October 21, 2019 - The 12th round of the Croatian First League was held from October 18 to 20, 2019. In this round, Dinamo retook first place after Hajduk and Lokomotiva drew. 

Gorica v. Dinamo (2:4)

Gorica and Dinamo opened the 12th round in Velika Gorica on Friday, October 18,2019. 

Orsic and Kadzior scored for Dinamo in the 25th and 27th minutes to make it 0:2 at the half - and thanks to another goal by Orsic, it was 0:3 by the 49th minute.  Lovric came back with a goal for Gorica in the 55th, though an Orsic hat trick made it 1:4 in the 61st. Gorica’s Suk scored in the 77th for the final score of 2:4. 

Gorica is currently in 6th place with 15 points, while Dinamo is back in first with 25. 

Varazdin v. Istra 1961 (1:0)

Varazdin and Istria met on Saturday, October 19, 2019, at the NK Varteks stadium. 

The first half went without goals, and the game didn’t see its only goal until the 87th minute when Benko scored for Varazdin for 1:0. 

Varazdin is currently in 8th place with 10 points, while Istra is in 7th with 10. 

Slaven Belupo v. Rijeka (1:2)

Belupo and Rijeka met in Koprivnica on Saturday, October 19, 2019. 

Belupo’s Radivojevic put the home team in the lead in the 14th minute for 1:0 at the half. It wasn't until the end of the match that Rijeka came back - Gorgon scored in the 74th minute to equalize, and Acosty scored in the 90th for the 1:2 win. 

Belupo is currently in 9th place with 10 points, while Rijeka is in third with 22. 

Inter Zapresic v. Osijek (3:3)

Inter and Osijek met on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Stadion ŠRC Zaprešić in front of 662 fans. 

Maric put Osijek in the lead for 0:1, though two goals by Serderov in the 32nd and 43rd minute had Inter up 2:1 at the half. Serderov scored his hat trick in the 63rd minute for 3:1, though Lepa and Spoljaric came back to equalize for Osijek in the 72nd and 92nd minute for the 3:3 draw. 

Inter is currently in the last place with 8 points, while Osijek is in 4th with 20. 

Lokomotiva v. Hajduk (0:0)

Lokomotiva and Hajduk closed out the 12th round on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at Kranjceviceva Street Stadium. 

While there were chances on both ends, neither team was able to score. The draw was met with criticism by part of Hajduk fan group Torcida, who called for coach Damir Buric's departure. 

Lokomotiva is currently in 5th place with 16 points, while Hajduk has dropped to 2nd with 24.

You can see the full HNL table here. 

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

October 20, 2019 - Continuing our look at successful returnee stories and experiences from the Croatian diaspora to the homeland, next up Luis Miguel Zuvic on his journey from Venezuela to Split. 

1. Born in Venezuela, returned to Croatia, something that many diaspora dream of doing. Tell us briefly about your journey.

I got a scholarship to learn the language, and mostly because of the situation in my country, I decided to take it. After a year in Croatia, I went back to Venezuela, which lasted for just three weeks, and decided to go back to Croatia. I studied for four semesters and got a job in a restaurant in Germany in a small town called Rosenheim. Now I am the chef at Fig restaurant in Split.

2. Looking back, what were your hopes, expectations, and fears about moving to Croatia?

I was really excited to see the country of my grandfather and learn about his culture and language. I was a little bit afraid of the language as it was something different, something I never heard in my life before.

 

3. How supportive was your Croatian community back home at the time?

There is not a big Croatian community in Venezuela, but I got a lot of information from families and the Consul of Croatia about the scholarship and life in Croatia.

4. What were the main differences in what you expected to find in Croatia and the reality of living in Croatia?

Everything was as I expected. I read a lot before coming, but it was more impressive to see everything in person than just seeing the pictures.

5. Many diaspora think of returning but few do. In truth, there is little information out there about real-life stories and help/info about the process. What advice do you have for those who are thinking about making the move?

There are different programs and scholarships, and it depends on where you are coming from. The culture is different, but I found that Croatians are similar to South Americans, funny and open people. My advice would be to try and live in Croatia or travel there often to see how you like the Croatian lifestyle.

