The city of Dubrovnik has announced a full programme of entertainment and events that will engage with locals and visitors throughout Christmas, New Year and the wintertime. Each year the city's tourist season extends further, with this Winter Festival occurring hot on the heels of the city's impressive late summer music festival.
During the winter months, Dubrovnik will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland, with the city's streets decorated with thousands of Christmas lights and echoing with chirpy music. Dubrovnik Winter Festival contains a varied programme, including food and drinks events such as the Cod Fish Days plus concerts that range from traditional music and rock and pop and to classical. There are some events specifically at children and also some, like the free English language city tours aimed at international visitors.
The festival's fifth edition opens on December 1 with the ceremonial lighting of the first Advent candle, then the turning on of the Christmas lights. The event will be accompanied by a music programme.
The season's children's programme includes a 'Cake Party' and a 'Christmas Fairytale' and there are free concerts throughout the month of December (and also on January 1st) by Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra. A live stage will be erected in the Old City's Stradun and alongside the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra, featuring free concerts by traditional music outfits plus several top Croatian stars who appear as part of the city's New Year's celebrations.
The appeal to international visitors during the period is helped by a large number of year-round flights. Throughout winter, Turkish Airlines fly between the city and Istanbul four times a week, Croatia Airlines from Zagreb and Frankfurt, with London, Rome, Barcelona, Warsaw and Madrid also connected by direct flights throughout the period.