February the 22nd, 2021 - Pula tree planting is getting underway as residents of this beautiful Istrian city are given various trees to plant in their hundreds to plant across the city.

As Morski writes, by distributing 132 fruit trees to the city's residents and planting dozens of new trees on public green areas in various areas, the Pula tree planting mission has got off to an excellent start. As part of this Pula tree planting action, citizens will be given fruit trees, 50 olive trees, 50 fig trees, 20 pomegranate trees, 30 hazelnut trees and 32 two-year-old chestnut trees.

''Planting trees on public green areas and within private gardens and back gardens contributes to increasing the green fund of the city and the protection and preservation of the environment, all of which are activities among the priorities of the City of Pula. In addition to the positive aspect in terms of enriching the green fund of the city, residents will be able to enjoy the benefits of the fruit these trees will bear, which, we're sure, they'll nurture with full care and attention,'' said the Mayor of Pula, Boris Miletic.

Even before the Pula tree planting mission gets started at the hands of citizens in their gardens and in other areas, the employees of Horticulture Pula Herculanee will, following favourable weather conditions, start planting even more palm trees, sycamore, holm oak and pine trees within the city, as replacement trees for previously removed or dead trees. The activities of planting ornamental trees will continue on other public green areas in which, as part of the action "Plant a tree, don't be a stump!", citizens will be able to actively participate. The time and location of this Pula tree planting mission will be announced the day before it begins.

It should be noted that as part of the maintenance of public green areas, these actions are performed at the request of residents/tenants and building managers.

The City of Pula has emphasised that the protection and preservation of the city's green areas are important determinants in the spatial planning system of the City of Pula and its representation, in the context of monitoring the state of the green fund and taking measures to increase it, is a common activity in planning and implementing specific activities.

As much as 40 percent of the surface of Pula is covered by green areas, and CO2 emissions have been significantly reduced as a result of that.

''Considering that the city is a "living tissue" and is developing every day, new public green areas are being formed during the implementation of the city's construction and maintenance projects and as such have become an integral part of its regular maintenance. In the last ten years alone, thousands of trees and shrubs have been planted in the area of ​​Pula, which has significantly reduced CO2 emissions,'' read a statment from the City of Pula.

''Developing awareness of the importance of greenery in relation to people's overall quality of life, achieving the goals of environmental protection and sustainable development and reducing environmental pollution is a guiding thought during the implementation of various activities, especially when it comes to working with young people and associations.

"Plant a tree, don't be a stump."

Pula was one of the first cities to engage heavily in planting new trees as part of this initiative, and about a hundred trees were planted on public green areas and on the grounds of kindergartens and schools, and the same number were donated to fellow citizens to plant on their properties.

It's also worth recalling the specific indicators which, at the level of spatial plans, indicate a very high representation of green and recreational areas when compared to the representation of plans for other purposes.

The fact that Pula is covered in so much greenery speaks in favour of the Istrian city's commitment to the importance of greenery, which significantly exceeds the recommendations of representation set by the European Commission (EC) as well as specific indicators at the level of large cities in Croatia and at the European Union level.

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February 22, 2021 - The latest news for flights to Croatia: SkyUp flights from Kyiv to Pula, Split, Dubrovnik starting in June! 

Croatian Aviation reports that the Ukrainian low-cost airline, which also operates charter transport, offers as many as three scheduled flights to Croatia in the 2021 summer flight schedule.

In 2019, this carrier operated only between Kyiv and Pula, while in 2020 there were no regular operations to Croatia due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the upcoming summer flight schedule, SkyUp will introduce two new routes to Croatia and resume traffic to Pula Airport.

The Kyiv - Split - Kyiv line will operate from June 19 to September 18, twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday. On the route to Split and Pula, aircraft type B737-700, with a slightly smaller capacity (144 seats) was announced. On 27 return flights, SkyUp will offer more than 7,000 seats between Split and Kyiv.

The Kyiv - Pula - Kyiv line will operate from June 20 to September 19, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays. The airline will perform the same number of rotations on this line as to Split and offer a total of the same amount of seats from or to Pula Airport.

The Kyiv - Dubrovnik - Kyiv line will operate from June 25 to September 17, once a week, every Friday. B737-800 aircraft will operate on 13 return flights. In total, almost 5,000 seats are available on this line.

