April the 12th, 2023 - Croatian Easter tourism, or more precisely tourism throughout the country so far this month, has been excellent and by far outdone the numbers which were recorded back during the pre-pandemic, record year of 2019.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, although Easter fell earlier this year than last year and earlier than the one back during the record-breaking year of 2019, according to some figures, Croatian Easter tourism attracted more guests compared to last year. This is a more than promising sign for the upcoming summer season.

According to e-Visitor data, in the current part of April, more specifically up until Easter Monday in Croatia, there were around 300,000 arrivals and more than 940,000 overnight stays recorded, which, when compared to the same period of April last year, represents growth of 55% in arrivals and 73% in overnight stays. When compared to the figures recorded back in April 2019, the aforementioned represents growth of 27% in arrivals and a very encouraging 54% in overnight stays.

At the same time, the most overnight stays were realised in Istria, Kvarner and in Split-Dalmatia County, and in terms of destinations - Dubrovnik, Porec, Rovinj, Zagreb and Split all did very well indeed. The top markets in terms of overnight stays are all European ones - Germany, Austria, Croatia, Italy, the United Kingdom and Slovenia.

The company Awaze, which includes three leading domestic agencies for renting luxury accommodation (Croatia Luxury Rent, My Istria and Istria Home), reported that during the Easter holidays there was a 7% increase in the number of visitors compared to their record Croatian Easter tourism year of 2022. At the same time, current sales results indicate that the total number of sold reservations stands at 32% more than compared to the first quarter of last year.

"This is excellent, although, of course, earnings and profits are more important to us than physical arrivals, and that's why we have to focus on quality and thus earn the maximum with a sustainable number of guests, while at the same time using our physical resources as little as possible,'' commented Veljko Ostojic, the director of the Croatian Tourism Association.

For more, check out our news and travel sections.

April 7, 2023 - It is Good Friday. In Croatia, that could mean a few things. If you are religious, you are likely to go to church and follow the Way of the Cross (beautiful traditions tied to that, for example, Za Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away. YouZa Križen in Hvar), you might be fasting, or you just might be realizing that Easter is only two days away, and you need to get started on your food prep. If you live in Slavonia and have a grandmother, you are more than likely to be served tašci, also known as taške, also known as tačkrle, also known as "don't bother preparing them if you're not making a hundred."

Following the Catholic tradition, most households in Croatia will be fasting or at least staying away from meat on Good Friday. Having moved away from the religious rigidity, what ends up happening on days like that (another prime example being Christmas Eve), is that the finest fish meals end up being prepared, along with desserts, to make it a little bit more special. And you end up a long way from fasting. For that purpose, as we said, none is better than the traditional little pockets of happiness that are taške. They taste the best if made by grandmas or at least mothers, but all versions are more than good enough. Though the recipe is simple, the preparation is quite labor intensive and does take a little bit of time, so make sure to account for that. 

Taške is a simple dough filled with jam, cooked and rolled in poppy seeds or ground walnuts. Enjoyed by the dozen. They originate from Slavonija and Baranja but are also popular in parts of Hungary and Serbia. The dough can be just flour and water or a potato dough like gnocchi. It would always be the simplest version in my family, so that is the recipe I'll share today. 

Dough

- flour

- water

- salt 

- optional: egg

Filling

- jam 

Toppings

- ground walnuts + sugar

- toasted poppy seeds + sugar

* The traditional filling is a special type of plum jam, which is just plums and a little sugar cooked for hours in the oven - once it cools in the jars, it hardens and becomes perfect for fillings as it doesn't leak out during cooking.

Preparation

1 Knead your dough with a pinch of salt and enough water to bind it together. Add one egg for extra elasticity and flavour, but feel free to skip. The consistency should be hard but uniform. There are no exact measurements; you'll use more or less flour depending on how many people you're trying to feed (about 1 kg used for a family of 6 with plenty of leftovers).

2 Dusting it with flour, roll out the dough into thin sheets (about 2-3 mm thick), fill with jam, folding it over row by row. Tip: glue it together using a little water between the individual taške. 

3 Cut into squares, pinching the ends together so your filling stays in place during cooking. During the process, keep your prepared taške separate so they don't stick together (flour your trays and use baking paper between layers).

4 Bring your biggest pot of water with a pinch of salt to boil. Taške should be cooked in small bunches, about six at a time, but if (like me) you're trying to cook about 90 of them, feel free to dump as many as you can comfortably fit into the pot. They are cooked in rapidly boiling water very briefly, for a minute or two after they've risen to the surface.

5 Take them out and let cool for a few minutes, after which you can layer them into glass or ceramic dishes with their toppings - ground walnuts with a bit of sugar or toasted poppy seeds with sugar.

Taške are best eaten warm, following a nice fish dinner.

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

March 30, 2023 - It's March, the sun is out, we might just be safe from the notorious bura, and Split is looking as magnificent as ever. To quote TCN's own Paul Bradbury, Dalmatia is a little like malaria. Once it gets in your blood, you are screwed for life. And once you visit it during the shoulder season, you're screwed in an entirely new way. Try and resist it, though. Ambasador Easter offer is there to aid your decision.

