January 28, 2021 - This year's Sinj Museum Night event will be held on Friday, January 29!

The program at the Sinjska Alka Museum, which will be available from 6 to 11 pm, will be completely virtual. During its duration, two video games and a quiz will be promoted, a virtual walk around the Museum will be organized, as well as a quiz prize game, in which the winner will be chosen from those who answer most questions.

The information will be posted via Instagram and Facebook.

Museum Night Program 2021

The virtual game 'In the middle' is a simulation of the Alka competition. The player rides a horse and tries to hit "in the middle" and collect as many points as possible.

More info HERE

Battle of 1715 is a strategic game for several players, one of whom is on the side of the Ottomans, and the other on the side of Alkars. Through clever strategy, players try to incapacitate the enemy or conquer the Fortress.

More info HERE

Koliko punata? is an online quiz in which players can test their knowledge of the history and culture related to the Sinjska Alka with friends, acquaintances, and others on the Internet!

More info HERE

Virtual walk - On the www.alka.hr website, with a large number of photos and information about Sinjska Alka, the Alka Knights Society Sinj and the Sinjska Museum, you can take a virtual walk through the Museum.

More info HERE

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

December 21, 2020 - Organized by members of the Speleo section of the Sv. Jakov Mountaineering Society from Bitelić, on Saturday, December 19, a unique Christmas tree was decorated inside a pit on Vrdovo, about 30 meters deep.

The Dinaric area is full of sinkholes, hidden pits, and caves, which, unfortunately, are often targeted by irresponsible individuals. Instead of serving a natural purpose, they are often turned into illegal landfills of various types of waste. However, the speleological section PD Sv. Jakov, in cooperation with numerous colleagues from all over Croatia, organized several ecological actions to clean the pits throughout the year to preserve them.

This seemingly unusual year has prevented the organization from numerous cultural and sporting events and competitions, but as we find ourselves in anticipation of Christmas, the happiest Catholic holiday, members of the speleological section of Sv. Jakov contributed to this year's Christmas mood in a truly unique way.

Namely, the members decorated a Christmas tree and recorded a video inside the pit, about 30 meters deep, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and successful New Year.

December 4, 2020 - An Advent message from the Sinj Tourist Board. 

On Sunday we lit the first Advent candle, the symbolic meaning of Hope, eyes fixed on the stable of Bethlehem and open hearts for the second coming of the Savior. It is the wondrous symbolism of the circle of the Advent wreath, which has neither beginning nor end, and the candle, the little flame of the strong light of the world that breaks our darkness.

Hope is what we have never needed so much in these uncertain times where there is a global threat to health and life as we know it. The unwavering certainty of Christmas joy truly instills hope that humanity will overcome this obstacle as well, but also learn a lesson about true values.

Indeed, without the glitter of the decorated streets, without the delicious fare of Advent houses, without social networks overloaded with selfies - what’s left? The only thing left is love and togetherness that will overcome all challenges.

Perhaps this temporary alienation (yes, this too will pass!) reminds us of some, not so ancient times, and the traditional customs of this magical holiday period full of anticipation. Why not revive them and pass them on to younger generations, as they brought our ancestors so much sincere joy and fulfillment?

Monika Vrgoc

Since ancient times, the people have especially loved the celebrations of two dear saints, St. Nicholas and St. Lucia. According to legend, St. Nicholas provided a dowry to the daughters of a poor nobleman by secretly inserting bags of gold coins through the window. Today, good children are happy to wait for him, while the wicked are afraid of his companion, Krampus. Let’s not forget that once upon a time, children rejoiced in small sweets or rare fruits with the same zeal as today’s most expensive toy or the latest smart gadget.

St. Lucia, the patroness of sight, eyes, and female handicrafts, also gifted children. Some interesting customs are associated with her holiday. In addition to the traditional sowing of wheat to decorate the Christmas table and candles, symbols of prosperity and fertility, our ancestors used to write down the weather for 12 days until Christmas and thus monitor what the weather will be like in each month next year. There was also superstition - girls would write the names of young men on eleven pieces of paper and leave one blank. Every day until Christmas, they would pull out a piece of paper - if the last one was left blank - they would not get married!

