Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union Visit Dubrovnik for a Day
The New Europe Market film and television festival was is held in Dubrovnik again this year.
The festival is taking place in the Palace Hotel and has managed to attract over 2000 professionals from the showbiz industry to Dubrovnik. Among those visiting this year are actresses Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union, who arrived at the conference as a part of their promotional tour of Europe for their new TV show, 'LA's Finest'. The TV procedural is a spin-off of the Bad Boys movie franchise, and it premiered in May in the United States.
The two actresses were not the only celebrities visiting Dubrovnik for the conference this year, as famous Scottish actor Alan Cumming shared with his fans on his Instagram profile that he also attended, with a somewhat less professional photo of himself:
One of the most beautiful actresses in Hollywood, Jessica Alba also took to Instagram to let her fans know how much fun she was having in Dubrovnik
She complimented "The light ? -the food @posat_dubrovnik ??? -the Adriatic", and made it quite obvious she enjoyed her dinner in Restaurant Posat, at one of the most prestigious locations in Dubrovnik's Old Town. It is quite interesting to observe that when very famous (and rich) people visit Dubrovnik they have several fancy, prestigious restaurants to choose from for their dinner - you might remember that Cristiano Ronaldo picked different restaurants while he was staying there this spring!
Jessica Alba and Gabrielle Union didn't have much of a chance to get to know the Pearl of the Adriatic a bit better, as their European press tour has a tight schedule - her stylist Daniel Martin today published an Instagram story where the actress complains about the rainy weather in London, where she had to fly to from sunny and warm Mediterranean Dubrovnik!
Feel free to come back any time for a vacation, Dubrovnik is not going anywhere (not even dragons can harm it in real life!)
Eight People Charged over Plat Hydro-Power Plant Disaster
ZAGREB, June 11, 2019 - Eight men have been suspected of jeopardising public safety and doing hazardous construction works, which resulted in the death of three workers of the Dubrovnik hydro-power plant Plat in January, according to a press release issued by the Dubrovnik County police directorate on Monday.
Media outlets have reported that one of the two suspects is a member of the HEP power provider's management board and another was a former director in that company.
The police stopped short of identifying the suspects.
The two prime suspects are likely to be placed in police custody on Tuesday.
The three workers were killed in the disaster when the fire broke out in the plant in the morning of 10 January. The first victim was found inside the plant on the same day. The body of the second victim was found in the seawater off Dubrovnik, and the corpse of the third victim was found in the plant's drainage canal on 13 January after an extensive search operation involving local police, Croatia's Mountain Rescue Service, firefighters, local residents and medical teams.
Another seven people sustained light injuries in the blaze, and huge material damage was caused to the plant.
More Dubrovnik news can be found in the Lifestyle section.
Moet & Chandon Festivities Taking Place in France and Croatia
June 9, 2019 - In an appropriately sparkling fete (how else - when it comes to sparkling wine?) famous champagne producer Moët & Chandon recently unveiled its majestically-restored Château de Saran, an architectural jewel in the lush landscape of Champagne.
One of the most impressive suites of the palace is the historic “Impériale Suite”, an ode to Napoleon I staged in homage to the patronage of France’s imperial family that gave its title to Moët Impérial, born on the centennial of Napoleon I’s birth. Interestingly, Napoleon Bonaparte was one of the biggest Moet & Chandon fans ever! The palace was proudly inaugurated just in time to host a celebration marking the 150th anniversary of Moët Impérial. A star in its own right, Moët Impérial has shined on the cinematic stage, been celebrated for its savior-fête and fair, and is frequently captured by the lens of paparazzi as it has been joyfully toasted by the glitterati.
Once upon a time in Cannes in the 1960s, film legends such as Kim Novak and Cary Grant were photographed toasting with Moët Impérial at a star-studded dinner. Also, at Studio 54, a symbol of the dazzling New York nightlife of the 1970s, Andy Warhol was photographed sharing a bottle of Moët Impérial with his famous friends and entourage.
Fast forward to the present: Gracing the glittering evening in Champagne with their presence were some of the brightest stars of today’s Hollywood like Natalie Portman and Uma Thurman; style icon Kate Moss and British actor Douglas Booth; New York blogger and influencer Derek Blasberg. Famous tennis player Roger Federer, Moët & Chandon’s ambassador since 2012 and a true tennis legend, was also present - to pay a personal tribute to the signature champagne.
