May 13, 2022 - If you're currently in Split, you know it's been busy - and quite frankly, it's felt like the season started in April. A look at the 2022 Split April tourism figures, which are slightly behind the record 2019!

The Split tourism figures in April this year are about five times better than the same month last year. Namely, in the previous month, Split counted 38,658 arrivals, including foreign and Croatian visitors, who achieved127 thousand overnight stays, while in April last year, which was still conditioned by numerous epidemiological measures, Split recorded only 8,231 arrivals and a total of 29,667 overnight stays, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

Although the visitor numbers for 2022 are excellent compared to the previous year, they still had not reached the record in 2019, when there were 59,495 arrivals and 150,735 overnight stays in April. But we are not that far behind. 

According to the Split Tourist Board data, Germans, Americans, English, French, Dutch, Irish, Spaniards, Swiss and Finns were among the most tourists in April. Ukrainians achieved 9,159 overnight stays in 715 arrivals in April, almost 12 times more than in April 2021, when only 61 arrivals and 283 overnight stays were recorded. The sudden jump, of course, is attributed to the current state of war in their country.

Foreign visitors make up the majority of tourist traffic in Split. Thus, in April this year, Split was visited by about 30 thousand foreign tourists and about seven thousand domestic tourists. 

In April 2021, domestic and foreign visitors were the same, or around four thousand, but a considerable difference is noticeable in the number of overnights spent. Although an equal number stayed in the city during that period, foreigners spent 20,000 nights, and locals spent about 9,000. In 2019 it was around 52 thousand foreigners and 7,000 domestic tourists. 

The Split Tourist Board also hopes for the tourist season to continue with positive numbers.

"From the beginning of the year until today, over 90,000 tourist arrivals and almost 300,000 overnight stays were realized in Split, which is three times higher tourist traffic than the previous year. Moreover, suppose reservations and announcements from target markets are achieved. In that case, we believe that the growth trend continues and that we have a successful July ahead of us and the rest of the tourist year," said Alijana Vukšić, director of the Split Tourist Board.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

April 16, 2022 - The 2022 Split tourism figures are already higher than the record in 2019, and around 4,000 tourists are expected during Easter weekend.

Tourists are quickly beginning to fill all Split cafes and restaurants, which is an excellent introduction to the upcoming tourist season. After two pandemic years, a return to the 'old normal' is expected, reports Dalmacija Danas. 

In the peak season, in July and August, it is impossible to pass through the city center due to thousands of guests, though they are increasing numbers in the pre-season.

Tourism workers in the city center are full of optimism, hoping that this tourist season will be better than the record 2019, a time before the coronavirus and epidemiological measures that have restricted tourism for two years. 

Split Tourist Board director Alijana Vukšić spoke about what we can expect this pre-season on Friday:

"Currently, there are over three thousand guests in the city, and we expect over four thousand for the holidays. We have cruisers in the city, today - there are two, and tomorrow there will be two. These are all projections; we will know the exact numbers when all this is over. That number is certainly much higher because there are many excursionists," Vukšić said. 

Split is already recording good tourist results.

"We can compare the numbers with the most successful year, i.e., 2019. The city of Split in the first three months and the first 15 days of April recorded better results than in 2019. In the first three months of this year, we have 30,000 more nights than then. We hope that this tourist year will be successful, and the facts and figures in these first three months speak in favor of that," says Alijana Vukšić.

Apart from foreign guests, there are also many from Croatia.

"There are many guests from Croatia, and the USA, Germany, France, and Ukraine are represented in large numbers, which has recently recorded an increased number of arrivals and overnight stays," Vukšić adds.

Easter events have been happening in the city for ten days now, and there is something for everyone.

"The Association of Veterans painted large Easter eggs on the Riva together with children; the Juraj Bonači Center also painted Easter eggs. They are exhibited in Đardin, which we declared an Easter park this year. We also have several music and stage programs," Alijana Vukšić concluded and congratulated her fellow citizens on Easter.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

January 20, 2022 - The Split Tourist Board has presented a 360-degree Split virtual tour on Wednesday, allowing those near and far to explore the city's top attractions. 