Ditinjce, Materice, and Očići are beautiful old customs related to the three weeks before Christmas.

For Ditinjci, older people ask their children to give them fruit as a ransom, and on the second Sunday before Christmas, Materice is held. Then, the men ask for a gift from the women, and the mothers give sweets and fruit to the children, who recite in unison:

"Valjen Isus, gazdarice,

čestitan ti Materice.

Došao sam preko mora

da mi dadeš koji ora'.

Potrala me teška muka

da mi dadeš česam luka.

Natrala me teška zima

da mi dadeš čašu vina.

Natrala me ljuta muka

da mi dadeš i jabuka."

A week after Materice, Očići is celebrated, and children would say similar things to fathers as they did to mothers the week before. They would also go from house to house, congratulating all the other men among the relatives and neighbors, and greet them:

"Faljen Isus, očići, božićno je vrime,

mi smo došli sada tražit’ vaše otkupljenje.

Pođite na tavan, donesite mese,

ako nije suvo, otvorite kese.

Ako ništa nema, višanje se sprema!

Svim očevima neka su sritni Očići!"

In giving and spiritual communion, Christmas Eve would come, the day before Christmas itself. The word 'badnjak' (Christmas Eve) is a legacy of the Old Church Slavonic language, and both possible meanings are very beautiful and significant: either from the verb bdjeti or from razbadariti se - to wake up! Let's watch and wake up! On this day, the people traditionally fast, prepare food for a rich Christmas feast and decorate homes, barns, and gardens with herbs. It was most often adorned with ivy, olive, and laurel branches. The Christmas tree was once adorned with candles (symbols of hope and divinity), walnuts painted in silver or gold, hazelnuts, apples, figs, decorative paper, and more.

In the Cetina region, it was customary for the host to take a bowl of blessed water to sprinkle around the house, in the barn: on sheep, horses, and cattle. The children would decorate the tree, the women would prepare bakalar. The preparation of pogača was common and for this region it was typically unleavened garlic pogača. In the evening, the host would bring straw into the house and spread it on the floor while the Lord's Prayer was said, and then three Christmas trees (a tree with a carved cross, a symbol of the Holy Trinity) would be brought in with the words "Welcome Christmas Eve and the Holy Birth!"

Two Christmas trees would then be ordered, and the third would be left for the New Year. A Christmas candle pressed into a bowl with grain was lit by the flame of Christmas Eve. After dinner, everyone would toast with wine and take a sip from a wooden mug. Usually, the host would then dip the bread into the wine and extinguish the candle with it while the others prayed and said, "Bring grain, bear wine."

It is believed that the first to die is the one who's candle smoke went out first. In a cheerful and good mood, the whole family would go until midnight. The straw brought in on Christmas Eve would be brought out by the hostess on the feast of John the Baptist and sprinkled in the fields and gardens, and then the ashes from the hearth were collected because it was believed to be holy and would protect from evil.

Monika Vrgoc

We may be deprived of many traditional Christmas concerts, fairs, and other tourist program activities, but it allows us to dedicate ourselves to humanitarian and educational actions; give a helping hand to the less fortunate, opening our hearts and giving warmth and comfort when anxieties overwhelm us.

In the power and flame of the remaining Advent candles - the second Sunday candle of reconciliation or Bethlehem - brings peace, the third pastoral - celebrates joy and happiness, and the fourth candle, the candle of angels, brings love.

And when we can again celebrate side by side, face to face, we will joyfully repeat the words of St. Paul: "Maranatha!", "The Lord has come!"

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

November 17, 2020 - The Sinj Tourist Board, in cooperation with the City of Sinj, the Our Lady of Sinj Sanctuary, and the Cogitolab tourist agency, has successfully completed the first phase of a virtual walk through the city of Sinj and the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj.

Faced with a global pandemic, due to which we all have limited movements, and new market conditions and modalities, in mid-May, the Sinj Tourist Board launched the Virtual Sinj project.

In addition to the existing virtual tools, this project tries to bring the entire offer of the city (its sights, rich cultural and historical heritage) closer to interested visitors and encourages future visits to Sinj. The virtual walk was prepared and designed by members of the experienced team of the Cogitolab agency in cooperation with the priests of the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj. They provided them with the necessary conditions and helped create content for many pilgrims to the largest southern Croatian Marian shrine.

