Winter in Dubrovnik: Season of Celebrations
Dreaming of a winter escape? Don’t rule out Dubrovnik for the holidays!
Tasteful Croatian Journeys is pleased to share the insights of talented tour guide and Dubrovnik local, Mr. Ivan Vukovic. Both a colleague and friend, Ivan is one of the many smart, sophisticated, and passionate professionals which make up our network of local guides in Croatia.
Here, in his own words, Ivan explains why Dubrovnik “The Pearl of the Adriatic” makes a fantastic winter holiday destination.
Dubrovnik is a year-round destination, but many people think of it only as a summer destination. I do not know why as we have lovely mild winters. The climate reminds me a lot of southern California. In fact, I do not even possess a winter jacket, just a wind breaker.
You see, Dubrovnik is not only about summer and sea; we have a rich history, beautiful architecture, and many other things. It is a great destination for a winter break as there are a lot of festivities in the period from December to February. Celebrations begin in late November and continue through Christmas, New Year, and the Feast of Saint Blaise. The customs around those holidays are very diverse in Dubrovnik and have long traditions. All of the celebrations include traditions such as dressing up, singing, preparing traditional meals, family reunions, music, drinking champagne, and fireworks at midnight. The Feast of Saint Blaise is a truly local experience and Dubrovnik’s most important holiday. It is celebrated on February 3rd in honor of the city’s patron saint and protector. Statues of St. Blaise can be found all around Dubrovnik on the city walls, and of course the Church of Saint Blaise is located in the heart of the Old City. The celebration dates back more than 1000 years and is protected on UNESCO’s list of the world’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. One fun fact is that people from here traditionally decorate their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and keep that decorated tree in their homes until St. Blaise Day.
The holidays are a perfect time to visit if you want to blend in and witness our traditions as a traveler, not as a tourist. It’s your best opportunity to experience Dubrovnik as the locals do.
Winter festivities kick off at the end of November when the main street of Stradun gets decorated and the countdown to Christmas can begin. I love how the Christmas vibe permeates the city. Stradun street becomes a large outdoor stage, the center point of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival. This is when the locals take over and hang out with friends and family, and the most beautiful street in the world plays host to Dubrovnik’s lovely Christmas Market. Although we do not have snow, there is plenty of mulled wine to add to the Christmas atmosphere. You can also sample some traditional foods like smoked ham, cheese, or “prikle.”
If you want to know what “prikle” are, you will just have to visit us in the winter time!
Christmas Carols have a special place in the festive spirit of the city. They are known as “Kolende” and singers with instruments like guitars or mandolins go from home to home to sing and celebrate on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and even New Year’s Eve. This is a 700-year-old tradition; an ancient custom which is still alive and well. When you are in Dubrovnik for the holidays and you see people going around and singing, ask to join them as they will take you to some really great local places. You do not even have to know how to sing! As the singers go from door to door, knocking and playing music, you will see it is quite normal that the host will invite the whole crowd into his or her home and treat them to festive delights such as candied almonds, brandies, wine, dried figs, and other snacks. This is also a popular tradition among children as so many people give them candies and small amounts of money – a bit like the American custom of trick-or-treating on Halloween. When I was a kid, I loved this tradition. It was the best time as you could eat lot of candy and earn money even without knowing how to sing. There have always been a lot of children doing that. However, nowadays the tradition is fading which does not make me happy.
In case you want to come celebrate Christmas with your family in Dubrovnik and stay through the New Year, there are a few things you need to know about New Year’s Eve in Dubrovnik.
The New Year’s Eve celebration starts in the morning. I have told you that we have some strange customs, but this is because “Children’s New Year’s Eve” is held during the day. Parents bring their kids into the old town, nursing their coffee while the kids have fun and enjoy some children’s concerts.
As there is nothing better than to welcome the New Year in Dubrovnik, you can choose to celebrate on Stradun or in one of the bars on the side streets of the old town. This open-air celebration will be interrupted by a massive fireworks display at midnight and then everyone in your vicinity will start to hug you, kiss you, and shake hands, so be prepared… We are a very warm people who do not like any social distance!
“Party all day, party all night” could be a great motto for this celebration in Dubrovnik.
After all of that, if you think that the party is over, think again. After a whole night of dancing and celebrating the change in year, New Year’s Day has come and at noon the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra performs in the main square of the old town to entertain all ages.
Music, oysters, and sparkling wine is served to celebrate New Year’s Day. Not a bad idea! That is how we do it here after a sleepless night of celebration. January 1st could not start better.
About the Author:
Tourist guide, Ivan Vukovic describes himself as a, “traveler by soul, tour guide by passion, and photographer by love.” He’s traveled to more than 120 countries around the globe, but his heart lies in his hometown of Dubrovnik. Ivan loves sharing his local perspective on life in Croatia, introducing visitors to lesser known corners of the city. He is a pioneer of both Movie Tours and Game of Thrones tours in Dubrovnik, as well as a National Geographic co-host and local expert featured in various foreign media outlets. You can see Ivan’s photos and learn more about his travels on his Instagram, @dubrovnik_tourist_guide
Contact Tasteful Croatian Journeys to learn more about arranging a private guided tour of Dubrovnik with Ivan.
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“New Year’s Eve in Dubrovnik was a huge surprise; one moment the old city was empty then the next it was full of glamorous, people dressed to the nines and crowding the streets until late into the morning. A huge stage had been assembled in the main street and hundreds of locals turned out to enjoy the free music, the spectacular fireworks and the other celebrations.”
Read more about our travelers’ experience of New Year’s Eve in Dubrovnik here.
