Dear citizens and guests of Zagreb!

The beginning of November is reserved for more homage to tradition: St Martin's Day is a day when must turns into wine and has to be baptised according to long-standing popular customs. Wherever you go on that day you can hear traditional wine songs and taste the so-called St Martin's duck, which is the order of the day on festive tables together with roasted chestnuts bought from street vendors. St Martin's Day festivities are an opportunity to let your hair down and have a jolly good time with family and friends.

The city of Zagreb certainly does not lag behind when it comes to the offer of culture, entertainment and sporting events. There is a lot to choose from owing to the diverse programme of theatre shows, concerts, gigs, exhibitions, fairs, sporting and other events.

Do not miss the exhibition “Leonardo da Vinci – Genius and his Inventions”, which is still going on until mid-November at the Zagreb Fair.  Film buffs will certainly enjoy the offer of the 9th PSSST! Festival of Silent Movies and the 13th Zagreb Film Festival. If reading is more your thing, make sure to visit INTERLIBER, the 38th International Fair of Books and Teaching Appliances, also on the grounds of the Zagreb Fair. Among the festivals on offer, there is also the 3rd Croatian Food and Wine Festival at Arena Zagreb. Another interesting prospect is the start-up conference Zagreb Connect 2015 organized by the city of Zagreb in cooperation with the Embassy of Israel in Croatia, HAMAG-BICRA and the Zagreb Fair.

Towards the end of November, the first Advent candle will be lit in Ban Josip Jelačić Square to mark the beginning of Advent and Yuletide cheer. The Advent in Zagreb Festival offers a rich programme of events aimed at creating a wonderful holiday atmosphere for Zagreb's citizens and their guests and to convey the magical beauty of Advent and the joy of Christmas. A very special atmosphere envelops Zagreb during Advent; life moves onto its streets and squares where you can enjoy alfresco delicacies or take a trip down memory lane with the help of themed programmes.

Yours sincerely,

Milan Bandić

Mayor of Zagreb