February 24, 2023 - The Daruvar Spa (Daruvarske toplice) submitted a project proposal to improve the spa and wellness tourism offer worth 17.1 million euros, including VAT, to the National Recovery and Resilience Program, the company's management announced on Thursday.

As part of the project, the reconstruction of the existing accommodation units is planned, as well as the introduction of new accommodation capacities within the Spa Hotel Termal and the construction of new thermal pools within the existing complex, writes 24Sata.

The project includes the construction of a new facility for recreational and tourist purposes, which, among other things, will include new and innovative wellness facilities and facilities based on virtual and augmented reality technologies.

It is fully focused on applying "green" principles and standards but also on the complete digital transformation of the Daruvar Spa by introducing the most modern technical and technological solutions.

The project aims to improve the quality, variety, and attractiveness of the tourist offer of the Daruvar Spa.

This will contribute to the strengthening of competitiveness in the domestic market, the sustainable development of tourism in the area of the city of Daruvar as a tourist destination, and the positioning of the Daruvar Spa as a market leader in the segment of health tourism in the Republic of Croatia, the company points out.

The realisation of this project is of great importance, not only for the Daruvar Spa as the project's host but for the entire local community of the city of Daruvar, as well as the Bjelovar-Bilogora County, as it will result in a number of positive effects.

They will be visible through the strengthening of cooperation and networking of the tourism and hospitality sectors, the placement of local products, the generation of new jobs, but also the creation of a stimulating environment for the further development of the tourism sector and all sectors directly and indirectly related to tourism, according to the press release.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated Travel section.

ZAGREB, 16 March, 2021 - Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said on Tuesday that Croatia would continue to administer the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine despite the fact that some 20 countries have suspended vaccination due to blood clotting in some patients.

Although more and more countries are suspending the use of AstraZeneca, Croatia will wait for the opinion of the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

"The stand of professionals on this matter is that the benefits of vaccination outweigh any risks known to them at the moment," Plenković told the press in Daruvar. "None of them has pointed to us any risks which would lead to the conclusion that vaccination should stop."

Today Plenković took part in an online meeting with prime ministers Sebastian Kurz of Austria, Janez Janša of Slovenia, Boyko Borissov of Bulgaria, Andrej Babiš of the Czech Republic, and Arturs Karinš of Latvia.

The six EU member states will demand a corrective mechanism for vaccine distribution, Plenković said afterwards. "We agreed to jointly appeal for the creation of a corrective mechanism."

Thereby, he added, they wish to "compensate for the delay some countries have experienced due to the slower distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine."

EMA will meet on Thursday to discuss the information gathered and decide if said vaccine has contributed to thromboembolism in people who have received it.

For more about vaccination in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

January 30, 2021 – Daruvar Mountaineering Association 'Petrov vrh' is Croatia's largest - it counts every 25th resident of the town as a member

Sitting quite close to the only significant stretch of mountain in Slavonia, you could have guessed some Davuvar residents would be keen on wandering into their nearby Nature Park and its peaks. But, you would surely never have known that Daruvar Mountaineering Association is Croatia's largest. It's so big, it counts every 25th resident of the town as a member.

Daruvar itself has some 10, 000 inhabitants. The Daruvar Mountaineering Association 'Petrov vrh' has 400 members, making it not only the largest sports association in the city but the largest mountaineering association in Croatia. Not so long ago, the society did not rank so highly.

Papuk Nature Park, 'home turf' for Daruvar Mountaineering Association Petrov vrh © Papuk Nature Park

In 2017, Daruvar Mountaineering Association 'Petrov vrh' had only about fifty members. Its rapid growth can be attributed to a willful pursuit of younger town residents, a change in their programme and the embrace of modern communication methods. The Daruvar Mountaineering Association built its own website, set up a Facebook page and began attracting younger members. Its communication with town residents had previously involved only printed pieces of news pinned to a public bulletin board in Daruvar.

Their organised group excursions grew in ambition - trips in recent years have taken Daruvar Mountaineering Association members to climbs across Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, with some of the peaks tackled being over 3000 metres. But, it wasn't solely in the difficulty of the climb and the distances travelled in which they increased their ambition. The excursions were programmed specifically with families in mind and thought put into entertaining young members on each trip. It worked. Over 100 members of the Daruvar Mountaineering Association 'Petrov vrh' are underage climbers.

