Jelsa Wine Festival Returns After Last Year's Break
August 26, 2021 - After a year-long hiatus from the pandemic, one of the most popular and traditional events in the town of Jelsa on the island of Hvar marks its long-awaited return. The Jelsa wine festival starts tomorrow and includes sports, cultural activities, a great gastronomic offer, and of course, the best from its wineries.
As written by Turističke Priče, the first Jelsa wine festival was held back in 1952 on the initiative of the community of the Cooperative Association of Jelsa called the District Cooperative Meeting. In 1954, Cooperative Day was held, and since 1956, this event has been called the Wine Fair or Cooperative Rally. The Wine Fair in 1966 was held on August 14 and that day was declared the Day of Tourism in Jelsa. The festival has been held for years in the first half of August, from Friday to Sunday. The crowd would start in the morning and last until dawn the next day. Huge quantities of wine were poured because the idea was to free the taverns by selling old wine for the new one that will come with the upcoming harvest.
This year's Wine Festival is held on August 27 and 28 and in recent years this event has returned to its original purpose: to be a cheerful event to promote Hvar wines, especially the best in the Jelsa ring, a wine-growing region where we find many original varieties of islands such as Bogdanusa, prča, plavac mali, but also the popular international cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and syrah, and thus various wines, from white and red, rosé, to the popular opol and prosecco.
Jelsa Wine Festival
For the last thirty years, these wines have stood out for their quality, won prizes in competitions, and delighted guests for whom the Wine Festival is a real opportunity to taste and feel the differences between wines from the southern slopes of the island, positions from Jelsa slopes and valleys and fields by the sea. The wine festival is an experience that tourists remember - the sun and the sea have long been the only assets of the island, but also tradition, wine, gastronomy, Dalmatian songs... the spirit of the Mediterranean as it once was.
Various sports and entertainment competitions have been announced: water polo matches are played in the port, rowing competitions are held, international regattas as well, and prosciutto is removed from the top of a ten-meter-high mast. Everything is, of course, spiced with a gastronomic offer and accompanied by concerts. This year, Four Tenors and Zorica Kondža are in charge of good music.
For the third year in a row, in cooperation with the Hvar Winemakers Association and the Wine Stars project, a Summer Wine tasting by Wine Stars is held as part of the Jelsa Wine Festival, with an emphasis on original varieties and what makes them different from other wine regions. Book the last weekend in August for Jelsa where the hosts invite you and guarantee good fun. This year's program will be conducted in accordance with current epidemiological measures and the entire program can be found at this LINK.
Vineyard on the hills of Jelsa (Photo: Mario Romulić)
After the wine festival, when you are in Jelsa, be sure to look up and discover the starry sky. Apart from the sun and the sea and top wines, Jelsa also offers tourists a starry sky, and the stars are disappearing in modern times precisely because of light pollution, and observing the starry sky is becoming a tourist attraction that you cannot often see.
The stars will be the brightest tourist product of Jelsa, which should acquire the status of the International Dark-Sky Community by the end of the year and become the first municipality/city in Croatia to proudly bear that title. This title confirms Jelsa as a destination that has an exceptional quality of the night sky and respects high environmental standards in terms of light pollution, which together make a big step towards creating an astro-tourist offer in the area of Jelsa.
Croatian wines and grapes are among the best in the world, and you can find more information about them in Total Croatia’s Guide to Croatian Wine HERE. Now in your language!
Jelsa is a slice of safe, authentic lifestyle heaven on Croatia’s premier island, with wine and beach treasures galore. Everything you need to know about Jelsa, you'll find it in our Total Croatia's Jelsa on a Page HERE.
Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.
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ECDC Corona Map on August 26, 2021: Croatia Remains Orange!
August 26, 2021 - Good news - Croatia remains orange on the latest ECDC corona map on August 26, 2021.
The latest European Center for Disease Prevention and Control corona map, which has been published around noon in recent weeks, was finally released on Thursday at 3:30 pm. The map revealed that Croatia remains orange, even though many media reports worried the country would turn red with the recent jump in cases.
