August the 6th, 2021 - We recently wrote an article which looked into the old joke about German tourists waking up at the crack of dawn to strategically position their towels down by the pool or on the beach before anyone else got the same idea. Of course, this classic move isn't limited solely to Germans, and now Croatian communal wardens will be confiscating the belongings of anyone trying that old trick in one Istrian town.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, Croatian communal wardens have been arriving at various beaches in Medulin (Istria) at 08:00 in the morning, and picking up quite literally everything they find.

''If you aren't nearby to apologise and get your items back there and then, you'll find them in front of the Medulin Municipality building on the floor,'' explained one reader, who left her things on the beach. When she returned, everything had been removed, according to a report from 24sata.

''When you return you're in shock because your towels and everything else are just gone and you don't know who stole them. Then one good soul finds herself watching all of this and tells you that you have to go into Medulin to get your things back. What's even more absurd is that you have to pay a fine of 250 kuna otherwise you won't get your stuff back!

Our towels that we actually use for some purpose are just treated like trash in their opinion when they’re just thrown down on the floor. That just happened to me, and I was with a small three-month-old baby. I managed to take photos of the things they wardens refused to return to me.

We contacted the head of the Administrative Department for Communal Construction and Maintenance (Municipality of Medulin) Goran Perusko, and he told us that since the beginning of this tourist season Croatian communal wardens have been carrying out an action in which they collect towels and other stuff from the beach that people leave there during the night,'' the reader stated.

''People leave their towels on the beach during the night and early morning to''‘reserve'' the best positions. We've been carrying out this action all season so far. We were contacted by a lady who also complained about it, and we will see what happened and why her things were removed from her,'' said Perusko.

For more, follow our lifestyle section.

July the 26th, 2021 - The Croatian coast is stunning. With the coastline dotted with many islands, both inhabited and uninhabited, it isn't difficult to find a beautiful place to go swimming and soak up the sun's rays. That said, long sandy beaches aren't common along the country's rugged, mountainous coastline, but they do exist. The longest Croatian sandy beach is one which many have hailed to be among the most gorgeous of all.

As Morski writes, the long and natural sandy beaches of Nin spanning a total length of 8000 metres are one of this regions trademarks and an impressive image that is easily remembered by visitors to the oldest Croatian royal city. According to the American Travel Channel, the Queen's Beach (Croatian: Kraljicina plaza) is ranked among the 100 most beautiful beaches in the entire world.

The Queen's Beach is unique in many ways when one looks as the bigger picture of Croatia and the typical beaches it boasts. It is the longest Croatian sandy beach, and its name is associated with a prominent legend.

During his stay in Nin, the first Croatian king, King Tomislav, watched unforgettable sunrises with a breathtaking view of the Velebit mountain with his queen and enjoyed some very rare moments of pure relaxation.

Near this Croatian sandy beach is the largest locality of medicinal mud in all of the Republic of Croatia. Queen Jelena used to cover her entire body with this mud, and back in 1960, Nin was registered as a health resort on the coast with the organised Nin Outdoor Spa, where therapy under medical supervision has been taking place for almost 60 years during the warmer summer months.

Numerous wooden walking paths have been constructed which lead to this stunning Croatian sandy beach part through a unique area of biodiversity with as many as four habitats of the NATURA 2000 network with endemic and rare plant species living there. According to biologists, such a shaping of nature with this botanical garden is something truly unique here in Croatia, and perhaps in all of Europe.

Due to the shallow and warm sea, it is especially attractive to families with babies and small children and the elderly, and outside the main season it is a favourite place for long romantic walks.

For more on Croatian beaches, why not check out our dedicated section on Croatia for kids and families and decide which is the best choice for your holiday? Click here for more info.

