March 26, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Austrian flights to Split and Dubrovnik are further delayed, while Vienna-Zagreb will resume today for the first time in two months.  

Croatian Aviation reports that Austrian Airlines will operate its first flight on the Vienna-Zagreb-Vienna route today, Friday, March 26, after almost 2 months.

Namely, today at 13:55, after an almost 2-month break, an E195 Austrian Airlines aircraft will land at Zagreb Airport. The company will thus resume traffic on this line and continue to operate throughout the summer season. 

Four flights a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays) have been announced for the first part of April, and the company plans to increase the number of operations in the second half of April.

At the same time, the company canceled flights to Split and Dubrovnik, which were also scheduled to start operating in the next few days, solely due to low demand and insufficient bookings.

Although flights to Dubrovnik were announced as early as the end of March, the first currently available flight between Vienna and Dubrovnik can be booked from Friday, April 23, meaning the route delay has been extended by almost a month.

Flights on the Vienna-Split-Vienna route have also been delayed, although they have been announced since March 28. The new planned start of operations for this Austrian carrier is now scheduled for April 30!

Given the epidemiological situation and restrictions, it is really not surprising that airlines are making ad-hoc changes and canceling already announced flights, and many airlines in addition to Austrian are doing the same. It is clear that we will have to wait until the end of May or the beginning of June for the return of a larger number of carriers to Croatia.

Stay updated with us and Croatian Aviation.

For the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia, CLICK HERE.

March 25, 2021 - With just 6 days left to apply for the Dubrovnik DN-i-R (Digital Nomads in Residence) competition, a look at some of the magic that awaits the 10 lucky winners.  

(This article is sponsored by the City of Dubrovnik and Dubrovnik Tourist Board.)

There are just six days to go until applications close for the Dubrovnik DN-i-R competition, the first of its kind in the world. Ten lucky winners, to be announced on TCN on April 5, will be guests of the city of Dubrovnik for four weeks from April 23. The Dubrovnik DN-i-R programme will be the first such cooperation between a destination and resident digital nomads, working together to develop the destination's strategy for its digital nomad offer. 

The concept, developed and implemented by Saltwater Nomads, is a collaboration with the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, and the Croatian National Tourist Board, with media support from TCN. 

In addition to the free accommodation, specialised workshops and other activities, Dubrovnik's ten remote-working guests will be taken around the region to explore some of the magic of Dubrovnik, both inside - but especially outside - its city walls. 

I always find it amusing to hear tourists complaining that there is nothing to do in Dubrovnik once you have been around the old town. Nothing could be further from the truth! Add Dubrovnik, the city, to Dubrovnik, the region, and you have a quite sensational offer. And that is before you consider the gems right across international borders, such as the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mostar in Bosnia and Hercegovina and Kotor in Montenegro.

Considering applying but not yet convinced? Perhaps this official overview of the excursions will help persuade you. You can find out more about the application process here.  

1 - Tour of Dubrovnik Old Town

– sightseeing tour of the Old City of Dubrovnik and the city walls with the local guide – organized by Dubrovnik Tourist Board 

Learn more about Dubrovnik on the official Dubrovnik Tourism Board website.

2  - Korcula

 – a weekend trip to Korcula island (sightseeing tour of the Old City of Korcula – birthplace of Marco Polo; hiking /cycling from town Korcula to Lumbarda, winery visit; visiting other places on the island – Blato, Vela Luka…) – organized by Korcula Tourist Board

Korčula – this central Dalmatian island stretches out parallel to the nearby mainland in a west-east direction. The island is 46.8 km in length, with an average width of 5.3 to 7.8 kilometres and a surface area of 270 km2, making it the sixth-largest island in the Adriatic Sea. It is separated from the Pelješac peninsula by the Pelješac Channel, only 1270 m wide at its narrowest point. The island of Korčula is indented with a series of bays and coves. Exploring the island only adds to its natural beauty: every part of it is worth exploring. Near the city of Korčula is an archipelago of twenty uninhabited islands covered in dense macchia thickets and accessible coastline: on some, the smooth stone slabs along the shore are perfect for sunbathing. The island of Korčula has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with past traces of life being uncovered at many places on the island. The oldest finds were stone knives from the Neolithic age discovered on the islet of Badija near Korčula. The site with the richest Neolithic age finds is Vela spilja (Large Cave) at Vela Luka.

Learn more about the incredible island of Korcula.

 3 - Mljet

 -a weekend trip to Mljet island – one of the 8 national parks of Croatia (active tour of the island – cycling, hiking, kayaking, visit of the national park and 2 saltwater lakes, boatride to the Odysseus cave…) – organized by Mljet Tourist Board

Mljet – the first large island we come upon while sailing the from the southeast in Croatian waters. In historical times, the entire island was inhabited by the Illyrians. The Greeks, on their way to Lumbarda (island of Korčula) and other Adriatic settlements arrived there and stayed due to the water and bad weather. The island was also inhabited by the Romans, who left behind archaeological remnants, the most significant of which is the palace in Polače harbor, as well as the names of the island heights, hills and reefs, unquestionable proof of their residence on the island. Mljet is Croatia’s greenest island with lush Mediterranean vegetation, clear and clean sea, a gentle, sandy shoreline and a wealth of underwater sea life. This island is well known for its southern sorts of white and red wine, which receive a special flavour and aroma from the sun and the specific Mljet soil. The island is also well known for its goat’s cheese and honey which, in the past, was served in the emperor’s courts, and mostly for the warmness with which the islanders greet visitors to their island.

