February 14, 2022 - The 23rd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 11 to 13, 2022. This round saw Dinamo defeat Gorica in the final minute, while Hajduk's 111th birthday victory pushed them into 3rd place ahead of Rijeka. Here's our HNL round 23 recap. 

Šibenik v. Hr. Dragovoljac (0:5)

The 23rd round opened on Friday, February 11, 2022, between Sibenik and Dragovoljac in Sibenik and was perhaps the most shocking game of the round. 

The last-placed Dragovolac scored three goals in the first half thanks to Karrica (19'), Bristric (22'), and Majstorovic (45+3'). Galesic opened the second half with an early goal to make it 0:4 in the 49th minute before Frigan scored for 0:5 in the 75th. 

Sibenik is currently in 7th place with 23 points, while Dragovoljac is in 10th with 10.

Lokomotiva v. Istra 1961 (1:1)

Lokomotiva and Istra met on Saturday, February 12, 2022, in Zagreb.

While the first half went without goals, Lokomotiva'ss Salihu was booked for a double yellow at the end of the first half, forcing Lokomotiva to play with a man down for the remainder of the match. Drena Beljo put Istra in the lead in the 54th minute for 0:1, though Kulenovic equalized for 1:1 in the 80th minute.

Lokomotiva is currently in 6th place with 28 points, while Istra is in 9th with 22. 

Dinamo v. Gorica (2:1)

On Saturday, February 12, 2022, Dinamo and Gorica met at Maksimir stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, Ademi put Dinamo ahead in the 55th minute for 1:0. Kalik equalized less than 10 minutes later for 1:1. Finally, Orsic gave Dinamo the victory with a last-minute goal in the 89th for 2:1. 

Dinamo is currently in first place with 49 points and a game in hand, while Gorica is in 5th place with 29 points. 

Hajduk v. Slaven Belupo (3:1)

Hajduk and Belupo met on Sunday, February 13, 2022, at Poljud stadium. It was also Hajduk's 111th birthday. 

Nikola Kalinic made his re-debut for Hajduk on Sunday and played a part in the first goal, which Sahiti scored for 1:0 in the 13th minute. Grgic increased Hajduk's lead to 2:0 in the 26th. Zapata gave Belupo some hope in the 52nd minute with a goal for 2:1, but a double yellow for Bosec 10 minutes later had Belupo playing with a man down for the rest of the match. Livaja scored a penalty in the 71st for the final 3:1. 

Hajduk is currently in 3rd place with 44 points and a game in hand, while Belupo is in 8th with 23. 

Osijek v. Rijeka (1:0)

Osijek and Rijeka closed out the 23rd round with a derby on Sunday, February 13, 2022. 

The first half went without goals, and an own goal by Cestic decided the winner in the 85th minute. Rijeka's Abass was booked for his second yellow in the 3rd minute of stoppage time. 

Osijek is currently in 2nd place with 46 points, while Rijeka dropped to 4th with 43. 

You can see the full HNL standings HERE.

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

February 13, 2022 - Another milestone of cohesion in Croatia's digital nomad journey, as DNA Croatia announces the first We{dn}esdays Digital Nomads Croatia nationwide drinks events. 

After 19 years living in a country famed for its bureaucracy and infighting among interest groups, I am finding the Croatian digital nomad story to be beyond refreshing. So much cohesion and positive energy from talented and motivated stakeholders, who are gelling and forming a focused and cohesive roadmap to develop this new sector and opportunity for the country. 

At the heart of everything (at least it seems to me) is the energy of the Digital Nomad Association Croatia - the first of its kind in the world, if I am not mistaken - which is coordinating, connecting, advocating and promoting the sector with vision and energy. 

The recent Digital Nomad Reflection Day was the first time all the key stakeholders got to know each other and find out what others are doing in the sector. Four hours on Zoom flew by, and it was one of the best brainstorming sessions I have been part of in my time in Croatia. Read more in Cohesion, Unity & Planning at Croatian Digital Nomad Reflection Day 2022.