The Split Tourist Board has announced a new virtual tour that presents Split through a modern and interactive visual display. The project was realized in cooperation with the L33T digital marketing agency, and the City of Split, Split museums and other cultural institutions in Split participated in the project.

"These are 188 virtual panoramas, produced from 17,600 photos taken from the air and the ground so that they ultimately have a resolution of more than 230 MP (megapixels) which allows the visitor to enlarge content and view every detail of the scene. On the other hand, the HDR production technique guarantees a crystal clear image and a huge amount of detail. The virtual walk also contains interesting short texts in Croatian and English, which additionally attract visitors and inform them about the main locations," explained the Split Tourist Board.

They add that virtual walks are made in HTML5 technology that works on all platforms and devices without any application installation and the like, but directly through a web browser.

"The time of the pandemic further strengthened the importance of applying technology in the promotion of the destination, so with this project, we wanted to bring all potential tourists even closer to the beauties of Split to choose our city for their long-awaited vacation, but also to present it to those currently unable to come to Split. This is one of our projects by which we follow the world trends in destination marketing management, and we believe that it will contribute to the realization of a successful tourist year," said Alijana Vukšić, director of the Split Tourist Board.

You can enjoy a virtual walk through sunny Split and explore the beautiful details of Diocletian's Palace and more at 360.visitsplit.com.

Source: Dalmatinski Portal

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

January 6, 2022 - Split Advent ends after 40 days full of concerts, culture, gastronomy, and children's activities.

More than 50 cultural programs, over 20 children's events, daily concerts in four locations - Perivoj, Cornaro, Zvončac and Mertojak, dozens of Split caterers with attractive gastronomic offers, New Year's Eve celebrations in four zones, and two skating rinks is a basic overview of what this year's Split Advent offered to visitors under the slogan "Click on Advent", reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

This year, the Cornaro ramparts were introduced on the Advent map for the first time, and due to its size, it has become a central gathering place for all visitors. Cornaro's culinary offer and evening music programs were joined by Perivoj, Imaginarium Advent Zvončac, and Advent Mertojak.

In each zone, visitors could enjoy a variety of delicacies prepared by Split caterers while live music filled the evenings. COVID confirmation was required for all four zones from 7 pm, and those who could not visit the zones live could follow the events on the official Split Advent website.

Fifteen restaurants in Split joined the "Split Restaurants Holiday" event, and promotional prices brought their Advent offer closer to diners, while every Advent Sunday, the traditional Gastroadvent in Split was organized at a different location. Citizens could follow the event via YouTube, which showcased the Mediterranean diet with prosciutto and cured meat products.

Children's performances, a children's cinema organized by Slobodna Dalmacija, and visits by St. Lucia, St. Nicholas, and Santa Claus delighted the youngest residents of Split on Mertojak. It was there that the main children's program was held, where the youngest could enjoy mascots from their favorite cartoons and a mini disco on New Year's Eve.

They also enjoyed the Advent procession and spinning the "wheel of fortune". Some won candies and lollipops, and some won free tickets to the Dardin skating rink. The skating rinks in Dardin and Mertojak were an absolute mecca of the Advent celebration.

There were more than 60 cultural programs as part of this year's Advent. In addition to a dozen concerts at St. Francis Church, the Split City Museum hosted shows that citizens could follow through the YouTube channel of the Split Tourist Board.

The humanitarian concert of the opera diva Antonella Malis in the Croatian Home raised funds to help the Croatian community of laryngectomized persons. This renovated hall hosted many young, talented performers. In addition, the Art Gallery, the Meštrović Gallery, and the Kula Gallery joined Advent with their programs, and the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments hosted film lovers and organized guided tours to the Church of St. Jere and the hermitage cave on Marjan.

The University of Split Campus also joined the Advent program, while the Musical Youth of Split celebrated the 25th edition of the Cro Patria Festival during this event. Furthermore, every Tuesday, Prokultur's Chanson Club Friends brought a festive atmosphere to citizens' homes through songs and stories from all over the world; KUDŽ Filip Dević sang on the Cornaro ramparts and thus increased the holiday spirit. At the same time, KUD Jedinstvo attracted many citizens to the squares of Split.

