Split-Dalmatia County Prefect Blaženko Boban introduced a new stimulating demographic project on Wednesday titled ‘This is Your Home’, which aims to create the necessary conditions for young families in rural areas. The project hopes to increase the number of inhabitants and bring balanced economic development in these areas of Split-Dalmatia County, reports Dalmatinski Portal on March 13, 2019. 

“We are witnessing that in the rural part of our County people are migrating not only from Croatia but also to the urban centers within Croatia. Through a series of measures we have had so far, we present the top measure today. We divided the County into settlements where we dissected each settlement in our County based on the development index, based on demographic indicators, which was the basis for classifying the categories we included in this program. The public call for this program will be released tomorrow, and the interest for this program is already extremely high. At this point, we have secured 4 million kuna, and our ultimate goal is to bring back or keep 300 families in the areas covered by this incentive program throughout three years. Our wish is for this measure to be an incentive for all local communities in our County. Some of them have already expressed interest in participating in these programs through their own budgets,” Boban said.

Four million kuna has been secured for the construction and reconstruction of buildings for young families in rural areas. In the Split-Dalmatia County area, more than 200 settlements, 32 cities, and municipalities have been divided into five categories according to the development index and four categories according to the number of children covered by this co-financing program.

The project includes financing the purchase of land for construction, professional supervision costs, developing project and technical documentation, constructing or reconstructing uninhabitable buildings, and more. 

The value of individual grants is from 40,000 to 120,000 kuna for family grants. Applications are welcome from spouses or single parents up to 45 years of age and families that want to build their home in Split-Dalmatia County in areas within the development index.

You can see which areas are included in the project here. 

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

March 4, 2019 - Behind us is another extremely successful Carnival! Organized by the City of Sinj and the Tourist Board of Sinj, and with the collaboration of the Cultural Center of Sinj, for the fifth consecutive year, visitors had the chance to experience an unusual, colorful, and loud Carnival celebration. 

Almost 500 participants from Glavice, Maovica, Karakašica (Bukva), Vrpolje, Čačvina, Bajagić, Obrovac Sinjski, Gala, Gljev and Trilj (Old Carnival Trilj and OŠ Trilj) started from the Hippodrome in a procession on the streets of Sinj. The lively Carnival groups were led by Kristina Križanac, the mayor of Sinj, Mate Čota, a member of the traditional group of the Vrpolje - Čačvina Carnival, Zlatko Ugrin, deputy mayor and Monika Vrgoč, director of the Sinj Tourist Board.

After the groups paraded down the city streets, they gathered at the Pjaca where the central event was held. The brilliant and unrivaled Didi painted the long tradition of the Carnival customs of the villages from under Kamešnica mountain. 

And the Carnival did not fail to be comical either, when, for example, the group from Karakašica demonstrated how utility services should work in unfavorable weather conditions, and those from Gljev showed that bullfighting could also be held in Sinj.

The Carnival crowd then continued onto a cheerful party at Piccadilly Club in Sinj where they ate delicious beans, fry bread, cheese, donuts and live music by the group Priomani.

On this occasion, the Sinj Tourist Board would like to thank the participants of the 5th Carnival of the Cetina Region who, through their participation, completed and improved this event, which is essential for both the tourist promotion of Sinj and the preservation of valuable traditions and customs. They also thank the Association of SRMA and the Red Cross of Sinj for their invaluable assistance in the organization and preparations, and the Sinj Majorettes and Sinj City Music who performed at the event.

We hope that everyone has successfully dumped the evil spirits of winter and is ready to welcome spring!

On Saturday, March 2nd, organized by the City of Sinj and the Sinj Tourist Board, and with the co-organization of the Sinj Cultural Center, the 5th Carnival of the Cetina Region will be held.

Thus, for the fifth time, the town of Sinj becomes the center of the yearly carnival celebration, featuring carnival groups from villages under the Kamešnica mountain, which has a long tradition and boasts the best inventors and guards of traditional customs in the Cetina region. This annual Carnival celebration is on the list of the protected intangible cultural heritage of the Republic of Croatia!