Health Minister Vili Beroš said at a press conference today before the map was released that Croatia remained orange and that there were no red zones.
"We contacted our sources in Stockholm and they had some difficulties in publishing the map, and those same sources told us that the whole of Croatia is still orange. So there are no red zones," Beroš said.
In the past 24 hours, 638 new cases were recorded, bringing the number of active cases in Croatia today to 3253, the Headquarters reported.
Among them, 358 patients are in hospital, of which 43 patients are on respirators. Six people died.
To date, a total of 371,623 people have been reported to be infected with the coronavirus, of whom 8,316 have died and 360,054 have recovered (330 in the past 24 hours).
There are currently 7058 people in self-isolation. To date, a total of 2,501,327 people have been tested, of which 10,428 in the last 24 hours.
The ECDC Epidemiological Map for Europe is published each week based on the 14-day incidence and the share of positive tests in the total number tested.
Green on the ECDC map are regions where the 14-day COVID-19 infection rate per 100,000 inhabitants is less than 50, and the share of COVID-19 positives tested is less than four percent, or the 14-day incidence was less than 75 percent, and the share of positives was less than one percent.
Orange means that the incidence of confirmed COVID-19 cases is less than 50, but the share of positives is more than 4 percent, or the 14-day rate is between 75 and 200, and the share of positives among those tested is less than four percent.
Red means a 14-day incidence rate of 75-200, with a COVID-19 positive rate greater than 4 percent and a 14-day incidence rate of 200 to 500, and dark red encompasses areas where the 14-day rate is greater than 500.
ECDC assesses the COVID-19 risk by major statistical regions within the country (NUTS 2). NUTS 2 statistical regions must have a minimum population of 800 thousand and a maximum of three million. There are only four NUTS 2 regions in Croatia - Pannonian Croatia, Adriatic Croatia, Northern Croatia, and the City of Zagreb.
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.
Excellent 2021 Croatian Hotel Postseason Expected
August 26, 2021 - The 2021 Croatian hotel postseason has excellent expectations, especially with September bookings.
Based on the current state of reservations, the largest Croatian hotel houses are announcing an excellent postseason, especially in September, reports HRTurizam.
Although the end of school holidays in Croatia in our most important countries will significantly reduce the number of guests in family accommodation and camping, announcements for hotel accommodation are excellent.
“We are especially looking forward to the return of groups, whether it is events, congresses, or trips of special interest. Following the epidemiological instructions received from the national and local civil protection headquarters, careful preparation is the key to successfully implementing the stay of larger groups of tourists. It is estimated that based on market interest, about 800 hotels (80-90% of the number of hotels now open) would continue to operate during September and thus further improve the results achieved so far," said Veljko Ostojić, director of the Croatian Tourism Association.
Croatia remains the epidemiologically safest EU country in the Mediterranean. This is confirmed by comparisons of all relevant public health institutes. For example, according to the 14-day incidence, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control ECDC ranks Croatia 8th on the list of EU members in terms of security, with a significantly better epidemiological situation than other Mediterranean countries.
The German Robert Koch Institute, which monitors Croatia by counties, did not put any county in Croatia on the list of risk areas in the last update on August 20, while all Mediterranean countries have been on that list for weeks. Also, on the European map updated daily by the American Johns Hopkins University, according to the rolling 7-day average of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, Croatia has a significantly better situation than its Mediterranean competition.
Two counties that attract a total of more than half of tourists to Croatia, Istria and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, also have a better epidemiological situation than the national average. Istria County has a 14-day incidence of 46 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, and Primorje-Gorski Kotar County has an incidence of 55, making these two counties a safer environment for most tourists from Europe than they have in their home countries.
On Wednesday, 677 new cases were recorded, so the number of active cases in Croatia on Wednesday was a total of 2,951. Among them, 356 patients are in hospital, of which 46 are on a respirator. In the past 24 hours, 282 people recovered, and 10,453 were tested.
