Split's Most Famous Love Story: Roko and Cicibela
June 20, 2021 - Unlike the tales of Romeo and Juliet or Helen of Troy and Paris, the origins of Split's most famous love story are not shrouded in myth and legend. Instead of knights and nobles, they revolve around a real-life couple - a poor fisherman and his wife who made a home from an abandoned boat in Split's port. Meet Roko and Cicibela.
As any Split fan will tell you, it doesn't take much to be swept away by the city lying at the foot of Marjan Hill. And if you are of the romantic kind, there's nothing like walking hand in hand with your significant other amid the swinging palm trees on the Split promenade, or Riva, as it is known to locals.
I often hear tourists ask for recommendations of ''hidden'' gems and places known only to locals. The history of Roko Ljubica and Dujka Bašić is a perfect example of one such gem, although it has yet to be recognized as a tourist product. A shame, for they were living witnesses of the transformation of Split from a small port town into a modern city at the turn of the century.
What is more, their steps are easy to retrace. Although they left no physicial proof of their existence, the miniature marina where they spent most of their years together, the church where they got married, the streets they walked to buy tobacco and bread and sell fish that Roko would catch - still stand to this day.
Roko Ljubica married Dujka Bašić, a poor illiterate girl from Split's neighbourhood Veli Varoš on February 16th, 1906. The people of Veli Varoš nicknamed her Cicela or Cicibela, meaning a street cat, because much like a street cat, she had no one to depend on but herself.
Saint Cross Church (Crkva svetog križa) where Roko and Dujka married in 1906.
As a fisherman, Roko was able to provide for the two of them, but his earnings didn't offer enough to buy them or build them a home. Instead, they lived out their life in a miniature marina of Matejuška, in the Split's port northwest corner, which for decades served as a shelter for fishermen's boats. One such boat served as their home. Abandoned and full of holes, which Roko closed with cement, it was no longer fit for going to sea.
In 1906, what Roko and Cicibela could see from their boat in Matejuška, had they looked toward the promenade in the evening, were not twinkling lights and palm trees. There was nothing but darkness, and on clear and starry nights, the shapes of mulberry trees, which used to grow there. The first palm tree, a plant this city is unimaginable without now, wasn't planted until 1921. Maybe it wouldn't have been at all, as mulberries with their long and firm leaves and branches provide genuine shade. However, in Split of that time, mulberry fruit falling from the trees got trampled over by livestock and carriages which were passing through the port's street every day from the direction of Veli Varoš and caused a foul smell in the summer heat.
The view from Matejuška to Split's Riva and the eastern part of harbour. The plaque dedicated to Roko and Dujka (Cicibela) can just be seen on the right-hand side as a single dark rectangle amid lighter ones.
Although their boat provided little cover from the elements, especially in the winter, Roko and Dujka continued to live there until the late 1930s - they even adopted a dog named Belina - when the city provided them with a room in an almshouse behind the Vestibul of the Diocletian's Palace.
As posh as it sounds, living near the former imperial residence meant residing in a crowded, noisy, and dirty place, and Roko spoke about it with disdain at any given opportunity. It wasn't a good place for his beloved Cicibela. Split's annals mark that, in the end, the municipality gave in and gave them a small house in Antonova Street, near their former home of Matejuška. It was there that they lived out their last days in the winter of 1936. The exact location of their final resting place remains unknown.
At a first sight, the story of Roko Ljubica and Dujka Bašić is nothing special. In comparison to many other historical figures who walked the streets of Split – from the Roman emperor Diocletian onward, their lives are only a thread in the rich tapestry of Croatia's most famous port city.
And yet, this story of ordinary people who owned little aside from the clothes on their back - continues to awake interest. Their life was also immortalized in several screens and stage pieces thanks to the legendary Split writer and journalist Miljenko Smoje and the song by Oliver Dragojevič Ča je život vengo fantažija (Life's Nothing Other Than a Fantasy).
Ivan Baranović and Monika Vuco playing the title characters in an adaptation of Miljenko Smoje's play Roko and Cicibela © Dusko Jaramaz/Pixsell
Maybe it's the surprise, like the kind Splićani at the turn of the century must have felt at their unusual living arrangements, Roko's contempt for the municipality's failed attempts at charity, or them being content with what little they had. Their peculiar way of life certainly attracted the attention of travelers visiting Split between the two world wars. Thanks to them, we even know what Roko and Dujka looked like. Several years ago, Split photographer and artist Ana Perajica found probably the only photograph of the couple, taken more than 70 years ago.