The latest landmark on the journey is DNA Croatia's announcement of we{dn}esdays, drinks for digital nomads and friends this Wednesday (16th) from 19:00 in bars in several cities all over the country: Swanky Monkey in Zagreb, The Daltonist in Split, Mama's in Dubrovnik, Beach Bar Bamboo in Zadar, and Rakhia Bar in Rijeka. A chance to meet other nomads, or find out more about the lifestyle if you are interested in becoming one or getting into the nomad tourism sector. There will be special drinks discounts for those coming. 

This is the first such event, and it will be repeated. All welcome. I will be raising a glass at Swanky Monkey, which is something I have been known to do there on occasion. So all welcome and please join. 

In other news, DNA Croatia has also launched its new Facebook page, which will be powered by the community. You can follow it here. 

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

February the 13th, 2022 - The yet-to-be-opened Kukuljanovo logistics centre near the City of Rijeka on the Northern Adriatic is the result of yet more investments made by Croatian post (Hrvatska posta), of which there have been several lately.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Darko Bicak writes, after spending the cash of an an investment cycle totalling almost one billion kuna over the last five years, most of which went to building new and modernising existing logistics capacities, Croatian Post (HP) is about to open the new Kukuljanovo logistics centre (LC) in the Kukuljanovo industrial zone near Rijeka. The facility is worth 60 million kuna, and it should be in operation in around one month.

Prerequisites for further growth

Croatian post explained that in the previous period, their logistics space in the City of Osijek was expanded, a new logistics centre was built in Zadar, capacities in Bjelovar were expanded and a new sorting centre was built in Velika Gorica near Zagreb, which, totalling a massive 350 million kuna, is the largest investment in Croatian post's history.

According to them, the Kukuljanovo logistics centre with its 5,000 square meters of business space is the final point of investment in infrastructure, which created the preconditions for further logistical growth and development of the company.

“The new Kukuljanovo logistics centre is an important link when it comes to raising the quality and speed of providing our services to all residents who gravitate to this area - Gorski kotar, Istria, Kvarner... Infrastructural investments in the network of sorting plants will have a favourable effect on the overall development of the logistics market across Croatia.

All of the locations of modern sorting plants are strategically selected and are placed in locations that are well connected in terms of traffic and are in line with logistics trends. In the past, such facilities were located in the centres of large cities, and today they're placed on the outskirts along important traffic routes.

The number of locations where the operational part of the shipment business, such as sorting and processing, is performed, while not reducing the number of post offices available, is in more than 800 settlements with a network of 1,016 post offices,'' they said from Croatian post, headed by Ivan Culo.

"With this investment in the Kukuljanovo logistics centre, we're completing this cycle of investments in logistics and logistics infrastructure in accordance with the development strategy. Employees, green energy and digital development are the direction we're heading in. Investing in logistics and sorting capacities, the digitalisation of processes and the ‘last mile’ in the form of a network of parcel machines has brought us to a completely equal position of the leading EU postal operators. We're no longer a trend-following post office, but an equal partner. Global e-commerce retailers recognised us before the emergence of the coronavirus pandemic, and we've justified their trust in us over the last two years,'' Culo added.

In order to be in the trend of the EU Green Agenda, the Kukuljanovo logistics centre will have a solar power plant installed on its roof.

An explosion of logistical needs

The growth of e-commerce and especially Croatia's accession to the European Union (EU) has led to an explosion of logistical needs in this country. The entire logistics sector had to find a solution in a relatively short time and radically change its established ways of meeting the needs of both private and business users.

The situation was further accentuated by the global coronavirus pandemic, and for many people, online shopping and the delivery of goods to their doors has become a substitute for going out shopping in the classic way, ie going to the store. Solutions for the "new normal" do of course exist, but they aren't cheap or fast.

The fact that the transformation of Croatian post, through investments in new technology and infrastructure, has been recognised, is confirmed by the fact that some of the largest Internet retailers, such as Amazon, AboutYou and many others have chosen them for their services in Croatia and the wider region. It's worth noting that Croatian post processes Amazon shipments even for Greece and Cyprus.

For more, make sure to check out our business section.

Rijeka is about to get its second wheelchair-accessible beach, namely at Ploče beach in Kantrida. An adaptation project of the western plateau of Ploče beach, including the new wheelchair ramp design, is currently in development.

