May 28, 2020 -It's official - the 305th Sinjska Alka will be held on August 9, 2020. 

Dalmacija Danas reports that a meeting was held on Wednesday in the Croatian Parliament, where the President of the Croatian Parliament Gordan Jandroković received the Mayor of the City of Sinj Kristina Križanac and a delegation of the Knights of Alkar Society, led by the President of the VAD Stipe Jukić.

At the meeting, they informed President Jandroković about the preparations for the 305th Sinjska Alka, which will take place on August 9, 2020, thanked him for his many years of support, and sent him an invitation to this year's Alka festivities.

On the same day, a meeting was held in Banski dvori, where Prime Minister Andrej Plenković received the Mayor of Sinj Kristina Križanac and a delegation of the Knights of Alkar Society Sinj led by President Stipe Jukić and Alkar Duke Boško Ramljak. At the meeting, the Government was informed about the preparations for this year's 305th Sinj Alka.

The Mayor and the VAD delegation thanked the Government and Prime Minister Plenković for the financial support so far in the implementation of projects important for the functioning of the Alkar Society, as well as the continuous financial assistance related to the work of the Sinjska Alka Museum and Alkar Stud Farm.

Prime Minister Plenković expressed his gratitude to the City of Sinj and the Knights of Alka Society and emphasized that by supporting the Sinj Alka we jointly promote Croatian cultural heritage, values and national identity and that the Government will continue to support the City of Sinj and the Sinj Alka through the Ministry of Culture and other departments.

Along with the Mayor of Sinj Kristina Križanac and the President of the Knights of Alkar Society Stipe Jukić, both meetings with the President of the Parliament and the Prime Minister were attended by the Guardian of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sinj Fr. Ante Čovo, Deputy President of VAD Dinko Bošnjak, arambaša Ivo Vukasović, member of the Board of Directors of VAD Igor Vidalina and member of the Court of Honor Tomislav Župić, as well as the President of the Supervisory Board of VAD Hrvoje Markulin.

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

May 18, 2020 - The speleological section of the Mountaineering Society Sv. Jakov - Bitelić, with the support of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service - Sinj Branch, Civic Initiative Clean Underground, Hrvace Municipality, Sinj Tourist Board and numerous mountaineering associations, cleaned the waste from a pit in the Vrdovo area.

Croatian karst is known in the world for its deep pits. In Croatia, 54 pits deeper than 250 m have been explored so far, of which three pits are deeper than 1000 m.

Every year, speleologists find a large number of hitherto unexplored caves and pits. Exploration in large caves and pits takes years. Unfortunately, speleologists often find an increasing number of ecologically endangered caves and pits. Apart from polluted waters and geotechnical interventions in the environment, caves and pits are mostly endangered by waste that is intentionally thrown into them. Numerous such cases are also in the Cetina region.

Therefore, on May 16, the Speleological Section of the Mountaineering Society Sv. Jakov - Bitelić decided to host an environmental action to clean a pit about 60 m deep in the area of Vrdovo in the locality at the foot of Kondžomanovog umca, which unscrupulous citizens have been filling with waste for years. The action had the support of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service - Sinj Branch, Civic Initiative Clean Underground, Hrvace Municipality, numerous mountaineering associations: Velebit, Svilaja, Mosor, Kočari, Jelinak, Željezničar and the Sinj Tourist Board and the Cetina Region.

The purpose of the whole action was to develop environmental awareness, but also appeal to all tourists who visit the natural beauties of Inland Dalmatia to be environmentally responsible and not leave waste in nature.

The Sinj Tourist Board said they are pleased that the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy has sent the Croatian Parliament a Bill on the proclamation of the Dinara Nature Park. Namely, the new law will protect the Dinara massif (Dinara, Troglav and Kamešnica), the source part and the upper course of the river Cetina and karst fields (Hrvatačko, Paško and Vrličko) along the Cetina.

The protection of the Dinara massif in the category of a nature park is of special interest to the Republic of Croatia due to the preservation of original natural values, rich geodiversity, wild species and endemics and the overall diversity of natural habitats of the Krka and Cetina rivers with their tributaries, wetlands, rocks, forest and cave habitats. and other natural values derived from the centuries-old tradition of the use of space and the rich cultural and historical heritage preserved in numerous archaeological finds and cultural and historical heritage.

