November 22, 2021 - 2022 Ultra Europe will take place in Split for the first time since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The confirmed dates are set for Park Mladezi from July 8 to 10, 2022!

The organizers of the Ultra Europe festival can officially confirm that the largest, most anticipated, and most important international event in Croatia is returning to Split! Electronic music lovers could sense something on Friday, when a short video teaser was published on social media, announcing without many words what the Ultranauts have been waiting for - that Ultra will once again return to the most beautiful summer stage in the heart of Dalmatia.

Split will host the 8th edition of Ultra Europe from July 8 to 10, 2022, at the Youth Park (Park Mladezi), followed by a destination festival trip to Brac, Hvar, and Vis reports Dalmatinski Portal.

The Ultra Europe music festival is part of a large Ultra Worldwide family that, after a long break, is returning stronger than ever. New Year's Resistance in Sydney sold out in just a few days and final preparations are underway for the Ultra Music Festival in Melbourne. The festival is returning to the location where it all began, to Bayfront Park in Miami, from March 25 to 27. This news marked the reawakening of the international electronic music scene.

As the second-biggest event of this great festival family, Ultra Europe continues where it left off - continuing to set new records, bringing even bigger music stars to Croatia, discovering magical local sites, and creating unforgettable experiences for many foreign guests. Equally, it continues to generate immeasurable marketing and economic effects and continues to boldly step towards conquering the very top of the international festival scene. The 8th edition will be held with the support of the Croatian Government, Split-Dalmatia County, the City of Split, and the Croatian National Tourist Board, and special attention will be paid to implementing and respecting all measures related to Covid-19 to make the whole event and all destinations safe for visitors, the organization said.

The Ultra Europe festival has been recognized worldwide for years as the leading destination music festival. This is the only festival in the world that offers an unforgettable seven-day trip to numerous magical locations in Croatia in addition to top music performers and production. With more than 9 million visitors, Croatia has been named the most successful and safest European tourist destination in 2021, which is just further confirmation that Split, Dalmatia, and Croatia will be not only ready and safe for the summer of 2022 but also at the top of the most desirable tourist destination for tourists from all over the world.

The 8th edition of the festival officially begins on Thursday, July 7, when the Opening Party is scheduled, followed by the three-day Ultra Music Festival at Youth Park in Split, from July 8 to 10. Ultra Brac traditionally follows in one of the most beautiful open clubs in the Mediterranean, 585 Club. Finally, on July 12, festival-goers travel to the sunniest Croatian island, where visitors can expect a slightly different experience and a refreshed program concept. Namely, the afternoon beach party is moving to the Pakleni Islands, where, in addition to the Ultra Beach program, the evening program Resistance Hvar will be held at the Carpe Diem Beach Club. Resistance Closing Party Vis is the last destination station. It will take place on July 13, in the intimate and exclusive atmosphere of the 200-year-old Fort George Fortress on Vis, better known as Fortica. More will be known in the coming days.

What makes Ultra so unique and a 'bucket list' festival for fans worldwide can be seen in the figures recorded after the 7th edition of the festival. More than 150,000 fans arrived in Croatia from a record 143 countries, most from Spain, Great Britain, Norway, Australia, Germany, Sweden, Austria, the USA, Canada, and the Netherlands. There were more domestic fans than ever, over 35,000 of them, and the millionth visitor was recorded, making this festival by far the largest international event in Croatia.

For everything to work perfectly, more than 2,000 people participated in the organization. More than 250 DJs played on 12 stages in 5 cities. All this was carefully followed by more than 300 accredited domestic and foreign journalists. Youth Park shone with new splendor and powerfully presented itself to the world as the new host of the festival. It is important to note that the 7th edition will be remembered for the smallest number of interventions of all services in history.

The list of performers was impressive, including the mega trio Swedish House Mafia, who added Ultra Europe and Split among their first reunion shows. This was the most extensive and most expensive lineup ever. Among the many records was the 67.50-meter main stage, which went down in history as one of the longest stages in Europe and never seen before in our region. The equipment arrived in 50 trucks, including more than 1,800 light devices and more than 1,200 square meters of LED screens.

