December 22, 2022 - Tourism in Zagreb returned with a bang in 2022 - a year in review through the eyes of a foreign resident who recently moved to the city. 

For more than the first half of my 20 years in Croatia, Zagreb was a complete unknown to me. The bus station, the train station, the walk to Ban Jelacic Square for meetings, that was about the sum of my interaction with the Croatian capital from my island base on idyllic Hvar. 

And then things changed, slowly at first, but with a steady pace, as my knowledge of Zagreb increased at about the same rate as the city got cooler. Where once the only exotic food on offer was Chinese and Indian, suddenly a plethora of diverse cuisines popped up, a symbol of the growing international flavour of the city, particularly in its status as an EU capital from July, 2013. 

(Photo S.Kastelan)

Others noticed, and when Lonely Planet named Zagreb as its best destination for 2017, it seemed that the city had truly arrived as a tourist destination, now giving Croatia an extra dimension in tourism away from the coast. I, like many others, still did not regard Zagreb as a major tourist destination, but slowly, but surely, the city began to change my - and many other - minds. 

The catalyst for many, of course, was the arrival of Advent in Zagreb on the global stage, seemingly from nowhere. Zagreb was voted Best Christmas Market in Europe, not once, not twice, but three times in a row from 2016-18. In an era where the tourism gurus talk about year-round tourism, here was a destination which brought an entirely new product onto the Croatian tourism market in one of the deadest months of the year. 

Advent may have put Zagreb on the map, but it was certainly not the only thing happening in the tourism calendar in the capital. As my visits to the city grew with work, so did the realisation that Zagreb was actually a pretty cool place to be, that despite being slowed down by the devastating earthquake and pandemic. So much so, in fact, that we decided to move to Zagreb 18 months ago to get a slice of city life after our Dalmatian island origins via Varazdin. 

(Photo M. Mihaljevic)

And so to 2022, the first full year of me living in the city - a year that began with those COVID masks (remember them?) and a chance to see tourism in Zagreb up close and personal, 12 months a year. 

And what a year it proved to be, as we all returned to a semblance of the old normal. The COVID masks dispersed, how was the 12-month tourism in Zagreb experience?

The first thing to note about tourism in Zagreb is its seasonality. Unlike the coast, where things seem to go from summer to winter, the season to the off-season, Zagreb has the classic four seasons, and with a flagship showcase event to mark each one. 

Since 2017, the Festival of Light in March has been a magical addition to the city's tourism calendar, one of the first events heralding the new tourist season, enticing guests outside to enjoy a spring night in the city and to witness innovative art and the joy of light.

Summer in Zagreb was this year's big discovery, having traditionally spent it on the coast. The city empties of much of the population, and the whole city becomes a stage, one whose parks, streets and squares are filled with the sound of music and entertainment. The pivotal summer event is Zagreb Classic, which is cementing Zagreb as a significant cultural destination, with its array of fantastic open air concerts featuring world-class artists. 

Autumn is magical, and there seems to be a continued focus on art and culture. The main event is art's medicinal answer to acupuncture - Artupunktura, Zagreb Art Therapy. You can read more in the TCN article Artupunktura: Transforming Zagreb into Autumn Art & Culture Hub.

And finally, of course, the arrival of Winter Wonderland in the form of Advent in Zagreb. This year's Advent has had a double feel-good factor, for me at least.  Firstly, it was the first proper Advent since the pandemic, and the programme has been as rich as back in 2019, with popular features such as the ice skating rink on Tomislav Square a reminder of Advent as it once was (Pandemic Who? Advent in Zagreb Returns to 2019 Glory). But this year's Advent also coincided with the timeline of Croatia's incredible run in the World Cup in Qatar, a journey which ended on Sunday with the returning heroes being welcomed home on the main square. Mingling with the thousands of fans as they made their way through Advent highlights such as Zrinjevac was one of the highlights of the year for me. Croatia, Full of Life indeed! 

Wherever I looked during my first full year here, there was an air of quality, diversity and entertainment in the musical offer. After Zagreb had allowed me to finally see some of the icons of my youth live in previous years - Leonard Cohen, Johnny Rotten, and Morrissey, my musical odyssey was complete when I finally got to see The Cure at Zagreb Arena in October. Franz Ferdinand, Skunk Anansie, Placebo, Simple Minds, and Whitesnake all graced the concert halls of Zagreb with their own concerts, while The Killers headlined Zagreb's signature rock festival, InMusic one of several music festivals in the city this year, with Lake Jarun a popular festival destination. 

The World Cup may have been the global sporting event of the year, and it certainly lit up Zagreb, but there was plenty of other action to enjoy locally. April saw the city transformed into a motor sports Mecca, as the WRC Rally came to Croatia, an event followed by some 350,000 people. 

