January 1, 2021 - What a start to the New Year for one Petrinja family. A new child and a pledge of a new house, and 2021 is just 13 hours old. 

Will 2021 bring more happiness and less tragedy than the horror show that was 2020?

If you are looking for that hope, and a light of positivity in the disaster of the recent earthquakes in Croatia, raise a glass to the Safic family from Petrinja, whose world was turned upside down three days ago, and which has been turned back in the right direction in the first 13 hours of 2021. 

As reported earlier today, little Daris Safic was born just 15 seconds into the New Year, in Sisak hospital, in a part which had not been damaged by the recent earthquake. Daris' family are from Petrinja, and their house was destroyed in the December 29 quake, and the family had been sleeping in their car until the birth, a horrible situation.

The story has understandably received widespread media coverage, and the response has been swift, with a phone call from the island of Brac, from the Mayor of Supetar, Ivana Markovic, bringing the second piece of joyous news of the new year. Ivanka Toma of Jutarnji List takes up the story.

The family of the first baby born in 2021 cheered the call from Brač: ‘We will build you a new house!’

We immediately accepted her offer. Thank you very much, the father of little Daris Safić told Jutarnji.

The first baby born in 2021 in the maternity hospital in Sisak, little Daris Safić, is doing well, as is his mother who slept in a car until the birth because their house in Petrinja was destroyed in a catastrophic earthquake.

- They are both good, but the problem is that now I have to go where the caravans are shared and see if I can get any accommodation. I have to tell someone what the situation is and ask them to bring me a caravan. The hospital said they would try to leave their wife and child another night, but could not guarantee. It is possible that he will have to release her tonight, and I don't know where we will go - said Ferid Safić, the father of this year's first baby, who, in addition to the newborn, an older child and his wife, also takes care of his old and sick mother.

In addition to the child, the mayor of Supetar, Ivana Markovic, also made him happy on New Year's morning.

- The mayor of Supetar called. The lady said that she was informed that a New Year's baby was born who had nowhere to go because our house was demolished in an earthquake and said that she would come with the designers and build us a house - says Safić, who is grateful to the mayor.

- We accepted her offer immediately. Thank you very much - said the father of little Daris and constantly notes that the most important thing is that everyone is alive and well. Knowing that his housing issue will be resolved is a great relief in this difficult situation in which, as he says, everyone helps each other as much as they can.

- Two days ago, I decided that it would be best for the city of Supetar to renovate someone's house. And when I saw that the newborn was left homeless, that the mother slept in the car until the birth, I decided to call them - said Supetar Mayor Ivana Markovic, adding that she was called by a lot of neighbors who want to help.

- I contacted designers and surveyors who will inspect the family house from Petrinja for free and make projects for them. I was also contacted by craftsmen from Supetar, potters and other masters who want to participate - said Mayor Markovic, adding that she will open a special account of the City of Supetar where donations for the renovation of the family house from Petrinja can be paid.

- I think this is the best model for providing assistance. People can see exactly where they invested the funds and how they helped - she said, adding that she also contacted the Supetar firefighters with whom they will go to Petrinja as soon as they can.

- As far as I am concerned, we can leave immediately tomorrow - said Markovic.

As soon as the account details are published, TCN will add them to this article.  

For more on the Petrinja earthquake, follow our dedicated section.

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December 19, 2020 - Brac Island introduces green renewable energy policies after a cooperation agreement with local stakeholders was signed on Friday.

Dalmacija Danas reports that a Cooperation Agreement of Local Stakeholders on the Road to Independent and Clean Energy on Brac Island was signed in Supetar on Friday. The signing of the Agreement thus completed drafting the initial Energy Transition Plan of the island of Brac from 2021 to 2030, prepared by the working group Otok Brač, with technical support and coordination of Porzana d.o.o., Zagreb in co-authorship with the EU Clean Energy Secretariat.

Ivana Markovic, the mayor of Supetar, expressed satisfaction with several things, but especially pointed out ‘the commendable unity of the island and all eight local self-government units in finding the best opportunities, spatial among others, for some things like a communal solar power plant to be realized’.

