Massimo Bottura Confirmed for Weekend Food Festival in Rovinj
March 10th, 2022 - One of the world’s top chefs has been confirmed as a guest of the upcoming gastronomic festival in Istria
A press conference was held today regarding the upcoming Weekend Food Festival. As we recently reported, the unique gastronomic event will be taking place the 5th to the 8th of May in the Old Tobacco Factory in Rovinj. Organised by Tomo Ricov and Boris Kovaček together with programme director Hrvoje Petrić, the festival will host many top chefs of international renown.
The WFF crew has now confirmed that Massimo Bottura, one of the world's greatest chefs and restaurateurs, will be joining the guest list.
Bottura owns several restaurants, including the famous Osteria Francescana which currently holds 3 Michelin stars and was declared the best restaurant in the world twice, topping the World’s 50 Best list in 2016 and 2018.
Born in Modena, the Italian chef inherited his love of cooking from his grandmother, writes Jutarnji list. When designing new dishes, he draws inspiration from everything around him, from art and music to fast cars. Bottura has also written numerous books, is an advocate of food waste reduction, and has launched a non-profit organisation Food for Soul which educates and encourages the community to use food responsibly and reduce food waste.
As a chef, Bottura is known for creating new culinary trends and directly influencing the international gastronomic scene. Nowadays, in addition to managing several successful restaurant projects in Italy and abroad, he stands out as an exceptional humanitarian who tirelessly initiates new actions and helps those in need.
He remembers Croatia fondly from a trip he made in 1984, when he travelled our coast on a motorbike, was hosted by the locals and prepared freshly caught fish with them. As he himself says in the video published on WWF’s Instagram page, he is looking forward to participating and sharing his visions at the Weekend Food Festival.
Bottura thus joins the impressive guest list which also includes the likes of Ana Roš, Rasmus Munk, Dabiz Munoz, Paul Ivić and Chiara Pavan.
Alongside the top chefs, some of whom will present their unique dishes at gala dinners in the restaurants of the Maistra Collection hotels, the Weekend Food Festival will be attended by many Croatian and foreign panelists who will discuss topics such as the importance of media, the role of women in gastronomy, contemporary culinary trends, as well as Croatia-specific topics such as olive growing and winemaking.
‘Apart from meeting world-class chefs, the audience will have an opportunity to sample top-quality wines from Croatia and beyond, as well as socialise with all the relevant people in the industry. All the things we managed to accomplish with the communication industry at the Weekend Media Festival, namely networking, socialising and entertainment, is now guaranteed at the biggest gastronomic event in the region’, said Boris Kovaček, the director of the Weekend Food Festival.
Croatian Conversation: I Have a Feeling That I Am Doing Something Worthy
10 March 2022 - Oftentimes as travelers or visitors, when we think of Croatia, we are quick to envision sparkling seas, cobbled streets, and gastronomic wonders. But we often overlook one important aspect of this young nation - its people.
In this series, I have the privilege of sharing the local culture through individuals from all walks of life. These are some of the everyday people you may simply pass by while walking down the street. But through these coffee house conversations, I reveal the spark of extraordinariness that lies within.
Today, I’d like Total Croatia News readers to meet Split native – Tomislav Primorac (Tomo), who has generously offered (more like coerced) to kick off this session.
Tomo is a data scientist, who is equally comfortable with artificial intelligence, datasets, and equations, as he is with entertaining people. The first time we crossed paths, it was over peka in the middle of a horse ranch. Despite the language barrier, two things were clear - he knew how to work a crowd, and he was really funny in Croatian.
As it turned out, Tomo had a different side that only came out in the evenings. No, he’s not a vampire but perhaps, equally as mythical, part of Split’s underground but growing stand-up comedy scene. Comedy is such as integral part of our interactions that is woven into the fabric of our everday existance. The best comedians, on the other hand, can be considered the most effective cultural anthropologists and critical thinkers as they explore ideas and subvert norms through the medium of humour.
