Travel

July 11, 2019 - Official statistics show a strong season in Split, but apartment owners complain of poor bookings. So who is right? Both, and here is the shocking reason why. I have been writing about tourism in Croatia for 9 years now, but I rarely track statistics on how things change each year. In retrospect, I wish I had.  But there is one thing I check each year, and it is a true barometer of one of the discussions of the moment - tourism in Split. The official tourism statistics tell us that this is another bumper year -…

July 10, 2019 - The Alka Days and Velika Gospa, an umbrella event that brings together a multitude of colorful and attractive content in the summer months, are always welcomed by the people of Sinj and their guests. The organizers have made sure that the program abounds in variety and that everyone can easily find something to their liking: from concerts of contemporary and classical music, exhibitions, rock and ethnic festivals, creative workshops, and sports tournaments to Alkar ceremonies and church celebrations. The carefully crafted events combined with unparalleled ambient sounds guarantee unforgettable summer nights in the city under Kamičak.…

July 10, 2019 - The 33rd Stari Grad Summer Festival is out! Stari Grad is a destination which is developing its tourism very nicely, and in these days of overtourism elsewhere, there is a relaxed feel about the oldest town on Hvar.  Get a flavour with this photo essay around Stari Grad a couple of weeks ago. The programme for the 33rd Stari Grad Summer Festival is now out - and there is a nice varied selection of things going on. If I had to pick one time to come, I think it would be for the very impressive Dani…

TCN recently reported that Croatia would experience another record summer. With airports like Split, Zagreb, Dubrovnik, and Pula achieving the busiest June yet, and Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli announcing that the country has already welcomed 6.5 million arrivals and 26 million overnight stays, the forecasts are looking promising for another hit summer. And when all is said and done, Croatia’s nine commercial airports should handle a total of 11 million travelers this year.  Ex Yu Aviation reports that these record results are partly thanks to the 81 new scheduled and charter routes introduced from 24 different markets in the peak…

July 10, 2019 - There is a 'village' in Istria with only three registered inhabitants. It (Donji Mužolini)is in the 'middle of nowhere', actually not far from Buje and Motovun, but interestingly enough – it is soon to be an exquisite place for all the fine dining lovers who also want a secluded post to relax surrounded by nature. It is called San Canzian and although seemingly a modest stone village like many in Istria's hinterland, it will soon accommodate guests with the full luxury of five stars and offer a restaurant that is already famous in Croatia, Noel. Behind…

July 10, 2019 - With SO many tours being offered, how to choose the best, and where to find tours that offer that little extra? Five of the best from the island of Hvar.  1. Looking for a wine tour? Do it in style with Wine and Waves Hvar has a fascinating wine story dating back to the arrival of the Ancient Greeks back in 384 BC, and it has several indigenous grape varieties which only grow on the island. Wine tourism is an increasingly important business, and while there are several more traditional tours, if you want one in…

(Photo credit HAKOM) July 9, 2019 - Storms return to the Croatian coast - spectacular shows but not for those in search of a sunshine holiday.  If you like storms, the Croatian coast is the place to be right now, with more bad weather descending on peak season destinations.  According to Dalmacija Danas, some 26,000 bolts of lightning were recorded in just 2 hours.  And looking at the Blitsortnung website, which monitors such things in real time, Croatia is right at the heart of things. Live updates with photos and videos from Dalmacija Danas here. For tourists wanting to know…

At first it seemed like an April Fools' joke, but then it turned out there's nothing funny about it: Grabovača cave, located near Perušić in Lika region of Croatia, has started selling little bottles filled with the air collected at the bottom of the cave, and they sold the entire first series of the souvenir! Tanja Šimundić Bendić wrote about that for Slobodna Dalmacija, how she has received the news about the new souvenir from the Grabovača Cave Park and decided that she needed to investigate if it was a joke or not. But to do that, she decided to…

 July 9, 2019 - British media report on a 'nightmare' flight from Manchester to Zadar, full of drunk, rowdy and even vomiting passengers - 3 arrests have been made.   The party season is well and truly underway, and The Daily Mail reports on a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Zadar, which had a large number of drunken Brits heading to the Hard Dance Festival on Zrce Beach on the island of Pag.   The British paper reports that Aneta Zukow, 24, and boyfriend, Piotr Nesan, 32 were on the flight with Zukow commenting: 'It was like being in a jungle with wild…

The Garden Resort in Tisno recently started another summer season full of festival activities, in which they hope to attract over 20,000 visitors! It started as one festival, but it grew over the years and in 2019 there will be 6 international festival events during July and August. The bay with a perfect beach is one of the most amazing festival stages in Europe, and it attracts visitors from all over the world to their more intimate musical events. Nick Colgan, the owner of the destination and the Garden Resort brand says that 2019 will be their best season yet,…