“I am thrilled to be here in Champagne to toast Moët Impérial, a symbol of global success, at this splendid family château, a grand new symbol for Moët & Chandon whose ‘family’ I am honored to be a part of,” said Roger Federer. Towering over the vineyards of Moët & Chandon, the Château de Saran has been a property of the House since 1801 and today is a superb “Château de Famille,” destined to become the site of festive celebrations again. To honour the 150th anniversary of Moët Impérial, born in 1869, Moët & Chandon arranged for its most emblematic champagne to be served throughout the evening from the new limited-edition anniversary bottles. Following an elegant cocktail party at the Château, a festive seated dinner was served in a mirrored structure specially designed to reflect the beauty of the House’s vineyards. The meal, prepared like a concerto “with four hands” combined the unique culinary talents of Yannick Alléno, the three Michelin-starred French chefs and brand ambassador for the House since 2014, with the artistry of Dominique Crenn, co-owner and chef of the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier Crenn in San Francisco.
Their unprecedented collaboration made for a delectably-curated culinary experience paired with the flowing bubbles of Moët Impérial. The evening was highlighted, after dinner, by a live musical performance courtesy of British singer-songwriter, Freya Ridings, Britain’s biggest breakthrough artist thanks to her 2018 platinum-selling hit “Lost Without You.” A few days later, in Zagreb, Moët & Chandon Grand Day was announced in Kaptol Boutique Cinema. It is a continuity of the tradition – celebrating the 22nd of June as Moet Grand Day, this year especially highlighted due to the celebration marking the 150th anniversary of Moët Impérial.
From early morning of the 22nd of June until late in the evening, the Moët & Chandon Grand Day celebration will take place all over the world. In Croatia, everybody is invited and welcome to join the celebration in Dubrovnik Copacabana Beach and Culture Cub Revelin. The festivities will be organized in Mali Lošinj, at Borik Meditteranean Bar, and last but not least, in the beautiful an inevitable Rovinj where there be an exceptional celebration prepared, traditionally at the Valentino Champagne Bar. However, the main Croatian celebration location of Moët & Chandon Grand Day will be the location preferred by many: Kornati islands, more precisely Konoba Opat where the big festivities will be held. The biggest stars of the whole programme will be the performance of the renowned Croatian band Soulfingers. But, the food created and prepared by the chef Ante Božikov will be just as interesting and awaited with excitement and joy. Moët & Chandon Grand Day is eagerly expected everywhere in the world and Croatia, so don’t miss the 22nd of June and Moët Moments. Cheers to all!
To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
All photos by Mirko Janković
PHOTOS: Historic American Airlines Flight Lands at Dubrovnik Airport!
June 8, 2019 - American Airlines launched its new seasonal service between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik on June 8, 2019, connecting the United States and Croatia for the first time in 28 years. American Airlines flight 148 landed in Dubrovnik 45 minutes earlier than scheduled.
Mate Erceg
Ex Yu Aviation reports that flight AA148 left Philadelphia on Friday, June 7 at 6:06 pm local time (initially scheduled for 6:10 pm) with 209 passengers on board the Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. The return flight, which leaves Dubrovnik on June 8 at 11:40 am, should carry 120 passengers.
Tonči Glavina
Tonči Glavina
As expected, this new seasonal service was a cause for celebration, and a ceremony was held earlier in the week at the National Constitution Center Museum in Philadelphia to kick off the new connection.
There was even a party for 200 people and a klapa performance!
TCN's Steve Rukavina was on the inaugural flight, alongside the Croatian Ambassador to the United States, Pjer Šimunović, and the State Secretary at the Croatian Ministry of Tourism, Frano Matušić.
"We are honored that American Airlines has chosen Dubrovnik to launch this historic service connecting our two great countries. We believe this will deepen the bilateral alliance and the bonds of friendship between two World Heritage cities and between the United States and Croatia," said Matušić on Ex Yu Aviation.
Before the flight took off, American Airlines pulled out all the stops at the airport.
Tonči Glavina
Rukavina said that the Philly mayor closed the event by saying: “My only regret today is that I am not on the flight to Dubrovnik!”
