As Dalmatinski Portal writes on the 16th of May, 2019, an American citizen has fallen from Dubrovnik's famed city walls and has been transported to hospital. The level of his sustained injuries are as yet unknown.

The incident occurred at around 16:00 today in Croatia's southernmost city of Dubrovnik, according to a report from liberoportal. Paramedics, the police and the fire brigade attended the scene. 

The individual in question survived the fall and as mentioned has since been taken to hospital to receive prompt medical attention.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 15th of May, 2019, the saga with the former Cavtat ''Macedonia'' hotel could well have a happy end, Večernji list reports.

The story dates back to the year 2013 when a group of investors announced that the currently abandoned and devastated site will the luxury Aman resort built there. Things were of course rather complicated, which isn't remotely unusual, and in the meantime the ownership structure of the investor's company has changed, but the key player, Greek entrepreneur Petros Stathis, didn't think for even one moment to walk away from the planned and desired Cavtat investment.

Passionate about business and temperamental like any real Greek, he is the owner of several Aman hotels and resorts groups, including Aman Sveti Stefan in neighbouring Montenegro and over in Venice. Business wise, he's mostly focused on the Balkan region. He is active in both banking and real estate world and was even the director of the famous Athenian Football Club AEK.

Unlike many before him, the industrious Petros Stathis refused to give up on Croatia, and at the end of last year, in Croatia's southernmost town in the extreme south of Dalmatia, he intensified his efforts to finally get the project of Cavtat's Aman resort off the ground. Otherwise, Aman is a chain of luxury hotels in 34 locations in as many as 21 countries, and the first resort under that name was opened back in 1988 in Phuket.

Such resorts usually have only fifty rooms, and each guest is matched by four employees on average. In an interview with Vecernji list, Petros Stathis revealed that things really are finally getting going, being ''raised from the dead'' as it were, and that such a resort in Croatia, more precisely in Cavtat, is no longer just fiction.

Soon, you're coming to Croatia, does this mean that the Aman project in Cavtat is definitely going ahead?

I can say with pleasure, that the short answer to your question is yes!

I'm thrilled to be able to say that we've made progress and we expect the machines to return to their location at the end of this year. Otherwise, it was never the case whether or not the Aman Cavtat project would be realised or not, but as I mentioned before, we had a complicated beginning and we had to overcome many obstacles.

It's great, of course, to return to Croatia, but this project, believe me, is more than me. This is also about Croatia and our partners and people from this community. Our focus has always been on the future and the realisation of the resort in Cavtat so that the country could further profit through the Aman project, just how other countries have benefited from it. Whenever we start these types of projects, we want to complete it according to the plan, but it's rare that all factors are in our full control.

A project of such magnitude requires coordination and cooperation. We made a huge effort and we were lucky that we had positive support from many sides. Soon it will be six years ago since the construction of the luxury Aman resort at the location of the former Macedonia hotel in Cavtat was first announced, the first machines even arrived at the construction site, but soon after that it all stopped.

What made everything slow down over the last few years?

It's no secret that this project has a complex history. Since taking ownership of the site, we have been working hard and working with all involved parties to resume construction.

Why is Croatia interesting for you to invest in and is it easier to invest in Montenegro, for example?

As an international company, we always look globally.

Each country has a different approach to investment and development. I personally love your beautiful country and its people. I have strong family ties in Croatia and I've spent many happy moments here. Croatia is a wonderful country, rich in history, with beautiful nature and positive people with a positive business attitude that reaches international business boundaries. But the potential offered by Cavtat is the most attractive part of this story.

This is a great opportunity for us and will have a major role in current investments in Croatia. Our goal for Croatia is the same as for any other country in which we've built and invested, which is to create the best we can and leave a lasting, positive legacy of which the country can be proud. The goal of this project is to build the most beautiful resort in Croatia, in keeping with the environment and local infrastructure.

This opportunity is huge and we hope to act as a catalyst for further internal development in Croatia, now and also in the future. It's incredible when you think that more foreign tourists visit Croatia than, for example, Australia. And this is almost double the annual level. Tourism makes up more than 12 percent of Croatian GDP, and this money goes to local wages, through the construction of hotels and other related projects.

This country has a talented, entrepreneurial workforce. Half of the population speak English, but Italian and German are also spoken. And just look at the innovations you're responsible for! Everything, from chemical pencils to parachutes, bulbs, MP3 code, all created by Croats. It's time for Croatia to become more significant on the world stage, and we want to play a key role in that story.

