May 26, 2022 - Seasonal Food & Wine takes place from May 27 to June 10 this year in the charming Rovinj and Bale!

This spring's favorite tourist destination is becoming the center of the most extraordinary gourmet meetings - the rich Istrian tradition, through the diverse offer of dishes, their preparation, and significance, will show all its charms and beauties - on a plate! A unique gourmet spectacle that offers a perfect blend of old and new, traditional and modern, Seasonal Food & Wine takes place from May 27 to June 10 this year in the charming Rovinj and beautiful Bale, and a delicious gourmet offer has been designed just for this occasion.

Top restaurants will prepare well-known traditional Istrian dishes in a modern, unexpected way, tickling your imagination and feeding all your senses. The main role in this magical three-act gourmet rhapsody is played by seasonal, local ingredients from home-grown organic farming. The hardworking hands of the local population have produced the best - respecting tradition and adopting modern trends, lovingly creating products with guaranteed above average quality.

The widely known Istrian cuisine passionately nurtures the glorious past and tradition while cheerfully playing with new and exciting flavors, creating a first-class gourmet experience that leaves no one indifferent.

In keeping with tradition, well-known and award-winning restaurants, led by renowned chefs, La Serra, Anno Domini 547, Restaurant Mediterraneo, Primi Terreni Restaurant & Deli, Restaurant Blu, Laurel and Berry Restaurant, Restaurant La Grisa, and Brasserie Adriatic single out only the best of the best from their offer. 

Dishes like marinated gilthead sea bream wrapped in young raštika, wild asparagus and parmesan risotto, boškarin delicacies, Istrian prosciutto and homemade pljukanci with spring asparagus, wild Adriatic dentex, and many other top dishes carefully selected to faithfully convey all the passion that the hosts have for good food, but also to gain new lovers of local Istrian cuisine. Irresistible desserts such as laurel semifreddo, tiramisu made from freshly picked strawberries, apple tart with homemade vanilla ice cream and asparagus powder, fritters with dried fruit and curd mousse, and a large selection of excellent wines from local winemakers will perfectly round off this unique gourmet story.

The Tourist Boards of Rovinj and the municipalities of Vrsar, Bale-Valle, Kanfanar, and Svetvinčenat have joined forces again with the tourist company Maistra and the Association of Craftspeople Rovinj to offer this unforgettable experience. The seasonal Food & Wine event is an unavoidable destination for many travel writers and gourmands, confirming its position as a top gourmet destination globally. 

Indulge your feelings and embark on the exciting paths of famous Istrian cuisine because on this journey, you will indeed have many new, undiscovered flavors, beautiful landscapes, and magical sunsets!

More information can be found at: https://www.rovinj-tourism.com/hr/kalendar/22470

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

May 9, 2022 - If you can't decide between exploring the natural beauties and tasting traditional Istrian specialities and top-quality wine, then the Weekend Bike & Gourmet Tour is for you!

This two-day recreational bike ride will take place on May 21 and 22 in Rovinj. On each of these two days, participants will ride different trails passing through numerous Istrian areas where you can taste various recognizable gourmet delicacies.

The first day features the trail "Monti", almost 54 kilometers long, where participants can expect local specialties from the Istrian interior, while the trail "Mare" on the second day is 48.5 kilometers long and offers seafood delicacies. In addition, participants will be hosted by Konoba & Pizzeria "Bocca d'oro" in Rovinjsko Selo, "Mofardin," and "Albachiara," where they will have the opportunity to enjoy top Istrian delicacies.

The start of the bike ride on Saturday and Sunday is at 10 am at the Sports Center of Hotel Eden, promising a real adventure full of various surprises at the lookout over the Lim Channel, Zlatni rt forest park, Monkodonja archeological site, Soardo-Bembo Castle, the Fort Forno fortification from the Austro-Hungarian period and much more.

The Rovinj Tourist Board, Association of Rovinj Craftspeople, and the tourist company Maistra made sure that all participants would have a good time and taste the Istrian region's unique delicacies well known around the world. Thus, a professional guide and escort are at their disposal throughout the ride, with meals and drinks provided at the gourmet rest areas in the Istrian Brunch and Istrian Picnic program and a special gift after the bike ride.

This event is intended for all over 14 years of age who are recreational cyclists, whether they come on MTB bikes, electric, or trekking. This two-day bike ride combines an active vacation in beautiful nature while enjoying the famous Istrian delicacies that few can resist.

This year's 10th Weekend Bike & Gourmet Tour attracts more and more sports lovers and gourmands who are after quality cuisine. This edition also confirms the importance and position of Istria on the map of the world's most attractive destinations to visit.

The early booking price for participants who register by May 14, 2022, is 230 kuna for one day, while the two-day package is 400 kuna. After that date, the regular participation price will be HRK 250 per day, and for a two-day package HRK 450.

All those interested can apply by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on the day of the event at the starting location.

More information about the event can be found at the link https://www.rovinj-tourism.com/hr/kalendar/22450, via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or by phone at +385 (0) 52 800 252.