SkyUp is the second airline to announce a flight schedule to Croatia from Kyiv for the upcoming summer season, as Windrose has also confirmed its flight schedule to Croatia this summer. 

Namely, Windrose will connect Kyiv directly to Pula, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

Kyiv to Pula
The Kyiv - Pula - Kyiv line will operate from June 5 to September 25 this year. Three flights a week will be available on this route every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from mid-June. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, A321 aircraft will operate between Kyiv and Pula, while on Thursdays, the two mentioned cities will be connected by smaller capacity aircraft - E145.

Kyiv - Split
On the same date, the line to Split will start operating, and as the line to Pula, it will operate three times a week, on the same days (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays). A321 aircraft have been announced on Thursdays and Saturdays, while E145s will operate on Mondays.

Dubrovnik only once a week
In the summer of 2020, Windrose launched the Kyiv-Dubrovnik line, which will continue to operate this summer. The first flight is announced on June 18, once a week, every Friday. E145 aircraft will operate on the route.

No increase in Zagreb
The Kyiv - Zagreb line was introduced in the winter flight schedule 2020/2021. The company currently operates on this route twice a week, and although it had announced an increase in the number of weekly flights, it never came to fruition. The company has temporarily given up on that plan and will continue to operate between Zagreb and Kyiv twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, this summer as well. On the route to Zagreb, Windrose will use E145 and ATR75 aircraft.

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

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February 17, 2021 – In Google's "People also ask" feature, the hard questions are the ones that start with "how." It is not always easy to find answers how to do something or how to get somewhere. However, in this article, we will try to explain how to get to Istria, the biggest and famous Croatian peninsula.

Located in the most western part of Croatia, Istria is a peninsula known for its rich cultural heritage, as well as it's delicious gastro offer that includes world's best wine, olive oil, and truffles. Last year, Istria was named world's best olive oil region for the sixth consecutive year, which is one more reason why Istria is an unavoidable place to visit when in Croatia.

Sources: Istria.hr, Pexels, Romulić and Stojčić

We will let you explore the charms of Istria for yourself, but first, we will try to help you how to get to Istria.

How to get to Istria Croatia by car?

Istria is one of the best, if not the best traffic-connected Croatian coastal region. Thanks to its geographical position, it achieves a record number of tourist arrivals and overnight stays every year, and the cities of Poreč and Rovinj are at the very top of Croatian tourist destinations.

The largest number of tourists come to Istria by land, by personal vehicles, from the close countries of Germany, Austria, and Italy. If you're coming to Istria from those countries, or from that direction, you must pass through Slovenia.

There are four main border crossings with Croatia and Slovenia in Istria. The first ones are Plovanija and Dragonja/Kaštel, from the direction of Koper, marked in red on the photo below.

Screenshot Google Maps

The road to Plovanija goes along the Slovenian shore, and the border crossing Dragonja/Kaštel is on the road E751. After the Croatian border, that road connects with the most famous and most important road in Istria – the so-called Istrian Y, a Y-shaped highway, which connects all parts of Istria.

On the left: Center of Istrian Y in Kanfanar (Romulić and Stojčić) / On the right: the map of Istrian Y (Wikipedia)

That part of the Istrian Y, marked in red on the photo below, goes along the western shore, and it is a highway A9 from the Slovenian border to Pula. It connects Istrian cities of Umag, Novigrad, Poreč, Rovinj, and Pula. However, the highway itself is a little away from these cities, so you will have to turn to state roads to reach them.

A9 highway, a part of Istrian Y, marked in red / Wikipedia

The second two important - and also the busiest - border crossings in Istria are Pasjak and Rupa, marked in blue on the first photo. Although they are located in the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, they are a gate to Istria County.

As shown on the photo below, the highway E61 goes to Croatia via the Pasjak crossing border from the direction of Trieste in Italy. If coming from the direction of Ljubljana, you must cross the Rupa crossing border. Highway E61 (in Croatian: highway A7) from both Pasjak and Rupa end in Matulji (marked in red) near Rijeka, where it connects with the second part of Istrian Y – highway A8 that goes to Kanfanar, the center point of Istrian Y.

