Klis fortress is one of the most amazing places in Dalmatia, for sure. The view is just breathtaking. Some of us would enjoy the view looking at how far one could see from up there. Others might just look straight down to check, whether there is a place to land with a parachute.

And one of those people is Vanja Šiljak from Zagreb, who was according to adrenalin.hr website thinking about base jumping from the Markezina Greda at Klis for years. Together with Igor Palijaš, Zoran Stopar, Damir Juroš, Prsan Chester and Toni Abel Jurčević and in cooperation with the Klis tourist board and the local authorities, they jumped from that 120 m hight cliff on Tuesday December 22, 2015 for the first time in Klis history.

(photo: Milan Šabić, adrenalin.hr)

Check out more pictures and read the whole article here.

This successful story started one and a half years ago, when the first Biartis handbags started to slowly appear in national fashion magazines. Today, they can be bought in New York, Spain, Canada and Ukraine and soon in Paris too.

But how? What is the secret of making and selling a bag for up to 12.000 KN?

Suzana Kozina, in an interesting interview in Slobodna Dalmacija, explains how did she after many years of doing various types of businesses (from ship supplies and real estate to life insurance) finally found something she is passionate about.

(photo: Slobodna Dalmacija)

 

The secret of the "Biartis" bag is in the built-in original oil painting by renowned artists. These bags, such as jewerly and furs are being included into the will, moreover, one can decorate a wall with them.

Although bringing her idea into reality was not easy, having to search for a factory, which would be able to produce her bags, Suzana had to be strong willed with all those who said it is impossible. Luckily, she found one in San Peter in Ludbreg and so, the whole bag is made in Croatia.

Suzana has been among artists all her life and as she was listening to them complaining about their pictures not selling. "Take them out from the gallery into the street. Art needs to be visible and accessible, it needs to walk among people", she said.

And with each piece being an original, that is what Suzana is doing. Taking art for a walk, to get it out into the street. In a very successful way, indeed..

Read the whole article (in Croatian) here.

Klis fortress will come alive this weekend for the Medieval battle re-enactment with many acting groups from Croatia and Europe. A lot of happening in these 2 days with knight tournaments, a fair, a magician and many more with free entrance. For the main battle to take place on Saturday, there is a limited number of tickets available here for a special rate or later at the spot for a higher price.

From the FB page Battle for Klis:

"As the central event stands out reconstruction of the historic battle between the fugitives and the Ottoman army. Scene of the siege, attacks, negotiations, conquest, defence, punching, individual and group battles choreographed and performed by members of the historical drama troops from various parts of the European Union."

Here is the full program for these very special days at the Klis fortress:

Experience a piece of history over the weekend at the Klis fortress. It will for sure be an event to remember.

The Klis Cultural Summer is officially open and the opening ceremony was a huge success, followed by media and envoys of the Croatian President who held the high patronage over this event. Over 200 amateurs were involved in the opening ceremony "Mila Goljsalić - Život u vječnosti", which amazed and touched hearts of the people under the Klis fortress. Here is a glimpse from the opening night to get you an idea:

Klis opened its cultural program in style, we can´t wait for more. Here is the full program again:

Lots of media attention for Klis these days, as everything is being prepared for the opening ceremony of the Klis Summer.

National TV filming for Good Morning Croatia show (Dobro Jutro Hrvatsk) few days ago to bring us a piece of the atmosphere and the huge creative energy of Mladenka and Pavo Gruijica from the folklore group Sv. Kliment, who are the main initiators for the culture program of the Klis Summer.

The opening ceremony "Mila Gojsalić - Život u vječnosti" starts tonight (July 3, 2015) at 20:30 at Klis Megdan under the high patronage of the Croatian President Mrs. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović.

The entrance to inland Dalmatia could not be more magnificent from Split, with the majestic Klis Fortress holding the keys, looking imperiously down on the Dalmatian capital and islands beyond.

The fortress was of course, the setting for Game of Thrones filming for season 4, and there has been an increase in tourism as a direct result. One of the best organised tours is that offered by Vetus Itinera, which you can learn about here.  

Tourists often think it might be too difficult to get to and so rarely bother, which is a shame, as it is only 20 minutes away by bus, and there is the added advantage of trying the infamous Klis lamb to make the visit complete. 

Information on how to get there is not that easy to find online, so here is how to do it by bus:

Bus 22: 7:00, 8:50, 10:20, 11:45, 13:00, 14:30, 15:50, 17:20, 18:50, 20:20, 21:50 from HNK (the Croatian National Theatre, at the top of Marmontova) to Klis Megdan.

BUT! On Saturdays and Sundays it is bus line number 16, which only leaves at 20:20 and 21:50. 

Bus 34: 5:00, 6:30, 10:15, 14:30 from local bus station by the police station. Or from the same place, there are 2 buses that go up to the fortress or you can also take buses 35 or 36 that go to Dugopolje or Koprivno and get off at bus station by the Caffe Bar Oprah on the road and walk about 10-15 min up to fortress...

Entrance to the fortress is 20 kuna for adults, 10 kuna for kids. And DON'T visit Klis without stopping for its famous lamb at one of the restaurants close to the fortress. Unless you are vegetarian of course... 

It was a great year. Full of record breaking-results for Inland Dalmatia. Full of significant anniversaries, changes and happenings. I myself learned a lot about this beautiful and unique destination and want to thank you all for making it possible. To all people in Inland Dalmatia, to all its guests and visitors - Happy New Year!! Let us enjoy the beauties of the Dalmatian Hinterland every day.

