Zagreb, Croatia, is working hard to make its Christmas market the best in Europe. The city's Advent event draws thousands each December and helps attract tourists outside the busy summer months. Tourism Minister Tonci Glavina said, "We are developing as a year-round tourism destination – we are not a summer destination anymore." Zagreb Advent is a city-wide celebration with several venues, each with a unique theme. Slavica Olujic Klapcic, a market area manager, explained, "Each of the locations has its own theme, and it's a little bit different in decoration, and in the content that it offers." Visitors enjoy sausages, mulled wine, music stages, craft stalls, and a large ice rink. The Christmas market has helped boost visitor numbers in December from 100,198 in 2014 to 245,352 in 2024. This growth gave the city a €100 million economic boost. Zrinka Farina, involved with events, said, "It brings life to Zagreb." Meanwhile, locals are serious about winning. She noted, "We love to compete – and when we do something, we really want to be the best in the world in it." Zagreb Advent was voted the best Christmas market in Europe three times from 2015 to 2017 by European Best Destinations. Yet, Zagreb still trails bigger markets like Cologne, which expects four million visitors and €229 million in economic impact this year. Visitors come from across Europe, including Italy, Spain, Bosnia, Slovenia, and the UK. Lucija Vrkljan, a steward at the ice rink, said, "It's a great place to be." Businesses like BioMania bistro benefit from the event as visitors try their vegan and gluten-free food. Experts say Croatia must develop tourism beyond summer. Marko Peric from the University of Rijeka stated, "We need to work and develop our tourist offer in other parts of the year, including the winter." Minister Glavina remains optimistic, noting a 10% rise in visitors in early December and growth in shoulder seasons. He said, "We are transforming Croatia to be a sustainable tourism destination, meaning about the same number of guests in peak season, developing the shoulder seasons, and of course developing other parts of the country to be main tourism destinations." For visitors, Zagreb Advent combines tradition and fun. After skating, enjoying treats like a fritule doughnut with chocolate sauce is a perfect way to celebrate the season.