The jump in new cases in Croatia is worrying, and everyone in tourism has been anxiously awaiting Thursday when the new ECDC epidemiological map comes out. Although there is the worry that Croatia will turn red this week, it is certain that such a drastic drop, i.e., the number of tourists, will not happen again, like last year.
However, this year, the context and situation are different, as a large number of the population has been vaccinated or contracted Covid-19. Additionally, test centers have been secured, and, regardless of the spread of the Delta variant, much more is still known about the coronavirus. Therefore, the biggest problem may be caused by the possible need for quarantine, which would certainly lead to a drastic decline in tourists in Croatia.
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to the Republic of Croatia, including test centres, vaccination points, and travel and border rules, make sure to check out and bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.
ŽNK Hajduk Women's Team Newest to Join Famous Split Club!
August 26, 2021 - HNK Hajduk formally introduced its women's team on Wednesday, ŽNK Hajduk!
In the White Salon at Poljud, a contract on business and technical cooperation was signed with ŽNK Marjan, which will change its name and become ŽNK Hajduk, announced the Split club.
The contract was signed by the HNK Hajduk Management Board President Lukša Jakobušić and the President of ŽNK Marjan Matea Bešlić. In this way, Hajduk is involved in modern European trends by monitoring the development of European football following the UEFA strategy.
The ŽNK Hajduk first team will start competing in mid-September, and the main sponsor of the first team is the company "SuperSport," whose logo will be featured on the front of the jersey. Players Matea Granić, Lucija Mudrinić, Ana Bakalar, Karla Jonjić and Anja Prskalo, and Hajduk's first-team players Stipe Biuk and Marin Ljubičić participated in signing the business-technical cooperation.
"At the beginning of our mandate, we mentioned establishing a women's team as one of the goals. For almost a year, we scanned the situation in women's football in Croatia and Split. We spoke to ŽNK Split and ŽNK Marjan, and we are glad that today we decided on this business-technical cooperation, which was signed for a year plus two more potential years. I hope that in three years, ŽNK Hajduk will become an integral part of the Hajduk family. Until then, we as a Club will provide them with logistical support; they will get our visibility and huge marketing potential. They will continue to work as an association. The goal for this season is to enter the first league, and next year, with the strength of Hajduk they will fight for the top. Better said, the goal is everything that Hajduk strives for, and that is to fight for titles in all teams," said Lukša Jakobušić.
"This is a historic moment for women's football in Split, but I also believe in Croatia because our biggest club gets its own women's team. I think that this will be a signpost for everyone else in Croatia in which direction to go. So far, our cooperation has been, I would say, on a friendly basis, and from now on, we will be an equal part of Hajduk. We will proudly wear the Hajduk jersey. I am convinced that quality results in the coming period will not be lacking. Thanks to President Jakobušić for recognizing a partner in Marjan, who will give Hajduk something more," said Matea Bešlić, the youngest president of a football club in Croatia.
The Hajduk women's team already has over a hundred girls who train diligently. Seniors will compete in the 2nd HNLŽ, cadets and pioneers in the United Croatian League, and beginners in the Dalmatian League. In mid-September, a football school for girls will start at Poljud, and the interest will certainly be exceptional.
"We have the quality to step forward; the playing staff is outstanding, we are one of the youngest teams in the league, but extremely talented. Under the name Hajduk, in addition to better working conditions, we will also get recognition. ŽNK Hajduk will be a source of pride for everyone who has Hajduk at heart," said the 24-year-old coach of ŽNK Marjan Tamara Benković, the youngest senior coach of a team in Croatian women's football who Josip Pirić will assist, an experienced coach, who founded ŽNK Marjan in 2003.
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Cycling Croatia With EuroVelo 8 Route Encompasses Entire Coastline
August the 26th, 2021 - Cycling Croatia is a fantastic way to see and get better acquainted with this country's stunning biodiversity. The rugged Croatian coast is spectacular from whichever angle you look at it and on any form of transport, but cycling Croatia is one way to get up close and personal with nature. The EuroVelo 8 route will let you cycling the entire Croatian coastline, from Istria all the way down to Dubrovnik.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija Crnjak writes, as cycling tourism is in increasing demand in Croatia, the number of public and private initiatives for its development is only growing. On Tuesday, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) announced the start of the Bike, Explore and Enjoy! here on the Croatian market.
