ZAGREB, 24 July, 2021 - Split Airport is currently the busiest in Croatia and this weekend alone it will handle 180 planes with 32,000 passengers!

This weekend has seen the largest numbers of passengers and planes, an executive at the airport, Mate Melvan, told Hina on Saturday, adding that 140 of those 180 planes were regular flights and 40 were private planes.

"If the situation doesn't deteriorate, we could have more than 300,000 passengers in July," he said, adding that Split Airport could already say that the current tourist season was exceptionally good when compared with last year's, which had been the worst to date.

Jelena Ivulić of the Jadrolinija shipping company told Hina there were many tourists in the Split port as well, their number rising constantly since June. She said 56,000 passengers and over 13,000 vehicles were expected in the port this weekend.

"It's a real July weekend. We are in constant positive growth and if it stays so, it will be excellent," she said, calling for caution due to COVID so that Croatia was not declared a red zone like last summer.

For more on travel updates, follow TCN's dedicated page.

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June 11, 2021 - The Lora summer stage in Split is a hit thanks to the new Theater by the Sea program! And you can bring your kids along to the next event. 

On Sunday, June 20, starting at 5 pm, the 21st century Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood will arrive on the Lora summer stage for the new 'Theater by the Sea' program in Split. Namely, the children's theater starts with the play 'Mi o vuku,' reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

"Did the evil wolf really eat Grandma, the three piglets, and seven kids? Or is Little Red Riding Hood a little too influenced by Facebook, Instagram, and television? The real truth will be found when Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf finally meet face to face! And with plenty of laughter, infectious musical numbers, and instructive moment," the organizers announced.

The celebrated children's musical 'Mi o vuku,' they point out, is one of the best children's performances in recent years, filling halls throughout Croatia. It can also boast of dozens of sold-out performances at KD 'Vatroslav Lisinski'.

The organizers claim that this musical is special in many ways.

"Primarily because it brings children a musical form that they do not have the opportunity to meet often. The main role of the musical is played by the singer Bojan Jambrošić, who won all the hearts of viewers throughout Croatia with unforgettable performances and transformations in the TV show 'Your face sounds familiar,' while the talented Manuela Svorcan plays Little Red Riding Hood.

Director Robert Bošković, although young, has a great directorial history, including 'Troubadour' at the Split HNK. The text is Igor Weidlich, whose plays 'Političar', 'Who the f .. is Biba', 'Žuta minuta' are enjoyed by the people of Split.

"In addition to all this, this excellent theatrical play boasts numerous memorable songs and word games intended for educational entertainment, especially for the youngest, preschool children, and lower grades of primary school," they add.

They explain that the music itself plays with the theme of the classic fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, placing them in the children's understandable context of the modern age and the technology it carries.

"This combination sheds new light on classic stories in the desire to teach children in a fun way the necessity of critical thinking, not just receiving information bombarded from all sides by electronic media and creativity, tolerance and a sense of justice," the organizers said.

For the last year, our little ones have not had the opportunity to attend theater performances, and it is because of them that 'Theater by the Sea' brings children's hit plays.

"Along with the excellent musical 'Mi o vuku,' which will open the children's theater on June 20 as part of 'Theater by the Sea,' we will soon receive performances by the best Zagreb children's theater Žar ptica and many others. Therefore, there is an opportunity for the youngest ones to observe the plays chosen for them while their parents, but also grandparents, drink coffee in peace on one of the most beautiful terraces in Split," added the organizers.

Free parking is provided for all visitors.

Tickets for the price of 40 kuna can be purchased at the box office in Lora every day, including Saturday and Sunday, from 5 pm to 9 pm, and online at www.teataruzmore.com and croatia-tickets.com. Information and reservations are available at 091 9720 540.

All information about the festival 'Theater by the Sea' is available on its official website.

July 15, 2020 - The 66th Split Summer Festival was officially opened on Tuesday evening at Peristyle with Verdi's opera I Lombardi alla Prima Crociata.