To this day, the interest in their life remains as strong as ever. Whatever the reason for that may be, the story of Roko and Dujka, or Cicibela, reminds all of us living in the 21st century that happiness has little to do with material possessions and gives us a portrait of two people with an unbreakable spirit, which, many will tell you, is what Dalmatians are all about.
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New Novalja and Zrće Beach COVID-19 Testing Points for Tourists Announced!
June 20, 2021 - Novalja and Zrće Beach COVID-19 testing points have been announced to facilitate travel for tourists in the area!
Tourist season preparations are in full swing in one of the most visited tourist destinations in Croatia. To ensure its guests a more pleasant stay and a safer return home, the City of Novalja, in cooperation with the Novalja Tourist Board, Novalja Health Center, and Medico Special Hospital from Rijeka, provided 2 additional COVID-19 testing points for tourists, reports HRTurizam.
In addition to the existing one at the Novalja Health Center, and the new location in Slatinska Street (parking location), a testing point on Zrće will start working next week.
"Certainly, the demand for rapid and PCR tests in the coming days and weeks will grow, and by equipping two additional points and providing testing services for COVID-19, we create one of the most important prerequisites for a successful season, but also health safety," said Marina Sciran Rizner, director of the Novalja Tourist Board.
"This is the second season done in aggravating circumstances and we care that tourism and the economy in our area achieve better results. We are working to enable people to come, all the prescribed measures will be respected, we will be one step ahead of COVID-19, we will follow the good examples from Istria and we will break the rumor about Zrće. This summer, Zrće will not be a bad example and an infection point, nor a threat to the tourism of the island, let alone Croatia," said Ivan Dabo, the mayor of Novalja for Večernji list.
The pandemic has significantly accelerated digital transformation, while it has not bypassed tourism. Everyday changes in the constraints of international travel require quick and efficient adaptation and flexibility to the needs of the tourism market, and quick and simple solutions such as testing applications, significantly relieve the already overloaded health system. Therefore, in addition to fixed points, an organization of mobile teams has been agreed with SB Medico for the needs of testing larger groups of tourists by arriving at accommodation facilities.
Following the above, if the guest needs a test, it is simply necessary to register beforehand using the app.medico.hr application and choose the type of test they need. After registration and payment, the professional medical staff takes a swab and performs the test in an accredited laboratory. The result is sent by e-mail in a form recognized by the European Commission within the deadline set for each type of test.
The first step is to choose a service.
QUICK ANTIGEN TEST - the result is issued within 15-20 minutes, not longer than an hour. (For BAT It is obligatory to enter promo code: 100med) - Price: 100,00kn / person
PCR TEST (Teaching Institute for Public Health) - The result is issued within 24 hours, not later than 48 hours) - Price: 550,00kn / person
QUICK PCR TEST (Medico) - The result is issued within 15-20 minutes, not longer than an hour. - Price: 650,00kn / person
LOGIN
One or more people can apply. Personal data for each person for whom testing is ordered is entered in the fields and payment is made for the entire group.
PAYMENT
Payment is made through the WSpay -Web Secure platform, Payment Gateway. Data transfer and privacy are protected. The confirmation will arrive immediately at the e-mail address of the payer.
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.
Indulge Your Sweet Tooth and Help the Street Cats of Split and Hvar!
June 20, 2021 - What better way to help the street cats of Split and Hvar than by indulging your sweet tooth?
Kitten season is well and truly here and is known as the busiest and hardest time of year for cat rescuers. Expenses soar through the roof, and the number of kittens discarded is often too difficult to handle. So why not lend a helping hand (and some much-needed cash) to two volunteer groups working hard to save, nurse to health, spay and neuter street cats, and then find them homes? And better yet, indulge your sweet tooth while doing so?
On Tuesday, June 22, from 10:30 am to 14:30, make your way to Trogirska 8 in Split to participate in a bake sale for the street cats of Split and Hvar!
Funds raised will be split equally between Donation Group - Mačke & Co run by Olivera, Silvija, and Natalija in Split and the Stari Grad Cat and Kitten Fund run by Amanda and Chris Hvar Island.