The Ultra Europe Aftermovie is another trademark of the festival, and so far more than 13 million people have seen them. Charly Friedrichs and Diogo Camargo and the Final Kid Films crew direct and edit the nine-minute work, which shows Zagreb for the first time, as well as numerous other fairy-tale Croatian locations. All shots were taken with RED digital film cameras and state-of-the-art equipment, and to make the visual experience complete, everything was shot in 4K resolution. More than 3 million kuna was invested in the production to remind festival-goers of the best moments. The live stream from Split was watched on YouTube and Facebook in more than 124 countries with more than 7 million views. This is another record of the year that will be remembered thanks to the live stream that could be watched for the first time on separate channels from Resistance and the main stage.

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

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.

November 18, 2021 - Split will host the first Melges 24 class Croatian Sailing Championship this weekend, with 16 star-studded Olympian sailing crews. 

From Friday to Sunday, the first Croatian Championship in the Melges 24 class will be held in Split, with 16 crews. JK Mornar organizes the regatta and is excited to announce that the best Croatian sailors of all generations will compete in front of Split. Thus, for the first time, spectators will have the opportunity to see the showdown of Croatian Olympic medalists Tonči Stipanović and Šime Fantela, and several other great sailors, including Melges 24 class Olympians Tomislav Bašić, Karlo Kuret, Ivan Kljaković Gašpić, Luka Radelić, and Toni Bulaja, reports Dalmacija Danas.

The regatta lasts for three days, and the first races are scheduled for Friday. If the weather conditions allow, the regatta course will be placed just below Sustipan so that the competition can be followed until the end. The regatta is led by Olympian Marko Mišura and the primary judge will be the experienced Alen Kustić.

The flourishing Melges 24 class in Croatia is one of the most beautiful stories of Croatian sailing. Namely, Croatia's best sailors have always looked for a way to compete on an equal footing, but in the past 30 years in Croatia, a class of identical ships has never been successfully formed that would make this possible. However, things started to change a year ago when at the initiative of sailor Filip Jurišić, and several of Croatia's top sailors decided to buy the world's most popular one-design Melges 24 sailboat. As a result, at the end of last year, the Croatian Melges fleet counted seven ships. As things kicked off, many of Croatia's prominent sailors, from Dubrovnik to Istria, decided to use these faster and smaller sailboats, so the Croatian fleet today has 15 ships, with a tendency to grow further. 

One of the unique features of the Melges 24 class is that it brings together celebrated sailors and successful business people for whom sailing is a passion. Luka Šangulin, Miroslav Reljanović, and Matija Longin, among others, regularly take part in the Croatian Melges 24 regattas. All of them will also be sailing at the first Melges 24 Croatian Championship this weekend in Split.

There are 16 crews on the starting list, 15 of which are under the Croatian flag. The international touch to the regatta is brought by the Italian crew, led by Michele Paoletti, a sailor from Trieste who competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in the Soling class. Miroslav Reljanović's crew will include another international star - Norwegian Peer Moberg, who also sailed at the Sydney Olympics in the Laser class.

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

November 17, 2021 - The new holiday season brings new life to Split - and the debut Split Advent Zvončac program is here!

Split Advent 2021 will be unforgettable, with holiday houses arranged in several locations. Apart from Perivoj, the Cornaro ramparts, and Mertojak, holiday houses will also stand at Zvončac!

The program "Imaginarium Advent" was presented on Wednesday, organized by the company "STAR MAGIC" during December 2021 at Zvončac in Split.

“Another Advent is approaching. The situation is complex; we have changed the program several times and adapted it to new measures. This year there are four Advent locations, and Zvončac is just one of them. The public invitation for the big skating rink, which will be in Đardin this year as well, has ended. Despite this complicated and demanding situation, there will be a full music program. We are here today to announce the children's programs that have been in Đardin so far and are now being moved to Zvončac. There will be young animators, musicians, and dance groups. Minea will also perform in the two-day children's festival. All of them will contribute to this year's Advent being in our hearts, and the message of this year's Advent is 'Let's click on Advent' - with one click, you will get all the information about all events," said the director of the Split Tourist Board Alijana Vukšić.

She added that the gastronomy offer would include ten houses from the best Split caterers.

The Advent opening will be on December 1 at 4 pm, and Alen Islamović will perform with his band at 8 pm. A special event awaits us on December 7.