6. How were you perceived in Split as foreigners/diaspora moving back - was the welcome warm?

The welcome was really warm I would say, and in 8-9 months, I made more friends than the last three years in Germany. For many Croatians, it is amazing that I can speak their language. Almost all together I've been here for five years.

7. Through a lot of hard work, you have been very successful, while many foreigners have given up and left Croatia. What are the keys to success in doing business in Croatia, in your opinion?

It was a bit hard at the beginning for me as well. When I had just arrived, I didn't have my Croatian citizenship, so I couldn't work at the beginning. It's just a matter of patience with the Croatian bureaucracy

8. What is the diaspora community like in Split and how integrated is it with locals?

There are a lot of Latinos in Split and Zagreb, who have been living in Croatia. There are a lot of local people who want to learn a different language and culture, and are willing to speak and learn Spanish, for example.

For more on the Croatian diaspora, check out the TCN dedicated section. 

Are you a returnee who has moved back to Croatia and would like to be featured in this series? Please contact us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

October 20, 2019 - Croatian water polo clubs Jug, Jadran, and Mladost played their second-round LEN Champions League games over the weekend. 

HRT reports that Jug AO registered their second win in the second round of Group A after topping Spain's Barceloneta 13-15 (2-4, 3-3, 6-3, 4-3) in Dubrovnik. Paulo Obradovic was massive for Jug with six goals. 

Barceloneta led 3-2 two minutes before the end of the first quarter and held the lead for a long time - and on two occasions, they were up by three goals. But in the third quarter, Jug scored six consecutive goals, coming from 5-8 to an 11-8 lead.

Barceloneta scored two goals in the last minute of the third quarter and Jug entered the final quarter with a minimal lead of 11-10. A minute and a half into the last quarter, goals by Paul Obradovic and Loren Fatovic pushed Jug to 13-10, and by the end of the match, Jug’s victory was no longer in question.

Paulo Obradovic was the best for Jug with six goals, while Loren Fatovic scored three. Alvaro Ortega led Barceloneta with four goals.

The second Croatian representative in Group A, Jadran Split, won their first point against Berlin club Spandau 04 with a 12-12 (4-5, 2-3, 4-3, 2-1) result in Split.

At no point in the game did the Jadran have an advantage. The German side also led by three goals during the second and third quarters - and Jadran’s first equalizer only came thanks to Buric's goal for 11-11 in the middle of the final quarter. 

Spandau led again, though Buric equalized with a goal with just over 3 minutes to go to make it 12-12. By the end of the match, both teams missed several chances to win, the last of which was Jadran’s Butic, though his last-second shot was defended by Spandau's goalkeeper.

Zvonimir Butic scored three goals for Jadran, with two added by Rino Burić, Nathan Power, and Antonio Dužević. Tiberiu Negrean was the best for Spandau with four goals.

After two rounds in Group A, Jug, the Olympiacos, and Szolnoki have the maximum six points.

Mladost met Dinamo Tbilisi 21:11 (8: 2, 3: 1, 6: 4, 4: 4) in the 2nd round of the Champions League Group B on Saturday in Zagreb.

Cosmin Radu was the best for Mladost with five goals, while Lovre Milos, Josip Vrlic, Milos Cuk, and Konstantin Kharkov each scored three.

Zagreb-born Marko Jelaca was the best for Dinamo with four goals.

Recall, Mladost lost to OSC in Budapest at the start of the Champions League 10:13. 

In Group B, Ferencvaros leads with six points, while Mladost, Pro Recco, Terrassa, and OSC Budapest have three, though Mladost has one match more. 

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

October 20, 2019 - TCN caught up with the brains behind everyone’s favorite handcrafted nautical jewelry brand to discuss the wild summer behind us, what we can expect this winter, and the biggest news yet - franchising next year. A closer look into all things Break Time with Mirela Rus.

We’re finally into the heart of autumn, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still reflect on the season behind us. How did the summer of 2019 treat Break Time? 

We had a fantastic summer in terms of business. We launched a couple of new collections: #reCYCLED with rope from recycled plastic bottles, made especially for us by a rope factory in the Netherlands, and YACHT CLUB, which uses an amazing minimalist anchor design, created for Break Time by Attila Kim and Bogdan Ciocodeica, a brilliant team of architects/designers. 

We are happy to report that our customers received both collections with great enthusiasm, so we will be building on that for 2020.