The organizers of the action thank everyone who selflessly helped in this demanding environmental action.

April 22, 2020 - Tourism is on hold, but most of us have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Sinj.

A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism. 

One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over. 

I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world.  You can find Zoran's articles here.

Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research. 

South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.

But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many. 

So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home. 

We started last week with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.

After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series. 

And it was no surprise to me that the first response I received was from the Dalmatian town of Sinj, whose tourist board is a shining example of how to run a local tourist board, and it continues a tradition of proactive responses from the Sinj Tourist Board. 

Back in 2013, I got the job as the official blogger for the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board. An email was sent out from the regional office to all the local tourist boards informing the local directors of this, and inviting them to contact me to discuss articles to write about the destination. Within an hour, then Sinj Tourist Board director Jelena Bilic had contacted me with an invitation to visit Sinj and discuss everything over a traditional Sinj arambasi lunch. It was a fascinating day, which I recorded on Canadian news portal Digital Journal, and it was part of Jelena's very successful campaign to put Sinj on the tourism map of Dalmatia. It was also the seed which started the launch of our Total Inland Dalmatia portal, which has helped to promote inland Dalmatia over the last few years. 

Jelena went on to be promoted to the Croatian National Tourist Board's director in Prague, and her successor Monika Vrgoc has been equally proactive, which is why we find ourselves in a position to Discover Sinj. 

Let's begin! 

Sinj, My Town and Sinj, Alkar Pride by Ana Rucner 

A lovely introduction from the Sinj Tourist Board website.

And a beautiful contribution from famed Croatian cellist, Ana Rucner.

And a charming overview of the town dating back to 2014.

UNESCO Heritage: the Sinj Alka Knights Tournament

It is the last knights' tournament in all Europe, and one which has been celebrated every year for 300 years since the Siege of Sinj by the Ottomans in 1715. If there is one thing which defines Sinj, it is this. Every year, Sinjska Alka attracts the Croatian President and other dignitaries and is broadcast live on national television.

You can learn more about the UNESCO intangible heritage above.

A journey back in time - Sinjska Alka in 1931.

Space is very limited for spectators for the Sinjska Alka itself, but in the days before the event in early August, you can enjoy the rehearsals.

And the Children's Alka event is a great event. Aren't those outfits cute!

Vela Gospa and Walking the Path of Our Lady of Sinj

Sinjska Alka might be the most famous event in this historic Dalmatian town in August, but it is not the most popular.

Up to 150,000 people take part in the annual pilgrimage from Split to Sinj on the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 each year.

The pilgrimage takes place each year to honour the Miraculous Madonna of Sinj, who helped repel the Ottoman Turks during the 1715 Siege of Sinj. 

The Siege of Sinj - a Spectacle Not to Be Missed.

The 1715 Siege of Sinj is part of the genetic makeup of the people of Sinj, and it is remembered in different ways. One of the most spectacular is the reenactment of the siege, which takes place several times during the season. Check with the tourist office for details. 

Discover Sinj traditions: Didi from Kamesnice.

The annual carnival pageants in the villages at the foot of the Kamešnica mountain, from the area of towns of Sinj and Trilj and the Municipality of Otok, have traditionally been held for a long time, handing down and preserving local carnival customs. In the villages of Gljev, Han, Bajagić and Gala carnival pageants have served as a unique and authentic way of presenting the age-old customs, interwoven with the sound of carnival pageant bells and other accompanying rituals.