We wrote about the spring period as the perfect time to head down to Dalmatia and enjoy the many benefits of empty streets and mild weather. For some extra magic, visit the islands, which are true little oases of peace. Visiting Zadar, Šibenik, Split, or even Dubrovnik will be a refreshing experience if you enjoy cities. An additional dose of joy will surely be in the air with the Easter holidays just around the corner. True to the Croatian ways and traditions, Easter eggs, both literal and figurative, will be everywhere for all to discover and enjoy. Whether you celebrate Easter or not, the motifs and the colours will have you feeling the mood.

And if you're looking for something a little different, a luxury experience with the best views, definitely check out our favourite Hotel Ambasador in Split. So whether you're escaping for the Easter holidays or not, the time is convenient, and the Ambasador Easter offer makes us want to ditch tradition and treat ourselves.

Their superior room with magnificent sea views is on offer once again, coming with all you might need for a little getaway. Fitting the occasion, a sweet welcome snack will be there to greet you. To follow that, we know we would start (and probably spend) our day at the spa. Breakfast is included, as well as garage parking and bottled water. If available, we would check out late. In the meantime, catching a bit of sun down at the Split riva or just by the pool would do us just fine. Ah, we can almost see the cocktails in our hands and feel the warmth of the spring sun.

If you need this break as much as we do, reservations can be made at +385 21 293 000 or via email at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

April the 7th, 2022 - Relaxations to current Croatian covid measures, which are already fairly loose, are set to occur as the Easter period approaches.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, the new Croatian covid measures, or more precisely the measures which are set to be relaxed, haven't yet been officially defined, but should be agreed by Easter, when some concessions are planned.

According to Jutarnji list's interlocutors, Croatian covid measures related to limiting the number of people both indoors and outdoors, would be almost completely abolished. Covid certificates would no longer be required. Measures at the country's borders will remain as they are, in line with European Union (EU) decisions.

Most of the conversations taking place at the moment are about the basic Croatian covid measures, and that is wearing masks, which are currently an obligation in all indoor spaces. According to the currently prevailing view, masks would remain an obligation indoors where more people are expected to be, such as in shops and when using public transport. But it is likely that in the workplace, where it is currently mandatory to wear masks if it isn't possible to maintain the prescribed distance (two metres between individuals), it will become a mere recommendation.

In addition, there is a possibility that wearing masks in cinemas and theatres will remain at the level of a recommendation. There is an increasingly probable possibility that caterers will havethe right to use their full capacities from the pre-pandemic period and to abolish the obligatory spaces between tables.

''We believe that this is a moment that enables the greater mitigation of Croatian covid measures, and for several reasons. First of all, there are indicators from hospitals, ie a decrease in the number of hospitalised and people on respirators. We're also recording a decline in the number of newly infected people, and the fact that people will be spending more and more time outdoors. All of this is favourable,'' explained the interlocutor of Jutarnji list, pointing out that everything should be approached with caution because, he says, we have learned that the novel coronavirus can be unpredictable, but the current situation is in favour of loosening up and returning to a more normal life.

Additional concessions, according to the Ministry of Science and Education, would be in schools and colleges. Masks would no longer be required in the hallways, and professors and teaches wouldn't have to wear them unless they wanted to.

Despite the concessions, sources say, there are no plans to stop warning people about the possibility of spreading the infection, so the recommendation to wear a mask will be emphasised. In addition, hygiene, maintaining a distance and ventilation, they say, should be respected. Croatia had mild measures for most of the coronavirus pandemic, but now European countries which had more strict measures are also abolishing them. The UK was among the first to do so, where measures against the spread of the disease are virtually non-existent. In Switzerland, the obligation to wear masks in public transport and health facilities has also been abolished.

At the same time, while the measures are being relaxed, the profession is warning of a new strain of the Omicron variant, the so-called XE, which is said to spread 43 percent faster than the original Omicron, but fortunately doesn't appear to cause more severe forms of the disease.

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

March the 26th, 2022 - Renters have become concerned and are biting their nails at the fact that the Croatian 2022 pre-season isn't quite what was expected as yet. Could hopes for Easter tourism be dashed?

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, according to local Zadar portal Zadarski.hr, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, Croatia will likely have much fewer guests over the Easter period than we had hoped.

''It’s hard to say how much fewer people there will be than expected, but I'm hearing that these days, the cancellations of some larger groups who had Easter reservations are slowly trickling in. Personally, I had a lot of reservations in April and May, but everything in April ended up being cancelled. Everything is changing from day to day,'' said Martina Nimac Kalcina, president of the Family Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce (HGK), when asked about the potential number of tourists we could expect in Dalmatia over Easter.

Since February the 24th and the beginning of the Russian invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, everything has changed. Until then, the Ministry of Tourism and Sport confirmed, the dynamics of reservations and announcements for the main part of the tourist year were at a record level, such as what was experienced back in pre-pandemic 2019, and in some segments even ten percent better. The current geopolitical situation related to Ukraine, rising energy prices and inflation have somewhat affected tourism news, but it is good, the ministry said, that reservations haven't stopped entirely. The same has been being said by the president of the Family Tourism Association at the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

"The situation isn't as catastrophic as the pandemic caused it to be, but the war in Ukraine has slowed down reservations a lot. The Croatian 2022 pre-season is incomparably worse than it should have been. Everything started out well after the New Year, and then, literally from the first bombing of Ukraine, it slowed down sharply. On the same day, inquiries stopped arriving and after a few days they started reappearing, but very slowly. There have been no cancellations for large numbers of people, but there are for the Croatian 2022 pre-season.