This aim of the event is to popularize exactly this rich tradition of customs that is unique in Europe The layout of the Carnival parade is based on traditional rules, irrespective of any changes, with only men allowed to participate. 

The most attractive and impressive part of the procession is the ‘didi’ (old men), who carry the fleece of sheep on their heads, standing tall at a height of up to 1.5 meters, with bells around their waist. They are dressed in old clothes with colorful fringes sewn on. The 'didi' symbolize the ritual battle of good spirits in winter and chase them away by making noise and jumping.

In addition to traditional Carnival groups, numerous other groups participate in the project, which, with their comical, witty stage performances, complement and enrich the whole procession.

This year, numerous Carnival groups of the Cetina region will invade the streets with noise and colors from 15:00. The route follows: Hipodrom – Put Šumarije – Put Piketa – Ulica Miljenka Buljana to the bus station – Put Ferate – Ulica Kneza Branimira -Ulica kralja Zvonimira - Brnaška ulica to Trg kralja Tomislava. 

The highlight of the event is at the Sinj Pjaca where the groups will be presented. The program will last from 15:30 to 17:00. After the event, the fun will continue with a live music program in the Piccadilly Club - Sinj!

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

Photos by Željko Zrnčić

On February 25th and 26th, the tourist boards of Inland Dalmatia - within the Tourist communities of the regions, cities and municipalities, including Imota, Sinj, Trilj, Vrgorac, Vrlika, Dugopolje and Klis - presented the potential of Inland Dalmatia to the Association of Tourist Guides in the Chinese language to further promote the destination on the Chinese market.

Inland Dalmatia, consisting of the areas of the Imotski region, the towns of Sinj, Trilj, Vrlika, Vrgorac and the municipalities of Dugopolje, Klis and Šestanovac, occupy as much as 70% of the area of Split-Dalmatia County. It is a destination of outstanding natural, cultural and historical sights, whose wide range of tourist offers is enriched by its unique gastronomic and oenological offer.

Last year's Croatian National Tourist Board acknowledgment for the most successful rural tourism destination shows that the joint efforts of all stakeholders in Inland Dalmatian tourism are moving in the right direction. For this purpose, they have also joined a project of networking the entire tourist offer in the Vision One mobile application, a smart travel guide with travel planning information throughout Croatia.

The application soon gets a version in the Mandarin language, and it intends to present the Croatian tourist offer at the upcoming Shanghai Travel Fair in China. Thus, employees of tourist communities of Inland Dalmatia (Klis, Dugopolje, Imotski, Sinj, Trilj, Vrgorac, Vrlika) decided to host the Association of Travel Guides in Chinese and show them the beauty and unique features of this tourist destination. On this occasion, they visited the source of the river Cetina, the early Christian Church of Holy Salvation, and Perućko Lake in Vrlika, the Sinjska Alka Museum in Sinj, Grab mills near Trilj, Red and Blue Lake in Imotski, Ethno village Kokorići near Vrgorac, cave Vranjača cave near Dugopolje and Klis Fortress.

The integrated tourist offer of Inland Dalmatia is included in the mobile application Vision One and will, along with a translation into English, release a version in the Mandarin language, which is an excellent opportunity to promote Inland Dalmatia on the Chinese market.

The Tourist Boards of Inland Dalmatia have so far participated in several joint projects with the support of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board and the Croatian National Tourist Board, such as joint advertising, the development of thematic paths, the valorization of cultural heritage and the promotion of cycling tourism. This year, in cooperation with the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, they even have the opportunity to present the region at the ITB Berlin.

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

February 24, 2019 - On February 23, organized by the Tourist Board of Sinj, the eighth educational action “Tourist in Your Town” was held under the guidance of the members of the Association of Tourist Guides of Sinj ‘Osinium’ and the curators of the Franciscan Monastery Collection, Sikirica Gallery and Sinjska Alka Museum.

