September 12, 2019 - Poljud Stadium, one of Split’s most famous landmarks and the home of football club Hajduk Split, opened exactly 40 years ago today for the VIII Mediterranean Games in 1979.

24 Sata reports that Poljud Stadium was built following the project of prominent Croatian architect Boris Magas in 1979 for the needs of the VIII Mediterranean Games, after which it became the home of Hajduk Split. The stadium, known as "The Poljud Beauty”, is interesting because of its architectural composition -  its seashell-like design gives views of the nearby hills, sea, and islands, and was modeled after ancient Greek theaters.

The first football match at Poljud was played three days after the opening, but the attendance record was set in 1982 when there were between 55,000 to 60,000 people at the Split stadium. However, since there was no counter at the time, the exact number is based on speculation. The official capacity of Poljud is about 35,000 people.

Numerous sports and other events have taken place at Poljud, which are still held today. From the games of Hajduk to the Croatia national team, music festivals like Ultra, and concerts of Croatian singers, this building has seen it all.

Unfortunately, architect Boris Magas died in 2013, though some six years later, Hajduk hosted his grandson Bartol Pavusek and thanked him for his work and the efforts of his grandfather.

Although it is still one of the most beautiful stadiums in Croatia, many problems plague the 'Poljud beauty'.

At the time of its construction, Poljud’s comfort, unique roof structure and appearance was unsurpassed even in Europe, and because of this, in 2015, it was included in the list of protected cultural assets of the Republic of Croatia.  However, the passing of time and poor maintenance have left their mark.

Some say that Poljud’s roof structure is on the verge of collapsing, which resulted in various suggestions, one of them being that instead of the existing Lexan panels,  solar panels would be set up to generate electricity and collect rainwater to irrigate the pitch. The investment would pay off in 10-15 years, but, as usual, paperwork and money got in the way. 

In the last few years, Hajduk has made several interventions on rehabilitating and maintaining Poljud, with an investment of almost 40 million kuna. In 2019, a traffic light was repaired, in 2018, the damaged pitch from Ultra was changed, and two auxiliary terrains were built. A year earlier, the dressing rooms and all the facilities, such as the gym, first aid room, and fitness room were updated. Previously, the main pitch was drained and irrigated, and counters, barriers, and video surveillance were introduced. 

You can visit Poljud next to see Hajduk face Inter Zapresic and Varazdin, or wait until October for the highly anticipated Euro 2020 qualifier between the Croatia national team and Hungary. 

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

September 12, 2019 - Will Split ever see an airport train? A look into why things are so behind schedule. 

Splitski Dnevnik reports that just before the start of the tourist season, the City of Split solemnly marked the first ride of the "Split metro," as the train ran from Kopilica to the central station.

It was envisaged that the complete bus station would be moved to Kopilica and thus relieve the center of Split from unbearable traffic jams, especially during the tourist season. However, the inaugural ride was held, and the station stayed put.

You might recall that all this is only part of the mega-project connecting the Split airport with the city of Split, which, as expected, is delayed. 

Split is nowhere near the construction of the new railway line, as no decisions have been made as to where it will be built. The project is also currently without European money.

The four-minute drive from Kopilica station to the city port and back runs 105 lines per day. From 11 June to 10 September, 5300 passengers were transported in both directions. During the 90 days of the tourist season, 9,450 trips were made, which means that on average, the train carried half a person, and with tickets costing 11 kuna, 58,300 kuna was earned.

While some of you might gather that operating empty trains hardly makes sense, the Split mayor sees no problem in these statistics.

"We are persistent in this and believe that citizens are adopting this short but very valuable traffic route every day," said Andro Krstulovic Opara, Mayor of Split.

Opara believes that this route will come to life when the link between Split and Split airport is in operation, though there have been no movements on the 150 million euro project yet.

"It may be going at a pace that is a little slower than expected. We are waiting for more approvals that are needed from the City of Kastela and its representatives,” said Mirjana Cagalj, the Project Coordinator.

Recall, the new railway should be built through Kastela.

The mayor of Kastela was offered three options. All three would use part of the existing railway to be reconstructed - and then, either from Kaštel Stari or from Kaštel Kambelovac, new tracks would be built to the airport, on three different routes. The authors of the project were in favor of the first, cheapest option, but this did not suit the people of Kastela.

"It was not acceptable to us because some buildings would be damaged there, fields would be damaged, one sanctuary would be destroyed, and we were looking for the best option," claimed Denis Ivanovic, Mayor of Kastela.