"Everyone who has ever walked through Split has surely noticed the large cat population. The warm climate suits them, and instead of once a year, cats have more litters throughout the year. So many cats, of course, cannot survive without the help of humans. And the best way to help them is castration. In this way, their uncontrolled reproduction is prevented, and the number of sick and killed street cats is reduced. The goal of this group is to help them in just that way. Castrated cats have their ear marked, either by a V-shaped mark, or the very tip of the ear is removed. The V mark is common in Split. We invite you to join us by participating in auctions, sharing albums, and adding new members," begins the Facebook group description of Macke & Co, which is led by Olivera Bibic Biocic Silvija Kelam, Natalija Randelovic, among others.
The Stari Grad Kitten Fund raises money to alleviate the suffering of the many stray cats and kittens in Stari Grad. 350 kuna covers neutering, and any extra is for food, medicine & rehoming. Founders Amanda Blanch and Chris Edwardes currently care for 19 rescues!
For those looking forward to purchasing baked goods, all you have to do is bring your wallets, and your appetite (and your friends), anytime between 10:30 and 14:30 on Tuesday, June 22 (ideally as early as possible to make sure you'll get the best baked goods!)
"Let's bake and eat and help as many of the kitties from Split and Hvar!" reads the event page.
If you cannot make it to the bake sale but would still like to help, you can donate via Paypal.
Split group: https://www.paypal.me/mackeST
Stari Grad/Hvar group: http://paypal.me/StariGradCatFund
The event will be held at Trogirska 8 in the Old Town of Split!
Do you have an animal shelter or association in Croatia and want to share your story? Get in touch at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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Croatia's Tourism Presented at BMT Fair in Naples
ZAGREB, 20 June, 2021 - The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) and its Italian office are promoting Croatia's tourism at the most important international fair of tourism professionals in southern Italy, the first to be held there in person since the start of the pandemic.
The Borsa Mediterranea Del Turismo is taking place in Naples on 18-20 June, the HTZ said on Sunday, adding that Croatia's national shipping company Jadrolinija presented its Croatia-Italy lines to the travel agents in attendance.
"There is big optimism at the fair as well as the wish to restart tourism and tourist travel," said Viviana Vukelić, director of the HTZ's Italian office.
She said the HTZ informed the travel agents and media representatives at the fair about the coronavirus situation in Croatia, the conditions for entering the country, the "Safe Stay in Croatia" label, the Enter Croatia web portal, the eVisitor system for nautical guests, and the "Trust me, I've been there" promotional campaign.
Vukelić met with officials of the Italian Federation of Travel and Tourism Business Associations and representatives of the Vueling and Volotea airlines and the MSC Crociere and SNAV shipping companies.
The talks underlined that there is interest in Croatia as a destination, notably for group travel, youth travel, nautical tourism and the islands.
RAI TV crews recently filmed along the Croatian coast while journalists of Nautica, a magazine with more than 100,000 readers a month, today began a tour of the northern Adriatic Kvarner region to report on what it offers in nautical tourism.
Croatian Ambassador to Italy Jasen Mesić attended the opening of the fair, which drew more than 200 exhibitors, including from Greece, Spain, Malta, Slovenia, Tunisia, Dubai and Japan, the HTZ said.
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Croatia Logs 58 New Coronavirus Cases, 5 Deaths
ZAGREB, 20 June, 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 58 coronavirus cases and five deaths have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Sunday.
There are 597 active cases, including 288 hospitalised patients, 25 of whom are on ventilators, while 3,868 persons are self-isolating.
Croatia has registered 359,173 coronavirus cases to date, including 8,174 deaths and 350,402 recoveries, of which 122 in the past 24 hours.
To date 2,110,485 persons have been tested for the virus, including 4,340 in the past 24 hours, and 2,355,050 vaccines have been administered, with 1,449,819 persons receiving the first dose and 905,231 both.
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Croatians Prefer Non-carbonated to Carbonated Water, Survey Shows
ZAGREB, 20 June, 2021 - As many as 89.1% of Croatians prefer tap water, 76.7% think that bottled water is not better or healthier than tap water, and 59.9% choose non-carbonated water when shopping, a survey showed.
