ZAGREB, 9 Feb 2022 - The Blue Line help service has, with the support of the Zagreb Tourist Board, created a map for wheelchair-bound individuals visiting downtown Zagreb and other tourist attractions in the city.

The map will be provided free of charge at the Tourist Board's information centres. "There is an online version available and hopefully an app will be created soon too", the Blue Line NGO said.

The project was achieved through cooperation between the Blue Line, Zagreb Education-Rehabilitation Faculty and the CeDePe association with the support of the Zagreb Tourist Board.

The project leader at Blue Line, Miran Vučenović, underscored that the map will put Zagreb on the list of accessible European destinations.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

December 3, 2021 – On International Day of Disabled Persons, we take a look at how inclusive Šibenik makes this a welcoming city for everyone

Lying on a truly unique stretch of Croatia's coast, the city of Šibenik is famous for many things.

History, heritage and events

Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Sitting above the city are three fortresses. Historically, they defended Šibenik from attack made by any possible direction. There's another fortress below the city, in the middle of St. Anthony's channel. It guards the entrance to Šibenik from the sea and is a UNESCO protected heritage site. It's not the only one here.

Events at Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik's spectacular Cathedral of St. James is also a UNESCO heritage site. Understandably so. It's an architectural treasure. These five titanic landmarks are cornerstones of Šibenik Old Town. Its historic streets are among the most charming and atmospheric in Croatia. During warmer months, Šibenik's renowned music, children's, dance, theatre and cinema events spill out onto these streets.

Special gastronomy

Inclusive Šibenik: Bakalar (salt cod), served traditionally with potatoes © Maja Danica Pečanić

Šibenik has long been known for its classic Mediterranean brunches – marenda. For as long as anyone can remember, these simple yet tasty dishes have been enjoyed casually in the back streets and stone-paved alleys of Šibenik Old Town.

Inclusive Šibenik: Octopus © Maja Danica Pečanić

Consistently voted Croatian Restaurant of the Year, the international reputation of Šibenik restaurant Pelegrini received a boost in 2018 when it was awarded a Michelin star. Not only does it still hold the award, but its presence in the city has also helped raise the bar for fine dining throughout Šibenik's eateries.

Inclusive Šibenik © Maja Danica Pečanić

Furthermore, in the hills surrounding Šibenik, you'll discover some of Croatia's greatest small-scale wine producers. They might not be the most famous, but the winemakers of Šibenik-Knin County are consistently among the most highly decorated producers featured at elite international wine awards.

Landscape, nature and recreation

© Krka National Park

Few Mediterranean cities can boast natural assets like Šibenik's. And nowhere else looks exactly like this city.

Just 20 minutes drive from the town is Krka National Park. It is one of Croatia's most famous, most popular and most spectacular National Parks. Within 100 square kilometres of epic river valley, green wilderness and karst rock canyons, you'll discover seven spectacular waterfalls and a variety of birds and animals.

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

Closer to the city centre, St. Anthony's channel is a natural waterway that flows from Šibenik's sheltered harbour out to the open Adriatic. Running along the length of the channel's southern shore is one of Šibenik's best-loved areas of recreation. There you'll find St. Anthony's walking path and beaches with endless promenades.

Warm welcome

© Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

When talking about the distinct qualities of Šibenik, sooner or later you need to mention the welcome. Šibenik loves visitors. Šibenik residents appreciate nothing more highly than those who come to look and spend time here. That's why the city and Šibenik Tourist Board make a special effort to ensure Šibenik is accessible and a city for all. Recent EU project Tourism4all has helped to significantly improve Šibenik's ability to receive all visitors, including guests with disabilities and seniors.

Inclusive Šibenik History and Heritage: Fortresses and Old Town

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Šibenik Old Town wasn't designed with accessibility in mind. In fact, it wasn't strategically planned at all. Instead, the Old Town simply evolved over several centuries, rising up slopes when its expansion made that necessary. In total, there are over 2000 stairs and steps running through the Old Town. Charming to some, they are an obstacle for others. To help overcome those obstacles, Šibenik Tourist Board - with support from local associations of persons with disabilities - have mapped the accessibility of all the public buildings and tourist attractions. You can check out the map here.

Inclusive Šibenik © Šibenik Tourist Board

Experienced guides from the professional Association of Šibenik Tourist Guides Mihovil have recognised that, on average, at least one member of every guided tour group they lead has special needs. In response, they have invested time and effort to create tours adapted to the needs of persons with different disabilities. One additional tool that's been created to help visitors get around the city centre is a mobile phone app – Šibenik Audio Guide. It was designed with blind and partially sighted visitors in mind, although is useful for everyone. Šibenik Audio Guide is available in English, Italian, German and Croatian and is downloadable from Playstore and iStore.

