New Year at Noon: the Zdravica in Novi
Novi Vinodolski has a charming quirk: the new year is welcomed not only at midnight but already at noon on 31 December with a shared toast, the Zdravica. It is part of Novi Advent. According to the tourist board there are two stages, children’s entertainment and music, so families with small children can relax and join in.
Advent begins in early December when the lights are switched on. From mid-December the Advent kod Mažuranića area opens at weekends with wooden huts, local dishes, mulled wine and hunter’s goulash. Children can visit Santa’s house, and there are workshops, theatre and concerts. In winter, the Turnac tower of the Frankopan castle becomes Santa’s house.
Our tip: combine the Zdravica with a walk through the festively lit old town and along the seafront. The sea in winter light is often stunningly clear and the coast is almost empty. If you want to keep celebrating in the evening, Crikvenica and Rijeka are close by. The exact programme appears each autumn on the tourist board website, so check before you travel.
By the way, the Mesopust carnival in January and February is another good reason for a winter visit, when the town is free of summer crowds.