July 1, 2022 - The 'In Vino Veritas' wine festival in Punat on Krk Island will be held from July 15 to 17. 

A weekend to enjoy! This is how you could describe the mini wine festival that will bring winemakers from Baranja, Erdut, and Ilok to the golden island of Krk from July 15 to 17 - and will undoubtedly attract visitors to the island.

The idea of the festival "IN VINO VERITAS" was created to strengthen friendly and business relations of winemakers from the areas of Baranja, Erdut, and Ilok, with an emphasis on the municipalities of Punat and Tovarnik - and business entities, i.e., restaurants and hotels from Krk Island. In its first edition, "IN VINO VERITAS" is a unique combination of "green" and "blue" Croatia, and no less important, it is an opportunity for both hosts and guests to get to know the richness of Croatia's wine offer and to have fun.

The festival's concept was born in 2019, but for already known reasons, it did not take place in 2020 or 2021. Therefore, this year's edition is eagerly awaited. The aspiration is for the festival to be a prototype for future similar events in Punat.

From Friday, July 15 - until Sunday, July 17, 2022, in the center of this beautiful place on Krk, the finest wines will be tasted. This time, smaller, family wineries from Baranja, Erdut, and Ilok were invited, a total of 6 of them, and were provided with free accommodation and exhibition spaces, i.e., promotional pours as well as wine sales in the main local square (Trg zahvalnosti), more precisely - houses where they will exhibit and sell wines. These are Vinarija Agris, Vinarija Kovats, Vina Papak, Vina Pinkert, Vina Siber and Vina/Podrum Szabo.

Endre Kubik from the Pinkert winery will also hold an educational workshop, "Wine terroir of Baranja," with a tasting of the best wines that this region has to offer.

The Punat Tourist Board is organizing vouchers for local and foreign visitors, along with wine tasting glasses. Visitors can buy the displayed and tasted wines directly from the winemaker.

The winemakers will also present their wines at a business dinner in the nearby BOCOON restaurant for a three-course gala dinner on Saturday evening (July 16), where local restaurateurs, media, and guests will be introduced to their wines.

PROGRAM
Friday, July 15
From 18:00 - 20:00 Trg zahvalnosti - "In vino veritas" wine festival
20:30 - Trg zahvalnosti - "In vino veritas" festival opening with the welcome of the host:
Branko Karabaić, director of TZO Punat
Sanja Muzaferija, co-organizer of the "In vino veritas" Festival
Daniela Strčić, Mayor of Punat Municipality,
from 21:00 - Trg zahvalnosti - entertainment program

Saturday, July 16
From 10 to 12 pm - Trg zahvalnosti - wine festival "In vino veritas"
12 pm - Toš Gallery, workshop: "Baranja Wine Terroir" and wine tasting, leader: Endre Kubik, PINKERT winery, Suza Baranje
From 18:00 to 22:00, Trg zahvalnosti - wine festival "In vino veritas"
20:30 - Restaurant BOCOON - dinner for guests (winemakers, restaurateurs, WOW members, media representatives, winemakers), music
21:00 - Park for entertainment program with A. Doko & V. Babin

Sunday, July 17
10 - 12 pm - Trg zahvalnosti - "In vino veritas" wine festival

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 23, 2022 - While the Dalmatian islands remain the most popular among tourists, others like the island of Krk deserve your full attention and you don't even know it yet.

Let's try something. Go ahead and think of a Croatian island other than Hvar. Or Brac. Or Korčula. Or Vis. Or Pag. Or Mljet. Or Dugi Otok. Or Lopud. Or Lastovo. Remember, there are more than 1000 islands in Croatia! This is in no way a criticism. These islands are positioned better than any other and for the fairest reasons. The reputation of its beaches, nightlife, traditions, heritage, and more precedes them. The marine traffic in the Dalmatian islands is impressive, and it is understandable. However, some paradises on the northern Adriatic sea have little or nothing to envy the Dalmatian ones.