The campaign focuses, among other things, on the EuroVelo 8 route, which covers the entire coastline, from Istria down to the country's southernmost city of Dubrovnik. The activities within the campaign will be carried out for one month, via both online and offline channels.
“We have a very high quality resource base for cycling tourism, we're integrated into the EuroVelo network of bicycle routes, and the part of the route that passes through Croatia includes all seven Adriatic counties and covers a total length of 1116 kilometres. I believe that with this campaign, we'll encourage Croatian guests even more to discover this country in an interesting, healthy and sustainable way,'' concluded the director of the CNTB, Kristjan Stanicic.
This Friday, in Zagreb, there will be a presentation of the cycling concept Bikademy, an interactive product that has recently expanded to the areas of Zagreb, Berlin and Sibenik, and creates added value to the tourist offer and promotes the use of the bicycle as a valid and helpful means of transport.
Bikademy is based on a free mobile app, and everyone who registers on the app becomes a Bike Student. Each Bike Student within the app has a virtual index with Bikademy Studies representing a particular region, county or city.
Within each study, therefore, there are different exams, or locations or places of cultural or natural significance to explore. It is necessary to cycle to each Exam, take a selfie and upload a photo to the app.
After passing all the exams of a particular Studio, Bike Students receive a prize. Bikademy currently has more than a thousand Bike Students from across Croatia and Europe.
For more on cycling Croatia, check our our dedicated travel section.
American Spartan Race Invests in Croatian Highlander Brand
August the 26th, 2021 - The American Spartan Race has invested in the increasingly popular Croatian Highlander brand, which is attracting more and more hiking and mountaineering fanatics as time goes on.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, just last week, the world's leading event brand, the American Spartan Race® concluded an investment in the Croatian Highlander brand, thus forming a global strategic partnership. The goal of this partnership is to support the growth of the Croatian Highlander brand, whose mountaineering events are held across a total of thirteen countries around the world, and at the same time expand the "tough fitness" portfolio of Spartan Race to hiking.
“Spartan Race’s mission is to create challenging, life-changing experiences for the better,” said Spartan Race founder and CEO Joe De Sena. ''Investing in a partnership with the Croatian Highlander brand allows us to encourage even more people around the world to participate in physically demanding activities that they think are beyond their reach. We are excited to be able to work with Highlander and to increase their global reach, and we're also excited by the fact that we'll be able to offer our Spartan community even more opportunities to step outside of their comfort zones.''
The compatibility of the goals of Spartan Race and the Croatian Highlander brand naturally gravitated towards the aforementioned global strategic partnership. The vision, mission and core values of these two brands form the same core: a strong state of mental and physical well-being that encourages positive lifestyle changes. Within the partnership, the Croatian Highlander brand will have the opportunity to present its concept to a much wider audience and pursue its core objectives.
"We want to encourage people to rise from their established routines and embark on the path of discovering a better version of themselves, all while contributing to a better world," said Highlander CEO Jurica Barac. ''Highlander offers a fantastic adventure that takes place in some of the most impressive locations around the world. That's why we're very proud to be able to work with Spartan Race - together we're going to change the lives of people around the world.''
The strategic partnership will result in the Croatian Highlander brand's real breakthrough into the world's largest markets in the event industry such as the USA, the UK, China and Australia. The conceptual simplicity of the event itself, as well as the fact that hiking has become one of the most desirable forms of physical activity worldwide, greatly contribute to the desire of the brand's founders to allow hiking enthusiasts to attend their events on every continent.
Spartan Race, which began organising hurdle racing (OCR) events back in 2010, then expanding its business to as many as 45 countries, has become a world leader in endurance sports, creating a new “Tough Fitness” category. Over more recent years, Spartan Race has expanded its business initially to trail running with the launch of the Spartan Trail World Championship®, followed by mountain biking with strategic partner La Rute, the world's first multistage mountain bike race in Costa Rica, which has since expanded to Spain.