That being said, with five Croatian shops running and an international online shop, there was not much time left for relaxation, but that is what winter is for!

Which shops performed the best and what were the bestselling products?

The two Split shops were the stars of the season and we tend to believe a part of this success stems from the fact that we live here and, therefore, we can focus more on these two shops than the ones from Dubrovnik, Istria, and Zagreb.

As for the best-selling products, as mentioned above, the new YACHT CLUB collection was an absolute hit and managed to surpass every other collection in sales. A close second is our already very popular DUBROVNIK collection of nautical bracelets with a decorative compass, designed especially for men.

What changes can we expect from Break Time in the offseason?

We are keeping two of our shops open until the New Year: the Ilica 14 store in Zagreb and the Zadarska 1 store in Split. 

Any special Advent offers?

We are actually preparing some really cool stuff for Advent! First of all, through December, we will offer FREE ENGRAVING (in-store and online), so that our customers can get one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces as gifts for their loved ones (and for themselves). We will also have at least one day in Zagreb and one day in Split when we will bring the engraving machine to the shops and do custom engravings on the spot. We will make sure to announce the dates well in advance!

However, the Advent news does not stop there. We plan to launch the mini and the big versions of the Yacht Club collection - and they look so cool, we almost couldn’t wait!.

But the most exciting Advent news is that we will also launch a VERY limited edition of a special variant of the big Yacht Club anchor bracelets, which I think our fans will absolutely love. And they will make for very cool Christmas presents, too. I promise it will be something very innovative and cool. I wish I could tell you about it now, but I am doing my best to keep the surprise for one more month.

But there is still even bigger news. You’ve announced a Break Time franchise - tell us more!

We are so, so excited about this and we are working on it 24/7 currently, with the help of an amazing franchise consultant – Andrija Colak, the owner of the Surf’n’Fries franchise, with over 60 units opened all around the globe so far. And we owe thanks to TCN’s Paul Bradbury for introducing Andrija to us.

It has been four years since we opened our first shop and all this time, we had countless requests for the distribution of our handmade nautical bracelets, coming not just from Croatia, but literally from all over the world, from Dubai to Florida.

In these four years, we wanted to focus on delivering amazing products to our customers in our shops, first of all. And that, plus continually evolving and developing new collections, did not leave much room for external cooperation. 

But we feel that we have grown and learned enough now to be able to open the Break Time brand to the world. Experience and trial and error led us to choose the franchise as the optimal way to develop the brand internationally.

We hope to officially launch the franchise system at the beginning of 2020, targeting coastal locations with high tourism flows, all over the world. We made a soft announcement to get some feedback on the possible interest, and we are overwhelmed by the response we received already. We had interest shown from the UK, US, and Asia. Of course, there is still a long road ahead until we will be announcing the opening of the first Break Time franchise, but we are enjoying this new experience and will do our absolute best to make it a great one.

You can learn more about the Break Time franchise here. 

What else can we expect in 2020? 

The new franchise path meant that we also needed to reorganize ourselves in terms of both production and our stores. 

We realized that we would not be able to focus and give enough attention to our future franchisees if we keep all our five stores. So, in 2020, we are keeping the Zagreb store (Ilica 14) and the two Split stores (Zadarska 1 and Trogirska 8).

The Trogirska 8 store will move to a new location – but it will be at the same address, just next door. We are doing that because the next-door space is l, and it also has an upstairs large room that my partner, Leonard Copoiu, will use as a workshop during the summer. That will allow us to make custom bracelets and custom engravings on the spot, in less than one hour for our Split customers.

We also need to make changes related to production. Up until now, Leonard himself made absolutely all of our jewelry pieces. In the next months, we will focus on developing a production unit, and Leonard will do the training and personally supervise all production to make sure that the quality (which is what we are most proud of) stays the same.

But those are things regarding our internal functioning. What our fans would most likely be more interested in finding out is if new collections will be launched in 2020 - and the answer is YES! 

As we have done each year since we opened, we are constantly working on new products or improving our existing products. But I won’t say much more at this point; we need to keep some surprises for next year, too. 

To make sure you never miss a Break Time beat, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. 

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

October 18, 2019 - The latest news from around Croatia’s airports for new flights to Croatia with updates from Rijeka, Split, Pula, and Dubrovnik.