One of them is the island of Krk, located in the center of the Kvarner Bay and belongs to the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county. Krk has an area of 405.80 km2 and a population of almost 20,000 inhabitants and is the second-largest island in Croatia. Known as the ''Golden Island'', Krk is perhaps the most accessible island in the country. Why? For starters, Krk is connected by a bridge to the mainland, which allows residents and visitors to get around by car and bus very easily. In addition, Rijeka airport is located precisely on the island of Krk, so if you have booked an island accommodation and arrive by international flight, you will not have to worry much about how to get to your destination.

If the island of Krk is your choice as your next travel destination, you will enjoy a place that boasts an enormous history as it is home to the largest heritage of Glagolitic writing in the country, premium wines and olives, one of the most important pilgrimage routes in the world, Camino Krk; as well as being recognized as a health tourism destination, due to its impeccable air.

Although the island of Krk deserves to be recognized as a spectacular whole, in this article we share a little detail about the destinations that you can visit on the island.

Omišalj

Omišalj is a historic town located on the north-western part of the island of Krk and situated at 85 meters above sea level. Omišalj's privileged position seems to have attracted not only modern humans but also prehistoric inhabitants, which explains why Omišalj has existed for more than 10,000 years. Omišalj is one of the oldest towns on the island and today it is an important glagolitic and cultural center. Learn more about Omišalj HERE.

Image: Krk Island Tourist Board

Njivice

Njivice is located very close to Omišalj and belongs to the Municipality of Omišalj. Also with a rich history, Njivice has been inhabited mainly by fishermen, olive groves workers, and cattle-breeders. Njivice has always stood out for its picturesque houses along the shore and the fishermen's boats and nets, creating a typical postcard of the place. Njivice today has modern and high-quality accommodation, including hotels and camping sites. Learn more about Njivice HERE.

Image: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons

Malinska

Malinska is one of the most popular destinations on the island of Krk, and in addition to its excellent beaches and accommodation options, it has an important marine heritage. Malinska, surrounded by forests, was once a timber export port and a favorite destination for the Viennese aristocracy. Due to its position, Malinska was also an anchor point for many ships to protect themselves from strong winds and tides. Today Malinska has a new and modern interpretation center, and the old shipyard is still operating on the same site. Learn more about Malinska HERE.

Image: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons

Krk Town

The town of Krk is the administrative, political, economic, and religious center of the island of Krk. It is the town with the most inhabitants on the island, with a population of approximately 7,000 inhabitants. It is worth mentioning that the town of Krk was mentioned by the famous Greek writer Homer in a poem under the name of Koureto. Undoubtedly, the highlight of Krk is its impressive cathedral complex, built in the 5th century. Learn more about the town of Krk HERE.

Photo: Mario Romulić

Punat

Punat is located on the east coast of the island of Krk and is considered one of its most popular destinations. Despite being considered the most recent town on the island, Punat also boasts a lot of history, culture, and heritage. There you will find not only one of the most modern nautical and marina centers in the entire country, but Punat is also the main olive-growing center on the island. When speaking of Punat, it is always necessary to refer to the small island of Košljun, where a Franciscan monastery is located. Learn more about Punat HERE.

Image: Krk Island Tourist Board

Baška

Baška is located at the southern tip of the island of Krk, and is definitely one of the most prominent destinations. No matter what angle you see it from, the beauty of Baška is undeniable. In addition to its spectacular and extensive beach, Baška also stands out for the architecture in its old town, as well as its various cultural and historical monuments. Baška can boast of being a very important part of Croatian history, as it is there that the Baška tablet was found, one of the first monuments containing an inscription in the Croatian recension of the Church Slavonic language, dating from c. 1100 AD, thus being one of the most important elements of the Glagolitic script. Learn more about Baška HERE.

