September 4, 2022 - Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, Ivana Alilović, spoke in the Novi Dan program of N1 television about the tourist season in her county. Zagreb County as a year-round destination, she said, has exceptional results.

As Index writes, they reached the level of 89 percent of 2019 as far as arrivals are concerned, but they have exceeded overnight stays by one percent.

She pointed out that the camps proved to be good destinations to go to. She cited the example of Sveta Nedelja, as well as the area of ​​Velika Gorica, which has the most hotels, and Plešivica proved to be a good combination not only for the wine story, but also for a safe stay in nature.

Zagreb County Tourist Board

Alilović added that more than 90 percent of arrivals are individual. She highlighted the arrival of tourists from Scandinavian countries.

Not a mass destination

"More and more tourists are coming looking for green and sustainable, and we have that. We try to capture the element of sustainability with the activities and European projects we implement. We are not a mass destination and I don't think we will ever be".

"The coexistence of our residents is important to us, what they can invest and get out of it. We will try to nurture the tradition found here," said Alilović. She added that they are moving towards offering quality to every guest and creating sustainability. "This is a big difference compared to previous years. It is important that we stand behind what we offer," she emphasised.

Zagreb County Tourist Board

They are promoting the project "From farm to table". There are more than 14 thousand OPGs in the area of ​​Zagreb County. She believes that all those who taste Zagreb dishes will return. Via Vino, Alilović added, is an award-winning event which opened the the doors of the county's wineries for the second time. In order to become an attractive destination, they also introduced attractive events such as a movie theater under the stars in the vineyards.

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

ZAGREB, 28 July 2022 - Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac on Wednesday opened in Split a conference on the green and digital transformation of family and small hotels, organised by the National Association of Small and Family Hotels.

A new brand in family and small hotel management - eco green hotels - was presented at the event, the Tourism and Sports Ministry said in a statement.

Addressing the event, Brnjac said that small and family hotels have a very important role in moving away from mass-scale, seasonal tourism and reorienting oneself towards sustainability and greater quality, welcoming the initiative to introduce the new brand.

She noted that the importance of small and family hotels was also recognised in the new strategy for the development of sustainable tourism in the period until 2030 and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), and that efforts would be made to direct as much as possible of the HRK 2.2 billion (€293 million) intended for tourism, towards entrepreneurs.

A total of HRK 1.2 billion (€160 million) is intended for direct investments in the private sector, including HRK 720 million (€96 million) for hotels, to help them transform Croatia into a year-round destination.

Brnjac said that strategic activities would focus on the green and digital transition, social responsibility of tourism, education and accessible tourism for all.

For more, check out our politics section.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ZAGREB November 19, 2020 - Noticeably bigger than a skateboard, longboards are a cool alternative to urban travel. Meet Croatia's first longboard manufacturers, Crushboards, whose eco-friendly products are healthier to use and way more stylish than other green options

You can walk around some European towns and cities and wonder just where the future is going to fit in. The narrow streets seem to want to accommodate only cars, with pedestrians demoted to the narrow edges. Zagreb isn't like that. Osijek and other towns and cities in Croatia are not like that.

With 220 kilometres of dedicated cycle paths, the city of Zagreb and its residents have been quick to adopt the latest green-friendly ways of getting around the urban environment

You only need take a glance at the generous cycle paths around Zagreb to see that this is a city that could easily take on the challenges of a future not reliant on fossil fuels – electric scooters, foldaway bikes, gyroscooters, electric skateboards and monowheels have joined bicycles on the streets of Zagreb as an easy means to get round the city. Could longboards be the next popular choice?

Started by three lifelong friends from Čakovec, Crushboards is the first company in the country to make Croatian longboards. Like a skateboard, only bigger, longboards are well suited to the urban environment of a city like Zagreb.

Čakovčani (l-r) Marko Hlebar, Davor Nikolic and Sanda Bogdan inside the Zagreb workshop of Crushboards © Vedran Pažin

“This board is longer than a skateboard - 100 centimetres in length.,” Crushboards co-founder Marko Hlebar told TCN when we went to visit their workshop in Zagreb. He runs Crushboards with Davor Nikolic and Sanda Bogdan. “It's a bit heavier than a normal skateboard and uses different wheels. You can perform different tricks on each, dependant on the weight of the board, but the main thing for us is that a longboard is easier to ride on in the urban environment, in the city.”

Practising on a Crushboards longboard inside a Zagreb park. The boards are intended as much for a regular inner-city commute as they are for such trickery

“The wheels are larger so it's easier to travel on one of these in the city than it is on a regular skateboard,” Marko tells us. “It's better for travelling to work or to appointments, your feet get less tired.”

Rather than being the latest cool evolution in skateboards, it turns out that longboards have been around for a long time. In fact, the very first skateboards that were made probably looked more like the hip, eco-friendly product made by Crushboards than a regular skateboard.

Crushboards see their main product as part of a lifestyle choice - so, it's little surprise to learn they also make their own super-cool t-shirts and accessories

Skateboards were first made in America during the 1940s as a practice board for surfers who were prevented from taking to the waves because of bad weather. But, during its infancy, there were few options available to manufacturers in the skateboarding industry – boards were made using rollerskate wheels, whose size demanded a board closer to that of today's longboard.

The longboard was, therefore, the first popular urban skateboard and remained so until the 1960s. It has fallen in and out of fashion ever since – the development of ultra-fast wheels saw them rise again in popularity due to them being well suited to downhill racing (the bigger board better absorbs the vibrations produced from speed). The relatively recent phenomenon of longboard dancing has also increased the boards' popularity in Asia.

Like regular skateboards, several different types and designs of longboard exist for different uses. The ones currently made by Crushboards are specifically designed for urban travel. Their boards are made using several thin layers of different materials, which strengthen and provide flexibility when glued together. They are finished on the top side with either oak or walnut, with the other layers holding cherry, teak, fibreglass, carbon, kevlar and two veneers. The wheels and their mounts are currently imported, but Crushboards hope to eventually source as much of the materials required from sustainable sources within Croatia.

Inside one of Crushboards' longboards

With 220 kilometres of cycle paths occurring throughout Zagreb, the Croatian capital is quick to embrace green modes of transport. Many Croatians are also health-conscious – a motorised scooter or skateboard might get around the city quickly, but they don't increase your exercise quota. Perhaps there's room on Zagreb's streets for these cool urban alternatives to the skateboards of our youths?

All uncredited photos © Crushboards

For the sixth time in Croatia, Saturday, April 22nd (Earth Day), will host the largest ecological national campaign "Green Cleanup - One Day for a Clean Environment", which will once again bring together volunteers from all over Croatia.

Major investment in renewable energy resources.

The new and swank Hotel Split is nestled at the edge of the water in Podstrana, just 8km from Split. This modern boutique hotel is “green” and has a certificate of energy efficiency meaning they are predominantly powered by solar energy, they practise recycling, use LED lighting, and encourage guests to save energy where possible without compromising the comfort of their stay. 

The hotel’s 40 rooms all have unobstructed sea views and offer Nordic-inspired interiors with light wooden tones matched with colorful feature walls. Hotel Split has a smashing rooftop pool deck where you can soak up the sun as you glare over the shimmering Adriatic before descending to the pebble beach for dip in the sea. On the rooftop and ground floor, Chef Vice cooks up modern Mediterranean fare in the Vagabundo Restaurant & Bar. 

A: Strožanačka 20, 21312 Podstrana

T: +385 (0)21 420 420

W: www.hotel-split.hr