Croatian national airline expects a recovery in demand on this route in the next summer season, so tickets for direct flights between the two cities are already on sale.

The first flight was announced at the very beginning of the summer flight schedule, on March 27, and by mid-April, there will be two flights a week, every Thursday and Sunday. As of April 19, the third weekly flight is on sale, every Tuesday, and Croatia Airlines plans to keep three-weekly flights until the end of the summer season, i.e., October 29, 2022.

A319 aircraft have been announced on all flights between Barcelona and Zagreb, which have a capacity of 144 seats on Croatia Airlines. In the first 7 months of next year, Croatia Airlines will offer more than 26,000 seats on this route.

Along with Croatia Airlines, Spanish airline Vueling should operate between Barcelona and Zagreb next summer, twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, and in August and Thursday, so there should be as many as six weekly flights on this route at the peak of the summer season.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that the number of weekly operations on the new line between Zagreb and Pristina, which started on December 15 this year, will be reduced.

From the beginning of January to the end of February next year, the Kosovo tour operator will operate between Zagreb and Pristina two instead of three times a week.

Croatia Airlines and Trade Air will soon reduce the number of weekly operations on Kosovo's MyWings. During this period, flights are canceled on Mondays, so Zagreb and Pristina will be directly connected on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is an expected move by the tour operator given that the line was introduced recently and that demand is generally low in January and February, especially now with the pandemic.

From the beginning of March, MyWings will again operate between Pristina and Zagreb three times a week (and on Mondays), and from the end of March, there will be a significant increase in capacity on the line - instead of the 76-seat DashQ400 aircraft, the 144-seat A319 aircraft will operate.

By March next year, there will be an increase in demand on the line, and the tour operator will carry out certain marketing activities to attract as many potential passengers as possible.

The prices of return tickets have now been reduced and can be purchased for as little as 150 euros.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

December 21, 2021 - Zagreb Digital Nomad December Ambassadors Anna Maria Kochanska from Poland and Steve Tsentserensky from USA interviewed in the Index.hr studio. 

It has been quite a year for Zagreb and its digital nomad journey. 

It is 18 months since Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong wrote an open letter to Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic asking him to implement a digital nomad visa. 

Things moved very quickly after that. Plenkovic announced his intention to introduce the visa some 44 days later, and it came into effect on January 1 this year. A variety of high-profile events, including the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad in Residence Program, and Zagreb Digital Nomad Week & Ambassador project, have helped to raise Croatia's profile in the global digital nomad community. So much so in fact, that Croatia was named the second most-liked country in the world, and Zagreb in the top 5 cities in the recent Nomad List 2021 survey. 

One of the big successes of the digital nomad movement has been how integrated and accepted the concept has become in the Croatian media in a relatively short space of time. The term 'digitalni nomadi' is now a widely understood term in the Croatian language. 

Zagreb Tourist Board, together with Saltwater Nomads and TCN has been implementing the Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador project from July 1. Six different ambassadors - from New York, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Israel, Singapore and Poland - have been staying for a month each as guests of the city. Their insights and experiences have helped shape Zagreb's future nomad strategy. 

Anna Maria Kochanska from Poland has been a very active ambassador in December, and she has been joined by Zagreb Special Guest Ambassador, Steve Tsentserensky. Both appeared last week in the studio of Index.hr to talk a little about the digital nomad lifestyle and their impressions of life in Zagreb.  

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

December 21, 2021 - Mayor Tomislav Tomašević and his associates opened a separate post-COVID polyclinic of the Special Hospital for Lung Diseases in front of the Health Center Zagreb - East. He also referred to the new cable car and epidemiological measures for the New Year celebrations in a subsequent press conference.

Announced a few months ago and finally opened today by Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević, the new polyclinic will focus on providing treatment to patients who have recovered from COVID and have physiological sequelae from contracting the virus, Večernji List reports.

''As more than a few hundred thousand people in Croatia have already contracted COVID, there is a need to treat people who feel the consequences of this infection. Most people in Zagreb had COVID, so I welcome the City's move and the efforts to open this clinic'', says Krešimir Luetić, President of the Croatian Medical Chamber. ''Not only is Zagreb struggling with treatment, but also with the rehabilitation of people facing the infection'', Tomislav Tomašević said.

''This is just one of the steps we will take to take care of these patients. The facility has handled more than 2,500 post COVID patients, an incredible number. I thank all the health workers who made superhuman efforts and I hope that we will finally welcome the end of this pandemic'', said the mayor. ''The polyclinic has already started working and treats about ten patients a day, and specialist diagnostics will soon start, which will treat about twenty patients a day'', added Luetić.