"Together with ten island communities in the Republic of Croatia, Brac has applied for the EC tender, which includes obtaining funds for the development of the Strategy on how to reach energy transition projects. A total of 26 islands in Europe have received funding for this. As the name suggests, our ultimate goal is for our island, like all others, to be self-sustaining, take advantage of all the natural opportunities the island has, and develop alternative energy forms. I am glad that all the municipalities on Brac have joined, and what I am happy about is that large funds have been left with Europe, and it is about 750 billion euros for all the islands. I hope that all of us together, not only local self-government units but also citizens and entrepreneurs, will prepare projects and use the funds provided by the EU. For Supetar, this specifically means using renewable energy sources, the use of sun and wind, to be in some way independent. The use of solar panels ultimately has a double effect - reducing the negative impact on the environment and streamlining the business of entrepreneurs and saving households," said Markovic, adding that this is a broad project, a strategy that is not based only on Supetar.

Ivan Samardžija, as a representative of RERA, but also one of the two island coordinators (in charge of the islands of Brac and Hvar, while the other coordinator is in charge of Vis, Solta, and Drvenik Veli and Mali) explained his role.

"Our task is the overall coordination of all public legal bodies, stakeholders on the island to withdraw EU funds and overall island development. We are working on developing the National Island Development Plan in cooperation with the Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds, and we will soon start an individual Island Development Plan. Following the amendments to the Law on Islands, we are working within the County Development Plan, so we will arrange practically all the documents and start working for this time period."

The mayor of Pučišća, Marino Kaštelan, also pointed out some problems, i.e., difficulties that he noticed after working meetings on this topic.

"We had a meeting in Pučišća, where the experts, representatives of public authorities and regulatory bodies at the state level focused on energy issues, and all interested investors in the field of renewable energy sources gathered. We had a quality and well-argued discussion that should lead to the final resolution of investors' problems. On the one hand, we have a state that is overwhelmed by the demands of different investors with different ideas for renewable energy projects - power, the capacity of seven gigawatts in the next year or two - and on the other hand, these same investors have not properly proved ready for such projects.

Now there should be some criteria according to which it would be decided which projects go further and then really follow them. In my opinion, the key problem is the transport of energy from Dalmatia, where we know that we have the best conditions for the production of solar energy in solar power plants and wind farms. We can spend that energy in Dalmatia for a period, when tourism is at its peak, for example, but in principle, real consumption is in Croatia's interior. To transport this energy produced in Dalmatia inland, huge investments are needed. This should be done by HOPS, the network that moves from Konjski towards the interior, towards Zagreb, so that it expands and upgrades. That the 400 kW line is strengthened so that the amounts of energy can be placed further.

This way, we will have smaller projects. If every product cannot reach the market with quality and cheapness, it will eventually stop being produced. That's where I see the problem. Maybe my approach is a bit more conservative because a lot can be done with smaller things, local, individual investments from panels on the roofs of family farms to electric bicycles. All this is useful and valuable, but we will make the right step only with the right infrastructure. I understood; there are funds. I call on HEP and the Ministry of Economy to be partners with these investors because the benefits are mutual," concluded Kaštelan.

Maja Jurišić, president of the Island Movement, commented that ‘energy transition is a luxury in Croatia.’

"The experience of working with the Secretariat for European Islands has shown me that Croatia is one of the few, if not the only, that has all its islands connected by an electric cable to the mainland. So we have a fairly secure system, as much as some might disagree with it. In Europe, however, many islands are ‘torn off’ from the mainland because they are too far away, dependent solely on themselves, on fossil fuels with high shipping costs and unclean energy sources. When we ask the average person on the island, they think that the energy transition is not a development priority at the moment - survival is a priority for most. As a tourist country branded as a destination with a thousand islands, we have the opportunity to raise the destination, the complete picture of the country, by introducing green renewable energy policies. On the contrary, by introducing renewable sources, we reduce costs and increase competitiveness, increase the visibility of the destination and thus ultimately compete in the market," explains Jurišić.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

December 15, 2020 - In ten days, Brac locals collected 1,515 liters of homemade olive oil for health workers in Croatia on the front lines of the fight against the coronavirus. A huge success!

The idea came from Sutivan, and it was accepted by all Brac municipalities and the Tourist Board, which organized the action, reports 24 Sata.

Brac locals thus donated the most valuable thing they have, oil from their olive groves, which came from all corners of the island.

After consultations with the largest Croatian COVID hospital in Dubrava, the oil will be delivered to several medical centers throughout Croatia.

To make the gift to Croatian health workers even more beautiful, all the labels on the bottles were painted by students from elementary schools and Brac kindergartens:

"We wanted to brighten up the holidays for those who have the hardest time fighting this pandemic, and that is our doctors, nurses, and other medical staff."