Although last year the Daruvar Mountaineering Association was unable to make its planned trips to Hungary and Montenegro because of travel restrictions, the sporadic closure of cafes and bars in Daruvar helped membership increase further, according to local news in moj.portal. Who knows how many this year will be taking to the hills with Petrov vrh.

March 18, 2020 - A 242-year old male ginkgo biloba tree in the town of Daruvar, 130 kilometers east of Zagreb, has placed 2nd in the European Tree of the Year competition! 

Namely, “Ginkgo in love” finished as the runner-up in the competition this year with 28,060 votes, behind “Guardian of the flooded village”, a pine tree in the Czech Republic, that finished on top with 47,226 votes. 

The tree in Daruvar was one of the 16 finalists in the prestigious competition that has run since 2011.

Ginkgo is the oldest tree sort on the planet and has existed for more than 200 million years, while Daruvar's ginkgo is the largest and oldest in all of Croatia and the second oldest in Europe.

The male ginkgo biloba in Daruvar is named Adam, and is located in front of the southern entrance to the Antun Jankovic castle. It is 242 years old. Adam’s trunk has a circumference of seven meters and is protected by the Nature Protection Act as a monument of parkland architecture.

A female ginkgo grows next to Adam, and is curiously named Eve. Thanks to their love story, the name “Ginkgo in love" came to life.  "Ginkgo in love" was nominated as Croatia's representative in the European Tree of the Year for 2020 after winning the national contest in 2019.

The European Tree of the Year contest began in 2011 by the Czech Environmental Partnership Foundation and stems from the Czech national well-established Tree of the Year contest.

“The European Tree of the Year is a contest looking for a tree with a story. The contest highlights the significance of trees in the natural and cultural heritage that deserves our care and protection. The European Tree of the Year is not the most beautiful tree, but a tree with a story, a tree rooted in the lives of the people and the community that surrounds it.

The main aim of the contest and other activities of the Foundation is to strengthen the communities, relationships among people and their awareness towards the environment they live in. Trees are in the very heart of the European cultural landscape although they do not always have an easy life there. They deserve our attention and care,” says the Foundation on its Facebook page. 

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

ZAGREB, February 9, 2020 - A 242-year old male ginko biloba tree in the town of Daruvar, about 130 kilometres east of Zagreb, and dubbed "Ginko in love" is Croatia's entry for the European Tree of the Year.

"Ginko in love" was nominated as Croatia's representative in the European Tree of the Year for 2020 after winning the national contest in 2019.

The tree in Daruvar has a luxurious treetop and impressive height and is one of 16 finalists in the prestigious competition that has been organised since 2011.

This year's contest is taking place from February 1 to 29 and is open to a public online vote at www.treeoftheyear.org. This contest does not necessarily choose the wining tree for its beauty but rather it is about the story of the tree and its connections to the local community.

The winning tree will be announced in Brussels on 17 March at an award ceremony marking a decade of the competition.

Ginko is the oldest tree sort on the planet and has existed for more than 200 million years, while Daruvar's ginko is the largest and oldest in all of Croatia and the second oldest in Europe.

The male ginko biloba in Daruvar is called Adam. It is located in front of the southern entrance to the Antun Jankovic castle and is 242 years old. It trunk has a circumference of seven metres and is protected by the Nature Protection Act as a monument of parkland architecture.

A female ginko is growing in Adam's shadow. Her name is Eve. Thanks to their joint history, the story of "Ginko in love" emerged and it was nominated for this year's Tree of the Year contest.

More Daruvar news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

''We want to position ourselves as a company that produces quality handmade beer in a real craft fashion,'' says director Siniša Lukač.

ZAGREB, January 20 - Bjelovar-Bilogora County Prefect Damir Bajs visited the Czech Association in Daruvar on Saturday ahead of Czech Language Month beginning on 22 January.

Today we continue our Croatian craft beer series with ABA 5th Element, brewed in the Slavonian town of Daruvar.