November 24, 2021 - TCN is delighted to announce a Split winter tourism round table on December 13, with Mayor Ivica Puljak and several key stakeholders already confirmed. 

The older I get, the clearer I see things, and the easier it becomes to get things done in Croatia. 

The timeline:

October 2 - a TCN editorial: Could Digital Nomad Concepts Solve Croatian Winter Tourism Problem? (Please note, digital nomad concepts, not digital nomads)

October 3 - the article is shared on my Facebook page, and the first comment is from Martin Gannon, who was a UK tour rep based in former Yugoslavia from 1986-91:

Both the Amfora and now Riva in Hvar Town were open all winter plus a few restaurants and cafes looking after Mainly American tourists for walking, history and Arts, that was up to 1991.

October 4 - Martin kindly agreed to an interview, which turned out to be quite astonishing - Croatian Winter Tourism in 1990: Full of Life! Tour Rep Interview. 

I invite anyone interested in developing Split winter tourism and with something to offer to contact me, just to see what might come out of the woodwork. 

There were two big gold nuggets.  

Maria Mustapic, co-owner of the excellent Zinfandel, Brasserie on 7, and Split Hostel, contacted me about efforts she was involved in, together with Jelena Tabak, President of the National Association of Restaurants.

I am also put in contact with Mario Seric, a tourism consultant who was heavily involved in a similar initiative back in 2008-9, and one with produced the concrete result of the Split-Munich year-round flight, which continues today. 

October 28 - I raise the subject at Days of Croatian Tourism at the Sheraton in Dubrovacka Zupa in a panel of experts including TUI Nordic and easyJet holidays. This leads to a meeting and fruitful discussion with Jelena Tabak.

October 29 - Jelena raises the issue with Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic at the closed session on tourism at Days of Croatian Tourism. 

November 5 - Sensing an opportunity, I drive from the Crikvenica International Health Tourism conference to Split to take part in Nomad Table, the excellent weekly gathering organised by Saltwater Nomads and Zinfandel, showing that Split is indeed full of life in winter. A fabulous evening and a complete sell-out (you can reserve your Friday night table here). I tag the Mayor of Split, Ivica Puljak and his wife Marijana, suggesting I reserve their table for next Friday. They both confirm. 

November 6 - A very productive meeting with Maria Mustapic of Zinfandel, Jelena Tabak, and consultant Mario Seric, who was involved in that 2008 winter tourism initiative. 

November 8 - Based on comprehensive data supplied by Mario, I publish Wow! Comparing Split, Dubrovnik Winter Flights to ExYu, Mediterranean Competition, to show just how nuts the situation is. 

November 10 - The inbox gets busier, with lots of people having suggestions and wanting to share their views. TCN offers a free promo article plus interview on winter tourism for any business with a winter tourism offer in Split. First up, the Daltonist, with an excellent contribution to the debate. 

November 12 - Mayor Puljak comes to Nomad Table at Zinfandel and has fruitful discussion with the Digital Nomad Association Croatia in the form of Jan de Jong, Tanja Polegubic, and Michael Freer, as well as Jelena Tabak. Check out the atmosphere in the video above. 

November 14 - Jasmina Garbin from CHOPS Grill contacts TCN to say that there is considerable interest in developing winter tourism. Jasmina offers to host and help organise a round table of key stakeholders and give them lunch afterwards. 

November 15 - CHOPS Grill is the second interview to be featured in the new TCN series.

November 18 - I sound out Mayor Puljak about his interest and availability for a Split winter tourism round table with lunch. He confirms his interest and attendance, suggesting a 10:00 start on December 13.

November 24 - Invitations are sent out to key stakeholders, with the aim of keeping the initial meeting to a maximum of 15 people. These include the City of Split and tourist board, Split-Dalmatia County and regional tourist board, Split Airport, representatives from the hotel, restaurant, and MICE industries, as well as tourism experts Mario Seric and Zoran Pejovic. Most have already confirmed.

December 13 - The round table will take place. 

Not so hard, is it?

Let's see what will be. 