"It's Oliver's birthday, so we will play his songs at our concert, to remember him for his birthday. We are all emotionally attached to him; I hope everyone will enjoy it," said Petar Dragojevic.

Throughout December, Pravila Igre, Mia Dimšić, and Gustafi will also perform, while TBF will help Split enter the New Year. They will play from 10 pm.

"We are glad to perform at home because it is the sweetest. That area of the Zvončac has been arranged for these occasions - the older people danced for us there, which means something to me. I already have a feeling there will be a good atmosphere. You are all welcome, so come and be happy," said Mladen Badovinac of TBF. 

All concerts will require Covid confirmations, and testing will be organized at the entrance. For the New Year, testing will be free, and tickets for the TBF concert are already on sale. The promotional tickets for TBF at the price of 60 kuna are almost sold out. Other concerts are free for all visitors.

Source: Dalmacija Danas, Dalmatinski Portal

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

November 17, 2021 - These days, numerous tributes have been carried out throughout the country to remember the victims in Vukovar and Škabrnja in 1991 during the Homeland War. In Split, school students have built an impressive model of the Vukovar water tower, which has been placed on the city's Vukovar avenue.

In memory of all the victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja, students and professors of the Craft and Technical School Split made a model of the Vukovar water tower, a symbol of suffering and resistance of the city during the Homeland War, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

On the occasion of tomorrow's anniversary of the fall of Vukovar, a model of the Vukovar water tower was placed today at the beginning of the street named after that city. The Split-Dalmatia County also helped make this model.

''This is an example of how students who do practical things can be involved in this initiative, which marks one of the most significant events in our history, and that is the sacrifice and suffering of Vukovar. We strive for all schools to be involved in such activities, in order to pay tribute to all victims of the Homeland War, and especially the victims of Vukovar who are most responsible for the establishment of our independent and sovereign Croatia'', said the head of the Administrative Department for Education, Culture, Technical Culture Tomislav Đonlić.

Students of carpentry and electrical engineering participated in the creation of this model, while a group of designers conceived and designed the model. This school has been similarly participating in the celebration of this important date for several years. This year they decided to build a water tower and light it up.

''Fifteen students participated, and we made an electrical and wooden installation. It seems good to us and the idea is to do something every year to combine work and what should be celebrated in our country'', said the director of the Craft Technical School from Split Milivoj Kalebić.

The idea is a month old, and it took them two weeks to implement the draft. Students in the field of carpentry technicians and designers conceived a model, carpenters made a tower out of waterproof plywood, while electricians designed and made lighting. The water tower will take on its full splendor as soon as night falls.

This work of Split high school students is another reason to visit Vukovarska Street and light a candle on the eve of the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja. The Split School of Crafts and Technology has been participating in a similar way in the celebration of this important date for several years. This year, they decided to build the Vukovar water tower, and one of the works that they did not do in previous years in memory of tomorrow is the bench in the school building.

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

November 15, 2021 - Is Split winter tourism that hard to achieve? Croatia's second-largest city and the star of summer loses its buzz as soon as the seasons change. But it doesn't have to be that way. Our new TCN series looks at the Split businesses working hard in winter to give locals, and visitors, the environment they deserve. Continuing this week with Split winter tourism at Chops Grill. 

I was lucky to be introduced to Jasmina, the owner of Chops Grill, in my early days with TCN. That is something I am grateful for to this day. Not only is Chops one of Split's best restaurants, maintaining quality and culinary consistency year-round, but Jasmina and I have built a wonderful relationship over the years - and she continues to inspire me season after season. 

Chops Grill is not your typical Split restaurant, but a superb steakhouse that rewards guests with the best cuts of meat, American influences, and, of course, a Dalmatian touch. Jasmina and Chops also know no season and are applauded for working tirelessly year-round, adapting their offer depending on the time of year, from unique 3-course menus to on-the-go breakfast sandwiches. 

But what motivates Jasmina, Chops, and sister cafe bar Paradiso to bring the best to guests even in the winter? 

Croatia and Split had booming year-round tourism in the 1980s until the outbreak of the Homeland War, but now the Dalmatian coast sleeps through the winter. Why do you think that is?