An announcement from the Bol Tourist Board on November 30: 

"To make the holiday season more cheerful, a humanitarian action was launched where Brac citizens can donate their olive oil to the Clinical Hospital Centers in Croatia, or to the hardworking people who work in them, especially in these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. All towns on the island of Brac are included in the action, and the Tourist Boards take over the coordination," announced the Municipality of Bol Tourist Board.

"If you want to participate in this humanitarian action 'Brac oil for hardworking people' (or in the Brac dialect, 'Bročko uje za vridne jude'), please bring the amount of olive oil you would like to donate (minimum 1 liter) to the Tourist Board of Bol office, from Monday, November 30, 2020, to Friday, December 4, 2020, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.

It would be best if the oil is packaged in glass, but it is not necessary. Place your labels on the packaging, and if you don't have any, the children from the "Little Prince" Kindergarten will draw them for you for this occasion.

After the collection is completed, olive oil will be distributed to the Clinical Hospital Centers in Croatia, and we will, of course, inform you about the exact destinations and quantities.

Let our oil bring joy and make the holidays more beautiful for all who care about our health and to all who, unfortunately, will spend these holidays separated from their loved ones.

"A heartfelt thank you to everyone who will respond to this truly commendable action!" the Bol Tourist Board said on November 30. 

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November 30, 2020 - Brac olive oil producers are coming together during the holiday season to show their appreciation for Croatian hospital workers. 

Morski.hr reports that Brac olive oil producers have decided to lighten the mood in these difficult times with one admirable humanitarian gesture. Thus, they have decided to offer the most precious thing they have, the fruit of their labor - olive oil - to the diligent employees of Croatian hospitals.

"In order to make the holiday season more cheerful, a humanitarian action was launched where Brac citizens can donate their olive oil to the Clinical Hospital Centers in Croatia, or to the hardworking people who work in them, especially in these challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. All towns on the island of Brac are included in the action, and the coordination is taken over by the Tourist Boards," announced the Municipality of Bol Tourist Board.

"If you want to participate in this humanitarian action 'Brac oil for hardworking people' (or in the Brac dialect, 'Bročko uje za vridne jude'), please bring the amount of olive oil you would like to donate (minimum 1 liter) to the Tourist Board of Bol office, from Monday, November 30, 2020, to Friday, December 4, 2020, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm.

It would be best if the oil is packaged in glass, but it is not necessary. Place your labels on the packaging, and if you don't have any, the children from the "Little Prince" Kindergarten will draw them for you for this occasion.

After the collection is completed, olive oil will be distributed to the Clinical Hospital Centers in Croatia, and we will of course inform you about the exact destinations and quantities.

Let our oil bring joy and make the holidays more beautiful for all who care about our health and to all who, unfortunately, will spend these holidays separated from their loved ones," said the Bol Tourist Board.

"A heartfelt thank you to everyone who will respond to this truly commendable action!"

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

November 7, 2020 - 'Magical Brac Island' has been presented on French national television TF1, thanks to famous French editor and journalist Jean-Marie Bagayoko.

French national television TF1, which is watched by more than 7 million viewers, screened a five-minute report on Croatia with special emphasis on the beauties of the island of Brac and one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, Zlatni rat, said Danijela Mihalić Đurica, Director of the Croatian National Tourist Board in France.

The report Envie d’évasion: la fabuleuse île de Brač (Desire to Escape: The Magical Brac Island) is the result of a visit by the famous French editor and journalist Jean-Marie Bagayoko to Zagreb because of the recent football match between France and Croatia. Delighted by Croatia's beauties, the journalist decided to present some other Croatian curiosities to the French public, in addition to the football image of Croats, and this time the decision fell on the island of Brac, which Bagayoko calls the 'pearl of heavenly decor.'

"We are extremely pleased with the latest positive announcements in the French media. Given the stopped tourist trends and the current moment when movements are significantly limited, and people spend more and more time in front of small screens, it is necessary more than ever to maintain visibility in the media, not only through television but all available promotional channels. That is why preparations for 2021 started earlier because most of the French stayed at home this year. Still, as soon as those infected numbers go down, they are ready to continue traveling. Croatia is definitely one of the favorite holiday destinations of French guests," said Danijela Mihalic Đurica.

