April 18, 2019 - A religious spectacle is underway on Hvar, as 6 simultaneous 'Za Krizen' processions through the night uphold a UNESCO tradition dating back 500 years. 

Known for its endless sunshine, great beaches and nightlife, the island of Hvar shows another side to its multi-faceted personality on Maundy Thursday each year with the annual 'Za Krizen' (Behind the Cross) procession in 6 towns and villages. 

At 22:00 on Maundy Thursday, six simultaneous processions set off from Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirce, Vrbanj and Vrboska. They are led by barefoot cross bearers carrying ancient crosses weighing between 10 and 18 kg, walking through the night along a 22-kilometre route for a night of contemplation and prayer through the other five settlements. Finally, the processions complete their circular route, arriving back where they started about 07:00 on Good Friday. 

The cross bearer is followed by his acolytes wearing white robes and carrying candles. Behind the acolytes, more than a thousand pilgrims walk through the night following the procession, which was awarded Intangible UNESCO Heritage status back in 2009. You can read more about the heritage in the TCN UNESCO heritage series. 

Each procession has its own uniqueness, but the biggest one in Jelsa has a very dramatic ending, as the exhausted cross bearer and his main acolyte run the final metres on Jelsa's packed main square, before kneeling in front of the awaiting priest. While there is an understandable tourist impulse to applaud the achievement, it should be borne in mind that this is a very religious experience, and applause is not welcome. To learn more about the procession through the eyes of a cross bearer, learn more through this interview with a former cross bearer from Jelsa. 

There are other traditions associated with the procession. One is that an illuminated image of Jesus falling with the cross is displayed in the main church tower. 

And locals add to the light by keeping their lights on all night. 

TCN will be up all night recording each procession as it comes through Jelsa. 

The procession has just got underway for 2019. Check out the first moments from the video below. 

From the 11^th – 14^th April, 2019, I attended the PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskršnja Regata) on Hvar island. I was the only woman in a 12-man crew, aboard “Franko II” (First 47.7) with Mario Kundih at the helm; as a first-time crew together, we won the ORC-Nauta class.

This year marked the 23^rd Anniversary for the PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskršnja Regata) on Hvar island (previously held in Vodice). The Easter Regatta was the second regatta in a series of four regattas for the CRO-ORC Cup – the most important ORC regattas in Croatia. As such, this regatta attracts a myriad of high-calibre sailors and a variety of yachts – ranging from a Salona 34, X-41 all the way up to the very sexy TP52; and, while there were a few crews from Slovenia and one from the Czech Republic, it is a predominantly Croatian dominated regatta.

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

I was invited to join the crew aboard “Franko II” (First 47.7) by Mario Kundih, and was to be the only woman in a ’12-man’ crew. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little apprehensive. While I have been at sea here for 7 years now, 2018 was my first year getting into the world of sailing – thanks to doing a skipper training course with Kundih aboard an X-43 last year, and my first season with my husband sailing a Scorpio 72 in Charter. The world of regattas is still very new to me and I have a lot to learn; so, I was extremely honoured to be asked to join the crew for the 2019 Easter Regatta.

I met “Franko II” and half our crew in Primošten on Tuesday for a day of sail training and delivering the yacht to Hvar, in preparation for Thursday’s first race. As with anything in Croatia, it was – first coffee, provision the boat, then we were on our way to Hvar. Unfortunately, there was no wind, so we motored all the way, but around 4 pm, the wind picked up, so we did some night sailing around the port of Hvar until 9 pm, practising manoeuvres and getting acquainted with the boat and each other.

My earlier apprehension about sailing and being the only woman aboard, quickly washed away as I felt immediately comfortable with the guys aboard. I had experienced Kundih’s relaxed yet informative approach to sail training last year, and this was the tone that was set aboard. As a crew, we had a mix of experience between us, the connecting factor between all of us being Kundih; some of the guys he has been sailing with for years, half the crew are experienced skippers – sailing in charter every year, while others (like myself), he had recently trained and were very ‘green’ in regards to the world of regattas. Considering Kundih came first in the ORC-Nauta Class the last two years, and 3^rd overall last year, I was impressed that he was willing to form a new crew and take a ‘risk’ on some of us, just to give us the opportunity to sail in this sort of high-calibre regatta.

After a few hours of sailing manoeuvres: tacking, raising the spinnaker, jibing and dropping the spinnaker; we got a spot on the Riva in Hvar, and I was reminded how much I love Hvar pre and post-season.

I prepared an easy bolognese for dinner, not because I had to (being the only woman) but because I wanted to, my way of saying ‘thanks for having me aboard’. But ‘true colours’ were shown quickly when a few of the boys immediately said: “please don’t feel you have to cook just because you are the only woman.” They jumped in to help and did all the cleaning up, who said Croatians aren’t gentlemen?

With no race day the following day, we took the opportunity to have a few drinks and get to know each other; a brilliant night, sitting around the table in the salon, drinking and singing until the small hours of the morning. Team bonding at its finest.

