Dear citizens and guests of Zagreb!

With the arrival of sunny spring, the growing possibilities of spending free time outdoors again make our city a favourite international open air living room, as it is often affectionately referred to by tourists and other visitors of the Croatian capital, and the tourist offer of Zagreb is becoming more competitive by the year.

One of the longest lasting and most beautiful spring events is certainly the Floraart International Garden Exhibition, the biggest horticultural event in this part of Europe, which brings together numerous local and foreign exhibitors and is visited by several hundreds of thousands of visitors. Taking place for more than 50 years, it has become an integral part of Zagreb’s culture and tradition. This year’s exhibition will feature more than 150 exhibitors from Croatia and 10 exhibitors from abroad. The beautiful Bundek Park is a natural environment which is in full bloom during the festival, so this is an experience I wholeheartedly recommend to visitors, tourists and Zagreb’s citizens alike.

Another beautiful park  - Zrinjevac, located in the heart of the city, will be the venue for Slatki Gušti, a festival of sweets, which will last for ten days to celebrate its 5^th birthday! The idyllic atmosphere of nature in the heart of the city, combined with the sweet secrets of Zagreb’s most renowned confectioneries, is a temptation worth several visits.

I also recommend a visit to the 32^nd Week of Contemporary Dance and Design Week Zagreb. The Week of Contemporary Dance is an international Croatian festival with the longest tradition, and it is among the largest festivals of contemporary dance in Europe. Visit some of the festival locations, which include the Zagreb Dance Centre and all significant theatres around the city, as well as galleries, museums and exhibition halls. Do not miss Design Week Zagreb (#tdzg), the biggest event in Croatia dedicated to design. The goal of this event is to bring designers and entrepreneurs (B2B) together, as well as to popularize design among the public (B2C). Taking place in several locations in the city centre and at the beautiful Lauba Gallery, Design Week Zagreb promotes the city as a regional centre for creative industries, it expands the tourist offer and plays a role in the positive branding of Zagreb.

Dear guests, enjoy beautiful May and the many happenings it offers.

Yours sincerely,

Milan Bandić

Mayor of Zagreb