Podgorički pazar (New Year Market)

The centrepiece is a 600-square-metre open-air ice rink, and every day brings live concerts on the square's stage. Skaters circle under the lights while the evening crowd gathers in front of the stage, and the nightly music keeps the square busy long after dark, whatever the winter weather is doing.

The season peaks on New Year's Eve with a major open-air concert — Sara Jo and Marko Louis headlined the 2025/26 celebration — when the square fills with thousands counting down to midnight together. Mulled wine, skating and nightly music give central Podgorica a festive buzz that lasts three full weeks, an atmosphere the usually low-key capital wears surprisingly well.

Entry to the market and all concerts is free, making the pazar the natural anchor for any winter visit to the capital. The market returns every winter, running from 19 December to 8 January on Trg nezavisnosti, within easy walking distance of the city's cafes and of Gorica park for a crisp stroll between visits. Come after dark, when the lights are at their best, and plan to come back — the eating, the skating and the concerts each deserve their own evening.