We had planned to train together on Wednesday, but rain all day and no wind hindered these plans. The rest of the crew arrived to Hvar that evening – four more guys to make our 12-man crew complete. We went out for dinner with another great crew from the Czech Republic and had another night of gemišt (the sailor's choice) and singing. But it was a much earlier night (for most), as we had the first day of racing on Thursday and were hoping to hit the water early to get in some training altogether as a complete crew.

Easter Regatta: Race Days

Thursday’s racing was an upwind – downwind race, with three races for the day; with a forecast of up to 20-knots and SE winds (Jugo), it was to be a good day of racing. Our 10 am race start was delayed, but instead of heading back to port as half the fleet, we stayed out and used it as an opportunity to train – because we still hadn’t all trained together. As a 12-man crew, we were a lot of bodies on the boat, with mixed experience and it was essential that everyone knew their role. Mario Kundih was our helmsman, Luka Bebler was our tactician, Luka Blaic our key sail trimmer and all-rounder, Korado Gabo on mainsheet, Rudi Marx and Siniša Bartolin our Mast-men, Tomislav Šujeranović and Matej Doždor our bowmen. Ivan Cevra, Matija Bogadi and Alex Bilik formed the rest of our pitmen. I was ballast and floating – mostly on the bow. And, we had Miro Zadravec on board as our official photographer.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

Considering half the crew were very experienced skippers, it was going to be interesting to see how we would work together and cooperate – ‘too many chiefs’ came to mind. Add this to the fact that we were a first-time crew together, first time on the boat and an international crew (Croatia, NZ, Slovakia and Germany), it was clear that communication and teamwork were going to be vital to our success. It was either going to be a fantastic few days, or a really stressful week!

After practising a few manoeuvres, we geared up for our first race. With 13 yachts in our ORC-Nauta class, we had a strong start and quickly took a decent lead, which we needed because of our handicap. In race one we came 1^st, R2 – 2^nd, and R3 – 1^st. So, after calculations for our first day of racing, we were coming 1^st overall. A solid start for a first-time crew together.

Photo Credit: Miro Zadravec

As it turned out, day one would be our most exciting day of racing in the Easter Regatta; with an upwind-downwind course and great wind, it was more a skilled, technical race, less about tactics. A great vibe and dynamic quickly established itself aboard. The only drama was our spinnaker pole not shooting for the last two races, but thanks to quick reactions and leadership, we managed to keep it under control to cross the line – we probably lost around 30 seconds, but maintained 2^nd place in the second race and first overall. And more importantly, we survived our first day of racing – no injuries, major dramas and an excellent team energy maintained throughout.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic, manually handling the Spinnaker to get across the line!

The next two days of racing were navigational races in less wind, making it a game of tactics over fast action and technical sailing. Friday was a slow day, on the Spinnaker for most of the day in search of wind but it was a great chance for me to learn more on the bow, and fine-tune my skills in bringing in and prepping the spinnaker. As it was my first serious regatta and I had less experience than the rest of the crew, I was thankful to be ballast and floating on the bow, to have a prime position to watch everyone, learn, and jump in when I could. The course was from Hvar across the channel to Vis, returning around the Pakleni islands, finishing in the port of Hvar.

Photo Credit: Dubravka Pajk

While it was a quiet day for the majority of the crew, it was still a full day of concentration for Kundih, our tactician and main trimmer. Even though the vibe on the boat was light, and a few gemišt were always in hand, it was great to watch these guys work, see their concentration and hear them talk tactics. My initial thought that there may be too many ‘chiefs’ aboard, was easily allayed as yes, there were discussions and a few differing opinions over the 3 days, but the boys managed to respectfully listen and/or compromise. I have worked on a lot of boats and seen many different crews, and it is typically ego which kills the vibe on a boat; considering the level of experience half the guys had, the lack of ego and pride was truly admirable.

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

We had a different sort of photo-finish over the line: we were behind two other yachts in our class, and 100 m from the finish line, the two yachts ahead of us lost their wind and came to a complete standstill; we somehow managed to keep our wind and crept over the line to finish first! This just goes to prove that while skill and tactics are key, lady luck still has her part to play sometimes. After calculations, we came 4^th overall for day two.

Day 3 of racing leaves even less to write about; light winds and another day of mostly downwind sailing. It was another navigational race, in front of Hvar and back down the channel; we had until 3pm to complete the race and the majority of the fleet didn’t manage this. Floating in the currents may be a better way to describe the day’s sailing, rather than racing. But still, any day at sea is a good day.

Results and Prizegiving

We finished 1^st overall in our ORC-Nauta class, which was Kundih’s third year in a row placing first in his class. In 2^nd place was Krka D (Elan 410) with Sebastijan Levstik at the helm, and 3^rd place Srna V (Bavaria CR 46) with Ciril Vrančić as helmsman.

Photo Credit: Uskrsnja Regata, FRANKO II, our winning team - missing a few crew members.

