Snowfall turns Zagreb's Advent festival into a winter wonderland

Those visiting Zagreb this weekend for its award-winning Advent season really couldn't have picked a better time to come to the city, as its flickering Christmas lights, bustling crowds, seasonal street food and entertainments are set to play out before a backdrop of snow.

The city's residents awoke on Friday morning to see a thin white blanket covering the streets, the snowflakes still falling as they made their way into work. Snow has been predicted to fall mildly throughout the day, with temperatures plateauing at around zero degrees for the next 24 hours.

That may sound cold to those used to Croatia's dependably warm summers, but conditions are actually quite mild; there's little wind to brace yourself against and sensible clothing is all that's required to enjoy the seasonal treat on the city's streets.

Winter clothing will be essential over the weekend as temperatures are expected to plummet to around -7 degrees over Saturday and Sunday, with the snowfall predicted to continue sporadically over the next 48 hours.

A break in the cloud cover on Sunday should see the sun break through, but not to the extent that the snow will melt. This absence of clouds will actually ensure it remains quite cold on the ground and the falling snow is expected to return on Monday and again on Thursday and Friday, leading up to next weekend.