Image: Krk Island Tourist Board

Vrbnik

Vrbnik is indisputably one of the most famous settlements not only on the island of Krk but in all of Croatia. Vrbnik is well known for its Glagolitic heritage and especially for its delicious wines, and in particular is its golden-yellow wine – the Žlahtina, with a great national and international reputation. It's not the only old town on the island of Krk that sits on top of a hill, but Vrbnik sits on a large cliff by the sea, giving it a wonderful view into the distance. Learn more about Vrbnik HERE.

Image: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons

Dobrinj

Dobrinj is located in the upper part of the island of Krk, to the east. Dobrinj includes other places of interest such as Šilo or Klimno, but surely the first thing one should do is visit the main town, which stands on a 200-meter-high hill. Dobrinj is very reminiscent of the settlements one can find in central Istria, also on hills. A beautiful destination without a doubt, surrounded by thick forests and with a great Glagolitic heritage. Likewise, many other important traditions stand out, such as its folkloric events, its typical costumes, its school of wind instruments, and its home cuisine. Learn more about Dobrinj HERE.

Image: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 13, 2022 - DaddyHood Europe has announced that the first-ever Dadathlon Festival will take place in Punat, on the island of Krk, on April 30. In its first edition, the family event seeks to connect dads and their children through sports and fun activities, and in this way raise awareness about the value of active fatherhood in the lives of children.

Almost exactly one year ago, in the town of Punat on the island of Krk, DaddyHood Europe organized the first Dadathlon race event. The strict measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic were still in force, so the event consisted of a symbolic opening ceremony that brought together 10 parents and their children, who participated in a race along the Punat promenade. Despite the cold weather and wind, the gathered families enjoyed a great day in which they could feel the exciting reward of being together with their children.

Last year's Daddyhood Dadathlon races took place in three stages:

• April 17th to 24th: Running with kids
• June 20th to 27th: Cycling with kids
• September 19th to 26th: Trekking with kids

Last year, 500 dads applied for Dadathlon from 26 countries worldwide for the virtual competition.

The 2021 Daddyhood Dadathlon edition was held virtually and to allow flexibility to participants, each event was open for participation for one whole week. The races were conceived for individual teams (one father with his child/ren). It was possible to team up with other fathers and their children, to motivate each other and have even more fun, but each team member had to complete the full distance of the race. Participants were able to choose to take part in only one or two races but to complete the full Daddyhood Dadathlon, they needed to compete in all three races/disciplines.

However, it is worth noting that last year's Dadathlon festival actually took place all over the world, as 500 dads applied for Dadathlon from 26 countries worldwide for the virtual competition. Hundreds of parents shared their photos on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #DaddyHoodDadathlon and #DaddyHoodEurope to show off the good times they had exercising with their children during last year's competition.

TCN was at the opening of the first Dadathlon competition last year.

Now, this year, the Dadathlon festival will be celebrated in a big way and again in Punat. On this occasion, the Dadathlon Festival will feature local and diverse events for fathers, mothers, and their children in the town located southeast on the island of Krk. In addition, this year's event is approved by the EU Commission, following the successful application of Daddyhood Europe for funds from the European Union, which corroborates the exemplary organization, mission, and vision of the non-profit organization. The main event will take place on April 30 from 9:30 am in front of the Falkensteiner Hotel Park in Punat, on the island of Krk.

And who is behind the Dadathlon Festival? Daddyhood Europe is a nonprofit organization founded by Marino Manzoni from Croatia, and Thomas Pickelner from Sweden. Their goal is to raise awareness about the importance of active fatherhood and its role in the development of their children. According to Marino, who has organized both Dadathlon Festivals in his hometown of Punat, ''the main part of the festival is the Dadathlon RUN, a 3km race by the sea for dads and children, accompanied by many fun activities for dads, moms, and children''. The festival is held with the support of the Municipality and the Tourist Board of Punat and is co-financed by the Erasmus + program, which is why participation is completely free.

''The kids will be able to try their hand at various sports and creative activities such as archery, table tennis, athletics, football, and karate, or join robotics or music workshops. They will also have a theatrical play and an inflatable castle!'', added Marino.

Marino Manzoni from Croatia, and Thomas Pickelner from Sweden, are the founders of DaddyHood Europe.