The winner of the ORC-Racer/Cruiser and overall winner of the Easter Regatta was veteran Tonko Rameša and his team aboard X-Cite (X-41). One-Salona (Salona 34) with Karlo Kuret at the helm came 2^nd, and Andela X (X37) with helmsman Teo Piasevoli placed 3^rd.

Overall winners, team X-Cite, photo credit: Uskrsnja Regata

Thanks to PBZ and great sponsorship, there was a large pool of prizes awarded. You can read the full results here.

Evening Entertainment for the Easter Regatta

The PBZ Easter Regatta (Uskrsnja Regata) is well-known for being not only a fantastic sailing regatta bringing together some of Croatia's finest sailors, but also for its organisation and great entertainment. This year's regatta was no different. The first night saw us partying in Hotel Park, with dinner and a DJ. The second night was definitely the highlight with the “Bodulska Večera“, which saw top chefs from the island preparing signature and traditional dishes in the Arsenal building. There was everything from škampi and mussel bužara, hand-rolled macaroni, gregada, pašticada to peka lamb; all sides of the gorgeous Arsenal building boasting food and top Hvar wines – like Ivan Dolac. Then a live band took it up a notch for a fantastic evening of singing and dancing. The final night kicked off with fireworks in the port of Hvar, followed by prizegiving. The night was actually a much ‘tamer’ atmosphere – though I think many spread the party into Hvar’s bars and clubs. Regardless, our crew still shone, as basically the only ones on the dancefloor all night!

Photo Credit: Easter Regatta Official

Comments from our Helmsman and Trimmer

Mario Kundih: “Together with a few friends and fellow skippers, we formed Sailing Club Endemi in 2010 with the aim to participate in the Easter Regatta, this was our 9^th year competing. The spark which started the story was a love for sailing and the sea. Since then, we came 1^st in the Second Open Group in 2011, and came 1^st in our class (Open Nauta), the last two years (now the last 3 years).

In the beginning, I wasn’t sure if we chose the right boat for the regatta but somehow, I believed in FRANKO II (First 47.7) and the crew. However, this year was always going to be a challenging race, as, for the first time there was an ORC Rating System (Handicap) for the Nauta class, which meant that each crew had to pull the absolute maximum from their boats if they wanted a good result – it was no longer enough to have the biggest or fastest boat. In short, the point of the ORC Rating System is to allow boats of different sizes and characteristics to race each other with an equal chance to win – with times corrected applying the handicap. This meant, everyone was on a similar playing field. There were a lot of great sailors in the fleet this year, so with the ORC handicap, it was a greater challenge.

The other challenge was in the organisation of the crew and boat before the race even began. The boat didn’t have ORC certificate, so we had to organise all the measurements one week before, then we realised that the main sail was too old to race with, so, in the last minute we changed for a slightly newer sail (still old), but this sail didn’t fit our mast, so we had to change some parts… in the end, we managed all of these things and it was a good decision. We got the ORC Certificate a few days before the race. Then, heading into day 1 of racing, we still hadn’t all trained together! But somehow, we managed to pull together and make it work.

First day, we had good wind and we came 1^st in two races, 2^nd in one, which placed us in a very good position. Next day was navigation with lighter winds, it was very hard to make decisions about where to tack, jibe… where to go to find some wind and avoid the sea current or use it to our advantage. We crossed the line first in our class, but with the adjusted time we came 4^th overall, which was still a great result because our boat was the largest and heaviest in the fleet – making it more of a challenge for us in light winds.

Photo credit: Easter, Regatta 2019 Miro Zadravec

The last day, we had even lighter winds and were racing against our strongest opponent – Krka… we chose to go right, closer to the islands, expecting some breeze, but it was the wrong decision and all of the fleet overtook us. At the end, we knew we had good points, so we could discard this race, which means we had to wait to see Krka’s result in the final race. Krka didn’t achieve 1^st place so that was enough for us to start celebrating. It was not an easy regatta and each crew member played their part in it.

I can honestly say that this was the sweetest victory on the Easter Regatta so far. I will always remember my first victory in the Open Class in 2011, but this was definitely the sweetest. And I have to thank all of my crew for this, it was an honour to be the skipper for such an amazing crew, we were really like ONE from the beginning to the very end.”

Luka Blaic: “I met Kundih 10 years ago and we have been sailing together since; I have only missed one Easter Regatta since then. Kundih’s energy and passion for sailing was something that distinguished him from other helmsmen; Kundih always gives his whole heart and makes you give the best from yourself in return – it is easy to sail with someone when you see so much passion in them.

I had a great time on this particular regatta, despite the weather, this regatta was a knot better. One of the main reasons for this was the energy between the crew.”

Photo Credit: Tash Pericic

My Experience Aboard… 

The Atmosphere aboard Franko II was absolutely fantastic for the entire 5 days, far better than I could have asked for. It takes a lot to bring together the right mix of people, to balance personalities and expectations – particularly in sailing. Then, to set and sustain a great atmosphere aboard for a week is another thing entirely. This is a huge credit to Kundih for setting a great tone in such a diverse group (in age, experience and cultures), and also to the entire crew for the respect and good nature they brought to the table each and every day. If I was worried about being the only woman among 12 men, I shouldn’t have been. I’ve always said that the sea breeds the best humans, and is a natural setting for friendship and comradery – this last week proved this true again. The guys showed me nothing but respect, support and encouragement all week. Even drinking into the night with them, the respect and good nature never once waned.