In the report, the journalist reveals that, apart from the turquoise sea, the beach, and tourists, Brac is recognized in the world for its tradition of stonemasonry, white stone, and the School of Masonry in Pučišća. Brac stone, as the pride of islanders and Croats, is presented as a unique material from which many international monumental buildings are built, and the journalist singles out only a few examples as the most impressive buildings - Split's Diocletian's Palace, the United States White House and the Parliament building in Budapest. The secrets of stonemasonry, as well as the tradition passed down from generation to generation, were revealed to the French audience by professors and students of the school who emphasized the great importance of the school, but also the exceptional quality of Brac stone, which has been used to build famous buildings around the world.

In addition to stonemasonry, the report emphasizes the gastronomic tradition and the famous island specialties of lamb and the centuries-old tradition of olive growing.

The island of Brac is one of the Croatian islands along with Hvar, which is visited by an increasing number of French guests every year.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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November 6, 2020 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Sundair operates to Brac from Berlin and Dusseldorf as part of its 2021 flight schedule, and more. 

Croatian Aviation reports that German charter airline Sundair has announced two new routes to Croatia in its 2021 summer flight schedule. Namely, Sundair will operate on the lines from Berlin and Dusseldorf to Bol on the island of Brac. 

German tour operators are already selling group and individual arrangements for the summer of 2021 on the island of Brac, offering direct flights from Berlin and Dusseldorf, operated by Sundair.

The Dusseldorf - Brac line will be in operation from May 22 to October 2, 2021, once a week, every Saturday, while the Berlin - Brac line will be in operation from May 23 to October 3, 2021, also once a week, on Sundays.

As a reminder, Sundair was supposed to operate on the charter line between Frankfurt and Brac for the German tour operator this summer, but the flights were canceled due to weak demand caused by the global pandemic.

A319 aircraft with 150 seats in the fleet of this airline will operate on the routes to Brac. If the flights are realized (which will primarily depend on demand), Brac will directly connect with German cities after a long time.

Furthermore, Ex Yu Aviation reports that low-cost carrier easyJet will launch a seasonal service between Glasgow and Pula in June 2021, which will run on Monday and Friday until September 3. easyJet will be the only airline connecting the two cities. 

Ex Yu Aviation also reports that Brussels Airlines will resume its seasonal operations between the Belgian and Croatian capitals next summer. Brussels Airlines plans to return to Zagreb with six weekly flights (each day except Saturday), beginning March 28. Airbus A319 aircraft will operate on this route. 

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

October 10, 2020 - Continuing TCN's look at the video tools available to explore Croatia's tourism destinations, it is time to Discover Brac. 

Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research. 

South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.

But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many. 

So TCN decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home. 

We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.

After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series. 

The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Klis, Discover Trogir, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, Discover Gradac, Discover Virovitica, Discover Bibinje, Discover Crikvenica and Discover Rovinj.

We have had several more emails from local tourist boards, who we invited to participate in the series by sending in video material about their destination. As with everywhere else, corona dominated the agenda at TCN during the summer, and we now finally have time to continue with the series, with perhaps the most ambitious article yet. I am very grateful to all 8 local tourist boards and offices on the island of Brac for sending me material for this comprehensive overview of this incredible island. So pour yourself a coffee, or perhaps something stronger, and learn just how magical Croatia's tallest island really is. 

Welcome to Brac - promo videos

Brac from the air - a spectacular overview!

Brac, island of Culture and Adventure.

Brac in 4k by Travel + Leisure.

Meet the main destinations... 

Supetar.

Bol.

Milna. 

Sutivan. 

Pucisca.

Postira. 

Nerezisce. 

Selce. 

Skrip. 

Splitska.

Povlja. 

Discover Brac in History

So how did Brac look in years gone by? Some things change, some stay the same. A selection of videos from yesteryear.

Bol promotional video 1960.

Brac in 1974.

1980's promo video.

1990's promo video.

Autumn as It Was Once - Brac in 1957.

Active Brac

Brac promotes itself as an island of culture and adventure, and there are certainly plenty of things to do on the island for those itching to get active after time on the beach. 

Among the top activities is cycling, and the island has made great progress in recent years developing its cycling tourism offer. Here is it, being promoted along with Hvar by the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board. 

A relaxing, safe, family-friendly cycling destination, where even British Prime Ministers are known to escape to.  

There is plenty of action on the water as well, apart from swimming. Bol is one of the top windsurfing locations on the Adriatic.  

The Central Dalmatian islands are havens for sailors, and Brac is included on most itineraries. Two harbours which are very popular are Milna...  

