June 20, 2020 - Dubrovnik was the first city in the world to introduce quarantine in 1377, a fact that has interested international media since the start of the coronavirus epidemic.

Namely, HRTurizam writes that while epidemics were raging around the world in the 14th century, including the plague, revolutionary measures were adopted in Dubrovnik to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases in the Republic. The Adriatic Pearl was the first city in the world to introduce quarantine in 1377, the first system of anti-infective measures.

Thus, the people of Dubrovnik, already famous sailors and merchants at that time, prescribed measures for the protection of health and provided conditions for business even in times of great danger from the plague. After the first decision on anti-infective measures from 1377, the Senate chose the islands of Bobara and Supetar, the monastery of Sv. Marija on the island of Mljet, then in the middle of the 15th century, the construction of an infirmary in Danče began, and in the 1530s on the islet of Lokrum. In 1627, the construction of the Lazaret in Ploče began, which are the only fully preserved quarantine complex in the European part of the Mediterranean, and have been under UNESCO protection since 1994.

The emphasis on the Dubrovnik tradition in the fight against various epidemics since the 14th century has had an extremely positive response in international media, points out the Dubrovnik Tourist Board.

Some of the world's most famous media reported the story of the world's first quarantine, like the Washington Post, BBC, NYTimes, BBC News Mundo, Corriere della Sera, France 24, Bild, Rtl, La Vanguardia, 24 Horas, and ABC News.

The Dubrovnik Tourist Board and the City of Dubrovnik have thus used this important bit of history for marketing purposes in constant communication with foreign media, as well as in all promotional activities.

They also recently released an animated film called "Dubrovnik - safe vacation", starring the knight Orlando, who takes viewers into history, back in 1377, when the idea of quarantine in Lazareti was conceived as a way to fight various epidemics.

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

March 14, 2020 - As the buzzwords of quarantine and self-isolation take hold, where did the concept of quarantine come from? Like many progressive things in life, from the very home of Kings Landing - Dubrovnik. 

Croatia really is the most amazing country to live in.

One of the things I love most about it is the constant discovery, and there is perhaps no other country in the world which has contributed inventions and discoveries per capita as Croatia has done. 

The contributions of Nikola Tesla (an ethnic Serb born in Smiljan in modern-day Croatia), as well as inventions such as the pen, the cravat and the parachute are well-known, but I was also surprised to find in my research last year that Croats were also responsible for things as varied as laminate flooring, SMS parking payments, the electric speedometer, and diazepam and other tranquillisers (boy, could I use some now). 

And quarantine. 

Quarantine was first introduced in 1377 in Dubrovnik on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast, and the first permanent plague hospital (lazaretto) was opened by the Republic of Venice in 1423 on the small island of Santa Maria di Nazareth. You can read more in the academic study - Lessons from the History of Quarantine: from Plague to Influenza A.

The Dubrovnik Republic was a great trading power and very progressive, abolishing slavery more than 600 years ago, for example. 

Croatia is also home to another European first, as the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe on the island of Hvar in 1868, when the legendary climate of Croatia's premier island proved a popular destination for the convalescing aristocrats of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and health tourism on the island which came to be known as the Austrian Madeira became extremely popular. 

Here's hoping that the period of quarantine and self-isolation is short, and we can all soon resume those holiday plans for the glistening waters of the Adriatic. 

For the latest on the coronavirus situation in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section, or learn more about Croatia's famous inventions and discoveries.