June 5, 2020 - After a long-standing lawsuit was resolved this year, Arena Hospitality Group (AHG) has bought the Riviera Hotel in Pula from the Ministry of State Property.

“Following previous announcements, under the civil proceedings initiated by the Republic of Croatia against the Company for repossession of the facility and payment of the user fee, the Company received a decision of the Government of the Republic of Croatia expressing consent to enter into a settlement. The Company considered the proposed settlement and, on April 28, 2020, concluded a settlement with the Republic of Croatia," AHG said via the Zagreb Stock Exchange.

HRTurizam reports that the whole deal is worth 36.5 million kuna, and now that the ownership has been resolved, AHG plans to return this historic hotel to the old splendor and status it deserves. "The purchase resolves the ownership status of this historic hotel and represents an important step that enables the Company to start with plans to renovate the hotel," points out AHG.

The hotel will be transformed into a luxury, branded hotel with 80 rooms, the first in Croatia under the art’otel brand. Namely, these are art hotels and currently, five hotels from the Arena Hospitality Group operate under the art’otel brand in Hungary and Germany.

Each hotel exhibits a collection of original works designed or specially selected for each individual art’otel, making each of them a unique art gallery.

Riviera Hotel Pula enjoys an extremely convenient location, in an impressive neo-baroque building from the end of the 19th century. Namely, the Riviera Hotel was a favorite choice of the aristocracy during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. It is the rich history of the Riviera Hotel that will be a great inspiration and link to the arts. However, as each art’otel is also associated with the promotion of art through art galleries and various events, indeed the new Riviera Hotel will have a much broader dimension for Pula as quality cultural content of the destination.

That is why art’otel has created its own niche in the world of hospitality, which is completely different from traditional hotels.

AHG is currently in an investment cycle of around HRK 500 million, which includes the repositioning of the Brioni hotel, which will be reopened in the summer of 2021, the renovation of the Verudela Beach resort and the final investment cycle in Arena Kažela Campsite.

Hotel Brioni will be repositioned into a luxury hotel with 227 rooms. The structure of the hotel will have seven floors which will include an indoor, outdoor and infinity pool, wellness center with saunas and relaxation rooms, gym, children's playground, snack bars, restaurant, meeting and conference rooms.

The company is also arranging the Verudela Beach resort. After the initial renovation of the first 10 accommodation units before the summer season of 2019, construction work began in October, which will completely renovate the remaining 146 units of the tourist resort. Verudela Beach will be the second renovated apartment complex of the Group (with Park Plaza Verudela Pula renovated in 2013), out of a total of four tourist resorts of the Group.

The Company will reposition the Yachtclub restaurant located on the Verudela peninsula, as well as the common areas and rooms in the Park Plaza Histria Pula hotel.

The group continues with the second phase of investing in Arena Kažela Campsite, which began in October. The first phase of the investment included 164 new luxury mobile homes, two new swimming pools, a reception desk, new modern poolside bars, the Illy coffee bar and animation facilities. The second phase of investments refers to the replacement of mobile homes, repositioning of plots by the sea (which will include the complete construction of infrastructure, and their average size will be 150 m2), renovation of public areas, restaurants, bars and sports center.

The investment will turn this camp into a modern 4-star camping resort, and upon completion, it will be renamed the Grand Kažela Arena.

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

June 5, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik, Rijeka and Pula. 

Croatian Aviation reports that in its latest statement, Emirates further postponed the start of traffic on the Dubai-Zagreb route.

The company first postponed the line to July, then to August, and the latest news is September. Emirates is currently offering sales on the Dubai-Zagreb route from September 1 this year, four times a week; on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Boeing 777-300ER aircraft have been announced on the route, which has several different configurations in the fleet of this airline, so depending on the registration of the aircraft, they can carry between 354 and 442 passengers.

Considering that Emirates turned the Zagreb line into a seasonal service, and that the partner FlyDubai operates on the route in the winter flight schedule, the chance that Emirates will return to Zagreb this summer is slim. According to the plan, the already mentioned FlyDubai should take over the line from the end of October.

Qatar Airways, a competitor to Emirates (along with Etihad), is still on sale for 3 weeks from the beginning of July to Zagreb, but changes are also possible with this airline in the next two weeks.