First of all, I think we were a more affordable destination at that time. I know this because when I worked for Sunčani Hvar back in 2006, we had half-board offers that were very cheap per person through agencies. 

There also aren't as many big tour operators today. Everything is done online. Tourists do their own research and don't need agencies or operators as much.

And because nothing is state-owned, the prices are much higher, even in the winter. 

Back in the 1980s, many hotels offered health tourism, spas, and indoor pools, allowing older travelers to visit here even when the weather wasn't as nice. Today, we mainly have city hotels that do not have spas or facilities to accommodate winter tourism. 

If flights were not the problem, does Split have a winter tourism offer, and if yes, what is it?

I feel bad for tourists that visit Split in the winter, especially now. The only real options are for visitors to have dinner then drinks in a half-empty bar. Guests ask us what they should do after dinner, and we honestly don't know what to tell them.

The museums here are great and interesting for Croatian schoolkids needing to learn about the history of Croatia, but for international tourists, and even if I was a tourist here, there are no interactive museums where you could spend the day. When it comes to culture, we are also lacking in offering shows. HNK is amazing, but the program is mainly in Croatian, which doesn't tempt tourists - especially when musicals or drama plays are in focus. 

If I am on a city-break getaway with my husband, I would also want to go shopping, which is a huge problem here. My guests often ask where they can buy certain designer items. The people that come here are minimum middle to upper-class guests. They pay big money for their hotel room - around 300-400 euros. Most people on city-break trips travel without their kids - usually with their significant other or friends. This then targets travelers who want to go to a nice show, dinner, enjoy good cocktails, and maybe explore a museum. But they will also want to go shopping, and there isn't a designer shopping offer in Split. This is a problem we need to start addressing now. The wealthy Russian tourist cannot buy their Chanel in Split but can elsewhere. They could go to Montenegro instead. 

Istria already has a winter tourism offer, but Inland Dalmatia is not yet as developed. If you're coming to Split for 3-4 days, wouldn't you want to spend one day in nature with a local family that will serve you their homemade wines and products? Especially somewhere that is only a taxi ride away from Split? There are few places you can send tourists for that experience, and we see a lot of interest around this idea from our guests at Chops. We already have beautiful villas with pools in Imotski, but a nice family farm or winery where you can spend the day? Our current offer mainly targets Croatian families for a Sunday lunch. It's not a Michelin-star experience, but it's an authentic and local experience, and tourists would love it, too.

Are you aware of any initiatives to improve the winter tourism situation?

Only Paul and Total Croatia News, haha. I've been part of the tourism industry for a long time, and I don't know of anything happening at the moment. Oh, but I do know that the Mall of Split bus is running from the ferry port! 

Give us a few quick wins that could make Split a bit more attractive in the winter months?

Shopping, winery day trips from Split, contemporary/interactive art and museums, and shows. This is what I believe is most important for Split to offer in the winter. There also are not many destinations that offer both the beach and city-break getaways. Maybe Nice and Cannes if we are talking about cities comparable to Split. But what do they have? Shopping, art, and beautiful restaurants - but why? Because they have yachts. They have a similar climate, but it is not swimmable in the winter there either. Yacht owners, however, keep their yachts there in the winter. They check up on them and maintain them in the offseason. They know that bars and restaurants are open and that they can shop. Montenegro is starting to do the same thing. We have a lot of regular guests at Chops that live abroad but keep their yachts here in the winter, but what can we offer them? We also have an advantage compared to similar cities because these guests can easily fly into Split Airport, check on their yacht, and spend 2-3 days in Split. We need this tourism. 

Are you planning an event(s) of your own soon?

On Saturday night we had a lot of reservations, due mainly to our Chopsylicious menu, which we have been doing for the last 7 years! Once we announced it this year, the interest was crazy. Everybody wants to try the menu, which is an excellent value for money. Diners can taste some of our products during the winter when they have more time. We have adjusted the menu to the season. For example, we are not selling the wagyu for 200 kuna. Instead, we changed the menu and are using it to test new dishes for next year. We are tracking what guests like and improving what is needed. When next season comes, we can introduce it to our menu. It's a win-win situation. And guests who like the Chopsylicious menu revisit us in the summer or recommend us to friends and family!  

