What's on in Zagreb? A year-round calendar of exciting events
The Croatian capital has transformed itself into a year-round platform for creativity. We take a look at some of the top events taking place here each season.
Zagreb is known as a summer gateway to the Adriatic coast and home to one of Europe's most popular Christmas markets. But in recent years, the Croatian capital has added a flurry of new events to its calendar with the aim of becoming a vibrant destination year-round. We take a look, season by season, at some of the ones worth making a note of.
Spring: heading outdoors
In late March, as the clocks move forward and parks are abloom with daffodils, outdoor life in the Croatian capital reawakens. Fittingly, the Festival of Lights takes place right around this time: a celebration of colour and radiance, this evening event illuminates the city’s facades, streets and landmarks in myriad hues. Raising the country’s sporting profile is the FIA World Rally Championship, which takes place over four days in April. It sees motor racing drivers negotiate narrow, twisty roads in the undulating surrounding the capital, through rural villages, woodland, vineyards and meadows. Early June, meanwhile, heralds the six-day AnimaFest Zagreb, the second-oldest in the world — a favourite among cartoon buffs since 1972. Watch animated movies at the Tuškanac Summer Stage, an open-air cinema in a glade surrounded by towering oak trees, or take part in exhibitions, competitions, workshops and lectures.
Summer: al fresco concerts
In the summer, the whole of Zagreb turns into an open-air stage for music performers of all genres. Zagreb Classic kicks the season off with a week of free classical concerts under the stars in King Tomislav Square, while south west of the city centre, Lake Jarun makes a gorgeous setting for the four-day INmusic, Croatia's biggest music festival. In July, smaller pop-up summer events include The Courtyards (live, intimate performances in various Upper Town locations) and Little Classic, which sees classical music recitals at a 19th-century pavilion in Zrinjevac Park, each Sunday at noon. The Green River Fest — the country’s first festival to use only recycled materials — fills the banks of the River Sava, south of the centre, from August to September. Expect music performances, workshops and a delectable gastronomic offering.
Autumn: all-round culture
Artupnkutra has one aim: placing autumn in Zagreb firmly on the cultural calendar. The annual event promotes the capital’s art scene by envisioning it as a living organism, with a flow of energy that accumulates in certain locations. Inspired by acupuncture, this September fixture figuratively taps into these hotspots with installations by contemporary artists. Once October comes, the Zagreb Film Festival draws crowds at cult venues including Cinema Europa, Cinema Tuškanac and the Museum of Contemporary Art, promoting independent filmmakers from Croatia and abroad. (A popular side programme is The Big 5, which spotlights alternative films from France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.) The November-time Zagreb Jazz Festival, meanwhile, has seen performers the calibre of trumpeter Ornette Coleman and singer Dee Dee Bridgewater perform at Lisinski Concert Hall, the capital’s top venue. It’s so popular that it’s sprouted pop up concerts around Zagreb, plus additional summer events in Pula and Rovinj, both on the coast.
Winter: Christmas favourites
A city-wide, month-long event, Advent Zagreb is a three-time winner of European Best Destinations’ ‘Best Christmas Market’ award — the maximum number of times a single place can receive the title. December sees more than 25 individual markets liven up the capital’s main squares and promenades: try Christmas specialities such as štrukli (dumplings) and sarma (cabbage rolls filled with meat and rice), keeping an eye out for hand-carved wooden toys from the Hrvatsko Zagorje region — a craft listed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Come January, the hiking paths of Mount Sljeme, rising north of the capital, become snowy slopes, with four pistes served by three ski lifts. Professionals and enthusiasts alike gather here for the two-day Snow Queen Trophy, one of the largest races on the Ski World Cup circuit — as well as one of the few ones to be held near a large urban centre. Whatever season you chose for a visit, Zagreb will leave you wanting more.
For more information, visit infozagreb.hr
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