According to the second and third options, the old railway would be reconstructed right up to the Kaštel Kambelovac station, where the new railway would start. Kastela demanded that in this version, the railroad that runs through the city itself be dug into the tunnel, which would increase the price by 10 to 20 million euro. 

This was not acceptable to the Ministry of Transport. However, the light at the end of the railway tunnel was turned on by Ivanovic, who presented a counter-proposal that resembles the first version with minor changes to the final route. Thus, a green light from Zagreb awaits. 

"We have tested the soil, we have tested the terrain, and I believe that it will be acceptable now," Ivanovic is convinced.

It should all be done in five years, but as EU money is required to complete the project, and the route still unknown, passengers will continue to be taken by bus from the airport to the future temporary bus station in Kopilica.

However, citizens who live in the immediate vicinity of the future bus station are not so keen.

"The traffic will be half a meter away from the bedroom windows. When Chief Vojnovic was here, at the presentation of the future temporary bus station, when he came here, outside my door in courtyard, the only protection he offered were panels like on the highway,” said Edita Baric, a resident of Kopilica.

The mayor, however, is immune to the objections of fellow citizens.

“We are persistent in the decision to move part of the bus station to Kopilica. Kopilica will come to life the moment the rail traffic between Solin and Kastela increases,” said Andro Krstulovic Opara.

Opara urges citizens to be patient because buses are only a “temporary” solution. 

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

September 10, 2019 - As the summer season comes to an end, we look ahead to the winter in Croatia. Thus, Croatia Airlines has announced some small changes to its flight schedule this year. 

Recall, Croatia will assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from January 1, 2020. With that said, Ex Yu Aviation reports that the national carrier will add a one flight per week between Brussels and Zagreb, totaling to 12 per week. Furthermore, the seasonal service between Zagreb and Dublin will work until January 26, 2020, while its operations between Zagreb and Lisbon will end at the end of October. 

Croatia Airlines will maintain the same winter operations for other Croatian cities this year, which include flights from Split to Frankfurt, Munich and Rome, Dubrovnik to Frankfurt, and Rijeka to Munich. Croatia Airlines has also announced no changes to its winter operations between Croatian locations. 

Recall, Croatia Airlines is currently undergoing a privatization process, which the Croatian Minister for Sea, Transport and Infrastructure, Oleg Butković, previously said should be completed by the end of the year. “I believe we will deliver within the set timeframe,” the Minister said. Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ) and Germany's DVB Bank are advising the airline in the process.

While the national carrier projects a 5% increase in passenger traffic by the end of 2019, there are no plans to make any significant changes to its services until the privatization process is complete. 

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Croatia Airlines even dropped its plans to extend the wet-lease for one of Air Nostrum's Bombardier CRJ1000 jets into the winter months, which would have lengthened some of its seasonal routes. Croatia Airlines currently maintains twelve routes from Zagreb during the summer.

Croatia Airlines has welcomed 960,620 passengers from January to June this year, which is an increase of 1.2% compared to 2018. 

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

September 10, 2019 - Oliver Dragojevic will be honored with a concert at Spaladium Arena in Split for his birthday on December 7, 2019. 

His unique voice, musicality, and dedication to music led Oliver Dragojevic to a celebrated career that lasted half a century, and made him a unique phenomenon of Croatian music. He enjoyed a privileged place in the music scene, touching every fan and colleague with whom he collaborated. 

Thus, a unique meeting of his colleagues, friends, and fans will be prepared in honor of Oliver's birthday, on December 7, 2019. The people of Split long desired such spectacle, designed in Oliver's way, which, unfortunately, he was unable to pursue in front of his faithful followers. 

Dalmacija Danas reports that an evening of music awaits us all on December 7, 2019, at the Spaladium Arena, which is projected to be the concert of the year. The concept of the concert will be presented at a press conference by the organizers and his colleagues who will perform a tribute to the celebrated singer. 

In the wake of the event, at City Center One, an exhibition of family photos and private moments of Oliver Dragojevic will be inaugurated on Friday morning through the lens of Fedja Klaric, which will last from 13.9. - 6.10.2019. Additionally, a mural dedicated to Oliver will be presented.

Recall, Oliver Dragojević was born on December 7, 1947, in Split, though he was originally from Vela Luka, where he also spent his childhood. Oliver was particularly connected with Split where he attended music school, and also made the first steps in his musical career. 

His first encounter with music was at the age of five when his father Marko gifted him an accordion. Oliver would entertain passersby on his street, and boat passengers on the regular Split-Vela Luka route. His first feature appearance was at the Split Children's Festival in 1961 with the popular song 'Baloni'.