The survey was carried out by Ja Trgovac magazine and the Hendal market research agency in May on a representative sample of Croatian citizens above the age of 16.
It showed that 44.8% of respondents drink more than five glasses of water on average a day, 37% drink three to four glasses, 12.1% drink two to three glasses and 6.1% drink at least one glass of water a day.
As many as 89.1% prefer tap water and 10.9% more often buy bottled water, either carbonated or non-carbonated, 11.1% drink bottled water every day, 17.7% do so several times a week and 14.3% once a week, 22.3% drink bottled water several times a month, 19% do so several times a year and 15.6% never buy or drink bottled water.
As for the type of bottled water, 59.9% of respondents mostly buy or drink non-carbonated water, 36.3% prefer non-carbonated water and 3.7% like flavoured water.
Asked whether they think that bottled water is healthier or better than tap water, 76.7% of respondents said that it is not better, while 23.3% think that it is.
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Digital Nomad Living Overlooking Dubrovnik Old Town – House Anica
20 June, 2021 - Dubrovnik has its share of interesting accommodation. One digital nomad couple discovered a true gem in a restored historical house within the city walls.
May in Dubrovnik saw the first ever Digital Nomads in Residence program. It was designed by Saltwater Nomads in partnership with Total Croatia News, the City of Dubrovnik, and the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and aimed to create a strategic direction for Dubrovnik to attract more digital nomads.
One of the more pressing issues the participants of the program identified was the appropriate accommodation. Most apartments and houses for rent in Dubrovnik are furnished for shorter stays. So, proper kitchens with enough utensils or work areas are usually not a part of the design. Still, that doesn't mean there are no amazing options for a longer stay in the city. House Anica is one of them. Our nomad in residence Marlee and her husband Jeff stayed in the house during their Dubrovnik adventure. They fell in love with it and the city itself. Also, they've formed a special friendship with the owners.
Marlee said to us recently: “Staying at House Anica in the old city was exactly the experience Jeff and I were looking for as digital nomads in Dubrovnik. The history of the home added to the charm of an authentic old city living experience. We could not have asked for better landlords with Ivona and Hrvoje, such interesting people with such a connection to Dubrovnik. They made us feel so welcome and we feel like we have made lifelong friends.”
For more from Marlee on living as a digital nomad in Dubrovnik, check out her interview here.
House Anica
At the very top of Kuniceva Street in the Old Town district stands an unusual, over 300 years old house. Its facade features a stone carved will and testament dated back to 1728. The will mentions lady named Anica, who lived, loved and most probably grew old in that house. House Anica belongs to a local couple Ivona and Hrvoje. Ivona's family owns the house for over 70 years. Eventually, she decided to renovate it and share it with travellers coming to Dubrovnik. With plenty of fond childhood memories tied to it, Ivona insisted on preserving the soul of the house by keeping as many original elements that make it unique. Tradition and history of the house became as much a part of its charm as did all the modern amenities and superb interior design.
The house itself is a Dubrovnik-style townhouse. It is essentially a multi-storey apartment with two spacious bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, full kitchen and dining / living area. The top floor bedroom occupies a loft and features a small living area of its own. The design is spacious and airy with sleek modern amenities and expertly incorporated historical ornamental elements. A special selling point for the house is one of only few balconies in Dubrovnik's historical centre overlooking the iconic terracotta rooftops and the Adriatic Sea.
Needless to say, the location of the house is perfect for enjoying the best Dubrovnik has to offer. With all local attractions and traffic hubs within easy walking distance, you will always have options when staying in House Anica. Negotiating a few notorious Dubrovnik stairs to get to it will be well worth it.
The Owners
The owners are attentive and helpful. They take pride in the cleanliness and quality standards they adhere to from day one. Ivona and Hrvoje will personally meet and greet all of their guests and give them a quick rundown of the city's restaurants, points of interest and other valuable information. They are also available to them 24/7 in case of any emergencies or simply to organise airport transfers, day trips or similar.
For her digital nomad guests, Ivona has only words of praise: „We were lucky this year our house caught the eye of a digital nomad couple from USA that stayed in Dubrovnik for four weeks. House Anica proved to be an ideal spot for such a long stay. Aside from being well equipped and furnished, I've been told repeatedly, it is a true home away from home. Marlee and Jeff enjoyed the house every free moment they've had. I truly hope and am looking forward to seeing – who I consider to be our dear friends – again. We still keep in touch.“
With plenty of amenities and space, attentive owners, amazing location, as well as free WiFi throughout the house, House Anica is a perfect choice for those wanting to visit Dubrovnik for short or longer period of time. If you want to find out more or book your stay here, check out its Air BnB page.
