Travel

ZAGREB, January 16, 2020 - The number of foreign cruise ships in Croatia's Adriatic Sea continued to rise in the first eleven months of 2019, when foreign cruises accounted for 710 journeys, or 5 percent more than in the same period in 2018, for the first time bringing more than 1.1 million passengers, according to the national statistics office (DZS). From January to November 2019, there were 75 foreign cruise ships, the same as in the corresponding period in 2018, but they made 5% more journeys in the Adriatic Sea. The number of passengers was slightly above 1.1 million, that…

As Glas Istre/Luka Jelavic writes on the 16th of January, 2020, most of the work involved in transforming areas of Groznjan into tourist attractions is related to the restoration of the bell tower itself and the repair of the roof of the parish church in Groznjan, the restoration of the church in Kostanjica, the restoration work involved with the churches in Kuberton and Vrnjak, the restoration works in the church of St. Ivan and the decoration of the Olive Oil Museum in Zavrsje, as well as the decoration of the promenade in Groznjan, as part of the cultural and historical…

January 16, 2020 - A new tourist tax will be paid by cruise ships from January next year, but will Split be making the most of it? A closer look.   Slobodna Dalamacija reports that in just one year, from January 1, 2021, cruisers moored in the port or anchored in the Split area will pay tourist taxes. The Tourist Tax Act, which was passed last year, stipulates that cities and municipalities may, but may not, charge tourist fees for international cruise ships at their ports or anchorages if so decided by the City or Municipal Council. Fees are charged according…

Wondering where not to go in 2020? Dubrovnik is no longer dominating those articles and lists... Dubrovnik has become a victim of its own success and over recent years the negative effects of that have become more and more apparent. From cruise ship pollution to overcrowding to the massive overuse of old infrastructure that was never designed for such volumes of people and traffic. Owing to the above mentioned points, plus countless others, Croatia's southernmost city and tourist Mecca has unfortunately found itself on numerous ''where not to go'' lists over the last few years. It seems that enough steps have…

January 15, 2020 - Rijeka will compete for the prestigious European Best Destinations 2020 title.  Specifically, Novi List reports that from January 15 to February 5, 2020, hundreds of thousands of travelers from all over the world will vote for their favorite destinations, and the Croatian city will compete among 19 destinations, including Paris, Prague, Rome, Madrid, Reykjavik, Rotterdam, Colmar, Athens, Sibiu, Namur, Menorca, Heviz, Cascais, Tbilisi, Bydgoszcz, Vienna, Cork, Rochefort and Rotterdam. The selection is conducted by European Best Destinations, a European organization based in Brussels. The best European destination has been selected since 2009 to promote tourism and…

January 15,  2020 - Ahead of the final stage of the Croatia Airlines privatization process, which is slated for June 2020, the Croatian national carrier confirmed that it would expand its fleet and route network this year.  Namely, Ex Yu Aviation News reported that the national carrier is currently speaking with Montenegro Airlines about a service between Zagreb and Podgorica, which should run three times per week. Recall, back in 2019, Supervisory Board president Zlatko Mateša said that Croatia Airlines was focused on launching services to Sofia and Podgorica.  Croatia Airlines will also boost operations on a number of flights…

January 15, 2020 - Booking.com announced the winners of the Traveler Review Awards 2020. Croatia is once again among the top 10 most awarded countries.  HRTurizam reports that nearly one million awards (986,449) were awarded across 220 countries and territories. Among the ten countries with the highest award winners was Croatia, which boasts 42,763 winners. The awards acknowledge these partners for their superior hospitality and for providing travelers with incredible experiences when booking accommodation. Numerous countries and destinations continue to provide excellent service year after year, and in 2020, the countries with the most awards include Italy (130,253), Spain (66,755),…

January 14, 2020 - After a three-day voyage from Greece, and under the command of Captain Sandro Rundic, the 'Faros' ferry arrived in Croatia on Monday. The newest ferry in Jadrolinija's fleet should primarily connect Split and Stari Grad on Hvar before Easter this year. Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the ‘Faros’ boasts a capacity of 600 passengers and 160 vehicles, was built ten years ago in Greece under the name "Stelios Filiagkos", and the state-owned shipping company purchased it from Agios Nikolaos (Saint Nicholas) from Salamina for just over HRK 63 million or EUR 8.5 million. The Faros thus became…

January 14, 2020 - Via Brattia, the new 135 km long hiking trail around the island of Brac, will connect almost the entire island. This excellent new tourist product will undoubtedly be the new trump card of Brac tourism. The hiking trail will connect the 12 most attractive historical sites and most of the picturesque locations on the largest Central Dalmatian island. Via Brattia will be a challenge for recreationists and hikers, as well as for real adventurers in search of a new experience. The trail will pass through the centers of Supetar, Mirac, Sutivan, Bobovisca na moru, Lozisce, Milna,…

A much needed and huge investment of 3.5 billion euros is in the works for Croatian railways. As Poslovni Dnevnik/Josip Bohutinski/VL writes on the 13th of January, 2020 the total length of the network of railway lines operated by HŽ Infrastruktura (HŽI) is 2617 kilometres, of which 2343 kilometres are single tracks and only 274 kilometres are double tracks. Croatia has invested tens of billions of kuna in the construction of highways, and now the turn has come for Croatian railways. Sveti Ivan Zabno - Gredec, the first new railway in the last 52 years in Croatia, opened at the…