May 29, 2022 - A boost for tourism in Dubrovnik, as the first United Air Lines flight from New York landed yesterday,  a month earlier than last year.  

Things are starting to return to a semblance of normal. 

The important North American tourism market, long in love with the majesty of Dubrovnik, is beginning to reengage with the Pearl of the Adriatic after the COVID-19 interruption. Last year, Dubrovnik was connected to New York directly for the first time, but not one but two major carriers - Delta and United. So happy were United with the new route that they have decided to launch 2022 operations a month earlier than last year, with the first 170 passengers arriving yesterday. Dubrovnik  Mayor Mato Frankovic was clearly pleased at the news, posting on Facebook: 

"Today, the first direct flight from New York with 170 passengers landed at Dubrovnik Airport. The American airline United started flights a month earlier this year, and what makes us especially happy is that this year Dubrovnik will be the only Croatian city directly connected to the United States of America having direct flights from New York four times a week until the end of October.

With the increasing number of passengers in air traffic, the connection to almost 80 global destinations, through 48 foreign and domestic companies, but also the return of ships on round trips the tourist recovery of the City is more visible every day and I believe that we will achieve great results in this season."

According to ExYuAviation, United's results from last year exceeded expectation, with 17,264 passengers contributing to a 77.9% load factor, as well as 405 tons of cargo. Andrew Nocella, Chief Commercial Officer for United, acknowledged the success of the new Croatian route, which was initiated as a result of Croatia's policy of open borders for Americans during the pandemic. 

“We started in a few new markets in Europe last year. In fact, we loaded those for sale very late. And those new markets were actually some of our top-performing city fares, because Croatia and Greece in particular, made it clear to the world that they were open for business. And in fact, our customers responded to it immediately, and our new flights degrees did incredibly well.” 

Dubrovnik enjoyed considerable coverage of its welcome to Americans during the pandemic, including a feature on Good Morning America, which was watched by 12.5 million people. The Dubrovnik Tourist Board has also been running a successful campaign in various airports in the States. 

For more information about Dubrovnik, check out the TC Dubrovnik in a Page guide. 

For the latest flight news to Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

May 27, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 79 Ryanair Croatia routes will run in June!

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair has modified its flight schedule for June. Next month, the well-known airline will offer almost 80 scheduled flights to and from six Croatian airports, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Ryanair plans to operate 79 international routes to 6 Croatian airports in June to Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb, with based aircraft and crew in Zagreb and Zadar.

Here's the list of routes at Croatian airports with the number of weekly rotations and the days these lines operate.

From Zagreb to:
Brussels Charleroi, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Paphos, once a week, Wednesdays,

Paris Beauvais, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Dortmund, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Dusseldorf Weeze, twice a week, Thursdays and Saturdays,

Frankfurt Hahn, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Karlsruhe, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Memmingen, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Thessaloniki, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Dublin, three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,

Milan Bergamo, four times a week, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,

Naples, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Rome, four times a week, on Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays,

Malta, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Podgorica, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Eindhoven, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Oslo Torp, once a week, Wednesdays,

Bratislava, three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays,

Malaga, once a week, on Wednesdays,

Gothenburg, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Malmo, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

London, seven times a week, daily,

Manchester, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays.

A total of 460 flights (incoming and outgoing) with B737-800, B737MAX, and A320 aircraft have been announced for June. More than 82,000 seats in both directions are available on the 23 mentioned lines.

From Pula to:
Brussels Charleroi, three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,

London, three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,

Poznan, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Vienna, twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays.

In June, Pula will have 86 Ryanair flights on four international routes, with more than 15,000 seats available on B737-800 and A320 aircraft.

From Rijeka to:
Brussels Charleroi, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Stockholm, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

London, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays.

In June, Rijeka Airport will have a total of 54 flights (incoming and outgoing) on three routes, with more than 10,000 seats on offer.