What is the value of the investment in Cavtat and when will the new hotel be completed?

This is a huge 50 million euro project that will build the best of the best in Cavtat. This is our approach to building every resort. To provide the best. We wouldn't even launch the project if we couldn't achieve the best possible. This isn't just a hotel. This is an investment in the development and the future of Cavtat, through which we'll support local development, jobs and employment. We'll start with the works at the end of this year, and later on we'll inform you about our opening plan.

How will the Aman resort in Cavtat look and what will it offer to its guests?

Personally, I can hardly wait to see how it will look once when it's done. This is a new level of design and unification with the landscape, and local, natural materials will be used. If you look at any other Aman resort we've built, including the ones in Montenegro in Sveti Stefan, you'll get a very good idea of ​​what Aman Cavtat will be like.

Make sure to follow our dedicated business page for much more on investment and doing business in Croatia.

May 13, 2019 - Putting Croatian adventure tourism on the map, with the biggest welcome in the world. Day 52 of this incredible 2011 adrenaline trip covering 2,500 km along the Croatian coast. 

The World's Biggest Welcome, an ambitious adventure tourism project in 2011 in Croatia enters Day 52 of this 2019 appreciation of one of the finest tourism promotion projects ever in Croatia.  

The plan? To showcase the diversity and fabulous offer of adventure tourism in Croatia by following a GPS route the length of the Croatian coast in the shape of the word 'Welcome' - thereby creating the biggest welcome in the world from a hospitable tourism country. 

Day 52 moved from Saplunara to Dubrovnik for the final day of the journey. 

35 kilometres for the day: And really, just a smooth kayak ride from Saplunara on Mljet to Dubrovnik to complete the ‘E’ in ‘Welcome’ and thus the adventure. The final day of the journey was also on World Environment Day. 

Lacko left the island of Mljet to begin the last leg of the journey to Dubrovnik.

How could one not admire the rocky coastline of Mljet?

Lacko left the island behind him and looked towards the shore. 

Though he had to take occasional glimpses of the GPS to make sure. 

From Saplunara to Šipan.

And another good look at Lacko, since we won't be seeing him much after this. 

Lacko passes between two reefs. 

And encounters steep cliffs. 

A group of swimmers indicates that Dubrovnik is not far away. 

Lacko made it in front of the Dubrovnik walls.  

As Lacko approached Dubrovnik, he encountered many tourist boats. 

And even had some fun with fellow kayakers. 

From the kayak to the optimist. 

And into the Old Town. 

Where Lacko had a crowd of admirers waiting to welcome him. 

And dancers. 

And even prominent members of the tourist board. 

The end. 

A key part of the project was promoting tourism, and the official website has details of the key places visited during the day. 

You can see the entire project on the Welcome website, as well as much more of Luka Tambaca's stunning photography on the Welcome Facebook page. 

To follow the whole project from the start, follow the dedicated TCN page. 

One of the finest Croatian tourism promotion events takes place once again on May 12, 2019 - Nikola Tesla EV Rally, the quietest rally in the world. 

It is an event in his homeland that would have made Nikola Tesla proud. An event whose past participants have included the mother of Mr Modern Day Tesla, Maye Musk, the new king of electric supercars, Mate Rimac, and the first buyer of the Rimac Concept One. An event which takes place in a country of staggering natural beauty, 10% of which is given over to national and nature parks. It is an event in his homeland that would have made Nikola Tesla proud. An event whose past participants have included the mother of Mr Modern Day Tesla, Maye Musk, the new king of electric supercars, Mate Rimac, and the first buyer of the Rimac Concept One. An event which takes place in a country of staggering natural beauty, 10% of which is given over to national and nature parks. 

Welcome to the Nikola Tesla EV Rally in Croatia, officially the quietest rally in the world.

Now in its 6th year, this unique rally comprises a luxury tour of the finest sights, nature, hotels and gourmet experiences that Croatia has to offer. An 8-day luxury electric vehicle rally over 1,500 km taking in Croatia's fabled coastline and islands, 6 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 4 national parks, 3 Game of Thrones filming locations, and the birthplace of Nikola Tesla himself in Smiljan. 

Starting at luxury Novi Spa and Hotels Resort in Novi Vinodolski, the rally will be based at Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, before heading north to Sibenik, then inland to Smiljan, Plitvice Lakes and finishing in Zagreb. 