The largest aircraft (both in terms of technical specifications and the number of seats in the passenger cabin) in Zagreb was Emirates, while Air Canada Rouge and Korean Air flew with long-range and capacity aircraft to the Croatian capital. However, both have canceled their flights completely for this summer. Air Transat still has a line between Toronto and Zagreb on sale, 3 times a week since the beginning of July.

Furthermore, Avio Radar reports that Swiss airline Edelweiss Air resumed its service from Zurich to Split on June 4. The week, Edelweiss will also arrive on Sunday, June 7. By the end of June, this line will be in service twice a week,  on Thursdays and Sundays, with the Airbus A320 aircraft. From July, the route will operate 5 times a week, or every day except Wednesday and Friday. 

The other two Edelweiss lines for Croatia are planned from July, i.e., the Zurich-Dubrovnik line twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays from July 3, and the Zurich-Pula line, also twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays from July 1. 

Finally, Avio Radar reports that Latvian airline Air Baltic will establish a route between Riga and Rijeka from June 17. Flights from Riga were scheduled for July 29, but the carrier decided to launch a month and a half earlier despite the current corona situation. The line will operate on Wednesdays with an Airbus A220-300 instead of last year’s Boeing 737-300.

Air Baltic also announces flights to Split and Dubrovnik from June 20.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

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ZAGREB, June 4, 2020 - The government on Thursday adopted a conclusion expressing its readiness to get involved in creating conditions to restart shipbuilding in the northern coastal city of Pula through the Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856 company.

The conclusion is based on documents provided by the receiver for Uljanik d.d., Marija Ruzic, Economy Minister Darko Horvat said.

He recalled that at its session of March 26 this year the government had approved the transfer of the concession for the commercial use of the port of Pula for shipbuilding purposes from Uljanik d.d., which has filed for bankruptcy, to Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856.

He noted that Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856 is not a legal successor to the bankrupt companies Uljanik d.d. and Uljanik Brodogradiliste d.d., but a legal entity that has the option of putting the coastal land and shipbuilding equipment to use and hiring some of the former workers of the Uljanik Group.

The equipment of Uljanik Brodogradiliste d.d. is estimated at HRK 50.36 million, and the Ministry of Finance, as the largest separate creditor, has been tasked with taking charge of those assets and recapitalising Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856. 

The other separate creditors which are majority state-owned  have been recommended to consider increasing the equity of Uljanik Brodogradnja 1856 with assets to which they are entitled as part of the bankruptcy settlement process, in which way they would be able to acquire a stake in the company.

Bankruptcy proceedings for Uljanik d.d. and Uljanik Brodogradiliste opened in May 2019.

In the case of Uljanik d.d., 225 creditors lodged claims in the total amount of HRK 5.1 billion, and at an examination hearing claims were set at HRK 4.86 billion. The Ministry of Finance is the single largest creditor with claims of HRK 3.2 billion and is entitled to a separate settlement.

As for Uljanik Brodogradiliste d.d., 2,448 creditors lodged claims for a total of HRK 3.1 billion. The Ministry of Finance is the single largest creditor with claims set at HRK 1.2 billion.

The government also gave permission for the Rijeka-based 3. Maj shipyard to sub-concession part of the port land to the company MKM Yachts d.o.o. for ten years, saying that this would open a new market for luxury passenger vessels.

MKM Yachts is a newly-established company in Croatia indirectly owned by Glen Moroney, the founder and owner of the Scenic Group, a leading global travel company specialising in luxury and exotic trips. The company is interested in building a series of cruise ships at the 3. Maj shipyard. The deadline for the conclusion of the investment, worth slightly over €3 million, is the end of 2021, according to the government.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic said that with these two decisions the government had sent a strong message to the shipyards in Rijeka and Pula.

May 25, 2020 —  It survived several empires, wars and an epidemic or two in its 2,000 years of existence. Pula’s Roman Arena has now seen through the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic as well, reopening to visitors every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Archaeological Museum of Istria announced on Monday.

The museum, which manages Pula’s arena and other monuments, closed the Roman relic and other facilities to visitors on March 13 in accordance with measures to combat the spread of coronavirus enacted by the City of Pula.

The amphitheater technically did open once, allowing local cellist Stjepan Hauser to stream a concert from the arena.

Visitors will have to adopt epidemiological measures, and working hours will be extended if there is more interest in visits.

According to the Museum Documentation Center (MDC), Croatian museums had more than 5.2 million visitors last year. The Archaeological Museum of Istria had more than 575,000 visitors.