The citizens of the town of Sinj, as well as numerous guests from Split, Trogir, Kaštela, Čakovec, Đakovo, and the pupils of Ivan Mažuranić, Obrovac Sinjski - Han, accompanied by the classmates of Grozdane Filipović Grčić, had the chance to get to know the city's landmarks as well as the invaluable cultural treasures in the Shrine of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj and in the city museums and gallery.

The goal of this free educational campaign is to popularize the historical and cultural heritage as one of the main factors for the development of tourism in the city, but also raise awareness about its importance in the whole society. It is important to emphasize the crucial role of the tourist guides in the interpretation of cultural and historical heritage, traditional customs and specificities of our region.

Thus, despite the unfavorable weather conditions, numerous participants of this action enjoyed sightseeing in Sinj with the expert guidance of tourist guides Jelena Banović and Ivana Vulete. Fr. Mirko Marić curated the collections of the Franciscan monastery, curator Branimir Župić for the Sinjska Alka Museum, and gallery manager Dragana Modrić in the Gallery Sikirica

All the participants of this educational campaign were given a souvenir of gingerbread, which was specially prepared for this occasion by Ankica Župić.

The Sinj Tourist Board thanks all the participants of this educational campaign as well as everyone who helped in its realization!

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

February 24, 2019 - At the invitation of the I'Mamutzones de Samugheo - Ethnic Cultural Group, on February 16 and 17, members of the Carnival Association "Didi s Kamešnice” - Gljev participated in the carnival parties of Oristano and Samugheo in Sardinia.

As part of the carnival festivities, Inland Dalmatian Carnival Association "Didi s Kamešnice" - Gljev, presented the carnival customs of the villages below the Kamešnica mountain on two significant events in Sardinia.

The visit is the result of seven years of close collaboration between the Alka Knights Society and members of Sa Sartiglia from Oristano, who happily visit one another each year for the Sinj Alka and Sartiglia, one of the last Medieval games with knights and horses in the Mediterranean region. 

To further exchange traditions and cultural heritage, at the event "Aspettando la Sartiglia" in the city of Oristano, the carnival association "Didi s Kamešnice - Gljev" participated and presented a segment of Inland Dalmatia’s rich intangible cultural heritage of the carnival customs of the villages below the Kamešnica mountain, which are on the list of non-material cultural assets of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia.

The second presentation of the "Didi” was in front of 30,000 curious viewers at the 24th carnival "Su Carrasegare Antigu Samughes" in Samugheo, Province of Oristano, Sardinia.

The kind hosts organized a vibrant and exciting cultural and entertainment program including numerous carnival groups from all over Italy, and the performance of our ”Didi” did not leave anyone indifferent. 

This tour of the carnival association was a great way of promoting the rich tradition and customs of the City of Sinj and the Cetinje region while exchanging knowledge and possibilities for enriching the tourist offer. 

The visit to Sardinia, realized with the valuable support of the Ministry of Culture, the Split-Dalmatia County, the City of Sinj, the Tourist Board of the City of Sinj and Don Josip Dukić, is the basis for further cultural exchanges between Oristano and Samugheo on one side and Sinj and Gljev on the other.

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

February 20, 2019 - The Sinj Tourist Board is organizing the educational action “Tourist in Your Town” for the eighth year in a row. Namely, since 1990, on the initiative of the World Federation of the Association of Tour Guides, headquartered in Vienna, on February 21, the International Day of Tourist Guides is celebrated. 

On this occasion, all citizens and their guests are welcome to join the Sinj Tourist Board on Saturday, February 23, at the Alojzije Stepinac promenade, to visit the museums in Sinj under the guidance of members of the Association of Sinj TourGuides, Osinium. On tour, participants will visit the Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Monastery, the Sinjska Alka Museum, the Church of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, the Sikirica Gallery and the Sinj fortresses. The tour will last around 1.5 hours.