The electric vehicle revolution is taking off in Croatia, largely due to the efforts of the rally organisers, and full charging options are catered for. As just one part of its contribution to sustainable tourism, the Nikola Tesla EV Rally is the only rally in the world which leaves infrastructure for e-vehicles behind. This includes a charging station donated at the birthplace of Tesla in Smiljan.

The rally attracts a truly international field each year, with many from Austria, Belgium, Germany, Finland, Switzerland and Norway, as well as further afield from Canada and South Africa.

Last year's rally saw the remarkable sight of 50 Teslas alone on a ferry at one time. The rally is not a race as such (although there are 3 speed races included), more a leisurely drive admiring one of the truly more glorious natural paradises in the world. 

If you are interested in seeing the magic of the country which gave the world Nikola Telsa in a manner in which he would surely have approved, learn more about the Nikola Tesla EV Rally on the official website, and check out the 2019 itinerary below.

"NIKOLA TESLA EV RALLY CROATIA 2019"

12.05.2019. START Novi Vinodolski (hotel Novi Spa Hotels & Resort)

• 19.00 h conference room: gathering and official introduction of team, route and schedule
• 20.30 h Dinner
• 22.00 h Welcome drink with the view, our DJ will play some good music ….

13.05.2019. Novi Vinodolski – Klis - Dubrovnik

• Famous TV Show “Game of Thrones” was filmed on 2 locations in Croatia – Fortress Klis in Dugopolje and Dubrovnik. Lunch in Fortress Klis is not allowed for public so you will have a unique opportunity to experience lunch in medieval fortress overlooking the city of Split.
• 20.00 h arrival at Sun Gardens Dubrovnik hotel
• 20.30 h dinner at the hotel
• 22.00 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day

14.05.2019. Dubrovnik Old Town – Lokrum island

• After relaxing morning and lunch in Sun Gardens hotel our first stop will be visiting fortress Srđ built in time of Dubrovnik Republic which was an aristocratic maritime republic centered in the city of Dubrovnik that carried that name from 1358 until 1808. One of the most spectacular views in Croatia overlooking city of Dubrovnik.
• One more location we must visit is Island of Lokrum which was first mentioned in 1023. in connection with the funding of Benedictine abbey and monastery where peacocks roam free.
• Walk in the Old City up Stradun
• 20.00 h Dinner in Taj Mahal
• 22.00 h 22.00 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day)

15.05.2019. Dubrovnik – Cavtat

• 11.30 h „Skill exam”-Port Gruž

• Lunch in konoba Vinica
• Visit to Cavtat (Birth house one of the most famous Croatian painters, Vlaho Bukovac and Meštrović Pavilion)
• 20.00 h Dinner
• 22.00 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day)

16.05.2019. Dubrovnik – Ston - Šibenik

• 08.00 h Start from Sun Gardens

• Visit to Ston, salt factory where the tradition od harvesting salt has been passed on for over 400 years and since then salt is produced in the same way with only the assistance of the sun, sea and wind. Also, you will see the walls of Ston that were built in 1333, a massive architecture and construction feat originally 7000-meters long (22 965 ft.), they consist of several parts; the Ston city walls, the Mali Ston city walls and the Big wall with its three forts. Its forts and towers are strengthened by 10 round and 31 square flanking towers and 6 semi-circular bastions

• Visit to Red and Blue Lake in Imotski. Red Lake is known for its numerous caves and remarkably high cliffs, reaching over 241 metres above normal water level and continuing below the water level. The total explored depth of this sinkhole is approximately 530 metres with a volume of roughly 25–30 million cubic meters, thus it is the third largest sinkhole in the world.
• 20.00 h Amadria park hotel Jure
• Dinner
• 22.00 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day)

17.05.2019. Zadar – Šibenik – Skradin – NP Krka

• 11.00 “Skill exam”
• Lunch in restaurant Skala in Skradin
• Visit to NP Krka 7^th largest national park in Croatia and home of the hydro plant that was open in 1895, just two days after Tesla’s hydroelectric plant on Niagara Falls. At the same time, 11 km of power lines to transmit electricity and a city lighting network were built, the first complete electricity system in Croatia. Thanks to Šibenik Mayor Ante Šupuk and engineer Vjekoslav Meischner, Šibenik had electrical lighting before many European cities, including Vienna, Budapest, Rome, London and others.
• Visit to Old town Šibenik Sv.Mihovil and Barone fortress. The Medieval St. Mihovil Fortress was erected on a sixty meters high and steep rocky hill that dominates the surrounding waters. Under its walls, Šibenik evolved - the oldest native Croatian town on the Adriatic. Barone Fortress was built in 1646 on Vidakuša, the 80 meter-high hill above the city. Along with the other three fortresses in Šibenik, it represents a unique defence system which resisted the enemies of the city for centuries. Today, it has an exceptional monumental value recognized across Europe.
• 20.00 h Dinner
• 22.00 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day)

