Travelers, tourists – people in the know when it comes to these matters have on the European Best Destinationsportal voted the Croatian capital Zagreb the ‘Best European Christmas Market’ (in Europe). So, Zagreb has beaten the off the likes of London, Vienna, Berlin, Stockholm, Strasbourg, Brussels, Manchester and Nuremberg …
Every year the Christmas program in the Croatian capital has got better and better, earning the city a nomination among 20 European cities this year. Voting has ended and it was Zagreb who received the most number of votes from travelers. A total of 101,703 votes from 176 countries were received, with Zagreb getting over 30,000 of them.
The centre stages, featuring a diverse musical programme, will be in Zagreb’s main square of Ban Josip Jelačić and the nearby Zrinjevac Park. From November 28th until the beginning of January, Zagreb’s most beautiful park will also feature dance events, while traditional delicacies as well as original gifts and local souvenirs typical of Zagreb will be on sale at numerous stands aligning the park promenade. The traditional Christmas Fair will take place during Advent in the streets surrounding the Jelačić Square, and the young ones can take a ride in the Jolly Christmas Tram with Santa Clause, fairies, elves and many other cheerful characters. All the visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the somewhat-forgotten specialties of Zagreb, warm up with a cup of hot chocolate or mulled wine, or buy unique souvenirs and Christmas decorations for their loved ones – is how the Croatian capital was described to voters.
Zagreb was voted number 1, with Strasbourg in second spot, Aachen third spot, Colmar 4th spot, Brussels 5th spot, Leipzig sixth spot, Rothernburg ob der Tauber seventh spot, Nuremberg eighth spot, Lille ninth spot, Dresden tenth spot.
WOW! CONGRATULATIONS ZAGREB!
Here are more photos of Zagreb’s breathtaking images of Advent, Christmas cheer, Joy, togetherness – enjoy! I hope these photos envelop you with love, giving, caring, human warmth and pure joy – PLEASE CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE AND ENJOY THEIR FULL SPLENDOUR. Ina Vukic, Prof. (Zgb), B.A., M.A.Ps. (Syd)
Beautiful!
Full of charm, too – thanks Robert 🙂
I can confirm that! Zagreb looks beautiful – even for us who live here :-). Way to go, Zagreb!
I think so too, Vesna – cheers and thank you! I have spent quite a few years living in Zagreb and I adore its charms 🙂
Yes! And I forget to tell you: thank you for spreading around the world the beautiful image of Zagreb.
Oh, such a delight to make sure the whole world sees our beautiful Zagreb – and beyond, Vesna
Beautiful!
Cheers, Simona 🙂
Very impressive. On my list for next year!
You will never regret it, Wilbur – memories of charm and smiles and good times will stay with you till you visit – again 😀
stunning photos. looks like a lot of fun.
I love the fun with photos, as you may well know sedge808 😀
This is really a pleasure to read and look at the magnificent pictures.🌲
So glad to know you feel as I do with these, Martina 🙂
Well done Zagreb. Your post reminds me that this is a city that I need to visit!
You should Andrew, it’s got so much history and beauty and arts…right up your alley I think 😀
Beautiful 🙂
Cheers, Christoph 🙂
Looks really lovely. 🙂
Every little bit of them does, thanks Gallivanta 😀
Such a delight Ina, to read about beautiful cultural aspects amid the more difficult social and political issues. Makes one appreciate that bit of metaphoric blue sky! Thank you for always allowing these spaces; and thank you for being the ever-important witness to the harder realities.
Thank you for the feedback, Jasna, much appreciated and yes, with a great deal of turmoil and instability – poliical and economic – it’s pure joy seeing that the cheer of Christmas makes such a grand entrance and hopefully will hold warmth for quite some time.
Great photographs and very colourful. Merry Christmas. 🙂
Merry Christmas to you too, Graham – thank you
Absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks Lisa – love it 😀
I LOVE these pics!
Thanks Helena – so glad you like them 🙂
Ina thanks for posting. Lovely story.