Before that, however, a reminder of the diversity of Zagreb's sporting credentials, as one of the few European cities with immediate proximity to skiing. The Snow Queen Trophy, an accredited Alpine World Cup skiing race, held in early January each year, and won once again by Petra Vlhova.

(Photo J.Duval)

The opening of the Sljeme cable car this year has made skiing and the winter (and all other seasons) much more accessible to Zagreb citizens and its visitors. Other sporting events which highlighted the city's athletic tradition include the annual Zagreb Marathon and the Boris Hanžeković Memorial meeting, a Zagreb regular since 1951. 

There were food festivals, so many food festivals, with relative newcomers such as the Zagreb Burger Fest now firmly established as a regional leader, and quaint little events such as Little Picnic, allowing people to mix and chill in a relaxed atmosphere. Where there is food, wine is never far away in Croatia, and VINOcom once again led the way, with another splendid 4-day event in November.  

(Photo credit: Sanjin Kastelan)

But, for me, this new foreign local in his first full year in the city, the thing that stuck me the most was just how much diversity and effort is put in to celebrating art,culture and heritage in Zagreb, 12 months a year. I lost count of the number of times I found myself passing a courtyard, street or square and was seduced by the sound of music. Zagreb is a wonderful city to walk in, and it seems that wherever you go, there is SOMETHING happening. The fact that they have an annual event called Courtyards, which celebrates the various courtyards of the city through art, sums it up for me. Street art, street festivals such as Project Ilica Q'Art when the city's longest street gives way to art, culture and performance is the epitome of that. 

And let's not forget film, an area in which the city excels in festivals in the shape of the Zagreb Film Festival, Zagreb Tourfilm Festival and Zagreb Dox, to name but three. 

12 months, and never a day the same. The four distinct seasons in this most walkable city offers so much more than meets the eye, something I only truly appreciated when actually living here. And, as it the city did not offer enough, the breathtaking offer Around Zagreb helps to make Zagreb a complete destination. 

It is a great city. When are you coming to visit?

December 19, 2022 - It has been a great year for tourism in Zagreb after the pandemic challenges of 2020 and 2021. TCN catches up with Zagreb Tourist Board CEO Martina Bienenfeld to reflect on a successful year.  

Advent in Zagreb 2022 - it feels like the pre-pandemic world of 2019, and a great way to finish the year. Are you happy with the reaction to this year's event?

During the whole year, we were exposed to various extraordinary situations, starting with the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and then the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis and inflation, so I am very happy that, with all our partners, we managed to organize this year's Advent Zagreb. The reactions of our guests are very positive. They are very satisfied with the Christmas decorations of the city, the rich and varied cultural and other programs, the holiday atmosphere, and currently they only criticize the rain - the only factor that, unfortunately, we cannot influence. I hope that the temperatures will drop a little more and bring us snow for the complete winter atmosphere.

Zagreb has been hugely successful over the last 6 years with its award-winning Advent, and you were one of the few cities to keep the tradition going during the pandemic. Tell us about the challenges of making that happen.

The last Advent and the one before it, were organized during the pandemic, which was a completely new challenge and situation. However, we managed to adapt and develop a hybrid Advent concept that had a lot of online events, but also outdoor events that were organized respecting all the COVID measures. But now, we're happy to be back to normal and, in contrast to 2020 and 2021 when trips and events were mostly limited, this year we are noticing a strong recovery in tourist supply and demand.

The world has changed, and so has tourism, with new trends and opportunities. One of the biggest successes of Zagreb in the last 2 years has been its prominence as a top global digital nomad destination. Tell us more about that.

In the last 2 years, Zagreb paved its way as one of the best destinations in Europe on a digital nomads’ map. In 2021, we organized Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, then the Digital Nomad Ambassador program which lasted six months and in December we had Digital Nomad Jolly Wrap Up. This year, actually 2 weeks ago, we hosted Zagreb Digital Nomad Very Merry meeting which attracted numerous participants to our city during weekend. The dynamic fusion of workshops, presentations, social and tourism activities focusing on the key themes, provided a comprehensive and stimulating content for anyone engaged in the digital nomad lifestyle. All these activities helped to make Zagreb a digital nomad hub and the results of the NomadList survey, where Zagreb took 2nd place as the most popular destination for digital nomads, proved that we’re doing a good job. The British platform Reassured also published its research, and our city took 5th place as the best city for digital nomads. Research like this confirm that Zagreb is very well perceived in the world of digital nomads as a city with optimal value for money, quality infrastructure, growing industry, hospitality of the local population and colorful events, which enable digital nomads to conduct business efficiently and easily throughout the year.