Besides Chopsylicious, we host two music professors from the Josip Hatze school who play inside the restaurant every weekend. Paradiso will be bringing in some light live music from next weekend, and we will begin decorating for Christmas as part of our winter wonderland. We have done it already for two years, and it's beautiful. This year we are going the extra mile to create a Christmas village. We will once again offer our breakfast sandwiches at Chops and Paradiso, so people will always have a place to eat and drink. 

Will you close at all this year?

We always close from January 6 to March 1. It gives us a small break, but we also need to use the time to prepare for the season with renovations. We cannot preserve everything and need to repaint, repair the chairs, and the like. We also use this time to create the menu. 

Back in 2020, we had plans to keep Chops open year-round. But, of course, the pandemic happened instead. That remains our ultimate goal, and I don't think we would have much trouble doing business even in January and February.

When winter tourism is mentioned, many locals say that they do not want it, as they are tired after the busy season. What is your perspective as a successful business owner?

We want it! We do need a break; everyone needs a break. I know I do because I have never worked harder on the operational side of things than this summer. But I only need about 15 days. I get nervous after that, haha. I need to do something actively; I cannot just twiddle my thumbs at home and not work because we had a 'successful season'. The Chopsylicious menu and our winter offer keep us busy, and I am happy we have that.

I would be terrified to close my doors for the entire winter. You cannot keep quality by doing that. Businesses that close in the winter also make the hospitality industry less desirable. It makes us a servant to our tourists. If you can work for an entire year, especially at a restaurant with a lot of business in the summer, and have good business throughout the winter with a year-round salary, then being a waiter is a beautiful job where you can support your family. Who wants to be a waiter only for 4 months? Then it's just a student job. 

We care about our suppliers a lot and try to find a lower-cost product in the winter than the premium products we offer in the summer. With our chefs and their innovation, we create affordable dishes that guests can enjoy in the offseason. For example, the tuna salad on the Chopsylicious menu uses lower-cost ingredients but looks beautiful. The most expensive part of that dish is that someone had to come up with it in their head. If I am looking at that as the owner, the cost of that dish is lower, but someone needs to think about how to create that using the products available. That is why I invest in my staff throughout the year, and that is how you can adapt your offer in the winter to make sense for your restaurant and your guests. 

What are the key steps in your opinion to getting more flights in winter? (Optional)

The Marriott (which will open eventually), Le Meridien Lav, Radisson Blu, and Atrium offer over 1,000 hotel rooms combined. All of those hotels have a spa, which I've already mentioned is crucial for city-break destinations. That's about 2,000 potential guests per day, offered beautiful hotels, great service and food, and indoor pools. If they all got together and spoke to a low-cost carrier about offering and filling these 1,000 rooms, that's a solution. It could almost be some non-formal tour operator. Say, for example, you buy the flight from a low-cost carrier and are offered reasonable rates at these hotels. This is especially important on the weekends when there are no business people from Zagreb in Split. But I truly believe these hotels with indoor pools need to come together; that is the only way it will work. Think - 2,000 people per day is 14,000 potential tourists per week. Those guests will be able to visit the hotel spa and swim, have a nice dinner in town, go to a cocktail bar, and even go to Joker for shopping!

I would also try to create a promo video for tourists showing them exactly how their 4 days in Split would look, instead of just sharing Croatia's most beautiful destinations from above, usually without people. You could create a beautiful 'day-in-the-life' type of promo video showing exactly what you can expect on your Split trip. We need to show tourists what they can do here and not just share aerial footage. 

Message to other businesses in Split?

If you stay open in winter, the summer will be easier since you can keep your staff. You'll offer better service, too. If you have both of those things, you'll earn even more money. And if we are all open during the winter, buying from our suppliers won't be as complicated!

Some businesses see each other as competition. If you have a city with many good restaurants, people visit for gastronomy, meaning they'll choose a new restaurant every day. Having more quality restaurants means more business for everyone. This would also help us to be recognized as an excellent gastronomic destination. We all need to support each other. Why can't other restaurants recreate the Chopsylicious idea? That is a wonderful idea, and it gives us more places to visit for dinner!

