Croatia's best-known crafts are lace from Pag, Lepoglava and Hvar, licitar gingerbread hearts and hand-carved wooden toys from Hrvatsko Zagorje, and all three are on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. The easiest way to see them is in Zagreb's museums and markets, then in the towns where each craft is still practised: Pag on the coast, Lepoglava and the villages around Marija Bistrica in the north.
The UNESCO-listed crafts at a glance
| Craft | Where it comes from | UNESCO listing |
|---|---|---|
| Needle lace | Pag (island and town) | 2009, as part of "Lacemaking in Croatia" |
| Bobbin lace | Lepoglava, Hrvatsko Zagorje | 2009, same listing |
| Agave lace | Hvar town | 2009, same listing |
| Children's wooden toys | Villages of Hrvatsko Zagorje | 2009 |
| Licitar (gingerbread craft) | Northern Croatia | 2010 |
These are living crafts rather than museum pieces. They are still made by a relatively small number of families and associations, which is why genuine pieces cost noticeably more than the factory-made souvenirs sold in the same streets.
Lace: three techniques, three places
Pag lace (paška čipka) is a needle lace, sewn with a needle and fine thread on a firm pillow. It was traditionally worked without drawings or stencils, with geometric patterns passed from mother to daughter. Benedictine nuns in Pag are credited with starting the lace school, and the town has a bronze statue of a lacemaker. In the summer season, lacemakers commonly sell their work from stalls and doorways in the old town; small round motifs are the usual purchase, while larger pieces take a long time to make and are priced accordingly.
Lepoglava lace is bobbin lace, worked on a round cushion with a set of wooden bobbins and very fine white or beige thread laid over a pricking card. Motifs include stylised plants and animals, Baroque forms and geometric fillings. Lepoglava has held an International Lace Festival every September since 1997, centred on the former Pauline monastery, which is the most reliable time to watch lacemakers at work and buy directly from them.
Hvar lace is made from thin threads drawn out of agave leaves, a technique kept alive by the Benedictine nuns of Hvar town. It is the rarest of the three, and the convent is the place to look for it.
Licitar hearts
Licitar hearts are decorated gingerbread made from honey dough, coloured bright red and finished with icing patterns and small mirrors. The craft dates back to the 16th century, and makers were known as medičari (from med, honey). Licitars became widely known through sales at the Marian shrine of Marija Bistrica, where pilgrims bought them as keepsakes, and they are now a recognised symbol of Zagreb.
A licitar is technically made from edible ingredients, but the dough stops being edible part way through the decorating process; treat it as an ornament. You will find them in souvenir shops in Zagreb's Upper Town, at Christmas stalls during Advent in Zagreb, and around the shrine in Marija Bistrica. Many licitar workshops also make honey products and medenjaci (honey biscuits) that are meant to be eaten.
Wooden toys from Hrvatsko Zagorje
The UNESCO-listed toys come from villages in Hrvatsko Zagorje, north of Zagreb, along the old pilgrim routes to Marija Bistrica. Men carve the toys from soft local wood such as willow, lime or beech, and women paint them, typically in red, yellow and blue with simple flower motifs. Typical pieces are small horses, carts, birds that peck when pushed, and whistles.
Look for them at stalls around Marija Bistrica on pilgrimage days, at craft fairs in Zagreb and in museum shops. Mass-produced copies exist, so it is worth asking who made a piece and where.
Where to see crafts in museums
- Museum of Arts and Crafts (MUO), Zagreb: the national collection of applied art, from furniture and textiles to glass and metalwork.
- Ethnographic Museum, Zagreb: folk costumes, lace and household objects from every Croatian region; a good way to understand regional differences before travelling.
- Staro Selo, Kumrovec: an open-air museum of restored village houses in Hrvatsko Zagorje showing rural crafts such as hemp and linen processing, blacksmithing, cartwright work and pottery. Kumrovec is also the birthplace of Josip Broz Tito.
Several Zagreb museums were damaged in the March 2020 earthquake and have had long renovation closures, so check each museum's website for current opening before you go.
Workshops and craft events
There is no national network of tourist craft classes, so hands-on sessions depend on individual artisans, associations and local tourist boards. The practical approach:
- Ask the local tourist board (turistička zajednica) in Pag, Lepoglava, Marija Bistrica or Zagreb which artisans currently take visitors and whether a short demonstration or lesson can be arranged.
- Time your visit to an event where makers gather: the Lepoglava lace festival in September, Advent in Zagreb in December, and summer fairs in coastal towns.
- Expect demonstrations to be informal and in Croatian, with some English or German depending on the maker; booking a few days ahead is sensible.
Prices for lessons are set by each artisan, so confirm the cost and what is included when you book.
Markets and buying tips
- Dolac, Zagreb: the central market above Ban Jelačić Square, busiest in the morning. Mostly food, with some craft and souvenir stalls.
- Britanski trg, Zagreb: an antiques and collectibles market on Sunday mornings, good for old textiles, embroidery and household objects.
- Hrelić, Zagreb: a large flea market on the city's southern edge, busiest on Sunday mornings; useful for bargain hunters rather than certified crafts.
- Coastal old towns: summer stalls in Split, Dubrovnik and the islands sell lace, lavender and stone pieces, but quality varies widely.
To find genuine work, buy from the maker where possible, ask where and how a piece was made, and look for the Croatian Chamber of Economy's Izvorno hrvatsko (Original Croatian) label on manufactured goods. Prices are in euros, as Croatia has used the euro since 1 January 2023, and cards are widely accepted in shops, though small stalls may prefer cash. Haggling is not usual for handmade items; the price reflects the hours of work.