I took the time to learn more about sailing and observe all of the crew. Overall, what I saw was a group of guys passionate about sailing; those with more experience willing to teach and those with less experience, thirsty to learn. I witnessed humility and incredible leadership among some of those with the most experience. By this point, it goes without saying that Kundih set a great tone aboard – a calm and confident leader that didn’t feel the need to assert his authority, but rather empowered every crew member to do their job. This is easier said than done during dramatic moments.

A special mention also needs to be said for Luka Blaic our main trimmer; he was quiet until something needed to be said, everything he said had a purpose and he was happy to teach, but he was also there to jump to action with solutions when shit went wrong. His knowledge of every aspect of the boat was apparent and his humility spoke volumes; he was someone to learn from and a leader in his own right. Of course, I could say a few words about each of the crew but then this would turn into a novel. We were basically “Ocean’s 12”, everyone had a talent and contributed to the ‘whole’ – whether in singing, dancing, hilarity, humility… and of course, sailing.

As well as the aspect of sailing and learning about race sailing, I also had a chance to have insightful conversations with each of the guys. I had first-time fathers sharing their joy and showing me photos of their little ones, other fathers telling me how much they love taking their kids sailing and instilling in them the same passion for the sea. I talked psychology and leadership skills with another sailor who is a Managing Director in his company. Had another new sailor tell me about how he can’t wait to start earning decent money so he can take his parents travelling and share new experiences with them. One of the guys explained to me how he took a risk and quit his IT job to pursue a career at sea. Almost the entire crew works at sea during summer, so we all shared experiences (good and bad) and traded ‘insider info’ of favourite restaurants, destinations etc. If you are willing to listen, everyone has a story to tell and with mutual respect, we can all appreciate what the other brings to the table.

Learning to sail and the competitive nature of regattas is just one aspect, to me, the rest is all about the people.

The Real Secret to our Success at the Easter Regatta?

I think it is clear to see by now that a huge part of the secret to our success was great leadership, teamwork and respect. I think we also didn’t take ourselves too seriously; we were all in, excited and committed to the sailing, but there was no unnecessary tension. Kundih and other key players set an overall relaxed tone, which encouraged everyone to be their best.

The other secret may possibly be gemišt... sail hard, play hard – right?! But, don’t quote me on this.

Looking ahead to the Easter Regatta 2020

Overall, an incredible experience at the 2019 Easter Regatta in Hvar, and finishing 1^st in the ORC Nauta Class was just the icing on the cake. I am grateful for being given the opportunity to join this crew in the Easter Regatta. This is how these sorts of industries move forward – by encouraging and inspiring passion in others, whether the younger generation or newer sailors like myself.

Now I’m hooked and already looking forward to the next regatta. A huge congratulations to all competitors and organisers for a fantastic event, see you all in 2020!

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

Photo credit: Miro Zadravec

 All photos copyright to accredited photographers, special thanks to Miro Zadravec for being aboard with us to capture the action!

Follow our dedicated page Total Croatia Sailing for more news in sailing, or our Sports Page.

The flavours and scents of the Mediterranean will dominate Hvar from 22 to 25 May 2019. World-famous international and Croatian chefs will gather at a unique international festival celebrating Mediterranean food, which has been included in the UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage. Hvar, one of the most beautiful Adriatic islands, the island of living heritage whose cultural treasures are also part of the UNESCO list, will become the gourmet centre of the Mediterranean, reports Jutarnji List on April 17, 2019.

While the Hvar’s Pjaca will host a Mediterranean marketplace with all the traditional products, such as olive oils, cheeses, jams and various desserts, the best restaurants will offer Mediterranean/Dalmatian dishes prepared by local and foreign chefs. The top chefs from Spain, Italy, France, Slovenia, Albania and Croatia will present their specialities and show what is common to Mediterranean cuisines and what makes each one of them unique.

The special guest of the festival is Bee Satongun, the best female chef in Asia in 2018, as selected by the elite list of 50 Best Restaurants. Bee Satongun, the chef of the Paste restaurant in Bangkok with one Michelin star, has devoted her culinary career to the renewal of traditional Thai cuisine.

She shares this approach to gastronomy with chef Hrvoje Zirojević, one of the best Croatian chefs, holding the title of the 2019 Chef of the Year according to Gault&Millau Croatia. Together they will prepare an exclusive dinner at the Laganini restaurant on Palmižana.

The Taste the Mediterranean masterclass workshop will be held by Fabricio Vežnaver, the 2019 Big Chef of Tomorrow, Vesna Miletić, the 2019 Traditional Cuisine Chef, and Biljana Milina, the 2019 Chef Confectioner, as well as other recipients of Gault&Millau Croatia titles.

