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.

A 110 square-metre apartment in Jurišićeva Street for 6,500 kuna, a 95 square-metre apartment in Degenova for 5,500 kuna... Rental rates in the Zagreb city centre are so high that many tenants if they decide to look for an apartment in this area, cannot find an apartment which they can afford. Especially in December, when the Zagreb Advent brings numerous tourists to the capital. In addition to extremely high prices, the problem is that there are few apartments offered for long-term rental at all, which is not surprising given that owners who opt for short-term rentals to tourists can earn a monthly rent in just a few days, reports Večernji List on November 17, 2018.

The number of apartments offered for short-term rentals in Zagreb is higher in December than in the rest of the year. “Many property owners who have empty apartments opt for short-term rental during the largest event in the city. It is better than to have an empty apartment,” said Marko Marinšek, who rents out apartments in Gundulićeva Street.

However, short-term rentals demand a lot more effort from the owners than long-term leases, where owners just have to take care that the monthly rent and utility bills are paid on time.

“On the other hand, many people have stopped renting their apartments, due to too much competition. Some have even taken their apartments from the market altogether,” said Bruno Babić from the Apartments in the Zagreb Centre association, which brings together more than 20 apartments of different owners. But this does not prevent others from trying to rent their apartments to tourists.

Despite the fact that there have never been more apartments offered for short-term rental, all the apartments which are part of the association have already been booked for the Advent weekends, mostly by tourists who will arrive in Zagreb by plane. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in December are more or less booked, with a few vacancies available over the week.

There are no apartments in the city centre which are available for long-term rental under 300 euro a month, said Anita Vukoja, the owner of In-between real estate agency, which rents out apartments for her clients. “The demand is the highest for two-bedroom apartments and studios from 300 to 500 euro a month. As soon as they appear on the market, they are rented the very same day. At the same time, people looking for an apartment complain that it is impossible to find any,” said Vukoja. “There are many people who are buying apartments just to offer them for short-term rentals,” added Vukoja.

The average price for a four-bed apartment in Zagreb is 50 euro per night, although such apartments can cost up to 100 euro in the centre.

For more news on Zagreb, click here.

Translated from Večernji List (reported by Petra Balija).

The average price of the Airbnb accommodation in Croatia is around EUR 49.

Airbnb takes Croatia by storm!