Learn more on the official Mljet Tourist Board website.

 4 - Konavle

– one-day excursion to Konavle area (sightseeing of the town Cavtat, museum in the village Cilipi, Old watermill in village Ljuta and some other sights and villages). – organized by Cavtat Konavle Tourist Board

Konavle is a region with particular natural beauties and contrasts: mountain and valley, green hills and naked stone, the blue and the green or, as called by the inhabitants of Konavle, "Gornja" and "Donja Banda". Fringed by the Konavle mountains in the North, bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the South, it reaches from the entry into the Bay of Kotor to the peninsula of Prevlaka in the East, and in the West, it inclines down to the cosy coves of Obod and Cavtat. The preserved natural, unique and exceptionally precious rural architecture, numerous monuments of the thousand-year-old history of this area, traditions that are hundreds of years old and have been kept through folklore, the distinctive traditional costumes of Konavle and the Konavle embroidery, the harmony of man's life and nature …all this renders Konavle unique and recognisable.

Learn more on the official Cavtat Konavle Tourist Board website.

5 - Primorje

 – one-day excursion to Dubrovnik Primorje area (visit of town Slano, the Rector’s palace, villages up the hills…) – organized by Dubrovacko Primorje Tourist Board

The Coast of Dubrovnik is a gentle region of olive groves and vineyards, with an indented shore and lavish vegetation... Slano is the biggest and most important small town and a community centre. Traditionally, the villages in the immediate hinterland are municipally linked to it, forming a constituent part of the Community of the Dubrovnik Coast. Slano is 30 kilometres from the centre of Dubrovnik. It is situated in a spacious and beautiful bay of the same name, which was a flooded valley, next to the walled shoreline, opposite the island of Šipan and divided by the Koločep Channel. Slano is attractive due to its numerous pebble beaches, lush vegetation and pleasant climate. 

The bay is protected from the wind, so that it is an ideal haven and anchorage for ships, boats and yachts. Its economy is based on tourism with accommodation provided by the hotels “Admiral” and “Osmine”, private pensions, apartments, campsites and other venues; also on agriculture (olives, vines, fruit), fishing and other marine activities.

Learn more on the official Slano Tourist Board website.

The final date for applications is March 31, so there is still time. It is going to be a fantastic 4 weeks in a dream destination. Full details on the competition, rules and application process on the Saltwater Nomads website.

Learn more about the programme in this in-depth interview with its creator, Saltwater Nomads CEO Tanja Polegubic. 

The Mayor of Dubrovnik, Mato Frankovic, has been heavily involved in the city's Dubrovnik digital nomad initiative from the start. Mayor Frankovic talks about this, as well as other tourist topics, in this recent TCN interview. 

March 21, 2021 - In honour of International Poetry Day Croatia, TCN's Ivor Kruljac met with non-Croatia poets to share their views on Croatia through their art.

Since 1999 and the 30th General conference of UNESCO, March 21 is recognized as International Poetry Day. As said by the United Nations official website, the date was dedicated to poetry to celebrate „one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity“, which history remembers practiced in every culture on every continent. 

„Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings“, states the UN.

Supporting linguistic diversity and an opportunity of endangered languages to be heard within their communities along with encouragement to bring back the oral tradition of recitals, the promotion of poetry teachings and poetry in the media, as well as connecting this ancient art form with other art forms such as music, painting, and theatre, are all goals of the International Poetry Day. And here at TCN, we want to do our part and connect poetry with what we always struggle to report on: Showing all aspects of Croatia.

To the fans of contemporary poetry, it's no secret that poets today are very much alive, productive, and regularly present their work. If not in books then at poetry events, open-mics, and on social networks – either from their private accounts, blogs, or in groups dedicated to this wordy-art.

We asked non-Croatian poets through social networks and private group chats dedicated to poetry who either visited Croatia or know about Croatia to send us poems about Croatia with a promise that the top 5 will be published and authors presented. Now, to be fair, while the author of this article is a poet, that is far from being a legitimate poetry critic and the rest of the TCN's editorial team (at least to public knowledge) aren't even poets. The idea was to pick the poems based on how it resonates with us as individuals who gave the art a chance. The academic acknowledgment is nice, but resonating with the audience, the everyday people, should be the goal of any art publically displayed, right?

To be honest, there wasn't really any competition as, by the end of the deadline, we received only four poems. Nonetheless, the beauty of these poems and great resonation with TCN was there and we are happy to publish these poems and ranked them, from fourth place to the very best. You can decide for yourselves which poem you like best (and the messages you see in their work), but here the four poems that „knocked on the doors of our mailbox“ (metaphorically, quite poetically, speaking).

#4: „Croatia“ by Jesus McFridge 

Poets such as Charles Bukowski and Walt Whitman are very well known by their name, but just as in many other arts, poets are no exception in sometimes preferring to use pseudonyms to present their work while keeping their identity unknown and privacy secured. Such is the author that goes by the name of Jesus Mcfridge. Quite active in a Facebook group Poetry Criticism For Cool Cats, he revealed in his application that he is from California and described himself as a „24-year-old American that watches too much television“. He added that his knowledge of Croatia is limited to the country at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but he has fallen in love with the Croatia national football team's checkered uniforms. Despite never visiting Croatia, after „Croatia's tragic loss in the 2018 World Cup final“, he found himself also crying just as many Croatians did.

„In this poem, I have attempted to capture the feeling of this tragic loss that we have shared together, despite the vast seas that separate us“ concluded Mcfridge in his application.