18.05.2019. Šibenik - MC Nikola Tesla-Plitvička Jezera - Zagreb

• 11.30 h Visit to Smiljan – MC Nikola Tesla (birthplace of Nikola Tesla)
• Croatia, the one and only Homeland of Nikola Tesla! Nikola Tesla was an inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer and futurist who is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.He was born 10 July 1856. In Croatia (former Austria-Hungarian Empire) and spent his childhood in his birthplace, small village Smiljan near Gospić
• Visit and lunch at NP Plitvička Jezera. Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and largest national park in the Republic of Croatia. With its exceptional natural beauty, this area has always attracted nature lovers, and already on 8 April 1949, it was proclaimed Croatia’s first national park. The process of tufa formation, which results in the building of the tufa, or travertine, barriers and resulted in the creation of the lakes, is the outstanding universal value, for which the Plitvice Lakes were internationally recognized on 26 October 1979 with their inscription onto the UNESCO World Heritage List.

• 20.00 h Zagreb- arrival on Ban Jelačić square (main city square).
• The city of Zagreb, capital of Croatia is a cultural, scientific, economic, political and administrative center of the Republic of Croatia. The streets and monuments proudly testify to its thousands of years of history. A mixture of Austro-Hungarian and modern architecture, Zagreb has culture, arts, music, gastronomy and most important of all … vision of the future. Only city in Croatia with fast charging stations in front of Municipality

• 21.00 h Amadria Park hotel Capital Zagreb/Heritage hotel - dinner
• 22.30 h briefing in conference room (presentation of route and activities for the following day)
• *Vehicles will be parked and charged overnight at the main square under security protection (hotel is located 100 m by walking distance from the main Square)

19.05.2019. Zagreb- FINISH

• 11.00 h Start from Ban Jelačić square
• Carousel arround the city, visit to Meštrović Pavilion- HDLU
• 12.30 h „Speed race“

Award and celebration ceremony

Lunch- FINISH!

See you in 2020.

Nikola Tesla EV Rally Team!

As Morski writes on the 2nd of May, 2019, after a Balkan pond turtle (Mauremys rivulata) was found along Dubrovnik's Ombla river last year, the news was picked up by the expert public.

Zvonimir Pandža from Rijeka Dubrovačka (Dubrovnik River) found the turtle, and owing to his discovery, he confirmed concretely that the species is in actual fact not extinct in the Ombla river, which was the overall consensus until now. According to locals who live along the Ombla, Balkan pond turtles were a relatively common sight up until the Homeland War broke out. After the war ended, different interventions had been taking place in its natural habitat, which is why the turtles had unfortunately been brought to the brink of extinction over just a few years.

The next important step was to conduct a survey to determine whether or not there were still any individual Balkan pond turtles living in and along Dubrovnik's Ombla river. This research and evaluation was financed by Dubrovnik-Neretva County and was carried out by the Hyla Association in coordination with the Public Institution for Management of Protected Areas of Nature of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. The first survey results, carried out in April 2019, are above all expectations, as they proved that two more river turtle species have been found living along Dubrovnik's Ombla river. There is now a realistic possibility that there is still a small population of Balkan pond turtles living permanently at that location.

The study also includes other animal groups that inhabit this more quiet and rural area of Dubrovnik, with the aim of collecting data on the remaining natural values ​​of this protected area. We are witnessing the increasing urbanisation of the surrounding area of ​​Dubrovnik, and with the proper care and adequate spacial planning, there is still a good possibility of preserving its natural world and its native species, including the river and pond turtles.

The deaths of established populations of creatures such as Balkan pond turtle along the Ombla river is a perfect example of how nature and its species can disappear almost entirely in just a few years if proper spacial planning is not taken into account. The decision now lies solely with us - Do we want to preserve the natural world and its animals of the areas in which we live?

Dubrovnik-Neretva County is the only area in the whole of the Republic of Croatia where both types of freshwater turtles (Balkan pond turtles and European river turtles) can be found. Both species are strictly protected, and the river turtle holds the unfortunate status of an endangered species.