Screenshot Google Maps

A8 highway, a another part of Istrian Y, marked in blue / Wikipedia

Remember, once you reach Istrian Y, you can reach any part of Istria. Istrian Y is actually a system of two highways, A8 and A9 – learn more about the Istrian Y.

Other Slovenian-Croatian border crossings are Bregana near Zagreb and Macelj near Krapina, from where you can go to Istria via highways E59 and E65.

How to get to Istria by plane?

The only airport in Istria is the one in Pula, while the other close airports are in Friuli Venezia Giulia Airport in Trieste, Marco Polo Airport in Venice, and Treviso Airport in Italy, Jože Pučnik Airport in Ljubljana in Slovenia (also known as Brnik Airport or Fraport Slovenia), Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport and Rijeka Airport in Croatia.

Pula Airport welcomes both charter and scheduled flights. Before many flights were canceled due the pandemic, Pula Airport had a solid tourist traffic. One of the most popular airline in Pula was Ryanair, offering cheap flights to some of the biggest European cities. However, the traffic in Pula Airport dropped by 89.6 percent in 2020, compared to the record 2019.

Pula Airport by Romulić and Stojčić

Airlines operating to Pula Airport in 2021 are Air Serbia, British Airways, Croatia Airlines, EasyJet, Eurowings, Finnair, Jet2.com, Lufthansa, Norwegian, Ryanair, S7 Airlines, TUI, Volotea, and Wizzair.

In 2021, it will be possible to come to Pula, Istria by flights from Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the UK.

Screenshot Pula Airport

Follow TCN's dedicated page for the newest information about flights to Croatia.

How to get to Istria by bus?

If you come from neighboring countries, the bus may be a good option to get to Istria. Since northern and western Croatia is well-connected with northern Italy, you can get to Istria by bus from Trieste to Buje, Poreč, Rovinj, Pula, along with other places on the way. The bus from Trieste to the western part of Istria, as well as to Rijeka, operates throughout the year.

There are also bus lines from Venice to Pula by the Pula-based bus company FILS, operating the whole year. Another Pula-based bus company Brioni Pula provides bus services from Padova (with stops in Venice and Trieste) to Vodnjan, Rovinj, Buje, and Pula. All the bus lines from Italy to Croatia can be found here (in Croatian).

Bus routes from Venice, Italy to Pula, Croatia / Buscroatia.com

Istrian bus companies Brioni Pula i FILS also provide bus lines from many Croatian cities, mostly from the capital of Zagreb. If you're coming from continental Croatia, Istria is the closest seaside region to visit. There are many bus lines, especially during summer. You can find them also on the Flixbus and Arriva bus companies' webpages.

How to get to Istria by ferry?

Since Croatia has a sea border with Italy, one way to get to Istria from Italy is ferry. There are two ferry providers from Italy to Istria – Adriatic Lines and Venezia Lines.

Adriatic Lines operates from Venice to Istrian cities of Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, and Umag. Catamaran lines from port San Basilio in Venice to Istrian cities last about two and half hours. One-way ticket price is 65 euros (or 500 kunas) for adults and 32.50 euros (250 kunas) for children. The schedule for 2021 is still unavailable.

Adriatic Lines' catamarans are quite famous, as they are recognizable in Istrian ports. "Prince of Venice," mostly seen in Poreč port, has an attractive and distinctive design, while "Adriatic Jet" is known for its speed and interesting appearance.

Prince of Venice in Poreč port / Adriatic Lines

During summer, namely from April to October, Venezia Lines have catamaran lines from Venice to Piran, Poreč, Pula, Rovinj, and Umag. Ticket prices range from 59 to 69 euros per person (450 to 520 kunas per person). It takes about three hours and 15-30 minutes to get in one direction, depending on the route. However, the schedule for 2021 has not yet been published.

Ferries from Istria to Italy also allow the transport of pets and bikes.

To find more ferries from Italy to Croatia, check the Istrian Sun webpage.

How to get to Istria by train?

If you decide to come to Istria by train, you can arrive very quickly using the lines from Ljubljana or Zagreb.

The line from Ljubljana can take you to Buzet or Pula every day and it takes four hours. There are no more trains going from Italy to Croatia.

If traveling from the Croatian capital, there are no direct train lines to Istria. However, you can take the train to Rijeka, but then travel by bus from Rijeka to Lupoglav, from where you can continue your train journey through Istria, to Pazin and Pula. The whole journey take four hours. You can book the train tickets on the Croatian Railways webpage.