"These are mostly patients with lung problems, but there are also those with cardiovascular problems," he said. Asked why Croatia is at the top of the list of seriously ill and mortal, Luetić said that the most likely reason was the low vaccination rate. He also called on the citizens to get vaccinated and receive a booster dose.

''The medicine we are talking about is intended for the acutely ill. He will certainly help some of the sick, but it is not the way we will be able to cure all the infected'', says Luetić. A regular press conference followed. Asked about putting the cable car into operation, Tomašević said the legal framework was changing to obtain the necessary permits.

''If it's January, it'll be fine. The sooner it opens, the better for the City’s revenue. As far as ticket prices are concerned, we have elected a new president of the ZET board, and we will inform the public about the prices and the system soon'', he stated. Tomislav Tomašević was also asked about New Year's Eve as it will be, probably on Jelačić Square, where he will be able to do a certain part with COVID certificates. The program is nearing completion, and will soon be released.

''It will be, I believe, extended shortly after midnight. It depends on the measures of the Headquarters'', he said.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more on COVID-19, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December 20, 2021 - As the festive family holidays approach, will it be a lonely one for digital nomads? Not in Croatia - a look at how nomads spend Christmas holidays in Croatia. 

When I did my last major trip back in 2001, I hardly met anyone on the road in 9 months, apart from the many people who hosted me on the road. I spent a lot of time alone, which is fine as I really like my own company. 

Often I would arrive at a destination, spend 2-3 days there, look around and not speak to anyone apart from the hotel reception and restaurant waiter. 

I had no phone and no camera, and this was an era before Wordpress, Facebook and Instagram. Google was just 3 years old.

I kinda liked it that way.

I have spent a lot of time with digital nomads in the last 12 months, and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute. But I don't think I could be a digital nomad myself these days, I just find the whole thing too exhausting. 

What fascinates me the most, especially compared to my travel 20 years ago, is the sense of community and the need to connect on a daily basis. Each to his/her own, and this is obviously the new reality. 

But what happens when it comes to family times like Christmas? How do nomads spend Christmas and the holiday season when the rest of us gather in families? I was a little concerned for our December Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, Anna Maria from Poland, and how she would spend the last week in December.

I need not have worried, for she has a far better social life than I have ever had in Zagreb. Here she is, with a group of nomads yesterday having drinks after they visited the Museum of Broken Relationships yesterday. 

Zagreb Special Guest Ambassador Steve Tsentserensky would have joined too, but he was halfway up a mountain with another group of nomads.

According to the Nomad List 2021 survey, which placed Zagreb 5th in the most liked cities in the world, hiking is the number one activity for nomads.

And there are not many international cities which offer such hikeable views from the city centre as Zagreb does.

The community is growing nicely in Zagreb, Split and other cities in Croatia, and one of the best community builders of all, Zagreb's September Ambassador, Dean Kuchel, is coming back to Croatia to spend Christmas and New Year, mostly in Dubrovnik. 

"I will be in Zagreb for 18 hours on the 25th, Paul, so let's meet and have an event."

"Everything will be closed Dean, nothing will be open."

It made me wonder what nomads will be doing. And I realise that I do not need to worry about Anna Maria being lonely. 

Or any other nomad in Croatia. For it seems that there is a lot happening in the major nomad hubs. Without scanning too hard, here are a few options to meet locals, expats and fellow nomads over the festive season.

The Daltonist in Split is offering an authentic Irish Christmas tale this evening, one of a number of events over the festive period, including Christmas Day - more of their Facebook page.

Sunset Beach in Dubrovnik is the place to be on Christmas Eve for a festive nomad catchup. Check more on the Facebook event page.

But make sure you get in shape first, with the 10k run starting from Gruz, Dubrovnik on December 24. 

The Expats and Digital Nomad Christmas Eve party is already proving popular. Sign up here.

I was curious if Dean would find something to eat in Zagreb, but that man knows how to fill his stomach. A Nomad Pot Luck Christmas Dinner on December 25 in the Croatian capital is already oversubscribed, so I will not post details. 

Advent in Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik continues throughout the month of course, as well as the Dubrovnik Winter Festival, so plenty of options to catch up with other nomads.  

See in 2022 in Zagreb with a Nomadic News Year's Party organised by December Zagreb Digital Nomad Ambassador, Anna Kochanska. More here. 

As for nomadic New Year's Eve fun, you could do worse than join this man. You can join Dean's party here.