Those cancellations have been coming from everywhere - from America, most of them from Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia… Some Americans are still planning to come here, but there are very few of them, incomparably fewer than they should be, because Croatia's position on the map of Europe looks close to Ukraine and Russia,'' said Nimac Kalcina, noting that unlike private accommodation, which is already feeling the effects of the war in Ukraine, there have been cancellations in the case of cruises so far.

However, she believes that the main tourist season will be very good if the situation with the war in Ukraine doesn't escalate.

"I hope that our season will be full, there are reservations, new ones are still coming in. Renters who have more attractive facilities shouldn't be worried, but it's a question of people's length of stay, the Croatian 2022 pre-season, the post-season… All cards are now on the table… Because as people's travel dates approach and the situation in Ukraine fails to calm down, tourists simply cancel their reservations. It's understandable that people postpone making decisions about holiday dates because they can see that the situation isn't changing. An additional problem is that the war brings even higher inflation,'' said Nimac Kalcina in an interview with Zadarski.hr.

"Nothing drastic is happening here," said Bojan Milicevic, a spokesman for the Le Meridien Lav hotel in Podstrana near Split, adding that there had been "some very minor cancellations, several small groups directly linked to the Ukrainian and Russian markets." The only noticeable drop has been the booking of individual guests from distant destinations such as America. However, they aren't expecting any major problems from the European markets at the Le Meridien Lav hotel, provided, of course, that the war situation doesn't escalate.

"We don't have any cancellations from any European guests. Things look pretty good to us when it comes to the state of reservations being made. Of course, the Americans are our pretty strong guest segment that we need to keep an eye on. But, in general, our picture looks good thanks to regular guests from Scandinavia and Western Europe, who, along with the Americans, are our most numerous guests. We'll see. It should be borne in mind that a lot has changed, as have booking trends, once Americans planned trips a year in advance. The coronavirus pandemic has changed all that, now it is no longer the case,'' Milicevic concluded.

For more, check out our travel section.

April 10, 2020 - Most shops and shopping malls will be closed on Easter and Easter Monday due to the coronavirus pandemic and because of their usual holiday hours. A look at where you can shop around Croatia this weekend.

Aware that there will be an increased need to go to the store to prepare for Easter Sunday, the opening hours of shops have been extended, from 7am to 8pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, instead of 7am to 5pm, while the coronavirus pandemic lasts. 

Minister Davor. Bozinovic told a news conference that the shops would be open from 7am to 8pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, before Easter, so that citizens could buy whatever they needed and avoid crowds.

During the holidays, on Easter (April 12) and Easter Monday (April 13), most retail chains in Croatia will work shortened hours or be closed.

Konzum stores will also be closed on Easter Sunday and Monday. The same is true for Lidl, who has announced that all their stores in Croatia will be closed on Easter and Easter Monday. Grocery stores will also be closed for Easter and Easter Monday.

Retail chain Pevex has also decided on opening hours, announcing that they will not be working on Easter and Easter Monday.

Spar shops will be open on Easter Monday, but until 5pm.

Kaufland's stores will be closed for Easter and will work shortened hours on Easter Monday, from 8am to 5pm.

The same is true of Plodine stores, whose outlets will only work on Easter Monday, but until 5pm.

Tommy stores will not work on Easter or Easter Monday, just like KTC.

Arena Center will not work on Easter, and on Easter Monday, shops exempted from the restriction on work will be open. Mueller does not work on Easter and on Easter Monday is open from 8am to 2pm.

The shops at Avenue Mall that are open are listed on this link.

The City Center One East and City Center One West shopping centers in Zagreb and City Center One in Split will be closed on Easter, and on Easter Monday, the centers will be open from 8am to 2pm.

Veronika and dm will be closed and Müller will be open from 8am to 2pm.

The Westgate Shopping Center will also not be open on Easter or Easter Monday.

Supernova Center Zagreb - Buzin, will not work for Easter or Easter Monday, except for Insterspar, which will be open from 8am to 5pm on Monday.

GardenMall will also be open on Monday from 8am to 5pm. Supernova Karlovac will operate as well as GardenMall, while Supernova in Zadar, Supernova Colosseum in Slavonski Brod, Supernova Šibenik, Supernova Sisak West & East will be closed on Easter and Easter Monday (except Spar and Mueller).

Grocery stores in Supernova Varaždin shopping malls will be open on Easter Monday from 8am to 5pm, and Supernova Koprivnica from 8am to 5pm.

Mall of Split will also not be working on Easter, while on Easter Monday, it will be open part-time from 8/9am to 3/5pm (you can see the list of shops here).

Lumini in Varaždin will be closed on Easter and Easter Monday.

Source: 24 Sata

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