Having lived in Zagreb for 18 months now, I am constantly surprised at how there is always something going on somewhere, especially in the parks, streets and squares. It seems that there has been a lot more focus on developing the city as a year-round destination for art and culture. Tell us a little more.

In the last few years, Zagreb has become an increasingly dynamic and interesting tourist destination that offers its guests a number of cultural, sports, gastronomic, entertainment, MICE and business events throughout the year. Zagreb Tourist Board, together with the Zagreb tourism industry, develops year-round tourism and, as a result, Zagreb has a developed, sustainable, balanced, and responsible tourist offer. In particular, Zagreb Tourist Board, in cooperation with partners, designs, sets up and develops projects such as the Festival of Lights Zagreb, Zagreb Classic, Artupunktura and Advent Zagreb, which encompass all four seasons and complement our year-round offer. We also support various cultural, artistic and creative projects which make Zagreb always interesting. The tourist results confirm that Zagreb is a year-round destination, and the months when we have the most visitors are from April to October and, of course, during Advent. However, this does not mean that there are no visitors in January, February or November. Moreover, Zagreb records excellent results even in those months, which is also a characteristic of the city-break destinations. We also conduct comprehensive online and offline, summer and winter marketing campaigns, which, for the purpose of promoting our city as an attractive tourist destination and informing potential visitors, are responsible, among other things, for the results Zagreb has.

The arrival of a budget airline has opened up Zagreb to many destinations. How much has that been a factor in developing tourism, and can you share any information about new flights/airlines in 2023?

Zagreb is the main cultural, university, scientific and technological center of Croatia, connected to Europe and the world with more than 50 airline routes, as well as a modern road network, which also puts it in the position of a year-round tourist destination. Half of the guests come to our city by plane, and a large number of them come from long-haul destinations such as the USA. The presence of low-cost flights is certainly important for the development of the city break segment, but today almost all airlines offer special tariff classes. As for new flights, for the moment, we have only confirmed news from our national carrier Croatia Airlines which will maintain services to fifteen European destinations (excluding domestic routes) out of its main hub in Zagreb. A total of 120 weekly rotations are planned or 240 weekly flights.

It has been a very busy 2022 for Zagreb after the last two crazy years, and there are many positives to reflect on. What were the highlights for you?

The changes in global trends and social values in the last two years have been extremely intense and volatile, and this created an additional possibility for Zagreb's tourism to be even more competitive and attractive. However, the highlight in 2022 for me was to see how quickly tourism recovered and travelling blossomed. Let’s not forget that we started this year with wearing masks and strict COVID measures and now it all seems like a long-gone history.

And what can we expect in Zagreb in 2023?

It’s difficult to predict what future holds, but with entering the Eurozone in 2023 and Croatian membership in Schengen, we should definitely see the positive aspects of deeper integration of Croatia into the EU. Both events should strengthen the Croatian economy and enable the free movement of people and goods which will for sure foster tourism of whole Croatia and its capital, as well.

Follow the latest news from Zagreb in the dedicated TCN section. 

December 16, 2022 - After an incredible reception in 2018, another Croatia World Cup welcome reception will be organized in Zagreb on Sunday! 

The Croatian Football Federation, in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb, will organize a ceremonial welcome for the Croatia national team after the exceptional success achieved at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

On Saturday, December 17, Croatia will play against Morocco for 3rd place in the FIFA World Cup. No matter the result on Saturday, Croatia has achieved another incredible result that caused euphoria back in the homeland. Regardless of the outcome, Croatia fans expressed a clear desire to greet their football heroes once again.

The Vatreni will land at Franjo Tuđman Airport in Zagreb on Sunday, December 18 at 5:10 pm and then head towards Ban Josip Jelačić Square along the same route they traveled after winning the silver medal in 2018.

The final destination of the ceremonial reception will be Zagreb's main square, where a stage will be set up, and one of the best football teams in the world will be welcomed along with an appropriate program. The director of the program will be Joško Lokas, while the bands performing include Prljavo kazalište, Jura Stublić and Film, Daleka Obala, Dalmatino, Zaprešić Boys, Opća pašnáš and Slavonia band.

The official anthem of the Republic of Croatia will be sung by the Croatian Navy Band "Sveti Juraj".

HNS, in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the City of Zagreb, will subsequently announce the security details of the organization.

The Croatian Football Federation, on behalf of the national football team, thanks the Government of the Republic of Croatia, the City of Zagreb, the Ministry of Interior, the contractors and everyone involved in the organization for their effort and commitment so that the event can take place as the players and fans of the Croatia national team deserve.