His bittersweet poem simply titled „Croatia“ indeed brings some painful memories but presented in a short and funny way allows us to look at the past in a brighter way, bring back smiles, and give us the strength to cheer for our Croatia national team as they prepare for the next trophy hunt.

Croatia

They

Almost won

The world cup

But

Mandzukic scored

An own goal.

Jesus Mcfridge © Jesus Mcfridge

#3 „Daniela's song“ by Christian Sinicco (English translation by Daniela Sartogo)

Christian Sinicco was born in Trieste, Italy, and his poetry is published in various anthologies and magazines and an editor of the magazine Argo with which he has dealt with the widest overview of poetry in the Italian dialect from 2000 to the present day. He published three books of poetry: „Passando per New York“ (Lietocolle, 2005), „Ballate di Lagosta“ (CFR, 2014) and „Città esplosa“ (Galerie Bordas, 2017). He won the first Italian Slam Poetry Championship and served as the president of the slam poetry association LIPS - Lega Italiana Poetry Slam (2013-2014) and is the current vice president of Poiéin. He is also active in a global initiative of slam poets organizing the world slam championship which early results can be followed on Twitch.   

He participated in numerous book festivals including four festivals in Croatia: Zagreb Contemporary Poetry Festival, Forum Tomizza (in Umag), Pula Book Fair, and Rijeka Book Fair.

His second book of poetry „Ballate di Lagosta“, translates as Lastovo Ballads and it's actually a preview while Sinicco plans to soon publish the full book dedicated to this beautiful Croatian island on the southern coast.

„I was on Lastovo several times. I know a poet from there, Marijana Šutić and I spent a vacation there with other poets such as Ivan Šamija and Silvestar Vrljić“, said Sinicco in his application where he offered a poem from „Lastovo ballads“ which already seen its presentation on a prestigious literary site Versopolis.

„Daniela's Song“ may not bring out the most visual and most explicit Croatian motives, but the discrete and specific localization of Croatia is there all wrapped in a love poem to touch the heart and help us remember the summer sweethearts and romance in Croatia.

Daniela's song

I.

She talks about how beautiful it is without knowing where to go

perhaps into the water of the sun like her cheek

simply necessary as the wet dream

in a wider galaxy if it can be understood,

she seduces you through valleys and dusty vineyards

with eyes towards the bay with the waterfall:

Za Barje the sign said, and so also barked the dog tied

under the cypress – his teethed mouth was the buried reason

the fishermen had left him there – near a house

covered with ivy and blackberries, in which had grown

an apple tree with sour fruits and roses

that only you will taste:

avoiding the asphalt and dirt road holes you followed Daniela

targeting yourself and the asphyxia of your life

that follows the path to erect the intelligence of the species

that on the concept of work has built its republic of theft,

then you saw her dancing on the beach between the warm rocks

and the boat pulled out of the lobster pot, the fishermen are back:

good and evil are triangles of waves that spread

on the sea towards the two islands where we swam

– the fish are not aware of it,

and so the man under the pine and his child

with the mask, another fisherman with the fishing line,

only you maybe on the petals you bite as the words

II.

after quite a while we are outdoors and eat figs

at dusk time on this meadow

sliced on the wooden bowl,

we take the bread and tear it many times

because paradise is close to the fire

and the village to our left rises white in pink

made with scales like the barracuda

Korčula has no intention to leave our sight

I shouted as my usual self

you lit the candle and made me notice

we are not alone, but you can stay calm

slowly also the hut

and its fire have become attractive

calming the natural tension

of a darkening sky, not preventing us

from tasting the happiness

of a grilled fish, of tomato and capers

you are attractive when you smile

with a glass of water on the lips

too quietly they get up,

wanting to be born in the response they seek outside

the people at the tables next to us, and from the cottage

where they grill they come to clear up

a woman and the cook, as in a ceremonial

we ask for the check with the hands

they will be intertwined when we emerge from the field

toward the parking lot where we’ll get in the car

and head out to the highest point

of a series of bends, before descending to the valley

the vault of stars surprises us

we stop everything, propped on pillows of a land

that is still hot, we’re sure

that the star will fall, and it comes true

Christian Sinicco © Daniele Ferroni

#2 „The Lakes of Plitvice“ by Vanni Schiavoni (English translation by Graziella Sidoli)

Born in Manduria, Italy, but living in Bologna, Vanni Schiavoni published five poem collections: "Nocte" (1996), "The Suspended Balcony" (1998), "Of Humid and Days" (2004), "Salentitude" (2006), and  "Walnut Shell" (2012). He also published two novels "Like Elephants in Indonesia" (2001) and "Mavi" (2019) and edited the poetic anthology "Red - between eroticism and holiness" (2010). Most recently, he also published poetical plaquette „Croatian Notebook“ which features twelve poems dedicated to six Croatian sites: Plitvice Lakes, Kornati, Šibenik, Trogir, Split, and Dubrovnik. Schiavoni wrote the "Croatian Notebook" after a week-long journey in the summer of 2017. His birthplace Manduria is located in the region of Puglia which is 30 miles away from the Pelagosa (Palagruža), the most distant Croatian island, and his surname originates from the name of the Slavonia region in Eastern Croatia.

„For me, it was not just a holiday trip but a journey in and out of everything that I am, a travel diary through which to bring out the game of mirrors between me and that place, between what I am and where I come from and what I have encountered“, said Schiavoni. This journey impacted him with images of the signs of Italy engraved in stone, mournings of the war, communist history („most heretical Communist party in the east in front of the largest Communist Party in the west“, as Schiavoni puts it) and as he added, „the same Adriatic Sea which gives both of us fishes and earthquakes“.