Six railway stations in Istria are in Pula, Kanfanar (mentioned above as the center of Istrian Y), Vodnjan, Pazin, Buzet, and Lupoglav. Pula and Pazin are the main railway stations in Istria, from where you can quicky come to western Istrian cities of Poreč, Rovinj, and Novigrad.

Fun fact about travelling by train in Istria?

Did you know that Istria is home to the only island on the Adriatic coast connected by train? Its name is Uljanik and is one of the six islands in the Pula bay.

Pula and Uljanik island seen from above / Wikipedia

The name Uljanik, after which the nearby Pula shipyard was also named, comes from olive trees or, in Croatian, "ulike" that grew on it. Of all the olive trees, only one remained in the center of the island, surrounded by the Uljanik shipyard facilities, whose central plants are located on the island.

Interestingly, the industrial track for the shipyard Uljanik that goes from Pula railway station continues over the bridge, all over to the island of Uljanik. The bridge thus connects the island of Uljanik with the coast, making Uljanik the only Croatian island connected to the mainland by rail.

Uljanik shipyard's main plants on the island of Uljanik / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

To follow the People Also Ask Google about Croatia series, click here. 

February 16, 2021 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as TUI returns to Croatia this summer with 15 lines from Great Britain. 

Croatian Aviation reports that TUI, a well-known British company specializing in tourist trips from Great Britain to several well-known leisure destinations, including Croatia, has announced its return to Croatia in the upcoming summer flight schedule.

The British subsidiary of this well-known group did not offer holiday packages in Croatia in the 2020 summer flight schedule. As a result, all flights to Croatian airports were canceled, which certainly had a significant impact on the number of passengers, primarily in Dubrovnik and Pula, where TUI has an enviable number of flights per week. It should be emphasized that TUI operated with B787-8 and -9 to Dubrovnik and Pula, aircraft of a substantial capacity, which are primarily intended for long-haul operations.

In the upcoming summer flight schedule, the airline will renew numerous routes to Croatia (as many as 15 to three airports on the coast).

5 lines to Pula Airport
From May, Pula Airport will have as many as five direct routes from Great Britain, and all routes have been announced until the beginning of October:

Birmingham - Pula - Birmingham will operate from May 12 to October 9 twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Bristol - Pula - Bristol will operate from May 8 to October 9, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays,

Doncaster Sheffield - Pula - Doncaster Sheffield will operate from May 8 to October 9, once a week, on Saturdays,

Manchester - Pula - Manchester will operate from May 8 to October 9, twice a week, Tuesdays and Saturdays,

London - Pula - London will operate from May 8 to October 9, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

8 lines to Dubrovnik Airport
TUI will return to Dubrovnik with as many as 8 international lines, which is not surprising given that there is traditionally a great interest of British tourists for holidays in Dubrovnik and the surrounding area.

Birmingham - Dubrovnik - Birmingham will operate from May 6 to October 31, twice a week, Thursdays and Sundays,

Bristol - Dubrovnik - Bristol will operate from June 9 to October 31, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

Cardiff - Dubrovnik - Cardiff will operate from May 13 to October 28, once a week, on Thursdays,

Doncaster Sheffield - Dubrovnik - Doncaster Sheffield will operate from May 13 to October 28, once a week, on Thursdays,

East Midlands - Dubrovnik - East Midlands will operate from May 13 to October 28, once a week, on Thursdays,

Glasgow - Dubrovnik - Glasgow will operate from May 6 to October 28, once a week, on Thursdays,

Manchester - Dubrovnik - Manchester will operate from May 9 to October 31, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays,

London - Dubrovnik - London will operate from May 9 to October 31, twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays.

Two lines to Split Airport
Split Airport will have two TUI lines from Great Britain, which will start operating in early May.

London - Split - London will operate from May 10 to October 15, twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays,

Manchester - Split - Manchester will operate from May 10 to October 15, twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

British TUI has 15 lines on sale from Great Britain to Dubrovnik, Split, and Pula. There are currently almost 550 return flights on sale for this summer season.

The company could potentially delay the start of traffic to Croatia, which will primarily depend on the epidemiological situation and possible restrictions. Still, its return is certainly good news for all those involved in tourism, especially those oriented to guests from the UK.