Source: HNS

December the 12th, 2022 - It's been quite some time since we've seen receipts and bills and the figures printed on them be the topic of endless social media debate, but with inflation continuing to bite, some believe certain establishments are using this unpleasant economic situation to their advantage. One Zagreb receipt has taken Facebook by storm today.

There are still those who, despite struggling to make ends meet month to month, still have money set aside to enjoy dining and drinking out. With the prices of raw materials rising and the energy crisis still causing tremendous issues when it comes to paying the bills for many establishments, it's only natural that a few kuna extra will appear on bills and receipts issued for food and drink. 

The post-pandemic period, accompanied by the dire situation in Ukraine and the inflationary pressures our bank accounts and pockets are all under, has seen those in the catering and hospitality sector try to earn money they lost back during pandemic-induced lockdowns of 2020 and early 2021. How many are actually taking advantage here, though? Some believe that many are using the situation in an underhanded way.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, under the heading ''I think every comment on this is redundant'' a photo of a Zagreb receipt has been doing the rounds on social media. According to that receipt, a mere cup of tea in that particular central city cafe costs more than 30 kuna, and a juice comes to more than 25 kuna.

For three cups of tea and two such juices, the clients paid 143.16 kuna, or, if we bother to convert into the currency we're set to introduce officially as of January the 1st, 2023 - 19 euros. It somehow sounds even higher when expressed in the bloc's single currency.

Could the justification for such high prices be the fact that the cafe is located in the very centre of Zagreb? According to the vast majority of comments - no, it cannot. As a central Zagreb resident myself, I can also say that there is very little justification for such high prices for very basic items and there are numerous cafes and pubs located in the very heart of the city where not even alcoholic beverages will come to such prices.

Are some establishment owners purely seeing an opportunity in this current climate of economic downturn and tighter belts? It's very likely, and this Zagreb receipt is likely going to be just one of many published on social media over the coming months.

For more, check out our news section.

December 11, 2022 - Zagreb's Mirogoj cemetery is one of the most beautiful and fascinating destinations in the Croatian capital, and there is only one date to see it in all its glory - November 1, All Saints Day, as TCN's CROMADS partners joined Secret Zagreb's Iva Silla on a tour.

The impressions of visiting a tourist attraction or destination can very much depend on the time of year and several other factors. And if there is one day in the calendar year to visit the incredible main cemetery in Zagreb, it is on the busiest day of the year for Mirogoj - November 1, All Saints Day. 

On this day, a free bus service is available from close to Zagreb Cathedral to shuttle the thousands of locals with their flowers and candles, who go to pay their respects to friends and family members who are buried there. It is an incredibly moving and atmospheric time to visit, and the sheer volume of flowers and candles, lovingly placed on immaculately maintained gravestones. The practice, which is mirrored in cemeteries all over Croatia on November 1, is an important part of the Croatian calendar. 

Mirogoj is not just a cemetery, however, it is one of the most impressive complexes in the city, with quite a story to tell. Dating back to the 19th century, it was originally planned for some 500,000 souls, and today it is the final resting place to many prominent Croats, including the first President, Franjo Tudjman, and the late Mayor of Zagreb, Milan Bandic, as well as many other famous Croats from all walks of life, such as basketball legend Drazen Petrovic. 

The cemetery can be visited all year, but All Saints Day is undoubtedly the best time, especially if you have the right tour guide in tow. There are applications to help you guide you around the quite phenomenal array of history of offer, but nothing quite beats the personal touch.  

This year, the CROMADS team took some digital nomads to meet the incredible Iva Silla from Secret Zagreb for an insider tour of Mirogoj after dark. Take a tour in the video below.

For more information about CROMADS, check out the official website, and to learn more about the innovations of Secret Zagreb, click here.

December 11, 2022 - December in Zagreb is busy like never before, as are the international column inches writing about this year's Advent in Zagreb 2022. 

Of all the Croatian tourism events that I have followed over the last decade writing for TCN and Google News, none has impressed me as much as the story of Advent in Zagreb. From extremely humble beginnings on Ban Jelacic Square with just a few stalls, it was rebranded as Advent in Zagreb in 2010. Just six years later, in 2016, Advent in Zagreb was named the Best Christmas Market in Europe, a title it went on to defend in 2017 and 2018. You can read the story of the rise of Advent in this feature story on TCN - From Zero to European Champion: a History of Advent in Zagreb.

As Croatia talks about 12-month tourism, here was an example of how to take an event from nothing and make it one of the major events of the year, with almost every town in Croatia following suit with their own Advent offerings. I remember when I first came to live in Croatia back in 2002 in Jelsa on Hvar. The Christmas tree would go up on the main square on December 15, and that was that. Now there is a programme of events and gathering places throughout December in most bigger communities all over the country.  