From Zadar to:
Vienna, four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays,

Brussels Charleroi, four times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,

Sofia, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays,

Threshold, four times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,

Aarhus, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Helsinki, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Bordeaux, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Marseille, three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,

Paris Beauvais, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Berlin, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Bremen, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Cologne, three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,

Dusseldorf Weeze, four times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays,

Frankfurt Hahn, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Hamburg, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Karlsruhe, three times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Saturdays,

Memmingen, three times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,

Nuremberg, four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays,

Budapest, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Dublin, twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays,

Bari, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Bologna, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Milan Bergamo, three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,

Naples, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Pisa, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Rome, four times a week, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays,

Turin, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Eindhoven, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Maastricht, twice a week, Mondays and Fridays,

Gdansk, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Krakow, four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays,

Poznan, four times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays,

Warsaw Modlin, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Wroclaw, three times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays,

Bucharest, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Gothenburg, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Stockholm, twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays,

Vaxjo, twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays,

Birmingham, twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Bournemouth, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Edinburgh, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Leeds, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Liverpool, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

London, six times a week, every day except Monday,

Manchester, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

Newcastle, twice a week, Wednesdays and Sundays.

Zadar Airport is definitely the number one airport in Croatia for Ryanair. Aircraft will fly to more than 45 destinations and will offer over 160,000 seats in more than 450 rotations. Certain lines were already scheduled to be in operation, but the carrier postponed the start of operations on several lines for commercial reasons until the second half of June.

From Split to:
Dublin, four times a week, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Dublin is the only Ryanair destination from Split. 17 rotations are planned for June, with Ryanair offering more than 6,000 seats.

From Dubrovnik to:
Vienna, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Dublin, four times a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays (34),

On the two mentioned lines, Ryanair will offer almost 10,000 seats to and from Dubrovnik Airport in June.

In June, Ryanair will operate a total of 79 international routes to and from Croatian airports, and according to current data, the number of routes should increase in July. In June alone, the Irish airline will offer more than 285,000 seats to and from Croatian airports, with Zadar Airport and Zagreb International Airport having the largest share in the number of seats (and consequently the line).

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

May 28, 2022 - A destination long associated with short visits continues its journey of diversification aimed at the digital market and longer-stay tourist. Meet Dubrovnik Long Stay, a new official website. 

It has been a really interesting two years working with the City of Dubrovnik and tourist board since my first meeting with Dubrovnik Mayor, Mato Frankovic back in July 2020. His receptiveness to explore new tourism avenues was very refreshing, and we started working on some new digital nomad initiatives with Saltwater Nomads. With many destinations simply waiting for the pandemic to pass, Croatia (with its new digital nomad permit) and Dubrovnik were busy and prominent. Saltwater Nomads delivered the first-ever digital nomad conference in Croatia, Dubrovnik for Digital Nomads, which was followed by the award-winning Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence programme (DNIR) in April 2021, and recent Work. Place. Culture. conference which took place earlier this month. 

The DNIR project was particularly illuminating, and it was a pleasure to watch the city, tourist board, community and resident nomads co-creating a strategy for the city to become more attractive to remote workers in the future. One of the many recommendations from the resident nomads was that Dubrovnik was perceived as a 2-day destination, whereas many nomads on social media were looking to try a Croatian destination for 30 days or so. If there was no information or marketing about longer-term stays, then there was little chance that nomads would be heading in that direction. A suggestion to create a website called Dubrovnik Long Stay could promote a different image of the city, catering to the needs of those who were more interested in spending a longer period, perhaps with working remotely built into the plan.

One thing that has really impressed me with the cooperation with Dubrovnik has been how willing both the city and tourist board have been not only to implement recommendations, but to go even further. Making lasting change takes more than a couple of conferences and strategy exercises if the recommendations are not followed up. Changing the perception of a destination takes time, but there are already some encouraging results, as the two British newspaper headlines - one from 2017 and one from 2021 - show.  

Dubrovnik has responded well to the challenge, and the city has some pretty cool features for nomads. In addition to adding co-working (and soon co-living) spaces, the tourist board has reached out to local businesses to see who would like to support the digital nomad community in the form of discounts and special offers. There has been a great response, and the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Card will soon be available. The tourist board has also established a digital nomad concierge service point at its main Pile Gate office, where digital nomads can register and receive a DN information pack. 

Nothing spreads faster than the spoken word or a hearty recommendation, and the latest collaboration between the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board and Saltwater Nomads has been the Dubrovnik Digital Nomad Ambassador program. Mandy Fransz (one of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work), and Yvette Pelgrom, have done an excellent job and are now continuing their ambassadorship on Korcula. So what did they make of Dubrovnik as a nomad destination? Read more in The Ultimate Guide for Digital Nomads in Dubrovnik.

The latest addition to Dubrovnik's impressive digital nomad offer went live this week - the latest implemented recommendation from DNIR - the Dubrovnik Long Stay website - check it out here. 