The largest population of such river turtles lives in Konavle, the southernmost municipality of Croatia which borders Montenegro, and a population of them appears stable in the village of Majkovi. In Stonsko Polje, Dubrovnik's Ombla River and the delta of the Neretva River, such turtles unfortunately find themselves on the verge of extinction, and it is still not clear whether or not there is a population near Lumbarda at all.

The main threats to the survival of river and pond turtles are the expansion of construction zones into their habitat and the deliberate release of foreign, invasive types of turtles that are frequently kept as pets.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle 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.

Dubrovnik has long been positioned as a destination that you have to visit and experience. For the sixth consecutive year, the springtime in Dubrovnik brings us the Dubrovnik FestiWine, which brings together winemakers, wine fans, experts and professionals and offers them a chance to taste excellent wines, meet up with hardworking winemakers, and take part in exciting workshops – because “It is time for wine!"

In the beautiful surroundings of the famous Sunset Beach located on Lapad, the main wine exhibition of the 6th Dubrovnik FestiWine Festival was held. The attendees were welcomed by Dubrovnik-Neretva county prefect Nikola Dobroslavić; member of parliament Sanja Putica, an envoy of the speaker of the Croatian Parliament; state secretary for tourism Frano Matušić; and Dubrovnik deputy mayor Jelka Tepšić.

“It is a great honour and pleasure for Dubrovnik that the 6th Dubrovnik FestiWine is held in the town which is the champion of tourism. We believe that Dubrovnik deserves the best, and that is exactly what can be found in Dubrovnik-Neretva County: the best wines that promote not only the town and the county, but also the whole of Croatia,” said deputy mayor Tepšić.

“Tourism Ministry wants to promote the production of indigenous wines as much as possible so that they can find their way to the tables of our restaurants as soon as possible,” said Matušić.

Dubrovnik-Neretva County, as the organiser of the event, says that the central message of the festival is the promotion of further development of the winegrowing and winemaking in the Dubrovnik area. In line with this, county prefect Nikola Dobroslavić officially opened the festival.

“It is my honour to open the 6th Dubrovnik FestiWine. Congratulations to the organiser, Dubrovnik PartneR, which helps us produce all the events we do as a county. We have fantastic white and red wines, and we follow the approach that our wines must represent the backbone of wine lists, that they must be prominently placed on them, and that holidays cannot be complete unless the guests taste the local wines. From their trips, they should bring memories of wines and also the best souvenirs – local wines!” Dobroslavić said.

The opening ceremony also included the presentation of the best wines from the Dubrovnik FestiWiNe Trophy 2019 international competition. The international jury has done a great job by testing and rating 110 wine samples. It was led by president Bojan Kobal, who headed the evaluation process throughout all six years.

The best wine is TRAMINAC LEDENO VINO 2012., Šimanović family farm, Kostel Pribički from Krašić; the best red wine is DINGAČ SELEKCIJA 2012., PZ Dingač, Potomje, Pelješac; the best rose wine is ROZE 2018., Siber Dušica family farm, Osijek, Erdut wine area; the best white wine is CHARDONNAY 2017., Vina Kalazić, Zmajevac; Baranja wine area; the best sweet wine is TRAMINAC LEDENO VINO 2012., Šimanović family farm, Kostel Pribički, Krašić wine area; the best sparkling wine is ETNA SPUMANTE BRUT 2013., Nerello Mascalese; Societa Agricolla Destro Sel, Italy; the best red wine in Dubrovnik-Neretva County is DINGAČ SELEKCIJA 2012.; PZ Dingač, Potomje; Pelješac; the best rose wine in the county is ROSE 2018., Zlatko Bačić family farm, Blato, Korčula wine area; the best white wine in the county is GRK 2018., Zoran Cebalo Popić family farm, Lumbarda, Korčula wine area; the best Pelješac area wine is DINGAČ SELEKCIJA 2012., PZ Dingač, Potomje; the best Konavle area wine is MALVASIJA DUBROVAČKA 2018., Božo Metković, Molunat; the best Korčula area wine is GRK 2018., Zoran Cebalo Popić family farm, Lumbarda; the best Komarna area wine is PLAVAC MALI 2015., Vinogradi Volarević, Metković; the best Dingač is DINGAČ SELEKCIJA 2012., PZ Dingač, Potomje.