Maistra has once again prepared promotional accommodation prices for all participants. For reservations and information about accommodation, you can contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +385 (0) 52 800 250.

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

November the 3rd, 2021 - The Croatian Maistra company has done excellently this year, despite the dire circumstances that have dominated since the beginning of 2020. They even exceeded when compared to what was considered to be the record year of 2019.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Jadranka Dozan writes, at the end of October 2021, the quarterly or nine-month reports of the leading Croatian hotel and tourism companies were mostly completed. They provided more concrete insights into how the tourist season in general has been, how it has affected business results across this economic sector and where they are in relation to their pre-crisis achievements.

If we look at the data from the consolidated reports, the six leading companies generated 3.77 billion kuna in operating revenues during the three summer months, which is 2.2 times more than last year, and compared to the record year of 2019, it's only 1.8 percent less. Since the pre-season didn't suggest pre-crisis levels would ever be realised, a comparison of these nine-month results shows that operating revenues are at 82.2 percent of what was recorded back in 2019.

At the same time, the "big six" consisting of Valamar, the Croatian Maistra company, Plava laguna, Pula's Arena Hospitality Group, Sunce hotels and Imperial Riviera reported 1.82 billion kuna in quarterly net profit, which is only 3.6 percent less than in the summer quarter of 2019, while in the first nine months, net profit stood at 19 percent or about 300 million kuna less than in the pre-pandemic year before last (1.27 billion to 1.57 billion kuna in total).

Individually speaking, one of the most impressive quarterly achievements is the Croatian Maistra company's net profit. During the three summer months of this year, this well known travel company controlled by the Adris Group reported a massive 850 million kuna in total revenues and as much as 449 million kuna in net profit. Compared to 138 million kuna profit in the same period last year, this is 3.2 times more, and it's also an increase of 70 million kuna or almost a fifth compared to the third quarter of pre-pandemic 2019.

While in the third quarter, the Croatian Maistra company's total revenues exceeded the pre-pandemic result of 2019 by about 60 million kuna (7.7 percent), cumulatively speaking, Maistra's consolidated revenues (1.15 billion kuna) compared to 2019 were only about four percent behind, and profit stood at just over three percent (373 million versus 362 million kuna).

The most significant growth was recorded in the lux (luxury) segment of the company's portfolio, in which the volume exceeded that of 2019. The results also state that in the first nine months of 2021, the profit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) amounted to 568 million kuna, which is three times more when compared to last year and three percent more than back in 2019.

For more, check out our business section.

February 1, 2020 - The construction of the Stancija Grande Golf Complex near Vrsar, with an investment led by Maistra, has been in the public eye for a long time, especially for the residents of Vrsar. 

Namely, Glas Istre reports that a golf complex with a 27-hole golf course should be built on an area of one hundred hectares, in the area determined by the Spatial Plans of the County of Istria and the Municipality of Vrsar, based on the prepared Environmental Impact Study and Urban Planning Plan (UPU).

The same documents envisage landscaping along the golf course with four reservoirs that would be filled with collected and purified stormwater, sanitary, technological and drainage waters and from underground sources. The construction part of the complex includes a five-star hotel with a capacity of 200 beds with accompanying facilities, which should be high quality with a diverse offer, and an integral part of the complex. The existing residential building at Stancija Grande would be transformed into a golf clubhouse, with a golf academy, the Murtić Gallery and a service complex with a nursery.

The golf course would be a Championship Golf Course, signed by world-renowned golf player and golf course designer José María Olazába. It would not belong to the classic "tourist" courses found in most golf destinations in southern Europe. The landscape, course, hotel, clubhouse and related facilities are designed to allow the most demanding professional golf competitions organized by the European PGA Tour, which would place Stancija Grande in the top 100 courses in the world.

The Stancija Grande Golf Complex will be connected to the southern main access road by extending the existing road from four to eight meters, while the construction of the western access road is the responsibility of the Municipality of Vrsar. The service road to the complex will be built by widening the field road from three to six meters. For connection to the public water supply network of the Istrian water supply system, a water tank and a supply pipeline up to 800 meters long will be constructed, as well as a supply pipeline to the golf complex 500 meters long. HEP will conduct cabling to the golf complex.

The existing quarry at Stancija Grande, which is now practically in the function of a wild landfill, will be arranged and integrated as part of the golf course. 

With the construction of this golf complex, Vrsar would be classified as a golf destination of European and world rank. The broader goal of this project is to diversify the tourist offer, improve the tourist destination and improve the quality of the tourist service in Vrsar, which is known so far, mostly as a quality camping destination. This would also extend the tourist season, and this project aims to implement a new tourist offer in the existing offer, which is geared towards carefully selected groups of higher spending guests.

When asked about the status of the project, public relations associate Vanja Mohorović said that in the next three-year period, out of the planned HRK 4 billion, the Adris group plans as much as HRK 3 billion for tourism, of which HRK 450 million is planned for investments in Vrsar. Three hundred fifty million will be earmarked for the Eden Hotel and Camp Amarin this year, and the renovation of the Panorama and Westin hotels in Zagreb will begin at the end of the year. This year's investments in Vrsar will include the Koversada Naturist Camp and Porto Sole Camp.