The "Help Portrait" event was held at the Photo Club Split, where the members of the Photo Club offered free photography, while in cooperation with Slobodna Dalmacija, the exhibition "Schography" by Cropix photographer Božidar Vukičević was displayed. In addition, the Christmas concert at the Croatian National Theater in Split was jointly presented by the Split Tourist Board and the Croatian National Theater in Split, featuring classics to contemporary Christmas carols. 

"We imagined this Split Advent in such a way that everyone could find for themselves what they were most interested in and consume it in the way that suited them best. Citizens and all our visitors could follow the content live or through digital channels, which best manifested the slogan of this year's event, 'Click on Advent,'" said the Split Tourist Board director Alijana Vukšić.

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

December 19, 2021 - Split Gastroadvent at Chops Grill featured an impressive culinary display of steak and prosciutto-inspired dishes as radio journalists were honored on Sunday. 

Radio journalists and representatives of the tourist boards and project partners lit the fourth Gastroadvent candle, decorating the wreath made this year by artist Tonka Alujević. Along with the herbs of the Mediterranean, the wreath represents a lifebuoy, which Tonka says is a maritime object that serves to save a man who, for various reasons, is helpless in the sea and is in mortal danger. And that is exactly the health and political position we are in at the moment." 

Gastroadvent is a unique event that has promoted the Mediterranean diet for decades through a fusion of nutrition, gastronomy, and tourism. Thanks to the engagement and participation of dedicated journalists, who continue to bring light to Split, the event persistently shares scientific knowledge woven into gastronomic skills, the numerous health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and the preparation of dishes from unique ingredients. The event's philosophy is to pass on the existing advantages to fellow citizens and offer them to guests.

The Mediterranean diet is not a closed and defined list of foods or a list of dishes that guarantee the sequence of this diet model. This is evident in the way UNESCO described the Mediterranean diet in 2010 when it recognized it as an intangible cultural heritage:

“Mediterranean nutrition is a set of skills, knowledge, practices, and traditions ranging from field to table, including crops, harvest, fishing, canning, processing, preparation and, in particular, food consumption. The Mediterranean diet is characterized by a dietary model that has remained unchanged over time and space and consists mainly of olive oil, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits, moderate amounts of fish, milk, and meat, and many spices and moderate wine consumption, respecting the habits of individual communities. 

Today, science and the protagonists are not talking about the Mediterranean diet, but about the way of the Mediterranean diet, which is not just a list of food and dishes. The mentioned term covers a much broader spectrum, so this gathering of ours shows it as well," says the Gastroadvent organizer, Olja Martinić.

Inspired by prosciutto and herbs, the culinary table was designed and prepared by the head chef of Chops Grill, Ivan Nikolic, sous chef Toma Tripalo, and Pastry Chef Filipa Jurcević. The menu featured fritters with prosciutto, bomboline, classic cold prosciutto / cheese platters with homemade fig jam and pickled vegetables, baked fruit wrapped in prosciutto served with burrata mozzarella, homemade Žrnovo macaroni with prosciutto and truffles, steak bits with prosciutto and plums, monkfish with prosciutto, and much more. 

And for dessert, chocolate cake and grandma's cake with raspberries and almonds, to name a few. 

Rizman wine accompanied the delicious dishes. The philosophy of the Rizman winery is based on a long viticultural tradition and an ecological approach in the vineyard and cellar.

"With this ecological certificate, we give legitimacy to the original and autochthonous thing we strive for. Ever since Rizman's great-grandfather, who was not driven away from the hearth by the downy mildew and who returned and replanted the vine in the Neretva Valley, we have been tirelessly telling the story of the harmony of man and nature, stone and vine.

We are telling a story about sustainability, about the great potential of autochthonous Dalmatian and Croatian varieties, about our ecological vineyards from the youngest Croatian vineyard Komarna."