His poem „The Lakes of Plitvice“ is a lovely description of the mixture, the game, and visual eye-candy of the waters in Croatia's oldest National Park, and it linked with a search for bravery and the encouraging point that good and beauty can defeat evil and change it to something better.  

THE LAKES OF PLITVICE

The first day they always plunge down into the same spot

the river rapids that come to the encountering

of the white river with the black river

and the more we think ourselves ready with our shrewd eyes

the fewer the adjectives made available to us before that wonder:

the green rush pushes our pupils towards a wild frenzy

it pushes them inside the tearful torrents by our feet

in the shrouded darkness of the sequential caves

and in the vertical caverns sculpted

as if by a hand capable of it all.

Yet Judas must have passed by this place

and though perhaps not the one with burning lips

a simple Judas must have become lost

in this mysterious grid of remorse.

These lakes fall into lakes as lashings on yielding branches

they flow into other waters and so they rain

endlessly

and perfectly untouched.

Vanni Schiavoni © Dino Igmani

#1  „Dubrovnik Rock“ by William Vastarella

After Schiavoni and Sinicco, our first-ranked poet is the conclusive evidence there is something so incredible about Croatia it really inspires poetically-inclined neighbors across the Adriatic. Born in Napoli in 1974, William Vastarella is a teacher of Italian Literature, geography, and History. He's has a Ph.D. in semiotics from the University of Bari and writes for several literary and cultural magazines in Italy. He also edited several poetry anthologies as well as semiotic essays. Vastarella visited Croatia several years ago and had a cultural and relaxing holiday on the seaside. „I found her so full of the Mediterranean spirit that I wrote a poem in Italian. I tried to translate it in other words, trying to leave intact the sounds of that memory“, said Vastarella about his poem on Dubrovnik.

The poem „Dubrovnik Rock“ is fantastic in the way, Vastarella visually invokes the images from the history of Dubrovnik (Ragusa) Republic and the relationship it had with Italians at that age with the waves of the Adriatic Sea as the link between Italy and Dubrovnik but also between past and present.

Dubrovnik Rock

Other singers claim to feel

singular vibes in the waves

Nearby this shore,

and so do I.

Ragusa, Dubrovnik

A name is not enough

To trap a soul.

I ask myself

Who’s the other side

Of the other side

As the seawater shuffles.

I touch with my finger

and now I know it’s real

the steel and the wood of the boat

powerful works of man

that wipe out weapons

and I ask no more.

I realize

we have been both

pirates and emperors

centurions and barbarians

through the centuries

each one to the other

a flurry flow

of slavers and Slavs,

slayers and saviors.

Sometimes when the north wind blows,

melting the white in waves,

painting clouds of amazing blues

mirroring the water in the sky,

space seems to become so narrow,

so easy the neighborhood,

then all

the voices of the ancient age

of an ancient game

of thousands lost

in that spot of time,

that spot of sea,

mutate in a mute roar singing

in which merge the rage of riot

and the call for help of a lot

castled in the rock

waiting for a drop of rain to drink

or friend sails on the horizon.

William Vastarella © Vito Signorile

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

March 18, 2021 - There are less than 2 weeks to go until applications for the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence (DN-I-R) competition closes. An in-depth interview with competition creator, Tanja Polegubic of Saltwater Nomads. 

The pandemic has been a strange time for all of us, but it has also brought new directions and opportunities. I would never have expected to have been involved in the organisation of Croatia's first-ever digital nomad conference, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads. 

2020 was a great year for the digital nomad sector in Croatia, culminating of course in the introduction of the digital nomad permit on January 1. Now nomads meeting the criteria are able to live for one year in Croatia and work remotely. TCN teamed up with one of the early pioneers in these fairly uncharted waters, Saltwater Nomads. Dubrovnik was the first destination to see the value in what we were offering, we have been working with them ever since. 

Saltwater CEO, Tanja Polegubic, designed and delivered the October conference, and she is also behind the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad-in-Residence competition, a unique concept which has attracted considerable international attention. And some VERY strong early applications. 

There has also been some confusion about the competition and what we are trying to achieve, and I thought that the best way to explain more would be to get young Tanja to explain in more depth. 

(Photo by Damira Kalajzic)

It is being billed as the world's first digital nomad-in-residence competition, in partnership with the city and tourist board of Dubrovnik. Can you briefly explain what that means exactly, and what you are trying to achieve?

The notion of a scholar- or artist-in-residence is a globally recognised concept. These residencies are models of collaboration; they bring diversity to an institution, and foster an environment for research, knowledge sharing - and in this case, the goal will be implementation.

The selected DN-I-Rs will participate in design thinking workshops and present their findings on shaping a Digital Nomad Friendly city.

The first goal in working with Dubrovnik was to build awareness about the city and what it can offer for digital nomads, as it was not previously known for this - but was certainly infamous! This is in motion, with much international media coverage about Croatia’s most famous city. Like most places, it is undergoing a transformation - everyone knows what Dubrovnik looked like before. Digital nomads are only one aspect of this. We are using a co-creation model to look at ways digital nomads fit this new direction.

You are offering 10 lucky winners the chance to spend 4 weeks as guests of Dubrovnikworking with the city to develop their strategy to better serve digital nomads. Who is eligible to apply, and what kind of applicants are you looking for ideally?

Anyone who can be a digital nomad for a month can apply. This might be first-timers, who are perhaps working from home right now - or a seasoned digital nomad travelling the world.