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ZAGREB, 5 February, 2021 - Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Tomislav Ćorić said in Pula on Friday, after meeting with county and city authorities, that in the past ten years Istria County has made a step forward in waste management and that it is the direction the rest of Croatia should take.

"Building a county waste management centre, despite the challenges that it presented for some time, was from our perspective a huge job done by Istria County. In the past few years we have been dedicated primarily to constructing these lower parts of the infrastructure, which entails building recycling yards, financing sorting facilities, containers and lorries for special waste categories, an entire infrastructure that helps make this system successful," Ćorić told reporters, adding that "that path is challenging and will last from some time yet."

He said that he had an opportunity today to discuss the challenges facing local government in Istria in achieving waste management plans that were designed four years ago.

Ćorić said that today's talks on the functioning of the Kaštijun waste management plant, related to local government allowances, were very constructive and that he is convinced that Istria County and Pula were exemplary of how things should be.

Responding to reporters' questions about handling Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF), Ćorić underscored that the government had decided to cofinance the handling of SRF from the Kaštijun area through the Environment Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund in an effort to facilitate Kaštijun's financial position as a legal entity. On the other hand, he said, the long-term plan is for the state to create premises that would be used to handle SRF.

"That is still going on to this day in several cement factories around Croatia, however that problem needs to be resolved at the state level, because in the case of cement factories we are talking about market competition which could be very expensive for waste management centres like Kaštijun or Marinščina," said Ćorić.

January 28, 2021 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Windrose operates to four Croatian destinations this summer. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Windrose Airlines, a Ukrainian airline that has made a major expansion in the region in the past few months, has announced a summer flight schedule for Croatia.

Windrose will operate at four Croatian airports this summer, connecting Kyiv directly with Pula, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

Kyiv to Pula
The Kyiv - Pula - Kyiv line will operate from June 5 to September 25 this year. Three flights a week will be available on this route every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from mid-June. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, A321 aircraft will operate between Kyiv and Pula, while on Thursdays, the two mentioned cities will be connected by smaller capacity aircraft - E145.

Kyiv - Split
On the same date, the line to Split will start operating, and as the line to Pula, it will operate three times a week, on the same days (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays). A321 aircraft have been announced on Thursdays and Saturdays, while E145s will operate on Mondays.

Dubrovnik only once a week
In the summer of 2020, Windrose launched the Kyiv-Dubrovnik line, which will continue to operate this summer. The first flight is announced on June 18, once a week, every Friday. E145 aircraft will operate on the route.

There is no increase in Zagreb
The Kyiv - Zagreb line was introduced in the winter flight schedule 2020/2021. The company currently operates on this route twice a week, and although it had announced an increase in the number of weekly flights, it never came to fruition. The company has temporarily given up on that plan and will continue to operate between Zagreb and Kyiv twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, this summer as well. On the route to Zagreb, Windrose will use E145 and ATR75 aircraft.

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

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January 13, 2021 – Given the developed sports and accommodation infrastructure, as well as the organization and sports tradition, does Istria have the potential to become the leading sports tourism destination in the southern part of Europe?

With cities that regularly count the highest numbers of tourist overnight stays each year, Istria has been a top tourist destination for a long time. After a recent endeavor to brand Istria as an attractive region for top IT professionals, Istria is also promoted as a favorable sports tourism destination.

Favorable climate, vicinity to Europe

According to Glas Istre, due to its favorable position, mild climate, and developed sports infrastructure and tradition, Istrian cities on the west coast are often hosting many international clubs and national teams that come to the preparations and camps.

For example, the Croatia national handball team recently made preparations for the 2021 World Handball Championship in the Istrian city of Poreč. Their coach Lino Červar said two years ago that the national team in Poreč feels at home.

Football fields in Medulin / Gat travel agency

Comparative advantages of Istria, such as the proximity of major European cities and favorable climate in the winter months, give it a unique opportunity to compete with other warmer destinations, such as the famous Antalya in Turkey, one of the most attractive sports tourism destinations. However, it is necessary to use those advantages, adequately adjust the infrastructure, and increase and improve the offer.