Split-Dalmatia County and the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board are avid supporters of Gastroadvent in Split, thus promoting the Mediterranean diet and local producers, entrepreneurs, and tourism workers.

The Split Tourist Board has worked hard to position the destination, harnessing a natural combination of history, gastronomy, and modernity, all to protect the components of the Mediterranean diet. The City of Split is determined to support projects that benefit its residents and demands guests after authentic experiences and new technological opportunities.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce has advocated for years to encourage the representation of domestic products, and since 1997 has implemented the national project "Let's Buy Croatian." The project aims to increase the consumption of local products and thus support the economy. This project is of particular importance, emphasized by the director Joze Tomaš, and confirmed by the cooperation with Gastroadvent.

JU RERA S.D., as part of the MD.net project to establish innovative food products, has cooperated with primary and secondary schools in Split-Dalmatia County and stakeholders involved in producing or marketing Mediterranean food products and promoting the Mediterranean way of life. The MD.net project focuses on development opportunities and problem-solving related to popularizing the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is a part of the Mediterranean identity inscribed in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The project aims to strengthen research in this area following the UNESCO Convention on Mediterranean Nutrition, raise the quality of nutrition and life in 9 project partner countries, and promote the Mediterranean diet, which is recognized as the gold standard of proper nutrition with far-reaching health benefits.

Apart from the desire to involve as many people as possible and bring them closer to the importance of the Mediterranean diet in everyday life, as well as its impact on their health, the other goal of the project is to establish a standard in the Med Diet Declaration logo to classify Mediterranean areas. The ultimate goal of awarding the Declaration is to position Split-Dalmatia County as a desirable Mediterranean culinary region.

Split Gastroadvent is held every Advent Sunday at a new location, honoring a different group of journalists with new culinary creations at each event. 

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

December 13, 2021 - Today, at 10:00, the Split Winter Tourism Roundtable was held on the initiative of Total Croatia News and was realized by the Caterers Association in Split and Jasmina Krušić of Chops Grill on the topic of extending the summer season through the month of November.

The roundtable was chaired by Michael Freer, a Brit with a Croatian address and director of the Digital Nomads Association of Croatia. All stakeholders shared their previous experiences and suggestions in which direction to act in order to continuously connect the summer season with Advent during this time.

Despite the complex issues, the roundtable was conducted in a constructive tone and resulted in a consensus on extending the season in Split. Designing a rich and recognizable offer in Dalmatia, with Split as the heart of the region, will be the first concrete task of the roundtable participants and their connected partners at the next meeting in January, to be announced. 

The round table was attended by: Ivica Puljak, Mayor of Split, Tonči Glavina, State Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism, Alijana Vukšić, Director of Split Tourist Board, Joško Stella, Director of Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, Pero Bilas, Deputy Director of Split Airport, Joze Tomaš, President Split-Dalmatia County Chamber of Economy, Nataša Bušić, Secretary of the County Chamber for Tourism, Paul Bradbury, journalist and CEO of Total Croatia News, representatives of hotels (Nevena Antonini - Radisson Blu Split, Arnoud Zaalberg and Andrijana Mladina (Le Meridien Lav), Zoran Pejović (Paradox Hospitality), Marija Mustapić (Split hostels), Jelena Tabak (Split Association of Caterers), representatives of travel agencies, Ante Lacam (Intours MICE) and Ivana Durdov (Secret Dalmatia), and Jasmina Kruščić, caterer and host.

Total Croatia News will be publishing the in-depth minutes of the meeting soon and will be following the story in the coming weeks and months. 

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

December 12, 2021 - The third Split Gastroadvent at Cornaro Hotel honored TV journalists and Romanian cuisine, attended by representatives of the city and tourism, along with project partners.

Gastroadvent is a unique event that has promoted the Mediterranean diet for decades through a fusion of nutrition, gastronomy, and tourism. Thanks to the engagement and participation of dedicated journalists, who continue to bring light to Split, the event persistently shares scientific knowledge woven into gastronomic skills, the numerous health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and the preparation of dishes from unique ingredients.