In addition, Spartan Race has acquired former OCR rival Tough Mudder, launched the functional fitness brand DEKA®, launched a digital app and training platform. In total, more than one million participants participate in all events within the Spartan Race portfolio each year.
For more, follow our dedicated lifestyle section.
Croatian Company Amodo Creates "Pay As You Drive" Concept
August the 26th, 2021 - The very young but already successful Croatian company Amodo has created a new and innovative ''pay as you drive'' concept which is sure to win over many drivers.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marina Bilus writes, just five months since its debut here on the Croatian market, the Croatian company Amodo, which until recently gained an exceptional reputation exclusively through international business, continues to transform the local insurance industry.
This globally renowned insurtech company, led by Marijan Mumdziev, achieved its first cooperation with insurers in the Republic of Croatia back in March, when Croatia Osiguranje (Insurance) launched LaqoPrevent, based on the the Croatian company Amodo's own platform.
Now, however, Amodo is joining forces with Uniqa Osiguranje, which, thanks to the smart solutions of this startup, has offered customers a pioneering innovation, even on the European scale - the Smart Kasko product.
As the name suggests, it is a comprehensive insurance that, thanks to the innovative Amodo platform, is fully digitalised, so the client has complete control over its contracting and use, through the app for mobile phones.
The real "revolution" in the Croatian company Amodo's innovation lies in the very structure of this type of comprehensive insurance because customers are offered two models of this product. The first is, let's say, basic and closest to the classic comprehensive insurance where the policies are paid annually. But the second model is truly the result of the “Pay As You Drive” concept, which has come to life in the global insurance industry with the flourishing of fintech.
Simply put, the client pays for this type of comprehensive insurance depending on the planned mileage, so they're offered several options - 100, 300 or 1200 kilometres, and they can then select them on a prepaid basis via the mobile app. So, the driver pays literally as much they drive.
Users can try the app out for free for 30 days, following their driving style, which is rated, and each with a ''score'' of more than 60 provides them with free kilometres that they can use when buying an extended package.
"Smart Kasko is the future of safe driving, a digital innovation we created by thinking about the needs of a client who doesn't want to pay for a full Kasko policy but instead just wants to pay depending on how much and how they drive," explained Sabine Usaty, CEO of Uniqa Osiguranje, adding that the move will increase safety, raise awareness of responsible driving, and with all this, it is still extremely easy to use.
"This is the most innovative ''Pay Per Mile'' insurance product at the European Union level," Amoda CEO Marijan Mumdzhiev stated, emphasising that the Croatian company Amoda, as a European insurtech leader, is especially pleased to realise cooperation with innovative companies in the insurance industry on the Croatian market because "they are jointly transforming the entire industry."
The Amoda and Uniqa project is also proof that Mumdziev foresaw well that numerous innovations on the Croatian insurance market were soon to take place.
For more, follow Made in Croatia.
Plitvice Lakes National Park Ranked Among Three Best in Europe!
August the 26th, 2021 - Plitvice Lakes National Park, one of the most beautiful nature parks with stunning waterfalls you'll ever see, has quite rightly been ranked among the top three in all of Europe.
This beautiful park, among the oldest and largest in all of Croatia, with the vast majority of it being located within Lika-Senj County, attracts endless amounts of visitors from all corners of the world each and every year. The astonishing landscape and colour of the waterfalls make you feel as if you've been transported into another world. It's no surprise that the gorgeous Plitvice Lakes National Park has been listed among Europe's top three.
As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, while the hot summer months draw crowds to the coast, there have been no fewer visitors to Plitvice Lakes National Park, and not soaring temperatures and potential extreme weather conditons of other kinds contributed to less crowds.
The weather in Lika can be interchangeable and far less predictable than the weather on the coast, but people adore this place in all conditions, come rain or shine.
Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park is the winner of this year's Travellers Choice Award, and as such, Plitvice and this beautiful part of Lika have been listed among the top 10 percent of attractions for visitors in the world! In addition, Plitvice Lakes National Park is third on the list of "Best of the best" national parks in all of Europe, and 21st on the ranking list in the category of "Best of the best" national parks on the planet.