On another note, December 15 (yesterday)marks the feast day of the Drina River Martyrs…. Sisters from the Congregation of the Daughters of Divine Charity. The 5 nuns (Austrian, Slovenian, Hungarian, and Croatian background) were killed by Serbian Chetniks in Bosnia on Dec 15, 1941. (Note the date, because it speaks to the terrible crimes taking place by Serbian Chetniks (British Allies) during WW2.) Their bodies were dumped into the Drina River in the eastern Bosnian town of Gorazde. An eyewitness to the heinous crime was priest Don Anto Bakovic and he has written extensively about this. The sisters tried to avoid rape by the Chetniks so they jumped out of the window of the building they were being held captive. The Chetniks then slaughtered them and dumped their bodies in the river.
The sisters were beatified in 2011.
Such terrifying times, Veronika, and I do hope that the glory of Christmas that strengthens the resolve to believe also adds to the resolve never to forget the victims of Croatia’s fight for freedom and democracy.
…there is a newsreel from that era called…”STRAZ NA DRINI”
..The Chetniks of WW2 and the Homeland War (and present day), are the most satanic, murderers of ALL time, and the way
that they behaved in the Homeland War, Kosovo, Bosnia, Banat, etc., is the same way that they behaved during WW2, the Balkan Wars 1&2! Totally demonic..kind of the “devil in his last day”!
Wow…It all looks so lovely. Just wonderful. Cheers!
Cheers, Chris – I wish we could keep going with this cheer and festive mood all year round 😀 Hopefully in our hears and mind if not on streets 🙂
..the FRONT page picture looks very “CHRISTMAS—Y”, and it should be a model poster picture for the Christmas season on American advertisement posters! …good pictures!
A Perfect Picture Of Christmas, Tempus Fugit – cheers
It looks like a marvelous market, I’d love to visit. I haven’t been to any foreign Christmas Markets yet.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Well, well David, it seems you’ve just started making travel plans 😀
Zagreb is absolutely amazing… beautiful photographs, dear Ina… Wishing you a great Christmas and a happy new year… Love. Aquileana ✨☺️
Thank you, Aquileana – you too have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year!
wow….!!!! spectacular :O :O
Thanks Ranjani 😀
Fabulous post my Christmas post of year so far added it here 🎄FEATURED #Croatian Capital Beats All in 🎄#Christmas Markets 🎁 | ‘ Ace Friends News ‘
https://acefriendsnews.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/%f0%9f%8e%84featured-croatian-capital-beats-all-in-%f0%9f%8e%84christmas-markets-%f0%9f%8e%81/
Love the emojis, Ian – thank you 😀
Here’s one for you Ina 🌹
Ha, so cool! Thank you – Ian 😀
You are such a wonderful blogger, and I wanted you to know that I appreciate you, so I created an award for you! Please pick yours up at http://idealisticrebel.com/2015/12/17/the-dedicated-blogger-award-2/
Thank you so very much Barbara – am so happy and pleased and honored
Looks like a wonderful market. Must be a delight to wander around there.
I could spend hours upon hours in such places, Graham 🙂
how pretty!
Love pretty, psychologistmimi 😀
Congratulations Zagreb, you little hidden gem! Oh to be there right now.
Ah, Kat – ’tis so lovely 😀
Wow that looks beautiful, I love Christmas markets have visited Leipzig and Brussels so think this will have to be on my to do list for next Christmas, it looks wonderful. I hope you have a great Christmas and a Happy New 2016 🙂
Thank you, Carol – and a wonderful Christmas and New Year to you and yours!
Absolutely beautiful pictures, Ina! Great job! I love seeing how other parts of the world celebrate Christmas. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Mark – thank you
Merry Christmas dear professor
Thank you Khaled – good and merry wishes to you too
Dear Ina: Sretan Božić i Nova godina! 🙂
What a happy surprise DBD – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You also 😀 LOVE THE CROATIAN LANGUAGE VERSION 😀
merry Christmas…god bless you
Blessings, YOLO, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Lovely scenes, ina. Thank you!
Cheers, Hollie 😀
Cheers Inavukic! :-D. A lovely evening to you!
Nice to see that the economy is stabilizing. War has the nasty side effect of bad economies for a long time. When will the power of love win out?
Let’s hope it will stabilise fully soon, Doug although chances seem slim but, hey, miracles have been known to happen 😀 As to the power of love winning – it has no chance of that unless we make it our business to see it so. I’m the first to enlist 🙂
Wow!!
Nicely done, Ian – thank you 🙂