Avio Radar reports that German low-cost carrier Eurowings has reduced traffic to Rijeka and Split in the upcoming winter flight schedule, starting October 27. The Rijeka-Dusseldorf line will remain in traffic with two flights a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, only during the first three weeks of the winter flight schedule, i.e., until November 17. The line will begin operating again from May 2, 2020. 

Eurowings reduced winter traffic to Split, too. On the routes from Split to Cologne/Bonn and Split to Stuttgart,  which flew three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, the Cologne line will no longer operate on Tuesdays, and Stuttgart will not run on Fridays. The Split-Munich route, which runs two flights a week on Mondays and Fridays, will not operate at all from January 11 to February 9, 2020. Only the Split-Dusseldorf line remains in operation with two flights a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, throughout the winter timetable, or until March 28, 2020. 

Avio Radar also reports that Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair has announced a new flight from Germany to Rijeka in their 2020 flight schedule, which will connect Rijeka to Hahn Airport near Frankfurt. The line will be in service starting April  4 with one flight a week, on Saturdays. The flight number is the same as the line that flew from Frankfurt’s main airport to Rijeka this year. Because that option is not on offer for next year, the new line between Hahn Airport and Rijeka has replaced the former Frankfurt line. 

Ryanair has also made changes to Pula. Namely, this year, Pula operated flights to both Frankfurt airports twice a week, on the same days, Mondays and Fridays. Just like the Rijeka route, the line from Frankfurt’s main airport is no longer on offer. On the other hand, the Hahn-Pula route will run an additional flight per week next year. Thus,  in addition to trips on Mondays and Fridays, a third flight has been introduced on Sundays. This line will begin operations on March 29, 2020. 

To end this week of flight news, Avio Radar reports that Latvian national carrier Air Baltic has released its 2020 flight schedule. Three lines from the Latvian capital to Croatia remain in circulation for next year. Namely, the Riga-Split line has been strengthened. In addition to this year’s two flights per week, on Mondays and Fridays, Air Baltic has introduced a third weekly flight on Wednesdays, in the heart of the peak season.

The Riga-Dubrovnik line remains in operation with two flights a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the same as this year. Both lines will begin operating three weeks earlier than this year, i.e., from the beginning of May 2020. The Riga-Rijeka route will run the same as this year, with two flights a week on Wednesdays and Sundays, with operations beginning towards the end of May. 

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

October 17, 2019 - Are you on the hunt for the best steak in Split? Look no further. 

When the seasons change in Dalmatia, so do our diets - and after a summer of fish and white wine, we are more than ready for a winter of beef, beer, and a heavy red.

So, where should you bite into beef in Split? A look at the best steakhouses and BBQ’s in the city. 

Chops Grill: When it comes to steak in Split, it’s hard to argue with Split’s one and only authentic steakhouse - Chops Grill. Making meat lovers on Marmontova happy for years, Chops brings the best beef to the table and is a pioneer in introducing new cuts to the people of Split - like Wagyu beef. Boasting prime meats from all over the world, Chops is where you’ll want to park for the night if you’re after a variety of cuts, from Black Angus prime rib to Tomahawk on the bone, that is guaranteed cooked to perfection. And if we had to rate them on the tender and juiciness scale, we’d call it an 11/10. 

Toro Grill: If you’re after something simple, quick, but 100% quality, Toro is your number one. With orders taken at a counter and only high-top outdoor seating available, Toro isn’t trying to impress you with their looks -  because they know their beef will bring you back for more. This steak shack’s menu isn’t decorated with ingredients you can’t pronounce, but instead gives you the option to choose your cut of meat, and a few sides if you’re hungry - like French fries, grilled veggies, or a seasonal salad. Whether you want the beef tenderloin, ribeye, Chicago steak or T-bone, your steak will be traditionally cooked on the grill, without all the bells and whistles. 

Toro Instagram

Bosso Steak House: Popular in the summer thanks to its outdoor alleyway seating and live music, Bosso is a casual steak house with BBQ favorites. However, what sets Bosso apart is that their meat is cooked in a special KOPA oven, which is a grill and charcoal combo that exudes a unique BBQ aroma. Bosso busts out menu items such as burgers, spare ribs, and beef cuts that range from T-bone and ribeye to Tomahawk. 