There will likely be several other options that I have not featured, and the best place to follow the latest is the Digital Nomads Croatia Facebook page, which is growing nicely - now at 8,300 members. 

The community is growing, and 2022 will be an epic year for the digital nomad community in Croatia. You can follow the latest news and features on the dedicated TCN section. 

December 18, 2021 - It may not be as lively as 2019, but things are warming up nicely in Zagreb. A good time to reflect on the incredible history of Advent in Zagreb since 2010. 

It has always been an event that has fascinated me. How to create something from nothing in Croatian tourism, away from the coast, and out of season? And not only, but to do it so well that the event was voted the best in Europe for three years in a row. 

And then came the pandemic.

But still the event survived, albeit is in a much more modest and virtual format, before getting a little bigger in 2021. After a slow start, the streets of the Croatian capital are buzzing once again, as a very different Advent in Zagreb 2021 runs its course. 

(2014 Ice Park - J. Duval)

Everyone seems to have their opinion on Advent in Zagreb this year, and I thought it was worth putting everything into context and taking a look back at the last decade since it became a thing. I contacted the Zagreb Tourist Board and asked them to send me some information and old photos so that I could do a piece on the history of Advent in Zagreb. 

Their response was more than impressive - they did not just send information and photos, they sent this amazing overview - much more detailed than anything I had been planning.  

(2014 Fuliranje - I. Nobilo)

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT/ FINANCING / PROMOTION / CONTENT

Advent in Zagreb is a project that has been intensely developed over a number of years through a synergy of relevant city offices and the Zagreb Tourist Board. It was branded as “Advent in Zagreb” in 2010. A new concept of Advent in Zagreb that was introduced in 2014 has been cultivated and upgraded over the years.

(2014 Advent on Europe Square - M. Mehulic)

The promotion campaign started with a promotional video about Advent in Zagreb that was screened at fairs, convention industry summits and professional workshops, and distributed to all reporters and agents coming to Zagreb on organized professional tours. The video has also been mass distributed with bottles of drinking water and other promotional materials about the city of Zagreb to travellers stopping at the tollbooth in Lučko during peak season weekends in late July and early August, to invite the tourist to visit the Advent market and explore the tourist offer in Zagreb. The Zagreb Tourist Board designed a unique and inspiring visual for Advent in Zagreb, suggestive of the happy colours and aromas of winter holidays, that was used on City Light posts and billboards at busy locations in Croatia and nearby countries, including Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, Austria and Hungary.

(2014 Live Nativity - M. Mehulic)

A special Internet site was launched at www.adventzagreb.hr with all textual material available in five languages, Croatian, English, German, Spanish and Italian. Attractive souvenirs have been designed that included a box of traditional ginger biscuits, a mug, a glass, an apron, matches, Christmas tree ornaments in the shape of ginger biscuits, glass balls and blankets. The live entertainment stage on Ban Jelačić Square has been branded, as well as the Advent House, in order to create an unambiguously familiar brand of Advent in Zagreb. In 2011, the Zagreb Tourist Board organized a multi-media 3D mapping Advent screening outside the Mimara Museum. Every year between 2010 and 2015, the city of Zagreb gifted a Zagreb Christmas tree decorated in the traditional style typical for Zagreb to Vienna, Rome, Berlin, Budapest, Ljubljana and Sarajevo, inviting the residents of Zagreb’s friendship cities to visit Zagreb during the Advent season.

(2015 Artomat - S. Kastelan) 

The outstanding success of Advent in Zagreb has been the result of many years of work on the part of the Zagreb Tourist Board to upgrade the Zagreb tourist offer during winter months, of brand development and highly effective promotional effort in collaboration with important stakeholders such as the national Croatian Tourist Board, the tourist industry and the City of Zagreb. A multitude of interesting content and daily events have helped create a unique image of the Croatian capital city as a centre of culture and tourism during the holidays that continues to be upgraded and promoted as a prime tourist product. Advent in Zagreb, the events that bring life to the city streets and squares during the season of Advent and other content that have enhanced the city tourist offer during winter months, have contributed to a favourable evaluation of the city in the international tourist market and the branding of Zagreb as a must-visit tourist destination during Advent season.

(2015 Fuliranje - S. Kastelan)

Over the years, the content has expanded and new features introduced in addition to the original programming that continues as a standard in many new and attractive locations. New marketing activities have been developed accordingly. Since its inception in 2010, Advent events in Zrinjevac Park and Ban Jelačić Square and the Christmas market have been a mainstay feature of Advent in Zagreb. Starting in 2010, many other projects have been developed to become part of the Advent in Zagreb, including Artomat (since 2011), Fooling Around (since 2012), the Ice Park (since 2014) and Advent at the European Square (since 2014). Another location was added to the Fooling Around project in 2015 and the programme has been featured in two different locations since then (Tomićeva Street and Kurelčeva Street).