Lots of practical information for longer-term renters, including accommodation options and co-working spaces, as well as the latest news and events. More details on the DN card will appear once it is launched, and if you are considering coming down to the southern coast of Croatia for an extended stay, a website to bookmark for sure. 

To learn more about Dubrovnik, check out the TC Dubrovnik in a Page guide. 

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

May 28, 2022 - Dubrovnik's first digital nomad ambassadors are giving back - a few hints and tips for DNs coming to visit the Pearl of the Adriatic.  

This guide has been written by Yvette Pelgrom and Mandy Fransz to share their top tips and recommendations after working remotely in Dubrovnik, Croatia as the inaugural Digital Nomad Ambassadors, a pro-bono concept designed and deivered by Saltwater Nomads, in partnership with the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and City of Dubrovnik.

With its Mediterranean vibe, impressive culture and history, beautiful nature, extremely friendly locals, and surrounded by islands with crystal clear water, we truly believe that Dubrovnik is a must-visit city to add to your bucket list!

For the last few weeks, we’ve had the amazing opportunity to experience the digital nomad lifestyle of this magical “Kings Landing” city as a Digital Nomad Ambassador.

In this guide, we happily share our experiences to hopefully provide you with the tips and recommendations needed to create the ultimate digital nomad experience!

Where to stay:

During our 3-week stay, we’ve stayed at a different apartments each week which gave us the opportunity to explore different areas of Dubrovnik.

One of our favorite areas is Lapad, which is about 10 minutes by taxi (approx. €6- one-way by Uber or Bolt) to the Old Town. We stayed in Dvori Lapad which was only a few minutes walk from Sunset Beach where you can walk alongside the beautiful promenade filled with hotels and restaurants serving delicious fish and seafood.

Another area we enjoyed during our stay was only a 7-minute walk up the hills from Old Town. We stayed at Apartments Lora which offered one of the best views from our big (+ sunny!) terrace right on top of Old Town and the magical Lokrum island. A little side note: you do need to walk a few stairs to get here, but it’s worth the view!

(Apartment Lora)

Where to eat:

Our favorite restaurant is Urban & Veggie, which is conceived as “Dubrovnik's vegecentric sustainability hotspot” offering the best vegan and healthy options in town. Definitely try their Veggie Burger while you’re there!

Another favorite is Nishta, a small place in the middle of Old Town that offers vegan, raw and gluten-free dishes, including a salad bar. Their falafel wrap is delicious! A few other restaurants in Old Town that we really enjoyed are Castro (pizza / pasta), Kamenice (budget-friendly seafood), Kopun (seafood - a bit more fancy / higher prices), and Arsenal (amazing harbour view - a bit more fancy / higher prices).

Finally, we highly recommend walking alongside the promenade in Lapad for delicious fish and seafood restaurants such as Casa (incl. very friendly staff who kindly allowed us to work remotely with an ocean-view while enjoying a seabass for lunch!)

(Casa)

Where to work:

As digital nomads, having a work-friendly home office is essential. Hence, make sure to find accommodation with high-speed Wi-Fi, enough space to work from, and/or ideally, a dedicated desk to comfortably work-from-home.

While Dubrovnik currently doesn’t have many co-working spaces, we truly believe that Lazareti has the potential to become one of the most beautiful co-working spaces worldwide! With an exceptional location only a few minutes wak from Old Town and a picture-perfect view the Adreatic sea, this makes it the perfect place to work and meet like-minded people. During our stay, Yvette Pelgrom (one of the Digital Nomad Ambassadors) hosted a Workshop ‘Life Design for Wellbeing’ which was a great way to bring together digital nomads and expats in Dubrovnik.

(Lazareti co-working space)

Finally, we regularly worked from the previously mentioned Urban & Veggie, which offers a few work-friendly tables with electrical outlets and an outside garden which makes it a perfect spot if you’re looking to switch up work environments. 

Things to do:

There is no reason to be bored in Dubrovnik! There are a lot of fun activities including walking the Dubrovnik Walls, going for a Karaka sunset tour, sea kayaking, exploring Kings Landing with a Game of Thrones tour (highly recommend Dubrovnik Tourist Guide!), or enjoying a cocktail during sunset at the Buza Cliff Bar.

Dubrovnik is the perfect place to start your day with a dip in the sea.  A few of our favorite beaches include Banje Beach nearby Old Town, Sunset Beach in Lapad, and St Jacobs Beach which is a ~20-minute walk alongside the coast and is located next to the old ruins of Hotel Belvedere, a Game of Thrones venue! You can also take a ~35-minute drive to the secluded Pasjaca Beach, a must-visit according to locals.