Read on as we discuss all things from George Carlin to aliens and crabs, his grandmothers as his muses, the importance of creative passions, persistence, and commitment.
So, one of the first things I have to ask is - how does a data scientist get into stand-up comedy?
Yeah, there's two things. First, there was no stand-up comedy in Split when I started. I mean, there was hardly any stand-up in all of Croatia. There were some people in Zagreb that did it, but it felt more frowned upon than celebrated in Croatia. But as soon as it came to be, people reacted really well. It’s more authentic, you know, when it comes from people from your town, you can relate to it more.
So, I saw that there was an open mic in Zagreb, it was actually better for me to try stand-up in front of people who don't even know who I am, in a town where I don't live, then if I fail, nobody knows about it! Fortunately, it was all right, so I continued. This was eight years ago.
But a few years before our (his comedic group) first gig, we were already writing material independently. You have to have this enthusiasm of hoping to do it and even if you're never going to do it, the whole process of creation is rewarding enough. It's not like we saw an open mic and said, right, maybe we should try this.
Right, so who are some of the people that inspire your comedy?
First idols, of course, were from England and America where there’s a scene. I think you identify stand-up probably more with America. I think one of the first people that all young comedians idolize is George Carlin, because when you're in high school, he's a rock star, a thinker, and a philosopher. So, he's the first one, for sure.
Image: George Carlin/Facebook
As soon as I started doing it, I realized that I can't do what he does. I'm a beginner, you have to work up to that to get people to respect that you can discuss interesting and serious topics.
You say you actually have to work up to it, how do you mean?
Yeah, you must get the people's vote, gain credibility. I look at it through two different perspectives. One perspective is technical, you have to get good at making people laugh, talking in front of them and making them listen.
The other thing is, why should they listen to you say something interesting? Who are you? So, you have to develop the confidence and make them believe that you have something interesting to say, and then you actually have to say it!
Right, because the impression of stand-up is you jump on stage and you just ad-lib everything. There’s actually a whole process behind it.
Yes. Your name and your stage persona and stuff like that is a long-term process. In the short term, if you look at one show, you do an hour or so, you can’t just jump to the serious topics.
I mean, I would have to add that in Croatia, I think that the whole stand-up scene and audience is not yet there for us to have a George Carlin you know? People are still just interested in laughing and having a good time.
Tomo in his element. Image: Nikola Radovani/Tomislav Primorac Facebook
But why then did you keep this a secret from your own family?
Only when enough local people from Split did it, then I said, okay, now this is not weird anymore because it didn't even exist as a profession!
When I first traveled from Split to Zagreb to do these shows, it meant everything to me. I'm jealous of my former self because I don't have this enthusiasm anymore. When I first started it was like, “Oh, my God, I can't wait to do the show three months from now!”
And if anyone had known this, they’d probably say, “What are you doing? This is stupid!” Because people here, especially in Split, they have this “crabs in the barrel” mentality, which is the thing that I criticize about Split the most.
Is it similar to this saying “frog in a well”, where someone only sees that tiny sky and thinks it's their world?
Related but it's when one of the crabs tries to climb out, the others pull it back in! In Zagreb, when you start trying to do something new, it's fun because it's a large city. You try to do something different in Split, people are not so open. I think this mentality is changing but when I first started, Split was still closed-minded.
It’s amazing that it was so difficult, but you still managed to find a team of people.
Yeah. At first, it was just me, and then there were two of us. Okay, so this is an important thing, it’s all thanks to a workshop by Marina Orsag, one of the most famous comedians in Croatia. She organized this open mic in Zagreb and when she saw me performing, she said, “Okay, so there's somebody from Split. Maybe we should do this in Split to see who catches on”, and that's how all the others came on board. There were a lot of us throughout the years, but only the four of us really stayed together. We’re persistent and committed to the whole.
Image: Famous Croatian Comidianne, Marina Orsag. Marina Orsag/Facebook
It's a huge blessing because like, the four of us, to me, because we have events, we are together all the time, we're great friends, get along really well and complement each other. We’ve had huge challenges which we overcame, sharing a unique path in life and career. And that's what brings us together the most.
