Zagreb winter wonderland

In winter, we all like to crawl under a blanket and spend the cold days in the warmth of our homes. But the people of Zagreb also have a natural and irresistible need to stroll around the city and enjoy the winter atmosphere in the streets and squares. Thousands of lights, colorful decorations and a suitable musical background lighten up the atmosphere and drive away all negative thoughts, not only during the holiday season. With concerts, art installations and various other outdoor events, the long winter months become way more pleasant. After all, there are also colorful street stalls with hot tea, aromatic mulled wine and brandies, roasted chestnuts or sausages to warm the body. For a more serious feast, a seasonal menu was created to comfort and pamper us with homemade dishes such as beans with cabbage or turnips, blood sausages and ham hocks with hash potatoes, sarma, strudels, dumplings or the Kaiserschmarrn dessert. Portugizac, a young wine from the Plešivica vineyards and a faithful companion of winter cuisine helps you to go with the flow. The seasonal beers of small Zagreb craft breweries also become more and more interesting each year.

The perfect plan for a winter walk depends on the current mood and interest, and there are suitable options for everyone. Ilica and the Lower Town offer the most liveliness and action, people come here for socializing, entertainment and good shopping. Zrinjevac and the surrounding parks of the Lower Town are elegantly lit and seductively romantic, and for a special experience you can order a ride in an old-fashioned carriage. The otherwise quieter Upper Town has a special glow at this time of year and attracts walkers in search of a slower pace, but also a somewhat mystical atmosphere of some bygone times. The view from the Strossmayer promenade of a glittering Zagreb in the evening is the most beautiful winter postcard. A few white snowflakes in the air would also be ideal. And even if there is no snow cover in the city, there is always Medvednica, Zagrebačka gora, whose white top is an invitation to recreationalists who seek real winter joys in the fresh air.

The wooded slopes of Medvednica are full of hidden and secluded parks where visitors can reconnect with nature. The Cmrok resort, the most famous sledding slope in Zagreb, is a popular hill resort on which the first ski courses were once held. These days skiers go to the top of Medvednica, to a groomed ski resort with trails about four kilometers long. Night skiing is a special attraction. It may not be much, but few capitals can boast of having a ski resort in the hinterland where Olympic champions trained and where one of the most watched World Ski Cup races is held. Hiking trails are full of hikers even in winter, and mountain lodges with traditional food are the most loved gathering places at the end of each adventure. The Zagreb winter tour can begin with an idyllic walk along the white forest roads high above everything, and end with an unforgettable time in the middle of the bright city center. In such a range of possibilities the coldest season will easily become a time of the warmest impressions.

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