advent in Zagreb 2026: dates, locations and how to plan your visit
Advent in Zagreb runs from 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027. What is already known about the locations, what is still waiting on the programme, and how to plan.
Zagreb's Christmas season, known locally as Advent, runs from 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027 this year. The City of Zagreb has confirmed the dates and they are on the official Advent website too. The locations are known from the city's tenders, but the detailed programme has not been published yet. If you are thinking of a December trip, here is what you can already plan.
when
Advent officially opens on Saturday, 28 November, and runs until 7 January 2027. The city's tenders also mention a warm-up period from 25 November, so some stalls may open a few days early. Exact stall hours and the daily schedule will only be known once the programme is out.
If you arrive in November, the 11th is Martinje (St Martin's Day), when the wine villages around Zagreb "baptise" the new wine. We covered it in our guide to Martinje and the new wine.
where
According to tenders from the City of Zagreb and the city's parks authority (Priroda Grada Zagreba), the 2026 Advent locations are:
| Area | Locations |
|---|---|
| City centre | Ban Jelačić Square, European Square, Kvaternik Square |
| Lower Town parks | Zrinjevac (Nikola Šubić Zrinski Square), Strossmayer Square, King Tomislav Square |
| Upper Town | Plato Gradec, Strossmayer Promenade (west and east) |
| Neighbourhoods | Trešnjevka, Dubrava, Sesvete, Novi Zagreb, Stenjevec, Podsused-Vrapče, Podsljeme, Brezovica |
For reference, last year King Tomislav Square hosted the Ice Park with a skating rink, and the Upper Town returned to the programme after a two-year break. Whether that repeats will be confirmed in the programme. Last year it was announced on 13 November, so expect this year's around mid-November.
food and atmosphere
People don't come to Advent in Zagreb just for the lights. They come for mulled wine, sausages and fritule (small fried doughnuts), and locals drop by Zrinjevac or the Upper Town after work for "just one". The official Advent website also has a section on traditional dishes and cakes, handy if you want to know what to look for at the stalls.
tips
- Book your accommodation early if you are aiming for a December weekend, since Saturday evenings are the busiest.
- Leave the car parked. Last season the city also asked visitors to come into the centre by public transport, and most locations are within walking distance of each other.
- Check the programme, opening hours and any changes on adventzagreb.hr and infozagreb.hr.
- Spend one day outside the city. The castles and spas of Zagorje are close by, see our guide to autumn in Hrvatsko zagorje.
- Dress in layers. December evenings outdoors are cold, and it can get windy in the Upper Town.
If you want to stay close to the Upper Town, one of our hosts has an apartment in Tuškanac, a short walk from the centre.