Steve Rukavina with Natko Vlahovic and AA VP Jim Moses
Flights to Dubrovnik will run on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and from Dubrovnik on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. Recall, bookings were so good on this route that American Airlines announced they had to boost operations back in April. Namely, in September, the service will operate four times a week until the end of the month.
More soon...
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.
Dubrovnik-Neretva County to Get Emergency Helicopter Service Again
As Morski writes on the 6th of June, 2019, Dubrovnik-Neretva County prefect Nikola Dobroslavić has signed an agreement on the use of an emergency helicopter medical service in Dubrovnik-Neretva County, one of Croatia's most popular tourist regions, with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Health.
The helicopter will be in operation in Croatia's southernmost county from the period of June the 15th to September the 17th, 2019.
The presence of an emergency helicopter medical service down in Dubrovnik-Neretva County was initially established via an agreement between the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Health and Dubrovnik-Neretva County back in May 2017 after a successful pilot project was undertaken during the summer season of 2016.
The cooperation agreement covers the transport of life-threatening, injured or very sick people in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County area to hospital, enabling the swift and proper delivery of emergency helicopter medical care to all urgent patients on remote islands and areas of this southern Dalmatian county which are inaccessible by road during the summer tourist season.
The establishment of an emergency helicopter medical service in Dubrovnik-Neretva County marks a major step forward for the safety and preservation of the health of all residents and visitors to the county.
The program is thus implemented for the fourth consecutive year, and the justification of the service's presence in the area lies in the fact that last year alone, the helicopter took part in as many as 150 emergency interventions.
Prefect Nikola Dobroslavić thanked the Government of the Republic of Croatia for understanding the mildly awkward geographic position of Croatia's southernmost county, which is extremely popular among tourists from all over the world, but stressed the fact that his overall goal in regard to the emergency helicopter remains to be that it stays in operation in the county throughout the year, and not only during the summer season.
Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for more. If it's just Dubrovnik and the extreme south of Dalmatia you're interested in, give Total Dubrovnik a follow or check out Dubrovnik in a Page.
Millionth Overnight Stay in Dubrovnik - 5 Days Earlier than in 2018
According to the Croatian tourist registration platform eVisitor, which is used by hotels and private accommodation renters, the millionth overnight stay in Dubrovnik was registered on June the 1st this year.
Dubrovački vjesnik reports that it's five days earlier than that benchmark number was achieved last year (or, of course, any previous year, as Dubrovnik as well as Croatia have been on an upward trend for a long time now). The system does not include nautical tourists who spend their nights on the boats.
Almost 400,000 tourists stayed in Dubrovnik in the first five months of 2019, which is over 30% more than during the same period last year. The largest number of registered guests arrived to Dubrovnik from the United Kingdom, the US, Germany, France, Croatia (!), Finland, Spain, Bosnia, Korea and Canada. Just a bit more than half of all tourists arriving in Dubrovnik in that period stayed in hotels, which also marks significant growth for them.
Even May has seen major growth when compared to last year: 10% more people came to Dubrovnik in May, and there were more than 2% more overnight stays spent in the town.
And with the certain reported negative tendencies that are often mentioned when discussing tourism in Croatia in 2019, and keeping in mind that the weather this spring has been extremely tourist-unfriendly (to say the least), such growth (both in terms of arrivals and overnight stay in Dubrovnik) can be seen as a very positive sign. It is also important to keep in mind that these statistics are imperfect (as statistics almost always are), as we've previously described on TCN.
Original Dubrovnik Chocolate Souvenir Heaven: Orlando Cubit DUvenir
June 3, 2019 - A fantastic new souvenir for Dubrovnik. Meet the chocolate Orlando cubit to celebrate the Year of Orlando 2019.
Another day, another fabulous piece of creative innovation from Croatian youth.
I had an email from a young lady called Nikolina earlier, who wanted to tell me about a new souvenir she had developed for the Dubrovnik market. A souvenir which was edible (yummy chocolate), educational about the city's history, and uniquely presented to celebrate a Dubrovnik hero in the year of his celebration. For this is the year of Orlando, and Orlando's Column, which has played such an important role in daily life in Dubrovnik over the centuries, is very much in the spotlight in 2019. And now even more so thanks to Nikolina and her souvenir. Here is how she introduced her new product:
I thought you might be interested in the story of a product that was created for the Year of Orlando, Dubrovnik, 2019.