If you’re a little more adventurous, you can also hike the Srd hiking trail, which takes you within 45-minutes to the top at the Panorama restaurant with a breathtaking view.  Also, we recommend exploring “hidden gems” within walking distance such as the romantic seaview point we discovered in Velika and Mala Petka Forest Park.

Last but not least, for a unique experience we highly recommend Koshara picnic to enjoy an Instagrammable picnic with a view in beautiful locations such as Gradac park (yes, another Game of Thrones venue!). 

General tips & recommendations

Want to live in Croatia for a year? Check out the digital nomad visa by DNA Croatia.

Want to meet fellow digital nomads in Dubrovnik? Join the Facebook group here.

We hope this guide will help you to create the ultimate digital nomad experience in Dubrovnik. Do you have any other tips and recommendations? Feel free to leave a comment below!

(Lazareti co-working space, just outside the Old Town)

This guide is written by Yvette Pelgrom and Mandy Fransz to share their top tips and recommendations after working remotely in Dubrovnik, Croatia as the inaugural Digital Nomad Ambassadors, a pro-bono concept designed and deivered by Saltwater Nomads, in partnership with the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and City of Dubrovnik.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, check out the  dedicated TCN section.  

May the 27th, 2022 - The biggest communal project in the history of the City of Dubrovnik is soon finally set to take place. Most people who have spent any time in Croatia's southernmost city will have smelt the unpleasant scents that tend to be worse around certain parts of the coastline. This huge Dubrovnik communal infrastructure project can't come soon enough, and should finally solve this historic issue entirely.

As Morski writes, a tender has been announced for the construction of the most important individual project of the Dubrovnik Agglomeration, a wastewater treatment plant, ie UPOV Lapad and a sludge drying plant located in nearby Osojnik, in the wider Dubrovnik area. People involved are already referring to the move as the largest Dubrovnik communal infrastructure project to ever be carried out.

The Dubrovnik agglomeration project is worth more than 880 million kuna in total and is being co-financed by European Union (EU) funds. The works should start after this year's summer tourist season, and since this is a truly huge project, no one involved is mentioning anything about the presumed date for the completion of the works so far.

Vodovod (Waterworks) announced that two more contractors have been selected for the project entitled: "The development of water and communal infrastructure in Dubrovnik".

These are parts of tender two, which relate to the rehabilitation of five sewage pumping stations and other equipment in the area from Zlatni potok (Sveti Jakov) to Mokosica and the rehabilitation of almost six kilometres of drainage network. There is also the construction of more than 2.5 kilometres of new water supply pipelines in the area of ​​Zaton and Vrbica, which includes the construction of two new pumping stations and one reservoi, as well as the general rehabilitation and reconstruction of almost 2.5 kilometres of the existing network in the city.

For the other two groups within tender two, the review and evaluation of bids is currently underway, as it also is for tenders related to the rehabilitation of the hydraulic tunnel under Srdj and the rehabilitation of the sewerage canal below Stradun and Prijeko (Old Town), for which the contractors should be selected soon.

For the remaining tenders, institutional strengthening, which refers to the development of GIS systems and the procurement of equipment for system maintenance, the preparation of the necessary documentation is now underway, according to the city administration.

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

May 25, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Air Serbia flights to Croatia have been significantly boosted from Belgrade this summer. 

Serbian national airline Air Serbia will launch two seasonal routes to Split and Dubrovnik by the end of May, and flights from Belgrade to Pula, Rijeka, and Zadar by mid-June, reports Croatian Aviation.

Namely, Air Serbia plans to operate to six Croatian airports this summer, with only the route to Zagreb being year-round.

Already this Thursday, May 26, two lines will start operating from Belgrade to Split and Dubrovnik. These are also the two most popular of Air Serbia lines to and from Croatia.

The line between Belgrade and Split will operate from May 26, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, and the number of weekly operations will gradually increase. Namely, first on June 6, an additional flight will be introduced on Mondays, and then on June 24 with a flight on Fridays, which will allow Air Serbia to operate between the two cities four times a week, using ATR72, A319, and A320 aircraft.

The line between Dubrovnik and Belgrade will start operating on the same day. Currently, two flights a week have been announced, also on Thursdays and Sundays, with an additional flight available on Mondays from June 13. ATR72 and A319 aircraft have also been announced on this route.