This year's edition, respecting all epidemiological measures, brings art back to the ancient stages under the starry night sky. Mayor Andro Krstulovic Opara pointed out in his speech that art does not stop at challenges and crises, but is the crown of the crisis and everything that comes with it, giving many artists additional inspiration. Like last year, he called to maintain measures and civic decency and not to surrender to the greed that has disrupted human lives:

"Dear respected citizens of Split, esteemed dignitaries and guests, loyal viewers and listeners of HRT and all friends and admirers of Split, art and our Split Summer!

I am happy that we are here tonight and that this great cultural event, extremely precious and significant to all of us, has not been interrupted, despite the unfavorable circumstances. Yes, health and safety are above everything, but life must go on. And we move on. Without fear.

Art does not stop at challenges and crises, on the contrary, it was the corona crisis and a kind of social alienation caused by the necessary social distance that gave space and time to many artists for additional inspiration and an even stronger impulse of creativity that they can't wait to bring to their audience.

This year's special Split summer opens with I Lombardi. There is a lot of symbolism in this powerful Verdi opera imbued with tenderness, piety, determination and patriotic enthusiasm. From here, from the Imperial Peristyle, we will symbolically pay tribute to the attacked people of Lombardy and send a message of strength and invincibility of art and creation, but also the victory of all of us.

Last year, I invited you to take back public spaces again, when no one even dreamed that the coronavirus and the crisis caused by it would bring us back to the city and nature, which, thank God, has regenerated. Despite the trouble, or rather, precisely because of it, we returned to family and the enjoyment of everyday life that we often took for granted. The epidemic reminded us of true values, we focused on the essentials, and we successfully adapted and learned to tame the virus that we do not allow to take over our lives. I’m sure we learned this lesson.

I wish these circumstances also reminded me of my last year’s thought and plea not to succumb to the greed that has disrupted our lives and distorted natural priorities. I have called and am now calling to maintain the measures, and that we have civic decency and respect for everything around us, and above all, the person next to us. Are we humble enough to accept that lesson? Split recognized that. I am convinced of that.

We live one strong warning. One hundred years ago, during the Spanish flu that plagued our city as well, my predecessors took care of the future of the City. And they endeavored with the citizens, after that terrible warning, altogether turned to creation and beauty which had a healing effect.

In the last century, young people, athletes, and especially artists regenerated our city. Jedinstvo was also founded, and our theater flourished, so, for example, our alleyways and city streets were filled with the music of maestro Tijardovic," Opara said, and continued:

"The art of living with measures and the necessary restraint in the new circumstances was transformed into this year's Split Summer. And it is the fruit of the courage and determination of the people who, despite threats, have returned art to our squares and streets, where it has always belonged and where it will always belong. It is up to us to give art an additional well-deserved place. It is needed for our City and me to recover.

I invite you, dear citizens of Split, to enjoy the diverse and rich program of this year's Split Summer, in compliance with all recommendations and precautions. I once again congratulate the artists, organizers and all participants and thank them for their courage and determination.

In the desire to remember him for his exceptional artistic achievements, and to infect everyone only with the joy of creativity and beauty, I am pleased to declare the 66th Split Summer open."

During the opening ceremony, the Cultural Art Society Jedinstvo and Glazba Split performed the most famous Split dance Monfrinu, and the festival flag was raised by members of KUD Jedinstvo, Paola Demarchi and Drazen Bosnjak. This was followed by the premiere performance of Verdi's opera "I Lombardi" performed by soloists, orchestra, choir and ballet of the Croatian National Theater Split under the direction of maestro Ivo Lipanovic and directed by Robert Boškovic.

This year's Split Summer brings the best Croatian and foreign opera soloists and orchestras led by top conductors, ballet performances and a rich concert and drama program. There will also be four film screenings and two exhibitions. The Split Summer will have a total of 32 titles in 44 performances, so the Festival will turn the city into the summer theater capital of this part of the Mediterranean.

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

The Croatian National Theater Split ballet ensemble will open the ’Ballet Evenings on Sustipan’ as part of the dance program of the 65th Split Summer festival.

