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Writer's pictureHayley Swenson

Baš Naš

Updated: Feb 24, 2023

Baš Naš is a place to fall in love.

Each June, Zagreb’s Gradec Plateau bursts into life. The location is beautiful in its own right, with a panoramic view of the city directly overlooking the cathedral, but when Baš Naš reincarnates nothing compares. Dreamy umbrellas float from wires in the night sky, fairy lights twinkle upon the brightly-colored stands, all serving the beautifully-dressed people. Excited conversations hum through the summer air, while local DJs work diligently to keep the crowd dancing.


My first encounter with the festival was in 2021, when Ainsley, our cousin, and I met two American study-abroad students. Whether it was wise or not, we followed them to the upper town. We passed through the long, graffiti-coated tunnel until it opened to what seemed to us like paradise.


Zagreb’s most popular bars and restaurants convert into little stands for the season. Some specialize in Croatian commodities such as rakija, while others concoct the prettiest pink gin drinks you could imagine. There is no shortage of snacks either, with burgers, fries, and even vegan options for everybody.

Naturally, being at Baš Naš, we each fell in love.


I danced with the boy until the music stopped. My cousin, for the first time, got a taste of independence. And Ainsley, well, she fell in love with the rakija stand.


We returned many times after that and again the year after. Every time, we fall more and more in love with the city. Baš Naš translates to “just ours,” and I couldn’t imagine a more perfect name. It feels like a little secret, like it was created for you and the crowd that night. Gazing over the city leaves you with the confirmation there is no place you’d rather be.


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