We also need to think about the minds of tourists and understand that they may not want to eat Dalmatian food every day of their trip. While local food should be enjoyed, it is impossible to expect that someone will eat grilled fish and blitva all the time. I know that when I am visiting Mexico, I cannot eat Mexican food every day. Sometimes you need a burger or pizza; comfort food that hits the spot and gives you a taste of home. And that is fine, too.

We offer eggs benedict on our breakfast menu and make the English muffins in-house because you cannot find them in Croatia. While we have to put in more work, knowing that our guests have that piece of familiarity is worth it.  We also can't expect that every tourist likes eating fish or can peel scampi! A lot of these experiences may be new to them. That's why we should think about what tourists have available at home and try to recreate it in our way with traditional influences. 

This is the direction we need to be going in. We should never lose our identity, but let's celebrate international cuisine with a Dalmatian twist. 

You can explore Chops HERE.

If you are a business in Split with a winter program, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the subject Split Winter Tourism. 

November 14, 2021 - It was the match of the year and the biggest since Croatia made it to the 2018 World Cup final. With a 1:0 win against Russia at Poljud, Croatia qualifies for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar!

The Croatia national team played their final 2022 World Cup qualifier against Russia at a rainy Poljud Stadium in Split on Sunday.

30,257 fans were at Poljud, with around 500 Russia fans. Croatia needed a victory to win first in the group and qualify directly for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. All Russia needed was a draw. 

Coach Zlatko Dalić decided to start Dejan Lovren and Nikola Vlašić against Russia, replacing Duje Ćaleta-Car and Lovro Majer in the lineup compared to Thursday's win against Malta. 

Lineups

CROATIA: Grbić, Lovren, Gvardiol, Juranović, Sosa, Brozović, Modrić, Pašalić, Vlašić, Perišić, Kramarić 

RUSSIA: Safonov, Karavajev, Divejev, Dzhikiya, Kudryashov, Fomin, Barinov, Golovin, Ionov, Bakaev, Smolov

Recap

A slippery pitch was in no one's favor this afternoon at Poljud but Croatia came out attacking from the start. Perisic had the first shot on goal in the 5th minute.  The first corner for Croatia came in the 6th minute after Modric's ball to Sosa was deflected. 

Modric and Perisic had a quick one-two a minute later which Perisic sent to the top of the box but the wet pitch made it difficult for Vlasic to get a shot off. 

Slobodan Kadic

Juranovic sent a brilliant ball to Kramaric's head in the 9th minute but the ball went to the keeper. It was the best chance of the game so far. 

Perisic and Vlasic had another chance in the 14th minute, though it was called out for a goal kick. 

The rain was relentless in the first 20 minutes as Croatia tried to maintain possession and was mostly in Russia's half. Sosa shot from 30 meters out in the 21st minute which went wide of the goal. 

A brilliant Croatia attack in the 23rd minute saw Brozovic hit just wide of the post which sent the crowd into a frenzy. A Juranovic cross found Perisic's head a minute later which swept the crossbar. 

Croatia was awarded a corner in the 26th minute. Modric went short to Brozovic who nailed the goal frame, but the Russia keeper punched the ball away to keep it 0:0.

Croatia was given another corner in the 31st minute after a Modric free kick was sent out by the Russia defense. 

Another perfect ball in by Juranic found Perisic at the near post who tried knocking it into the back of the net. The ball went out for a goal kick instead. 

Russia had a dangerous free kick in the 44th minute which was saved by Grbic. Their first corner of the game came in the 45th minute. The ref added two minutes of stoppage time and the match went into halftime at 0:0. 

The second half started with a shot from Kramaric followed by a header to the keeper one minute later. 

Croatia had a corner in the 47th minute and great chances in front of the goal but the pitch was a catastrophe, making it impossible to play. 

Slobodan Kadic

Another brilliant attack by Croatia went out for a corner in the 52nd minute. Chance after chance and we failed to find the back of the net.

Juranovic found Kramaric down the right-wing, cut inside, and shot over the goal. Vlasic was subbed off for Petkovic in the 57th minute. 

Petkovic headed at the keeper in the 60th minute. Yet another attacking play found Brozovic who shot just wide of the post. Croatia was hungry for that goal but the adverse weather conditions did not let up. 

A Modric free kick found the head of Kramaric which also went just wide of the goal.  