... and Bobovisca. 

There has been an explosion of interest in kayaking on the Adriatic in recent years, and Brac is no exception. A great way to explore all those hidden coves and bays up close.

And there is plenty to discover below the surface, with numerous scuba diving options.  

Calling all kitesurfers. 

Vanka Regule Festival (translated Out the Ordinary) based in the town of Sutivan, isn’t your everyday sports competition. It is more of an ad hoc gathering of like-minded individuals looking to have fun while enjoying extreme sports; mountain bike racing, free-climbing, and original mixes of various outdoor sports with the legendary tent-town (šator grad)as the centre of it all. Lonely Planet describes it as the X-games meet Woodstock. Need we to say more?

If you prefer views of the sea rather than being in it, Brac offers plenty of choice. Wherever you are, the views are just stunning. It is also a great island for hiking. If you have the energy of course, the peak of the island is the place to be. There is talk of a cable car from Bol to Vidova Gora in the future, but for now, the sense of achievement at hiking to the top of Croatia's talest island will be rewarded with views to match your efforts.   

Brac Heritage

Take some time away from the beach, and you will discover some truly unique things on Brac, particularly with regard to its heritage. Top of the list is the outstanding Blaca Hermitage Monastery, whose construction and history is beautifully told in one of the best videos I have seen about Croatia, above. I particularly liked the story of the monks somehow transporting the grand piano which resides there, consuming an alleged 56 litres of wine along the way. 

Equally impressive, and even more unusual, is Dragon Cave, hidden away high above the hamlet of Murvica, close to Bol, and only visited by about 1,000 people a year. It is quite the hike, but the views are more than worth it, and that is before you see the spectacular (and still not fully explained) stone carvings in the walls of the cave. Check it out in the video above, or here is an overview of my visit a few years ago.  

In Bol, there is the 'house in a house'. The story says that the house was created in the 19th century when three brothers from Vuković family married three Spanish women and decided to build a big house (Paloc) on their land. However, there was already a house located there, built by a local peasant called Marko.  The brothers offered Marko a handsome amount for the house, but Marko refused.  Influential brothers then sought help from the local authorities but Marko had a huge fight and even threatened to kill the mayor. Fearing retribution, Marko fled to the Dubrovnik Republic and brothers began to build the walls around Marko’s house, planning to bring it down in the process. As they sailed to Venice to get the material for the building, they were caught in a storm and died in a shipwreck. Since they had no heirs, Marko came back to live in his old house, surrounded by the walls of the unfinished house that are still there today. 

The olive oil museum in historic Skrip is a great addition to the island's heritage and traditions, located as it is in an original olive mill. And the oil is excellent!

And don't miss the spectacular Branislav Deskovic Gallery and its historic building in Bol. 

Perhaps Brac's most unusual piece of heritage - the recreation of Supetar in... Texas! Crazy but true - learn why in this video report from Time Magazine.

Food

Brac has incredible food, and very healthy - just ask UNESCO!. Along with the island of Hvar and several other locations in Mediterranean countries, the Mediterranean Diet of the island of Brac was inscribed as intangible UNESCO heritage back in 2013. 

Two VERY local delicacies to try (the first one not for vegetarians) are Vitalac, lamb offal on a skew, and the traditional cake, Hrapocusa.

Dalmatia is famous for its olive oil, and the golden liquid from Brac is highly prized. It is also the subject of a rather unusual competition each year - the Olive Picking World Championships, which are held in Postira. And with teams coming from as far away as New Zealand, competition is highly competitive!

Wine

Brac has a rich wine tradition, and today's winemakers are producing some outstanding wines which are being exported nationally and internationally. There are two of note which offer very different tasting experiences. 

Stina in Bol, right in the heart of the waterfront. 

And Senjkovic in Dracevica, a charming rustic experience, complete with local dialect poetry from Magdalena Senjkovic. 

Beaches

Put the words 'Brac' and 'beach' together and what do you get? Zlatni Rat, of course. Easily the most famous beach in all Croatia, the 'Goldern Horn' lies a short walk from the centre of Bol, and it starred in the local tourist board campaign, SymBOL of the Adriatic. 

But there are magnificent beaches all over the island, and you will not have to travel too far to find the perfect spot. To help you choose, here are 5 of the best. 