The participants will have the opportunity to learn from Spanish chef Vicente Patin, one of the best chefs in Valencia from the Saiti restaurant, which has the BIB Michelin label, and from the Italian chef Marcello Trentini from the Magorabin restaurant in Turin with one Michelin star. Igor Jagodič, the 2019 Chef of the Year according to Gault&Millau Slovenia will also take part, as well as chef Sokol Prenga, the ambassador of the "new" Albanian gastronomy, and local Croatian representatives: chefs Sandra and Dane Tahirović from Split, Nataša Vukmirović, Tonči Jerković and Igor pl. Živanović from Hvar.

A long-time friend of the festival, chef Lionel Levy, the owner of three Gault&Millau toques and one Michelin star, will present Provence as the region at the heart of the world's largest French gastronomy project, the Good France event. He will be joined by Japanese-French chef Ippei Uemura, the 2017 Young Talent as selected by Gault&Millau France, who will demonstrate the Japanese fish cutting and processing techniques.

The programme will also include tastings of the best wines from Spain, Italy and, of course, Croatia. The Masciarelli wine tasting workshop will be held by Mira Šemić, a renowned sommelier and director of Gault&Millau Slovenia, while Siniša Koceić and Alen Gulen, the wine culture promoters from Winebox from Split, will present Spanish wines.

This year's Taste the Mediterranean festival will also present the Mediterranean through the aspect of its cultural landscape. The rebuilt Arsenal will host a series of lectures on sustainability and ecology and the preservation of the UNESCO-protected intangible cultural heritage of islands, nutrition and the Mediterranean lifestyle, ecological agriculture, the fishing traditions, dry stone walls, and decorations of Mediterranean interiors.

The Taste the Mediterranean festival is a unique opportunity to get to know global culinary stars at one location and get the latest on the original Mediterranean diet and lifestyle. The detailed programme of the Taste the Mediterranean festival can be found on the internet. Make sure you book dinners, lectures, wine tastings and workshops in time.

Translated from Jutarnji List.

More Hvar news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

April 16, 2019 - Hvar Town's luxury and heritage credentials are growing by the day. Inside the new Palace Hotel Elisabeth, heritage hvar hotel.  

It has been a while since I visited Hvar Town, a place I used to know well during my 13 years living on the island. 

It is a destination which has been through various phases in recent years, and one which is showing signs of returning to its core strengths as an elite destination with a strong heritage story at its core. 

As previously reported, May 1 will finally see the reopening of the oldest public theatre in Europe, built in 1612, when it opens its doors for its first performance after its decade-long renovation.  

One floor below the theatre, the imposing and majestic Arsenal building, which guards entrance to Hvar's magnificent main square (the largest in all Dalmatia at 4,700 m2), will also reopen after its own upgrade. 

Across the square, the first ever 5-star hotel will open this summer, as Palace Elisabeth, heritage hvar hotel will raise the standard of accommodation on the island, following its total overhaul at an estimated 300,000 euro a room, making it one of the most expensive renovations by room in Croatia's history. The fact that the hotel stands on the spot where organised tourism in Europe began back in 1868 adds one more piece to Hvar's impressive heritage jigsaw. 

I had a very productive working breakfast with the new Hvar Tourist Board director and a representative from Suncani Hvar, during which we discussed the direction of tourism in this gorgeous town. And it was very reassuring to hear of what seems to have been a change of course, with more emphasis on quality tourism than has been the case in recent years. Change will not happen overnight, of course, but it seems that some important fundamentals are being put in place in terms of strategy. 

And there is no doubt that the focus of Suncani Hvar Hotels to raise the bar in terms of quality is adding a level of quality to this new direction. A view from the Penthouse Suite on the top floor of Hotel Adriana above shows just what is possible in the centre of town.  

I will do an extended blog on the luxury hotel offer at Suncani Hvar in the coming weeks, but this was a view to beat all views to wake up to in the morning.  

But perhaps those views will be beaten by the new-look Palace Elisabeth, which has just been added to the 'Leading Hotels of the World' group, becoming only the fifth hotel in Croatia to do so.  

With a combination of heritage and luxury at its core, Palace Elisabeth, heritage hvar hotel, is set to raise the level of hotel accommodation on the island. These image renditions of the final product have been released by Suncani Hvar today, giving the first insights into how the hotel will look.  

Plenty of great spots for a little relaxed sun worship, but the views from the luxury suites on the top floor towards the fabled Pakleni Islands will rival that spectacular penthouse view from the Adriana, above.  

Another layer of luxury, another layer of heritage.  

With so much quality coming online in 2019, and with such a focus on heritage, culture and heritage, are the good times returning to this elite destination? The noises being made are increasingly the right ones, and the projects being realised certainly point to that direction.  

And when you coming this new direction and Hvar's fantastic holiday offer with clear waters like this from your penthouse suite, why would you holiday anywhere else?

A very inspiring visit, and we will be focusing a little more closely on the subtle changes coming to Hvar Town in the coming months, but all the signs are looking great for 2019. Learn more about the new luxury heritage hotel on the block on the Suncani Hvar website. 