From mid-June, there will be lines from Belgrade to Pula, Rijeka, and Zadar, and everything will start around the same period. Namely, the line between Belgrade and Zadar will start with traffic from June 14 with two flights a week, a day later (June 15), the line between Belgrade and Rijeka will begin, and from June 16, flights between Belgrade and Pula will launch. 

All three mentioned lines have announced two flights a week in June with ATR72 aircraft. The line to Zadar will operate on Tuesdays and Saturdays, to Rijeka on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and to Pula on Thursdays and Sundays.

The only year-round Air Serbia route between Belgrade and Zagreb will also have more flights in June than the current schedule. Namely, on Mondays and Fridays, the airline will offer two flights a day between the two cities, while one daily flight is available on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

In June, Air Serbia will operate on 6 mentioned routes to Croatia with a total of 20 weekly flights, which is a significant increase, especially compared to the same period last year and the year before. The number of flights will continue to grow in the peak summer season.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 22, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Condor Rijeka and Dubrovnik flights resumed this weekend, and Smartwings canceled Prague-Dubrovnik flights for the summer. 

On May 21, the German leisure airline Condor resumed traffic to two Croatian airports - Rijeka and Dubrovnik, reports Croatian Aviation. Condor thus resumed traffic to Rijeka and Dubrovnik on four international lines from Dusseldorf and Frankfurt.

Rijeka Airport

Rijeka Airport is already connected to Frankfurt by Lufthansa, which currently operates on this route once a week, every Saturday. On May 25, the airline will introduce a second weekly flight, on Wednesdays.

In addition to Lufthansa, Condor will operate on this route once a week, also on Saturdays, until the end of September, so Rijeka Airport has a regular connection with Frankfurt three times a week. On the first Condor flight from Frankfurt, 103 passengers arrived in Rijeka, while 33 of them traveled from Rijeka.

Condor also launched the announced line between Rijeka and Dusseldorf, which will run twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. 146 passengers arrived in Rijeka on the first Condor flight, while 22 of them traveled from Kvarner to Düsseldorf. Rijeka is connected to Düsseldorf by a regular Eurowings line, which launched yesterday. It should also be mentioned that Eurowings is introducing a line from Stuttgart, and today from Berlin and Hamburg to Rijeka.

Dubrovnik Airport

Condor resumed traffic to Dubrovnik Airport, also with lines from Dusseldorf and Frankfurt, and both will be in traffic once a week, every Saturday.

Dubrovnik is connected to Frankfurt by regular lines of Croatia Airlines and Lufthansa, while the line between Dubrovnik and Dusseldorf, in addition to Condor, is also operated by Eurowings.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Czech airline Smartwings has withdrawn all flights previously announced for this summer season on the seasonal route between Prague and Dubrovnik. The airline will operate exclusively to Split.

The Prague-Dubrovnik line was supposed to operate daily during the peak season. 

Smartwings will operate between Prague and Split this summer and the line is already in traffic. The number of weekly flights will gradually increase from four to seven flights a week, and flights between the two cities are planned until October 9 this year.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 19, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 16 Wizz Air flights to Split and Dubrovnik will run this summer, offering more than 370,000 seats to and from Croatia during the tourist season. 

Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air plans to operate to two Croatian airports, Split and Dubrovnik, on a total of 16 international routes this summer, which is more than last year's summer flight schedule, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Wizz Air is still negotiating with certain airports in Croatia, so there is a chance that more new routes will be announced in the peak season, although the chances are getting smaller as we approach the summer.

Currently, 16 international lines to Split and Dubrovnik are available for booking. 

Lines from Split to:

Vienna, from 1 June, three times a week, until the end of September,

Rome, from June 6, four times a week, until the end of September,

Vilnius, from June 13, twice a week, until the end of September,

Gdansk, from June 13, twice a week, until the end of September,

Katowice, from June 4, three to five times a week, until the end of October,

Krakow, from June 4, three to five times a week, until the end of October,

Lublin, from June 13, twice a week, until the end of September,

Poznan, from June 17, twice a week, until the end of September,

Warsaw, from June 14, three times a week, until the end of October,

Wroclaw, from June 6, two to three times a week, until the end of October,

London (Luton), from June 13, daily, until early October

Lines from Dubrovnik to:

Vienna, from June 4, three times a week, until the end of September,

Rome, from June 13, three times a week, until the end of September,

Warsaw, from June 13, twice a week, until the end of September,

Wroclaw, from August 4, twice a week, until the end of September,

London (Luton), from July 4, four times a week, until the end of October.