"As for inquiries for the Stancija Grande Golf Complex, there are no new facts, and the project will be notified to the public when all its details have been defined," Maistra concluded.

To read more about travel in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

Croatia is a favourite holiday destination for many, and numerous tourists discover the beauty of Croatia again and again. While foreign media often writes about Croatia as a dream destination, praises for environmental protection are somewhat less common. However, the renowned Forbes magazine has published a story about the Adriatic Hotel in Rovinj, part of the Maistra Collection brand, which recently decided to replace all disposable plastic items with available alternatives, which means it will become the first hotel in Croatia that is actively committed to a cleaner environment and the no-plastic-waste vacation principle. The campaign was launched on April 22, the Earth Day.

“Every human should take responsibility to protect the environment where we live, work and travel. Here in Rovinj, we have hotels right above a beautiful bay, next to a protected forest of centenary trees and on the main town square,” says Lovorka Struna, Maistra’s hotel director, as quoted by Forbes. “With this long-term initiative, we want to preserve this uniqueness and beauty, since it is ultimately about our shared future.”

As the first hotel in Croatia without disposable plastic, the Adriatic Hotel strives to be a leader in innovation and sustainability. Last year, it started using substitute paper straw instead of plastic ones, and by June the hotel will cease using 80 per cent of disposable plastic products. By the end of the year, it will have completely eliminated them from all accommodation units, bars and restaurants.

“We want to create a mindset where people will naturally refuse disposable plastics that are used for a few minutes but can last in the environment for centuries,” explains marine biologist Chiara Fumagalli, a project partner involved in the Adriatic for Adriatic campaign, as quoted by Forbes. “The idea is to inspire businesses, individuals and governments to follow suit, start a dialogue and raise awareness about the plastic pollution problem.”

The similar drive has been launched on the small island of Zlarin, which aims to become the first island in Croatia that will not use single-use plastics.

In March, the small Dalmatian island signed a charter that regulates that entrepreneurs on the island will not use disposable plastic such as bags, plates, cutlery, straws and cups. Plastic is an increasing threat to Zlarin, as a small number of inhabitants of the island face a large-scale increase in the number of tourists and guests during the summer months. About 15,000 plastic bags end up in the garbage, and plastic also pollutes the sea.

“As proof of its dedication to the cause, Croatia is hosting the very first edition of the Plastic Ocean Summit in March 2020 on the island of Mali Lošinj. It’s organised by the Ocean Alliance Conservation Member (OACM) group, a conglomerate of countries that have united to protect, preserve and clean the oceans, lakes and rivers. These are impressive major steps for a small country taking a stance against one of the world’s biggest problems,” writes Forbes.

More environmental news can be found in the Lifestyle section.

All too often we hear about the dangerous levels of disposable plastic causing harm to the world's seas and oceans. With the EU and the EC finally taking a stronger stance against this wanton destruction of the environment by passing various laws on the use and disposal of plastic, as well as putting its foot down in regard to member states and their respective recycling policies, including Croatia, it seems we are (albeit slowly) finally getting somewhere.

Of course, Croatia is a lot slower than others, but some are making an excellent example of themselves through their own practices.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 23rd of April, 2019, the implementation of this initiative has actively involved the hotel's employees, suppliers, partners, as well as its guests and local residents who enjoy the hotel's numerous services on a daily basis.

Hotel Adriatic, which is part of the Maistra family, has decided to replace all disposable plastic items with alternatives, leading it to become the very first hotel in the Republic of Croatia to actively advocate for a cleaner working environment and a holiday without the use of disposable plastic waste, as was announced on Monday by this respected Rovinj hotel company.

"As the first hotel in Croatia with no disposable plastic, Hotel Adriatic aims to be the leader in innovation and sustainability and invites all of its employees to work responsibly in a way that will enable our guests to actively participate in this ecological action and a unique experience of the Adriatic sea," said Maistra's Tomislav Popović.

Last year, Hotel Adriatic started using substitute paper straws instead of the classic plastic ones, and by June this year, the hotel will cease using as much as eighty percent of disposable plastic products. By the end of the year, it aims to have completely removed it from use in all of its accommodation units, including its bars and restaurants.

By the end of 2019, Hotel Adriatic will only use biological cleansing agents and support cooperation with suppliers whose products are produced from natural, biological, ecologically acceptable and/or recycled materials.

Make sure to follow our dedicated lifestyle page for much more. If you're interested in how Croatia takes care of its beautiful environment, give Total Eco Croatia a follow, or see what initiatives, laws and movements there are in place in Croatia here.

The luxury holiday destination in Istria will soon host the third edition of the glamorous sports event

Maistra will employ around 200 more workers than last year

The new hotel in Rovinj owned by Maistra group will likely be one of the most luxurious hotels in Croatia

Maistra is building a luxury hotel on the site of the former Park Hotel in Rovinj.