(2015 Strauss at the Octogon - S. Kastelan)

In 2016, the Zagreb Tourist Board collaborated with partners to introduce a number of new Advent features to Zagreb visitors and residents, especially the Upper Town segment that has included Courtyards – The Advent Edition, Advent on the Vranyczany Plateau, Advent at the Klovićevi Dvori Gallery and Advent on Stross. Also, in 2016, Advent happenings reached the New Zagreb area across the river with New Advent and Santa Klaus Icy Fairy Tale. Other novelties have included, to mention just a few, the Fashion Advent, Chez Rudolf, Advent in the Design District and Advent in the Tunnel.

(Christmas concerts from balconies in 2015 - S. Katelan)

Additional emphasis in 2017 was placed on improving the quality of existing Advent locations as well as on carefully planning new locations, all in order to enable the most pleasant stay of all visitors to Advent in Zagreb. ZTB and its partners have implemented new programs: Advent in the Croatian Railway Museum, Advent in Marićev prolaz, Caffe de Matoš, Fooling Around at a new location - Trg J.J. Strossmayer, and the special cooperation with the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia was established, which joined Advent with the Advent program at Prekrižje.

(2016 Ice Park - A. Markezic)

Traditional programs have been realized in the Lower Town such as Advent on Zrinjevac, Ice Park on Tomislav Square, Advent on the European Square, Zagreb Christmas Fairy Tale, Live Christmas Nativity Scene, Advent on Ban Jelačić Square as well as in the Upper Town: Advent on Vranicanijeva poljana, Advent in Klovićevi dvori Gallery and Advent on Stross. The Grič Tunnel was included in the program, as well as cultural institutions such as the Museum of Arts and Crafts, the Ethnographic Museum, the Croatian National Theatre, the Art Pavilion and the Zagreb Zoo. The Advent program in Zagreb was accompanied by a large exhibition "Nikola Tesla - Mind from the future".

(2016 Advent in Kloveci Dvori - I. Zinic)

In 2018 Advent in Maksimir was presented as a new location with entertainment for the whole family and Advent Stara Tkalča, which showed traditional crafts and revived the spirit of the oldest Zagreb settlements Gradec and Kaptol. A novelty was the Film Advent, as part of which Christmas films for all ages were shown at the Europa cinema, and the Baković Sisters' Passage was conveniently decorated as a set from the shooting of a Christmas film. Special emphasis was placed on cultural events and programs, so during Advent, as many as eight different music festivals were held in Zagreb. This continued in 2019 when, in addition to the already known Advent locations, eleven music festivals were held: Advent postcards, Advent under the Lantern, Evenings with Brahms, Adventfest in the Cathedral, Advent Classic Fest, Advent and Christmas Song Festival in Zagreb, Concerts in the church of St. Katarina, Concert program of the Zagreb Soloists for Advent in Zagreb, Advent in the parish of St. Blaž, From Christmas Balconies in Zagreb and Christmas with Kids. In 2019, Film Advent on Tuškanac was presented as a new location, as part of which Christmas films for all ages were shown at the Tuškanac cinema, and Advent at the Croatian National Theatre with a new scenography and concept. The Oktogon passage was appropriately arranged, and other locations were decorated with Croatian traditional ornaments and Nutcrackers, in accordance with the theme of Advent in Zagreb in 2019.

(2016 Advent in Zrinjevac - A. Markezic) 

Since 2014, all visitors to Advent in Zagreb have been given the opportunity to visit Advent locations with the help of smartphones. Namely, ZTB, in cooperation with the Bruketa & Žinić OM and Brlog agencies, refreshed its popular mobile application Zagreb Be There with the new Advent Zagreb route. This was an application originally launched in the summer of 2014, which offered visitors to Zagreb various themed routes to tour the city, with occasional awards. In 2015, three more new Advent routes were introduced, which, in addition to the classic Advent locations, took users through Zagreb restaurants known for their winter specialties. In 2016, the Advent edition of the app was enriched with two Advent routes, a classic and a route that invited users to find the best Advent place for a Christmas selfie.