The corona crisis has certainly benefited Istria, which has logically imposed itself as the best option for sports clubs' semi-seasonal winter preparations. However, once the corona crisis becomes a thing of the past and the borders open, the question is whether Istria can compete with the best.

Well-known Istrian sports destinations - Medulin, Pula, Porec, Rovinj, and Umag

Football fields near the Belvedere Hotel in Medulin traditionally attract football clubs. All six football fields are 100 to a maximum of 500 meters apart. About 200 clubs from all over Europe pass through Medulin annually, and this year it was chosen by the football clubs Lokomotiva, Šibenik, Međimurje, Slaven Belupo, Gorica, and domestic Istria 1961.

Apart from Medulin, sports tourism also thrives in the four largest Istrian cities – Pula, Poreč, Rovinj, and Umag, which also generate the largest tourist traffic. The famous Poreč sports hall Žatika, one of six halls in the city, was built for the 2009 World Handball Championship in Croatia, and as a result of many years of investment in sports, a football camp will soon be built in Poreč.

Currently, football clubs Rijeka, Slovačko from the Czech Republic, Budafoki MTE from Hungary, and Sturm Graz from Austria are preparing in Umag. The City of Umag says that they have been continuously working on raising the quality of football fields for years, especially in the Stella Maris sports center.

Tennis center Stella Maris in Umag / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

Umag is already recognized as a base for the winter preparations of many European first leaguers. The current situation with the coronavirus has only further increased the number of inquiries from foreign football clubs. By the end of February, numerous first-league and second-league clubs are expected to spend their winter preparations in Umag, culminating in a series of traditional Umag Trophy youth football tournaments, for which Juventus and Bayern Münich have already confirmed the arrival.

"We have recognized all the comparative advantages of Istria. Ten years ago, we decided to develop this type of tourism, together with the Umag Tourist Board and the hotel company Plava Laguna. We notice that the potential is much greater than what we can currently satisfy with the existing infrastructure, so the sports center and additional fields are also planned," they say from the City of Umag.

Marko Kuže: Rovinj is Dinamo's winter base

Dinamo and Osijek football clubs are currently preparing in Rovinj. It seems that the corona crisis, in this case, was not crucial given that the clubs of the first Croatian football league, as well as the Croatian national football team, chose Rovinj in previous years.

Rovinj / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

When asked whether Rovinj can compete specifically with Turkey, the City reminds that Dinamo players declared themselves on this issue last year. They said that, given the quality of the terrain and accommodation, Rovinj is no weaker than Turkey, where they had the opportunity to make preparations before. Last year, the conditions offered by Rovinj were praised by the then Dinamo coach Nenad Bjelica, who returned here this year to prepare with the Football club Osijek.

Marko Kuže, technical director of Dinamo, says that in Rovinj, the conditions for preparations are excellent, from accommodation to the training ground.

"On behalf of the club, staff, and players, I must express my satisfaction with the hospitality. We are always pleasantly welcomed here, and this is very important in choosing a location for such a serious work process as preparations. Considering that Rovinj is already Dinamo's winter base, we have a good experience this year. There was no need to look for a location for preparations outside of Croatia because we have everything here. We see that other teams have preparations in Istria, which is also very good for domestic tourism," says Kuže.

January 12, 2021 - Continuing our look at Croatia as it once was in the distant past through 3D animations, daily life in the impressive Pula Forum during the Roman Era.

As beautiful as the Croatian coast is today, can you imagine what it must have looked 500 - or even 1000 - years ago?

An era long before mass tourism and the apartmanisation of the Adriatic, leaving the magnificent historic cities and stone buildings which comprise major tourist attractions today.  

A coast which is dominated by historic Dubrovnik in the south, the walls of Ston, great island settlements such as the towns of Korcula, Hvar and Stari Grad. Diocletian's Palace in Split, Salona in Solin, the old town of Trogir, and the magnificence of Zadar and Sibenik. 

And not forgetting Istria.

A cursory walk around the city of Pula indicates the sense of history and heritage that exists in the Istrian capital, and it was a great civilsation in the Roman era.

The most obvious remnant of those golden days is the Roman amphitheatre, the Pula Arena, which dominates the waterfront of the city, and which we visited 2000 years ago yesterday in the form of Stipan Ujgur's excellent 3D animated construction, which you can see above. 