Oliver’s festival debut was at the Split Festival in 1967. He attended at the invitation of Zdenko Runjic and played the song 'Picaferaj'. Though the song did not make it to the final festival night, it became one of his eternal hits.

Throughout his lifetime, Oliver’s voice and modesty delighted his fans at concerts all over the world, and it was not unlike him to perform at humanitarian concerts to help those most in need. It was at HNK Split where he took part in the concert "Believe in Love" organized by the County Cancer League for 50 years of dedicated work. The concert was held in October 2017.

However, no one knew that it would be the last public performance of the legendary Oliver Dragojevic, whose words after the concert certainly confirm why he was an audience favorite and someone whose songs will remain forever written in the souls of his fans not only in Split, but his admirers around the world. 

“Here’s something that works for the people, and that is helping anyone in need. That's the message - believe in love. Being a man is hard, and finding himself is even harder,” Oliver said at the end of the concert.

Oliver had planned to celebrate his 70th birthday with a great concert in Split, where he hoped to mark 50 years of his career, though his illness, unfortunately, prevented him from performing and the concert was finally canceled.

A few months later, in March 2018, Oliver addressed his fans at the Porin, where he was honored with the lifetime achievement award.

“I would like to mention a man who marked half my life, and that is Zdenko Runjic. There are a lot of good people around me, and this time, my disease has stopped me from being with you. As a child, I wanted to play and sing, and that dream was somehow interrupted. Hello to all the good people around me and those who have supported me in this crisis. I hope there is still time for me to sing and play, and if things get better, all will be good,” Oliver said via a video message. 

"What should I say to you - enjoy, people, because life will be a fantasy," Oliver said from his home for the last time, receiving tremendous applause.

Oliver was born December 7, 1947, and died on July 29, 2018. Oliver is buried in his beloved Vela Luka.

To read more about Oliver, follow TCN's dedicated page here.

September 9, 2019 - Forty years have passed since the event that changed the face of Split - the 1979 Mediterranean Games. In its honor this week, numerous events will be organized in Split to celebrate this anniversary, reports Dalmatinski Portal.

“The City of Split, as the organizer and conceptual creator of this idea, has envisioned that 40 years should be celebrated with dignity,” said the president of the Split Sports Association Nenad Peris.

City of Split Social Affairs Chief Mate Omazic stressed the importance of the Mediterranean Games for Split.

“This is a sporting event that changed the face of the city. Many entities are involved in the organization,” he said.

The tourism aspect was explained by the director of the Split Tourist Board, Alijana Vuksic.

“Sport and culture are the motivators for our guests. Eight successful months are behind us in tourism, and September is also very successful, according to announcements. To do this, we need events like this. It is an opportunity to repay our athletes and clubs in our city.”

Thus, on Tuesday, at 5:30 pm, the MIS flag will be raised at Poljud Stadium, and the 10km race will begin at 6 pm. The start of the race is at Poljud, and the finish line is on the Riva.

GKMM

On Thursday, at 5:30 pm, a football match will be held on auxiliary grounds at Poljud, and on Friday at 6 pm, a commemorative exhibition will open at the Old Town Hall in Pjaca to mark the 40th anniversary of the VIII. Mediterranean Games in Split. Furthermore, a ceremony on the theme of Mediterranean Games will be held at 7 pm at the Milesi Palace. All sports venues in the city will have open doors on Saturday, the Len Cup qualifying tournament will be played at the Poljud pool, and the Croatian Swimming Championship will also be held.

On Sunday, the final day of the event, a millennium photograph will be taken by Šime Strikoman at 5:30 pm, and at 6 pm, a festive parade of the Split sports clubs will follow. The Split Sports Federation awards will also be presented: the Fabjan Kaliterna Lifetime Achievement Award, commemorative awards for clubs celebrating anniversaries of more than 50 years since their foundation, and memorial medal winners of the Mediterranean Games. The celebration will conclude with a concert and fireworks.

You can read more about the 8th Mediterranean Games here.

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

September 9, 2019 - The 24th Split Film Festival is held from September 18 to 25, 2019.

The 24th edition of the Split Film Festival/International New Film Festival begins on September 18th and lasts until September 25th, bringing the premiere of independent films whose impact could be described as moving the boundaries of the established standard in film. 

All foreign films shown will be Croatian premieres, while the Croatian films that will be screened will be shown for the first time in Split. The films will be screened at the Golden Gate Cinema and Karaman Cinema.

Following the efforts of the Festival to open unexplored possibilities and ask unanswered questions, the entire Split Film Festival program encourages the much-needed discussion about the problems we face in today's society, addressing topics such as the position of women in society, migrant crises, issues of gender and sexuality, human rights, personal freedom and the growing impact of technological development on the quality of life.