(2016 Advent in Klovicevi Dvori - L. Tonci)

The 2017 Advent edition of the app featured two Advent routes. A special feature in 2017 is the collaboration with the famous Croatian confectioner Petra Jelinić, who suggested the best confectioneries in Zagreb of her choice to users through the Sweetmas route. In addition to the traditional route with the key locations of Advent, in 2018 the Zagreb Be There application was refreshed with a new route called ADVENTurous Women of Zagreb. It enabled visitors to learn more about famous Zagreb women: Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić, Marija Jurić Zagorka, sisters Baković, first woman in pants, Slava Šenoa, Sidonia Erdődy Rubido, Cat Dujšin-Ribar and Ljerka Šram. In 2019, the application was enriched with a new Advent route called Uncrackable route, which led visitors to Zagreb in search of sculptures of the Nutcracker, which were located in all major Advent locations.

(2016 Advent in the Tunnel - M. Vrdoljak)

Along with the national airline Croatia Airlines, it is important to point out that the value of Advent in Zagreb was recognized by Turkish Airlines, which became the official carrier in 2015 during Advent in Zagreb. It provided up to 20 percent discount on tickets on its flights and the same discount was provided in 2016 and 2017. At the same time Turkish Airlines sent information about Advent to all its branches in the world via an internal newsletter and published video and info about Advent through its social networks. Encouraged by the successful cooperation with Turkish Airlines, the cooperation continued during Advent 2018 and 2019. The use of a strong communication network of Turkish Airlines has significantly raised the profile of Advent in Zagreb, as well as Zagreb as a tourist destination.

(2016 Pop-Up Winter Garden - M. Vrdoljak) 

The Advent in Zagreb project has been jointly financed by the Zagreb Tourist Board and event organizers. The Zagreb Tourist Board has borne all expenses for international promotion, more specifically by maintaining media promotion in nearby countries on the Internet (Google AdWords, banners, advertorials, Facebook), by renting advertising spaces (depending on the campaign, these may include billboards, citylights and/or advertising space in public transportation), and by introducing other individual activities to present the project at presentations, fairs and other promotional events.

(2016 Zagreb Christmas Fairytale - M. Vrdoljak)

The Zagreb Tourist Board has also maintained promotional media campaigns in Croatia and important international markets. Advent in Zagreb has been promoted in the printed media such as the Lufthansa Inflight magazine, KLM Inflight magazine, Hi Europe (Chinese market), Die Welt Reisemagazin; on local TV channels including Z1, Jabuka TV, Net, Mreža TV; on national TV channels including HRT (Dnevnik, Dobro jutro, Panorama etc.), NOVA TV (Dnevnik live news, reporter stories), RTL (Vijesti news and other shows); on international TV channels including MTV Adria (Advent Zagrebavanje) and other media such as Radio Sljeme, as well as websites in Italy, Austria, Germany, Great Britain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and other countries, in addition to promotional activities on Zagreb Tourist Board websites, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, in promotional videos and featured stories on YouTube, etc.

(2017 St. Mark's Church - J. Duval)

In addition to the costs of promotion, Zagreb Tourist Board has covered some of the expenses of organizing Advent events by supporting the organizers of major events. Other expenses for any individual event have been borne by the event organizer. The financial gain based on the increasing number of tourist arrivals and overnight stays, as well as visitor consumption, has been an important part of the overall economy of the city.

(2017 Advent in Zagreb - J. Duval) 

Advent in Zagreb (the event and films promoting the event) has won many awards. For three consecutive years, Zagreb was voted the Best Christmas Market in Europe, in 2016, 2017 and 2018. A full list of awards is available at

http://www.infozagreb.hr/nagrade-i-priznanja-tzgz&lang=hr

(2017 Advent in Zagreb - J. Duval)

STATISTICS

Success has been reflected in the continuous growth of December arrivals and overnight stays:

• In December 2010, the number of arrivals and overnight stays increased to 34,824 arrivals and 59,023 overnights, a 6 percent growth in arrivals and 5 percent growth in overnight stays compared to December 2009;

(2017 - J. Duval

• In December 2011, the number of both arrivals and overnight stays increased to 37,377 arrivals and 69,582 overnights, representing a 7 percent growth in arrivals and 18 percent growth in overnight stays compared to December 2010;

(2017 - J. Duval)

• In December 2012, 38,819 tourists visited the Croatian capital city and stayed 71,162 nights, a 4 percent growth in arrivals and 2 percent growth in overnight stays compared to December 2011;

(2017 - M. Gasparovic)

• In December 2013, Zagreb had 46,284 visitors and 83,323 overnight stays. Compared to December 2012, the statistics indicate a growth of 17 percent with respect to arrivals and 17 percent growth in overnight stays;

(2017 - M. Gaparovic)

