New Year’s Eve parties happening around Croatia

by Tina Kovačiček

Another final countdown is right around the corner. Before we start bringing new decisions, it’s time to have a good party for the last time this year.

Advent time in Croatia, with its various gastro and music possibilities all around, is a great way to warm-up for the final night of the year. Every city in Croatia will make sure that you have a good time this year, no matter where you decide to go.

These are some of the options in the major Croatian cities.

Rijeka

(Photo: visitRijeka)

This year’s traditional concert at Korzo, at which we will bid farewell to the old year and usher in the new year, has Rijeka written all over it. Coming to the stage at 10 pm is the alternative rock band Nord, who is bound to warm up the crowd and make them dance.

The party will resume with familiar names in Rijeka, the bands Fit and Whiteheads, with whom you will enter 2019. The rapper Vojko V, who hails from Split, will make sure that the New Year’s Eve ends in spectacular fashion with his offbeat lyrics that are winning over an increasing number of fans. For a good party go to ExPort Delta, the warehouse that has become a byword for hosting the best parties in the city.

Top-notch performers will entertain the audience well into the night or, put it more precisely, until the wee morning hours when the after party is scheduled at the Crkva club. Hitting the stage first are Fryer & Boo Dale, whose dancing waves of house music will make us start the new year with a splash. You can enjoy the sets of some of the best DJs in the city – Life4Funk, Lemon i Alen Sforzina – all night. For the kids, there will be a morning fun at the Trsat Castle.

Opatija

(Photo: Visit Opatija)

Fascinating Advent by the sea in the festive atmosphere of Opatija is a destination not be missed for many travelers. Luxuriously decorated streets and squares, an ice skating rink, and various musical and theatrical performances at numerous magnificent locations are just a small part of the enchanting Advent in Opatija programme.

A festive atmosphere, mild winter climate and the closeness of the sea together make the perfect recipe for the final night this year. In Opatija there are plenty of choices what to do on the 31st; at 10 am, at Market Hall there will be some ‘brudet’ fish stew and Kvarner winemakers mingle, at the Open Air Theater kids will find some fun at 11 am and at the same time at the Terrace of the Hotel Continental you will hear musical performance by ‘PANONIA’ tamburica players.

From noon till 7pm at Juraj Šporer Art Pavilion there will be organized ‘Meeting the Nutcracker and the elves’. A couple of hotels will have their evening celebrations organized with great music bands. At the Hotel Continental, the Exotic pop band will play, at the Crystal Hall of the Hotel Kvarner Dellboys will entertain the crowd and at the restaurant of the Hotel Admiral, the band Pešekani will be playing. In front of the Juraj Šporer Art Pavilion from 10 pm till 2 am there will be New Year’s Eve party with the Groovers.

Pula

The city of Pula decided to concentrate its final night around music. A couple of bigger concerts will take place on 31st around the city.

At Forum Square audience will have fun with famous band Crvena Jabuka as well as The Night Express Band and DJ Jan Plexy. Istrian favorites Gustafi will be playing at Kralj Tomislav square while all of you in the mood for dance can head to the underground tunnels Zerostrasse where Dj will be playing.

This underground attraction stretches below almost entire Pula and was built during the WW1 for sheltering people in case of air raids. For the final night this year you will be able to dance up to 6 am.

Rovinj

(Photo: Rovinj Tourist Board)

As most of the cities in Croatia, Rovinj also isn’t skipping a chance to become a true Christmas fairy tale. During December numerous events take place and cater to all tastes. You can ice skate in the rink, listen to live music concerts, see the exhibitions, try out a gourmet offer on the square, be part of creative workshops, watch films at the cinema and see theatre shows, etc.

For New Year’s Eve, you can start in the morning at 10 Am and ice skate at Obala Pina Budicina after which you can celebrate with kids since New Year’s Eve for little ones is planned from 11 am to 12 am.

Batana Eco-museum is offering a noon programme under the name “Holidays at the House of Batana with music ‘SPACIO IN THE SQUARE’: A meal for the end of the year” after which you can come back here at 8 pm for the New Year’s Eve celebration.

On the main square, you will listen to Party band from 9:30 pm and then the main show will be brought by the legendary band Prljavo kazalište. 

Zadar

The fourth Zadar Advent (Christmas Market) which will last for full five weeks from till 2nd January 2019, will offer its citizens and guests plenty of good fun, great music, concerts and holiday delicacies. Last day of this year will start at 11 am with Winter fairytale location and Children’s programme.

