Of course it’s not: however it is probably the only “official city sledging ground” located within a city in Europe!
Every winter, every parent in Zagreb knows that sooner or later they will hear their kids ask “When are we going to go to Cmrok for sledging, mum/dad?” There are other, smaller locations all around Zagreb where you’ll be able to see local kids on their sleds after the first seven snowflakes of the season have hit the ground, but Cmrok is THE place to take your kids! It’s a tradition that goes back for ages (probably as long as there have been sledges and people living around the Cmrok meadow) and in the recent years the experience has even been improved significantly.
How, you may ask, might it be possible to improve a meadow for sledging, and the answer lies in the snow cannons that have been brought from Sljeme ski trails nearer to the centre of the city, where they (along with the mother Nature, who has really helped this year, albeit a bit late) have been preparing the gentle slopes of Cmrok for the hordes of little ones who came this weekend. Another perfect addition is the fact that it’s quite well-lit there, so you don’t have to worry about not seeing anything after sunset.
Located in the residential part of Zagreb, near the Presidential Palace, Mirogoj Cemetery and just a bit uphill from the centre of the city, Cmrok is a wonderful, well maintained meadow often used during warmer part of the year as a picnic location, or to observe the stars during nighttime, or for younger couples to find some privacy, which turns into sledging heaven after the first snow-fall. The downhill parts on both sides are quite long and not too steep, but give you just enough speed and that sense of flying you want to experience when sledging. The kids will enjoy their rides down, the parents will enjoy watching their larger kids pull the sleds up themselves thinking about how it will secure a wonderful afternoon nap for the kids or a very long night for them. Bring along some coffee or tea, there will be other parents there as well to hang out with, take a ride or two with your kid (or without them!) and enjoy the winter in Zagreb.
Pro tip: if you want to go there when it’s less crowded, go on a work/school day, you’ll almost have the whole meadow for yourself!