We are looking for applicants who will bring value to the program. This isn’t a free ride - even though you’ll go on some amazing local area tours, free! We want to see evidence you will commit and can make a contribution. We’re looking for diversity in age and professions. We also need to know what skills you will bring, and we have answers such as “community building, playing the ukulele, history knowledge” so it is really about what an individual brings and looking at how that will fit in a group. We don’t expect people to have experience doing this before,or1 million followers 

If you are asking for a hot tip - I can only say, ensure it reflects your personality - we want to see the real you. Also, do some research on Dubrovnik to inform the reason WHY you are applying.

(The Lazareti, the original quarantine premises for the Dubrovnik  Republic, which is where the first digital nomad conference in Croatia was held)

The application period is already open and runs until March 31. How has the response been so far? 

The applications we’ve received so far are diverse and strong. As it’s the first time it has been done, this will be the benchmark. There are also COVID19 factors to consider. Not many people are sure of their ability to travel right now. On that note - COVID19 safety is our high priority and we are operating within the prescribed guidelines and in constant consultation with the City about this.

We are confident a high-quality group will emerge.

There will be other opportunities to be involved, so anyone who applies will get this information, first.

Your company, Saltwater Nomads, is providing both the concept and the delivery of the Dubrovnik Nomads-in-Residence programme. Why Dubrovnik?

First Movers

Dubrovnik was the first to recognise and follow through on the idea to welcome digital nomads to an external audience.

Sustainability

Dubrovnik was, according to some reports, the second most overcrowded city in the world. I watched on during the war. I visited for the first time in 2001 as a volunteer at Trsteno Arboretum. I considered it as a destination when I first began researching opening a cowork in 2015. Its history is … epic. It is Croatia’s best-known city, so when it prospers, this can only benefit every other city in Croatia - nomads travel. So, from bringing wider benefits to Croatia, to delivering a more sustainable approach - the why is clear to me.

Action-oriented

Getting things done in Dalmatia can be difficult, drawn out and tiring. There’s a lot of skills atrophy. Complaints, with no action. A brain drain. Anyone with a more open-minded and longterm vision, in this case a city - is where energies should go right now. Local council and institutional support is key.

Dubrovnik has demonstrated it “gets it”, and I forgot for a while what that looked like. I am also pleased to say, other cities are taking progressive steps, and were perhaps limited due to many factors - so I am confident Dubrovnik is just the start.

Keep an eye out for new projects in Zagreb, Bačvice beach Split and an island.

You are known as one of the pioneers of the remote work initiative in Croatia, opening your first co-working space back in 2017, and there has been a lot of buzz regarding the Croatian digital nomad 'visa', or permit. How has the scene changed in Croatia since you started?

I started researching opening a coworking space here in 2015. My father became ill, and ultimately passed away, so I did not come until 2017. Prior to Covid-19, it was a tough run on the coast. You’re too expensive in Summer, and there’s not much to offer in Winter, so no one knows about you and goes to Bali instead. Also, no one knew what I was doing - but my first “walk-in” the first month I opened was from Google. I wasn’t even ready yet, but I took this as a sign I was onto something. In that time, I branched out to do a range of project work, and met a lot of people and discovered the kind of person I would want to do business with - having had no experience in business - and really learning a lot. I am still learning.

The pandemic (and as a result, working from home) has changed everything. Croatia’s new digital nomad permit has turned it into turbo mode. There are more online services due to COVID19. These are progressive steps to making Croatia ideal for digital nomads.

The thing I most expect to change, is a rise in people with Croatian origins also considering Croatia as their office. I already see it, in fact.

What are the biggest challenges for Croatia and its tourism providers in order that they fully take advantage of this opportunity? I am struck, for example, by high levels of enthusiasm to offer 'digital nomad tourism' without necessarily a clear understanding of what that entails.

This is a long-term journey arising out of the pandemic. Digital nomads are just a part of it. While it is great to see enthusiasm, a more informed approach and diversification would be wise. Can digital nomads be one form of moving toward this? I believe so.

I am reading and talking to some of the more visionary thinkers to offer something other than tourism. It is my belief that a digital nomad audience can deliver capacity-building opportunities regular tourism cannot, for example, by knowledge sharing and showing “you can work from anywhere” helps the younger generation see they have options. Also, Croatia is a place which can be a base for different sectors. Again, to touch on Croatians outside Croatia - if the rest of the world is coming here to work, why can’t you - but in this case, actually invest or run a business, which a non-EU national on a digital nomad permit currently cannot.

The biggest challenge, currently, is education. Providers need to know why and how a digital nomad is different to a regular tourist.

For example, this includes longer stays, a desire for more immersion in community and feeling at home.

Longer stays are the best example - it is hard for someone who has previously made 8,000 euro in 1 month to now offer the same apartment for 800 euro. Thus, landlords must decide if they will offer monthly bookings vs nightly. This is currently, and I expect will continue to be, Croatia’s greatest challenge; it impacts a decision on where to stay and will be a deterrent if prices and convenience are not available year-round. Some incentives for more properties to offer this is one way which can help.

Also, knowing what to offer.

A lot of people are working from home - the kitchen table is not always suitable. Nor is slow or unreliable internet. People are travelling with or adopting pets. They are self-catering more. They require everyday household items - such as more coathangers. It really can be that simple. You need to consider utilities pricing, and then things like whether you are registering a nomad as a tourist, or will have a lease - as the taxes differ. There’s a lot of new information and adjustments to be made. Some are quick fixes, some need more investment.

These are areas which can be addressed, and I am confident Croatia offers everything - Lifestyle being number 1.