Only my fellow comedian colleague from Split understand the things I'm going through, psychologically, to understand when I say, it's not easy to do stand-up. You don't have a private life; people go out during weekends and evenings and I have to go to do my job. Then your job becomes your personal life. So that's why we have this deeper connection, because we really share the same but rare experiences
The crew after a show in Trogir's historical center. Image: Dino Čaljkušić/Visit Trogir Facebook
It’s sort of inspirational to others in a way, that you’ve managed to overcome these setbacks.
I hope we are. A lot of other comedians from different scenes in Dalmatia also started to come up after seeing us. For example, the other day, someone contacted us and asked, “I see you organize your own open mics, can I come?” So, by growing ourselves, we’re also opening new doors for other people. It’s a great process to be a part of.
Do you have any routines that you go through before you get on stage? How do you prepare for a show?
It depends on what type of show it is, you know, some shows I’ve already done 50 times, so I don't even have to rehearse. Some of them I'm so nervous that I have to look at my notes all the time. I get my notes and then I wait outside the bar or in the car, whatever, I'm going through my material and memorizing and sometimes even adding new things.
But, you know, this is just the technical part - remembering and committing to memory the setting, writing, but the other part is to get the right energy.
How do you decide if you’re going to be more energetic or…
It is tricky, because you have to go from being a comedian to a host, and it depends a lot on the audience. Sometimes you just get on stage, and they start clapping. Okay, so you're ready. You don't even have to do anything. And sometimes you just go and then you go, oh come on. Come on. Can I hear you?
Warming up on the sidelines. Image: Frane Balta/Tomislav Primorac Facebook
So, if you're just sitting before you have to go on stage, you're probably just going to be too mellow. So, for me, it helps to drink a little bit before.
Nice, what’s your drink of choice?
Probably beer. It's probably not a great long-term plan for my liver.
Yeah, it kind of breaks down your own personal barriers, makes you a little more comfortable and you're not overthinking
Yes, yes. Yeah. That's exactly it!
Right, so what kind of comedy or routines do tend to drift towards?
A lot of my observational humor is actually similar to Jerry Seinfeld, how people behave, how they interact. What I also get from George Carlin is the analysis of language, a reflection of how people communicate to each other.
A lot of times we don't know how weird our actions are…
Yeah, I mean, if you want to be an observational comedian and notice things about the world, sometimes you have to be like an alien, you know? Watch how people behave, how they communicate and gestures. These are the things that you notice, if you have the ability to alienate yourself.
I notice you also like joking about your family members
That's another interesting thing that I noticed, the communication gap between generations. So, my interaction with my nephew as a kid, gives you a look at how different we are, and what humor can be drawn from this difference in age.
So, I really like to talk about me versus my mother, and me versus my grandmother, and when you have this generational gap, you can extract a lot of humor out of it. These are normal human interactions, but I find a lot of inspiration in this.
Give me an example
I like to use my grandmother because she's always really excited to see me. You know, sometimes I visit just to feel the excitement of somebody seeing me, because your grandmother really just loves you.
The best example of how much she loves is that she thinks I'm beautiful. “Look at him how pretty he is”. As if I was an actor, you know?
Tomo and his muses. Image: Tomislav Primorac/Facebook
Like Brad Pitt?
Probably more like someone from a documentary.
Do you have any plans to do a show in English?
We tried to do this maybe four years ago. And then I decided not to continue because there's a lot of challenges in performing in English and in performing for other audience, because humor is so contextualized
Yes, it is.
And a lot of it that you think it's not contextualized, really is. For example, I can speak about my mother in Croatia, and they will get it in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Slovenia. But if I try to talk about my mother in front of a global audience, they don't have the same mother as we do here!
Also, a lot of humor is also about language which doesn't really work in English. And then there's the biggest challenge if I don't have a good flow.