Neno Belan

Kids will celebrate on Narodni trg as well in the morning and at 10 pm Forum band and Neno Belan & Fiumens will take over the stage for the celebration. At the Petar Zoranić square at 8 pm, there will be a concert by Zoran Jelenković after whom Rockatansky band will take over.

Šibenik

Šibenik

There are three fun locations in Šibenik where you can choose to be for the last night this year. Central stage is reserved for the internationally acclaimed Macedonian musician Kiril Djaikovsky who will perform with trumpeters and will be joined by the incredible David Lion. Always good to see in Croatia- Kiril began his career in the eighties, soon joined Vlatko Stefanovski and with his cult band Leb and Sol he recorded two albums.

Since then he is an often guest on Croatian festivals and for NYE legendary band which marked 25 years of existence this spring – Kawasaki 3P will join him on stage. The audience who decides to go to Roberto Visiani Perivoj will dance with four well-known ladies accompanied by their band – The Frajle, which will prepare three hours of unforgettable music experience for Sibenik.

The Frajle (Facebook)

For the first time, this year, Šibenik will also have a stage that will cheer up the fans of the increasingly popular electronic music. The audience there will be entertained by the famous Sarajevo duo After Affair and the Mostar DJ collective Roof AW. Each of the guests is famous for the selection of great music and the abundance of energy that they broadcast on the dance floor during their performances, so that modern electronic fans will also come to theirs.

Split

New Year’s Eve in Split (Split Tourist Board)

If you visit Split for New Year’s Eve, they promised entertainment and spectacular midnight fireworks. On the main stage, Jasmin Stavros and the band Magazin will be playing.

If you enter the new 2019. with dance movements, you will be attending the Salsa Split Silvester Nights festival taking place at the Fruit Square.

Magazin

For the ninth year in a row, Split will become the most desirable dance destination where guests from around the world are welcoming a new year as part of a three-day festival as an alternative to foreign tourists who can feel the atmosphere of domestic hits on the Riva and dance at the same time with hits on Fruit Square. 

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik

This year’s rich New Year’s Eve program in Dubrovnik will close out the year in true New Year’s fashion with famous stars that will hold concerts you can enjoy with your closest ones on the most stunning stage in the Old City – the main street of Stradun.

The first day of the New Year’s program is December 30th when the Croatian rock group Opća Opasnost will hold a concert in front of the Church of St. Blaise at 9 pm. On the 31st of December, the traditional Children’s New Year’s Eve party will be held beginning at 10:30 am and will feature a performance by the popular young singer Mia Negovetić & Super Cover Band. 

On December 31st, leading Croatian performers Nina Badrić and Toni Cetinski will bring in the New Year for Dubrovnik and its guests. Top musicians on the world’s most beautiful stage and impressive fireworks right at midnight will provide an unforgettable start to the New Year on the main street of Stradun.

Nina Badrić (Promo)

On the first day of the New Year, enjoy the abundance of oysters and sparkling wine accompanied with the sounds of the most famous opera arias of the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra at noon on Stradun, and on the first evening of 2019, once again on Stradun, enjoy the songs of one of the most popular Croatian multipart singing groups – Klapa Rišpet.

Osijek

During the Advent season in December Osijek offers a variety of happenings like art exhibitions and concerts in galleries, museums and churches. Special fun for the young ones is the merry “Christmas Tram” where Santa waits for them with presents.

Christmas fairs and concerts in the open are almost crucial for the genuine atmosphere and for the last day this year location Advent at the park will prepare a great celebration with music.

Besides that location, the main party is expected in the city center on the main square so When the nearby Cathedral rings half the night, join the others and dance along with the “Bečki valcer” and the great fireworks! Special action for 31st of December is a traditional bathing of “Osječki tuljan” and friends in the freezing Drava river that takes place at noon every year.

Zagreb

Zagreb (Photo: T. Smoljanovic/Zagreb Tourist Board)

On the main square – Trg Ban Jelačić – from 9:30 pm DJ Akademija will entertain before Đani Stipaničev, Marko Pecotić, Vladimir Garić and Filip Hozjak take to the stage at 10:30 pm.

At midnight fireworks will go off before Hladno Pivo play into the early hours of the New Year.

Since the popular and awarded Advent is taking place during the December, each of the locations will have their own idea of fun with Dj programme and concerts.

Plenty of fun, excellent food, unique events, art, but also a genuine holiday atmosphere, await you on the streets of Croatia’s capital and will be a great companion to say hello to 2019.