Five years ago, Zagreb Tourist Board won a FIJET award at the Croatian Association of Journalists for their promotion of Advent in Zagreb, and they gave an excellent presentation of the work behind the scenes promoting this new international event ,which I covered in detail in Advent in Zagreb: The Campaign Behind Europe's Best Christmas Market. The numbers quoted presented back then of the growth in tourism were certainly impressive, even more so when you look at the bigger picture from 2010 - 2019, below.  

• 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;

• 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.

What impressed me at that presentation back in 2017 was how visible Advent in Zagreb was on international markets, with its campaign both online and offline - the trams of Milan, below. 

Then came the pandemic, and the world closed down for much of 2020, with big events still not back in 2021. But Advent in Zagreb continued to maintain a presence, albeit it largely in hybrid form for two years, until this year. 

And, reading the international media, one could be forgiven for thinking that the pandemic had never happened, as Zagreb continued exactly where it left off in 2019 - with a raft of international promotion and media column inches. 

Welcoming images of a lively Zagreb in December appeared once more in some of the major publications around the world.  The Guardian, for example, chose a welcoming image of Zrinjevac as its headline image of Santa shops here: 10 of Europe’s coolest Christmas markets. That recognition of Zagreb's prominence on the Advent stage in Europe has so far been echoed in additional articles in CNN, The Mirror, The Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, The Independent, and Conde Nast Traveller.

Martina Bienenfeld, CEO of the Zagreb Tourist Board, gave a little more detail on the international efforts and success of the promotion of Advent in Zagreb in a recent statement last month:

"Just as in the article itself it is written - Zagreb's Advent has recently strengthened itself among the best in Europe, so we are especially happy with announcements like this because additionally position our city on the European map of Christmas markets. Also, I would point out that and the news about Advent Zagreb, in its monthly newsletter, was also reported by UNWTO, which includes 160 member states and more than 500 associated members representing the private sector, educational institutions, tourism associations and local tourist authorities. And we can see by checking the booking.com platform itself that the capacity occupancy in Zagreb for the first weekend of Advent is already more than 82., Therefore, I expect that Advent in Zagreb, after two pandemic years, will again show that it is one of the most important events for Zagreb and Croatian tourism.

"Let me remind you, in the Tourist Board of the City of Zagreb, we started with international offline and online promotion via Google, social networks, native articles as well as of mobile advertising in Europe, the USA and Canada, in a total of 21 markets. This year, we are especially promoting Advent on the well-known tourist portal Expedia on the US market, as well as on the Smithsonian portal as part of the multi-month destination campaigns. We also achieved our traditional promotional cooperation with Croatia Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Croatian Railways with whom we secured special prices tickets for visiting Zagreb Advent."

The atmosphere around Zagreb at the moment is fantastic, with Advent and Croatia's incedible World Cup run proving to be a winning combination. You can learn more about Advent in Zagreb 2022 and its programme on the official website. 

December 5, 2022 - The Croatian capital is a city of four seasons, with the Autumn Buzzg an underrated time of the year to visit. 

One of the big differences between living on a Dalmatian island and the city of Zagreb - at least in my experience - is the number of seasons. A little like the Jadrolinija ferry timetable, life in Dalmatia seems to be just two these days - summer and winter - and largely tied to the season. Half the year open and busy, the rest of the year quiet and mostly closed. 

One of the many things I have come to love about life in Zagreb is a return to a world of four distinct seasons. The cold of winter, lit up of course by the excellent Advent in Zagreb, soon gives way to Spring, as the trees and people come out in bloom as the weather warms up. And then there is Summer, which is a season I have come to appreciate greatly in Zagreb over the last two years. The city is a lot emptier as many head to the coast, leaving a much more pleasant and less crowded city for those who remain to enjoy. 

(Photo credit I. Vinkovic)

As summer ends, coastal holidaymakers return, and the city once more gets down to business. but there is a subtle change of mood as we head into Autumn. The city is livelier than in those summer months, the temperatures are more pleasant, and the cultural and social life is excellent. Cafes are once more brimming with those doing business, relaxing or simply people-watching. But for me, the highlight of the autumn season in Zagreb are the colours. 

Although I have travelled widely in my 53 years, I don't think I have found a more walkable or greener city anywhere than Zagreb. Its central part is very flat and one can easily walk from A to B in most cases, taking in some of the many parks, squares and tree-lined streets along the way. A green city in the summer perhaps, but a golden one in autumn, as the leaves fall from this tree-infested city to add a different layer of colour which is illuminated in the frequent sunshine.