Stone for the White House

One of the most famous claims about Brac is that its famous white stone was used in the construction of The White House in Washington, as well as several other notable buildings around the world, including Diocletian's Palace, Liverpool Cathedral and Budapest Parliament. The island has a very rich stone tradition, one which is very much alive today in Pucisca, where the stonemason school specialises in this ancient craft, and pupils from all over the world come here to study. Visitors are welcome, and it is well worth the effort. Incredible place. 

Klapa

The hauntingly beautiful a cappella klapa singing is a highlight of any visit to any visit to Dalmatia, and many romantic memories are created to the sound of this UNESCO-protected type of traditional singing. Traditionally the preserve of male voices, there are a growing number of female klapa ensembles these days. Among the most beautiful promoting Brac is this one above from Klapa Neverin from Kastel Luksic, set against the stunning Brac backdrop of Skrip and Skrip dialect poetry. 

Brac has several male klapa groups who sing with passion about their homeland and favourite island. Here is Klapa Braciera and 'Bolska'.

Official Tourist Board Websites, and 25 Things to Know about Brac

There are six local tourist boards and two tourist offices on Brac, where you can find out more:

Supetar Tourist Board

Bol Tourist Board

Milna Tourist Board

Postira Tourist Board

Selca Tourist Board

Pucisca Tourist Board

To learn more about this fantastic island, check out TCN's Brac: 25 Things to Know about Croatia's Tallest Island.

To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia. 

September 18, 2020 - By launching e-Services in the City of Supetar, which enables citizens never to receive and send forms and requests to the City Administration, Supetar became the first city on Croatian islands to implement these services, which are a fundamental part of the Smart City Supetar concept.

Dalmacija Danas reports that thanks to the mentioned benefits, citizens can perform numerous administrative processes from their own home without the need to come to the City Administration office.

What is very interesting in this project is that the City of Supetar applies and adapts concepts and technologies related to smart cities to the island environment that has its own characteristics and needs and differs in many ways from the needs of larger cities such as Zagreb and Rijeka.

A special challenge was the need to establish a perfect balance between the technological possibilities that allow us to advance technology daily and the local population's specific needs. It should also be emphasized that the City of Supetar, as a small community, has limited financial and technological opportunities. Still, regardless of all the island's challenges, the digitalization process progresses with big and safe steps.

The decision to develop and implement the Smart City strategy came after thinking about implementing processes in the City Administration as transparently and simply as possible, and how they would be mutually beneficial for both City Administration employees and our fellow citizens. In this situation, it was out of the question to buy ready-made solutions because they are not in line with the needs of the City of Supetar, but to make maximum adaptation to the local community, which automatically meant significantly more time and effort.

In practice, it looked like they had to review all the processes carried out within the City Administration and the relationship of the administration to the citizens, and based on that, create a modern and contemporary city that saves citizens time and maximum facilitation of various administrative processes that have so far required significantly more time.

The Law on Islands, which regulates and defines the management and development of Croatian islands, placed great emphasis on smart cities and islands, which was a great driver and a kind of motive for the City of Supetar to take the initiative and become the first island city in Croatia which has an operational plan for the development of a smart city - Smart City Supetar 2019 - 2023 and already available and launched services within the concept of Smart City Supetar. The operational plan was adopted by the City Council of the City of Supetar in 2019.

Considering the overall strategy of the Operational Plan, two basic goals have been set that the City of Supetar wants to achieve: digitalization of the administration that is currently underway and the introduction of a ferry application to reduce congestion during the summer and for all guests and passengers to have all available information with them.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

August 13, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates for Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, and Brac. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Spanish low-cost airline Vueling has announced its flight schedule for September in which it will reduce the number of weekly flights to Split and Dubrovnik.

In July, Vueling had 14 weekly operations from Barcelona and Rome to Dubrovnik, while the number of weekly operations to Split was smaller - 12 times a week. The company will continue to operate to Split and Dubrovnik in September according to the following schedule:

Barcelona - Dubrovnik, twice a week (Tuesdays and Sundays),

Rome - Dubrovnik, twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays),

Barcelona - Split, twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays),

Rome - Split, twice a week (Tuesdays and Sundays).

In the peak season, the company had four flights a week on the Rome - Dubrovnik route, and three flights a week on the lines Barcelona - Dubrovnik, Rome - Split and Barcelona - Split. As we approach the end of the summer season, a reduction in the number of weekly flights is to be expected, so Vueling's move is not surprising.