''And what about moms? "We haven't forgotten about moms who will be able to relax and attend fragrant salt workshops and enjoy Gin'o clock socializing and relaxing in the mom's corner''. Mom's corner, continuously throughout the day, will include:

• "Mom, how are you?" Talking about motherhood, by Nina Čikeš Stegić and Daria Mladenović.
• Presentation of the book "The Storyteller", by Martina Frka Milotić.
• Presentation of products and work of the association Women for the Island, by Jovana Čutul, Picolla Stella, and Miau couture
• Gin'o clock: socializing and relaxing with Kusshhh (Monika Kovač and Nives Matić)
• Workshop for making fragrant bath salts, with Almond natural cosmetics
• Mindfulness and breathing exercises, with Ivana Host.

In addition to the race and activities, this year's Dadathlon will feature a diverse gastronomic offer, and surely the highlight of the day will be the premiere of the documentary Daddyhood Adventure, produced by Marino and Thomas, which they recorded last year during their tour of the island of Krk with their 2-year-old children, and which seeks to raise awareness of the inevitable role of fathers in raising their children.

Daddyhood Adventure is a documentary made by DaddyHood Europe, in which Marino and Thomas explore not only the island of Krk, but also the importance of their role as parents in their children's lives.

And not only that, but this year's Dadathlon Festival also has a charitable side, and they will make boxes available for voluntary donations, which will be destined for the Krijesnica association, which provides support and help to children and families facing malicious childhood diseases.

To apply to the Dadathlon RUN race, you can register at this LINK.

To register your children in the workshops, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The complete program of this year's Dadathlon Festival is as follows:

09:30 - Gathering in front of the Falkensteiner Hotel Park in Punat.
10:00 - Opening of the festival and registration for the race for dads and children.
10:30 to 11:30 - Dadathlon RUN - 3km race by the sea.
12:00 to 12:30 - Telling stories for the youngest (Pčelica Nenica).
12:00 to 13:00 - Football for dads and children / Athletics (Atletski klub Krk).
14:00 to 14:45 - Archery 10-18 years (Maura Kal) / Robotics workshops 5-9 years (Stelaris).
15:00 to 15:45 - Sports workshop 4+ years (School of Sports ZVRK) / Music Workshop 4-7 years (Creative Krk).
16:00 to 16:45 - Karate 5-13 years (Karate Club Krk) / Majorettes 3-15 years (Majorettes of the island of Krk).
17:00 to 18:30 - Drama-stage workshop "Play with your body, animate your fingers" - Dad's picture book.
19:30 to 20:00 - End of the program and presentation of the film.
20:00 to 21:00 - Premiere of the documentary "Daddyhood Adventure".

Total Croatia News invites all dads from Croatia, from the Croatian diaspora, expats in Croatia, and from all over the world to participate in this year's Dadathlon Festival to spend valuable time with their children and family, have an unforgettable experience, and enjoy all that the wonderful island of Krk has to offer.

In case of additional questions, you can contact DaddyHood Europe via Facebook messenger or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You can find more information on Dadathlon Festival's Facebook event.

For more Daddyhood Europe news and content, follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, visit our dedicated TCN page.

October 19, 2021 - The ancient way in which the inhabitants of the village of Punat used to take care of their olive trees, harvest the olives and process them to produce the famous Krk extra virgin oil is now available to everyone through a new Stari toš interpretation center.

HrTurizam.hr reports that, in the town of Punat, on the island of Krk, an interesting interpretation center Stari toš was opened as part of the Olive Week. The Interpretation Center is actually a concept of a permanent exhibition in a unique space that reveals heritage stories from the culture of growing and harvesting olives and the production of olive oil.

According to the Turističke Priče portal, in the dialect of the island of Krk, "toš" is actually the name for the millstone that was traditionally used for crushing olives and producing olive oil. For Puntare, olive oil has been a currency for centuries, and locals will often recount how owning olive oil was and is equal to owning gold.