The season of gift-giving is upon us! We bring you a list of ideas for unique Christmas gifts to inspire you to shop local and support small Croatian businesses

How’s that Christmas shopping list going? This holiday season, we encourage you to skip the big retailers and e-commerce giants in favour of supporting small local businesses run by creative, talented and passionate people.

We’ve put together a list of 10 ideas to kickstart your holiday gift-giving, featuring Croatian brands and their amazing products that would make perfect gifts for your loved ones.

Think of this list as a starting point: once you start following any of these creatives on social media, you’ll quickly discover other entrepreneurs, artists and manufacturers showcasing their work and supporting each other in the online space. As far as rabbit holes go, this is quite a lovely one to go down, and we guarantee you’ll find plenty of inspiration along the way.

naOtoku jewelry

naOtoku is a jewelry brand whose name literally translates to ‘on the island’, pointing to the main source of inspiration for its owner Petra Markusović. While the artist is based in Zagreb these days, she originally comes from Brač island which she calls ‘a place of peace, relaxation and endless inspiration’.

This is clearly reflected in her gorgeous jewelry. It’s not only aesthetically evocative of nature, the sea and island landscapes, but quite literally contains them. Petra collects pebbles, sea glass and other bits washed ashore, then cradles them in silver and brass to transform them into unique earrings, rings and necklace pendants.

Beautifully designed and expertly crafted, naOtoku creations are statement pieces and conversation starters - whoever wears them is sure to get asked where they got those every once in a while. You can follow naOtoku on Facebook and Instagram - and good luck trying to settle on just one favourite piece.

Love around the world by Anđela & Davor Rostuhar

What do a pair of world travelers do for their honeymoon? They sure don’t go to Paris for a week. Anđela and Davor Rostuhar, a Croatian couple known for their love of adventure and awe-inspiring expeditions, got married in 2018 and then launched quite a special project. They travelled the world for an entire year, interviewing couples of all ages and backgrounds to explore what love means in every corner of our planet.

The project resulted in a poignant documentary film and a beautiful book sharing the same name, Love around the world. As described on their site, the book is ‘an intimate essay, a travel diary and an ethnographic study’, and we think a book about love would make a perfect gift this holiday season.

You can learn more about the project and purchase the book (in Croatian or English) on their website.

Chia Cups Studio

Chia Cups are one of those brands that are instantly recognizable from a single product: in their case, a beautiful white ceramic mug covered in black polka dots with the handle painted gold.

They’re so popular, there’s no shortage of copycats out there trying to imitate the famed design. And while the pattern itself is a classic you can’t exactly patent, it’s easy to spot the superior product in the bunch: Chia Cups are handmade, hand painted, glazed to glossy perfection and presented in style by their makers Filipa and Antun.

They’re about to launch their annual holiday collection on their website, so keep an eye out for festive designs featuring timeless Christmas motifs. And if you’re considering getting one as a gift, don’t wait too long: since all the cups are handmade, they are only manufactured in small quantities which typically sell out at the speed of light.

Check out the webshop here and follow Chia Cups on Facebook and Instagram.

Croatian Classics by Andrea Pisac

Few things have the ability to inspire, provide comfort and get people together like food does, and there's no better time to gather around the table and enjoy a traditional meal than the holiday season. Andrea Pisac of Croatia Honestly recently came out with a cookbook named Croatian Classics, featuring 100 recipes for savoury dishes originating from all parts of the country.

The recipes are grouped into themed chapters - not by region, ingredients or courses, but a set of Croatian-specific phrases that describe both the cooking method and the essence of a certain dish. Tell any Croatian to name a few meals ‘na žlicu’ (by the spoon) or ‘za dušu’ (for the soul), and you’ll probably find them all in this cookbook.

Image © Croatia Honestly / Andrea Pisac

The book is written in English, features hundreds of colour photos and detailed step by step instructions, and the ingredients are listed in metric and imperial measurements. It’s a great gift for any recipient: based in Croatia or diaspora, novices or experienced home cooks, everyone is sure to enjoy delving into this book. Whether you want to tackle our national cuisine or perhaps wish to reconnect with your roots, the Croatian Classics cookbook is a great way to start exploring the traditional Croatian gastronomy. If you want to go all out, pair it with Andrea’s first cookbook, Croatian Desserts.