The theme of this year's Gastroadvent is "Mediterranean nutrition is sustainable, achievable, and responsible."  In its original form, the stated principle is the basis of action and, as such, should remain the foundation of behavior. The Mediterranean Sea connects all the countries founded on the Mediterranean diet. For the Mediterranean diet to be sustainable, we must responsibly dispose of our waste and use resources rationally.

The holiday season is a time to imbibe and socialize with family and friends, which is why both Dalmatian and Romanian holiday delicacies were in the spotlight at the lighting of the third Advent candle. Romania was honored at today's Gastroadvent thanks to Stjepan Roglić, Honorary Consul of Romania in Split.

The most delicious prosciutto is produced in the Mediterranean region. Resources are used rationally, especially the sea and the bura wind, to obtain a dried ham product. The first recorded mention of prosciutto dates back to 100 BC and is preserved in the Italian city of Parma. And they, just like us, have kept the tradition of producing prosciutto all these years. 

But this is more than just a 2,000-year-long tradition. In addition to gastronomic quality, it is essential to know the nutritional facts of prosciutto.

The tradition of Croatian production has been preserved in Hrvace for decades. The Lovrić family researched and produced traditional meat products in the 1980s when every MEL product was created thanks to hard work. The company's wide range includes products made from fresh meat (beef, pork, veal, lamb) and products that bear the "Originally Croatian" and "Croatian Quality" labels. The company MEL-JAKOV LOVRIĆ distributes its products to stores and also supplies restaurants and hotels. MEL products represent the tradition of excellence and the best Dalmatian taste. Alkar salami is their jewel among the products.

The sumptuous culinary table was designed and prepared by chef Duje Terze (Hotel Cornaro) and his team, paired with Nikolica winery's top-quality 2019 Dingač and Postup, made by the Radović family, Cornaro Hotel owners. 

Today's menu included Dalmatian prosciutto with sweet and savory tapenade and skuta, a selection of quality Dalmatian cheeses, chickpea and prosciutto spread, tapenade with olives and prosciutto, puff pastry and prosciutto, bruschetta with onion jam, skuta, and prosciutto, bruschetta with tuna pate, bruschetta with pear, gorgonzola and prosciutto, salty baskets with prosciutto, melon and prosciutto, cold cuts, a selection of quality Dalmatian cheeses, goat cheese and prosciutto tart, Vis pie, foccacia with olives, tomatoes, herbs, bakalar, monkfish fillet wrapped in prosciutto, octopus with prosciutto and chickpeas, homemade gnocchi with prosciutto and sage, tagliatelle with shrimp and prosciutto, veal breast stuffed with prosciutto and leeks, prosciutto,cold salad, French salad, caprese salad, octopus salad, and rožada, Split cake, and fritters for dessert. 

The Romanian food table was presented by Frane Ivan from the Community of Croats in Romania and included mature sheep cheese, cold plates of dried meat products with pickled vegetables, fish caviar spread, traditional vegetable spread, mushroom spread, Christmas cake, sweet quince dessert, salty pretzels, and ROM chocolates and Puffs as gifts for guests to take home!

Split-Dalmatia County and the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board are avid supporters of Gastroadvent in Split, thus promoting the Mediterranean diet and local producers, entrepreneurs, and tourism workers.

The Split Tourist Board has worked hard to position the destination, harnessing a natural combination of history, gastronomy, and modernity, all to protect the components of the Mediterranean diet. The City of Split is determined to support projects that benefit its residents and demands guests after authentic experiences and new technological opportunities.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce has advocated for years to encourage the representation of domestic products, and since 1997 has implemented the national project "Let's Buy Croatian." The project aims to increase the consumption of local products and thus support the economy. This project is of particular importance, emphasized by the director Joze Tomaš, and confirmed by the cooperation with Gastroadvent.