Traditional hand-wheel pottery-making in Potravlje

Traditional hand-wheel pottery-making in Potravlje has been only preserved in this village near Sinj, in the Municipality of Hrvace, whereas in the last few centuries many other villages in the Cetinska Krajina Region were known for cultivating this ancient skill. Up to the Second World War, there were around fifty families involved in pottery-making in the Cetinska Krajina Region, out of which around twenty of them in Potravlje. The potters from Potravlje, or, as they are usually called in this region, bakrari (derived from a local name for a traditional earthen pot, bakra), used to supply the whole Cetinska Krajina Region and greater Dalmatia with their products. Up to the present day, they have sold their products at fairs in Sinj, Trilj, Zadvarje, Vrlika, Metković, Benkovac, Split and elsewhere. Apart from traditional pots, new types of pots are made nowadays, for instance, amphoras (for tourist purposes), flowerpots or pitari, and various miniature traditional pots sold as souvenirs. In ethnologic terms, a pottery-making tradition in Potravlje is categorised as hand-wheel pottery, where the hand wheel concerns a special kind of a small, low potters's wheel which the potter turns with one hand, unlike the foot wheel consisting of two wheels joined by a metal axle, where the potter turns the lower wheel with his foot. It is generally considered that hand-wheel pottery dates from prehistoric times, and in our region from the 4th century B. C. In most of Europe, this type of pottery disappeared a long time ago, having been replaced by foot-wheel pottery. Up to this day, the craft of pottery-making has been only preserved in two families in the village of Potravlje – the family of Jure Knezović (1933-2012), where his sons Ivan (b. 1962) and Pile (b. 1965) have carried on the tradition, and the family of Jure's brother Dušan Knezović. Source: Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia

A vibrant music festival scene - from SARS to Gljevstock

Sinj has a VERY vibrant music scene, with not one but two main festivals each year - SARS...

... and Gljevstock, which I was fortunate enough to be I think the first foreigner ever to attend, and certainly the first to write about it for a Canadian news portal back in 2014. 

And for a very good overview of the Sinj music scene, complete with English subtitles, check out this documentary.

And there are plenty of other types of music to enjoy, including more classical, in the tranquil surroundings of Kamicak Fortress and its summer music programme. 

Sinj Aerodrom, the original Split Airport and fantastic sporting resource

Sinj has its own airfield. Indeed, it was the original airport for Split decades ago. And what a lovely flight from Brac, for example. 

It even has its own air show.

And parachute tournament.

And if you would like to organise a flight over Sinj, it could look like this. 

Sinj's gourmet treasure - arambasi 

There is one dish you simply have to try when you visit Sinj, the delicious stuffed cabbage rolls called aramasi, which are a local speciality.

Did you know Sinj was the birthplace of football?

And they celebrate it every year with a tradition game between the Delmates and the Romans.

An adventure tourism paradise.

An introduction to the treasures of adventure tourism in Sinj 

Cetina Adventure, one of its most successful events.

The annual bike race To the Source of the Cetina River. 

And it is perhaps no surprise to learn that a town with such a proud Alka equine tradition has its very own - and very active - hippodrome. 

A webcam to discover Sinj

Keep in touch with the latest action live from downtown SinjKeep in touch with the latest action live from downtown Sinj.

Official Sinj Tourist Board, Virtual Tour, and downloadable guide.

Sinj Tourist Board website - in English, French, German, Italian and Croatian.

Take a virtual tour of the town.

And download the official guide for further reading.

THIS. IS. SINJ. When can we expect your visit? 

To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia. 

If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)

April 9, 2020 - The Sinj Tourist Board wishes all a Happy Holy Week and Easter Sunday. 

"After forty days of Lent, after suffering and death, a new life is born. Spring inevitably awakens nature, decorates trees in floral dresses, and coats winter greyness with green meadows. Up next is Easter, which will be celebrated differently this year due to the current coronavirus crisis, but at the very core, everything is unchanged - it is a victory of faith and hope, of life over death.

Every Friday, during Lent, believers participate in the Way of the Cross in the Old Town. In the meditative environment of the centennial conifers, just a few steps from the city center, an oasis of peace and tranquility and an ideal setting for this ceremony. The monumental 14 stations of Christ's suffering on the path to Golgotha were erected on the road leading to the fort and the covenant church. Each work is one of the eminent Croatian sculptors and a true masterpiece. The Way of the Cross is devotion in which all generations are glad to participate.

With Palm Sunday, believers prepare for the Holy Week, the week of the Passion of the Lord. The blessed olive branches remind us of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, and as a symbol and reminder, they will be present in our homes as well as in the graves of the dear deceased. The rites of the Holy Week, like Palm Sunday, will take place this year without the presence of the faithful, but certainly, no one will be absent in spirit.

Known for its exceptional and unique culinary specialties, the Alkar city prides itself on offering holiday meals where no one's table is scarce, from traditional lamb and cabbage on Good Thursday to cod, trout, and frogs on Good Friday, when "wine is blood". 

