It’s the most wonderful time of the year and the Zagreb Christmas Market is a cannot miss in my book! The city transforms into a winter wonderland complete with an ice skating rink in King Tomislav Square. The most amazing lights lead you from market to market throughout Zagreb. The city is lively, filled with both locals and tourists getting into the holiday spirit!
The Zagreb Christmas Market actually won the best Christmas Market in Europe from 2016-2018. Zagreb wasn’t able to compete in 2019 but they still outdid themselves. It doesn’t take long to realize that Zagreb’s Christmas Market is top notch!
There is so much to love about the Zagreb Christmas Market. My favorite thing is that the market is huge, but remains very walkable! There are 8-10 markets scattered around town but luckily they are a short walk from one another. The markets are vastly different from one another meaning they are all worth a visit! The markets are festive and full of spirit with music playing at all hours of the day. A handful of the markets even have live bands playing during peak hours. Not to mention, Zagreb doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to decorating! The city has it all, it’s decked out with lights string from every building around town. They’ve even set up trendy photo ops overlooking beautiful Zagreb. Needless to say you would have to be a pretty big scrooge not to enjoy this market!
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GETTING THERE
Located in Eastern Europe, Zagreb is a pretty central destination. It’s about 4 hours from major cities such as Vienna, Bratislava, and Budapest. At less than two hours from Zagreb, Ljubljana is the closest major city. If you’re headed to any of these cities, consider adding a few days to visit Zagreb! It’s also a quick trip from most coastal cities in Croatia making it a top winter destination.
The easiest way to get to Zagreb is by bus. There is a train station in Zagreb but it’s generally much longer and more expensive to take the train. However, if you prefer trains, it’s possible from cities such as Ljubliana, Vienna, and Budapest!
If you’re headed to Croatia, check out the travel planners I’ve linked below to help organize your trip!
MARKET DATES
The Christmas Market in Zagreb generally begins the first weekend of Advent. The market runs through December into the New Year. Throughout this time, the booths are open daily from 10 am until late in the night. The hours vary on Christmas Eve , Christmas, New Years Eve, and New Years Day. However, the markets are still open the majority of the day. The opening and closing times may differ. Meaning, you’ll have plenty of time to see the market in all it’s glory!
Market Dates 2023: December 2nd, 2023 – January 7th, 2024
SUGGESTED DURATION
If you’re headed to Zagreb to experience the Christmas Markets, spend at least three days in the city. This will give you plenty of time to site see and soak in the markets. Luckily, the markets are close to most tourist attractions so you can visit these during the day. The best time to see the markets is in the evening since the city is so well decorated. Not to mention, admiring the lights and decorations with a warm drink is perfection. If you want to visit cities outside of Zagreb, add a fourth day to your itinerary.
MARKET LOCATIONS
With approximately 8 markets in the city, there is something for everyone! While some of the markets offer similar food and drink, they each have a different vibe. I recommend hitting them all but, if you’re on a time crunch visit Strossmayer Promenade, King Tomislav, and Strossmayer Square. In my opinion, these markets are the best! These are big markets with a variety of food and fun to choose from. They’re the heart of Advent in Zagreb, constantly bustling with holiday cheer!
KING TOMISLAV SQUARE: King Tomislav Square is the heart of the Christmas market in Zagreb! With an impressive ice-skating rink at the center, it’s a lively market! Go for a skate and grab a bite to eat afterwards. A handful of delicious vendors surround the rink. Make sure to visit my friends at the Indonesian booth! They are the nicest and located right next to the rink.
Ice Skating: If you decide to ice-skate you won’t regret it! It’s inexpensive and incredibly organized. You can sign up in person or online.
STROSSMAYER SQUARE: One block from King Tomislav Square you’ll find the next market on my list, Strossmayer Square. This market was bustling at all hours of the day. It’s a social market where people visit with friends while enjoying live entertainment. Tempting dishes fill the booths! You’ll notice quite the variety of cuisine. This is great spot to grab a bite to eat and hang out.
ZRINJEVAC: If you walk another block you’ll reach a classic Christmas Market at Zrinjevac Park. Live performances at the Pavillion is a staple of this market. You can warm up by grabbing a warm drink or bratwurst from the booths surrounding the Pavillion. Stock up on souvenirs at one of the stalls along the pathway leading to the Pavillion.
STROSSMAYER PROMENADE: Head to the market at Strossmayer Promenade for the best views of Zagreb! The promenade is near the Zagreb Cathedral. Technically there are 4 markets in this area but for the sake of this article I’m considering it to be one market. The market is essentially broken between an upper and lower deck. The upper deck is my personal favorite as there are a ton of photo ops! The booths are phenomenal as the majority of them are double deckers. This is a pretty social market since the views are outstanding. There’s also a small ice skating rink on the upper level of the market which is perfect for kids. The booths along the promenade have delicious food with plenty of options.