The cookbook is available for purchase in the Croatia Honestly webshop.

aDORAble

Speaking about food… Let's add a dash of unique flavour to our list. Meet aDORAble, a family-run agricultural business known for organic products of outstanding quality that will take your cooking to the next level.

They make wonderful jams and hot sauces, but they’re best known for their flavoured salts. Hand-harvested in Nin, the coarse sea salt is combined with Mediterranean herbs and other organically grown ingredients such as dried fruit, vegetables, mushrooms - and even red wine! This results in over a dozen flavour combinations, varying from lemon or basil to more complex mixtures such as orange, rosemary and thyme or tangerine and fig leaf. aDORAble control every step of the production process and grow the majority of ingredients themselves.

A nice combo of Mediterranean herbs, chilli and lemon. Image © aDORAble 

All aDORAble products can be purchased individually, but they also sell gift boxes that anyone who loves to cook would be happy to find under the Christmas tree. Check out their shop here - international shipping is also available upon request.

Take tha break

Why yes, we'll gladly take a break. This design brand specializes in stylish home decor and accessories made of high quality fabrics: pillows, shopping bags, totes, towels, and headbands, to name a few.

Our favourite? Their beach towels, made of waffle cotton that’s highly absorbent and doesn’t shed - the two main features you’d want in this particular item, and yet surprisingly hard to find these days. Aside from checking off all the practical boxes, they come in an assortment of dreamy summery colours and in several sizes; the bigger ones double as throws that will come in handy during those chilly, early-morning ferry rides.

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And yes, December might not seem like the best time to gift beach accessories, but in our opinion, it’s never too early to start planning a summer vacation. Fancy something more seasonally appropriate? Their holiday collection is sure to bring some Christmas cheer into your home.

Follow them on Instagram and check out the products in their webshop.

Matinata - premium organic skincare

Matinata is a Croatian skincare brand whose name, philosophy and ingredients all stem from Mother Nature. Their line of active organic skincare currently counts six top-notch products, made from botanicals, plant extracts and naturally derived ingredients that have all been proven to have beneficial effects for the skin.

The organic components are carefully sourced worldwide from selected fair trade partners, thoroughly tested in collaboration with the Faculty of Pharmacy in Ljubljana, and then used to manufacture Matinata products in Croatia in small batches. The brand is based on transparency and their website offers a thorough breakdown of ingredients they use (as well as those they don’t), their purpose and benefits for the skin. 

Image © Matinata skincare

From the exquisite dark glass packaging to the hypercharged formulas, Matinata products feel luxurious and transform a simple daily routine into a cherished ritual. Our favourite: re.glow, a potent nourishing oil serum that restores balance to the skin, looks like liquid amber and has an intoxicating scent that will make you want to bathe in the stuff. (No need; a few drops will suffice.) Not sure which product to go with? Their Discovery set features mini versions of all Matinata products and would make a great gift for anyone looking to explore natural cosmetics. 

Learn more about Matinata on their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram. 

Better Bread by Kroštula: panettone

Okay, panettone isn’t exactly an authentic Croatian thing, but this delicious Italian sweet bread is such a Christmas classic, it’s become a holiday staple in countless Croatian households. While we’re usually happy to go with tried and tested Italian brands, it’s nice to know we have a fantastic local version as well.

This year, skip the imported stuff and try an artisan panettone instead, courtesy of Better Bread by Kroštula. They’ve got the recipe down to a T (not an easy feat, as they like to remind us in their social media posts), resulting in ethereal, fluffy goodness you can basically smell through your screen:

Two versions of panettone are available at the moment (candied fruit and chocolate), with more flavour combinations to follow. It can be purchased in their webshop and in selected stores across Croatia - check the list here and follow Better Bread on Facebook.

Bradonja i plava

Bradonja i Plava (the bearded guy and the blonde) are Josip and Maja, two creatives running a lifestyle brand formerly known as Papa Joe design. We love their jewelry and home decor inspired by traditional Croatian lace and recreated in birch wood.