Namely, every year during the novena to Our Lady of Sinj, there are several pilgrims that travel to the Sanctuary. They also visit other sights in Sinj.

Therefore, the Sinj Tourist Board decided to bring them closer in this form, in accordance with the goal of the Cogitolab agency: connecting and enabling a quick and easy overview of large Croatian Marian shrines, from Marija Bistrica in the north to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Sinj in southern Croatia.

You can experience Sinj virtually at https://heritagecroatia.com/bastina/virtualni-sinj/

The Sinj Tourist Board thanks everyone who helped them in creating the Virtual Walk through the city of Sinj.

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October 29, 2020 - At the foot of Svilaja, close to Lake Peručko, lies the picturesque village of Potravlje, the cradle of Cetina hand-made pottery, a craft whose beginnings date back to prehistoric antiquity of the 4th century BC. 

Until the Second World War, about fifty families in the Cetina region villages were engaged in the centuries-old tradition of making earthenware, and about twenty in Potravlje itself. In 1774, the famous Italian travel writer Alberto Fortis claimed that their pots were more durable than those from his homeland.

The traditional hand pottery from Potravlje has been held until today only in this village near Sinj in the municipality of Hrvace. 

At the time, households used various earthenware pots, copper for cooking milk or for preparing turkey - rare corn polenta, jars for holding butter and sour milk, pots for storing wine, grain, utensils, peka, cripnje - bell-shaped lids that covered the dough for bread or some other dish on the open hearth, plates for serving dishes, shallow bowls, and drinking jugs. Each had a name according to its purpose (bakra mlikarica, purarica, dubočica, bandeua.

Today, in addition to some traditional dishes, new shapes and purposes are also made, such as amphorae (for tourists), flower pots, and various miniature forms of traditional dishes that are offered as souvenirs. Potters from Potravlje supplied their products to the Cetina region and the wider area of Dalmatia.

They sold their own products at fairs, and they still sell them at the Village Fair in Sinj (every year at the beginning of August before the Alka festivities), at parties in Trilj, Zadvarje, Vrlika, Metković, Benkovac, Split, and elsewhere. Before the Second World War, potters were traveling merchants who distributed goods on donkeys or horses and exchanged them for grain, following the line: "however much grain can fit in a pot, carry it!". This archaic way of exchanging, bartering, grain goods (or oil, olives, figs) in this area was called promina.

The art of making earthenware in the village of Potravlje has survived to this day in only two families - Jure Knezović (1933-2012), in which today the utensils are made by his sons Ivan (born 1962) and Pile (born 1965), and Jura's brother Dušan Knezović (born in 1945) in the village of Potravlje.

After a series of successful and well-attended workshops, the Sinj Tourist Board, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, has organized educational workshops "Traditional handmade pottery from Potravlje." The regular leader of these educational workshops, Mr. Ivan Knezović, is also among the last to work with this traditional craft. It is essential to preserve this segment of Inland Dalmatia's traditional culture and pass it on to younger generations.

Traditional pottery from Potravlje has had the status of an intangible cultural property since 2013, and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia nominated it for UNESCO protection.

Unfortunately, in 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Sinj Tourist Board could not organize the usual educational workshops and thus adapted the presentation of this valuable skill through a rich photo gallery and video.

You can watch the video below:

October 15, 2020 - After a successful presentation in June when members of the Cycle Croatia expert team hosted a free ride through the beautiful landscapes of the Sinj plain, the Sinj Tourist Board decided, in these challenging times for everyone, to support this form of promotion once again.

Therefore, to improve the tourist offer of Inland Dalmatia, everyone is invited to a free presentation of electric bicycles, which the company Cycle Croatia would include in its regular offer. The event will be held on October 18, departing from Hrvac (Most na Panju), along the beautiful river Cetina. The start is at 9:30, and the final destination is the miraculous source of the Cetina river.

In order to implement all necessary measures, in accordance with the recommendations of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the NZJZ, the number of participants is limited to 25. Participants must register by Friday (October 16) at noon.

Cycling route:

Source of the Cetina (33km, 330vm)

Join us on a cycling tour along Perućko Lake to the source of the Cetina!