On Easter itself, the celebration culminates - on early Sunday morning, Easter breakfast is served, both in homes and with fellow citizens. In the last few years, thanks to the efforts of the Sinj Tourist Board and active associations, to the joy of the locals and their guests, an Easter breakfast was organized outdoors, an initiative that has received numerous positive reactions. The greatest Christian holiday is thus celebrated truly solemnly, in the spirit of communion and prosperity. The afternoon is usually reserved for family gatherings in nature, as the Cetina region is truly a piece of paradise on Earth.

We must believe that the present circumstances will soon be over and that the light of the risen Christ will dispel the darkness and bring us salvation. Until then, a Happy Easter to all!"

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 8, 2020 - Why should Sinj be on the top of your travel list after the corona crisis? A closer look.

CNTraveler (USA) conducted a survey in March on luxury travel trends for 2020, the year that will be remembered for the coronavirus crisis, reports HotSpots.hr.

A total of 565 respondents participated in the study of CNT readers who travel at leisure, at least once a year. This online survey was conducted between March 18 and March 19, 2020.

Luxury travel lovers are following the news and look forward to the situation changing, and are planning their trips accordingly

As many as 56% of travelers have canceled their trips due to the impact of the coronavirus in the selected destination.

32% of travelers said it was not yet certain whether the coronavirus would affect their travels or future travel plans.

Short trips are on the rise, as well as trips to domestic destinations

There was a significant increase (+ 20%) in interest towards domestic destinations and travelers who mentioned that they would replace their travels with a few shorter trips. 

Interestingly, travel to the Caribbean, an area not yet threatened by the coronavirus and still considered safe for travel, has seen only a small number of cancellations.

According to Bloomberg, the Chinese government has spoken about the prospects for rapid economic recovery from the coronavirus in the coming months, and this is expected to be reflected worldwide. Travel will also experience increased booking expected in May and June.

30% of luxury travel lovers will monitor the coronavirus in the next three months, and 43% will monitor the coronavirus for the next 6 months.

Travelers are looking for security at their destination and facility

The decision to travel is related to a number of factors:

- information from reliable sources about when it is safe to travel (52%)

- how secure a property is, how safe it is/whether public transport is recommended (46%)

- details on how to filter air in an airplane (40%)

- marketing communications of tourism companies (3

Until then, luxury travel lovers plan and fantasize about traveling, and when this crisis passes, they will travel as normal.

When asked which destinations CNT readers want to visit most, there were various answers, both domestic and international. When travel restrictions are lifted, the luxury travel audience will be the first to book flights, rooms and plan sailing.

According to this research, luxury travel lovers never stop thinking about travel and it is obvious, according to the answers, that travel is a state of mind.

So, why should you travel to Sinj once all of this is over? Let the photos tempt you.

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

March 2, 2020 - On February 29, the Sinj Tourist Board organized the ninth educational action "Tourist in Your Town“, held under the professional guidance of Sinj Tourist Guides Association Osinium members and curator of the Collections of the Franciscan Monastery and the Sinjska Alka Museum.

The citizens of Sinj, as well as numerous guests from Split, Trogir, Kastela, Solin and Omis, as well as students of the Ivan Mazuranic Elementary School, Obrovac Sinjski - Han, accompanied by teachers Grozdana Filipovic Grcic and Dino Fabijancic class, had the opportunity to get to know the city's sights as well as the invaluable cultural treasure at the Shrine of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj and in our city museums.

The free educational tour aims to popularize the historical and cultural heritage as one of the main factors for the development of tourism in Sinj, as well as to raise awareness of its importance in the whole society. It is important to emphasize the significant role of our tour guides in the interpretation of cultural and historical heritage, traditional customs and specific features of the region.

Thus, all participants enjoyed the sightseeing tour of the city sights with the expert guidance of tour guide Ivan Vuleta. The impressive collections of the Franciscan Monastery were conducted by curator Fr. Mirko Maric and Tomislav Barhanović through the Sinjska Alka Museum.

All participants were given gingerbread, prepared especially for this occasion by Ankica Župić.

The Sinj Tourist Board would like to thank all the participants, as well as everyone who helped in its realization!

