Celebrate the Holidays in Dubrovnik with Star-Studded Performances at the Winter Festival

Published on September 13, 2025

Dubrovnik is poised to once again dazzle foreign visitors when the 12th annual Dubrovnik Winter Festival returns, illuminating the city from November 29 to January 3, 2026. Combining music, heritage, and the distinct magic of the holiday season, this year’s incarnation positions Dubrovnik as an unmissable winter getaway. A rich programme featuring concerts, family-oriented pursuits, and traditional observances guarantees an animated ambience that welcomes travellers of every generation.

Central to this year’s festivities is an extraordinary New Year’s Eve concert on Stradun, the city’s storied main thoroughfare. National music icon Dino Merlin will captivate attendees as the marquee act, showcasing his acclaimed sound to a worldwide audience. He will be joined by the rapidly ascending artist Hiljson Mandela, whose vibrant interpretation is expected to inject a contemporary counterpoint. This marquee concert, complemented by an extensive slate of additional musical offerings, is anticipated to secure Dubrovnik’s place among the Adriatic basin’s foremost venues to usher in 2026.

A Month of Big-Name Performances

Dubrovnik’s Winter Festival launches November 29 with a concert by Doris Dragović, a singular presence in Croatian music. The subsequent four weeks present a roster of beloved regional stars—Vanna, Parni Valjak, Dražen Zečić, Željko Bebek, and Đani Stipaničev—who will perform alongside the renowned klapa ensembles Ragusavecchia and More. This series of gala evenings will invigorate the ancient city with a festive aura and entice visitors from neighbouring markets eager to sample Dubrovnik’s resplendent cultural offerings.

Alongside the marquee concerts, the schedule includes a versatile array of supplementary cultural activities. Families will gather for a special afternoon children’s New Year’s Eve, highlighted by a dramatic musical performance featuring Jacques Houdek. As the city transitions into 2026, guests can anticipate Dubrovnik’s waterfront concert stage being occupied by major Croatian artists Petar Grašo and the inimitable Tomislav Bralić & Klapa Intrade, thus securing the Dubrovnik Winter Festival’s status as the definitive destination for holiday music lovers.

Dubrovnik as a Prime Winter Destination

The Dubrovnik Winter Festival transcends its musical offerings, inviting guests to journey through the city’s storied architecture, heritage, and sweeping winter landscapes. Renowned for its UNESCO-listed Old Town, Dubrovnik serves as a cultural palimpsest, where the City Walls, the Rector’s Palace, and the Sponza Palace stand as enduring testaments to centuries of civic life. During the winter months, the visitor footfall decreases, providing a rare opportunity to encounter these landmarks unobstructed by the summer throngs.

The festival augments the city’s inherent gravitas by draping the Stradun—Dubrovnik’s principal artery—in winter illumination and artistic holiday accoutrements. The improbable juxtaposition of medieval stone and contemporary festive decor renders the entire space an open-air gallery. The aroma of mulled wine and the whisper of seasonal confection linger in the air, rendering an ambience at once hushed and jubilant. For those in pursuit of a winter retreat that synthesises cultural, musical, and historical enrichment, Dubrovnik distinguishes itself as the consummate choice.

Family-Friendly and Cultural Activities

The Dubrovnik Winter Festival extends well beyond musical performances to enchant visitors of every generation. Young families will undoubtedly enjoy the customary children’s New Year’s Eve celebration, a cheerful and engaging event specifically designed for the youngest guests. The movable Christmas train, softly illuminated and charmingly decorated, allows families to leisurely tour the city’s twinkling holiday displays while remaining comfortably seated. Active visitors are invited to glide upon the festival ice rink, a seasonal rink expertly installed in the city’s centre. The Cabrio bus route, elevated and panoramic, reveals the coastal and hillside panoramas that frame Dubrovnik in a fresh seasonal light to any curious rider. Additional activities – creative workshops, thoughtfully curated exhibitions, and a varied repertoire of theatrical and musical performances – ensure that visitors emerge with both lively memories and cultural enrichment.

Culinary Delights and Holiday Shopping

Another highlight of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival arises from its diverse gastronomic offerings. Street stalls, pop-up markets, and local restaurants will feature the very best of Dalmatian winter cuisine. Savoury slow-cooked stews, fragrant roasted chestnuts, and rich, sweet pastries will occupy both festive stalls and elaborate prix-fixe holiday menus, allowing guests to experience representative seasonal fare in all its variety. Individual restaurants will showcase distinctive menus that spotlight local ingredients and honour ancestral recipes, thus allowing a complete cross-section of Dubrovnik’s culinary tradition to be sampled and celebrated. Likewise, festive craft stalls within the city’s ancient walls will tempt visitors with thoughtfully curated seasonal gifts, further enhancing the holiday atmosphere and providing a lasting culinary and cultural memento of the city.

For those preparing for seasonal gift-giving, an array of stalls awaits, each showcasing expertly handmade ornaments, regional handicrafts, and distinctive seasonal merchandise. Meandering through the narrow, lantern-lit alleyways of Dubrovnik’s Old Town, the ideal backdrop for relaxed browsing, people can discover original keepsakes while immersed in the seasonal ambience.

A Magical Winter Experience

Traditionally celebrated as a summer mecca, Dubrovnik additionally reveals its winter charm through the annual Dubrovnik Winter Festival, reaffirming its allure beyond the sun-drenched months. The intersection of magnificent heritage architecture, a vibrant programme of seasonal artistic performances, and a transformed, twinkling ambience marks Dubrovnik as a premier Adriatic winter destination. Be the attraction a concert, a gastronomic delight, or the soothing ability to visit titles ancient in chorus with minimal seasonal crowds, the festival, in its entirety, offers an exceptionally enchanting experience.

Conclusion

Scheduled from November 29, 2025, to January 3, 2026, the twelfth edition of the Dubrovnik Winter Festival invites visitors to experience the city in its most atmospheric winter dress. Encompassing a constellation of concerts, immersive programming for children, and extravagant seasonal decorations, the festival is poised to reinforce Dubrovnik’s position as a premier Adriatic holiday destination. Whether attending the venerated New Year’s Eve concert or meandering beneath strings of illuminated pine boughs, every guest is assured a memorable winter sojourn, enhanced by the city’s historic beauty and a uniquely festive ambience.