The slopes of the Dinara and Vrdovo on one side and Perućko Lake on the other create a magical backdrop away from the murmurs and sounds of the city.

The starting point of this tour is the family farm Panj in Rumin. A quiet country road takes you outside settlements towards the lake. The clean air and blue of the lake will for sure bring a smile to everyone’s face. At the other end of the lake, you can visit old abandoned mills that still resonate with the sounds of the river. Before coming to springs, stop and see the impressive church of St. Salvation from the 9th century.

After that, head to the source of the Cetina and soak it all in!

October 14, 2020 - A look at the many reasons why you should visit Sinj and the Cetina region this autumn! 

The mountain beauties of the Cetina region are dressed shyly and imperceptibly in their magical autumn attire. The glades and forests of Kamešnica, Svilaja, Visoka, and Dinara shine with colors with which only untouched nature can paint on its canvas. Rich, ripe fruits turn golden and yellow at every step, offering their sweet nectar to the palate of casual travelers.

Let's leave the screens and virtual worlds, let ourselves be calmed by the autumn twilight by walking on one of the many arranged hiking trails in Sinj and its surroundings. The mysterious forest flora and fauna will reward the visitor with magnificent vistas and magical microcosms and provide connoisseurs with a delicious and healing winter from this unique garden of God.

Ivan Alebic

Cycling enthusiasts are not deprived of their passion either: the cycling trails of the Cetina region lead through the most interesting landscapes and views, telling stories from the region's history along the way and unobtrusively. Across the bridges of our karst queen Cetina, to the ancient Roman remains, old mills, churches, and picturesque hamlets where time seems to stand still - it will surely make you come back.

Monika Vrgoc

And the fact that Sinj does not carry the epithet of the Alka town in vain is proved by the deep connection with riding and horse breeding. Touring the surroundings in the saddle of these noble animals is a special experience. The rider and the horse become an inseparable whole while discovering new beauties with a light, soothing trot or a lively gallop.

Water is the source of life - the clear and lively Cetina dominates its area from the source at the foot of the Dinara to the mouth of the Omis. With its tributaries, it has woven a network among fertile, green fields that it feeds with its drinkability and the local population that swears that there is no "sweeter" water anywhere. Sometimes calm as oil, sometimes elusive and alive - it is best to know her by kayaking or canoeing.

Monika Vrgoc

For those more impatient and eager for adrenaline, driving quad vehicles brings you kilometers of unrestrained off-road pleasure, macadam, and wind in your hair - it's hard to resist and not come back again.

Maybe we shouldn't indulge too much in the modern saying: "If it's not on social networks, it hasn't happened," but we definitely recommend taking a camera on trips and research. The images that will be in front of your eyes deserve light-eyed immortalization. The opportunities for photo safaris are countless; let yourself wander through the lens.

And when the miles take a toll on sweet fatigue, it’s time to quench your hunger and thirst with local delicacies. It is not a cliché to say that no one left Sinj hungry - the hospitable hosts and their gastronomic offer are unmatched. From homemade fry bread, cheese and prosciutto for appetizers, to meat specialties prepared traditionally under the bell, unsurpassed Sinj arambašići, pasticada, trout, frogs and crabs, to sweet fritters, crostuli, and rafioli, all topped with a drop of local Croatian wine - the people of Sinj have something for every taste.

Spiritual strengthening will bring a pilgrimage to Our Miraculous Lady of Sinj. As one of the largest Croatian Mary shrines, Sinj attracts many pilgrims throughout the year, but it is especially worth mentioning the Path to Our Lady of Sinj, a marked pilgrimage route through picturesque areas with rich historical heritage. On a spiritual journey to the heavenly mother, the pilgrim passes by the remains of old paths and bridges, forts, tombstones, sacral buildings, and museums.

October 9, 2020 - Yesterday, October 8, the Sinj Tourist Board welcomed members of the French television crew "Adrenaline" to film an episode about the UNESCO heritage for the series "The wonders of UNESCO" on the French TV channel Voyage.

Their arrival in this part of Inland Dalmatia was to visit the Sinjska Alka Museum and the UNESCO intangible heritage of the city of Sinj, especially the Alka Knight's Game, which has been on this list since 2010.