(With Digital Nomad Association co-founder, Jan de Jong)

You are also a co-founder of the Digital Nomad Association in Croatia. Tell us a little about that.

Working in a tough town with a tough business to make viable has meant I’ve encountered almost every problem imaginable for digital nomads. I enter the DNA bringing these insights, as I’ve directly been impacted by the same issues a digital nomad, or business serving digital nomads, may face.

Being part of DNA Croatia with Jan and Karmela is one of the greatest things to come out of last year. I learn every day from the different skills my colleagues have, and we each bring a different perspective.

The association is about strength in numbers. Our current focus is heavily administrative, and the next focus is to drive membership, and collectively work toward meeting our five goals which are: representation (eg. to government bodies), community building, education, information and certification (eg. ‘digital nomad friendly’ properties). I also believe we were the first in the world with such an association. We really saw the need to get things right from the start of the permit being launched. How? We bring a range of collective expertise.

There’s entrepreneurial, community work and NGO experience in our founding team. Every day, we hear from and factor in how people in Croatia or digital nomads want to be served. Our aim is to bring all this together.

Each one of us is passionate, has a strong network - and is actively contributing to make Croatia realise its potential. Even in the face of occasional criticism - but from what I see, the ones who criticise are quick to give an opinion, but haven’t done anything to change things.

And finally, what are you hoping the end results will be of the programme, and how will you measure its success?

The expectations are high. Success is a happy City and Tourist Board, number one. Next are the participants. We’re promising a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so it’s a big task.

We’re confident the workshops will be engaging and involve members of the community in a co-creation model. For example, the tourist council is a knowledgeable base of experts to engage, through to tour guides, historians, you name it. The structure of the program will determine who is identified - the first task is to see how the digital nomads experience the City themselves. It then calls for the involvement of relevant local stakeholders. This is built into the co-creation model. Some locals have already reached out, which is wonderful.

Enjoyment

The tour program made my jaw drop (I don’t know how anyone will get any of their regular work done with all there is to do)! The participants are there to enjoy being in Dubrovnik for a month as special guests of the City and Tourist board. It has to be a positive experience, which they will promote, with authenticity.

Sustainability

It is a thrown-around term. Still, our efforts are intended for there to be ongoing benefits beyond the four weeks of the DN-I-R program. Will our findings and recommendations be able to be implemented? Will they benefit incoming digital nomads and locals? Sustainability equals success.

Local buy-in

The City and Tourist Board supports this and recognises its value. During the program, which uses a co-creation model, we continue to look to the City and Tourist Board for guidance on who and how to engage with the community they serve. When a number of new products and services emerge - as a result of this program and other efforts, then it’s a win/win.

Beyond Dubrovnik’s walls

Success is other locations - in the region or beyond, adopting a similar or modified approach - i.e. making the effort to do something to suit a remote working audience. It doesn’t have to be so intensive, but the roadmap is expected to have some universal ‘tweaks’, but of course there will be location-specific things to implement.

Numbers

The moonshot is to be profiled as a best-practice example for cities adopting new strategies to cater to remote workers and demonstrate Croatia has some of the best places to live by more digital nomads coming. We are slow when you compare us to other established Mediterranean countries - so we are making up for it. For a tourist-reliant city to make such a move, this has already drawn the attention of urban planning publications - so already, the world is watching. Success is when they start coming to live and work here.

There is still time to apply, with applications accepted until March 31. Learn more about the competition rules and apply via the official Saltwater entry form.

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

March 17, 2021 - The latest flight news for Croatia as easyJet flights to Split and Dubrovnik have been announced from early April!

Croatian Aviation reports that easyJet will introduce three routes to Split and Dubrovnik Airports in early April.

The British low-cost carrier plans to operate to two destinations in Croatia - Split and Dubrovnik.

The airline will introduce three lines from Switzerland to Split and Dubrovnik around Easter, with Split being connected to Basel and Geneva. At the same time, Dubrovnik will have a line only to Geneva.

The Basel - Split - Basel line has been announced from April 1 with two flights a week (every Thursday and Saturday). Because of the Easter holiday, it will operate on Monday, April 5 and 12. A319 aircraft have been announced on the routes.

The Geneva - Split - Geneva line has been announced from April 3, once a week, every Saturday, throughout the month of April. A319 aircraft are also expected on this route.

The Geneva - Dubrovnik - Geneva line is planned from April 10, once a week - on Saturdays.

Lufthansa will also resume traffic to Split and Dubrovnik during the holidays. 

The airline will strengthen the existing flights and renew traffic on several lines from Germany to traditional tourist destinations in Spain, Greece, Italy, and Croatia. Despite the restrictive measures in travel, Lufthansa records an increase in bookings around Easter, and consequently, there will be a resumption of traffic to the airports in Split and Dubrovnik.

The airline has already resumed traffic on the line from Frankfurt to Zagreb and canceled the line from Munich to Zagreb.

The Munich - Split - Munich line will be in operation from Saturday, March 27. Three flights a week have been announced, until April 15, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Additionally, a flight is available on Monday, March 29.

The Frankfurt - Split - Frankfurt line will operate from Thursday, April 1. By April 18, 8 return flights have been announced. After the holidays, the line will work on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Munich - Dubrovnik - Munich line will operate from Sunday, March 28. From April 1, two flights a week are available, every Thursday and Saturday.

On the routes to Split and Dubrovnik, E190 aircraft with a capacity of 100 passengers have been announced. If necessary, the airline will react and increase the capacity following the bookings.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

March 17, 2021 - As the final arrangements are being finalized to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day one more year in several countries around the globe, here is everything you need to know about how one of the world’s most popular holidays will be celebrated in Croatia.