Find out about winter celebrations elsewhere in Central Europe here.
Photos courtesy of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival and Dubrovnik Tourist Board
Just in time for the Holidays! Bespoke European Christmas Market Itineraries
With warmth in our hearts and excitement for what’s to come, we are pleased to share with you our recent press release announcing our Christmas Market itineraries. Although this year many of Europe’s markets are shuttering amid the pandemic, and travel restrictions have kept most of us home, we invite you to dream and plan for the years to come.
New York City, NY – US based luxury travel tour operator and destination specialists, Tasteful Croatian Journeys (VisitCroatia.com), has expanded its collection of bespoke, luxury travel itineraries, to include winter getaways exploring some of Central Europe’s most beloved Christmas Markets.
For more than 30 years, Tasteful Croatian Journeys has specialized in tailor designed luxury travel to Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, and the Italian regions of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Veneto. The company, led by award-winning and internationally recognized pioneer in Croatian travel, Wanda S. Radetti, was one of the first to offer luxury travel to these regions. Tasteful Croatian Journeys offers comprehensive travel packages which include chauffeured transport, private guided tours, luxury accommodation, and personally vetted cultural experiences, all enhanced by real-time personalized concierge support. The company’s immersive, experience-based holidays are designed to encourage meaningful engagement with local people and culture and illuminate the threads of history that have bound the region since the times of the Roman Empire. Long before sustainable tourism was in the lexicon of sophisticated travelers, Radetti established her local network of guides, restauranteurs, wine and olive oil producers, chefs, skippers, drivers, and hoteliers. She connects her travelers with professionals chosen not only for their expertise and excellence in service, but for their ability to open doors that few others can open.
Tasteful Croatian Journey’s winter itineraries focus on the Christmas markets of Zagreb, Ljubljana, Lake Bled, Munich, Salzburg, and Prague. The new destinations in Southern Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic were chosen for their rich history and culture, beautiful scenery, and storybook charm. Strong cultural and historical ties to Croatia dating back to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and earlier make the region a natural extension of Tasteful Croatian Journey’s established geographical domain. The carefully curated selection of destinations serves to highlight both traditional, long-established Christmas Markets with those less traveled by foreign visitors. Radetti and her team composed personal journeys include special access to the best winter experiences; torch-lit treks, castle tours, festive concerts, food tours, snowshoeing excursions, Christmas Cookie baking classes, and romantic horse-drawn sleigh rides are among the memorable and immersive seasonal experiences available to Yuletide travelers. Detailed destination information and sample itineraries are available on the company’s website:
Luxury Itinerary: Advent in Zagreb, Ljubljana & Lake Bled
Luxury Itinerary: The Christmas Markets of Central Europe
As with all Tasteful Croatian Journeys’ tailor designed itineraries, intimate, first-hand knowledge is an important component of planning. Radetti glows when expressing her love for the holiday season, “As those who know me will recall, I have long sung the praises of Zagreb’s spectacular, city-wide Christmas market. Zagreb won the well-deserved title of ‘Best Christmas Market’ in Europe three years in a row, yet it is still under the radar of many American travelers. The same can be said of the charming markets and traditional celebrations found in Slovenia’s Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Going to Croatia and Slovenia for Christmas, for me is going home. It is always a most personal and moving experience which touches my heart. We are hearted to bring these special moments of joy to our travelers as well.”
Expanding beyond Croatia and Slovenia, to offer Tasteful Croatian Journeys travelers’ the Christmas markets of Central Europe was a logical evolution for Radetti. “Modern travelers are extremely sophisticated; they do not want a been-there-done-that experience.” Radetti continues, “We speak at length with each of our travelers, a common thread we hear is interest in experiencing Europe’s traditions and seasonal celebrations.” When Luxury Travel Designer, Tia Lovisa Moreira, joined the team, this was the serendipitous moment Radetti had been waiting for. Before joining Tasteful Croatian Journeys in March 2018, Lovisa Moreira lived in Munich for close to a decade and traveled extensively in her time there. In April 2019, Lovisa Moreira attended the Czech Republic Travel Trade Day and pre workshop FAM tours of West and South Bohemia. “Tia has put her extensive knowledge of Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic to work in designing our Christmas itineraries. She knows the Christmas Market scene inside and out,” Radetti states. “I am blessed to be at the helm of a talented and well-rounded team of young women, each of whom brings wonderful and unique experience to the company. Tia and the team have worked in close harmony to develop the new destinations and expand our regional network. Our absolute priority is that we always strive for perfection so that our travelers can expect the same high level of quality and expertise that we have become known for in Croatia.”
Although many of Europe’s Christmas Markets will not be taking place in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tasteful Croatian Journeys expects to see long term interest in Christmas bookings for 2021 and beyond. Currently, tourism makes up roughly 20% of Croatia’s GDP, despite being largely seasonal. Approximately 81% of tourist arrivals take place from the months of May to September (Source: Ministry of Tourism, and the European Commission). “For too long Croatia has been thought of as purely a summer destination, although Dubrovnik has beautiful, mild weather all year round, and Zagreb has one of the most enchanting Christmas Markets in the world. Winter has always been a favorite time of mine to travel to Croatia and a wonderful opportunity to experience an authentic and little seen side of the country. We hope that in promoting travel outside of the typical tourist season, we can do our part not only in sharing authentic Croatian culture, but also in stimulating the local economy and supporting those small businesses which struggle through low season. We hope to see Christmastime travel be a win-win for all.”
For more information and to sign up to receive the latest news and blogs from the VisitCroatia.com – Tasteful Croatian Journeys team, visit www.visitcroatia.com.