Currently, 1,778 operations have been announced on these lines for this summer, with most, of course, to Split Airport. A320 and A321 aircraft with a capacity of 180 to 230 seats have been announced on all routes.

Thus, 282,150 seats are available to and from Split on Wizz Air, while 89,452 seats are available to and from Dubrovnik Airport.

The Hungarian airline is offering more than 370 thousand seats to and from Croatia in the upcoming summer season, and most of the routes will start operating in the first half of June, or in a little less than a month.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

May 17, 2022 - Continuing our look at the recent Work. Place. Culture. conference - and conference locations in Dubrovnik, a short trip on Day 3 to a conference destination which sets Dubrovnik apart - the idyllic island of Lokrum.

All the World's a Stage, said Shakespeare. But I wonder how The Bard would have rated Dubrovnik on that stage? 

Although I have visited the city many times, the Work. Place. Culture. conference earlier this month showcased the city in a new light for me, adding yet one more competitive advantage to this magical destination already blessed with extraordinary history, heritage, beauty and personality. The event design and venue selection by organiser Saltwater Nomads, brought an extra dimension to the conference. 

The conference (a collaboration between the City of Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik Tourist Board, Saltwater Nomads, Total Croatia News, Digital Nomad Association Croatia, and Dubrovacka Bastina), which brought together leading voices and destinations in the world of remote work, was based in the former quarantine quarters of Lazareti, conveniently located a few metres from the historic old town and Banje beach. But the dynamic and enterprising programme took advantage of the fabulous surroundings to showcase the magic and diversity, demonstrating that a Dubrovnik conference offers much more than the presentations between four walls. 

From the opening welcome at Sponza Palace (sponsored by the Croatian National Tourist Board) to a keynote speech on the UNSECO Old Town walls, panel at Banje beach, and pre-dinner cruise on a 16th-century wooden sailboat, the surroundings provided as much stimulation as the excellent speakers. But Day 3 promised to be even more special - workshops at one of the very finest places in all Croatia and a veritable jewel in Dubrovnik's tourism armoury - the island of Lokrum. 

As if Dubrovnik did not have it all already, a short 10-minute boat ride on a fully-renovated 50-year-old wooden boat took participants to what is the second most popular attraction after the historic walls. And yet it never seems to be overcrowded. 

Easily the cleanest island I have come across in Croatia (I have never seen any rubbish there), Lokrum is a haven for those escaping the crowds escaping the city (the trip was sponsored by Lokrum Nature Park), but with plenty to offer visitors, including the most peaceful and picturesque workshop locations, as Yvette Pelgrom of Lifebook discovered as we went to scour a location. Where else in the world could you hold a workshop in the cloister of a monastery turned Game of Thrones filming location, with strutting peacocks providing an audio backdrop just metres from an original GoT iron throne? I asked Yvette how it had been for her:

"I was really honoured to host a session on “How to Consciously Design Your Work & Life” on the dreamy island Lokrum. During this session, I guided them through a powerful framework which has been successfully proven to change lives of hundreds worldwide. This got them to unravel core beliefs that guide (and sabotage) their current choices and lifestyle, in order to craft their practical strategies on aspects like career and health. 

"It was really beautiful to experience their proactiveness and how participants, now still days after, are reflecting and acting on it. Mission accomplished! And what a memory altogether given this was hosted at Lokrum Island. Picture stunning botanical gardens, crystal clear water and peacocks around! The island definitely did its magic, too. Lokrum was one of many outstanding highlights for me and when you visit/stay here, the perfect getaway to retreat for walks, strolls, reading, swims and leisurely sunbathing."

There are no cars on Lokrum, no inhabitants (save two firemen from Lokrum Fire Brigade), and smoking and plastic are banned. The botanical gardens are a delight, and Dubrovnik schools often hold classes out in the open on Lokrum. As do - increasingly - conferences such as Work. Place. Culture. I asked Yvette how the conference had been for her. 

"Inspired! My impression in one word. I myself am highly conscious of how I design life and work, greatly as I was raised and worked across the globe. At the conference however I got to connect with many - who blew me away with inspirational examples within this realm of flexible working and living. I left excited having met peers in the same industry, connecting with other leaders who prioritise wellbeing and freedom while investing devotedly in their talent, - and all the way to connecting with millennials with a curious hunger to explore all corners of the world while making an impact. 

