July 24, 2020 - Due to epidemiological reasons, the traditional procession through the city streets of Sinj for the Assumption of Mary on August 15 will not be held, revealed the Franciscan monastery of Our Lady of Sinj on Thursday evening.

"We will organize this year's celebration of the Assumption without a big procession through the city, attended by thousands of people from different parts of our beautiful country, to avoid provocation, and God forbid, to be a hotbed of infection," read a statement signed by monastery guard Ante Covo, as reported by Slobodna Dalmacija.

It warns that we are celebrating this year's celebration of the Assumption in "unprecedented circumstances because we are surrounded by an invisible enemy, COVID-19, which threatens us." However, they say, that the parish, under the protection of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, has been almost unscathed during this epidemic.

In order to reduce the gathering of a larger number of believers in certain hours of the day, they will have Holy Mass almost every hour on August 14 and 15, and invited the faithful to carefully read the posters and choose the best time to attend Mass.

During Holy Mass, as stated, only the changing parts will be sung: the entrance song, the singing of the psalm, hallelujah, the gift, the communion, and the closing song, and the choirs will sing from the church choir.

The Sacrament of Penance will be accessible in the cloister and the monastery courtyard under the aisle, so that there are as few believers as possible in one closed space.

"During the holidays, listen carefully to the instructions of the Civil Protection Headquarters. Be sure to disinfect your hands at the entrance to the church and the cloister and, if the measure remains in force, wear a mask.

Stick to those measures that the Church recommends: take communion only by hand, do not give a sign of peace, try to keep a distance while you go or wait for Communion, during Mass, be with those who are from your family and your environment, avoid socializing with strangers, and if you do not feel well, stay at home," continued the statement of the Franciscan Monastery of Our Lady of Sinj.

This year's celebration of the Assumption is celebrated under the motto "Our Lady, be our salvation."

"May he save us from all that we could harm ourselves and others. May he lead us on a path that will soften everyone's hearts, open hands, strengthen faith, strengthen hope and lead everything to effective love," the Sinj monastery concluded.

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

July 22, 2020 - Everyone is invited to the concert of top jazz musicians ZZ Quartet, to be held in the unique ambience of the Kamičak Fortress, organized by the Sinj Tourist Board and the Cultural and Artistic Center Sinj, with the support of the City of Sinj!

ZZ quartet consists of Simone Zanchini, one of the world's best accordionists, a member of the famous Milan Scale, Ratko Zjača, one of the best European jazz guitarists and composers, Martin Gjakonovski, a bass guitar virtuoso and unsurpassed drummer Jože Zadravec.

In 2016, the ZZ quartet in Italy won the award for the best jazz album, while this year, they are releasing their fourth joint album.

The ZZ quartet has a unique musical vision that absorbs and reflects the integrity of musical interpretation, retaining an enviable individuality and superior masterfulness that extends from quiet intimacy to intense expression. They have a variety of musical inspirations as they include jazz, classical, world music and free improvisation. They worked on original compositions in which they made beautiful and unforgettable improvisations. Their unique sonic landscapes blur the boundaries between concrete musical forms and free improvisation.

With foundations in music history, they sovereignly step beyond the boundaries of modern improvised music.

You can read more at www.zz-quartet.com.

With such concerts, the Sinj Tourist Board is trying to popularize these musical expressions, but also to position the city of Sinj itself as one of rich cultural and musical tradition. Admission to the concert is free!

Respecting the recommendations of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and the CNIPH, the number of visitors will be limited. However, for all jazz music lovers who are not able to listen to the concert live, the local HIT radio will broadcast a recording of the concert at a convenient time!

July 21, 2020 - This year, in a different atmosphere than usual, respecting the recommendations of the National Civil Protection Headquarters and the CNIPH, we can expect a spectacular 305th Sinjska Alka!

The famous knightly competition is preceded by long and thorough preparations. After extensive training at the Sinj Hippodrome and the endless plains of Sinjsko polje, the Alkars have been preparing at the Alkar racetrack since mid-July.

Every day, Monday to Friday, from 6 pm to 8 pm, you have the opportunity to be part of a unique preparation. See the Alkars sharpen their skills and the Alkar stable horses adapt to the lively surroundings and sand of the Alka track.

Despite the summer heat, the rehearsals are always welcoming, and both old and young can sit in the shade of mature chestnut trees to follow the events on and around the racetrack.