The arena is the most spectacular monument that Pula offers, and thanks to it, the Archaeological Museum of Istria generates large revenues. 

In the first eight months of last year alone, the Arena was visited by 373,583 tourists. Revenue from tickets was HRK14.6 million, which is 2.6 percent or about HRK370,000 more than in 2018. And there were about two percent more visitors.

May 21, 2020 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for flights to Croatia with updates from Zagreb, Zadar, and Split.

Croatian Aviation reports that Brussels Airlines announced on Tuesday that in its current summer flight schedule, it would not fly to two destinations in Croatia - Zagreb and Zadar.

The company decided to cancel all unprofitable lines, as well as those bordering on profitability (in Spain, France, Portugal, Germany, Greece), which led to the cancellation of two lines to Croatia.

For now, Brussels Airlines will keep the Brussels-Split and Brussels-Dubrovnik routes on sale, while the routes to Zadar and Zagreb have been withdrawn from sale.

The Brussels-Zadar line was introduced in May 2018 as a seasonal line, while the line between Brussels and Zagreb was introduced in 2015.

On the route between Zagreb and Brussels, there will still be the option of a direct flight, as Croatia Airlines operates between these two cities twice a day in the conditions of normal air traffic.

Furthermore, Ex Yu Aviation announced that Eurowings would grow its presence in Croatia, but at reduced frequencies.

Namely, Eurowings will add services to the Croatian coast by resuming flights from Stuttgart, Hamburg and Dusseldorf to Split.

Its Cologne-Zagreb service, which has been maintained throughout most of the coronavirus pandemic, will be reduced from two to one per week in June. The lines from Hamburg and Dusseldorf to Rijeka, Dusseldorf to Pula and Cologne to Zadar will resume once per week on June 20.

“We can feel the growing desire of people to travel again and relax and enjoy their holidays after a long period of travel bans. This is exactly what we are now making possible with our extended summer schedule – reliably, safely and with all due caution. Travelling, whether private or professional, will be possible again," said Eurowings’ CEO, Jens Bischo.

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Eurowings’ parent company Lufthansa will not resume any of its destinations in the former Yugoslavia before June 15. You can read more about that on Ex Yu Aviation.

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

May 12, 2020 - As CEO Michael O'Leary announces the resumption of 40% of its schedule from July 1, what does that mean for flights with Ryanair to Croatia?

It has been quite a day for flight news for Croatia so far, and it is not yet midday. 

Firstly BA is now selling flights to both Split and Zagreb from June 15, as reported earlier. And then THIS.

Ryanair plans to restart 40% of its flights from July 1. You can read all the detail in the link to The Guardian above, as I have no value to add to that announcement. 

But what specifically does this mean for Ryanair to Croatia? With so many people using Ryanair to Croatia, we have had more emails about this than anything else in recent weeks. Especially regarding flights to the main Ryanair destination on Croatia's Adriatic coast - Zadar. 

As I don't have any inside information about Ryanair, we have to look at the online tools available, most notably the Ryanair booking engine. 

Which shows us some VERY interesting things, and not such good news for the thousands of Brits and Irish tourists planning to fly Ryanair to Zadar. 

The plan, it seems, is for Dublin and Split to be connected once more, with the first flight on July 2. 

Same story with Dubrovnik and Dublin, starting on July 1. 

But Zadar? Not a single flight to Zadar from the UK or Ireland to Zadar with Ryanair is showing. 

But Ryanair has not abandoned Zadar completely, far from it. Flights from Milan are due to recommence twice a week on July 3. 

Three times a week from Vienna from July 1. And the same story from various other European cities. But not from the UK and Ireland. 

And the UK love with Ryanair to Croatia continues from London Stansted to Pula from July 2. 

And to Rijeka from July 3. 

But to Zadar, seemingly at least, nothing at all. I will see what I can find out. If anyone has any info, please contact me on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Ryanair. 

You can of course search for your own flight info on the official Ryanair website.

You can keep up to date with the latest flight news in the dedicated TCN flights to Croatia section. 

April 28, 2020 - Thousands around the world watched Stjepan Hauser serenade an empty Pula Arena from their computer screens Monday night.

Just like the many musicians around the globe who are dedicating their music to everyone fighting against COVID-19, so did Croatia’s celebrated cellist Stephen Hauser of 2Cellos fame.