Modern technology today has accelerated the process of oil production and today's multi-hour production in the old tosh has been modernized and accelerated. But old toševi today come to life through heritage stories and become and remain places of fun and merriment, song, rich social life, and numerous heritage stories.

The interior of the Stari toš interpretation center building, which dates back to the beginning of the 19th century and has not been used since the 1950s, has been arranged and presented. Funds for the renovation of the complex come from the European "Interreg" program, and this area is one of the best-preserved olive mills on the island of Krk and is truly a valuable example of folk economic architecture. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Ministry of Culture also protected this building as an individual intangible cultural heritage.

The Stari toš Olive Interpretation Center uses modern interpretation tools to retell the olive history in Punat after restoration and interpret olive growing in the best way, preserving the olive heritage for future generations.

The 25th edition of the event that celebrates green gold, the Olive Week, lasts until Sunday in Punat on Krk. With this event, the citizens of Punat proudly show their tradition of olive growing and gathering. Krk olive oil from these areas is one of the most famous extra virgin olive oils in Croatia.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 27, 2021 - The pandemic continues to be a threat to the tourism industry in Croatia, and in an effort to preserve the excellent number of tourists this summer in their city, the Punat Tourist Board on the island of Krk has distributed AntiCOVID safety kits for renters in the locality.

HrTurizam reports that the Punat Tourist Board has provided an "AntiCOVID Safety kit" package to promote health and safety in this unpredictable time of the epidemic.

The safety kit was prepared in accordance with the Manual for Safe Stay in Croatia according to the recommendations issued by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

''In order to make it easier for our renters to choose to buy this product, we will distribute 2 AntiCOVID Safety kit packages to renters'', says Branko Karabaić, director of Punat Tourist Board and invites renters to personally pick up two free copies of the package in the tourist community.

The town of Punat has one of the most beautiful marinas in Croatia: the Marina Punat, also referred to as the 1st nautical address in Croatia. (Photo: Apartmani Manzoni)

"AntiCovid Safety kit" contains three products: Disposable three-layer medical face mask without filter - Type II, disposable protective latex gloves with powder, and antiseptic wet wipe for hygienic hand disinfection.

Commendable action of TZO Punat, which means a lot for the renters and the tourism sector in the town. The perception of security this year plays the most important role, of course with the precondition of a stable epidemiological situation.

Punat is a small town situated on the east coast of Puntarska draga (Puntar Bay), on the south coast of the island of Krk, only 8 km from the Town of Krk. The economic base once comprised agriculture, olive growing, fishing, sheep breeding, and shipbuilding, especially with wood; presently, the prevailing activity is tourism, especially nautical tourism, in addition to trade. The former activities that survived are fishing and sheep breeding, and almost every family is engaged in olive growing.

The town of Punat, on the eastern coast of the island of Krk. (Photo: F. Karabaić/F Media)

Thanks to the marina's year-round operation and events such as the Croatia Cup regatta and Olive Days, Punat receives foreign visitors even after the end of the season. Improved beaches and parks, rich vegetation, hotels, guesthouses, holiday houses, the Punat Marina – home port to all those enjoying the beauties of the Croatian sea and islands - sports and recreation options (sailing, diving, skiing, windsurfing, tennis, aqua park, miniature golf, hiking, boccie), homemade food offered in numerous taverns and restaurants, and the cultural offer (especially on the islet of Košljun) make Punat a highly visited tourist center.

Recall, tourists who have stayed at least three nights in commercial accommodation will have more favorable antigen tests. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports has ensured the distribution of one million and 81 thousand antigen tests in regional public health institutes throughout Croatia, which are available to domestic and foreign tourists. More favorable antigen tests are available for tourists who have stayed at least three nights in commercial accommodation.

The Ministry of Tourism and Sports appealed for the price to be uniform in all counties and for a minimum estimated cost to be charged, which should not exceed 75 kuna.