Right, if you're not confident it's going to show that people will really pick up
Yeah, I would really have to practice.
Ok before letting you go, what is one of your favorite or most memorable shows you've ever done and why?
Probably the first time I did my one-man show, four years ago, because after four or five years of doing stand-ups, I finally managed to gather enough material and courage to do my own thing.
And people were really, REALLY supportive. A lot of friends in the audience and I got a lot of love from them. And that is the first time I really felt like, this is really good, I get to perform, and I get to be in front of people who appreciate it.
That was really one of the most beautiful feelings ever, you know, if you're just doing a show, and you have a feeling that you’re something that's valuable, right?
Indeed, Tomo, well said.
If you want to get to know Tomo more and his upcoming shows, check out his page.
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
Military Service Not Abolished But Suspended, Interior Minister Says
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022 - Military service in Croatia has not been abolished but suspended and all decisions on the security situation in view of the Ukraine war will be communicated as part of the forums, institutions, and organizations of which Croatia is a member, Interior Minister Davor Božinović said on Thursday.
"Military service hasn't been abolished but suspended. We pay a high level of attention to security. The Defence Ministry's budget has risen from HRK 4.5 billion to 7.2 billion through the procurement of multipurpose fighters jets, the decision to integrate and buy Bradleys, and a score of projects in the homeland security system," he told the press.
There is voluntary military training through which future professional soldiers are recruited and reservists who are part of the Armed Forces are activated, Božinović added.
He said the security situation was being discussed and that all future decisions "will be communicated."
"Everyone is watching what is happening in Ukraine. Croatia is a member of NATO and the EU and everything that is done is coordinated within the forums, institutions, and organizations of which it is a member," Božinović said after a meeting of the government's task force for the reception of Ukrainian refugees.
He said radioactivity measuring had been stepped up and that there was no danger.
He added that the former Radiology and Nuclear Safety Institute had been integrated into the Interior Ministry and that local governments were responsible for shelters.
For more, check out our politics section.
Dubrovnik Among 50 Destinations Selected for EU Smart Tourism Destinations
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022- The European Commission's Smart Tourism Destinations initiative has selected Dubrovnik among 50 destinations that will be given the opportunity to participate in a series of activities aimed at improving sustainable tourism practices, the City of Dubrovnik City said on Thursday.
Dubrovnik was selected after applying to the EU Destination Managers call as part of the Smart Tourism Destinations initiative and meeting the set criteria of previous experience, motivation and expectations as well as technical capacities.
Dubrovnik applied using its experience and know-how through the implementation of the Altereco and Respect the City projects.
"Dubrovnik's selection to be a stakeholder in this project is yet another tangible support in transforming the destination into a promoter and leader of sustainable and responsible tourism. The selected stakeholders will be able to participate in various workshops led by reputable experts from various fields related to smart tourism, to share experiences with other destinations, to learn from one another, as well as becoming or improving as a smart tourism destination," the city said.
The Smart Tourism Destinations initiative of the European Commission provides support to EU cities to facilitate access to tourism and hospitality products and services through technological innovations. Their mission is to transfer know-how in applying innovative digital solutions that can help tourist cities and destinations to be more sustainable and accessible as well as improve destination experiences where cities entirely use their cultural heritage and creativity.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Varaždin Faculty of Informatics Joins #ScienceForUkraine Initiative
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022 - The Varaždin Faculty of Organisation and Informatics said on Thursday it had joined the #ScienceForUkraine initiative due to the catastrophic consequences of the Ukraine war on its academic community.
As part of the University of Zagreb, the Faculty joined the international scientific community's social media initiative to collect information about universities, scientific institutions, and other organizations within the system that can be of help to Ukrainian students and researchers.
The Faculty, present in four northwestern Croatian cities - Varaždin, Sisak, Zabok, and Križevci - is offering help to all Ukrainian students, teachers, and researchers with whom the University of Zagreb has bilateral cooperation.
