Our Favourite Advent Celebrations in Croatia (Winter 2025)
Winter in Croatia is quieter, slower, and surprisingly social. As the season settles in, city squares light up. Live music and the smell of fritule drift through old towns, and locals start meeting friends for a glass of something warm after work.
Here are some of our favourite spots for celebrating Advent this December.
Zagreb
Zagreb opened its Advent programme on 29 November 2025 and carries on until 7 January 2026, so you can enjoy the festive rhythm for most of December and into the New Year.
The heart of Zagreb’s celebration is spread across more than a dozen locations. You will find the classic market at Trg bana Josipa Jelačića where the season begins with lighting the first Advent candle in late November, and from there it moves through Zrinjevac, Tomislavac with its Ice Park, Fuliranje on Strossmayerovo šetalište and even cultural spaces like the Museum of Arts and Crafts, Travel Experience Museum, and HaHaHouse with creative and family-friendly events.
There are concerts by the Zagreb Soloists, nativity performances, tram flash mobs, workshops at the city museums, and nightly light displays that make every corner feel welcoming.
This year’s theme is “Zvone zvona”, reflected in a music installation in Tunel Grič with eight bells that play with movement and light.
Zagreb’s Advent is perfect for longer stays — you can wander through historic streets in the daytime, take a break in a café and return to music or theatre events in the evening.
Zadar
Zadar lives the Advent spirit for more than a month with celebrations around Trg Petra Zoranića and Trg Pet bunara, and this year a new festive space is opening in Zlatarska ulica behind Palača Cedulin.
Expect seasonal music, food stalls with local pastries and warm drinks, and evenings where locals and visitors gather just to enjoy the atmosphere. In a city with such easy coastline walks, a few hours of market browsing followed by sunset on the sea wall makes for a perfect winter day.
Šibenik
In Šibenik, Adventura is the season’s big draw. It started on 5 December 2025 and runs until 3 January 2026 in Perivoj Robert Visiani with three distinct spaces for lights, markets and music.
The opening night this year is marked by a concert from Parni Valjak on 5 December, bringing an energetic start to the community’s festive rhythms.
Follow that with daytime jazz from Sara & Jappa, DJ sets for nighttime energy, local bands and pop-ups that blend together in a programme that’s as much about social evenings as it is about big stages.
There’s also an annual Fritulada competition celebrating Croatia’s beloved fried dough treat, school skating programmes, a kids’ ice rink, and usually a lively New Year’s celebration with live music around 31 December.
Adventura is a wonderful choice if you prefer a festival atmosphere that feels rooted in local life and soundtracks you’ll still remember in spring.
Split
Split’s Advent runs from 27 November 2025 to 7 January 2026 with a programme woven into the city’s everyday rhythm.
You will find events and lights in places like Pjaca Square, the Riva, Prokurative, Đardin, Mertojak Park, and Kolur Zvončac.
Split’s approach to Advent is relaxed. There’s usually live music on weekends, the lighting of the Advent candle in the first days of December, small stalls with local food and warm drinks, and evenings spent wandering between historic squares. Many visitors combine their Advent stay with walks in the old town or a slower lunch in one of the neighbourhood restaurants who always offer something festive to go along with the season.
Split’s scene feels like a warm winter evening in town with friends. Easy to enjoy at your own pace.
Makarska
Makarska shines along the shore with its Advent celebration that began on 30 November 2025 and continues through December.
This year’s opening included a concert by Silente followed by music, lights and gatherings across three main squares: Kačićev trg, Hrpina and Trg Tina Ujevića in the old town.
There is live music almost every evening, an ice rink in Tina Ujević Square for kids and adults, winter-flavoured food stalls and zones for family-friendly entertainment. Hrpina becomes a festive space with seasonal installations, and Kačićev trg hosts concerts and a lively crowd long after sunset.
Makarska works beautifully as a winter stop if you want festive lights mixed with seaside strolls and local food experiences.
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik’s Winter Festival runs from 29 November 2025 to 3 January 2026 and invites visitors into several layers of celebration across the Old Town and surrounding neighbourhoods.
This year’s calendar includes concerts by well-known artists on Stradun: Doris Dragović opened the festival, followed by Đani Stipaničev with klapa Ragusavecchia & More, Vanna on 20 December, Parni Valjak on 27 December, Dražen Zečić and Željko Bebek as the month peaks, and special New Year’s Eve performances with Dino Merlin and Hiljson Mandela leading the celebrations into 2026.
You’ll also find family workshops in Lapad and Vojnović, children’s ice rinks, carousels, and creative spaces for younger visitors. Dubrovnik puts a beautiful cultural frame around the season with traditional carolling sessions known as kolenda, craft markets on Trg od Oružja, Gundulić Square and Brsalje, and a warm mix of concerts, theatre and food stalls.
Winter Festival in Dubrovnik feels like a cultural journey through the holiday season with stunning views of the old walls and sea evenings to match.
How to Plan Your Advent Trip in 2025
Most of these events begin in late November or early December, so travellers can arrive early to avoid crowds and enjoy quieter moments in the city before Advent really kicks in.
Inland cities like Zagreb are known for big winter markets and extended programming, while coastal towns make everyday walks feel festive with music and lights. Between cities you will enjoy relaxed lunches, local pastries, seasonal treats.
Visit the Anchor Croatia blog for more Croatia travel inspiration and up to date information as you plan your journey.