 For more on Travel, follow TCN's dedicated page.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of vaccination points and testing centers across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

April 22, 2021 - Fathers and children from all over the world are sharing a special time this week, doing physical activities and challenges as part of Daddyhood Dadathlon.

As it was announced by Total Croatia News, Daddyhood Europe launched officially its Dadathlon event on Saturday, its biggest project this year. Fathers from several countries around the world are now participating in prizes but also, and most importantly, to spend time with their children and encourage all families to join the initiative.

Marino Manzoni, the Croatian co-founder of Daddyhood Europe, says that ‘‘Daddyhood Dadathlon is a sports event created to inspire dads and kids of all ages to do physical activities together, inspire kids to a healthy lifestyle, but most of all to create bonds and memories for life’’.

Fathers and their children will have to complete a set of challenges based on physical activities such as running, cycling, and hiking. Those parents interested in participating can join the competition virtually throughout the week. For all Croatian parents, you can also register with the team name Run Croatia, as part of a collaboration with Daddyhood Europe.

Taking into account the current epidemiological situation around the world, Daddyhood Dadathlon has been launched in a virtual format, where participants can share their times and results and these will be ranked on a leaderboard.

‘‘By signing up, dads are also becoming part of a community of dads who share similar values and inspire other dads to be present and active fathers’’, added Marino.

Daddyhood Europe is a nonprofit organization founded by Marino Manzoni from Croatia, and Thomas Pickelner from Sweden. Their goal is to raise awareness about the importance of active fatherhood and its role in the development of their children.

Daddyhood Dadathlon gathered in Punat a small number of fathers and their kids to promote the event.

Last Sunday, as part of the promotion of Daddyhood Dadathlon, Marino’s hometown of Punat on the island of Krk gathered a small number of parents and their children sharing a special time by adding their first distances and times as part of the competition. Kids of different ages achieved the 3k goal with their parents, even under cloudy and cold conditions.

Considering the epidemiological measures that are being carried out in different parts of the world and given the great reception from fathers outside of Europe, Daddyhood Europe has announced that it will extend the first stage of the Daddyhood Dadathlon for one more week, until May 2nd.

‘‘We decided to keep registration open until the very end of Dadathlon to all races, but only the ones who do each race in the set time frame are eligible to get the prize for each race’’, emphasized Marino.

If you want to register and find more information about this year's races, you might do so on the Daddyhood Dadathlon site. You can also sign up and find more about the prizes on RaceID.

For more Daddyhood Europe news and content, follow them on Facebook and Instagram (@daddyhoodeurope).

For more about lifestyle in Croatia, visit our dedicated TCN page.

ZAGREB, August 27, 2019 - The Marina Punat Group, which includes a marina, a hotel and a shipyard, plans to invest 160 million kuna in renovation and nautical competitiveness by 2025, reporters were told in Punat on Krk island on Monday.

Minister Gari Cappelli, present at the press conference, highlighted Croatia's nautical tourism and underlined the importance of investing in quality product.

Croatia has 72 marinas with 17,500 berths in total as well as 20,000 dry berths, he said, adding that 480,000 arrivals and 3.1 million nights were expected in chartering this year.

About 54,000 boats have docked in Croatia this year and average spending per person is 126 euro in nautical tourism and 186 euro in boat chartering, the minister said.

Cappelli said nautical and health tourism would be important segments of the tourism development strategy in the future as they resulted in higher spending and demand. "Such guests want high quality, and quality and sustainable development will make our tourism competitive also in the future."

He said accommodation facilities which had invested in quality were fuller this year than others, adding that Croatia did not want to lower prices but offer quality product for them.

The Punat marina is the oldest marina in Croatia and the largest in the northern Adriatic with 1,450 berths on 14 piers for boats up to 40 m in length.

More news about sailing in Croatia can be found in the Lifestyle section.

Marina Punat on the Island of Krk offers a unique holidaying option.

A big anniversary for a small town on the island of Krk.

Have you ever been to Krk island? A selection of five quirky facts highlighting the island's records in several categories on February 5, 2018