(Photo credit Boska i Kreso)

Zagreb's walkability is one of its most underrated attractions. From the famous Lenucci Horseshoe, a green stroll through the green squares and botanical gardens of central Zagreb, to the lakeside charms of Jarun and Bundek, and majestic parks such as Maksimir, this is a city to be explored and enjoyed on foot, stopping off regularly for a relaxing coffee or streetside portion of hot roasted chestnuts. 

Feeling a little more energetic and adventurous? The mountains are calling, and hiking to the fortress of Medvednica and Sljeme mountain brings plenty of rewards, not least the spectacular views of the city below? Not feeling like hiking both ways? Take advantage of the new cable car which connects to Sljeme from the city. 

(Photo credit J. Duval)

For those looking to be a little more active, Zagreb is a jogging paradise, be it running along the Sava or exploring the beauty of its many parks. It is also a popular biking destination with its own biking trails, which will take the more adventurous out of the city into the hills. The excellent Around Zagreb website has a wealth of information on what can be visited around and beyond the city limits. And if you want to go truly native, head into the forests and start foraging - for this is mushroom season. Or perhaps a round of golf on Zagreb's very own 27-hole course. 

(Photo credit Lice Grada)

One of the more unusual claims to fame that Zagreb has is that it is a capital city with officially its own wine road, albeit a small one. The grapes of the harvest are in, and young wines are available to taste as an additional bonus to local wineries - a short trip out to the fabulous wine regions of Plesivica and Sveta Ivana Zelina will provide even more enjoyment. 

For me, one of the strongest attractions of the autumn months in the city has been the concerted effort to promote this season as one of art and culture, and there have been numerous festivals which have brought the city's art and cultural offer to life. It is said that Zagreb has the most museums per square kilometre in the world, and it is certainly true that there is an outstanding selection. 

Zagreb - my home for the last 18 months, and a city which moves with the seasons. And Autumn is by far the most underrated of these. Learn more about the options of Autumn Buzzg here. 

(Photo credit - Zagreb Tourist Board) 

November 27, 2022 - And so we go back in time to a pre-pandemic world, as the award-winning Advent in Zagreb returns to its former glory with last night's opening.

It is a very cosy feeling walking out of your apartment on a crisp November evening to find Christmas lights all the way down the street - a reminder somehow of a world we used to know just a few years ago. 

Walk through the imperious Tunnel Gric, whose 500m under the old town of Zagreb is steeped in history, only to find it transformed. 

Emerging from the tunnel was like entering a time warp - we had gone back in time at least three years, a world where was no pandemic, and where Advent in Zagreb was internationally accepted as one of the best Christmas markets in the world. As if to confirm this time warp, The Guardian used a photo of Zagreb for its lead picture in this week's Santa shops here: 10 of Europe’s coolest Christmas markets. 

It felt like we were walking into the peak season of Split or Dubrovnik. Zagreb was packed! So nice to see so many people on the streets having fun and in obvious anticipation of seeing an Advent in Zagreb as it once was. Remember that the Croatian capital was voted Best Christmas Market in Europe three years in a row from 2014-2016.

And, as the opening ceremony began, so the city came even more to life... and light.

4:30 pm Manduševac Fountain, Lighting of the first advent candle.

5:30 pm Gradec Plateau, opening ceremony.

6:30 pm Ice Park, ceremonial opening.

7:30 pm Zrinjevac, Lighting of the Christmas lights.

Advent in Zagreb has steadily grown from humble beginnings since its first branding as Advent in Zagreb in 2010 to European champion just four years later (you can learn more about the story so far in this TCN feature story, From Zero to European Champion: a History of Advent in Zagreb), until the pandemic stopped the event in its prime in 2020. Last night showed that things had returned to normal, and the huge presence on the streets showed that locals and tourists were ready to enjoy the next few weeks on the streets, parks and squares of the capital. The opening of the iconic ice rink on King Tomislav Square was perhaps the biggest symbol of a return to normality. 

And far from trying to merely emulate the Advent of old, this year's event has a very ambitious programme, and is taking Advent in Zagreb into new parts of the city for the first time. For a full guide to this year's Advent in Zagreb, including maps where things are taking place, check out the comprehensive TCN guide to the next few weeks - Advent in Zagreb 2022, Winter Fun is Back: Your Full Guide. 

You can also check out the official website for more details.

If you have never been to Advent in Zagreb, or if you came in the last two pandemic-restricted years and left disappointed, this is the year to try again. The atmosphere in town is magical. 

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November the 10th, 2022 - The rather unpopular (initially, anyway) new rules surrounding Zagreb waste disposal came into force on October the 1st. Just how many fines and warnings have been dished out to people failing to respect the new rules here in the capital?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, as of December the 1st this year, there will be no more ''blue and yellow bag'' weeks, and plastic (yellow) removal will increase to once a week, announced the head of Cistoca, Davor Vic. By the end of next year, the new Zagreb waste disposal system should be fully operational across the entire capital city, he said for Vecernji TV.