Two performances will be held at the famous Sustipan park, on July 18 and 21 beginning at 21:30. The program includes fragments from some of the most beautiful ballets: La Sylphide, Taras Bulba, Gusar and Coppélia, reports Dalmatinski Portal on July 18, 2019.

The ballet ‘La Sylphide’, set to the music of Norwegian composer Hermann Severin Løvenskiold, has been performed with the choreography of Danish choreographer Augusta Bournonville since 1836. Danish choreographer Karina Elver created a spectacular copy of the Danish ballet school’s version, one that is carefully kept within the borders of the country and thought of as a valuable part of their cultural heritage, and transferred the dance to the HNK Split ballet. 

The dreamlike story of La Sylphide takes place in Scotland where the main character falls in love with an ethereal forest creature before his wedding. He breaks off the engagement by surrendering to the world of nymphs and witches. 

The romantic ballet Gusar (Le Corsaire) was composed by Adolphe Adam in 1856 according to the Lord Byron poem of the same name. It is a romantic tale of pirates, slaves, love and oriental intrigue and is a ballet that takes place in three acts. Gusar comes to Split led by Latvian choreographer Aivars Leimanis.

The ballet evenings will end with the great Wedding Waltz from the second act of the comic ballet Coppélia by French composer Léa Delibesa, known as one of the most accomplished classical ballets which comes to Split choreographed by Aivars Leimanis. Based on two stories by E.T.A Hoffmann, it is a vibrant ballet performance full of dance travesties and musical exoticism, and even numerous folklore dances. 

The Ballet Evenings at Sustipan will be followed by guest performances of the Italian Equilibro Dinamico Dance Company, who will perform ‘Confini desumani’, and the IN Xie Xin Dance Company from China who will visit Split as part of their first European tour.

You can find the full Split Summer program here. 

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

July 14, 2019 - The 65th Split Summer festival opens on July 14, 2019, and will continue with performances of opera, drama, ballet, concerts, exhibitions, film projections, and literary promotions through August 14, 2019.

The 65th Split Summer opens at Peristyle on Sunday, July 14, by the mayor of Split, Andro Krstulović Opara, as an envoy of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, reports Dalmatinski Portal.

Minister of Culture of the Republic of Croatia Nina Obuljen Koržinek will attend the opening ceremony, among other elite guests. After the opening ceremony at 21:00, as the first festival performance, the opera ensemble of the Croatian National Theater in Split will premiere ‘Rigoletto’ by Giuseppe Verdi under the guidance of master Ivo Lipanovic and directed by Dražen Siriščević.

The beginning marks another edition of the long-standing theatrical festival, which will feature a total of 37 opera, drama, ballet, concert titles, exhibitions, film projections, and a literary promotion in a total of 48 performances until August 14th. The festival is organized by the Croatian National Theater in Split, under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Croatia and the auspices of the City of Split and Split-Dalmatia County.

The festival will take place in 18 locations, among which, apart from those in Split, are outdoor stages on the Mosor slopes near Sitno Gornji, Salona, Vrlika, Gata and Makarska. The 65th Split Summer is realized in cooperation with other Split and Croatian cultural institutions, namely: Ivan Meštrović Museum, Center for Culture and Lifelong Learning, Pula Film Festival, Split Art Gallery, Kula Split Gallery, Split City Museum, Fotoklub Split, and the project for the promotion of cultural heritage through performing arts Heritart, co-funded by the Creative Europe of the European Union.

In addition to the many guest and repertoire programs, there will be three premiere performances at the festival. In addition to Verdi's Rigoletto in the opera program, the drama ensemble of HNK Split will perform 'Caligula' written by Alberto Camus and Jean Racine in the monumental garden of the Meštrović Gallery, and the ballet of HNK Split will perform 'Piazzolla/Stravinski' on the last festival day in the outdoor ambiance of Sustipan. The spectacle will feature five young European choreographers including Igor Kirov, Stephen Delattre, Kristian Lever, Claudio Cangialosi, and Douglas Lee.