To follow the latest from the island of Hvar, follow the TCN dedicated page. 

Maundy Thursday is a special day on the island of Hvar due to the traditional Za Križen procession, which has been held every year for more than 500 years. This year, the traditional procession will take place in the central part of the island of Hvar on Thursday, April 18. The event has been included on the UNESCO World List of Intangible Heritage since 2009, reports morski.hr on April 15, 2019.

The procession begins every year at exactly 10 pm, starting simultaneously from Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirče, Vrbanj, Vrboska and Jelsa, returning to their starting points at 7 in the morning. Overnight, the participants cover about 25 kilometres. Cross-bearers apply for the role years in advance, sometimes even 10 to 20 years before.

This year, the cross-bearers are: Krišto Barbić in Pitve, Božen Grgičević in Vrisnik, Frane Carić in Svirče, Josip Bojanić in Vrbanj, Robert Čagalj in Vrboska, and Petar Bunčuga in Jelsa.

The cross-bearers are accompanied by a group comprising of two candlesticks (kandeliri) bearers, 6 to 12 heavy wax candles (torci) bearers, up to 30 lanterns (ferali) bearers, two companions which take care of the cross-bearers safety, two lead singers of Gospin Plač, and another 3-4 singers who sing the responses.

The preparations for the event start long before. The festivities begin on Ash Wednesday, when the 40 days of Lent begin, which include the singing rehearsals and the selection of bearers of kandeliri, torci, and ferali. It is customary that every person that the cross-bearer selects for his procession is visited personally by him at their houses. Cross-bearers wear shoes or woollen socks or walk barefoot, depending on their personal vows. It is customary that, at the very start of the procession, their family members pray for them and kiss the bearer and the cross.

Maundy Thursday includes a dinner for the cross-bearer and the party before they start, while on Friday morning there is the so-called “jutrina” for everybody who accompanied the bearer overnight. Also, most families from the cross-bearer’s town give them symbolic presents, such as cakes. After Easter, the cross-bearer’s helpers distribute cakes to houses in the parish.

The procession in Jelsa is different from the others since the cross-bearer concludes his procession by running over the local square after the procession returns to Jelsa. He is welcomed at the very end by the Jelsa priest. The bearer kneels with the cross, before returning to the church. Each parish has its unique features. For example, the cross from Pitve always visits another church located above Jelsa, while in other parishes this is left to the cross-bearers’ decision.

Many inhabitants of the island of Hvar mark Easter with this sacred tradition, and not just in the central part of the island since each town has its distinctive features. This cultural and religious event continues the tradition of songs which have been sung for five centuries with common melodies, but also with differences specific to each part of the island.

Translated from morski.hr.

More news about “Za Križen” procession can be found in the Lifestyle section.

April 13, 2019 - Another boost for luxury Hvar, as its first 5-star hotel becomes a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group.

I am looking forward to a return to Hvar this weekend for the magical Easter period, a time of joy and family reunion. But apart from catching up with friends and family, one of the things I am most looking forward to is having a sneak peek inside Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel, the new luxury 5-star hotel just off the main square. Incredibly for such an elite island, it will be the first 5-star hotel on Hvar, although more are coming soon. 

Fully renovated from the old 2-star Hotel Palace on the location here organised tourism began in Europe back in 1868, There is considerable anticipation as to what the new heritage hotel will offer, and we will be doing a full picture special, as soon as Suncani Hvar Hotels are ready to do so. 

And it seems that the 100-million-kuna renovation is already catching the eye of industry chiefs far beyond pristine shores, as HR Turizam announced last night that Hotel Palace Elisabeth had become a member of the Leading Hotels of the World group, quoting Gordana Tomicic:

"We are very pleased to have become a member of the prestigious group The Leading Hotels of the World, whose portfolio includes 400 luxury hotels and resorts. Hotel Palace combines the highest standards of luxury with a vision to provide guests with top service and unique experience."

Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel will become the fifth Croatian hotel to join the prestigious group, joining Villa Dubrovnik, Sun Gardens Dubrovnik, Ikador Luxury Boutique Hotel and Spa in Ika, and Hotel Monte Mulini in Rovinj. 

It is the latest investment from Suncani Hvar Hotels, whose flagship hotels underwent a total overhaul when they were taken over by ORCO Group back in 2006, and the Palace Elisabeth renovation follows upgrades last year at Hotels Adriana and Amfora. 

The hotel takes its name from Empress Elisabeth, whose generous patronage enabled the hotel to open back in 1899. The founding of the Hvar Health Society, back in 1868, is credited as the birth of organised tourism in Europe, something which was celebrated in some style last year on the 150th anniversary on Hvar. 

The branding of Elisabeth as a luxury hotel paying close attention to its heritage plays to one of the strengths of this historic destination, and it is one of three major heritage renovations to open its doors to the public in 2019. 