He expressed his satisfaction with the speed with which the residents of Zagreb accepted the model that came into effect on the first day of October. In the first month of the new rules surrounding Zagreb waste disposal, the capital's residents produced 27 percent less mixed municipal waste, increased the separation of bio-waste by 30 percent, while plastic is 40 percent heavier in terms of weight and even more by volume.

"Even on the ground, it can be seen that there is less mixed waste in general, so the prerequisites have been created for us to shift our capacities to recyclable waste," Vic said.

For this reason, for 90,000 service users living in family homes, the removal of mixed waste will be gradually abolished from twice to just once a week. This was introduced for about 60,000 houses by Monday, and it will cover the rest as well before end of the month.

"In family houses, their charged volume is sufficient for removal once a week. But in multi-apartment buildings, where the tanks are outside, we'll reduce the removal of such waste gradually,'' he explained.

Paper, glass and especially plastic will be picked up more often after December the 1st this year. "We have about 100 critical locations from which we collect waste every night because the yellow containers are spilling things out there. In cooperation with communal wardens, we also started issuing fines, which turned out to have an effect,'' said Vic.

This can best be seen in the very centre of the city, where, despite the initial skepticism, the new model for Zagreb waste disposal worked very quickly because people recognised the advantage of not having bins lift out on the pavements. In the first month of its implementation, not many fines were issued or collected, he revealed.

"Over the past few weeks, Cistoca employees stuck warnings or thank you notes on the bins and as such let it be known that we're actually monitoring what bin users are doing. Most of the fines were written for non-compliance with communal rules, which is nothing new. It has always been stipulated that waste can't just be dumped anywhere. We immediately punish people for doing that, and after that we'll start checking what is being thrown in the rubbish containers. The punishments aren't symbolic or excessive, but they're definitely sufficient for people to correct themselves and to understand that we're doing all this for the common good," Vic said.

The focus is on the centre of Zagreb, he added, because it is quite a specific case. As in any city, the highest volume of people stay and pass through there and it is the most touristic.

A big problem, Vic added, is being caused directly by unscrupulous owners of catering and hospitality establishments who use other people's rubbish containers for their own waste.

"We're dealing with that with the municipal police, because they have to deal with their packaging in their own arrangement with Cistoca or with another company. We're in charge of taking away their municipal waste," he said. He also commented on the complaints of residents from Novi Zagreb about the unbearable stench and bad readings at the Zagreb 3 air quality measuring station.

"We haven't yet come across any parameter according to which this could be related to what we're doing at the Jakusevac landfill, because nothing has changed in our business except that we have less mixed waste. It is "business as usual" with us,'' Vic said. As a possible source of the stench, many are pointing the finger at the Zrinjevac compost plant, where biowaste from households is currently processed.

"We have impurities in bio-waste, but we separate it all first and take it to the landfill in the form of mixed waste. There's more biowaste than there was before, but it is still within the planned capacity of Zrinjevac. We constantly have inspections due to reports, but the more they come, the more they determine that we're working according to the permits and rules of the profession," emphasised Vic.

Project documentation for the biogas plant and composting plant in Novska is now also being prepared, sources of financing are being sought, and proper solutions are expected soon. Applications for landfills are still ongoing, two have been built so far, and three are in the process of being constructed.

For more, make sure to keep up with our dedicated news section.

November 6, 2022 - Festive fun is back in the Croatian capital, as the plans for Advent in Zagreb 2022 are unveiled. A return to normality and arguably the best programme yet from the 3-times best Christmas market in Europe.  

It is almost 50 years since I last got really excited about Christmas and the Advent festive period, but I felt a little tingle of nostalgia, excitement - something - as I attended the Advent in Zagreb 2022 press conference at Hotel Sheraton on Friday. 

The pandemic and other doses of bad news have done much to dampen the mood and restrict activities over the last two years, and I found myself warming to the promise of a return to the magic of winter socialising on the streets, parks, squares and courtyards of Zagreb with the forthcoming season. A sudden yearning for festive cheer began with the promotional video for this year's event.

Zagreb may have a bigger budget than other tourist boards, but there is no denying that they are superb at press conferences, everything flawlessly orchestrated, with a little touch of style. Mayor Tomasevic and Zagreb Tourist Board CEO Martina Bienenfeld were the key speakers, flanked by two important transport partners for this year's Advent - Croatia Airlines and Turkish Airlines.  

