June 14, 2021 - There are just over 2,700 tourists in Split, though announcements of a promising summer are underway. 

Slobodna Dalmacija reports that there are currently 2766 tourists in Split - mostly Croatians, followed by guests from the USA, Germany, France, and Poland, confirmed Alijana Vukšić, director of the Split Tourist Board, which clearly speaks of the current tourist picture in Croatia's second-largest city, which broke records until the coronavirus pandemic.

From the beginning of June until June 13, a little more than 26,000 tourist overnights have been realized, while the number of tourist nights in the same period last year was 5,800, and in 2019 a little more than 100,000, which the people of Split can now only dream of.

The Split Tourist Board director is optimistically looking forward.

"The interest in Split is growing day to day, which is confirmed by tourist traffic, and also the current announcements of travel agents, journalists, and tourists. We have a reason to be optimistic, and I believe there will be growth in tourist traffic in the following months. Still, we need to be very careful because the success of the tourist season depends on the responsible behavior of each individual," says Vukšić.

The current situation in Split in terms of tourist arrivals is not great, as evidenced by the announcements of numerous renters in various groups on social networks. They mostly complain about the lack of reservations. There are many empty apartments in the city center, those in great locations, beautifully decorated.

By reviewing the offer of accommodation on popular online platforms, it is easy to see how some renters struggle because their existence depends on renting or on credit. In despair, they began to significantly lower prices. Some stunning central apartments can be found for as little as fifty euros.

"According to people's reactions and available information, the pre-season was catastrophic in the case of those renters who previously had guests in that period. Only now, in mid-June, something similar is starting to happen that once took place in the pre-season - in Split, some reservations began to appear, and the first guests appeared. This is very weak, considering that our epidemiological situation is excellent and that we thought that our "last minute" would start at full speed. For now, the story is on the respirator, but for at least the last two weeks, the reservations have started to come to life, and there are no cancellations as before," notes Martina Nimac Kalcina, president of the Family Tourism Association of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

The first guests move into the apartments in Split almost shyly, but this is far from what the renters hoped for. Nimac Kalcina will say that the current situation in Split on this issue looks like the one that the people of Split used to have in April. And that means - there are some guests, but it's generally poor. 

"Attractive apartments in the center of Split, even those with their own parking, are empty. In the last few days, their owners are asked to inquire daily, which usually ends with a reservation, but all this is too little, insignificant. These are apartments in Varoš, Get, Bačvice, Radunica, Spinut, which were once full throughout the summer. In addition, the prices of their rent have been lowered by about twenty percent compared to 2019, so again it is not going," says the president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Family Tourism Association. 

However, Nimac Kalcina believes that the Split tourist story will soon heat up somewhat, as the planes in full operation towards Split should start returning at the end of June.

"Unfortunately, the pre-season has been lost, and the peak season itself will not be what we hoped for," predicts the long-term volunteer in the family tourism sector.

Split Airport: Traffic growth and the announcements are good

"According to the information from Split Airport, already May, in which the traffic of approximately 33 thousand passengers was realized, from 14 markets where 15 airlines flew, was a good announcement of what awaits us in the next period," said the Split Tourist Board. 

The airport expects further traffic growth by the end of June, a total of 80 to 90 thousand passengers, an additional 10 markets, and a total of 35 airlines.

"Confirmations of flight announcements for a period longer than three weeks are ungrateful given the variability of the epidemiological situation in our country and in the world. But if the favorable epidemiological situation is maintained from June to September this year, we can expect approximately 800,000 passengers," Vuksic hopes.

She notes that, according to the Split Port Authority, 151 cruise ships have been announced by the end of the year.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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

ZAGREB, 13 June, 2021 - Deputy Prime Minister Boris Milošević on Sunday commented on recent incidents, saying that there were indications that they were motivated by ethnic hatred and stressing that one should not get used to such incidents but recognise, prevent and prosecute them.

"It is important to speak and write about the topic (of crimes motivated by ethnic hatred) because we must not tolerate or get used to hate crimes as something inevitable and common. It is important that we do not downplay violence and hate as part of a subculture, for example football fans or any other group, but work on recognising, preventing, prosecuting and punishing them," Milošević said in a Facebook post.

He was commenting on a recent attack by unidentified perpetrators on two nationals of Serbia in Split, which reminded him of an attack of a couple of years ago on Serbian water polo players in Split.