"Moreover, the talks gave valuable insights on new advancements around remote working, sustainability around travel and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging). And… it was fun! A dynamic schedule from talks, sunset dinners, boat trip and being shown around in special Dubrovnik on the walls where Games of Thrones were filmed. Time flew!"

After lunch on the island, it was the turn of Mandy Fransz, one of LinkedIn's top 10 voices on remote work, to lead the afternoon session:

"After opening the Work. Place Culture. conference with my keynote "How To Work Remotely & Travel As A (Part-Time) Digital Nomad" I was honored to end the conference with the final session about "How To Build Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn" on beautiful Lokrum island -- a Game of Thrones venue! During this session, I shared my top tips about how to optimize your profile to truly showcase your authentic, online personal brand to attract your dream (remote) business opportunities. (pssst... download your free LinkedIn Banner Image template here to get started!).

"Lokrum is truly a magical place with a botanical garden surrounded by nothing but nature, the ocean, and the beautiful (and, loud!) peacocks. It'd definitely a must-visit when you're in Dubrovnik and a perfect way to escape the hustle and bustle -- it's been a fantastic experience hosting a session here!"

The session over, participants went off to explore the island before heading back to the city for a farewell dinner. And there is plenty of heritage to explore. Dubrovnik is the birthplace of quarantine, and the remnants of a large quarantine complex (100m x 100m) can still be visited today. It is also the island where King Richard the Lionheart took shelter from a savage storm, vowing to build a church at the location which saved him - the church he donated was the pre-cursor to the current Dubrovnik Cathedral.

Others headed for a swim at Lokrum's very own Dead Sea, once a cave but still very much part of the Adriatic Sea. Mandy also reflected on the last few days at Work. Place. Culture:

"I absolutely loved the overall conference -- from the stunning event venues including Lazareti (see photo below) and Lokrum island, the fun activities including a Karaka sunset tour and "Netwallking" the Dubrovnik Walls, and of course the world-class line-up of speakers full of interesting keynotes, workshops and panel discussions with topics ranging from wellbeing, sustainability, and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging). It's been an honor to have been a part of this event and to finally meet many industry peers and (virtual) friends in-person -- I already can't wait for next year's event!"

While the conference has now finished, both Mandy and Yvette are still in Dubrovnik, currently enjoying the role of Digital Nomad Ambassadors for Dubrovnik and Korcula (a programme designed and run by Saltwater Nomads), a role they are clearly enjoying:

"I'm honored to spend the next couple of weeks exploring the digital nomad lifestyle in beautiful Dubrovnik and Korcula as an Ambassador," said Mandy. "I am currently writing this from our wonderful home office set-up at our big, sunny terrace with a breathtaking view across Old Town and Lokrum Island. We start our days doing a workout at sunrise, do a couple of deep-dive focus hours, and then we'll go for a dip in the sea or a walk outside during lunch break and after work.

(Mandy with conference organiser, Tanja Polegubic, CEO of Saltwater Nomads at Lazareti)

"For the next few weeks, we'll host a few events to bring together the digital nomad community and collaborate with co-working spaces such as Lazareti (yes, you can even work from there!) to help take the remote work lifestyle to the next level as I truly believe that Dubrovnik has the potential to become one of the most popular destinations for digital nomads and remote workers worldwide."

Yvette was also clearly excited, and with a little gift for anyone interested:

"It is such a gift to experience and contribute as Ambassador to the digital nomad scene in Dubrovnik and Korcula, sunny Croatia. We are making the most out of it, read: early wakeups, workouts with ocean view and the sun rising as it shines first on Old Town, power hours of working, sea dips to refresh, and candlelight dinners with the tasty catch of the day in the authentic alley streets in Old Town or overviewing the sea.

"And those around, stay tuned - we’re hosting events in the next ~3 weeks to connect digital nomads and locals, for leisure and business. My upcoming session on Work/Life Design will be this Friday, May 20th, at 15:00 PM. I’ll be passionately facilitating as Coach & Trainer with another aspect around Work/Life Design. Usually $1200+ but now as no-cost gift (YES!) as a humble way to contribute as Ambassador and bring together like-minded peers. I am being received with open arms so this is the least I can do! Limited spots though as it is interactive - please RSVP as soon as possible - connect on Instagram / LinkedIn / email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. That said, curious but not around?

"My door is open to share about digital nomad life, to connect deeper around things like Life/Leadership/Mindset Coaching or... to have you join one of the upcoming wellness & personal development retreats in 2022 in London/Amsterdam/Lisbon!"