After the press conference, participants were invited to an adjacent room at the Sheraton for a glass of wine and some nibbles, and that is when the Christmas buzz began to start - a little preview in the video below before the guests arrived en masse.  

And so to the presentation itself. What would Advent in Zagreb 2022 look like? After three glory years of being voted the best Christmas Market in Europe (2014-2016), the Croatian capital became synonymous with festive cheer, and the event grew in stature and popularity until the fateful year of... 

... but even as most other cities cancelled or severely scaled back their Advent programmes, Zagreb tried (and succeeded) to keep the tradition alive, albeit it in a more virtual and hybrid form in 2020 and 2021. 

But the good news is that Advent in Zagreb is back, in full force, to the memories of 2019 and before. These have been tough times for all, and the prospect of a jolly festive city full of life is one that I, for one, will be very much looking forward to.  

So what can we expect this year? Firstly, the dates. Advent in Zagreb 2022 will officially open on the evening of November 26 and run until January 7. The iconic ice rink on Tomislav Square will return, and Advent will take place in more than 20 locations throughout the city, with more than 100 concerts, as well as a rich programme for kids, and a multitude of exhibitions. 

Both the Upper and Lower Towns will be a hive of festive activity, including three new locations this year - Dr. Franjo Tudjman Square, Park Gric, and Stara Vlaska. 

Meet some of the superstar locations:

The Ice Park on King Tomislav Square next to Advent in Zrinjevac will once more play a central - and very picturesque - role. 

While Strossmayer Square and Ban Jelacic Square are also sure to be popular. 

And Europe Square and the Gradec Plateau are your go-to places for foodies and Christmas scenery.  

Head to Strossmayer Promenade for the charming 'kucice', or little wooden huts, and no Advent would be complete without a little fooling around - Fuliranje 2022 will take place on the terrace of Hotel Esplanade. 

The official lighting of the candles on Mandusevac will take place at 17:00 on November 26, and the long-awaited opening of the ice rink will happen at 19:00, with the symbolic lighting of the lanterns on Zrinjevac at 20:00

And then let the fun begin! 

Magical locations in both the Upper and Lower Town.

Art and culture have always been strong pillars of Advent in Zagreb, and this year is no exception. 

Music all over the city, including Advent Classic Fest, Advent concerts of the Zagreb Chamber Orchestra, Advent concerts of Zagreb soloists, The Festival of Advent and Christmas Songs in Zagreb, Concert of "Ivan Filipovic" Chamber Choir, Evenings with Brahms, Advent under the Lantern, To Zagreb from Christmas Balconies, Advent postcards from Zagreb, and Advent at Katarinac Square.

For more on the musical component of this year's event, click here.

Cultural highlights are to be found at Advent in the Ethnographic Museum, Advent in Vidra, Advent in Mala Scena Theatre, the Museum of Chocolate, and Advent at Dagmar's in Krlezin Grad.

For more on this year's cultural offer, click here.

Some of the main attractions for kids can be found at the Advent in Mala scena theatre, Advent in Zagreb Zoo: Croatian Tales of Long Ago, the Museum of Chocolate, the Croatian School Museum, the Live Nativity Scene, and the Backo Mini Express - Train Museum. Some of the main attractions for kids can be found at the Advent in Mala scena theatre, Advent in Zagreb Zoo: Croatian Tales of Long Ago, the Museum of Chocolate, the Croatian School Museum, the Live Nativity Scene, and the Backo Mini Express - Train Museum. 

For more on what awaits the little ones, click here.

(Photo Zagreb Tourist Board/D. Miloslavic)

Other events include Advent of the University of Zagreb, Project Ilica Q'Art, and the annual Zagreb Advent Run. Other events include Advent of the University of Zagreb, Project Ilica Q'Art, and the annual Zagreb Advent Run.

For an overview of other events, click here. 

A key component of the success of Advent in Zagreb in recent years has been the participation of the private sector, including hotels. There is once more a strong show of support from some of Zagreb's leading hotels, who are actively taking part in this year's event. Learn more about this.

The promotional campaign looks impressive, with a focus on countries in the region, as well as other European countries accessible by air. Promo campaigns are being conducted in Austria, Belgium, BiH, Czechia, Denmark, France, Croatia, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Holland, Hungary, Norway, Germany, USA, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, and UK.

Accessibility is enhanced by Advent partnerships with Croatia Airlines, as well as a more global partnership with Turkish Airlines. In a nice gesture to the domestic market, train travel to and from Zagreb will be half-price within Croatia, and free from within Zagreb County. 

The stage is set. Advent in Zagreb 2022 is ready for you. Are you ready to once more feel the Christmas magic? 

Follow all the latest on the official website.

For more information about the Croatian capital, check out the Total Croatia Zagreb in a Page guide.