The help envisages free continuation of education in Croatian or English, the possibility of completing part of the studies at the Faculty (student exchange programme), performing professional practice, involvement in teaching and research projects, and psychological counseling.
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
HT And Nokia Test 25G PON Broadband Optical Network
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022 - Hrvatski Telekom (HT) and Nokia on Thursday tested in Rijeka Nokia's 25G PON broadband optical network, a new generation of optical networks that significantly enhances the speed of data transfer, HT said.
The first national testing of Nokia's network was performed in HT's Rijeka laboratory, as part of which high speeds were achieved, of 20 gigabits per second.
"25G PON technology is ten times faster than GPON technology, whereby HT enabled a gigabit broadband connection for the first time in 2007. It is also two and a half times faster than XGS-PON technology that has been in use in HT's network since 2021," the company said, adding that HT's equipment was ready for 25G PON and that adjustments of the main systems to enable its commercial availability were not necessary.
The commercial use of the technology will be possible once user services for the network are developed.
HT says the biggest advantage of the 25G PON optical network is its high capacity, cost optimization, broader use, and simple introduction in HT's existing optical network.
HT expects the new optical network to facilitate the development and introduction of advanced, high-performance solutions such as big data, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, 5G transport via PON, and ultra-high capacity wholesale services.
For more, check out our business section
Magnitude 3.2 Tremor Reported In Petrinja
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022 - A 3.2 magnitude earthquake was registered near Petrinja at 1410 hours on Thursday, Croatia's Seismological Survey said.
The tremor was felt in the wider Petrinja area as well as the nearby city of Sisak.
For more news about Croatia, click here.
World Kidney Day: It's Time for National Detection Plan
ZAGREB, 10 March 2022 - World Kidney Day was marked on Thursday at the Croatian Medical Association with the message about the importance of prevention and for a national action plan to be launched in Croatia for the early detection of chronic kidney disease, which is something that one in ten adults contract.
Chronic kidney disease does not have any symptoms, it is not painful and remains undetected, which is why it is important to launch a national early detection programme, the president of the Croatian Association for Nephrology, Dialysis and Transplantation, Mario Laganović, told a press conference.
World Kidney Day, which is marked on the second Thursday in March, was marked in Croatia for the 17th year in a row and this year's slogan is "With knowledge to better care of kidney patients."
Laganović presented the results of an initial screening programme for early detection of chronic kidney disease that was conducted in 40 family doctors' offices throughout Croatia. The screening encompassed 428 at-risk patients with high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and a family history of kidney disease.
Undetected kidney damage was identified in 23% of the patients, which indicates that its frequency among at-risk groups is much higher than in the general population.
"The results speak in favour of the need for a programme to be launched at the national level for early detection and treatment of chronic kidney diseases such as those which already exist for diabetes, heart disorders and malignant diseases," Laganović said.
His colleague Lada Zibar called on those in power to dedicate attention to kidneys for the sake of the well-being of patients but also for the healthcare system because the cost of haemodialysis for a patient costs between HRK 100,000 and 150,000 a year.
For more, check out our lifestyle section.
Croatian IT Company Q Among World’s Top 10 Web Development Companies
March 10th, 2022 - The company Q from Zagreb was declared one of the ten best web developers in the world by Clutch, the world’s leading research agency for IT company ranking.
This is the first time that Q joins the elite top 10. In the last two years, the Croatian company repeatedly made Clutch’s top 20 list, reports Poslovni dnevnik.
‘We work hard to be better every single day, and making Clutch’s top 10 list has been a strategic goal of ours for the last two years, ever since we were ranked among the top 20 companies in the world, and in a category that involves the most complex projects at that’, said Q CEO Filip Ljubić.
Clutch is a prestigious platform that ranks IT companies and makes a list of best companies every year based on client satisfaction. This independent B2B platform calls numerous clients individually to interview them in detail, and provides a complete insight into the reviews collected by their analysts.
The analysis is conducted based on four criteria. The first is quality and the number of reviews collected by Clutch, followed by the selection of clients a company works with, their range of services and experience in the provision of said services, and finally the reputation of the brand and their visibility on target markets.