The first group will begin at 10.30 and the second at 15.30.

The goal of this free educational campaign is to popularize the historical and cultural heritage as an important factor for the development of tourism in Sinj, but also raise awareness about its significance in the whole society.

Do not miss this chance to visit the Sinj fortresses (City and Kamičak), and the always impressive Archaeological Collection of the Franciscan Monastery, the Church of the Miraculous Lady of Sinj, the Sinjska Alka Museum and the Sikirica Gallery.

Please confirm your arrival by phone at 826 352 or by email at 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 12, 2019 - Sinj and the Cetina region have long been attentive to unique and interesting events, but their Carnival celebration certainly belongs to a separate category. 

This year, the Jubilee 5th Carnival will be held on March 2nd. Numerous Carnival (or ‘Mačkare) groups will have the opportunity to present themselves to the public in the same place - resulting in a lively, cheerful and noisy procession which speaks to a long and colourful tradition according to carefully and strictly established rules. The Carnival groups are the best connoisseurs and custodians of traditional customs in the region, and the fact that they are on the list of protected immaterial cultural goods of the Republic of Croatia is also testimony to their grandeur. 

Željko Zrnčić

In the villages of Gljev, Han, Obrovac Sinjski, Bajagić and Gala, the Carnival groups have a unique and original way of displaying ancient customs, complete with the sounds of bells and other accompanying rituals. In the municipality of Otok, each hamlet has its own Carnival group (Jelašce, Priblaće, Živinice, Gala, Ruda, Udovičići, and occasionally groups from Glavičica-Priblaće, Ovrlje and Koritā), while in the municipality of Trilj, you can find Carnival groups from the villages of Grab, Jabuka, Košute, Vedrine, Vrpolje, Čačvina and Velić. 

Nikola Belančić

The layout of the Carnival parade is based on traditional rules, irrespective of any changes, with only men allowed to participate. 

The most attractive and impressive part of the procession is the ‘didi’ (old men), who carry the fleece of sheep on their heads, standing tall at a height of up to 1.5 meters, with bells around their waist. They are dressed in old clothes with colorful fringes sewn on. The 'didi' symbolize the ritual battle of good spirits in winter, and chase them away by making noise and jumping.

The 'Didi' from Kamešnica will observe the customs and rich traditions beyond the borders of Croatia. Namely, on February 16 and 17, they will be guests of the 24th edition of the carnival "Su Carrasegare Antigu Samughesu" in the city of Samugheo, in the province of Oristano, Sardinia. This important visit is the result of seven-year of cooperation between the Alka Knights Society Sinj and the members of Sa Sartiglia from Oristano, who happily visit each other during the Alka celebration and Sartiglia, one of the last Medieval games of chivalry with knights and horses in Mediterranean area. With the valuable support of Don Josip Dukić, this opportunity was realized. 

Željko Zrnčić

An exceptionally valuable publication "Didi from Kamešnica” was promoted on January 31 in the Alka courtyard in Sinj. In the issue of the Croatian Photo Alliance - youth for youth - a visually appealing publication is the result of a series of photography collections for children and youth held from 2014 to 2018 in cooperation with the Carnival Association Didi from Kamešnica. With the promotion of the publication, the exhibition of photographs of the same name was opened, as well as an exhibition of Carnival masks by the elementary school students Ivan Mažuranić from Obrovac Sinjski. The main goal of familiarizing the children with the culture and customs has been completely fulfilled - and the heritage in the Cetina region lives through all generations.

Nikola Belančić

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

February 11, 2019 - Inland Dalmatia is one of the fastest growing tourism areas in Croatia. Find out why in this new promo video.

Of all the tourism regions in Croatia, I have the biggest soft spot for inland Dalmatia, a magnificent region a short drive behind the mountains from Split and the Makarska Riviera. A region that has been largely ignored by tourists until the last few years. These days tourists are learning that Inland Dalmatia has a wealth of treasures which can be easily explored in a day trip (or longer) from the beach. 