Happy New Year from Dalmatia Explorer

Happy New Year from Klis (Grad na Kamenu Klis FB page)

Happy New year from Vrgorac tourist board (New Year´s Eve in Vrgorac from 1955-1956)

Happy New Year from Vrlika tourist board

Happy New Year from Sinj

The weather is just about right for cycling, don´t you think? For me and my daughter, getting to the beach by bike is the easiest and least hot option these days, because one could get burns just by touching the car, it is that hot. Leisure cycling to the beach when we know we will jump right in after we arrive sounds pretty good and we will do it first thing in the morning tomorrow. But the Dugopolje tourist board director Tomislav Balić informs us, people will actually race in these temperatures in Dugopolje over the weekend. Here is the whole announcement from Tomislav. We wish you good luck and plenty of water supply on Sunday!!

At the hot asphalt of the Dugopolje economic zone the second international cycling race "Grand Prix Dugopolje-Klis" (Velika nagrada Dugopolje-Klis) will take place on Sunday July 26, 2015. Organized by the Cycling Union of the Split-Dalmatia County (Biciklistički Savez Splitsko-dalmatinske županije) and sponsored by the Dugopolje Tourist board, the race will have a circular route suitable for cadets, juniors and veterans (men and women), going through Dugopolje economic zone Podi west and Bani north towards the rotor at the Klis Grlo area and back. Cyclists from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia and Italy will join their fellow Croats and compete on this year´s race.

This race is only a part of the whole program of the cycling tourism development at Inland Dalmatia with a long term goal to extend the race to several days and several stages through the Cetina and Imotski region.

In late May, the Croatian Tourist Council decided to financially support the disadvantaged tourism areas. Dugopolje is among the 46 grant winners and will use the 90.000 HRK grant finances to design, construct and equip bicycle rest stops. The areas chosen for building a rest stop will be the old Roman Road (Rimska Cesta), Dračanica Pond and Kutska Strana. These rest areas will have a half closed design of 12 m2, tables and benches, cycling maps and will be have basic tools for maintenance of a bicycle.

In addition, the Dugopolje tourist board, together with its partners from Klis, Sinj, Trilj and Vrlika, received an extra 48.000 HRK support to further develop the tourism infrastructure by installing much needed cycling signalization.

By all this initiatives, together with biking events, cycling races, rest stops and signalization for cyclists, Inland Dalmatia is becoming one of the most beautiful destinations for cyclist from all over the world to explore.

I’ll admit that before signing on as an extra for HBO’s Game of Thrones I had never actually seen the show despite it’s popularity. I heard rumors they would return to film the 4th season in Croatia only this time at the historic fortress nearby my house in Klis so it seemed silly not to answer the open casting call for extras. I figured it would be a fun and exciting experience and since the film set was minutes from my house I could walk to work for the first time in my life. At the time I had no idea that I would actually have to drive 20 minutes to a warehouse at the crack of dawn each morning in order to get into costume and my hair and make-up done. I would arrive 3 hours before being put back on a bus to make the drive up to Klis. After sometimes 10 hours on set, I took the bus back to the warehouse to return my costume and then drove myself home to Klis and straight to bed. So much for my short walk to work!  

After being chosen I actually refrained from watching the hit show as I figured it would make the process even more interesting if I knew nothing about the show and the characters. Of course I knew about Khaleesi and she was impossible to miss with her bright white wig, but I was pretty oblivious to the other actors I was working alongside.  After filming wrapped, winter was coming, which gave me plenty of time to catch up on the previous 3 seasons in order to be premiere ready in spring. While I recognized the scenes we filmed, they still flew by way too fast to find myself in the crowds and so much time had passed that it was impossible to remember where I might have been positioned. Fortunately, a friend of mine and big fan of the show managed to take a screenshot of a split second scene she was fairly certain she saw me in. We examined it together and although my arm was covering my face we were both 99.9% sure that that pointy elbow belonged to me. 

Not exactly the debut I imagined, but luckily my chance at 15 minutes of fame was not up as the series returned yet again to Croatia and Klis to film Season 5 and I was called back for my role as Khaleesi’s slave. Only this time I was prepared and made sure to strategically position myself so it’d be easier to spot myself amongst my fellow slaves. My preparation and positioning technique paid off when after episode 2 I received a message from a fellow slave saying that she thought she saw me, which was soon after confirmed by my brother and sister-in-law. They said they spotted me immediately and sent me the screenshots where indeed there I was begging and hissing away, but when I watched it later I barely recognized myself. If you blink you'll certainly still miss me and even with the still shot it's not blatantly obvious, but so far this is the best I can do for those asking me which episodes I’m in.

After my faint taste of fame and being recognized onscreen by family back home, I tuned into last nights 3rd episode hungry for more of me and also slightly worried I may be turning into a fame monster. Understandably I was not only disappointed, but terribly bored when the entire episode passed without any scenes of my beloved Khaleesi and my kingdom of Klis. However, any concerns of being a fame monster quickly faded away when I recognized another much more frightening certainty; I am now a Game of Thrones snob of the worst kind. If I’m not in the scenes, wasn’t there when they were filmed or didn’t see the actors that were in them they lack excitement and I lose interest in watching. Maybe this is what happens when you don’t get hooked on the show before getting hired on it and although I’m most likely ruined for the remainder of the season, I'm still starving to see what next week’s episode holds…Stay tuned!