Glas Istre reported that Hauser held a special concert in an empty Pula arena, which was streamed on YouTube Monday night. The concert aimed to send a message of thanks to all those risking their lives to save ours. 

At 7 pm, thousands of fans around the world jumped onto YouTube to watch the musical spectacle, which you can find in the video below.

One important note was sent before the concert - don't go to the Arena, because the concert was pre-recorded. 

“Thanks to everyone for the considerable interest in the live-streamed concert on Monday, just like wanting to come to the Arena to see the event. Since we have received information that people are planning to go to the Arena at the time of the streaming, which is by no means allowed or safe, it is important to know that the concert was recorded in advance and the streaming will be held as scheduled. 

Public gatherings are banned and I did not want you to endanger your health and put you in unnecessary danger. After all, this is why I decided to stream this kind of concert, so you could follow it from the safety of your homes,” Hauser said.

The concert is dedicated to those in the fight against COVID-19. Hauser also supported the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund in this way.

“In these difficult times, the human spirit showed all its strength. We have found it in the people who surround us every day and whose extraordinary work saves lives, the workers on the front line, and all of us who stayed home. Although we are forced to be separated, we remain together. Staying together while keeping a distance and finding hope in our humanity,” Hauser said.

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

April 8, 2020 - Arena Hospitality Group and Kamgrad have teamed up to buy room sanitation devices for the Pula General Hospital. 

Following the recent donation of LCD TVs and meals, i.e., lunch packages for hospital staff at Pula General Hospital, the Arena Hospitality Group is giving additional assistance to the Pula General Hospital, and thus to the local community and population.

Namely, HRTurizam reports that in cooperation with the hospital and their expressed need, together with its long-time partner Kamgrad d.o.o., one of the leading domestic companies in the construction sector, has decided to finance the purchase of medical equipment, i.e., UVDI-360 room sanitation devices to combat COVID-19 infection as efficiently as possible. The total amount of HRK 362,500 will be financed in the ratio of 50%/50% between Kamgrad and Arena.

The UVDI-360 room sanitation device is the best-selling device of its type in the world, Europe and Croatia, and is a standalone wheeled starter equipped with 4 UV-C bulbs with the 360-degree operation and infrared motion sensors. The device comes with its own software with time management capabilities and a remote control capable of turning the device on for a distance of at least 15 m.

"I am happy that we can continue to help the hospital and the community in which we live," said Arena Hospitality Group CEO Mr. Reli Slonim, adding that he is proud and grateful for the efforts of AHG employees who have worked hard to help prepare food for staff, and cleaning and maintaining the hospital space. “I would also like to thank the Kamenski family who has committed themselves to support the purchase of the much-needed devices for the Pula hospital, and I am pleased that our cooperation over the years has reached a level where we can collectively be of help during difficult times. I want to believe that the device will not have to be used much in these circumstances, that these difficult times will soon be behind us and that we will return to our happy and healthy everyday lives."

“In these extraordinary and difficult moments, we especially appreciate the efforts healthcare professionals are making in treating their patients, so we are pleased that with this donation, we can help Pula General Hospital continue its excellent work. We also thank our long-term partner AHG for your support and cooperation, and we hope that together, even after these extraordinary circumstances cease, we will continue to cooperate and assist all those in need,” said Kamagrad director, Mr. Domagoj Kamenski.

And with this donation, AHG and Kamgrad reaffirm their social responsibility and commitment to the shared well-being of the local community in which these businesses operate and employ the locals.

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

March 27, 2020 - How prepared is Croatia for COVID-19? Elvis Morina for R+ meets the medical team in the front line in Pula hospital. 

There is no question that the Croatian authorities are taking the coronavirus threat seriously. Strict new measures and travel restrictions have come into effect in recent days, and some Oxford University research has placed Croatia at the top of the list in its government response tracker for implementing strict measures. 

But how does the situation look in the front line, and who are the front line workers?

A really excellent snapshot of the situation as Pula hospital was posted by the new media outlet, R+, which has been founded by Robert Tomic Zuber and the team from the Rab Film Festival, we well as other partners. You can learn more about R+ here, as well as seeing some of other excellent coronavirus video reporting from Croatia and the region in this previous TCN article. 

An interesting - and reassuring - video report by Elvis Morina takes us inside Pula hospital, where reporter Elvis Morina speaks with the medical staff in the front line, and he is also shown the various procedures and facilities there. Helpfully, the video is available with English subtitles. 