JU RERA S.D., as part of the MD.net project to establish innovative food products, has cooperated with primary and secondary schools in Split-Dalmatia County and stakeholders involved in producing or marketing Mediterranean food products and promoting the Mediterranean way of life. The MD.net project focuses on development opportunities and problem-solving related to popularizing the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is a part of the Mediterranean identity inscribed in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The project aims to strengthen research in this area following the UNESCO Convention on Mediterranean Nutrition, raise the quality of nutrition and life in 9 project partner countries, and promote the Mediterranean diet, which is recognized as the gold standard of proper nutrition with far-reaching health benefits.

Apart from the desire to involve as many people as possible and bring them closer to the importance of the Mediterranean diet in everyday life, as well as its impact on their health, the other goal of the project is to establish a standard in the Med Diet Declaration logo to classify Mediterranean areas. The ultimate goal of awarding the Declaration is to position Split-Dalmatia County as a desirable Mediterranean culinary region.

This Sunday's Gastroadvent was enhanced by Dance Studio "Dimache" under the direction and choreography of Remus Dimache, ballet soloist of the Croatian National Theater in Split. For this occasion, Remus Dimache added elements of Romanian folklore to the choreography of modern dance. 

The designer of this year's Gastroadvent wreath is artist Tonka Alujević, who depicted the Advent wreath from a lifebuoy as "a maritime object that serves to save a man who, for various reasons, is helpless in the sea and is in mortal danger." And that is precisely the health and political position we are in at the moment. 

Split Gastroadvent is held every Advent Sunday at a new location, honoring a different group of journalists with new culinary creations at each event. 

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

December 5, 2021 - The second Split Gastroadvent candle was lit on Sunday by portal journalists and representatives of Split-Dalmatia County. The event is traditionally organized by famous dietician and nutritionist Olja Martinić. This Sunday's Advent candle was lit for peace and love, with prosciutto creations by famed chef Hrvoje Zirojević.

Gastroadvent is a unique event that has promoted the Mediterranean diet for decades through a fusion of nutrition, gastronomy, and tourism. Thanks to the engagement and participation of dedicated journalists, who continue to bring light to Split, the event persistently shares scientific knowledge woven into gastronomic skills, the numerous health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, and the preparation of dishes from unique ingredients.

The theme of this year's Gastroadvent is "Mediterranean nutrition is sustainable, achievable, and responsible."  In its original form, the stated principle is the basis of action and, as such, should remain the foundation of behavior. The Mediterranean Sea connects all the countries founded on the Mediterranean diet. For the Mediterranean diet to be sustainable, we must responsibly dispose of our waste and use resources rationally.

The most delicious prosciutto is produced in the Mediterranean region. Resources are used rationally, especially the sea and the bura wind, to obtain a dried ham product. The first recorded mention of prosciutto dates back to 100 BC and is preserved in the Italian city of Parma. And they, just like us, have kept the tradition of producing prosciutto all these years. 

But this is more than just a 2,000-year-long tradition. In addition to gastronomic quality, it is important to know the nutritional facts of prosciutto.

Namely, 100 g of prosciutto contains: 

Calories: 280 kcal
Carbohydrates: 0.3 g
Fat: 18.3 g
Protein: 25.9 g
Vitamins
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - 82% RDA
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) - 16% RDA
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) - 37% RDA
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - 81% RDA
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) - 27% RDA
Vitamin B9 (folate) - 6% RDA
Vitamin E (tocopherol) - 2% RDA
Minerals
Calcium - 1% RDA
Copper - 3% RDA
Iron - 6% RDA
Magnesium - 5% RDA
Manganese - 1% RDA
Potassium - 27% RDA
Phosphorus - 26% RDA
Selenium - 20% RDA
Zinc - 23% RDA

Prosciutto is relatively rich in nutrients, and their relationship is synergistic. It is essential to emphasize that prosciutto and pork products primarily contain oleic acid, which is necessary for all those who take care of quality fatty acids. We can rightly say that prosciutto and related products, in the diversity of the Mediterranean diet, have guaranteed the sustainability of health for generations.

The sumptuous gastronomic table with dishes, prepared and served following current epidemiological measures, was the work of Caffe-restaurant Dvor under the baton of a distinguished chef, Hrvoje Zirojević, paired with Pošip and Crljenak wines from Kairos winery. 