May 1 will see the first performance of the oldest public theatre in Europe, which will also reopen after more than a decade. The Hvar Public Theatre was built in 1612, and it sits on top of the imposing Arsenal, which guards entrance to the town's main square. The Arsenal has also undergone renovation and will reopen as a spectacular events and exhibition space. 

To follow the latest from Hvar, follow our dedicated TCN section. 

I don't normally do job adverts on TCN, but this is for a  friend of mine, and it is a pretty cool project in Hvar Town, which might just appeal to someone.

So if you fancy the idea of a summer in Hvar Town with free accommodation, working in the very laid-back, and extremely funky Hvar Art House, then read on.

Hvar Art House

We have 4 apartments in one building that we rent out to tourists.

We’re looking for someone to manage, and clean the apartments for the full season.  The person would be responsible for all elements which would include the following main areas

• Dealing with requests  from guests, both before and during their stay

• Collecting their passport information, and registering them with the tourism office

• Cleaning the communal areas on a daily basis• Preparing the apartments before the guest arrives

• Meeting the guest when they arrive, and showing them the apartment

• Dealing with any problems the guest may have

• Ensuring the bins are put out and are collected

• Tidying the garden area on a daily basis

• Cleaning the apartment after the guests leave

• Arranging for the laundry of all the bed sheets

• Checking the apartments have not been damaged by the guest, and ensuring they have all the kitchen equipment they are supposed to have

• Ensuring the guests give back their keys at the end of their stay, and keeping a record of all the keys for the building.

We have a schedule of when the guests are arriving, and continue to get more bookings.  We have our first booking on the 9th of May, then there are long gaps until the middle of June, after which time we have guests all the time until the middle of September, when it slows down.

Most of the time there is work for one person full time, but on days where one set of guests are leaving, and another are arriving, we may need two people to prepare the apartments ontime.

There will be some days where no guests are arriving or leaving, so the workload will be very low, but on other days, when there are a lot of changes, there will be a great deal of work.

For any repairs that are needed, we have a maintenance man who can do it, and for any late night noise, there is also a security man who will come around to check on the apartments.

For all the work above, we have a budget of up to €1500 euro per month to get everything done.

Accommodation in a self-contained apartment in the attic of the building is included. 

Younger couple preferred - excellent English a must. 

Timeline - Mid-May until the end of September (exact date depends on bookings). 

If you would like to apply, contact Hvar Art House via their Facebook page or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

April 8, 2019 - Hvar Town is ready for another busy tourist season, and this year it will be served like never before with connections from Hvar to Split. 

Great news for Hvar Town for the upcoming season, as there will be no less than SIXTEEN daily catamarans to the birthplace of organised tourism in Europe for the peak season to and from Split. 

Having lived on Hvar for many years, the issue of connectivity to the mainland has always been an emotive issue, and it seems finally that the issue has been solved - and in some style. 

Both the national ferry company, Jadrolinija, and Krilo have increased their presence in one of Croatia's top destinations, which is great news for tourists, who now have a much wider choice of when to travel. As the route has always been very popular, tickets would often sell out leading to disappointment, but this now should be a thing of the past. 

Crucially, there will also be later connections to and from the island, meaning those arriving by plane to Split airport will have an opportunity to go to Hvar Town directly, rather than waiting for the last car ferry to Stari Grad and onward transfer.

These timetables, taken from the Suncani Hvar Hotels website (which also has a comprehensive timetable from April onwards), give an overview of the flexibility now on offer for tourists coming to Hvar. These should be used as a guide only at this stage, as timetables are subject to change. 

Taking a catamaran to Hvar Town from Split is just one arrival point. Jelsa is also served by daily catamaran from Split, via Bol on Brac, while the main ferry terminal in Stari Grad caters to the most car traffic. Visitors from Dubrovnik and the south also have the option of the small car ferry from Drvenik to Sucuraj on the east of the island, from where an 80-minute drive across the island will bring you to its main town. 

For a complete overview of all the options on getting from Split to Hvar and back, check out the complete Total Croatia guide. 

Apart from much easier access for guests staying on the island, the increase of transport options makes Hvar an ever-more attractive day trip option from Split. Water taxis to the fabled Pakleni Islands are certain to be popular, an escape to one of the truly great natural paradises of Europe. 

The old town of Hvar itself is a major attraction, of course, and visitors this year will be able to visit three newly renovated treasures, all within metres of the catamaran arrival point. 

The oldest public theatre in Europe opened in 1612 on the main square in Hvar Town. After years of renovation, it will finally reopen on May 1 this year. The theatre is situated on the first floor of the historic Arsenal building, which guards entrance to Hvar's famous square, the largest in all Dalmatia at 4,500m2. And just across the square is another heritage gem worth a visit - Palace Elisabeth, hvar heritage hotel, the first luxury 5-star hotel on the island, fully renovated on the spot where organised tourism in Europe began in 1868. 

To follow the latest from the island of Hvar, follow the dedicated TCN page.

April 8, 2019 - More adrenaline fun on the island of Hvar this weekend, as ÖtillÖ Swimrun World Series returned for the third year.