My soft spot for inland Dalmatia stems from my first connections with the region. An invitation for lunch and tour of Sinj by the then Sinj Tourist Board director led to other invitations and the realisation that here was an absolute jewel that people needed to hear about. The local tourist board directors were all very supportive of an idea to connect all the potential into one English-language website, and the website Total Inland Dalmatia was born. It was the first time that any tourist board had supported any of the Total projects.

And it was truly a job to tell the world about. Some people were saying I was a great writer, full of fascinating stories. In truth, I was just telling people what was available to visit, often for the first time in English. There were other favourable factors too, such as HBO choosing Klis Fortress to be a key filming location for Game of Thrones, and the opening of the tunnel from the Makarska Riviera to the hinterland has revolutionised tourism in the region, particularly Imotksi, which has probably benefited most from all this positive change. 

What makes inland Dalmatia so special for me, apart from the friendliness of the people and lack of tourist crowds, is the sheer variety of things to see and do - nature, adventure tourism, heritage, tradition, food and wine. And can I mention nature again? There is SO much to see and do there, and the local tourist boards have worked hard in recent years to bring their various towns together to present one cohesive product. It is also a fabulous team building destination, as TCN writers found out a couple of years ago. 

And then a beautiful video from AS Media, uploaded this morning to the Trilj Tourist Board Facebook page, encapsulates much of the magic. 

To learn more about the inland Dalmatian region of Zagora, here are 25 things to know. An incredible region.

The City of Sinj was a sponsor of the Split Wedding Fair for the first time this year, which showed their initiative to promote the city as a romantic destination for wedding ceremonies, reports HRTurizam on February 9, 2019. 

The idea of the Split Wedding Fair is the development of a so-called “wedding destination", that is, a form of tourism that is evolving rapidly. With that in mind, the City of Sinj hopes to push itself as an ideal destination for couples to choose for their big day. 

This form of tourism would also promote small crafts and businesses whose goal is to strengthen their competitiveness in comparison to other cities in Dalmatia, and transform Sinj into an elegant destination for numerous weddings, explained the City on their official website. They even revealed a slogan: "Say yes in the City of Sinj!"

Sinj offers a beautiful park and promenade, the natural beauty of the Cetina, a luxury hotel, top restaurants, street weddings, numerous wedding halls, beauty salons, flower shops, jewelry, and catering, as well as stunning and romantic city views.

“We came up with the idea of creating a project that would bring together all the small crafts and companies involved in wedding themes and present them through online and offline channels to develop entrepreneurship in the city of Sinj. Thanks to many natural, cultural, historical and traditional riches, the entire city has the potential to become a stage for weddings,” said Marija Knežević Gusić, project author and owner of Angelus Communications, Public Relations and Marketing Agencies. 

"The emphasis is on foreign guests, but we must not ignore the local ones as well. Sinj is unique because on one street there are five wedding salons and halls, but they need to be raised to a higher level to attract foreign guests."

In addition to traditional weddings in churches, Sinj offers alternative and adventurous weddings. 

"Peruća Lake, the Cetina River, and the surrounding area are ideal places for adventurous weddings that include activities such as horseback riding and quads,” says Knežević Gusić. 

As for accommodations, a new five star hotel is being built in the center of Sinj within the historical palace. 

"There are also private luxury villas with larger capacities, and smaller family hotels. We do not currently have the capacity for large weddings, but that is why we are ideal for more intimate weddings with around thirty guests. As far as further promotion of this form of tourism is concerned, the plan is to cooperate with local and foreign agencies for wedding planning and tourist agencies that bring guests. We also plan to create a website where we will present the entire offer,” explains Knežević Gusić.

"I think this is a big step forward in the development of this part of Croatia because we think we have the potential and an excellent offer for various types of weddings. This has been recognized by the City of Sinj and the Tourist Board of Sinj, and we are moving forward with them in this project,” concluded Gusić.

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