This year's selection of films brings the works of authors who, through skillful and innovative use of film language, broaden horizons in different directions, bringing us closer to stories of socially sensitive, vulnerable and marginalized groups and individuals, suggesting that we wonder what it means to live, survive and systematically survive in a society whose rules on one side of the world change from day to day, and on the other stagnate and stubbornly struggle with change.

In addition to the competition of international feature and short films, there is also the accompanying Forum/Next Door/Frame Extended program, Croatian feature and short program, Machine Learning - AI, VR (Virtual Reality) films, and a Special Program that includes retrospectives, workshops and lectures. A lecture on Online Streaming and its impact will be delivered by Helen De Witt, Advisor of the Experimental Program for the London Film Festival, and this year's member of the feature film jury. The lecture on the relationship between moving and static images in film will be given by a member of the short jury, Robert F. Arnold, whose retrospective of films will also have a chance to look at the Special Program, as well as a retrospective of Russian video artist Mikhail Maksimov, who deals with film and video game art.

A wide range of films will be screened during the seven days of the festival.

More information and the full program is available here.

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

September 7, 2019 - Thanks to the Usefall project, the historic core of Split is becoming more accessible to people with disabilities. 

The City of Split announced that within the European program Interreg Italy - Croatia and the projects included in the program, a meeting was held on Friday in Venice on the Cultural and Communication Dimension of the European Cooperation Program. The meeting was attended by members of the Managing Authority and Joint Program Secretariat and project representatives, including representatives of the City of Split, Jasna Jerkov and Ivana Tadinac Šećer, members of the EU implementation team of Usefall. It is a project in which the City of Split, together with partners the City of Ravenna, the Aquileia Foundation and the Venice Historic Cluster, and the City of Poreč, participate in the implementation of pilot solutions aimed at making the cultural and historic centers of cities under UNESCO protection accessible to all.

The presentation in Venice is part of the final activities for the Usefall project, which will be completed by the end of September this year. As part of the project, the City of Split conducted a series of educational workshops with beneficiaries, primarily disabled people's organizations, but also cultural and tourism professionals, while the infrastructure works are in the final stages. By the end of the project deadline, a platform at the eastern entrance to the historic center at the Silver Gate of Diocletian's Palace will be put into operation, an inclined elevator and a ramp at the western entrance to the historic center, with two passages from Republic Square to the neighboring streets, and an elevator at the Center for Lifelong Education Golden Gate.

During the Split delegation's visit to Venice, the educational and promotional film created in Split premiered, which universally challenges the accessibility of historic sites and cultural heritage to all citizens and tourists, with the first significant steps taken by this project.

You can see the video below. 

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

September 7, 2019 - It was a busy August at Croatia’s airports, which saw records and growth from the three most active in the country - Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb. 

Namely, Ex Yu Aviation reports that Split Airport recorded 672,261 passengers in August, which is an increase of 7% compared to 2018. Split Airport also welcomed its two-millionth passenger of the year in August. 

From January to August, Split handled 2,497,427 passengers, which is up 6.5% on last year, or an additional 153,266 passengers. The airport is also on schedule to reach its projected 3.3 million passengers this year. 

Ex Yu Aviation reports that Dubrovnik Airport also saw its busiest month on record after handling 524,615 passengers in August, which is up 8.9% on last year. Dubrovnik also welcomed its two-millionth passenger in August, nineteen days earlier than 2018. Furthermore, the airport handled over 24,000 passengers on August 3, which was a 24-hour record. 

From January to August, Dubrovnik welcomed  2,099,022 travelers, which is up 12.9%, or an additional. 240,016 passengers. Dubrovnik Airport was also the fastest-growing airport in the Ex-Yu region in the first sixth months of 2019, adding 157,184 passengers during this period. 

Recall, the first six months of the year, Dubrovnik Airport welcomed the most passengers from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Croatia. The airport expressed that this rise in passengers should continue until the end of the year, and especially going into the end of the holiday season. 

"This winter we expect to see British Airways, Aegean Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Trade Air, Turkish Airlines, Vueling and Croatia Airlines maintain flights to Dubrovnik,” Dubrovnik Airport said. 

Ex Yu Aviation concluded that Zagreb Airport even saw a good August, well, a better August than July. Namely, in August, Zagreb saw 376,026 passengers, which is the slightest increase of 0.9%. From January to August, Zagreb handled 2,276,373 passengers, which is up 2.4% on 2018, or an additional 52,847 passengers. 