So what do you say,  Mr. Shakespeare: if all the world is a stage, would Dubrovnik and Lokrum take centre stage? Learn more about idyllic Lokrum on my first visit a few years ago.

And there the Work. Place. Culture. conference might have ended, had the energy not been so positive. Energised by the Lokrum experience, conference speaker Dr. Irene Cop offered to hold an extra session the following day over brunch back in Dubrovnik. In Irene's own words:

"It was such a pleasure to lead a brunch workshop on SOS Tools for Success Over Stress at the Work. Place. Culture. Conference in Dubrovnik. You can’t beat transformation, great people and wonderful food for the the perfect recipe of an awesome day!

So many digital nomads and remote workers (and those who want to be part of the Great Resignation) are still feeling lonely, stressed and miserable.

Perhaps they’d thought that, if they could just make this switch to a freer lifestyle, then they’d be happy. 

The thing is that success, happiness, and freedom are inside jobs first.

Why?

You can’t be stressed and in success mode too.

So, the first crucial step that most people miss is to use fast, easy, powerful SOS tools to shift out of survival mode.

Only then can you think logically, come up with the creative solutions needed, and act on them to succeed.

Throughout our hands-on session, everyone learned several SOS tools to make them feel calm, cool, and collected in times of crisis.

It was the perfect complement to the other amazing sessions that showed the conference participants how to create a powerful vision of the life they wanted, and then practical ways to take action and make that vision reality.

I learned so much from attending the different sessions myself, and I was jazzed to be able to add value to such a phenomenal conference!"

For more information about Work. Place. Culture. in Dubrovnik, visit the official website.

For an overview of the opening from Sponza Palace.

Day 1: Dubrovnik Connects as Global Remote Workers Bond at Work. Place. Culture

Day 2: Dubrovnik Showcases Its Credentials, as Nomad Trails Head East in Europe 

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

May 17, 2022 - After Dubrovnik opened its first gay bar earlier this month, the Cabaret Gentlemen's Club Cristal should open in June. 

After decades of monotonous offerings, typical souvenir shops, fast food restaurants, and a few more exclusive offers for a wealthier clientele, Dubrovnik is becoming a city that can match the world's largest metropolises. Throughout history, Dubrovnik has often been a precursor of change and liberal ideas, but the city has lost part of its 'modernity' over the years and mainly relied on history and cultural heritage. But that isn't the case anymore.

After Dubrovnik came to life with its first gay bar, now the Adriatic pearl will have another hot topic to chat about.

As Dubrovacki Dnevnik has learned from well-informed sources, a strip club is opening in Batala this summer, although this information is still not widely known to the public. The area of the 18th century Sorgo Giorgi Matijević summer house, next to the former Atlantska Plovidba, is rapidly transforming into a luxury club that will open in a little over a month.

Unofficially, it is Cabaret Gentlemen's Club Cristal, an elite night strip club that is known as the most luxurious club for this offer in the region. Cristal Club already exists in Sarajevo and Rogoznica in Marina Frapa. In Sarajevo, the club is open all year round, every night without exception. In Rogoznica, oriented primarily to the tourist season, the club is open from May to October. As Dubrovacki Dnevnik finds out, the Dubrovnik club should work for at least ten months.

Employees at the club are already in demand, with openings for waitresses and dancers. The team has already been partially formed, given that a source close to the club said that eight girls had already been formally selected as dancers and that only two places remain open.

In clubs of this type, all girls, depending on how professional they are in dance and work, receive a per diem and percentages of drinks, where each bottle has a certain amount earned as commission, meaning higher commissions for more expensive bottles of alcohol.

In addition to the fixed per diem and percentage, a lap dance is paid extra. Visitors that want discretion can exchange their money for 'funny money' and honor the girls with them when performing. Girls also earn a percentage of this funny money.

According to Dubrovacki Dnevnik's source, dancers earn between five and seven thousand euros a month.

When asked about the age range of dancers, a source close to the club answered that the only condition is that the girl is of legal age and there is no age limit. 

Opening hours are not yet fully defined, but it will certainly work during the night, and the options are from 9 pm to 5 am or from 10 pm to 4 am. The club's source points out that these working hours are an advantage because it allows time for your private life, rest, socializing, and swimming.

This news will undoubtedly provoke rumors in the city, but those engaged in this business point out that everything is transparent, that all employees are duly registered; if they are foreigners, a work permit is obtained and everyone is duly paid obligations and contributions.

"Everything is legal; business like any other," the source concluded. 

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