As August and the Alka festivities approach, the whole of Sinj is beating to the rhythm of the horses, and. the streets of the city that lives for Alka, under the flag of UNESCO and Croatian and world intangible heritage, are pulsating. It all starts on Friday, August 7, at 5:30 pm with a competition for the 305th Bara. Saturday, August 8, follows with the 305th Čoja, also at 5:30 pm, and on Sunday, August 9, at 4:30 pm, the Alkars fight for the triumphant pennant and their place in theSinjska Alka’s long and rich history.

Entrance to the rehearsals, as well as to Bara and Čoja, is free, with the recommendation to maintain a physical distance of 1.5 meters (audience, performers and staff). Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of these unique events in the world and participate live in the Alka trailer!

July 10, 2020 - The opening of the Sinj Summer Music School 2020 was opened with a concert by a professor lecturer, and followed by the first of three student concerts. In the beautiful ambiance of the summer terrace of the Alkar Hotel, on July 9, 22 participants performed.

The Sinj Summer Music School is held from July 6 to 18, 2020. The project is designed for musicians of all ages who want to improve existing and adopt new artistic skills in a friendly and stimulating atmosphere. It is intended for teachers, students and pupils: violins, violas, cellos, flutes, clarinets, pianos, trombones, trumpets, trumpets, horns, guitars, saxophones, solo singing and chamber music. This summer school offers the possibility of musical training in working with internationally renowned professors.

Namely, renowned professors participate in the work of the Summer Music School, offering a variety of professional approaches and educational methods. The first week of the summer school features prof. dr. Karolina Šantl Zupan - flute, prof. Bruno Philipp - clarinet, prof. Boštjan Lipovšek - horn, prof. Gordan Tudor - saxophone, prof. Dušan Kranjc - trombone and prof. Dario Teskera - trumpet.

The second week features prof. Đorđe Stanetti - piano, prof. Anđelko Krpan - violin and prof. Wladimir Kossjanenko - viola. Classes are held in the morning and early afternoon at several locations in the city center (Alkarski dvori, Sikirica Gallery, Galiotović Gallery, OGŠ Jakov Gotovac). Evening hours are provided for joint music and sports activities and socializing.

After the opening of the first and second week of the summer music school, there will be concerts by professors, while at the end of each week, there will be concerts by students. The organizer of the Sinj Summer Music School 2020 is the Sinjska Alka Cluster.

Respecting the epidemiological guidelines, the Sinj Tourist Board invites you to join them at tonight’s concert of the attendees, which takes place on the summer terrace of the Alkar Hotel starting at 7 pm.

July 6, 2020 - After medical staff, firefighters, historical units and others, members of the Split Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired pilgrimaged to Our Lady of Sinj on Saturday, accompanied by friends, family members and priests.

Let us remind you that the occasional pilgrimages were initiated to popularize the Our Lady of Sinj Trail through the Revitalization of the Our Lady of Sinj Trail project. On Saturday, the pilgrims left at 7 am from Dicmo from the church of St. Jakov and Ana, and arrived in Sinj around 12 pm.

Upon arrival in Sinj, the pilgrims visited the Sinjska Alka Museum, where they were welcomed by the head of the museum Boris Filipović Grčić, and guided through the museum by curator Tomislav Barhanović. After that, they walked the streets of the city and arrived at the Church of Miraculous Lady of Sinj, where a Mass was celebrated.

These pilgrimages are conceived as a novena on the Saturday before the celebration of the Assumption of Mary. Therefore, the Sinj Tourist Board continues to invite all those interested in joining them in this unique and noble journey with reflection and meditation towards the largest Mary shrine in southern Croatia, the shrine of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj.

June 29,  2020 - After the medical staff, firefighters and historical units, many prominent citizens of various professions were led by priests on a pilgrimage to the Our Lady of Sinj Trail on Saturday.

Let us remind you that the occasional pilgrimages were initiated to popularize the Our Lady of Sinj Trail through the Revitalization of the Our Lady of Sinj Trail project. The starting point on Saturday was from Solin, at 5 am, in front of the Church of Our Lady of Otok, and the arrival of pilgrims in Sinj was around 3 pm. At that time, a Mass was celebrated in the church of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj.

Pilgrimages are conceived as a novena on the Saturday before the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption. Therefore, the Sinj Tourist Board invites all interested to join them in the future in this unique and noble path with reflection and meditation.

Mary shrines have always had a special place in the hearts of believers. They worshiped the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed to her for help in difficult times and troubles. The path to Our Lady of Sinj is a pilgrimage route which, from several directions, has been walked for centuries to the largest Mary shrine in southern Croatia, the shrine of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj.