Yep, that's wood up there on the wall! Image © Bradonja i Plava 

Adorn your walls in intricate designs based on Pag, Hvar and Lepoglava lace; if you’re looking for something on the smaller side, check out their delicate wooden earrings which literally represent small sections of authentic lace patterns.

Follow them on Facebook or Instagram and check out their webshop.

Likamee wool

Likamee wool is a small family business producing felted mat rugs out of sheep wool, sourced from the region of Lika and its indigenous Lika Pramenka sheep variety.

Image © Likamee Wool
An incredible amount of time and work is invested in every single piece, as all Likamee rugs are manufactured entirely by hand. It’s truly a labour of love, resulting in unique, eye-catching home decor which is also animal friendly and sustainably made.

Follow them on Facebook and Instagram, where they also share snippets of the manufacturing process that will make you appreciate their craft all the more.

November 23, 2021 - A press conference ahead of the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualifiers and Croatia's first match against Slovenia on Thursday in Zagreb. 

A press conference of the Croatia men's senior national team was held today at the KC Dražen Petrović Press Center ahead of the first qualifying matches for the World Cup, held in 2023 in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines, reports HKS.

At the conference, basketball legend Dino Rađa was available to the media for all questions, this time in the capacity of the president of the HKS Expert Council, national team coach Veljko Mršić and national team members Pavle Marčinković and Lovro Gnjidić.

Dino Rađa immediately drew attention to the national team youth: “As you can see, we have rejuvenated the team as much as possible. The atmosphere at training is very good; you feel a good vibe. The guys work as honestly as possible and are unencumbered. As much as youth and inexperience can be their flaw, so much so that it can be turned into an advantage because they don't carry some former results. They have only one task, and that is to get off the court with bloody knees, and everything else will be forgiven. I wish them good luck!"

Coach Veljko Mršić continued Dino's thoughts: “True, a new national team. A combination of youth and experience will be the best possible in the last two windows in late autumn 2022 and early 2023. We will certainly be good even now because, as Dino said, the guys are doing really well. The atmosphere is great; from the first day of the gathering, they look very good in training and commitment and behavior on and off the court. I'm sure it will lead us to play good basketball, without worrying about the result, and burdened only with one thing: to be very concentrated and think of each possession as if it were the last. The players have a lot of room for improvement, and I expect us to be better from game to game."

Pavle Marčinković is one of the national team members with the most experience: “The atmosphere is excellent. Not to forget, there are those of us who have been through a couple of cycles, so even though this is a newer and younger team, our goals, postulates, and principles are still the same. We will continue to build the result on a good defense and a strong transition back and forth. I think that we have a lot to look forward to with these young players; they play important roles in their clubs, and they are full of self-confidence.”

Twenty-year-old Lovro Gnjidić is part of the senior national team for the first time: “Coming to the senior national team, after all the younger categories, is a dream come true. The team is great, we get along great, and I think we clicked well."

When asked if he was nervous about his debut, Lovro answered: "It may be small, but I am focused, and I will do my best."

Croatia - Slovenia is scheduled for Thursday, November 25, at 20:45 in KC Dražen Petrović in Zagreb. Tickets can be purchased through ulaznice.hr and at the box office on Wednesday from 10 am to 6 pm and on Thursday from 10 am until the end of halftime.

Finland - Croatia is played in Espoo, part of the metropolitan area of ​​the more famous Helsinki, on Sunday at 18:00. You can watch both matches on the SportKlub program.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page. 

ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Justice and Public Administration Minister Ivan Malenica said on Tuesday that fines for those flouting the mandate to show their COVID-19 certificates in public law bodies would range between 30,000 and 50,000 kuna ( €4,000-6,700).  

We have envisaged pecuniary penalties for the responsible persons who fail to respect the relevant law. Fines are between HRK 30,000 and HRK 50,000, and we believe that they will prompt those institutions' heads and persons in charge to respect the decisions made by the national COVID-19 crisis management team, said the minister.