As stated by the City of Rijeka, a working meeting was held by the city officials and representatives of local associations of persons with disabilities.

Rijeka Deputy Mayor Goran Palčevski said the implementation of the project is underway, and that one of its goals is to relieve the pressure on Kostanj beach, the only other beach in Rijeka which was purposely designed to be wheelchair-accessible.

‘We wish for the western plateau of Ploče beach to be ready by this summer, so that we would have two available beaches that are completely suited to the needs of people with disabilities during the upcoming bathing season’, said Palčevski. He added that any input or suggestions from the citizens who will be using the beach are more than welcome.

Representatives of associations of persons with disabilities thanked the City of Rijeka for this initiative and expressed their satisfaction that Rijeka will get another accessible beach. They presented several proposals and outlined ideas that will be taken into account and implemented as much as possible during the final development stage of the project.

The meeting was attended by Palčevski, Head of the Department of Health and Social Welfare Karla Mušković, Head of the Utility Services Department Maja Malnar, and representatives of associations of disabled persons. Namely, the Association of Persons with Cerebral Palsy, the Association of Persons Affected by Muscular Dystrophy of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County.

February 12, 2022 - At a press conference at Botel Marina, a new Rijeka Tourist Board project called "Rijeka Gastronomic Ports" was launched in cooperation with Abisal (Gastronaut). 

The tourist significance of the project and its significance for the destination were presented by Petar Škarpa, director of the Rijeka Tourist Board, while the project and the idea were presented by Karin Mimica, representative of Abisal (Gastronaut Club), reports the Rijeka Tourist Board.

The mission of "Rijeka Gastronomic Ports" project is to connect catering facilities and develop a new gastronomic brand with the ultimate goal of supporting the stakeholders in the destination and raising the overall quality and visibility.

Škarpa pointed out that “Rijeka can boast of a rich catering offer that has become especially colorful in the last few years. Citizens and visitors can enjoy different types of cuisine, local dishes, exotic restaurants, specialized restaurants, street food, or fine dining. Everyone can find a place "to their liking."

With the accelerated development of the offer, there was a need to find new marketing solutions to present Rijeka's gastronomy. To this end, to our great satisfaction, we joined forces with a partner, Abisal, which is behind several important gastronomic brands, and from which the idea for this project came.

Rijeka Gastronomic Ports will make it easier for citizens and guests to choose restaurants that will satisfy their tastes and different occasions, while restaurants, with the help of a designed communication model, will be able to present their offer structured according to specific target groups."

Within the original marketing concept, meeting specific set criteria, it will profile itself following its specifics and thus emphasize its quality in various areas of gastronomy and hospitality.

The port concept as a combination of cultures, goods, stories, and experiences can be perfectly applied to gastronomy, and this project will strengthen the tourist potential of Rijeka's gastro scene and enable a harmonious offer in domestic and foreign markets.

Guests will easily find information about Rijeka's facilities that will meet their expectations, both in terms of food and beverages, given the society they come from and the additional facilities they provide. So whether they’re looking for the perfect place for a Sunday lunch with family, a place where they can have a business meeting while enjoying a good brunch, where they can enjoy local fish or exotic specialties - the goal is to shorten their journey from a craving to a tasty snack.

"I hope that caterers will recognize the importance of interconnection and joint promotion and that as many as possible join in this strategic project which could achieve a big step in creating a recognizable Rijeka gastronomic brand with the ultimate goal of positioning Rijeka among attractive destinations for food lovers.

The registered catering facilities that meet the prescribed conditions will proudly bear the title of the selected Rijeka gastronomic port as a guarantee of the quality of the offer and service and will become the main trump cards of Rijeka gastronomy," added Petar Škarpa.

The author of the project, Karin Mimica, invited caterers who have not yet applied to support this initiative:

"So far, about 20 applications have been received for various gastronomic ports by seven restaurants (each restaurant can apply in up to 3 categories), and there are about ten more in the phase of thinking how to describe their offer through the port name. We are at everyone's disposal to help them choose or design the name of the gastronomic port that best outlines what each restaurant offers.