The results provide a comprehensive insight into global projects and business processes, and so the Croatian company found itself in the elite society of the top 10.
Q continues to receive recognition for its work and is continuously expanding its business, most recently by opening a development centre in Belgrade. The Q office in Serbia is supposed to employ 40-50 people who will work on global projects.
Five Places You Must Visit During Spring in Croatia
March 10, 2022 - This month, the frigid temperatures and strong winds of winter have already begun to turn into warm and colorful days, thus welcoming spring. Is it worth visiting during this time of year? Of course. And here are five places you cannot miss during spring in Croatia.
Winter in Croatia is a difficult concept to criticize. Despite low temperatures, strong winds, snow, or rain, Croatians have always found a way to positively view the arrival of the winter months. In central and eastern Croatia, the cold and snow are not strong enough to break the spirit of its inhabitants. Winter is synonymous with the holiday season, with cities and towns brightly and colorfully decorating their streets, and filling their parks and plazas with fairs and concerts.
In the same way, along the Croatian coast, the locals take back the cities from the tourists and the storms are intermittent since sunny days predominate. Thus, the people who live in front of the Adriatic find a great excuse to put on their best coats, their sunglasses, and get together with their friends and family to have a coffee in the rivas and old towns of their cities.
However, it is true that when the day darkens at five in the afternoon or the temperature of the sea is too cold to take a dip, summer days are missed throughout the country. For this reason, the arrival of spring is always welcome in Croatia and invites those who reside in the country to venture outside their homes without having to wear more than two pieces of clothing. The beginning of spring in Croatia is March 20, and so that you can plan your next adventure, we share five places that you cannot miss at this time of year.
Zagreb
Perhaps the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of spring in Croatia is some of its 8 national parks or 12 nature parks. However, the Croatian capital of Zagreb is literally a spectacle of colors and a great atmosphere during this time of year. Although the official date for the beginning of spring is still 10 days away, the inhabitants of Zagreb are already witnessing the first blooms in their avenues, streets, and parks. If you're coming to Zagreb during spring, you probably won't know where to start.
Flowers blossoming in the gardens of King Tomislav Square. (Photo: Patrik Macek/PIXSELL)
Stroll through the beautiful parks in Zagreb's upper town, from Zrinjevac to King Tomislav Square, where you could even sit in its gardens reading a book while enjoying the atmosphere and the colors of its flowers and trees. If you want to go for exercise and at the same time enjoy the blossoming in the spring, visit the parks of Jarun, Bundek or Maksimir, in which you could also organize a picnic with your friends. Or maybe organize a walk through the Zagreb Botanical Garden, in the upper town of Zagreb. You will see that when you get home and check your phone, you will have probably taken more than a hundred photos throughout the day. Zagreb is home to many of the best spots to be during spring in Croatia.
Cherry trees in the district of Prečko, Zagreb. (Photo: Igor Kralj/PIXSELL)
Bonus tip: visit Šulekova street in Zagreb in Spring, which has become famous for its spectacular colors thanks to the blossoming of its cherry trees. Don't forget to go with someone who can take amazing pictures of you for your Instagram!
Plitvice Lakes National Park
It really is impossible not to highlight the national and natural parks of Croatia when talking about a change of season. I do not mention a season in particular because each one offers something magical and different. For example, when we talk about Plitvice Lakes National Park, we cannot compare the four seasons, just enjoy them to the fullest. Autumn's intense red and orange colors beautifully contrast with turquoise lakes, resembling a frame straight out from a fairy tale. Winter covers the park with snow, and the result is a mixture of whites and turquoises that will make your jaw drop. And not to mention the summer, where the green forests also serve as a refuge from the high temperatures with their shade.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, stunning all year round. (Photo: Vedran Bozičević)
But we all know that, in a place as diverse in flora as the Plitvice Lakes National Park, it is essential to witness its colorful show during spring. It's arguably the perfect time, as it's neither too cold nor too hot to overwhelm you as you wander through the park, and it's one of its most photogenic times of the year!