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 29, 2020 - A meeting was held in Sinj for the informal clusters association of the tourist boards of Inland Dalmatia.

Ferata.hr reports that the meeting was attended by State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Tonci Glavina, Mayor of Sinj Kristina Križanac, Mayor of Vrlika Jure Plazonic, Mayor of Dugopolje Perica Bosancic, Mayor of Klis Jakov Vetma, and directors of tourist boards of Vrlika, Trilj, Sinj and Dugopolje - Dijana Maras, Andriana Ivkovic, Monika Vrgoc, and Tomislav Balić.

The meeting discussed the model of merging the tourist boards of Inland Dalmatia into a single cluster, due to pulling funds from the Ministry of Tourism intended for underdeveloped tourist areas, as well as from funds intended for associated tourist boards through quality joint projects.

 The tourist boards of Inland Dalmatia have so far participated in a series of joint projects and would continue to do so in the official form with the new legislation. This is one of the first meetings on the informal association of Inland Dalmatia tourist boards.

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 25, 2020 - On February 29, 2020, the Sinj Tourist Board will hold the educational tour “Tourist in Your Town”.

For the ninth year in a row, the Sinj Tourist Board is organizing the educational tour “Tourist in Your Town”. Namely, since 1990, on the initiative of the World Federation of Tourist Guide Association based in Vienna, February 21 has been marked as the International Day of Tourist Guides.

On this occasion, the Tourist Board invites all esteemed citizens and their guests to join them on Saturday, February 29, at 11 am, at the Alojzije Stepinac Promenade, from where you will visit the Franciscan Monastery Archeological Collection and the Sinjska Alka Museum, the Church of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj and the Kamičak Fortress, under the expert guidance of the members of the Sinj Osinium Tourist Guides Association (duration of the tour - 2 hours).

The aim of this free educational tour is to popularize the historical and cultural heritage as an essential factor for the development of tourism in Sinj, but also to raise awareness of its importance in the whole society.

Do not miss out on the chance to visit the Church of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, Kamičak fortress, as well as impressive exhibits of the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Monastery and the Sinjska Alka Museum.

Please confirm your arrival by telephone at 826 352 or by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 22, 2020 -  The Croatian National Tourist Board (HTZ) is presenting its tourist offer at the f.re.e fair in Munich, one of the most important fairs in the German market, from February 19 to 23. This year, Croatia expects a 3% increase from German tourists.

HRTurizam reports that before the fair, a large tourist delegation from Central Dalmatia, namely 70 Alkars, Alka boys, and members of Sinj City Music, paraded in the very center of Marienplatz and delighted many passers-by in the Bavarian capital.

HTZ Director Kristjan Stanicic is currently in Munich, meeting with Michael Hinterdobler, Bavarian Government envoy and Assistant Minister for International and European Affairs, with Prince Leopold Von Bayern, Konig Ludwig Kaltenberg, who owns the Kaltenberg brand, but also with Evelyne Menges, Member of the Munich City Hall. State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism Tonci Glavina and President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Luka Burilovic also visited the fair on Friday.

HTZ

“Presenting at the Munich fair is of utmost importance to us because Germans, especially residents of southern provinces such as Bavaria, have, for the most part, made up the total tourist traffic in Croatia for years. This year we have enriched our appearance at the fair with a great presentation of the Alkars and our 300-year unique event Sinjska Alka, and we met with key strategic partners such as FTI Touristik, the third-largest tour operator in Europe and IDRiva Tours, a tour operator specializing in bringing German guests to Croatia which forecasts market growth for Croatian destinations,” said Croatian National Tourist Board Director Kristjan Stanicic, adding that up to now, the German market saw an increase of 25 percent in arrivals and 18 percent in overnights compared to the same period last year, while overall traffic growth from the German market is expected to be up to 3 percent in 2020.

"The level of sales from the German market so far is higher than last year, which makes us very happy. Air connectivity has a big impact on the growth of tourist traffic, so this year we expect to continue establishing additional airlines from Germany. The tourism market is increasingly changing, thus increasing numbers of German tourists are turning towards sustainability, that is, products and offers with a built-in nature conservation component. Therefore, it is in this segment that we see the great potential and opportunity to strengthen our position in the future in this extremely important market for us,” said State Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Tonci Glavina.