The popular Blind Date was held again this year, pairing the wines of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County with well-known autochthonous Mali Ston oysters. The jury selected the winner for 2019: the wine which paired best with the Mali Ston oysters was QUATTRO Chardonnay 2018 by the Volarević winery from Komarna.

At the traditional charity gala dinner at the Palace Hotel, winning wines from last year's competition were served with top-quality dishes prepared by chefs: host Saša Računica and guest chef Jure Tomič from the Debeluh restaurant in Slovenia. The proceeds from the gala dinner will fund young culinary talents and sommeliers. The expert jury selected two scholarships to be presented: to cook Toni Kužnin and sommelier Nikša Karaman, who will learn, work and acquire new skills together with mentor Jura Tomič in Brežice from 20 November to 20 December.

With a particular focus on education, the event emphasised the importance of this year's first FestiWine wine school in Dubrovnik, held under the creative mentorship of the wine academician Mira Šemić, and festival workshops, which first day focused on original varieties (Dubrovnik Malvasia, Pošip and Grk), and the second day on friends of the festival (sparkling wines from the Sparkling Wines Salon in Zagreb, Jo Ahearne’s MW wines from Hvar, and Slavonian dessert wines with sweet snacks).

All photos by Julio Frangen

More wine news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

As you all know, the beautiful city of Dubrovnik is located along the sparkling waters of the Adriatic, and attracts people from all over the world for its bright blue sea, medieval walls and Game of Throne’s filming spots.

Tourism in Dubrovnik has sky rocketed in the past few years, and a lot of it has to do with the Game of Thrones’ filming locations, which brings 60,000 tourists a year just for that particular reason.

It was reported that in a single day in August of 2016, over 10,000 tickets were bought to walk Dubrovnik’s famous city walls. This heavy influx of tourism has caused excessive pollution, the destruction of animal habitats, and it overloads the infrastructure as well as threatens the culture and heritage of the city. The limestone of Stradun has been gradually smoothed down from thousands of people walking along it with each tourist season, so much so, that the city has had to manually create texture on the limestone with hammers to create some kind of slip resistance.

The prices of homes in Dubrovnik’s Old Town have increased because of the amount of houses being turned into Airbnb’s to accommodate tourists. This destroys a sense of community and inflates the price of property. It has been reported that today only 1,157 people call Dubrovnik's Old City home, compared to 5,000 in 1991. Many argue that Dubrovnik is on its way to become the next “Disneyland”, which has already happened in places like Venice, just across the Adriatic.

Along with the threat of the city turning into a place that does nothing but cater to its many foreign visitors, over construction along the coast is threatening the biodiversity of the land, as well as pollution from the thousands of visitors who walk through the streets of Dubrovnik each day. Dubrovnik is a beautiful city that has a rich history, and it's a no brainer why people want to go within the city’s walls. There needs to be a solution that allows visitors to travel to this uniquely alluring city on the Adriatic, but in a way in which such trends won't destroy the land and the culture.

Any tourist who is interested in planning their next trip to Dubrovnik should see if they're meeting a standard checklist that will keep over tourism from saturating the city. This checklist should make foreign travellers consider the following,

Is the place you are staying at owned by locals?
Are you supporting local businesses and contributing to the economy versus buying items at manufactured souvenir shops?
Are you participating in any excursions that do not respect the environment?
Are you respecting the locals’ culture?
Do you clean up after yourself when visiting the hiking trails or beaches?

By promoting and implementing the use of a kind of checklist for tourists to use to keep these questions in mind when visiting Dubrovnik, visitors and locals are ensuring that there is a way to coexist in a positive manner, where the economy can prosper, and continue to make Dubrovnik a thriving destination for people from all over the world. Making visitors aware of sustainable tourism through promotional advertisements or a simple brochure when they enter Dubrovnik’s walls has the potential to influence their actions.

By supporting local businesses, treating the land as if it were your own, and respecting Dubrovnik's way of life, it is ensuring that the long-term development of tourism in Dubrovnik is sustainable and promotes the harmony of the local economy, the environment and the cultural/social aspects of the city.

SOURCE(S): Overtourism in Dubrovnik from Responsible Travel. (n.d.). Retrieved here.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If it's just Dubrovnik you're interested in, give Total Dubrovnik a follow or find out all you need to know about the Pearl of the Adriatic with Dubrovnik in a Page.