July the 14th, 2021 - You probably remember the joke about the German tourists waking up at the crack of dawn to go down to the empty beach and leave their towels in a prime location to return to later, but can you do that at all on Croatian beaches?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, whether or not we can arrive at Croatian beaches, throw down a towel and say ''this spot is mine'' is a question that has been circulating among the public over recent days. Goran Vojkovic, an expert in maritime and general traffic law, explained much more on the matter live for N1.

“It’s your space while you’re at the beach with that towel. Since way back during Roman times, the sea and the sea coast belong to something called the common good - an area without a holder, without any ownership. There is no ownership of this sort of maritime domain, and these are beaches as a whole which are six metres from the shoreline, with rare exceptions, and everyone can use them,'' said Vojkovic when discussing Croatian beaches and the old towel reservation tricks.

"The coast is nobody's property," he stressed, adding that the only way that might be different is if the beaches are part of concessions.

"If that does happen, then it needs to be paid very, very well for. There are very few in Croatia who have successfully paid these concessions because it is extremely expensive. Only a few hotels and camps in all of Croatia have concessions like this,'' said Vojkovic.

"All of the people leaving their towels and other stuff on the beach in order to try to reserve a particular location, people doing it in front of houses… None of this is legal. The beaches are for all of us. They're not even owned by the state, that's why these areas are called the common domain/good,'' he said.

"A towel on the beach without you means nothing,'' concluded Vojkovic.

Why not check out the best Croatian beaches for you, towel or not? Click here for more.

What will the beaches this summer in Croatia look like? If things don't change again, they'll look very different indeed...

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 15th of May, 2020, the Croatian Institute of Public Health (HZJZ) recently issued recommendations for swimming in the sea, swimming pools and in inland waters during the coronavirus epidemic, with the maximum number of people on the beaches limited to 15 on an area of ​​100 square metres, according to Dalmacija Danas.

"As far as swimming in the sea and freshwater bathing areas is concerned, the maximum number of persons who are allowed to be there at the same time will be determined according to the principle of 15 persons per 100 square metres of net area," reads the recommendations of the CNIPH.

In addition, all visitors and employees of various premises are being advised to adhere to the rules of physical distance of 1.5 metres this summer in Croatia, which includes keeping a distance even when swimming.

In addition to all of the above, at entrances to various locations where visitors who will be swimming and sunbathing will spend a significant amount of time, it is necessary to place information on all of the hygienic procedures in place, along with guidelines on proper behaviour and on protection measures valid in that particular location or area.

In sea and freshwater bathing areas, it is necessary to install dispensers with disinfectant at reasonable distances and in visible places. On top of that, the concessionaire should separate the deckchairs so as to ensure physical distance and provide a person/staff member who can actively supervise the prescribed measures.

Deckchairs should be disinfected several times a day this summer in Croatia, and every single time an individual leaves and is no longer using it, and before another guest comes and uses it.

"The cleaning and disinfection of sanitary facilities should be intensified every two hours (and more often if necessary), and the number of employees engaged in daily cleaning activities should be increased. At the same time, the use of sanitary facilities should be limited in accordance with the size of the premises and in accordance with all of the prescribed sanitary conditions,'' the instructions added.

"The recommendations of the CNIPH envisage a maximum capacity of ​​15 people per 100 m2 on beaches, which means 6.6 m2 per person on the beach, or a distance between 2 deck chairs of 1.5 metres. The average beach area in Split-Dalmatia County is 2432m2 (according to data from the regional programme for the management of sea beaches in Split-Dalmatia County), which would mean a capacity of a maximum of 365 bathers according to the aforementioned HZJZ standards.

If we convert people into deck chairs (not literally, of course), if the average deck chair takes up 15m2, that would mean a maximum of 162 deck chairs per beach.

For more on summer in Croatia in the coronavirus era, follow our lifestyle page.

Meet Plavi Jadran, the organization behind keeping Croatia’s coastline clean.

Because we are about a month into our official summer season in Croatia and we assume most of you are spending your time at the beach, we are going to break down some beach do’s and don’ts to make everyone’s beach day all the more enjoyable.