Bosso Facebook

Bakra: Local favorite Bakra might be known for their pizzas as much as their steaks, but it’s good to know that they fail to disappoint in any area they conquer. Just outside of the historic city center, Bakra is praised for its homemade Croatian BBQ, where you can find regional delights such as cevapcici and sausages, though we think their steak BBQ is right on par. From matured ribeye to Chicago steak, t-bone to steaks drenched in sauces like truffle or green pepper, Bakra isn't afraid to do it all. We give this Split institution an A+ for atmosphere, too. 

Bakra Facebook

Mandrill Brewpub and Kitchen: Brand spankin’ new to the scene is Mandrill, though you might already know them for their pizza and beer. Moving on from the simple menu offered at their original location, Mandrill is taking its place on Split's meat stage with a specialty in sous vide. However, they're not afraid to pump out burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, and, of course, the tried and true Tomahawk steak. If you’re looking for something different, you’ll want to get after their beef brisket or chicken wings! 

Mandrill Facebook

Yes, we know, this is just part of Split’s steak scene. What are your favorite places to beef out in Split?

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

October 16, 2019 - Just because summer is over doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Let Solo Transfers lead the way on your offseason road trip from Zadar to Split.

The offseason in Croatia has its perks - and if the summer weather we’ve been experiencing this October is any indication, you’ll never want to travel in the peak season again! Warm temperatures averaging in the mid-20 degrees Celsius, high sea temps, a relatively absent bura wind, and no sign of rain are just some of why we’ve been loving autumn so far  - and the fact that the crowds have considerably thinned is a bonus. 

So, why stop the summer fun just because the season has changed? October is the ideal time to get out of the house and onto the roads to explore Croatia’s coast. This time, we’re bringing you the top 5 road trip pit tops from Zadar to Split. 

Biograd na Moru: Just 40 minutes south of Zadar is Biograd na Moru, the former capital of the medieval Croatian Kingdom. While it was first mentioned in the mid-10th century, this coastal town is also unique because it is located between Croatia’s largest freshwater lake (Vrana Lake) and 300 islets - it is the pathway to the Kornati islands, after all. The town is glittered with ancient churches, its Native Museum houses the evidence of its turbulent past, and the Mediterranean spirit is alive in the town’s bars and restaurants. 

Commons

Murter/Tisno: One small bridge connects the island of Murter to Croatia’s mainland, which you’d be silly to miss on your coastal road trip. Just over an hour away from Zadar and about 20 minutes south of Biograd is Tisno, a town on the island of Murter, which you can get to thanks to this Tisno Bridge. While Tisno has become a hotspot over the years thanks to a summer of electronic music festivals, the other eight months out of the year, the island maintains the simple, tranquil, and painless lifestyle of a fisher. Murter, however, does boast one of Croatia’s restaurants - Konoba Boba, by chef Vjeko Basic.

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic 

Sibenik/Krka National Park: From Murter, its easy to hit Sibenik - Croatia’s oldest native town on the Adriatic. It is known for the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, a UNESCO Heritage Site, but also for its many fortresses - St. Michael’s, St. Nicholas’, St. John, and Barone. And it also boasts one of Croatia’s Michelin-starred restaurants (hello, Pelegrini!). While you’re already in Sibenik, a stop at Krka National Park is a no brainer. Located just 20 minutes from Sibenik, you’ll be taking photos at the famous waterfalls in no time. 

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic 

Primosten: This ancient town dates back to 1564, though under a different name - Capusta Cista. Once an island, too, Primosten was connected to the mainland by a bridge in the 16th century and later evolved into the peninsula we know it as today. Known for its vineyards and donkey races, Orson Welles loved Primosten so much he bought a home there. Today, you can enjoy Primosten’s chilled vibe, beaches, and honey shops, or drive just outside the town to see one of the biggest shrines to the Virgin Mary in the world - Lady of Loreto.

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic 

Trogir: This UNESCO-protected museum town is an hour and a half from Zadar, and 30 minutes away from your final destination - Split. From the Venetian Kamerlengo fortress built in the 1400s to the St. Lawrence Cathedral or many palaces that decorate the city center, you’ll never grow tired of things to see in this charming town. Apart from the town’s ancient history, Trogir is not only home to the first pharmacy in Europe - but it was also a film location for Game of Thrones!