It is an original ( and sweet) souvenir that promotes Dubrovnik's tangible and intangible cultural heritage, by the DUvenir ( Dubrovnik souvenir) brand. The slogan says:
Have a piece of some "right measure”, or the Dubrovnik cubit of chocolate.
Erected as an honorary statue by the Dubrovnik residents as a sign of their gratitude for offering his help to Dubrovnik, as the legend says, when it was under the seige of the Saracene pirat Spuzent. Orlando ( Roland) allegedly defeated Spuzent at Lokrum Island and captured him. The historical truth is that Dubrovnik residents put up the column with a carved figure of Orlando ( Roland) as a legal symbol of the autonomy and Independence of the Dubrovnik Republic. In addition to serving as a pillory, Roland’s column had another practical value. As a symbol of righteousness, or, cutting off the right measure, the length of Roland’s right forearm (51.2 cm) holding the sword for centuries, was the Ragusan measurement for cutting fabric. The same length was also cut under his feet.
The merchants would measure, cut and sell around Roland, at a lively square in front of the Sponza Palace.
2019 was declared the year of Orlando ( Roland) by the City of Dubrovnik and the creation of this product is a contribution to the celebration of the 600th anniversary. As an interpretation of the Dubrovnik cubit (or ‘lakat’ in Croatian, i.e., the length of Orlando s forearm), which was used as fabric measurement, the "Dubrovnik cubit of chocolate" was created as a homage to Orlando, Roland in 2019, the year dedicated to him. Have a piece of some "right measure”, or the Dubrovnik cubit of chocolate.
Here is what the product looks like. The box is the length of the Dubrovnik cubit, namely 51.2 cm, and inside there are 23 mini chocolates, wrapped in paper designed like mini Orlando ( Roland) statues.
There is a whole story about Roland written inside, in Croatian and in English, underneath the mini Chocolate so after you eat them all the cardboard ruler 51.2 cm remains as a souvenir with the story of Orlando. The product is presented on an interesting, tailor-made stand, you can take a photo as a knight, find something about the story of Roland and buy the Dubrovnik cubit of chocolate as the most original and the sweetest souvenir of Dubrovnik.
And the price? 51.20 kuna of course, in keeping with the Orlando cubit measurements (11 kuna of which is tax - but please note prices may vary in shops).
Fabulous stuff. You can buy your Orlando cubit of chocolate at the following locations:
Luza, Stradun, Old town Dubrovnik
Pupica, Patisserie, Cvijete Zuzoric 5, Old town Dubrovnik
Duty-free shop, Dubrovnik Airport
Flower shop by Kike, Lapad
Terra Croatica, Ulica od puca, Old town Dubrovnik
If anyone would like to contact Nikolina for direct orders, please contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I will put you in touch.
To learn more about Dubrovnik, check out the Total Croatia Dubrovnik in a Page guide.
Dubrovnik Gets Yet Another Five Star Hotel in Babin Kuk
If there's one thing Dubrovnik isn't short of other than crowds and Game of Thrones tours, its luxury. The Pearl of the Adriatic, known worldwide as Croatia's most famous tourist destination, the country's southernmost city has gained yet another high end, luxury hotel, situated in Babin Kuk.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marija CrnjakCrnjak writes on the 3rd of June, 2019, following the expansion of the trade and the renovation of the Gallery in Zagreb, tourism is now the focus of Ciril Zovko, the owner of Importanne Hotels and Resort.
The Dubrovnik-based firm Importanne Hotels and Resort, owned by entrepreneur Ciril Zovko, opened its fifth hotel in a row in the city, with which it rounded up an investment cycle which had the aim to build five five star hotels in Babin Kuk on the Lapad peninsula.
The hotel has 81 luxuriously decorated rooms with panoramic views of both the sea and the Dubrovnik archipelago, as well as two a la carte restaurants, Castille and Zoë. and the only open rooftop pool in the whole of the City of Dubrovnik.
The company has chosen not to reveal the figures involved in what is obviously an enormous investment.
Importanne Hotels and Resort consists of five hotels in Croatia's top tourist destination, Neptun, Ariston, Royal Palm, Royal Princess and Royal Blue. As for resorts, this also includes the Villa Elita.