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

September 6, 2019 - And getting to your destination in Croatia has never been easier thanks to Solo Transfers. 

Croatia has proven to be one of the most popular destinations for a summer holiday, though it’s not hard to see why. While the sweltering sun and sparkling sea are shoo-ins for the summer, Croatia’s capital and continental region offer year-round tourism and an exciting alternative for adventure tourists and cyclists. 

Croatia’s popularity doesn’t look like its going anywhere anytime soon, so it’s no surprise that it didn’t take long for some of the world’s top airlines to catch onto the Croatia buzz and ensure their passengers can get to the destination comfortably, without too many connections, and, perhaps most importantly, with ease. 

Some of Croatia’s biggest markets, like the USA, Canada, and Australia, are luckier than ever to have connections carrying them to Croatia with convenience. 

Recall, travelers in America can be thankful that American Airlines connected the United States and Croatia for the first time in almost 30 years with their seasonal service between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik this summer. The Oneworld member began operations between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik from June 7, which will run until September 27, 2019. The airline will add a fourth weekly flight on Sundays in September and already announced that there is no slowing down next year. Thus, American Airlines will operate the Philadelphia-Dubrovnik route daily in 2020, which will commence on June 4, 2020! 

Copyright Romulic & Stojcic 

Furthermore, back in 2018, Air Canada Rouge commenced its seasonal service from Toronto to Zagreb, which saw the return of the Air Canada brand to Croatia after 27 years. Air Canada operates four times a week between Toronto and Zagreb and runs until October. Air Transat also operates between the two cities on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays during the peak season.

And our friends from Australia haven’t been left out, either. Since many Australians fly over Dubai onwards to Croatia, the daily Emirates connection between Zagreb and Dubai has been a lifesaver. However, FlyDubai will operate the Zagreb-Dubai line instead of Emirates this winter, just as they did last winter. Namely, FlyDubai will replace Emirates for the entire winter flight schedule, and take over operations from October 27, 2019, to March 28, 2020. Thus, after November 11, no flights will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while some weeks will have no flights on Mondays. The daily frequency returns around the Christmas and New Year holidays, i.e., from December 13, 2019, to January 13, 2020.  

Because getting to Croatia is now easier than ever, wouldn’t it make sense that getting to your Croatian destination should follow suit? Thanks to Solo Transfers, you can count on a reliable and friendly transfer service to get you where you need to go. Whether you’re flying in from the States to Dubrovnik, or trekking from Canada or Australia to Zagreb, Solo Transfers promises door-to-door service any time of the year. 

You can read more about Solo Transfers here. 

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

September 6,  2019 - Split was still a hit in August, but what will September bring?

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that the city of Split recorded the best tourism numbers in August in independent Croatia, when it was visited by 193,305 guests (10,000 more than last year) who achieved 659,000 overnights (37,000 more than 2018), which is a 5% increase in the number of arrivals and overnight stays, the Split Tourist Board revealed on Thursday. 

These numbers have pushed Split to one of the top tourist destinations in the country according to the growth of tourist traffic in the busiest month of the peak season. It is also interesting to note that most of the guests visiting Split in August were from Great Britain (21,000), while the number of French tourists came in second (20,600). Italian tourists followed with 14,965 arrivals, then Germans, guests from the USA, Spain, and Australia.

Such a structure of foreign tourist traffic points to the fact that Split is recognized in all parts of the world as a city that provides culture, entertainment, holidays and events for all tastes and generations of its visitors.

Tourists stayed in Split for an average of 3.5 days this August, and according to all data, accommodation capacities were well filled at the highest prices of the yearly-level, so the financial results of the tourism sector will be better than last year. According to the available announcements, tourist traffic in Split this September should be equally successful, thanks to numerous events that will welcome guests.

The highest increase in arrivals in August was recorded by the Irish, who made up 3,300 arrivals or 61 percent more than last year, and guests from the Republic of Korea who achieved 3,700 arrivals, which is an increase of 39 percent compared to last year.

When analyzing Split tourist traffic data from January to the end of August, Split recorded extraordinary results with 714,265 guest arrivals and 2,151,724 million overnight stays. Thus, in the past eight months, Split has recorded an 8 percent increase in arrivals or 60,000 more visitors than it did last year. They posted 200,000 more overnight stays than last year, which is an increase of 9 percent in overnight stays.

In the previous eight months this year, most tourists in Split are American (75,000), followed by Britons (72,000), the French (50,000), and Germans (42,000), while guests from Australia are in fifth place. 

In all these markets, Split has achieved double-digit growth in arrivals, which guarantees a long tourist season, since these are also guests who travel year-round. 

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