Travel

July 23, 2019 - So what is it like travelling through the new Zagreb Airport. A frequent international flyer offers some opinions and suggestions.  Last week, we reported on the very pleasant passenger experience through the new Split Airport terminal by TCN's Pyatigorsk correspondent. This week, a different airport, a different view and lots of helpful suggestions from a world traveller who sent this to us:    World-class travelers enjoy comparing their travel experiences in different countries, sights and of course the airports they use to get there- Having enjoyed the services of over 50 international airports worldwide and talking to…

July 23, 2019 - Jelsa's talented photographer Nikola Radovani has a great exhibition on Saturday and recently met Croatia's first celebrity photographer for some advice.  One of the things I most love about Hvar is just how egalitarian it is. We are all here for the same reason - to relax and enjoy the lifestyle and the beach, and it doesn't really matter who you are in your other life. The rich and famous mingle as easily on Hvar as anyone else in the world, and as long as you are not a British prince falling into a nightclub swimming…

One of the numerous clubs located on the famous party-beach Zrće, Noa club, organised the inaugural Pow Wow festival this week. The biggest star of the festival, both literally and figuratively, was DIESEL, an African-American DJ of impressive proportions, much more famous under his actual name: Shaquille O'Neal. Yes, THAT Shaquille O'Neal. After finishing his glorious basketball career, which brought him 4 NBA titles, an MVP title, 15 All-Star game appearances, Olympic and World Championship golds, he didn't start his baseball or golfing careers. While he was still an active basketball player, he began his second career as a rap…

A Cabaret Show and some drops of excellent wines thrilled Stari Grad on Hvar on Thursday evening, when the wine and stage spectacle was held in the amazing atmosphere of the open-air theatre. The performance was dubbed the "pocket-sized musical", and it has attracted many inhabitants of Stari Grad and their guests, so the theatre was completely full. Those who managed to find a seat for themselves enjoyed an hour and a half performance of Cabaret à la Carte, partnered by the wines and hard liqueur by Dalmacijavino. The people attending confirmed that the evening was a success, that the…

Sailing in Croatia is of course popular, and there's no better way to get to know the country's 1000+ islands, both inhabited and otherwise, than on board a boat. While yachts are aplenty along the Croatian coast, particularly in Dalmatia, there is a growing number of luxury super yachts emerging along with Croatia's attempts to successfully brand itself as a nautical tourism destination. It seems that the country's attempts have more than paid off, as Novac/Filip Pavic writes on the 22nd of July, 2019, an expensive fleet of luxury super-yachts have entered Croatia during the month of July, as Bloomberg reports.…

July 22, 2019 - As access to tourism statistics is restricted at the national level, a very transparent overview of the season by the Split Tourist Board.  In the first six months of 2019, Split Tourist Board records 237,865 arrivals (which is 12 percent more than in the same period in 2018) and 853,646 overnight stays (15 percent increase compared to 2018), which is in accord with the strategic goals of the increase of tourist traffic in the preseason. Bed occupancy has increased by 7 percent in the first six months of 2019. In the first 15 days of July, 88,466…

The no. 1 player on the ATP list, currently the best tennis player in the world and the recent winner of his fifth Wimbledon title, Novak Đoković, is taking his vacation to celebrate the title and his victory over Roger Federer in one of the greatest Wimbledon finals ever - in Croatia. On Korčula and around it, to be more precise. It has never really been a secret that Novak Đoković enjoys Croatia, he has been on vacations here before and has always said he loves coming to Croatia with his family. He has said before, that having seen a…

July 22, 2019 - So how expensive is Dubrovnik and how much time do you need to visit? One travel blogger's view.  (Editor's note: A couple of years ago, TCN was a guest of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board for the Feast of St. Blaise, the patron saint of the city, and the absolute best time to visit Dubrovnik in my opinion. Over lunch, I asked how they dealt with the perception that Dubrovnik was expensive. "Expensive compared to what? Is Dubrovnik more expensive than Venice, or Paris, or Madrid? This is how you should compare how expensive is Dubrovnik. You…

ZAGREB, July 22, 2019 - In order for Croatia to keep its position on the tourist market and successfully fight the competition, it is necessary to increase funding for promotion on European markets as of next year already and expand activities overseas, National Tourist Board (HTZ) director Kristjan Staničić has told Hina. This year, like in 2018, the focus is on China, where the HTZ opened an office in Shanghai last year and where it will attend the China International Import Expo in November. That same month there will be promotion in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, in Singapore in October,…

July 22, 2019 - Continuing our look at The Mediterranean as It Once Was through old videos of the Croatian coast, a look at Pula Arena, Opatija and a cameo performance from Rovinj.  One of the most impressive buildings in Croatia is the Pula Arena, the sixth largest Roman amphitheatre in the world. It is impressive not only for the building itself, but for the types of events it stages. These have included an ice hockey match, football match between the legends of Croatia and Bayern Munich, the Outlook festival and many concerts of famous singers and groups, including Sting,…