Each 17th of March, the Irish population and the Irish diaspora around the world commemorate the death of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity there. The holiday has evolved over time to become a worldwide display and celebration of Irish culture, through colorful parades, special foods, dancing, drinking, and very importantly, a whole lot of GREEN.

Although there will be no mass parades and celebrations this year due to the COVID-19 situation, Tourism Ireland is ensuring that this important day can be celebrated safely all around the world. As a matter of fact, they’re proud to announce that a record has been set in their 12th annual ‘‘Global Greening’’ initiative here in Croatia, both in municipalities and the number of sites participating. Thus elevating the number of municipalities to nine (9), and the sites across the country to fourteen (14). Next, we will share the details of the celebrations that will be held in each of them:

• Zagreb: the Croatian capital is going ‘‘green’’ for the fifth time this year. Among the sites that will change their colors will be the Zagreb fountains, the Museum of Contemporary Arts, the Klović Palace Gallery, and the Meštrović Pavilion.

• Rijeka: also remains a strong supporter of the ‘‘Global Greening’’: Trsat Castle, the ‘‘Molo Longo’’ port cranes, and the fountain in the Adriatic Square will once again link Croatia and Ireland.

• Split: the Dalmatian city will light up its fountain in front of Prokurative.

• Dubrovnik: for the very first time, the ‘‘Pearl of the Adriatic’’ will include the Small Onofrio Fountain in the celebration.

• Zadar: this year, its ‘‘greening’’ will be moved to the ‘‘Greetings to the Sun’’ installation.

• Pula: the Istrian city is also changing its contribution this year - the roundabout at the entrance to the city will show its citizens and visitors that the city celebrates its Irish link.

• Varaždin: the northern city is back for a second time, as the Croatian National Theatre will be the city’s ‘‘green representative’’ this year.

• Hvar: it is one of the two Croatian newcomers to the initiative, and its Fortica will be quite a sight in their first year celebrating St. Patrick's Day.

• Oriovac: the other first-time participant and the only Slavonian municipality taking part, will green its Turkish fountain.

When will you be able to witness the greenings of the fourteen sites across the country? On St. Patrick’s Day, Wednesday, 17 March at 19:00! Be sure to be there at nightfall with your camera, and the right company!

More information on the 12th annual Global Greening initiative can be found at Tourism Ireland’s site. 
For additional information regarding the Global Greening in Croatia, feel free to contact Bernard Vrban, Public Affairs Officer, at +385 (0)91 627 8934 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

March 16, 2021 - The latest flight news for Croatia: Lufthansa flights to Dubrovnik and Split for the Easter holiday have been announced!

Croatian Aviation reports that German National Airline Lufthansa will resume traffic to two Croatian airports - Dubrovnik and Split - around the Easter holidays.

Lufthansa will resume traffic to two Croatian airports around Easter

The airline will strengthen the existing flights and renew traffic on several lines from Germany to traditional tourist destinations in Spain, Greece, Italy, and Croatia. Despite the restrictive measures in travel, Lufthansa records an increase in bookings around Easter, and consequently, there will be a resumption of traffic to the airports in Split and Dubrovnik.

The airline has already resumed traffic on the line from Frankfurt to Zagreb and has also canceled the line from Munich to Zagreb.

The Munich - Split - Munich line will be in operation from Saturday, March 27. Three flights a week have been announced, until April 15, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Additionally, a flight is available on Monday, March 29.

The Frankfurt - Split - Frankfurt line will operate from Thursday, April 1. By April 18, 8 return flights have been announced. After the holidays, the line will operate on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Munich - Dubrovnik - Munich line will operate from Sunday, March 28. From April 1, two flights a week are available, every Thursday and Saturday.

On the routes to Split and Dubrovnik, E190 aircraft with a capacity of 100 passengers have been announced. If necessary, the airline will react and increase the capacity following the bookings.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

March 16, 2021 - Renaissance Dubrovnik has finally been digitized after two years of hard work, thanks to the MediaUp team!

Dalmatinski Portal reports that in collaboration with Stipan Ujdur from Opuzen, the author of many 3D models of Croatian cities, MediaUp brings an interesting and different way of researching history that is now available to everyone via smartphones in the form of an interactive mobile application.

Dubrovnik Anno 1667 is a tourist product in which the user has a unique opportunity to go back in time and experience Dubrovnik from a different perspective and get acquainted with historical information with a virtual experience.

The application is available in the Google Play store in several versions, tailored to users' needs and price flexible: Dubrovnik Anno 1667 Virtualni prozor, Dubrovnik Anno 1667 VR Google Cardboard Edition, and Dubrovnik Anno 1667 Deluxe - Virtual Window + VR.

"With this educational application, the user has the opportunity to go back to 1667 and discover what the Republic of Dubrovnik looked like and functioned like before the devastating earthquake. With the help of a virtual window on the spot as an addition to the tour and sightseeing, or from the comfort of home, expand your knowledge and take a peek into the rich past of Dubrovnik. The virtual experience is the future of tourism and the presentation of history and cultural heritage. The user can see something that does not exist today in the real world but can interactively ‘go’ into the world of the past. Although virtual tours are in their infancy in Croatia, examples worldwide show that this is exactly the future, and the offer needs to be developed. Along with Dubrovnik in 1667, there is also Diocletian's Palace in Split, ancient Narona, ancient Zadar, Pula, and others. MediaUp will provide various ways of distribution and franchising that should be available through travel and travel agencies and users themselves through online stores. We invite all those interested in contacting us so that we can start cooperation in time," said Frane Bilić, the founder of MediaUp.