Find HERE the prices and rates of the tickets to visit the Plitvice Lakes National Park.
Split
We also don't want to overwhelm you with a shower of colors, if that's not your thing. And it is not because Split does not have them, but the experience of spring in the Dalmatian city is lived in a different way. Spring in Croatia comes in different shapes and colors. Although the trees and parks of Split are also beginning to regain their leaves and greenery, the arrival of spring means that the return to the sea and the beaches is getting closer. You will feel that wearing a coat could be unnecessary, with temperatures that can rise up to 17 degrees. Even with the water still relatively cold, some brave souls are already starting to visit the city's beaches to take a dip, realizing that the frequent sunny days and rising temperatures will dry them out quickly once out of the water.
The Diocletian Palace in Split, not during summer, but in April. (Photo: Milan Sabic/PIXSELL)
But without a doubt, the most exciting thing about spring in Split is the progressive reopening of many restaurants, bars, and cafes throughout the season, which have already finished their respective maintenance and are beginning to prepare for the arrival of the busy summer. If you were in Split during the winter, and you will stay here until at least the beginning of summer, you will witness a city that is becoming active every day. Also, ferry lines are starting to increase and you can have the privilege of visiting more islands and destinations without the crowds. And beware, enjoying spring in Split is something that can be replicated throughout the Croatian coast, from Istria to Dubrovnik!
Krka National Park
If you change your mind and would indeed like to see the spring in Croatia blooming at its best, there will always be a national park or nature park near you. The Krka National Park has nothing to envy Plitvice Lakes since its sixteen plunging waterfalls, winding hiking trails, and vast expanse of lush, green forests place it as one of the most visited destinations in the entire country. Krka, apart from being recognized for its spectacular sceneries, is also a very popular destination for adventure lovers. Whether on foot or by bicycle, it is never enough to discover all the wonders that the national park hides. And if you had to pick an ideal time of year to visit, the spring months should be at the top of your list.
Very close to Šibenik, and less than an hour from Split - Krka National Park. (Credit: Krka National Park)
Although the new measures taken by the National Park, which prohibit visitors from bathing in the falls, have reduced the saturation of people in the main circuit of Krka, summer is still the time of year with the highest volume of tourists. If you are looking to connect better with the nature of Krka, you will surely find it in spring with almost as pleasant weather, colors everywhere, fewer people, and... cheaper prices!
Find HERE the prices and rates of the tickets to visit the Krka National Park.
Osijek
Of course, spring comes everywhere, and not only on the coast and in central Croatia. Moreover, it could be said that spring in eastern Croatia arrives with incomparable intensity. The vast forests, fields, and crops in Slavonia and Baranja are a visual delight both for those viewing it from above with their drones, as well as for those on foot. This part of Croatia is often mistakenly considered a cold, nothing-happening region, but few have the privilege of enjoying its energy and warmth all year round, even in the harshest of winters. And all the more reason, you'll want to check it out for yourself in a season with better weather and full of greenery.
Cherry trees in King Krešimir IV park in Osijek. (Photo: Davor Javorovic/PIXSELL)
There are so many places to visit in this region during spring, but what better place to start than in the largest city in eastern Croatia, and the fourth largest in the country. Osijek is famously known as the greenest city in Croatia, with more parks and public green areas than any other town in Croatia. Wherever you go in Osijek during the spring, you will come across an immeasurable number of trees and gardens full of vibrant colors. Some of the parks that you cannot miss are King Tomislav Park, Sakuntala Park, or King Krešimir IV Park, protected as the first monument of park architecture in Croatia.
Cherry trees in King Krešimir IV park in Osijek. (Photo: Dubravka Petric/PIXSELL)
These are just five examples of places that you cannot miss during spring in Croatia, but believe us when we tell you that the whole country, throughout its territory, has some magic waiting for you during the most colorful season of the year.
For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