During their stay in Dalmatia, director Luca Bergamaschi and assistant director Pauline Bernard-Vernay will film UNESCO's heritage in Dubrovnik, Split, Šibenik, and the island of Pag.

The episode about the Sinjska Alka Museum and the Alka began at the Sinj Hippodrome, where the preparations of the Alka were filmed, as well as the participants of the equestrian clubs. This was made possible by members of the Alka Knights Society Frano Ivković and Stipe Šimundža, and from KGK Alkar, Mirko Penić.

A part dedicated to the historical concept of the Alka, its survival through the centuries, determinants that make it special, and the reasons for its inclusion on the UNESCO list of intangible heritage was filmed in Alkarski dvori and Kamičak Fortress. The necessary information was given to them by the curator of the Sinjska Alka Museum Tomislav Barhanović, Alkar Petar Tomašević and Alkar guy Lovrin Tomašević.

The Sinj Tourist Board would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who contributed to this successful cooperation!

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October 7, 2020 - The National Prosciutto and Cured Meats Fair will be held at the Alkar Hotel in Sinj on October 16 and 17, 2020. 

The National Prosciutto and Cured Meats Fair, with International Participation in Sinj, promotes the traditional way of producing cured meat products in cooperation with the new standards. Thanks to the constant engagement of all associates, manufacturers, institutions, and experts, the fair is being held for the fifteenth year in a row.

In recent years, the National Prosciutto Fair in Sinj was held in March or April with about 70 exhibitors, and it took on international character due to the participation of exhibitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, and Italy. The exhibition includes prosciutto, cured meat products, cheese, wine, olive oil, and traditional products produced in the rural part of Dalmatia, Lika, Slavonia, and the Dalmatian islands.

Producers of prosciutto and other cured meat products from Croatia, representatives of the regional meat industry, producers' associations, family farms engaged in pig breeding and prosciutto production, and leading retail chains, hoteliers, and caterers are expected to participate in the Fair this year, in compliance with all epidemiological measures.

In addition to the exhibition, a rich cultural and artistic program will be organized. Within the fair, it is planned to organize professional and educational panels where producers and visitors could be informed about topics related to production, marketing, protection, and promotion of traditional products (quality labels, introduction standards, association models, the technology of production, and processing of prosciutto) and incentive and funding programs by government and other institutions, especially through tenders intended for rural areas.

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August 24, 2020 - On Saturday, August 22, as part of the traditional Musical Evenings at the Kamicak Fortress, organized by the Sinj Tourist Board, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Sinj, a magnificent concert was successfully held under the stars with trio Ventus and trio Ex ponto.

In the unique and beautiful ambiance of the Kamicak fortress, guests could witness a real ambient and musical spectacle under the starry sky, virtuoso performances of top musicians in the trio Ventus and trio Ex Ponto. This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held in an adapted form, in compliance with the recommendations and measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the NZJZ.

At a beautiful stage under the open sky, Sinj and its guests were presented the best of classical music by young Sinj artists in the Trio Ventus, and traditional music was presented by renowned performers in the trio Ex Ponto.

Trio Ventus was created in 2018 and operates as an independent project of former students of the Elementary Music School Jakov Gotovac in Sinj. The ensemble consists of Mirna Alfirević - piano, Martina Bilić - flute and Mislav Norac - clarinet. The young academic musicians, winners of a number of awards at national and international competitions, nurture works of various stylistic periods in their repertoire - from classical and romanticism to contemporary music, and pay special attention to performing works by Croatian composers.

Trio Ex Ponto is a newer chamber ensemble on the Croatian music scene created in 2019 with the collaboration of three renowned musicians, Bruno Phillip - clarinet, Mario Igrec - guitar, Ambrozije Puškarić - guitar. These virtuoso musicians prepared an unforgettable journey through Croatian traditional music, klezmer music, and Romanian, Turkish, Macedonian and Greek music traditions.

The concert at Kamicak took place with all the recommended measures of the Civil Protection Headquarters and the NZJZ. Members of the SRMA association took care of their implementation.

The Sinj Tourist Board thanks the employees of KUS-Sinj and Čistoća CK, and everyone who helped us in the realization of the concert, as well as the audience who attended the concert!

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