The 'Virtual Windows' franchise for several cities is in production, and they are currently working on Zadar as Jader, which should be on the market by the end of April 2021. They are also working on other types of tourist products.

"We are looking for travel agencies, tour operators, carriers, institutions, and others who would like to include our application in their offer, and we are open to new collaborations," he added.

MediaUp is a Dalmatian start-up for innovative audiovisual technologies and production. They develop video games for VR and mobile devices.

"Dalmatia has the potential as a perfect region for the development of the creative industry, especially gaming, which in addition to music and film, goes hand in hand with the IT sector, but also tourism and occupies more and more GDP in national and global economies. Dalmatia definitely has the potential for the development of such an industry," concluded Bilić.

All photos by MediaUP

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

March 15, 2021 - The latest flight news as Aegean Airlines postpones Croatia flights and TAROM launches a second charter to Dubrovnik. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Greek airline Aegean Airlines has postponed the start of flights to Croatia.

Due to the impact of the global pandemic and current travel restrictions, Aegean Airlines has canceled all flights to Zagreb and Dubrovnik previously announced from the end of March.

Direct flights between Zagreb and Athens are now available from May 29 (instead of March 31), while flights to Dubrovnik have been delayed until June 1.

There are no direct flights to Split

Only two months ago, the Greek national carrier published information that in the summer of 2021, it plans to operate four times a week on the Athens - Split - Athens line.

The first flight was announced for May 18 (A319 aircraft), but the company, surprisingly, withdrew all flights between Split and Athens for this summer! There were almost 24 thousand seats on offer. Still, Aegean has decided not to operate between the two mentioned cities in the upcoming summer season and to keep operations only to Dubrovnik and Zagreb.

Considering that Aegean did not operate in Croatia last year, there is a possibility that all flights from Athens will be canceled this year as well, which will primarily depend on the bookings on the two routes.

To enter Greece, you currently need to fill out a PLF form and have a negative PCR test no older than 72 hours. The test must be in English and contain the passenger's name and the number of the passport or identity card.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that just a month after announcing the charter route between Bucharest and Dubrovnik, the Romanian airline TAROM will introduce another route for the same tour operator.

In addition to the regular charter line Bucharest - Dubrovnik - Bucharest, which should start operating in June, the Romanian national airline will introduce another route to Dubrovnik.

It is a new charter line from the fourth largest city in Romania, which will be in operation for almost 5 months in the upcoming summer season.

From June 4 to October 15, once a week, every Friday, TAROM will operate on the Cluj - Dubrovnik - Cluj line using aircraft type ATR 72-600 with a capacity of 72 passengers. 

It is the same tour operator that already offers tourist arrangements on the line from Bucharest to Dubrovnik. Due to high demand, the company decided to introduce a charter line from Cluj.

Before the pandemic, Croatia Airlines operated on a regular route between Bucharest and Zagreb in the summer flight schedule. Still, it did not operate last year and obviously will not this year either. There are currently no regular lines between the two countries in the announcement for this year.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

March 13, 2020 - Dubrovnik's Life According to KAWA is organizing their first pop-up food shop "8th Continent Trading", showcasing authentic ingredients, spices, snacks, & ready to eat meals from China, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America, Mexico, Singapore, Thailand, USA, UK, and Vietnam. 

The winter seems to have lasted at least 1.5 years. The weather is getting nicer but we still feel trapped. Groundhog day. We miss movement. We miss travelling. We miss eating new things and going out to restaurants. It's getting tougher and tougher to create a weekly meal plan that doesn't sound like the previous week... But KAWA is here to bring cooking inspiration back into your life by bringing the food of the world directly to Dubrovnik. 

After researching various food and ingredients from different countries and regions, the team at KAWA individually sourced and selected favourite brands and ingredients that locals use on an everyday basis. They have gathered up all the staple ingredients they could get their hands on to create the best authentic recipes and bring diversity to your kitchen! From ingredients for butter chicken, Thai green curry, sushi, tacos and so much more, Life According to KAWA has you covered.

The past year seems to have put us all in a boring routine so why not take a well-deserved break from the kitchen, relax, and still enjoy deliciously prepared homemade meals? KAWA also offers frozen pre-made products from around the world, so why not try out the famous Japanese gyoza from the number 1 producer in Japan? Or if you're feeling adventurous, why not try out the famous Chinese wontons, delicious spring rolls, or simply enjoy their meal prep kits without all the hard work! 

Whatever your heart desires, no doubt that Life According to KAWA has got it for you. Visit their first pop-up food shop and stock up on your favourites or be adventurous and try out some new global delicacies. 

"Our hope is that this pop-up shop will give other expats the joy that we feel when we come across the comforts of home.  And we're really excited to introduce these authentic ingredients, spices, and food, to the locals of Dubrovnik". 

The team at KAWA has travelled and lived all over the world, so you know you're getting the real deal when it comes to authentic brands and spices. 

As the past year has been an interesting one, if there is any specific food or ingredients you're missing out on while in Croatia, ask and you shall receive or the more realistic option, the team at KAWA will do their best to source it! 

Located just outside Ploce Gate, KAWA is a short two-minute walk from Stradun. Customers can also choose to order for in-store pickup or curb-side delivery (there are two 10 minute parking spots just below the shop). The pop-up food shop ends 26.03.2021 so make sure to get some new ingredients and spice up your life!

To find out more about Life According to KAWA and the pop-up event, visit their Facebook page. 

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