Gvardiol sent a great ball in from the right wing in the 72nd minute which Petkovic headed at the keeper. 

Brekalo and Livaja went in for Juranovic and Pasalic in the 75th minute, an offensive decision by Dalic with only 15 minutes to go. 

Slobodan Kadic

But the goal finally happened with 10 minutes to go - and it was an own goal at that. Kudryashov put Croatia ahead 1:0 in the 81st minute!!!

Slobodan Kadic

Stanisic came on for Kramaric in the 85th minute.  

The ref added 4 minutes of stoppage time to the end of the match. 

Slobodan Kadic

With a 1:0 result, Croatia goes to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar!!!!

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

November 13, 2021 - The Croatia national team is in Split ahead of the last 2022 World Cup qualifier against Russia at Poljud on Sunday. Zlatko Dalić and Luka Modrić addressed the press on Saturday and agreed that the Croatia-Russia qualifier at Poljud is the final. 

After defeating Malta 7:1 in Valletta, morale is high - and a sold-out Poljud stadium is the best motivation to secure a spot at the World Cup next year in Qatar. 

Zlatko Dalić and Luka Modrić addressed the press at Poljud on Saturday to discuss the critically important match on Sunday. Only the winner is guaranteed a spot in Qatar. 

"We will see how Russia will play tomorrow. We have to be strong from the start; we know what we want. We need to be aggressive. That will be the most important tomorrow," said Luka to open the conference. 

"I know all the Russia players, and they have many young talented players as well. The ambient in Split is phenomenal, and I believe it will be that way tomorrow, and that will give us the motive to play well and bring us the win," Luka added. 

"This is football; this is sport. We believe in ourselves; we have a good team. The pitch is the only measure. We will decide on the pitch the better team. 

We knew when we saw the qualifying group that Russia would be the toughest. Tomorrow is the final, for them and for us. That makes it a different kind of game. We are the favorite in front of our fans, and we will show that on the pitch.

This is the most crucial game for us since the 2018 World Cup. This is the most important game for this team.

We are 100% focused on this game. We will show that tomorrow. Split and Poljud mean a lot. I remember the last match against Hungary, and the ambient was already there when we went to warm up. So this will be the motivation for us. 

The atmosphere is really good in the team, and of course, when we win and play well, that lifts the atmosphere. The young players have shown that we can count on them. I am pleased with the future of Croatia football," concluded Luka Modrić. 

"All players with us are in great shape. Nikola Vlašić is in much better form than the last Croatia action together. 

Russia was tough in the World Cup. A lot of players we played against at the World Cup are no longer on the team. They have many young new players now. But this is a different game than at the 2018 World Cup - this is a final," said coach Zlatko Dalić. 

"We knew this game had to be in Split due to the atmosphere and the public. However, all of our games played around Croatia have had an incredible atmosphere. I always feel good in Split, welcomed, and I am happy. I am calm and focused on tomorrow's game. 

We won't change many details in the lineup from Malta. We have a lot of good attackers. Vlašić is back; Majer had an incredible game against Malta. Pašalić is in brilliant form. But we don't want to change a lot in the lineup," added Dalić. 

"We are fighters, winners, and will do that tomorrow. But, we have to be smart," concluded Dalić. 

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

November 13, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Ryanair Zadar summer flights and Blue Air flights from Bucharest to Dubrovnik and Split have been announced.

As the summer flight schedule is slowly being announced, more routes to Croatia have gone on sale, including to Zadar Airport, reports Croatian Aviation. 

New Ryanair summer flights include:

Zadar - Nuremberg - Zadar, from March 29, 2022, twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday until the end of October,

Zadar - Stockholm Arlanda - Zadar, from March 27, 2022, twice a week, every Wednesday and Sunday, until the end of October,

Zadar - Turin - Zadar, from March 28, 2022, twice a week, every Monday and Friday, also until the end of October.

These new lines will offer almost 70 thousand seats from the end of March to the end of October next year. 

Nuremberg will also be Ryanair's ninth destination in Germany from Zadar (along with Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Dusseldorf Weeze, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, and Memmingen), and Stockholm will be the third in Sweden (existing lines to Vaxjo and Gothenburg).

Currently, 39 international Ryanair routes are on sale to and from Zadar Airport. 