In the first division of Rijeka's gastronomic offer into ports, we proposed: romantic gastronomic ports; family gastronomic ports; business gastronomic ports; fishing ports; vegan ports; ports for wine connoisseurs; gastronomic beer ports, ports of local food, and ports of specialty, which include restaurants specializing in cuisines of other destinations and countries. In the meantime, we are receiving new proposals from both caterers and citizens - day ports - snack bars with daily menu change, workers' port, tasting port, barbeque port, and tapas port. We are open to all proposals that sound good in marketing and outline a restaurant's specific offer (image). The main goal of the project is to help citizens cope better with the diverse offer, and caterers to profile themselves through the common marketing platform of Rijeka's gastronomic offer." 

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 9th, 2022 - Two second-hand markets have been announced in Rijeka this month, one doubling as a dance party and the other for a noble cause

Fans of second-hand shopping in Rijeka can look forward to two pop-up flea markets in February where clothes and accessories will be sold.

First up, Mama’s Closet: a vintage/SH market taking place at The Beertija, a popular bar in the Trsat neighbourhood. (Among other things, they have 250 brews on their beer list - just in case you need a reason other than a love of vintage clothing to make the hike to Trsat.)

Mama’s Closet will have second-hand fashion take over a full two floors of The Beertija, one floor each for women’s and men’s apparel. The event is known as a dancing swap meet, as the market gradually turns into a dance party as the evening draws near. Browse the racks in the afternoon and get your boogie on after dark - it’s Saturday after all!

Applications are still being accepted if you want to sign up as a vendor, and there's even an option to share a stand with a friend. Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or shoot them a DM on Facebook or Instagram if you're interested.

The event is scheduled for February 12th, 2022 from 3pm to 8pm. More info available here (in Croatian).

A week later, another fabulous bar, another second-hand market, this time for a good cause. The Cukarikafe bar nestled in the Old town will host a charity swap meet named The closet of love (Ormar ljubavi).

The event is organised by the Croatian Medical Student International Committee - CroMSIC Rijeka. The funds raised will be donated to the Pediatric Clinic of the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, namely the Department of hematology, oncology and clinical genetics.

Unlike other local second-hand markets, this pop-up market won’t feature private sellers, but is donation-based instead. As stated by CroMSIC:

'We invite you to go through your closets these days and donate clothes you haven’t worn in a year, clothes that remind you of your ex, clothes you’ve outgrown, or simply clothes that don’t match your personal style anymore.'

Donations can be dropped off at the Faculty of Medicine in Rijeka in the week leading up to the event, or directly at Cukarikafe on February 17th in the afternoon.

Nothing of note to donate? Not a problem - you can simply visit the market at Cukarikafe and pick up a nice thing or two to support the brave little fighters in the pediatric ward.

The Closet of Love is taking place on Friday, February 18th at Cukarikafe from 12 pm to 6pm.

February 7th, 2022 - The City of Rijeka is participating in the Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, observed every year from February 7th to February 14th world-wide

The cranes on the Molo Longo waterfront in Rijeka and the fountains in the city centre will be lit bright red starting from tonight, reports Novi list.

As announced by the City of Rijeka, the city is joining the initiative of the Association Big Heart for a Small Heart (Croatian: Veliko srce malome srcu) and drawing attention to the cause by lighting some of the prominent city landmarks red for a week.

Big Heart for a Small Heart is a non-profit charity association of medical doctors, health care professionals and parents of children with congenital heart defects and other heart diseases.

The main goals of the Association are to raise awareness of the need for early detection of heart defects, encourage their timely and proper treatment, raise funds for medicines and devices required for treatment, and provide psychological support to parents of children with heart diseases or heart defects.

The association also aims to raise awareness of the public about what it means to be a child with a congenital heart defect or disease, as well as what it means to be their parent or doctor.

February 7, 2022 - The 22nd round of the Croatian First League was held from February 4 to 6, 2022. This round saw wins for Dinamo, Rijeka, Osijek, and Hajduk, keeping the race for the top tight into the spring season. Here's our HNL round 22 recap. 