Plitvice Lakes National Park stood out from the crowd not only with its timeless natural beauty which is enough to leave anyone breathless at first glance, but by providing excellent services and experiences to its millions of visitors and guests from all around the world.
For more on national parks in Croatia, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.
Champions League Playoffs: Dinamo Loses to Sheriff, Moves to Europa League
August 25, 2021 - Dinamo loses to Sheriff in the Champions League playoffs and will compete in the Europe League competition instead.
Dinamo failed to qualify for the Champions League group stage after playing 0:0 against Sheriff in the return match of the playoffs in Zagreb. Sheriff won the first leg 3:0 in Tiraspol.
Dinamo failed to make up for the three-goal deficit, and the Moldovan club thus qualified for the Champions League group stage for the first time.
Dinamo did not find a way to break through the Sheriff's defense led by goalkeeper Athanasiadis, whom Dinamo failed to get by in both matches.
Sheriff unexpectedly started attacking from the first minute, and in the 4th minute, Thill hit the post.
Dinamo had their first chance only after ten minutes. However, Ivanušec missed a good opportunity, and Petković's attempts were defended by the Moldovan goalkeeper Athanasiadis, and the teams went into halftime without goals.
Sheriff's goalkeeper defended Oršić's shot in the 52nd minute, after which the match calmed down completely. Dinamo's attacks could not penetrate Sheriff's defense.
"We did our best, but we failed. I’m sorry to the wonderful fans, but hopefully, there will be a win in the Europa League. We knew we had to put more pressure than in the first game, but Sheriff deserved the Champions League," Duje Cop said after the game.
Mislav Oršić thanked the fans for their support.
"I don't know what to say; it's hard to analyze the game. They were better; that’s the only thing that matters. After that, we have to turn to the Europa League, and the HNL," said Oršić.
"We reached the last third, but in the end, there was always something missing," added Dinamo's winger.
"Maybe someone will say that this is a failure, but we are in the Europa League in which we did great things last year," concluded Oršić.
Daniele Orsato from Italy refereed in front of 8,100 spectators at the Maksimir Stadium.
Source: HRT
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EuroVolley 2021 in Zadar: Croatia into Last 16, Takes 2nd in Group C
August 25, 2021 - The latest from EuroVolley 2021 in Zadar as the Croatia women's volleyball team advances to the round of 16 as the 2nd-placed team in Group C. Croatia lost to Italy in the match for first place on Wednesday night.
The Croatia women's volleyball team recorded its first defeat in Group C at the European Championship in Zadar.
After the victories against Switzerland (3:0), Belarus (3:0), Slovakia (3:0), and Hungary (3:1), Croatia lost to Italy 0:3 (15:25, 23:25, 14:25) in a duel that decided the group winner.
Croatia was outplayed in three sets by the current World Championship finalists. However, as the set difference and the point-difference are seen before the victory, Italy must confirm that first place spot against Switzerland.
Italy is unquestionably one of the largest national teams in European Championship history, with seven medals won, including the 2007 and 2009 gold medals. What is even more fascinating is that Itlay has finished among the top eight national teams in the last 20 European Championships. They won bronze two years ago, after losing to Serbia in the semifinal. Serbia also stood in their way in the 2018 World Cup final and the quarterfinal of the recent Olympic Games.
In the event of a convincing defeat, Croatia could still mathematically take first in Group C, but such an outcome is not at all realistic. It is certain, therefore, that Croatia will move from second place to the second round.
Italy will thus take first place going into the round of 16 in Belgrade, where they will play against the fourth-placed team from Group A on August 30, while Croatia will play against the third-placed team (Belgium, Russia, or France) from Group A as the second-placed team. The match is scheduled for August 29.
Croatia could meet the European and world champions Serbia in the potential quarterfinal.
The round of 16 is also played in Bulgaria, where the teams from the first to the fourth place from groups B and D will meet.
Source: Jutarnji List
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