In addition to the lines to Zadar, Ryanair operates on year-round lines to Zagreb, and next summer, it will be present in Pula, Rijeka, Split, and Dubrovnik. 

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that Romania's low-cost airline, Blue Air, announced two scheduled flights to Croatia in the 2022 summer flight schedule.

Namely, Blue Air has announced seasonal routes to Split and Dubrovnik.

The Romanian low-cost airline operated mainly on charter routes to Croatia in the summer flight schedule this year, specifically to Dubrovnik, with ad-hoc arrivals to other Croatian airports. The airline is now announcing regular operations to Dubrovnik and Split from the Romanian capital.

Bucharest - Split - Bucharest will run from June 23 to September 29, 2022, twice a week, every Thursday and Sunday,

Bucharest - Dubrovnik - Bucharest will operate from June 28 to September 27, 2022, every Tuesday and Saturday, also twice a week.

The airline plans to operate on ad-hoc charter flights to Croatia next summer, mainly for Romanian tour operators selling holiday packages in Istria and the central Adriatic. Blue Air will thus operate on charter flights to Pula and Zadar airports.

When asked about introducing a regular line to Zagreb, Blue Air points out that they are considering several destinations, including the Croatian capital. 

Until the beginning of the global pandemic, Croatia Airlines operated three times a week (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays) between Zagreb and Bucharest in the summer flight schedule. The line was introduced in May 2017 and was in operation every summer until 2020. It is unknown whether Croatia Airlines will resume operations between Bucharest and Zagreb in the summer of 2022.

In addition to two new lines from Split and Dubrovnik, Zadar will also have a regular connection to the Romanian capital. Ryanair will continue to operate between Zadar and Bucharest next summer, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from March 30 to October 29, 2022.

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

November 9, 2021 - Split in November - a tourist destination or a ghost town?

I must confess that my inbox is livelier than ever. 

And opinions are as divided as ever - I am still searching for a positive answer to the question I posed a few years ago - Could Croats Ever Unite If They Were Not Under Attack?

The subject of winter tourism is one which has been with me for years. As an island survivor of 13 winters in Jelsa, I am perhaps more invested in the topic than most, but this interview with a UK tour rep in the 1980s on how Croatia was truly full of life 12 months a year before the geniuses from the Kingdom of Accidental Tourism took over the running of tourism, was truly eye-opening. Croatian Winter Tourism in 1990: Full of Life! Tour Rep Interview

And then yesterday, from data supplied to my inbox - Wow! Comparing Split, Dubrovnik Winter Flights to ExYu, Mediterranean Competition

Several people are informing me that they don't want winter tourism. They make enough during the season, and they are too tired to work more and want to chill over the winter. Ah,  the pleasures of being Dalmatian. Others are very keen to continue the discussion. I have been particularly encouraged by the number of clever people who know a lot more about the topic than I do who are in contact and engaged in the conversation. 

Among them, Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality, with whom I had a very pleasant drink at the weekend.  And what a great photo Zoran captured with his latest LinkedIn post.  Split in November: The cruiser, the luxury yacht, and the empty airport.

Early November and it has been raining for several days in Split. It is that time of the year. It has to rain sometimes. Despite the rain it is very pleasant outside, with daily temperatures around 20 degrees.

Tourists and travelers are still around. You can tell them easily as they are mostly dressed as if it was still summer, while locals have decided it is about to freeze, so they are wearing coats, hats and scarfs. It is lovely to see the cruise ship back in the port. My thoughts on the cruise industry are not straightforward and simple, but I was happy to see this Oceania Cruises MS Marina cruise ship, and alongside it jaw-dropping sailing yacht A.

The sea is still busy, but the air is completely empty. Split is currently mostly disconnected from the world. The only two countries from which you can fly directly to Split at the moment are Germany and Italy. That is not good and certainly not enough, and most certainly not in accordance with the current travel trends, as people are happier to travel in low season more than ever before, and places like Split and Dalmatia in general are as intriguing offseason as they are in high season.

The airport timetable for the next few days at Split Airport, which services Croatia's second-biggest city. 

If you would like to join an initiative to develop winter tourism in Croatia and have something to contribute (please state what), contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Winter Tourism.