Also, the Barcelona - Zagreb line will continue to operate in September, once a week, every Saturday evening. Vueling will thus fly to three airports in Croatia next month, with 18 operations a week.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Croatia Airlines will still not use A319 aircraft on a regular route from Zagreb to Brac, and on charter flights from Brac to Austria (Graz and Linz).

Namely, the company previously announced an increase in capacity on these routes, given that the charterer of these charter flights requested a higher capacity aircraft. From the end of August, Croatia Airlines planned to use an A319 aircraft every Saturday on the regular domestic route Zagreb - Brac due to the positioning of the aircraft at this airport, from where charter flights to Graz and Linz were to be made.

The national company conducted training flights with this type of aircraft in the airspace around the island of Brac on July 11 this year, preparing for regular operations.

The mentioned flights were not canceled. Croatia Airlines will continue to operate on a regular route from Zagreb to Brac, as well as on charter routes from Brac to Graz and Linz, but with a capacity of 76 seats (DashQ400).

Recall, German Sundair announced a regular charter line between Frankfurt and Brač, but that line was also canceled. 

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August 8, 2020 - We are in the midst of another peak summer weekend in Croatia, with big crowds forming at the Split Ferry Port and in Supetar on Brac.

Index.hr reports that summer congestion has been reported at the Split Ferry Port on Saturday, and even bigger crowds were created on Brac.

Namely, cars can be seen waiting in a long column to board the ferry to Brac, but also in Supetar on Brac for the ferry to Split, where a kilometer-long column has been formed. Due to the large crowds, extra lines were also introduced.

"Traffic has increased since yesterday. As for this weekend, we expect 70 thousand passengers and 16 thousand vehicles. Yesterday we had two extra lines to Supetar, as for today we had one at 11:30 and we will have another one at 13:30. For now, two extra lines. We are at 70 percent of the traffic compared to the same period last year," said Jelena Ivulic of Jadrolinija.

There are also traffic jams on the roads to the sea and vice versa.

Traffic has increased on important roads: A1 Zagreb-Split-Ploce and A6 Rijeka-Zagreb motorways, A2 Zagreb-Macelj and A3 Bregana-Lipovac, A7 GP Rupa-Diracje junction, Rijeka and Zagreb bypass, Adriatic highway (DC8) at tourist entrances centers along the coast, especially in the area of ​​Zadar, Sibenik, Trogir, Split, Stobrec, Podstrana, Omis, Makarska, the Istrian Y, the Krk Bridge and at border crossings.

There are also occasional traffic jams, driving on certain sections of motorways - near rest areas and at the entrances or exits of motorways, on the approaches to tourist centers along the coast, border crossings and on sections of roads on which due to works driving with temporary regulation.

Due to the wind, on the Adriatic Highway (DC8) between Senj and Sv. Marija Magdalena, traffic is prohibited for double-decker buses, vehicles with caravans and motorcycles (Group I vehicles).

Strong wind also slows down traffic on the part of the A1 motorway from the Sveti Rok tunnel to the Bozici viaduct (driving at a speed limit of 60 km/h) and in places on the A6 Rijeka-Zagreb motorway between Kikovica and the Tuhobic tunnel.

Today, HAK expects the same number of vehicles in both directions, towards the sea and inland, and will drive as on previous Saturdays with frequent traffic jams and delays. The longest columns in both directions are expected at the Lucko toll on the A1 / A6 motorway, at the entrance in the direction of the sea from 4 am to 3 pm, and at the exit towards Zagreb from 9 am to 6 pm.

Significant crowds during the weekend, and especially on Saturday, are expected at the border crossings with Slovenia (Macelj, Bregana, Kastel, Plovanija and Rupa) and Bosnia and Herzegovina (Stara Gradiska, Slavonski Samac, Slavonski Brod, Maljevac and Jasenovac).

At the Trakoscan toll station on the A2 Zagreb-Macelj motorway, on Saturday afternoon, columns are expected at the exit towards the Macelj border crossing, which could last until night hours, which is why vehicles may turn off at the Krapina junction.

On Sunday, August 9, and Monday, August 10, there will be increased traffic all day on all road routes, mainly in the inland direction. Crowds are expected again at Lucko (exit from the A1 / A6 motorway), Istrian Y, Krk bridge, as well as on the A2 Zagreb-Macelj motorway (Trakoscan toll) and A4 Zagreb-Gorican, and on the A3 Bregana-Lipovac (Zagreb-east toll) ).

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