Free this weekend (17–18 October): Dubrovnik lit up, a free day in Paklenica and Zagreb’s cravat guard

Light installations across Dubrovnik’s old town, free entry to Paklenica National Park on Sunday, the Cravat Regiment marching through Zagreb on Cravat Day, a free Upper Town festival and 50 free children’s activities in Split. Plus: clocks go back next weekend.

Published 2026-10-16 · Source checked 2026-10-15

A day off this weekend? You do not need much money to get out. Most of these events are free, according to the organisers and local media; where something costs money, we say so.

Zagreb, Sunday 18 October, 11:30–13:00: the Cravat Regiment changes the guard. Soldiers in 17th-century uniforms with red cravats gather at the corner of Ilica and Mesnička, march along Ilica to Ban Jelačić Square around 11:50, then to the Cathedral and Tkalčićeva. It is cancelled if the weather is bad.^[1]

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It falls on Cravat Day, which Croatia’s parliament declared in 2008.^[2]

Zagreb, until Sunday: the Little Upper Town Festival (Mali gornjogradski festival) fills the streets from Mesnička to Dolac with poetry readings, a botanical walk and dance. Entry to everything is free.^[3]

Zagreb, Sunday 11:55, Cvjetni trg: the ‘5 do 12’ open-air series brings Zagreb funk band Dementronomes to the flower square.^[3]

Zagreb, Saturday 17 October, last day: ARCA, an exhibition of more than 300 inventions from over 30 countries, at the National and University Library. Entry is free, and the awards are handed out on Saturday.^[4]

Dubrovnik, until Sunday, 18:00–23:00: the Lumiart festival of light puts installations and 3D projections in the Rector’s Palace, on Stradun, at Pile Gate and in Pile park, at the old port, on the city walls, by Onofrio’s fountain and on Gundulić Square. This year it honours scientist Marin Getaldić, who died 400 years ago. Entry is free; organisers say the programme can change.^[5]

Paklenica National Park (near Starigrad, Zadar county), Sunday 18 and Monday 19 October: open days for the park’s 77th birthday. Individual visitors get in free. The Manita peć cave and the ‘Underground City’ visitor centre cost €2.50 each, and there is a children’s workshop on Sunday from 9 to 11 near Entrance 1.^[6]

Split, until Sunday: the Split for Children festival (Festival Split za djecu) runs more than 50 free activities. On Saturday there are creative workshops on the Prokurative and a show, ‘Stonoga Goga’, at 18:00 on the Žnjan plateau; Sunday is for movement and sport. Some workshops need registration.^[7]

Near Rijeka, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00: the chestnut festival Marunada moves to Dobreć, above Opatija, with local farm stalls and music. Novi stil reports that at weekends you get there by bus 32 from Rijeka (8:55, 11:40 or 16:15), changing in Lovran to bus 36. Check the programme for prices.^[8]

Weather: the state weather service’s forecast quoted by Novi stil expects a dry weekend around Rijeka, 17–20 °C by day and about 8 °C in the morning, so take a jacket.^[8]

Useful for next weekend: clocks go back one hour on Sunday 25 October at 3:00 (to 2:00). If you work a night shift that weekend, check how your hours are counted. Coming home late in Zagreb? See our note on night trams and buses.^[9]

Planning a longer trip to the coast? Check how many days of paid annual leave you still have this year.

Is there a Nepali community event in Croatia this weekend that we missed? Tell us in the comments, and tell us where you are going.

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