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic 

If you’re after a good road trip but don’t feel like taking the wheel, Solo Transfers will get you from point A to B, and anywhere in between. Thanks to their safe, reliable, and professional staff, you’ll never want to travel any other way. You can find more information on the Solo Transfers website and find out price estimates for your next trip from Zadar to Split.

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

October 15, 2019 - The Briig Boutique Hotel in Split, in cooperation with the Hoteza platform, offers the Hoteza HotPad system as a unique way to communicate with its guests -  as and it’s also a sustainable solution.

HRTurizam writes that by using the Hoteza platform, they discarded all printed brochures and material, earning, among the first in Croatia, MINT's written approval of categorization. Digitization of tourism in the true sense of the word.

From now on, all hotel guests can communicate with the hotel staff via digital devices, which are at their service at any time. Furthermore, they also get a wealth of information about the hotel, destination, and interesting events in their vicinity.

“The relaxation and ease of communication that the guest achieves by using the HotPad system encourage them to explore all the options this solution offers. From various events they can enjoy or information about the lively city they are in, to the gastronomic delights they can experience in the privacy of their own room - who can say no to a luxurious bed-and-breakfast?” concludes Duška Žižak, Marketing and Sales Manager of the Briig Hotel in Split.

Hoteza’s HotPad interactive system enables guests of the hotel to communicate with the hotel staff in real-time via the iPad in their rooms. The system allows them to order food or drinks, book a massage or beauty appointment, order a room refreshment or something from the bar, with minimal effort through an elegant, user-friendly interface that invites them to explore the contents of the hotel itself, as well as the destination.

“We are dedicated to finding a personalized solution within Hoteza's platform for each project we work on. Briig proved to be an ambitious project with a clear goal and vision, while Hoteza was a logical choice because, on the technological side, we have fulfilled all expectations and the high rankings set by Briig,” said Damir Knežević, director of Hoteza.

Hoteza has operated on the regional market for only four years, and they already have numerous experiences and clients from both international and local markets - and their unique know-how sets them apart from the competition. It all began with the IPTV smart system and mobile applications, and expanded with market needs that required new, innovative ways to communicate with guests.

Hoteza provides hoteliers with smart and personalized hotel solutions across several smart platforms, notable for their Hoteza interactive TV system, HotPad interactive in-room tablet application, and Hoteza Mobile, a hotel application that offers all services at your fingertips.

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

October 15, 2019 - ACI Sail and Nautor Swan are bringing the first ClubSwan 36 training center in the world to Croatia, and precisely to Split.

HRTurizam writes that it is an ACI Sail project, which in collaboration with top sailboat manufacturer Nautor Swan, was officially unveiled at the Genoa Boat Show.

Namely, at one of the most respected sailing clubs in the world, Real Nautico de Palma in Palma de Mallorca, Adriatic Croatia International Club (ACI) presented its new project ACI Sail, which will mark the future of sailing in the Adriatic and enrich the offer of complete Croatian nautical tourism.

It will be the only training center in the world for ClubSwan 36, a top-class sailboat by renowned Finnish manufacturer Nautor Swan. The center will be located in Split, and the project combines ACI's tradition of organizing regattas, the Adriatic as a great sailing destination, and the most modern ClubSwan 36 sailboats in a new way - all through a unique sailing experience in Croatia.

“After the Genoa Fair, the Nations Trophy Regatta is another great opportunity to showcase our innovative ACI Sail project. Nautor Swan, as a global brand, and ACI as a prominent Mediterranean brand, will offer a unique sailing experience in the Adriatic and the first ACI Sail ClubSwan 36 training center in the world. This project promotes ACI to the best of its ability as a company that strives for innovation, creating new values, enriching not only ours but a complete tourist offer and, of course, sailing and boating as our focus,” said ACI CEO Kristijan Pavić emphasizing that ACI is the first company in the world chosen by Nautor Swan to cooperate with and open a training center.

"In addition to the six state-of-the-art ClubSwan 36 boats, we will also get the Nautor Swan lifestyle. The world's first training center and charter services are just the beginning of our partnership with the strongest sailing and nautical company. With the slogan 'Sail to Future’, through the Swan regatta, we want to promote incentive tourism, i.e., business trips that aim to reward employees, partners, or clients. Sailing is recognized in the world as the ideal B2B platform for this type of service, and we will offer them the best service through ACI Sail. From a world-class sailboat to the highest level of services and experience that ACI and Swan require,” said ACI Sail project leader and one of Croatia's best sailors, Ivan Kljaković Gašpić.