• In December 2014, Zagreb had 56,142 visitors and 101,473 overnight stays. Compared to December 2013, the statistics show a significant growth of 21 percent in both arrivals and overnight stays;

(2017 Advent in Zrinjevac - J. Duval)

• In December 2015, Zagreb had 70,750 visitors who stayed 126,968 nights. Compared to December 2014, the statistics indicate a large 26 percent growth in the number of arrivals and 24 percent growth in overnight stays;

(2018 - J. Duval)

• In December 2016, 94,573 people visited Zagreb and stayed 169,095 nights. The numbers indicate a growth of as many as 34 percent more arrivals and 37 percent more overnight stays than during December 2015;

(2018 Advent in the Tunnel - J. Duval)

• In December 2017, Zagreb had 111,290 visitors and 201,453 overnight stays. Compared to December 2016, the statistics show a growth of 17 more arrivals and 18 percent more overnight stays;

(2018 - Advent Churches - J. Duval)

• In December 2018, Zagreb had 122,489 visitors who stayed 232,057 nights. Compared to December 2017, the statistics indicate a 10 percent growth in arrivals and 15 percent growth in overnight stays;

(2018 - Boska and Kreso)

• In December 2019, 134,078 people visited Zagreb, staying 251,645 nights. Compared to December 2018, the statistics indicate a 9 percent growth in arrivals and a 9 percent growth in overnight stays.

(2018 Ice Park - D. Miloslavic)

AVERAGE DAILY CONSUMPTION

http://www.infozagreb.hr/documents/b2b/Potrosnja_Advent_SAZETAK_20_03_2017_.pdf

Web site with event information at www.adventzagreb.hr

(2019 - J. Duval)

ADVENT DURING THE 2020 PANDEMIC

In 2020, the overall conditions have maximally changed the possibilities and needs for holding projects, events and happenings. Due to the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, as well as the earthquakes and the significant decline in tourist arrivals and overnight stays, the fulfilment of the goals of encouraging the development of existing and creating new projects that increase the number of arrivals and overnight stays in the destination, became questionable.

(2019 Zrinjevac - J. Duval)

It was not possible to plan such a situation, so the Zagreb Tourist Board had to adjust the implementation of activities in accordance with the given circumstances, as well as the interests of visitors to Zagreb. The focus was on creative and ambient outdoor events that did not encourage large gatherings, as well as cultural and other events, which could be performed in controlled conditions. Zagreb continued to maintain its charm and openness to all visitors, but above all it was important that the local population felt comfortable and safe.

(2019 Advent in the Tunnel - J. Duval)

According to the above, Advent Zagreb was held in accordance with the recommendations and decisions of the competent authorities, in a slightly different atmosphere in a hybrid and virtual form. Occasional programs have been prepared to preserve the spirit of the best Christmas fair in Europe. Special emphasis was placed on cultural events with a number of different music festivals that we broadcasted through our online channels, and some Zagreb museums got involved with their own Advent programs.

(2019 Ice Park - J. Duval)

Every year, Advent is enriched with novelties, and in 2020 the Light of Advent (Svjetlost Adventa) project was launched, where cooperation was established with ten institutions in the Upper Town by decorating their windows in the holiday spirit. We wanted to bring positive emotions, create a sense of community and, ultimately, encourage our fellow citizens to get involved and contribute to Advent. ZTB designed the special campaign and during its duration, from December 6, 2020 to January 6, 2021, invited its fellow citizens, but also all those who love Zagreb, to get involved and become part of the Zagreb Christmas fairy tale.

(2019 - Boska and Kreso)

Thus, all those interested could send their Advent photos via the social network Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visitzagreb, using the hashtags #SvjetlostAdventa and #AdventLights. More than 300 photos were received during the month of the interactive campaign. After its completion, a special #ZagrebLoop was created and a video containing Advent photos from all parts of Zagreb and Croatia.The reach of more than 230,000 people and 240,000 impressions are the results of a campaign through which Zagreb shared its Advent magic with all those who carry it in their hearts. #ZagrebLoop can be viewed on the official Advent website of the Tourist Board.

(2019 Artomat - Boska and Kreso)

We especially emphasize our cooperation with the Croatian startup company Equinox Vision, with which we realized the interactive AR project Virtual Christmas Windows. These are motifs of Zagreb's Advent windows that have been turned into three-dimensional animations, and which everyone could see with smartphones via the free Equinox XR application, take photos and share on social networks.