To read more about the Split Festival, click here. 

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

On Sunday, July 14, the 65th Split Summer festival will begin with the premiere performance of Giuseppe Verdi's opera 'Rigoletto' at Peristyle. For the first time in the long tradition of the festival, this Verdi masterpiece, one of the most popular and most liked operas in history, and the first part of his "Latin" or "Romantic" trilogy, will take this famous Split summer stage, reports Dalmatinski Portal on July 6, 2019.

Under the direction of Ivo Lipanović, and directed by Drazen Siriščević, 'Rigoletto' will be performed by the orchestra and choir of the Croatian National Theater in Split and soloists. The title role will be baritone Elia Fabbian, the soprano Elena Mosuc will interpret the role of Gilda, the Duke of Mantua will be tenor Francesco Marsiglia, Ivica Čikeš will play Sparafucile, and Maddalena will be performed by mezzo-soprano Terezija Kusanović. Apart from the premiere, the second performance is scheduled for July 17th.

Other roles include Bjanka Ivas, Ivan Šarić, Marko Lasić, Spiro Boban, Vinko Maroević, Mate Akrap, Ivona Bosančić Lasić, Vlatko Belas and Tea Požgaj. Set designer Slaven Raos, costume designer Juraj Zigman, choreographer Igor Kirov, choir artist Frane Kuss, stage lighting Srđan Barbarić, assistant director Jelena Bosančić and conducting assistant Jure Bučević are also featured in the team.

Director Dražen Siriščević, who, as the operatic director, made his debut at the Split Festival five years ago, said: 

"Giuseppe Verdi did not particularly try to present the story of human destinies from the 16th century faithfully in the reconstruction of the musical expression of the high Renaissance. On the contrary, he was free to use all available musical instruments of his time. With the contemporary music language of the 19th century, he painted a 300-year-old story that he had experienced as a contemporary. Today, in the 21st century, on the verge of this Verdi approach, ours will answer all the questions and challenges of his music theater from the perspective of the time we live in. It will be July 2019, and at Peristyle.”

The premiere performance on July 14 begins after the opening ceremony of the 65th Split Summer at 21:00.

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

On Friday, June 28, the 6th Evo Ruke! summer festival begins at Đardin park in Split. Namely, this series of concerts and performances transform Đardin into a jazz, blues, and rock'n'roll paradise.

Visitors will be able to enjoy the live performances of local performers on 73 summer evenings this year, with acts ranging from songwriters to themed days, and even exciting cover bands. And the best part? Entrance is free every night. 

The opening evening will feature The Splitters and the Harpoon Blues Band, Trio Trabacool on Saturdaya, and Cabaret à la Carte on Sunday. The concerts begin at 9:15 pm and the event will last until September 8th, reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

“Citizens, Evo Ruke! invites you to the most beautiful Split park - Đardin where you will surely not stumble upon a bad music note, and where at any time of the day or evening you can always find refreshments and carefully selected Croatian musicians who are prepared to satisfy even the most finicky of guests. Also, let your friends know that something special and different is happening in Split’s Đardin this summer. To be involved in the story, follow the HR Radio Split program and read Dalmatinski Portal. Breath in a little city culture, citizens,”  said the organizers. 

For the opening, the organizers emphasized they have prepared 'something new' - The Splitters, whose excellent single ‘Oboji me’ has hit the radio before their new album is out on Croatia Records, and ‘something old’, or the Harpoon Blues Band who have taken the stage in Split for years. The audience will take care of ‘something borrowed and something blue’, the organizers concluded.

You can find the list of all bands you can catch at Evo Ruke! this summer below. 