GRIC TUNNEL: One of the most unique places to visit during Christmas is the Grič Tunnel. Dramatic decorations lead you on an exciting experience through the tunnel. The decorations change annually and this year it was quite impressive. White Christmas trees, nutcracker dolls, and gingerbread men lined the path. The tunnel also hosts a handful of events throughout the season.
EUROPEAN SQUARE: Advent on European Square one of the smaller markets in the city. While it’s small, it has a lot of character! The booths at the market are a perfect mix between goods, food, and drinks. It’s on a pedestrian street in the city so it’s always filled with people.
JELACIC SQUARE: Jelačić Square: The market in Jelačić Square is debatably the most central market. It’s a quick walk from most tourist attractions in the city making it a popular market to visit! You’ll more than likely stumble upon this market naturally. One side of the market has homemade good such as candles, ornaments, and lavender. Whereas food and drinks flood the other portion of the market. There is also a “ski lodge” set up as a play area for kids!
GAJEVA AND BOGOVICEVA STREET: The market along Gajeva and Bogovićeva Streets is perfect for wandering around the city! It’s located in a busy area with a lot of restaurants and shops. You can wander through the market while also hitting a few shops along the way.
WHAT TO TRY & BUY
One of my favorite things about the Christmas Market in Zagreb is the variety of cuisine. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll find about a hundred bratwurst stands. But you’ll also find a number of restaurants in town have a stall at the market. I loved this because I felt like I was able to experience the market while also trying restaurants in town. The majority of these stands are at Strossmayer Square and Strossmayer Promenade. You’ll find everything from Poke to Scandinavian and Indonesian cuisine at these markets. As far as purchases go, you can expect to find typical trinkets such as ceramics, mugs, and ornaments. But let’s discuss the staples of a Croatian Christmas Market!
GOURMET SAUSAGES: As I briefly mentioned, there are quite a few stalls selling sausages! Some of the stalls are basic offering ketchup and mustard as a topping. Whereas others go all out on toppings! Aside from toppings, there are a range of sausages to choose from. This includes garlic, cheese, chorizo, and many more.
KNEDLE SA SLJIVAMA (PLUM DUMPLINGS): Knedle sa šljivama is usually eaten as a dessert in Croatia! Made from potatoes, these plum filled dumplings are sprinkled to perfection with cinnamon.
FRITULE: The most popular desert at the Christmas market in Zagreb is fritule aka mini donuts! You have to try them! I love them because they’re super dense. You can choose to coat them in a variety of sauces we chose chocolate.
KUHANO VINO (HOT WINE): No explanation needed! Grab some hot wine to warm up and enjoy!
LAVENDER: Croatia is known for Lavender so as you can imagine, you’ll find lavender in abundance at the market! The lavender in Croatia is very high quality so stock up. As a fun fact you can use lavender as a natural remedy to aid sleep, insect bites, and motion sickness!
RAKIJA: Another typical item sold is Rakija which is a domestic alcohol in Croatia.
PRICING
The best part about the Christmas Market in Zagreb is it won’t break the bank! My husband and I are on quite the budget these days so let me tell you this was a huge plus for us. Pricing throughout the market is consistent and reasonable. Everything from ice skating to grabbing a bite to eat is priced fairly. One of my favorite stands (pictured below) sold take away cheese, salami, and prosciutto. We ordered 1 cheese and 1 salami for between 5 & 6 USD total! We loved this because it allowed us to try and experience more at the market! Most places take credit card but I recommend having a little cash on you in case.
Here is the pricing for a few popular items:
- Ice Skating – 40 Kuna – for skate rental & 1 hour of ice skating
- Basic Bratwurst – 20 Kuna
- Burger – About 50 Kuna – Depends on how fancy your burger is :)
- Loaded Bratwurst – 35 + Kuna – Again depends on how loaded ;)
- Mulled Wine – 15 Kuna
- Mini Donuts – 20 Kuna
VARAZDIN CHRISTMAS MARKET
Head to Varazdin for a cozy Christmas! Varazdin is a hidden gem in the countryside of Croatia. If you’re in Zagreb during the holidays, Varazdin is worth a visit. The town hosts Advent in Varazdin which generally begins the same weekend as Zagreb’s market. Christmas market booths fill the quaint cobblestone streets. In seconds you feel as though you’ve entered a winter fairytale. With an ice skating rink in front of the castle, it’s simply magical! It’s a quick hour and a half from Zagreb but feels a world away from the hustle and bustle. Believe it or not, Varazdin was actually the capital of Croatia at one point! I fell in love with this adorable place so couldn’t resist sharing!
Getting There: Varazdin and Zagreb are well connected via bus. Another great option is to rent a car so you can make stops along the way!
It’s definitely on my bucket list to visit the Zagreb Christmas Market again! Nothing gets you into the holiday spirit more than a bustling city filled with holiday cheer. It seems as though the market continues to get better and better so I cannot wait to see what’s in store!
If you’re planning a trip to Zagreb during the holidays, here are a few great markets to add to your itinerary!
Safe Travels,
Sarah :)
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