(2020 Light of Advent - S. Carek)

With the beginning of Advent, we set up animated windows at 20 locations in Zagreb and in Osijek, Pula, Rijeka and Split, and then we set them up in 12 more Croatian cities: Dubrovnik, Gospić, Karlovac, Knin, Koprivnica, Krapina, Rovinj, Šibenik, Slavonski Brod, Varaždin, Vukovar, Zadar. For all those who were unable to travel due to the overall situation, Advent Zagreb crossed the borders of Croatia, bringing at least part of the holiday atmosphere to Belgrade, Ljubljana, Maribor, Mostar, Munich, Novi Sad and Sarajevo.

(2020 - S. Kastelan)

The third novelty was the Zagreb Nativity Scene project, more precisely the online exhibition of photographs of church Christmas nativity scenes taken from 2007 to 2020. In addition to the above, the Tourist Board and its partners have arranged three locations in Lower Town and four in Upper Town.

(2020 - Boska and Kreso)

Zagreb Tourist Board CEO Marina Bienenfeld reflected on what has become one of Croatian tourism's great success stories. 

Advent Zagreb offers the best of what the city has in tourism, gastro industry and culture. Looking back, we can now proudly say that Zagreb stands firmly alongside other destinations with a diverse Advent offer and that it truly celebrates the richness of tourist, cultural, gastronomic and holiday facilities. Zagreb Advent is full of emotions, various contents and cultural events and it radiates real holiday warmth. Also, to be selected for the best Christmas market in Europe for three consecutive years, is no small matter. That’s just what Advent Zagreb has accomplished with a well-designed program, and an excellent implementation of the same. Every year, regardless of the conditions, we strive to enrich our Advent, raising it from year to year to a new level and, what’s most important – we have the support from Zagreb’s citizens. I would say that this is the key to the success of this most important event in Zagreb and throughout Croatia and I’m sure Advent Zagreb will continue to live for many, many more years to come.

Learn more about the Croatian capital in the Total Croatia Zagreb in a Page guide.

You can follow the latest from Zagreb in the dedicated TCN section. 

(2020 - S. Carek)

December 17, 2021 - Organized by the Croatian Football Federation, the Croatian premiere of Untold Story, a documentary about Miroslav 'Ćiro' Blažević, was held at the Kaptol Boutique Cinema in Zagreb.

The film about the "coach of all coaches" and the celebrated Croatia coach, who won bronze with Croatia at the World Cup in France in 1998, was directed by Bosnian-Herzegovinian sports commentator Sabahudin Topalbećirević and former Croatia footballers Davor Šuker, Robert Jarni, Aljoša Asanović, Igor Štimac, and Goran Vlaović, but also Bosnian-Herzegovina national team players Edin Džeko and Miralem Pjanić and many others, reports HNS.

In the film, Ćiro spoke about his difficult childhood, recalling the days of growing up in Travnik during the Second World War, sad and tragic episodes in his life, but the better days of his playing and coaching career on football fields in Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and China.

Slobodan Kadić

"Thanks to the Croatian Football Federation, which managed to gather us to watch this film in Croatia as well. At first, I didn't agree with Baha's idea, I thought there were a lot more important people than me to make films about, but at one point I realized I was getting to the end so I said to Baha: "Let's make that film before I go", ha, ha, ha… Thank you to my Vatreni, my sons, together we paved the way to affirm Croatian football and represented the homeland in every way. And one more thing… I always knew who was in charge, the audience was in charge, and journalists were the soul of the audience. Many times I had the opportunity to say to a journalist: “Are you crazy? What are you asking me?”, But instead I told them:“ You are smart! ”, Ha, ha, ha… I love you all and I say: Ćiro is not so easy,” said Miroslav Blažević after the screening. He also received gifts from the president of the Croatian Football Federation, Marijan Kustić, and Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić - a framed jersey with the number 72, symbolizing his number of games leading Croatia, and a replica of the silver medal from the World Cup in Russia dedicated to the 'coach of all coaches'.

Slobodan Kadić

"We are proud to have had the opportunity to organize the Croatian premiere of this beautiful documentary, I am still impressed by the emotions. When I saw Aljoša’s tears at the end of the film and I had a hard time, my thoughts went back to ’96 and ’98. If someone had told me then that I would be sitting here with Ćiro today as the president of the Croatian Football Federation, I would have told him that there was a greater chance that I would win the jackpot. After this film, there is no need to say anything, I can only thank you, Mr. Blažević, for everything you have done for Croatian football and sports in general. In that regard, I proposed to the Executive Board that at the recent Assembly, on December 22, we declare Mr. Blažević the honorary coach of the Croatian national football team," said Marijan Kustić.