Slaven Belupo v. Šibenik (1:1)

Slaven Belupo and Šibenik opened the 22nd round on Friday, February 4, 2022, in Koprivnica. 

Marin put Šibenik in the lead in the first minute of the game for 0:1. Belupo's Grgic equalized 16 minutes later for 1:1, which was the final score. 

Belupo is currently in 8th place with 23 points, while Šibenik is just ahead in 7th place with 23 points. 

Gorica v. Hajduk (0:4)

Gorica and Hajduk met in Velika Gorica on Saturday, February 5, 2022, in front of 1,600 fans.

Hajduk debutant Ferro scored from a header on his first touch of the game for an early Hajduk lead in the 3rd minute. Livaja scored a penalty to make it 0:2 in the 39th minute. Livaja assisted Mlakar's goal in the 58th minute for 0:3, before Livaja scored again in the 82nd minute for the final 0:4. 

Gorica is currently in 5th place with 29 points, while Hajduk sits in 4th with 41 (and a game in hand).

Rijeka v. Lokomotiva (3:2)

Rijeka and Lokomotiva played the second match on Saturday at Rujevica stadium in front of 2,855 fans. 

Muric scored two goals for Rijeka in the 25th and 39th minutes for 2:0 at the half. Dabro made it 2:1 with a goal in the 58th minute, before Vuckic increased Rijeka's lead to 3:1 two minutes later. Kulenovic gave Lokomotiva some hope with 10 minutes to go for 3:2, though that remained the final score. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 43 points, while Lokomotiva is in 6th place with 27 points. 

Hr. Dragovoljac v. Osijek (1:3) 

Dragovoljac and Osijek met in Zagreb on Sunday, February 6, 2022. 

Karrica put Dragovoljac in the lead in the 8th minute, though that was their only goal of the match. Kleinheisler equalized for Osijek in the 29th minute for 1:1 at the half. Bohar put Osijek in the lead in the 54th minute, and Caktas scored for the final 1:3 in the 81st. 

Dragovoljac is currently in the last place with 7 points, while Osijek is in 2nd with 43. 

Istra 1961 v. Dinamo (1:2)

Istra and Dinamo closed out the 22nd round on Sunday in Pula. 

Orsic put Dinamo in the lead in the 30th minute before Miskovic equalized for 1:1 at the half. Orsic scored a penalty in the 55th minute for 1:2. Istra played with a man down from the 64th when Caseres was booked for his second yellow. 

Istra is currently in 9th place with 21 points, while Dinamo leads the standings with 46 points in first place (and a game in hand). 

You can see the HNL standings HERE.

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

February 5, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as the second EasyJet Rijeka line has been announced, connecting Kvarner and Berlin this summer. 

After announcing its return to Rijeka after 15 years and establishing a regular line between London (Gatwick) and Rijeka, EasyJet now offers a second line from Rijeka Airport - a seasonal line to Berlin!

Namely, Croatian Aviation reports that from June 28 this year, EasyJet will introduce a direct line between Rijeka and Berlin, which will operate twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, departing from Rijeka to the German capital in the evening.

Airbus A320 aircraft have been announced on this route, which has a capacity of up to 180 passengers. Unlike the route to London announced until the end of the summer flight schedule, the Berlin line should be in service until September 3, 2022. 

Eurowings thus gains competition considering that it already operates in the season between Berlin and Rijeka. This line is also chosen by many Zagreb passengers who do not have a direct flight from Zagreb to Berlin. 

Recall, after fifteen years of absence, EasyJet confirmed earlier this week that it would operate with two weekly flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays between May and October 2022. Rijeka airport welcomed the news after announcing the return of Ryanair, Condor Airlines, and AirSerbia.

As EasyJet returns to Rijeka airport, the city expects the recovery of international traffic in the region and a record number of passengers arriving between May and October this year.

After many years of negotiations between Rijeka Airport and EasyJet, a consensus was reached. Furthermore, in talks with representatives of the relevant ministry, county, local units, hotels, and tourist boards, support and guarantees for promotional activities in the region were provided.

These activities are necessary to position Kvarner in the British market better, so it is planned to encourage and increase the number of arrivals from that market, which now accounts for less than 1 percent of overnight stays in Kvarner, said Rijeka Airport.