The Sinj Tourist Board thanks you in advance for your announcement and warmly welcomes you!

June 27, 2020 - On Saturday, June 27, a new swimming season opens at the City Pool in Sinj.

As the director of the ‘Kamičak’ company Marina Cvitković revealed, all preparations have been made, and the pool is ready for use. From this year, and thanks to City Councilor Ante Šušnjari, who managed to secure an additional 100 thousand kuna from the City of Sinj with an amendment for preparatory work on the pool, in a colorful and visually more appealing environment, the people of Sinj will be able to drink coffee, enjoy ice cream and swim in one of the cleanest swimming pools in Croatia.

"We have updated and painted the space a bit, we finished the work in the engine room, and it is worth mentioning that we have one of the cleanest pool waters in Croatia, which is regularly inspected. The purchase of a new robot for cleaning the pool shell is in progress, and we have changed all the lighting fixtures in the pool so that our pool will be pleasing to the eye in the evening as well," says director Cvitković.

The new swimming season will take place according to new epidemiological standards, which means respecting physical distance and mandatory disinfection. The head of the city pool, Stipe Blajić, claims that the water in the pool, given the constant disinfection and sampling, is safer this year than the sea.

The working hours of the pool will be from 9 am to 9 pm, and ticket prices will remain the same as last year.

"The price of using the pool for the first hour is 10 kuna, and every hour after that 5 kuna, with the condition that swimmers will pay 10 kuna between 9 am and 12 noon, or three hours of swimming. The price of a monthly ticket for everyday users will be 200 kuna, and we have other monthly tickets depending on the day of arrival in the week," said Blajić.

The swimming school will start operating in July.

Source: Ferata

June 11, 2020 - The beginning of June in Sinj has always been full of sports events. Unfortunately, due to the corona crisis, many sports and other events were canceled because of the epidemiological situation. To justify the name and sports spirit of the city, this Saturday and Sunday, June 13 and 14, CycleCroatia, in cooperation with the Sinj Tourist Board and Aeroclub Sinj, organizes a presentation and training of MTB and racing bikes, both electric and classic, along with a lecture and workshop for the youngest participants.

The company CycleCroatia has been engaged in cycling tourism for many years, and two years ago, they also had a branch office in Kaštel Stari, where they launched their new Bike Point. They believe that cycling is one of the most beautiful ways to discover not only new landscapes but also your surroundings. Accordingly, the essence of their business is cycling tours. Cycling is generally beneficial to health, certainly faster than walking, and yet allows you to stay in touch with nature and the environment.

With this goal, CycleCroatia presents the benefits of cycling in Sinj, introducing curious people to e-bikes, but also to promote the Cetina region as an excellent destination for cycling, which is also one of the main goals of the Sinj Tourist Board.

During these two days from 9:00 to 17:30, with a free presentation, you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with a wide selection of different types of bicycles, master the basic skills of repair and maintenance of bicycles, and the youngest participants, through many interesting workshops and games, can learn proper traffic behavior and how to provide the most basic first aid. Respecting all the recommended measures of the CNIPH, a sufficient number of bicycles will be provided for all interested participants, so early applications are required.

All registered participants will have the opportunity to cycle in two organized groups. The departure time is at 10 am and 3 pm from Piket Sports Airport. You will ride with trained bicycle guides along the path through Sinjsko polje on a total length of 21 km.

The most beautiful possible way to spend a weekend, actively and in nature, don’t forget to save the date!

June 13 and 14, 2020, arrive at 9:00 am at Piket Sports Airport.
For more information and registration contact:
CycleCroatia (Via Tempora d.o.o.)
+385 91 602 2215
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

June 8, 2020 - The 305th Sinjska Alka will be traditionally held in Sinj this year on Sunday, August 9. 

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, countless planned events that would gather people en masse have been canceled all over the world, including Croatia. In order to protect human health, all power is delegated to epidemiologists who have been given the authority to prescribe measures and determine behavior in areas under their jurisdiction.

Croatia has somewhat returned to normalcy, but with the recommendation to continue maintaining distance, the main question in Sinj was when and under what conditions the 305th Sinjska Alka would be held. It has run consecutively since 1715, after all. 

This issue troubled members of the Alka Knights Society and the Alka Administration, led by President Dr. Stipe Jukić, who are most responsible for nurturing this segment of cultural heritage that makes Sinj, the Alka region, but also the whole of Croatia, proud. 