The Alkars are a special attraction at the fair and the main city square in Munich. After the Alkars paraded in the center of Munich, the fair hosted a program of the Alkar Knights Society and the Sinj City Music, through which Split-Dalmatia County was presented. With this presentation, they wanted to popularize the UNESCO protected knight's competition, but also Central Dalmatia and the whole of Croatia as a tourist destination.

Head of the Croatian National Tourist Board branch in Munich, Nera Miličić, emphasized that it is her special honor to host the Sinj Alkars in Munich and to promote the Sinjska Alka at the largest Bavarian tourism fair.

HTZ

“The Alka is a symbol of patriotism and I am proud that we have presented the UNESCO list of intangible heritage to the Bavarians, who are our most numerous guests, part of the Croatian culture and tradition. The ceremonial procession of the Alkars and the Alkar boys, together with the Sinj City Music, between the three medieval Munich gates, was a special attraction for the residents and visitors of Munich, as well as the pride of many Croats living in Bavaria,” said Miličić, adding that the Sinj Alka and the Bavarian Kaltenberg knights are part of Europe's cultural heritage and have agreed on cooperation.

A special novelty at this year's fair is the refreshed visual appearance of the HTZ booth, which is enriched with red and white squares as an ode to the upcoming European Football Championship. Visitors to the fair can taste commemorative Alkar and the Heart of the Adriatic cocktails, while top-quality Croatian wines are served under the brand name “Vina Croatia - mosaic wines” organized by HGK and HTZ.

Within the Croatian National Tourist Board stand, a total of 24 co-exhibitors are represented at the fair, including the Dubrovnik-Neretva, Split-Dalmatia and Vukovar-Srijem (Slavonia cluster) tourist boards, the Zagreb and Dubrovnik tourist boards, as well as numerous economic and tourism entities.

HTZ

Last year, a record 3 million tourist arrivals and more than 21 million overnight stays were recorded from the German market, representing a 3 percent growth in arrivals compared to 2018.

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

February 18, 2020 - Behind us is another hugely successful Cetina region Carnival.

Organized by the City of Sinj, the Sinj Tourist Board and the Sinj Krnjeval Association, for the sixth consecutive year, we had the opportunity to experience an unusual, colorful, noisy and cheerful carnival procession. Nearly 400 participants from Glavice, Karakašica (Bukva), Vrpolje, Čačvina, Bajagić, Obrovac Sinjski, Gala, Gljev, Krenjaval Association of Sinj and Grobničko Donolaši (a traditional carnival group from Čavle near Rijeka), started from the hippodrome and continued through the streets of Sinj. The lively groups were led by Kristina Krizanac, Mayor of the City of Sinj, and Monika Vrgoc, Director of the Sinj Tourist Board.

After a parade through the city streets, the carnival groups gathered in the Pjaca where the central event was staged. The splendid and inimitable didi vividly portrayed the long and unique tradition of carnival customs of the Cetina region.

The carnival groups didn’t fail to be comical either. For example, the Karakašica group demonstrated that local transport provides passengers with emergency services.

The carnival crowd continued their colorful day at Dr. Franjo Tudjman's Square in Sinj with delicious beans, donuts and live music by Piromani.

It is worth noting that the 6th Cetina carnival was perpetuated by famous photographer Sime Strikoman with his 701 and 702nd-millennium photography at the Hippodrome in Sinj.

On this occasion, the Sinj Tourist Board would like to thank all participants of the jubilee 6th Carnival of the Cetina Region who, through their participation, supplemented and refined this event, important both for the tourist promotion of Sinj and for the preservation of valuable traditions and carnival customs. 

They would also like to thank the SRMA and the Red Cross Sinj for their valuable assistance in organizing and preparing the Sinj Majorettes and Sinj City Music for their performances, as well as the employees of KUS-Sinj, JVD Sinj, PP Sinj, Cetinska Krajina Čistoća, Alkar Hotel, Alkar KK and Zagrebačka Brewery.

We hope that we have successfully driven away the evil spirits of winter and welcomed spring!

To read more about Inland Dalmatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

Photos by Ivan Pavičić and Roko Pavlinušić