Since 1966, Nautor Swan has been a symbol for sailboats pushing the boundaries in design, the use of innovative materials and technologies. Since 1998, it has been owned by Leonard Ferragamo, son of famed Italian fashion designer Salvatore Ferragamo. A special feature of Swan is the many regattas formed at ClubSwan, which bring together sailboat owners in prestigious destinations around the world such as Porto Cervo, St. Tropez, Monte Carlo, or Palma de Mallorca.

Boasting partnerships with Rolex and BMW, regattas have not only been event-oriented, but they have also become social events. According to ACI, the ACI Sail project will be presented at the largest nautical B2B fair in the world - ICE in Vienna. A fleet of 6 the ClubSwan 36 boats will arrive in Croatia in early 2020.

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

October 14, 2019 - Just over two months ago, the City of Split, in cooperation with Split Parking, launched a public bicycle system in the city - and the results indicate that this mode of transportation certainly has room for further development.

Namely, between mid-July and the end of September, a total of 2,886 bike rentals were made, with locals accounting for as much as 60.9 percent. More than half of the rentals (or 1865) were made in September alone, recording three times or 200% more rentals than August.

When it comes to the number of registered users, there are currently 1400 of which 52.6 percent are local. The most frequent location to rent bikes is the station on the Riva, followed by Stari plac, Spinut and Split 3, and Sukoišanska, Kampus, Žnjan, and next to Joker.

Eight stations have been set up so far, with 50 bikes available - 20 electric and 30 classic. Split Parking said they were satisfied with the results and that the figures clearly show that there is interest in this mode of transport.

“From this short period and the pilot project, we can conclude that our fellow citizens have identified bicycles as part of the urban mobility system. We offered them an alternative and in a short time, they started using it. It is not realistic to expect that Split will become Amsterdam.

We do not have that topography or mentality, but it is a cheaper, faster and more environmentally friendly way to get around the city. We are preparing documentation based on where we will place a significant number of bicycles and stations in the next year.

Of course, Split needs to continue to develop bicycle paths and the entire cycling infrastructure, which will make this service, above all, even safer, better quality, and acceptable to an increasing number of users. We have a long way to go in changing the habits and dominance of driving cars, and getting used to and respecting bicycles in traffic, but we are headed in that direction and the first results are encouraging. Next year will be followed by significant investment and organizational challenges for our company,” said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

By the end of October, a new contingent of 32 bikes (20 classic and 12 electric) should arrive in Split, as well as four new stations worth around 700,000 kuna financed by Split Parking. Next year, the plan is to set up several dozen new terminals to meet the stated goal that every district has at least one station and that bicycles are easily accessible to everyone, said Split Parking.

Nextbike operates the system, and Split is one of 20 cities in Croatia that has implemented it so far. No major damage has been reported yet, and cases of missing bicycles have been reported several times, most often when a user leaves the bicycle in a location other than the check-out location.

Two bicycle thefts were also reported, one of which was found, and another was filed against an unknown perpetrator. Additional bicycle protection will also be provided by GPS. In cooperation with repairers, regular changes are made to the codes on the bike padlocks, stations are inspected, the bikes are inspected and switched as necessary, and any irregularities found are recorded and corrected.

The City of Split is one of the partners in the EU project 'REMEDIO', from the INTERREG MEDITERAN program, which aims to encourage the use of low-carbon transport, to reduce road congestion and CO2 emissions in traffic.

EU funding for the first year of operation was provided through the project. During this period, users can enjoy the system for 30 minutes a day for free, with mandatory registration or an activated account. User account activation is required for security and to ensure the availability of the system to a large number of users while minimizing possible misuse.

Registration is free of charge, and the accoun activation costs 5 kuna and is valid for the entire Nextbike system anywhere in the world, while the stated amount remains available in the user's account for all additional rides. The cost of using the bike is 5 kuna every half hour for a classic bike or 10 kuna for an electric bike.

The subscription price is 200 kuna, valid for one year and includes an unlimited number of free 30-minute bike rides, while users ‘pay as you go' for extra rides.

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