Slobodna Dalmacija interviewed Stipe Jukić to find out more.

Due to the favorable movement of the coronavirus epidemic, there are no doubts that this year's Alka will be held. 

"This year's 305th Sinjska Alka will be held according to ancient customs, as required by the written regulations of the Alka Knights Society and oral tradition. We will hold the Alka on August 9, according to the statutory provision that the Alka be held on the first Sunday in August, with Bara and Coja having to be held in the same month. We removed all doubts about the maintenance of this year's Alka, which was especially at the peak of the coronavirus epidemic, when the cancellation of various events began, so we worked out different scenarios for maintaining the continuity of our knightly game," says Dr. Jukić.

Preparations for Alka candidates and flag bearers in the Alka procession usually begin in the second half of May. Have they started yet?

"It is true that the coronavirus pandemic affected the usual movement of things. All Alkar candidates, or at least most, practice riding regularly throughout the year. So it was at the height of the pandemic. Alkars would announce themselves, come to the barn, saddle a horse that is, conditionally speaking, "theirs", and go individually or in a group to ride at the hippodrome, on the nearby Piket or through Sinjsko polje. Every Alkar who truly lives for the Alka trains regularly, as far as his work commitments allow.

Therefore, this year's delay in the start of joint preparations will not affect the training of the Alkars and their horses. That the shortened preparations do not mean an omission, we were convinced during the Ceremonial Sinjska Alka in Vukovar, for which the Alkars prepared for about twenty days, and which, according to the general assessment, was superbly performed in every respect."

When will the candidates gather for the 305th Sinjska Alka?

"Over the next few days, I will hold talks with the Duke of Alkar, Boško Ramljak, and Ivica Filipović Grčić, and then I will convene a session of the Board of Directors of VAD. The first gathering and the start of joint preparations for the Alkar candidates will begin next week."

During the prescribed epidemiological measures, most of the VAD's activities were dormant?

"The Board of Directors did not meet physically for almost two months, but we were in contact almost daily by phone or e-mail, we held telephone sessions and made the necessary decisions. The Sinjska Alka Museum was closed to visitors because visitors could not be expected due to the movement ban. In our Alka stables, activity took place every day because the horses have to eat, drink, be cleaned, new hay has to be put in... We managed to renew some of the horse equipment. During this time, we acquired a dozen new saddles and harness parts. Our phones rang daily. We were called by friends from all parts of Croatia who inquired about holding this year's Alka. Among them was a large number of our sponsors and donors who have already introduced the practice of bringing their business partners from the country and the world to the final Alka festival. We told everyone that we would strive to maintain the Alka under any circumstances, expressing hope that the pandemic would pass and that we would maintain the Alka in the usual atmosphere, with heightened precautions."

In the peak of the pandemic, were different variants of maintaining the Alka worked out just to maintain the continuity of tradition?

"The worst and only inadmissible would be no Alka. We peeked into the Alka’s history and found that the Alka was properly maintained even at the time of the Spanish flu pandemic. That is why we were united in the decision that the Alka must be maintained. At the same time, we knew that if the spread of coronavirus was not curbed, we would have to impose restrictions on performance. So we considered holding the Alka without an audience, raising tribunes only for the Court of Honor and the Duke, but not for spectators, and we also considered reducing the number of participants in the Alka procession to the statutory minimum of eleven spearmen. We worked out all these variants without compromising the ceremony and performance that make the Alka. Thank God, as things stand now, all those variants have gone away and we are preparing to maintain the Alka as usual."

Will there be a full crowd?

"Of course. We will still have contacts with the Civil Protection Headquarters, both local and national. If the pandemic continues to end in our area, Croatia and Europe, there will be no reason not to hold this year's Alka festival in its entirety, which means that the Alkars and Alkar boys will hold another commemorative event in front of a crowded audience and crowded streets of our city."

When, in that case, can we expect ticket sales for this year's Sinjska Alka?

"Along the dirt track of the Alkar racetrack, the assembly of grandstands for the auditorium with a capacity of 5,000 seats will begin in July. When epidemiologists definitely confirm to us that we can prepare for the maintenance of the Alka under normal conditions, we will announce ticket sales. We will put about 3500 of them on sale because we have to set aside about 1500 tickets for our sponsors, donors and guests. Last year, we sold tickets online for the first time and had a positive experience. Therefore, we will apply this practice this year as well. This year's Alka should be held in a calmer political atmosphere, as presidential elections were held at the end of last year, and parliamentary elections will be held in July."