Famed for its beaches, nightlife and endless sunshine, the island of Hvar is making great progress extending its season in the shoulder months with an altogether different focus - adventure tourism. 

The island has already held one of the world's most challenging swimming races in the world, the 16km open sea Faros Marathon swim, which takes place every August. A half-marathon was added to the calendar a decade ago, and in recent years, there have been a number of sporting events taking place in the lower season months to built up the island's credentials as an adventure tourism destination. One of the world's top cycling teams, Bahrain Merida, has even taken up winter training residence at Suncani Hvar's cycling Hotel Pharos, hvar bayhill hotel for the last two years.  

Included in that sporting calendar, the ÖtillÖ Swimrun World Series has become a regular fixture in Spring, and the challenging race attracted plenty of interest - and participants - this weekend. An overview of the event from the race directors, who filed this report on the official Facebook page. 

ÖTILLÖ Hvar 2019

Race Director report

What a start to 2019!

A weekend of contrast; of black and white.

A beautiful, calm Saturday where you could feel the joy of all Sprint and Experience racers laughing and smiling around the courses. Where the warm sun welcomed everyone to Hvar, to the cafe life around the Main square and to dips in the crystal- clear sea.

This was a major contrast to the Sunday. To World Series Day. Where the rain was pouring at the start. You could almost cut the electrifying atmosphere of fear, adrenaline and anticipation. Where we had to change the swim crossing to the Pakleni Islands because of a 3- knot side current and rain and wind blasts coming out of the South East. At times Thor, the god of thunder was heard rumbling above. Making us very aware of the might of nature in which we are but mere visitors.

Despite these conditions the level of racing has taken another step. The front pack of 10-12 teams are hunting each other down the course at break-neck speeds. At the end, when the dust had settled the Ekman brothers of Team Sailfish Bröderna Bäver managed to pull away for an impressive win. In mixed the extremely strong team of Martin Flinta/ Elena Erbanova Karaskova (Thule Crew/ Wolffwear/Head) did it again staying very close to the leading men’s teams all the way to the finish. In Women Fanny Danckwardt & Desiree Andersson (Team Envol) held on to their Golden Bib and won their second race in a row and showed why they are the team to beat this year.

Massive thank you to all the racers for your trust. For racing so well in difficult conditions and for giving the course everything you have.

In hindsight we have to say that the weather gods have been very kind to us. A huge storm Thursday evening and Friday morning. Beautiful sun for Friday afternoon when everyone arrived and we had a good #cleantheocean activity. Beautiful, calm weather for the Experience and Sprint and for all the prep before the World Series. Then rain ever since!

A weekend to remember! Thank you all volunteers, our staff, our sponsors and of course the Town of Hvar.

See you on Utö on May 18-19 for the next stage.

Safe travels.

Michael & Mats

Race Directors

For the latest news from Hvar, follow the dedicated TCN page. 

March 28, 2019 - Another boost for tourism on Hvar as the oldest public theatre in Europe will reopen in May after almost two decades of restoration.

Some 417 years after its first opening, the oldest public theatre in Europe is once more set to entertain theatre goers, as the town of Hvar has announced that the first performance in the newly restored Hvar Public Theatre will take place on May 1. 

The theatre, which originally opened in 1612, has been an important part of Hvar cultural life over the centuries, and it is one of three historic buildings set to reopen after refurbishment this year, further boosting Hvar's image as an island of culture and heritage. 

The theatre sits on the top floor of the imposing Arsenal, which guards entrance to the majestic main square of Hvar Town. The Arsenal itself has undergone its own upgrade, which was somewhat delayed after the remains of Roman civilisation were found beneath its floor. 

Across the historic square, Dalmatia's largest at 4,700m2, another heritage chapter will unfurl its latest chapter this summer. Last year Hvar celebrated 150 or organised tourism in Europe, the first destination to offer it with the founding of the Hvar Health Society in 1868. The location of the first accommodation has undergone quite some change over the years, most recently as the 2-star Hotel Palace. 

(Photo Hrvoje Bakovic)

Add a few stars and a major investment into quality, and the 5-star Palace Elisabeth boutique heritage hotel is set to open its doors at the first 5-star hotel on Croatia's premier island. Imagine staying in the location where organised tourism in Europe began, then having a pre-theatre cocktail on the terrrace overlooking Dalmatia's largest square, then crossing the square for a performance at the oldest public theatre in Europe. And some think Hvar is just a party island. You can learn more about the new hotel owned by Suncani Hvar Hotels - it is destined to be a major hit as guests to the exclusive island seek out quality. 

(Hotel Palace will reopen at Palace Elisabeth hvar heritage hotel)

The Hvar authorities have announced two performances to take place at the Hvar theatre as part of the 46th Days of Hvar Theatre, on May 1 and May 2, with more events set to be announced. These are:

May 1 - "Ova lipost uzorita grihota bi da se stara" performed by Forani forskemu teotru 

"Judita" performed by Ensemble Dialogos

Looking for a sneak peak inside the oldest public theatre in Europe?