Inclusive Šibenik: Barone Fortress © Šibenik Tourist Board

Further to these efforts, two of Šibenik's fortresses - St. Michael’s Fortress and Barone Fortress – have been reconstructed to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. Inside the fortresses, you can learn how they helped defend Šibenik and more about the history of the city itself. One of the most breathtaking events spaces in Croatia, there's a spectacular backdrop of city, nature, sea and islands to performances at St. Michael’s Fortress. All of its dance, theatre, music and film events are fully accessible.

St. Michael’s Fortress

The Tourism4all project has supported the introduction of transport services - a minivan that is equipped for the transfer of wheelchair users visiting the city. It is operated by local NGO Aurora.

Discover the Šibenik food and drink that's right for you

Inclusive Šibenik: Brudet © Maja Danica Pečanić

Within recent memory, many places in Croatia struggled to cater for the growing number of vegetarian and vegan guests arriving at their destinations. But, great advances have been made over the last decade. Nowhere more so than the city of Šibenik, where you can access a food map specifically designed for those with food intolerances or distinct dietary needs.

© Baraka winery

Want to discover more about local food and the celebrated wine of Šibenik-Knin County? Baraka winery, just outside the city, is surrounded by vineyards and olive trees. Their new cookery classes have been designed to be accessible to all and are perfect for small groups. You'll learn to cook local dishes using ingredients popular to the region. Then, you'll enjoy lunch or dinner in these beautiful natural surroundings.

Inclusive Šibenik Nature, Wildlife and Recreation

Inclusive Šibenik © Antonia Viljac / Šibenik Tourist Board

The nature surrounding Šibenik is spectacular. Whatever your abilities or level of fitness, this nature can be enjoyed by all. Sections of Krka National Park with broad accessibility are specially designated by park authorities.

Inclusive Šibenik: Krka National Park 

There are numerous walks and hikes across the cityscape that are designed for people of all ages and abilities. Family groups with several different generations can enjoy untaxing strolls around St. Anthony's channel. Above the city, Šubićevac Forest Park has a fully equipped playground area, designed for inclusiveness and accessibility. You'll get incredible views from both these places.

Inclusive Šibenik: Dubrava Falconry Center © Šibenik Tourist Board

If you want to get up close to some of the animals that live in this area, then there are several options. Located in a dense pine forest less than 10 kilometres from Šibenik centre, at the Dubrava Falconry Center, you'll meet several different birds of prey.

Inclusive Šibenik: KK Kolan horseriding club at Farma Happy Horse © S. Živković

At Farma Happy Horse you'll meet horses and llamas. In fact, there's a range of domesticated animals waiting to greet you on this small family farm. They're all very friendly. Also, horse riding club KK Kolan operates on the farm. Their experienced team offer specially designed therapeutic horse riding sessions for children and teenagers with disabilities.

Accessible accommodation in Šibenik

© D-Resort Šibenik

D-Resort is a modern hotel resort at the side of Šibenik marina. It sits at the very end of a small, thin peninsula that stretches into Šibenik bay. Its light and spacious rooms have balconies that look out onto the bay, the city and the nature opposite. The hotel has 4 bars and lounges and, just next door, a spa area. The hotel has appointed rooms designed to be accessible and specifically with disabled guests in mind.

© D-Resort Šibenik

Visitors to Šibenik can take advantage of Šibenik Card and obtain various discounts, including 20% discount on accessible rooms at D-Resort. For more information about Šibenik Card, look here.

ZAGREB, 30 May, 2021 - The UNWTO's recent publication entitled "Accessibility and Inclusive Tourism Development in Nature Areas - Compendium of Best Practices" cites the Bliznec Forest Trail in Medvednica Nature Park as an example of accessible tourism in nature areas, the Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) has reported.

This forest trail near the capital city of Zagreb is the first educational trail in Croatia fully adapted to people with disabilities.

The HTZ director Kristjan Staničić has recently stated that for more than a year the HTZ, in cooperation with the UNWTO and its Working Group on Accessible Tourism, has been working on the project of inclusive and accessible tourism.

"We are proud that Croatia has been added to this important publication about the best practices in inclusive and accessible tourism in nature areas," Staničić said.

The 800-metre-long Bliznec trail, along the Bliznec stream in Medvednica, is completely adjusted to visitors with disabilities.

"Apart from being completely available to people in wheelchairs, and therefore families with small children, all texts are available in Braille so that the blind and the people with poor eyesight can read them. To prevent them from being damaged, the texts in Braille are placed in unique 'Forest books'. The trail is primarily made of wood and it blends nicely with its surrounding. It finishes near the sawmill Bliznec where there is now a catering facility," according to the information provided on on the Medvednica Nature Park's website.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For more news about Croatia, CLICK HERE.