For years, the most prominent state officials have appeared at the Alka. Are you expecting them on August 9 for the 305th edition?

"It is already a tradition for the Alka to be held under the auspices of the head of state. In this context, we asked the newly elected President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, to be the patron of the 305th Sinjska Alka, which he gladly accepted. The delegation of the Alka administration invited President Milanović to personally attend this year's Alka and we received a promise that he would come.

Of course, we also invited the Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and the President of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković, as well as numerous other high-ranking guests and guests from the political, public, cultural and economic life of Croatia.

The July elections will play the most crucial role in the composition of this year's guests. Regardless of everything, we will be happy to host them all on Alka Day, because we receive all well-wishers at the Alka Feast with an open heart."

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

June 5, 2020 - The Our Lady of Sinj trail stretches on the route Solin - Sinj - Livno - Tomislavgrad - Rama and is 148 kilometers long.

Split-Dalmatia County, in cooperation with the Shrine of Our Lady Sinj, HGSS branch Split, the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, the cities of Sinj, Solin, municipalities Dicmo, Dugopolje and Klis, the Tourist Boards of Sinj and Solin, and the municipalities of Dugopolje and Klis have joined forces to renovate and upgrade the Our Lady of Sinj trail, which will take place in three project phases.

The Our Lady of Sinj trail stretches on the route Solin - Sinj - Livno - Tomislavgrad - Rama and is 148 kilometers long. It is a pilgrimage route that, from several directions, has been walked for centuries to the largest Mary shrine in southern Croatia. The Our Lady of Sinj trail project has been approved under the IPA Croatia - Bosnia and Herzegovina program and relies on traditional hiking and horse trails and the abandoned route of the Rera, the former Sinj railway.

After the official completion of the project in 2015, there were numerous devastations on the track itself. Therefore, with the aim of further evaluation, Split-Dalmatia County initiated its renovation, but also a symbolic pilgrimage on the eve of the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption.

Ivan Alebic

Already this Saturday, June 6, the first organized pilgrimage of medical staff begins, as a vow and thanks for the successful fight against COVID-19. The starting point is from Solin at 5 am in front of the Church of Our Lady of Otok, and their arrival in Sinj is expected at around 3 pm. There will be a Mass in the church of Miraculous Lady of Sinj. Pilgrimages are conceived as a novena on the Saturday before the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption. The Sinj Tourist Board, therefore, invites all those interested to join them in this unique and noble journey with contemplation and meditation.

Mary shrines have always had a special place in the hearts of believers. They worshiped and venerated the Blessed Virgin Mary and prayed to her for help in difficult times and troubles. They trusted in her heavenly intercession, honoring her out of gratitude as the queen of the Croats. Throughout history, she was also called the fidelissima advocata Croatiae (the most faithful lawyer of Croats).

Every year, on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, on the nights between August 8 and 15, thousands of pilgrims, especially young people, go on a pilgrimage to the town of Sinj, and on August 15, a central religious ceremony is held. Accompanied by the celebration of bells and the playing of fanfares, the image of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj is taken from the church in a solemn procession through the streets of the city. It is a great honor to carry this image on your shoulders.

The historical connection between the faithful and Our Lady's shrines is enhanced on the eve of September 8, the feast of the Assumption, the celebration of the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is especially solemnly celebrated in Solin, in the Shrine of Our Lady of Otok. Rivers of pilgrims will flow from Sinj to Solin, as well as from many other places in Croatia.

It is a special experience to set off on foot along the ancient paved paths on a spiritual journey, away from the city noise, and to find peace and refuge in the safe shelter of Our Lady. Pilgrims will take the votive step to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, along marked paths through picturesque areas rich in historical heritage. On the spiritual expedition to the Heavenly Mother, they will pass by the remains of old paths and bridges, along the forts, forts, stećak tombstones, sacral buildings and museums.

By developing the accompanying infrastructure and raising awareness of the immense value of cultural and religious heritage, the trail to Our Lady of Sinj is active throughout the year, not only during the feasts of the Assumption.

The trails to Our Lady of Sinj are an excellent example of the functional coexistence of tourism and religion without disturbing the natural balance.

A valuable contribution to the tourist offer of the city of Sinj, Cetina region and Split-Dalmatia County is proof of smart disposal of cultural and aesthetic values and natural resources, which certainly gives a positive boost to sustainable tourism, welfare and well-being of society as a whole.