For all you need to know about Dubrovnik, go to Total Croatia's Dubrovnik in a Page
For more information about digital nomads in Croatia, click here.
80th Anniversary of Antifascist Uprising Marked in Zagreb
ZAGREB, 19 June 2021 - Organisations of antifascist fighters and antifascists held a march in Zagreb on Saturday to commemorate Antifascist Struggle Day and the 80th anniversary of the Antifascist Uprising in Croatia.
The participants, carrying portraits of their national heroes, marched from Victims of Fascism Square through the city center to the Republic of Croatia Square, where they displayed a banner calling for this square to be given back its former name - Marshal Tito Square.
The first such march was held on 8 May 2018, and then on 8 May 2019, to celebrate the victory of the anti-fascist coalition in the Second World War. The event is called the Immortal Partisan Detachment, after a similar event, called the Immortal Regiment, launched in the Russian city of Tomsk in 2012 to honor Russian military and civilian casualties in the Second World War as part of Victory Day celebrations.
The Alliance of Antifascist Fighters and Antifascists of Croatia (SABA) said that this year's march was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the uprising and the formation of the First Partisan Detachment in Croatia.
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Croatia Logs 84 New Coronavirus Cases, One Fatality
ZAGREB, 19 June 2021 - In the past 24 hours, 84 coronavirus cases and one death have been registered in Croatia, the national COVID-19 crisis management team said on Saturday.
There are 666 active cases, including 291 hospitalized patients, 24 of whom are on ventilators.
To date, Croatia has registered 359,115 coronavirus cases, including 8,169 deaths and 350,280 recoveries, with 117 in the past 24 hours.
To date, 2,106,145 people have been tested for the virus, including 4,316 in the past 24 hours.
As for vaccination, 2,318,428 doses have been administered, including 1,442,925 persons who received one dose and 875,503 both.
For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.
Milanović Calls for Unity on Status of Bosnia Croats
ZAGREB, 19 June 2021 - The Croatian Heritage Foundation marked its 70th anniversary at the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb on Friday, with President Zoran Milanović calling for unity on the status of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In his address, the president called for unity on key matters, saying that today one of them, to a certain extent, was the status of Croats in BiH.
"Their homeland is BiH as it was designed 26 years ago by an international agreement which was signed by Croatia and which it will honor in good faith."
Milanović said there was a big chance to position Croatia among the most advanced states in Europe, "there where it never was but where it belongs."
He said the Croatian nation had been a dream whose realization depended on "a few goods, right people" who gathered around that idea at a certain moment in history.
The Croatian Heritage Foundation is an institution representing a "firm and safe bridge to the homeland" for about 3.5 million Croats and their descendants around the world, it was said at the event.
The deputy speaker of the BiH Parliament's House of Peoples, Dragan Čović, thanked Milanović for "speaking very loudly these days about the role of the Croat people in BiH."
"We are proud to have Croatia as our homeland, but we won't renounce BiH as our homeland either. There's 15% of us in BiH, but as the least numerous, we are the most industrious. We are the leaders of all positive integration processes in BiH," Čović said.
He thanked Croatia's officials for encouraging Croats in BiH to preserve their equality as a constituent people and ensure legitimate representation at all government levels.
The Croatian prime minister's envoy, Zvonko Milas, underlined the importance of focusing on the young as a guarantee of the survival of the relationship between Croats in Croatia and abroad.
The Croatian parliament speaker's envoy, Zdravka Bušić, said the communist authorities had declared the Croatian Heritage Foundation a hotbed of nationalism for connecting Croats in Croatia and abroad and eliminated its leaders from the Croatian people's political and public spheres in Croatia and abroad.
"Today the Foundation realizes about 60 programs and events, connecting 45 countries on all continents where Croats and citizens of Croatian descent live in larger numbers," its director Mijo Marić said, calling on young people of Croatian descent from around the world to attend the Foundation's Croatian language, history, culture and folklore seminars this summer.
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