April 25, 2019 - Great news for Croatia's luxury tourism sector, as a Dubrovnik helicopter service begins operations next week. Speedy transfers to Hvar, Montenegro and panorama flights are soon to be available.

There have been several attempts over the years, but none has quite succeeded but is that about to change with the launch of a new Dubrovnik helicopter service from May 1.

The Robinson R66, which has a capacity for pilot, four passengers and luggage, will be based at Dubrovnik Airport from next week, and available for transfers and panorama flights. 

Looking to get to gorgeous Hvar with the minimum of fuss, for example? Just one hour in the air flying over the spectacular southern Dalmatian coast and islands. 

The new Dubrovnik helicopter service is also an excellent opportunity for a little sightseeing with style. And if you are a photographer looking for the very best shots and angles, Dubrovnik and the rest of the coast look pretty amazing from the passenger seat of a helicopter.  

The operating company will be working under a German AOC, which means it has the flexibility to land anywhere in Croatia if they can find agreement from a private landowner. This was a huge problem a few years ago for the Swiss company who tried to build a business based on Hvar, as they were only allowed to land at airports.  

As the helicopter will be based in Dubrovnik, pricing will be reflected accordingly, so it will be cheaper to fly from Dubrovnik to Hvar, for example, than from Split to Hvar, as the helicopter would have to come from Dubrovnik. 

I would envisage that popular routes will be from Dubrovnik to Hvar, Dubrovnik to Korcula, Dubrovnik to Sun Gardens, and transfers to Montenegro, where luxury resorts such as Porto Montenegro, Lustica Bay and Portonovi are attracting the clientele happy to pay for a solution to avoid the main border crossing and summer traffic.  

More details on the service coming soon, but if you are looking for more information about the service, or to book, please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

For more information about Dubrovnik Airport, check out the Total Croatia guide. 

If there's one thing Dubrovnik is good at, other than walls, history, and all the rest of it, it's getting in arguments with itself.

The city that needs tourists but often doesn't really treat them how they should be treated, the city that wants cruise ship money but must also cap vessel numbers, the city full of residents who can barely breathe for being squeezed out of their homes during the summer months but with a local government unit who claims to want to tailor the city to their needs.

The Pearl of the Adriatic is a strange place and paradoxical in many ways and in a multitude of ways, its sheer beauty is only skin deep. 

The cable car, one of Dubrovnik's best attractions which rakes in eye-watering amounts of money per year, transporting hoards of view-hungry tourists up and down the majestic Srđ mountainside to the very top of the rugged mountain which towers over the city, after making them wait in the boiling hot sunshine in a long queue without any shade first, of course, has ceased its functions after much back and forth between the city and the company it belongs to.

As the stunning City of Dubrovnik appears on more and more humiliating ''avoid during summer'' lists published by major travel portals, it seems that its case of victimhood to its own popularity is becoming the least of its problems.

As Marija Crnjak/Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 25th of April, 2019, the decision to ban the carriage of passengers by cable car up to the top of Srđ was issued in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Concessions.

Inspectors from the Customs Administration of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia issued a decision today on the ban on carrying out the activity of transporting passengers from Dubrovnik to Srđ by cable car, which is owned by the Excelsa Nektetnine (Real Estate) company, which belongs to the well known Lukšić family.

The decision to ban the carriage of passengers by cable car has been issued in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Concessions, and is based on the fact that the company doesn't have a concluded concession contract. The company claims that the City of Dubrovnik never delivered such a contract after that law was passed.

Otherwise, the aforementioned company claims to have been seeking a concession from the City of Dubrovnik since as far back as 2015.

"We're extremely disappointed that the Customs Administration closed the cable car on Srđ today, after nine years waiting for a concession from the Republic of Croatia and the City of Dubrovnik. This decision will jeopardise a significant number of jobs at Excelsa Nekretnine and its 343 business partners, of which 130 are from Dubrovnik. More than 1400 Excelsa Nekretnine shareholders will suffer, including more than 300 from Dubrovnik.

Damage will also be felt by the state, and by the city and its citizens. The state budget will remain without tax revenues, the City of Dubrovnik will not realise any revenue from the concession, and the citizens who use the cable car at preferential prices, as well as tourists, will remain without the use of the simplest access to Srđ. The Museum of Homeland War on Srđ, owned by the City of Dubrovnik, is expecting to see a decrease in the number of visitors it gets, and guests of the city will remain without the ability enjoy one of Dubrovnik's biggest attractions,'' said Anto Rusković, the director of Excelsa Nekretnine.