The city of Rijeka considers it necessary to reinforce its tourist offer and strategy to attract international guests after the pandemic that affected the development of the activities planned for Rijeka 2020: European Capital of Culture and the traditional carnival of the city canceled in both 2021 and 2022.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

February 3, 2022 - The new gastronomic brand aims to bring together local caterers and create a unique gourmet story rooted in Rijeka’s port-city image

The Rijeka Tourist Board and the company Abisal/Gastronaut Club have announced a new project that’s sure to pique the interest of all gourmet enthusiasts.

Rijeka Gastronomic Ports is a project that aims to bring together local catering facilities and create a unique story with immense marketing potential: a gastronomic brand that goes hand in hand with Rijeka’s port city image. The project would also offer support to caterers and improve the overall quality and brand recognition of Rijeka’s gastronomic offer.

The word port/harbour has positive connotations in itself and invokes a sense of safety: just think of the expression ‘a safe harbour’. A port is where we seek refuge from bad weather; it's a place that promises nourishment and comfort, a place we leave feeling refreshed, feeling rested.

Such feelings invoked by ports can easily be applied to other aspects of life in Rijeka; many catering facilities in the city already resemble little proverbial ports. If we think of restaurants in this way, as a caterer, what kind of port would you like your restaurant to be? Or, as a guest, what would be your gastronomic port of choice?

Perhaps a sentimental one - a family port, a romantic port? On the other hand, some might prefer to think of ports as places to conduct business and would thus want for this to be reflected in their establishment.

The possibilities are endless; as a start, nine categories have been established in the initial phase of the project. Caterers are welcome to submit additional themes for consideration, as the project owners are willing to expand the list with categories they deem to have marketing potential, i.e. they reflect specific features or services that could potentially be interesting to citizens of Rijeka and their guests.

Here’s the initial list of categories, together with a few prerequisites that catering facilities need to meet if they’re looking to participate:

Business port - restaurants in this category should have the best available Wi-Fi, widely spaced tables, a separate area for meetings, several modes of payment available, and ideally reserved parking for guests if the establishment is located outside the city centre

Romantic port - restaurants that have an appropriate decor and ambiance, and feature dishes made of ingredients known for properties related to romance - chocolate, truffles, oysters…

Family port - restaurants need to be equipped with a children’s play area and a changing station for babies, offer children’s menus and provide games or colouring books to keep kids occupied at the table

Port for wine connoisseurs - the restaurant’s wine list must contain a minimum of 30 wines, grouped by variety and including detailed descriptions; staff should be trained in wine pairing, serving and decanting

Beer port - the restaurant’s beer list must contain a minimum of 20 beers; staff should be trained in beer and food pairing

Port of local produce - restaurants should be sourcing a minimum of 70% of ingredients from local producers or grow their own produce, and provide documentation to support the claim

Vegan port - the menu must feature at least 7 vegan-friendly dishes based on legumes, whole grains, beans, nuts, fruit, vegetables, and seeds (not containing dairy, eggs, honey, gelatin, etc.)

Fishing port - caterers that either run a fishing business or source their fish directly from local fishermen

Ports of individuality - a somewhat broad category to accommodate all caterers who bring something specific or unique to the table that is not defined by any of the other categories. This includes restaurants specialising in international cuisines, provided they offer at least 7 dishes authentic to the cuisine in question, have the menu translated into the language of the country of origin, and at least one person on the staff who speaks the said language.

Caterers can apply before February 15, 2022 by filling in this form (maximum of three categories). Those caterers who have yet to ensure their services match the prerequisites of a certain port category can request a deadline extension of three weeks, provided they send the request before February 15, 2022.

The Rijeka Gastronomic Ports project was devised by Karin Mimica, a native of Rijeka and the author of the two longest-lasting quality brands in Croatian hospitality - Restaurant Croatica and Gastronaut. She has also organised several dozen conferences and projects related to positioning and branding of gastronomy in tourism.

The project is co-financed by Rijeka Tourist Board, who plan to organise a number of educational workshops for caterers in collaboration with the Gastronaut club.