This Sunday's menu included goose liver wrapped in prosciutto with brioche, prosciutto pesto, prosciutto and bacon with pickled vegetables and herbs, prosciutto and sauerkraut strudel, white cod with bacon chips, cod stew with bean paste and prosciutto pesto, saltimbocca, pljukanci with prosciutto, truffles, and mushrooms, and cream of pumpkin soup with prosciutto chips. 

Split-Dalmatia County and the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board are avid supporters of Gastroadvent in Split, thus promoting the Mediterranean diet and local producers, entrepreneurs, and tourism workers.

The Split Tourist Board has worked hard to position the destination, harnessing a natural combination of history, gastronomy, and modernity, all to protect the components of the Mediterranean diet. The City of Split is determined to support projects that benefit its residents and demands guests after authentic experiences and new technological opportunities.

The Croatian Chamber of Commerce has advocated for years to encourage the representation of domestic products, and since 1997 has implemented the national project "Let's Buy Croatian." The project aims to increase the consumption of local products and thus support the economy. This project is of particular importance, emphasized by the director Joze Tomaš, and confirmed by the cooperation with Gastroadvent.

JU RERA S.D., as part of the MD.net project to establish innovative food products, has cooperated with primary and secondary schools in Split-Dalmatia County and stakeholders involved in producing or marketing Mediterranean food products and promoting the Mediterranean way of life. The MD.net project focuses on development opportunities and problem-solving related to popularizing the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean diet is a part of the Mediterranean identity inscribed in the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage. The project aims to strengthen research in this area following the UNESCO Convention on Mediterranean Nutrition, raise the quality of nutrition and life in 9 project partner countries, and promote the Mediterranean diet, which is recognized as the gold standard of proper nutrition with far-reaching health benefits.

Apart from the desire to involve as many people as possible and bring them closer to the importance of the Mediterranean diet in everyday life, as well as its impact on their health, the other goal of the project is to establish a standard in the Med Diet Declaration logo to classify Mediterranean areas. The ultimate goal of awarding the Declaration is to position Split-Dalmatia County as a desirable Mediterranean culinary region.

Special partners of this year's Gastroadvent are Scala d.o.o. and Kairos winery. The "Mediterranean Food 2021" event host is Scala d.o.o. from Split in cooperation with the Olja Nutrition Counseling Center.

The designer of this year's Gastroadvent wreath is artist Tonka Alujević, who depicted the Advent wreath from a lifebuoy as "a maritime object that serves to save a man who, for various reasons, is helpless in the sea and is in mortal danger." And that is precisely the health and political position we are in at the moment. 

Split Gastroadvent is held every Advent Sunday at a new location, honoring a different group of journalists with new culinary creations at each event. 

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

November 18, 2021 - Split Advent at Cornaro ramparts, a new location added this year, aims to be the hub of the holiday festivities this winter.

As things currently stand, Split Advent is moving forward as planned, even as the epidemiological situation in Croatia worsens. The Split Advent opening is scheduled for November 27 at 6 pm, and the holiday cottages will be set at several locations.

Most interesting this year is that holiday cottages will be displayed on the Cornaro ramparts for the first time. There will be a total of 8 holiday cottages, with 5 more at Perivoj, an ice skating rink in Đardin, and no lack of entertainment for children in Mertojak.

“Perivoj and Cornaro will control the entrance of visitors. We have one entrance. During the day, everyone will be allowed in because only the seats will be used, and during the day, there are not as many people. Most of the traffic takes place in the evening, which we will control with Covid certificates. From 7 pm on, Advent cannot be entered without a Covid certificate, and people who find themselves there will also be checked. Those who do not have a Covid certificate will be asked to leave the space," the organizer Domagoj Petričević told Dalmacija Danas.

The ice rink in Đardin will not be fenced.