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Click here for the original article by Marija Crnjak for Poslovni Dnevnik

Just how close are we to a real digital Croatia? The answer is unclear and as varied as ever, but some Croatian cities have shown promise with some rather impressive and encouraging results.

As Novac/Gradonacelnik.hr writes on the 23rd of April, 2019, although more and more cities are gradually digitising their business and investing in smart city solutions, and some of the most advanced have almost completely switched to doing solely digital business, generally speaking, Croatian cities are only in the very early stages of the much needed digital transition, just as Croatia is, as a country, at the very bottom in Europe in terms of the digital readiness of general society and the economy.

As the methodology for ranking cities in terms of digital readiness is only at its very beginning even at the European level, stories and analysis of the "smart city" concept development here in Croatia are still very much based on individual experiences, examples and projects.

That is why, in order to gain a real elementary insight into the digitalisation of Croatia's services and the communication of the country's many city administrations with citizens, experts from Apsolon, a consulting company specialising in digital business development, has undertaken the very first major study of the ''digital readiness'' of twenty of the largest cities across Croatia. This study, according to project manager and smart management director at Apsolon, Ivana Novoselec, is the basis for the further development of research tools and methodology that will track the development and progress of Croatia's cities on an annual basis.

In its study, Apsolon divided the cities into three categories - large (Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek), middle (Zadar, Velika Gorica, Slavonski Brod, Pula and Karlovac) and smaller cities (Sisak, Varaždin, Šibenik, Dubrovnik, Bjelovar, Kaštela, Samobor, Vinkovci, Koprivnica, Đakovo, Vukovar.)

The digital readiness index at Apsolon was set based on several criteria - the availability of e-services (the number of administrative services and their digitalisation rate in Croatia), the availability of site service information and the development of unified services for making payments in the city, then came the availability of city data, the level of citizen participation in decision making and communication channels between the city administration and citizens, ie, the availability of data and time in which citizens receive answers to their various questions. At this stage, Apsolon hasn't entered into the internal processes in Croatia's city administrations, but rather focused on what services are offered to the city's citizens and how long such things typically take.

After this type of indexing and ranking, the title of the ''digitisation champion'' among the Croatian cities was awarded to the City of Rijeka, thus confirming its status as the best city in the Smart City category which it won last year. Apsolon pointed out that the City of Rijeka has achieved the greatest advances in the systematic raising of the quality of its services, but also the opening of data and communication channels to citizens.

"Rijeka as the most advanced city in Croatia in terms of digitisation and is characterised in particular by the emphasis on openness and communication with its citizens. Its administration is oriented towards clear communication (a very clear centralised e-services approach with well-organised access to all automated services and available forms), openness and participatory management," said project manager Ivana Novoselac.

In many categories, especially those relating to the functional aspects of digitisation (advanced digital services, e-citizen connectivity, etc.), Rijeka is followed closely by the City of Zagreb.

The city of Pula is the most advanced middle-size city in Croatia, which also presents its services and available information to its citizens in a systematic and very detailed way, raising standards in terms of transparency and interaction with citizens, and is certainly a champion among cities with between 50.000 and 100.000 inhabitants.

In relation to the criteria relating to specific functional and technological solutions, Karlovac, Velika Gorica and Zadar follow. For the City of Karlovac the large number of available administrative procedures on its website and responses to citizens' inquiries are generally quick made it stand out from the crowd.

Among the small cities in Croatia, there is no distinctly dominant digital champion, but according to research findings in different aspects of digitisation, Dubrovnik, Samobor, Sisak, Koprivnica and Varaždin appear to be the most successful ones, according to this research. Among the prominent representatives of this category, Dubrovnik is strategically trying to profile as Smart City and has a high quality City Card, e-Visitor platform, is very active on social networks and it continuing to develop innovative application solutions. When it comes to the number of digitally available services, Koprivnica ranks above all.

Samobor, which is particularly active on social networks and is the category winner for social networking, has a very comprehensive and interactive website which separates the site accordingly and has adjusted all of the information for citizens and for visitors, as well as separating foreign visitors from domestic ones.

It should also be noted that Bjelovar is extremely proactive in the field of the digitalisation of its administration, it is working on applicative transparency solutions as well as on internal digitalisation processes. What is particularly commendable is Bjelovar's focus on the digitalisation of its internal processes.

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Click here for the original article by Novac/Jutarnji/Gradonacelnik.hr