The draft amendments to the relevant legislation will be on the agenda of the government's meeting on Wednesday.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Croatia is with you in these difficult moments, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said in his condolences to North Macedonia PM Zoran Zaev and the families of that country's citizens killed when a bus caught fire in Bulgaria, killing 45 people, the Croatian government said on Tuesday.

The bus with North Macedonia license plates and 52 people on board caught fire on a motorway in western Bulgaria this morning.

An employee of the North Macedonia Embassy in Sofia told BTV that most of the fatalities were North Macedonia citizens.

"It was with great sorrow and genuine regret that I received news of the horrible tragedy in Bulgaria in which most of those killed were your citizens. In these difficult moments for the victims' families, as well as for all North Macedonia, Croatia is with you," Plenković said in his note of condolence to Zaev.

Izražavamo najdublju sućut @Zoran_Zaev i obiteljima stradalih nakon strašnog požara autobusa na autocesti u Bugarskoj gdje je poginuo velik broj ljudi. U ovim teškim trenucima za cijelu Sjevernu Makedoniju, Hrvatska je s vama! Naše su misli i molitve uz ?? i obitelji stradalih.

— Andrej Plenković (@AndrejPlenkovic) November 23, 2021

Plenković extended condolences to Zaev, the victims' families, and all of North Macedonia on behalf of the government, the Croatian people, and his own.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić Radman on Tuesday expressed his deepest condolences and offered help to his North Macedonian counterpart Bujar Osmani following an accident involving a bus with North Macedonian license plates in Bulgaria in which at least 45 people were killed.

According to initial reports, there are no Croatian nationals among the casualties.

The bus caught fire on a motorway in the west of Bulgaria early on Tuesday morning, a senior Bulgarian Foreign Ministry official said.

The vehicle, carrying 52 passengers, was moving along the Struma motorway from Sofia to Blegoevgrad in the southwest of the country and the accident happened at the exit at Bosnek, around 40 kilometers south of Sofia, according to information on the website of the BTV television.

An official at the North Macedonian Embassy in Sofia confirmed for BTV that most of the casualties were nationals of North Macedonia.

The Croatian Foreign Ministry said that according to currently available information, there are no Croatian nationals among the casualties, noting that the Croatian Embassy in Sofia is following the situation.

Minister Grlić Radman spoke on the telephone with North Macedonian Foreign Minister Osmani, offering him his deepest condolences and offering help on behalf of Croatia.

Grlić Radman said that Croatia and its people felt solidarity with North Macedonia and its citizens.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević announced on Tuesday that next year the city authorities plan to absorb HRK 13.5 billion from EU funds which is 40% more compared to 2020, and added that with the introduction of new locations the number of vaccinated Zagreb citizens has doubled.

"Our policy is to absorb as much money from funds to alleviate the city budget," Tomašević told a regular press conference, adding that thanks to that money huge changes would be visible next year already.

He announced that projects by the Croatian Natural History and Ethnographic museums would be financed from EU funds.

Tomašević said that thanks to eight new vaccination locations, in less than two weeks the number of Zagreb citizens who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 has doubled, particularly those receiving the first dose. The number of daily vaccinations has increased to 3,800.

More than 20,000 citizens have been vaccinated at these locations, 13,000 have received the first dose while 19,500 citizens have been vaccinated at the location at the Zagreb Fair grounds, 13,000 of whom have received the first dose.

For more on politics, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 23 Nov 2021 - Parliament recalled on Tuesday that Croatian was declared the official language instead of Latin 174 years ago today.

The Sabor adopted the historic decision on the official use of the national language on 23 October 1847 and parliament started using it in its work in 1848.

At the last Sabor session of 1847, Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski warned the people's representatives about the need to introduce the official language in public services. At his proposal, parliament adopted a conclusion to that effect.

The introduction of Croatian as the official language was preceded by 50 years of political struggle, notably revivalist attempts to adopt and apply a uniform orthography and adopt the Shtokavian dialect as the basis of the official language.

The first address in Croatian was delivered in parliament by Kukuljević Sakcinski on 2 May 1843.

Kukuljević Sakcinski (1816-1889), a Croatian politician, historian, and author was one of the leaders of the Croatian National Revival, also known as the Illyrian movement.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.