The amphitheatre was the seat of entertainment for the Roman city, but the seat of power was a short walk away in the Pula Forum, where today's authorities continue that tradition. The local administration and mayor's office are located in Forum, and it is one of the city's most popular squares. 

It was also very vibrant many years ago, as one can see from the latest 3D animation from Stipan Ujgur in our series.

Now take a look at how life was in Dubrovnik before the 1667 earthquake, an age when the Republic of Dubrovnik ruled supreme. 

life in Dubrovnik before the 1667 earthquake.

January 11, 2021 - Pula Arena dominates the city's centre these days, but how impressive was the Roman amphitheatre in the past? A stunning 3D animation of the Roman era.  

It is almost 8 years since my first visit to one of Croatia's most interesting and versatile building, the Pula Arena in Istria. 

The year was 2013, and the Croatian National Tourist Board invited me to cover the opening night of Outlook Festival, which was being held in one of the world's largest remaining Roman amphitheatres for the first time. 

The concert was just one of the innovative uses by the Pula authorities of its considerable heritage, as I reflected in my article for a Canadian Google News portal in Preserving heritage through tourism: The case of Pula in Croatia.

Leonard Cohen, Joe Cocker, Sting and a host of other global stars would grace the Pula Arena, and it was also the scene of some quite unusual sprting events, including a football match with Bayern Munich veterans, and even an ice hockey match. 

Reminders of its former use were introduced by the tourist board, as gladiator fights became a popular spectacle during the season. 

An impressive building today, but wondered how it must have looked during the era of the Roman Empire. 

Help is at hand, in the form of modern technology recreating the heritage of the past. 

Yesterday, we featured a wonderful 3D animation by Stipan Ujgur of life in Dubrovnik before the devastating 1667 earthquake, which you can view here. 

In today's feature of Stipan's work, we head even further back in time to Pula during Roman times, when the Pula Arena dominated the city skyline even more than it does today, giving not only an insight in how the arena stadium looked, but also what the warren of rooms and corridors below the surface were used for. 

For more features on Pula, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

December 19, 2020 - At the Pula Tourist Board's assembly, the rebalance of the financial and activity plan for this year and the plans for 2021 was adopted. 

Glas Istre reports that with COVID-19 and all measures in June, the first rebalance was passed, assuming only 15 percent of last year's overnight stays in the peak season. But tourism traffic started already in June, and in ten months, 935 thousand overnight stays were realized, which is 41 percent of last year's figures.

Compared to the previous year, the highest percentage of overnight stays was realized by weekenders (96 percent), followed by nautical tourism (65 percent), rooms and apartments owned by legal entities (49 percent), private accommodation (48 percent), and campsites (41 percent). The biggest losers are hostels, recording only eight percent, tourist apartments (18 percent), and hotels with 23 percent of last year's traffic.

According to the new supplementary budget, revenues amount to HRK 5.512 million, 72 percent more than planned in May but 43 percent less than the original plan for this year. Total expenditures now amount to around HRK 4,822 million, 15 percent more than the first supplementary budget. More activities were realized than planned in the spring without the need for borrowing credit - summer concerts and parties in cooperation with the City, Pula Half Marathon, EU project Pula Fortification System, Advent 2019, Pula Carnival, Irrigation Verudela Art Park, and other smaller activities.

The plan for 2021 envisages revenues of around HRK 6.635 million. Still, the director of the Tourist Board, Sanja Cinkopan Korotaj, says that it is challenging to plan anything because there are several unknowns - including the amount for tourist tax and membership fees for small renters, how many companies will ask for refunds in the final accounts and reducing membership fees. But they decided to look optimistically, and the planned revenues are 20 percent higher than this year.

A team of experts from Arena Hospitality Group, Uniline agency, and Pula Tourist Board has been formed, preparing promotional actions for next year and when the pandemic in Europe calms down. "We will be ready to react quickly," says the Pula Tourist Board.

Together with the tourist boards of southern Istria, they will create the operational plan of southern Istria for 2021-2027, and other activities will be organized on a smaller scale than last year - there will be Visualia, Pula Half Marathon, Days of Antiquity, Pula Dances, Advent, summer concerts and entertainment. With the cluster of Southern Istria, projects have been prepared for the Association Fund tenders at the Croatian National Tourist Board to develop the destination for animal friends and trail lovers.

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