You can follow the latest TCN coverage of the coronavirus crisis on our dedicated section. 

The new portal has some excellent contributions from regional journalists as well, as they document their corona story from their own self-isolation. 

One that I found particularly moving was from Marko, a Serbian journalist currently locked down in Madrid

No subtitles to this one but not one I will forget in a hurry. 

You can follow the latest additions to the R+ project on the official website here, or follow the YouTube channel. 

TCN intends to join the growing number of independent media contribution to Tomic Zuber's project, and we will have our first video on R+ shortly. 

March 21, 2020 - What is happening with Ryanair in Croatia? So many flight cancellations to Zadar, but not other coastal destinations. And what about the Hideout Festival?

The situation regarding flights with Ryanair in Croatia has been taking up an ever larger part of my inbox in recent times. Emails such as this have become commonplace:

Any clue why ryanair flights to zadar in june and july got cancelled overnight? Theres still several months to go... Any advice you could provide is greatly appreciated

Hvala puno!

I decided to look into the situation, and what I found was VERY unusual. 

The announcement that Ryanair is grounding most of its fleet on March 24 due to the coronavirus situation was a big shock, but there seems to be an interesting sub-story developing with Ryanair in Croatia. 

We have covered flight cancellations with Ryanair in Croatia already due to COVID-19, and the flight situation has been constantly updated in our regular Croatian travel advice - here is today's. 

This was followed on March 13, 2020 that Ryanair was postponing its planned base in Zadar until 2021, as well as cancelling lots (but not all flights).

With the global situation, it is understandable that Ryanair in Croatia would be operating at reduced capacity, but cancelling flights in July? It seemed a little odd to me.

"Given the overall situation, it is quite certain that the flying season will not start as planned. When it will start, it is difficult to estimate at the moment, which is why Zadar Airport is unfortunately forced to postpone hiring of our seasonal staff until further notice," Zadar Airport spokesperson Nikola Barac told Zadarski List when sent a seasonal employment media request. This has resulted in the postponement of the recruitment of 130 seasonal staff at Zadar Airport. 

Asking around, I was told that ALL flights to Zadar with Ryanair were cancelled by local sources. Really? I found that quite incredible to believe. What I found was all the more bizarre, according to the online booking system on the Ryanair website. 

Zadar is the main market for Ryanair in Croatia, indeed it was the entry point for low-cost flights when the Irish carrier entered the Croatian market in 2007. But Ryanair has expanded to other airports, albeit with more limited services. Dublin to Dubrovnik looks fine at the moment from June 1.  

As does Dublin to Split. Ryanair started flights to both Split and Dubrovnik only last year and currently offer only Dublin to both, as well as Vienna to Dubrovnik, and Stuttgart to Split. 

 Things are looking good from London Stansted to Pula from early May. 

And from London Stansted to Rijeka from June 1. 

But London Stansted to Zadar in July and August?

 In fact, there are only two flights currently bookable from London Stansted to Zadar for the whole of 2020.

What about flights to Zadar for the Hideout Festival on Zrce on June 21-25, 2020?

The Hideout Festival on Zrce Beach near Novalja on the island of Pag is scheduled to take place from June 21-25, 2020, coinciding with the only bookable flights from London to Zadar with Ryanair for the whole year.  

Same story if you are coming from Manchester. Currently, the only two flights available for the whole of 2020 are dates either side of the Hideout Festival.  

But if you are planning to visit Zadar from mainland Europe with Ryanair, there seems to be no problem. From Berlin, above, for example.  

The Viennese can arrive from May 1, 2020. 

And from Brussels, just a day later. 

But from the UK, or Ireland - nothing currently whatsoever, apart from the Hideout Festival flights. 

And of course, the big question is - when will this COVID-19 crisis all be over, and when will flights to Croatia resume?

Nobody knows for sure, of course, but perhaps there is a clue on the Ryanair homepage of one of the movers and shakers of European travel, with their most prominent advert, below. 

If anybody has any concrete information with verifiable links to support the info, please contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Ryanair, and I will happily update. 

How do I get a Ryanair refund?

This is a question I am getting a lot as well, and I am certainly not the best person to ask. It will involve filling in a Ryanair refund form, but for the latest information, check out the COVID-19 update page on the Ryanair website, which has the latest on refunds and disruptions.

You can keep track of the latest Croatia travel advice as part of TCN's ongoing coronavirus coverage in our dedicated section.