Nola - Pula,

Elena Stella & A.J. Jazz Trio - Zadar/Biograd,

El Gato - Šibenik,

Citizen Dick - Split,

Francesco & Southern Cooking - Čiovo,

Behave - Zagreb,

Go Lilly - Split,

Šetači - Split,

Cortez - Split,

La Grange - Široki Brijeg,

Harpoon Blues Band - Split,

Goodies - Šibenik,

Azil - Split,

Reah - Šibenik,

Swingin' 4 - Split,

Boa II - Zagreb,

Afterfire - Split,

Teška odluka - Split,

Gyass Band - Subotica,

D.I.L.F - Split,

Dreamers Band - Split,

Richman - Zadar,

Acoustic Bang - Split,

Atomsko sklonište - Pula,

Cabaret a la carte - Split,

The Fogsellers - Šibenik,

Barbara Munjas - Rijeka,

Waveform - Split,

Čuvari svirala - Split,

Voodoo Ramble - Duga Resa,

Jurasiko - Kaštela,

Boris Krivec Band - Split,

Mind Zoo - Split,

Ciotog - Split,

Spectrum - Vodice,

Combo Project - Split,

Little Sister - Split,

Trio Brodarići - Split,

Gretta - Zagreb,

Eksjurok - Split,

Pink Panther Band - Split,

Cima & Co - Trogir,

Trio Trabacool - Split,

Noa & The Funkblasters - Split,

Bas Rouge - Split,

Desafinados - Split,

Bravo Band - Split,

Pop Art - Split,

Imgellad - Split,

The Splitters - Split,

Bang Bang - Zagreb,

Electric Mombasa - Split,

Flores Acoustic - Split,

Peter Smith & Hosters - Split,

Osmi putnik feat. Giuliano - Split,

Šporkestar - Split,

Get Vintage - Imotski,

Jazzy Fever - Rijeka/Split/Ljubljana,

DJ Dupli - Lost Generation

Zlatni Grgur - the awards ceremony and the festive concert and the 10th-anniversary celebration of the St@rt Festival. 

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

June 21st officially marked the start of the summer season, which could certainly be felt in Split thanks to the crowds. 

Namely, an estimated 112,000 travelers from Croatia, around Europe and the world will visit Split this weekend thanks to airplanes, ships, ferries, and catamarans, reports Slobodna Dalmacija on June 22, 2019.

As reported by Mate Melvan from Split Airport, 110 planes with 27,000 passengers took off and landed on Saturday, and on Sunday, 88 aircraft and 20,000 passengers are expected. This means that a total of 47,000 passengers on 198 aircraft are expected at Split Airport during the weekend -and the new terminal hasn't even opened yet.

Passengers from almost every part of the world are traveling through Split Airport, and sometime next week, it will welcome its millionth passengers this year, thanks to the fact that a half a million passengers traveled through the airport in June. As far as percentages are concerned, Split Airport this year, especially in the season, recorded an increase of almost nine percent, Melvan confirmed.

Jelena Ivuljić from Jadrolinija said that from Friday to Sunday, around 65,000 passengers and about 12,000 vehicles would travel through the Split Ferry Port. The most significant interest among travelers is Brač and Hvar.

“We have 12 regular lines for Brač, though on Friday we added one extra line and on Saturday two extra lines. We are learning from our experience so far, and on Sunday, we will have two extra lines. Apart from Brač, there is also pressure going to the island of Hvar, the Split-Starigrad line, as well as the catamaran line towards the town of Hvar,” Ivuljić said.

The crowds should only grow larger as we move into July and August, though there is one reason we can let out a sigh of relief - the new traffic regulation at the Split Ferry Port seems to be more effective than last year, reports Dalmacija Danas.

Recall, on June 17, the new one-way traffic regulation was kicked into gear at the Split Ferry Port. Unlike last year, when we could see no significant difference before and after the traffic regulation was implemented, this year, it seems to be mostly running without major problems. The first summer weekend brought a significant increase in traffic through the city harbor, but the crowds were minimal on the roads, if not non-existent at times. As expected, the problem arises at the Bačvice bridge, where all the traffic flows, though no crowds have been recorded through Zvonimirova or the ferry port.

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

Today in Split measured air temperatures of 27°C and a sea temperature of 22°C.

Talk about a busy Saturday afternoon in the most beautiful city in the world.