As stated, after the company's expansion in the trade industry as well as the renovation of the Importanne Gallery in Zagreb, Zovko and his firm are now mainly focused on investments in tourism, and not only in Dubrovnik, but for now it remains unknown as to where any news investment in tourism will eventually be realised.
For a while, Zagreb was supposed to be involved in the company's ''game'', more specifically the building of the Croatian Music Institute, but this project ultimately failed.
Make sure to follow our dedicated travel page for much more. If it's just Dubrovnik and the extreme south of Dalmatia you're interested in, give Total Dubrovnik a follow or check out Dubrovnik in a Page.
American Airlines Ready to Connect Croatia and USA for First Time in 28 Years
From next Saturday, Croatia and the United States will be connected for the first time in almost 30 years thanks to a direct flight by American Airlines! Namely, the new seasonal line between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik will operate on the world's largest airline from June 7th, reports Dalmacija Danas and Ex Yu Aviation on June 3, 2019.
On June 7 at 18:10 local time, passengers will travel on the 209-seat Boeing 767-300ER aircraft from the Philadelphia international airport, and will land in Dubrovnik at 9:30 am the next day. The flight duration is 9 hours and 15 minutes. The first flight from Dubrovnik to Philadelphia takes off on June 8th at 11:40 am and is 10 hours and 25 minutes.
"American Airlines is very pleased with the bookings for our new flight between Dubrovnik and Philadelphia. While it is performing in line with our expectations, it is too early for us to comment on our 2020 summer schedule as that planning process is still being done,” the airline said to Ex Yu Aviation.
Flights to Dubrovnik will run on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, and from Dubrovnik on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. Recall, bookings were so good on this route that American Airlines announced they had to boost operations back in April.
Namely, in September, the service will operate four times a week until the end of the month.
"We constantly evaluate our network to ensure we are maximizing our fleet while matching customer demand. It was a result of this process that we were able to add the fourth weekly frequency in September. The summer of 2019 represents a major strategic overhaul in our transatlantic network. In terms of [available seat miles] and seats, we are growing more than our competitors, due to drivers such as increased departures, stage length and gauge increase,” American Airlines added.
The Croatian Tourist Board is also pleased.
"By cooperating with airlines through our program of strategic promotional campaigns on key markets, we position Croatia as an attractive and well connected year-round destination. We are particularly excited about the new intercontinental service between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik which will link us with the US market for the first time in almost thirty years,” said director of the Croatian Tourist Board Kristjan Stančić, who also announced a promotional and marketing campaign with a budget of 5.3 million euro for all all joint marketing activities in 2019.
To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.
Ryanair Touches Down at Dubrovnik Airport for the First Time
June 2, 2019 - It has taken many years of discussion, but low-cost airline Ryanair finally landed in Dubrovnik from Dublin this afternoon.
The first week of June has two very significant - and very different - firsts for Dubrovnik Airport.
All eyes will be on the airport later this week, as the first direct flight from the United States since the war will touch down, with American Airlines beginning a direct service from Philadelphia. TCN will be on board and bring you the full story.
Also very significant was a flight which has just landed from Dublin. After many years of discussions and reporting of imminent agreements, the first Ryanair flight has now landed at Dubrovnik.
The low-cost carrier has been trying to fly into Dubrovnik for years, but the business model of concessions and reduced prices were at odds with Dubrovnik's general policy. As previously reported on TCN, eyebrows were raised in early December when Ryanair announced flights to both Split and Dubrovnik, with Dubrovnik Airport claiming to have no knowledge of the arrangement - from the TCN December report:
Josip Paljetak from Dubrovnik Airport has said that they have had no official information from Ryanair at all. He pointed out that the company hasn't even contacted the airport this year.
"We were very surprised to see that they'd announced flights from Dublin, and it's very strange that they've started selling tickets for flights which they never agreed upon with the airport. We don't even know if we can accept their planes for when they say they want the flights,'' Paljetak said.
It would appear that all issues and miscommunications are now resolved, and the Irish carrier will fly four times a week from Dublin to Dubrovnik during the season. A similar schedule started between Dublin and Split yesterday.
Previous discussions reported about Ryanair interest in Dubrovnik have centred around the topic of year-round flights. Could today's groundbreaking flight be opening the door to a 12-month service, something that would be warmly welcomed by tourists and residents alike?
To learn more about Dubrovnik Airport, check out the Total Croatia Dubrovnik Airport guide.