Slobodan Kadić

"Thank you all for coming, thank you Baha for the film about the life of Miroslav Blažević, the man who did the most for my career and who helped me a lot to become what I am. However, I can win a gold medal in Qatar, God willing, but Ćiro remains the coach of all coaches. Boss, thank you on behalf of Croatian football for everything you gave it, thank you for everything you did for me in my coaching career, After all, you were one of the few who believed in us from day one and that is why our silver from Russia has a lot of your merits," said Zlatko Dalic.

Slobodan Kadić

"During the screening, I saw the tears of Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić, and tears were present during the Sarajevo premiere. Ćiro struggled for a long time when it comes to shooting this film, despite the fact that the two of us met while I was a boy, back in 1983. It was at Marakana when Dinamo beat Sarajevo 3:2, I was a Sarajevo fan and I threw everything from the stands, and then Ćiro put me on the field and said: “Mali, Sarajevo will win the second time, may you be alive and healthy." Ćiro is an absolute genius, I thank him from the bottom of my heart for finally agreeing to make this life story and open his soul, and in order to open someone's soul, you have to trust him," said Sabahudin Topalbećirević.

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

December 17, 2021 - Just a few minutes away from the festive Fuliranje location, Canopy by Hilton Zagreb is the best Advent weekend getaway. 

Winter weekends in Zagreb require a bit more than warm clothes - and choosing where you'll stay for a holiday requires you to think a bit harder about the perfect escape when those 0-degree temperatures come out to play. 

Fortunately, the Canopy by Hilton Zagreb offers all that and more, and I don't remember the last time I had such an enjoyable stay in the capital city. 

Canopy opened in late 2018 and is located just steps away from Zagreb's central rail station and the Branimir Centar shopping. Boasting 151 rooms and eight spacious suites, Canopy's interiors mix today's trends with Croatian culture. The neighborhood's industrial history is highlighted in its textiles and artwork, enhanced by retro Nikola Tesla paintings and standout images of Croatia's most recognized brands. 

And while the decor and overall city buzz through its walls are enough to bring me back, there are a few things that stole the show on my December trip to Zagreb. 

Service

I arrived at Canopy by Hilton on a chilled Zagreb evening, quickly shocking my Split bones. While I knew I didn't have much time to spend in my hotel room after checking in, I knew I wanted to snag whatever bit of comfort I could before braving the crisp air on the way to my next event. The check-in process could not have been more seamless, and the Kraš chocolate gift hit my sweet tooth just right while paying homage to the building's past and the industry that once flourished within its walls.

I also have to point out that Croatian-made products for purchase are displayed behind the check-in counter, showcasing some of Croatia's best designers! 

Eco-friendly

One of the things I was most excited to learn at check-in was that the 4th floor hosted the hotel's refillable water station, which certainly fed my obsessive water-drinking habit. It didn't help that my hotel room happened to be right around the corner. Better yet, the hotel doesn't expect you to keep your refillable water bottle from home handy - they provide a glass bottle in your room to refill at your convenience.

And should you need ice? They have it, too! 

Breakfast 

I don't know a single person who wouldn't be excited about a buffet breakfast, but in a country that is still learning its way around this morning meal, I also know not to expect too much. Canopy's buffet breakfast, however, pulled out all of the stops.

From wellness shots to freshly-blended smoothies, a selection of cold cuts and cheeses and fruit plates to eggs served scrambled and sunny-side up, sausages, sauteed veggies, stellar štrukli, and bread offer for everyone's palate - this breakfast spread transported me to the hotels I was used to visiting in America. 

Coffee pots were placed on every table, and should you prefer a latte instead? The attentive staff made sure your favorite hot drink was never far away. I could hardly wait to wake up in the morning!

Safety reminders 

Canopy by Hilton is taking the pandemic seriously, which is seen thanks to various reminders around the hotel.

Canopy also boasts the Safe Stay in Croatia label, confirming it adheres to the prescribed epidemiological measures. 

Location

And if you are going to Zagreb for Advent this year, the one location you won't want to miss is Fuliranje, located on the Esplanade hotel terrace. Just a 5-minute walk from the Canopy Hilton, Zagreb's best Advent location is within perfect reach, making those hazy mulled-wine walks home at night a breeze. 

Marko Lukunic/PIXSELL

Canopy Hilton has also become a hotbed for remote workers, with its cafe bar transforming into Zagreb's hippest coworking space no matter the time of day. They also hosted the 2021 Digital Nomad Week! 

A fantastic new addition to the capital, I'm not sure I'll be able to stay anywhere else. 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.