"There will be a skating rink in Đardin. Đardin will not be fenced, for now, as there will not be a greater concentration of people. Mertojak will also be fenced off. There will be 5 houses in Perivoj, one will be from Ivan Pažanin, so there will be an interesting food offer. The team has been here for years, and local bands will perform, such as Festivo, XXS band, Bravo band, DJ Sola, the oldest DJ in the city of Split. We will also have a cassette party and DJ Brothers. In short, there will be a program every night. Everything will be on our social media pages, but also on the Split Tourist Board pages, which will follow us," Petričević added.

If the headquarters allows work after midnight, we can expect a program for New Year's Eve.

“The Cornaro ramparts will be the central place for entertainment. There will be concerts, and New Year's Eve is planned if the headquarters allows. For now, our work is limited to midnight, but if allowed, we expect to work on New Year's Eve until 2 am. An interesting gastronomic offer awaits the citizens. There will be smoked pork, chicken, and ribs. We asked everyone to have a slightly different, richer food offer, not just sausages and mulled wine. There will be everything, from sarma to fritule made in various ways," the organizer continued. 

They will work every day from 9 am to midnight, and citizen testing will be organized. They will be able to be tested at an affordable price of 50 kuna. Everyone who comes to Advent is invited to respect epidemiological measures.

"People have started getting vaccinated in recent days, so we hope that the epidemiological picture will remain good," Petričević concluded. 

Advent is scheduled until January 6, 2022. 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

September 21, 2021 - The 21st Split Marathon will hit the streets this weekend, organized by the Marjan Club. On Saturday, September 25, at 6 pm, the five-kilometer 'Slobodna Dalmacija Trophy' will also take place. 

Dalmatinski Portal reports:

"For the first time, I hope we will organize the last marathon in early autumn. We were forced to do this because of the coronavirus. Split is known for being the sportiest city in the world. We are one of the few who will hold marathons in these two years without interruption. The number of participants is slightly smaller than usual, but we are specific in that we have many foreign competitors from as many as 46 countries. That's a record. I hope everyone enjoys what we provide them. I want to ask for the understanding of all our fellow citizens to show patience and support for this event. Everyone who participates in the race will need to have a Covid certificate. For all those who do not have it, we have provided on-site testing," said the president of the organizing committee, Kristijan Sindik.

The Deputy Prefect of Split-Dalmatia County, Stipe Čogelja, emphasized the importance of this event.

"This is a very valuable event. Mr. Čular recently said at the Paralympic reception that our County won more medals at the Paralympics than India. This speaks volumes about the uniqueness of this region and how important sport is. The county recognized that, and this is one of the significant events."

Last year, Ivica Puljak ran the marathon. Today, Puljak is the mayor of Split. 

"The atmosphere that is being created around the Split Marathon makes us happy. I ran the marathon last year, and I can testify to how interesting this event is. It is perhaps the most beautiful sporting event I have participated in. I persuaded 13 people to run the marathon. It prompted me to participate. I wish you a sports and tourist weekend this year as well. We prove once again that we are the sportiest city in the world. I won’t run this year, but I will next year."

The mayor of Solin, Dalibor Ninčević, announced that he would also participate in the half marathon this year.

"For the second year in a row, the city of Solin is part of this significant event, which is an important tourist period for the entire Split-Dalmatia County. I am grateful to the organizers for connecting Split and Solin even more. We are a proud sponsor of this event. I will try to run the half marathon this year."

Split Tourist Board director, Alijana Vukšić, is also satisfied.

"The city of Split is constantly branded as a city of culture and sports. The city offers many opportunities and can be branded in all markets. Our guests want to continue their active lifestyle when they come to a destination. This is a specific year, but I hope that this event will return to the pre-season."

The director of the Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Board, Joško Stella, compared this event to Ultra.

"This is a sports Ultra. We watched marathons on television and wondered when they would come to us. That is a huge achievement. We from tourism see that sports tourism is on the rise."

Celebrated Split Olympian Igor Boraska is also looking forward to the marathon.

"Running and marathons have become the lifestyle of hundreds of thousands of people around the world. I was very pleased to be with 60,000 people at the New York City Marathon. I want to congratulate the organizers for bringing the marathon to our city. I wish all marathon participants a good time and time."

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