"That such things are happening and that they are happening now, at the start of the tourist season, when every guest is precious, is horrible and shameful. It is even more worrying that this happens constantly in Vukovar, where in the central city square a group of several men attacked a group of minors, calling them Chetnik bandits. I stress that the victims were minors," Milošević said.

He strongly condemned both incidents, saying that he expected police to identify the attackers from Split and the prosecutorial authorities to prosecute the attackers from Vukovar, who, he said, already have a criminal record.

The deputy PM thanked the mayor of Split for publicly condemning the incident, noting that Split did not deserve to be considered a problem city because of thugs. "Vukovar deserves even less not to be a safe place for all young people, Serbs and Croats alike," he said.

Milošević considers it important for politicians to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and to help build an atmosphere of dialogue and tolerance, as well as condemn any incident targeting others because of their race, religion, ethnicity, language, background, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other characteristic.

For more news about Croatia, CLICK HERE.

June 11, 2021 - Good news after it was established yesterday that Slovenian tourists would not need to go into self-isolation when returning from the Adriatic counties, according to the decision of the Slovenian Government to remove the Croatian coast from its red list, which will take effect from tomorrow.

At yesterday's session, the Slovenian Government decided that the Adriatic Croatia administrative unit is no longer on their red list. The counties of Istria, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Lika-Senj, Zadar, Šibenik-Knin, Split-Dalmatia, and Dubrovnik-Neretva were thus removed from the list of countries and areas with a high risk of coronavirus infection, reports hrturizam.hr.

Namely, in areas not on the dark red or red list, there is no high risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, so a person coming from such an area can enter Slovenia without being sent into mandatory self-isolation if they submit proof that they've been in the area.

Apart from Croatia, Switzerland, the Vatican, the Austrian administrative unit of Tyrol, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, and the Portuguese Azores were removed from the red list of European Union countries at yesterday's session. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro are no longer on the same list comprised of third countries. The administrative units of Pannonian Croatia, the City of Zagreb, and Northern Croatia are still on the red list. This means that a person coming from these areas in Croatia is quarantined for ten days due to possible infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus upon returning to Slovenia

The decision to remove the Adriatic counties from their red list, made by the Slovenian Government yesterday, will take effect on Saturday, June 12th.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including travel, border, and quarantine rules, as well as the locations of testing centers and vaccination points across the country, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and choose your preferred language.

Follow the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Free parking is provided for all visitors.

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

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

June 9, 2021 - The Split Zvončac EURO 2020 Fan Zone has finally been announced, where football fans can gather to watch all European Championship matches. 

Citizens of Split likely remember the last football Fan Zone, organized in 2018 in Đardin, during the World Cup. This year, the EURO 2020 fan zone will work from June 11 to July 11 at the legendary Zvončac park, a location many Split citizens adore, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

The Fan Zone will also be organized by Damir Karaman, with associates from the company "Karaman Koncert," which has so far successfully organized numerous sports, cultural, and entertainment events in Split.

Visitors will be able to watch the games on a large screen and enjoy food and drink. 

"During the duration of the tournament, we will organize various prize games and events," said Damir Karaman.

Which performers and bands will play at the Fan Zone?

"We are still negotiating, but it will be a surprise for the days off at the European Championships, when we will fill the space with various programs.

It is normal for fan zones to be held in city parks so that people can hang out and have fun. Zvončac is ideal for us because it is bigger than Đardin.

That is why I, in cooperation with the Split and Split-Dalmatia County Tourist Boards, organized it in our city. Well, God willing, we will create a fan zone next year for the World Cup," said Damir Karaman.

Numerous tourists, mostly foreigners, also visited the last fan zone in 2018.

"All foreigners who were in Split knew about the fan zone, and when their national teams played, but also others, foreign tourists came there to watch the matches.

We must emphasize that several media houses reported from the Fan Zone - the German Bild, Danish television, and reputable portals. HTV, RTL, and Nova TV also reported from the fan zone, so it was more marketing for the city itself, and great promotion," said Karaman and pointed out that he will organize everything according to current epidemiological measures, in agreement with the Civil Protection Headquarters.

Admission will be free
The fan zone organized during the 2018 World Cup proved to be a hit and added value to Split.

It was attended better than any event in Đardin and passed without a single incident, with a crowded and brilliant fan atmosphere.

As before, admission will be free for all citizens and tourists, no matter the program.

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To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

June 5, 2021 - With each passing day, we are one step closer to summer as traffic at Split Ferry Port and Airport pick up this weekend!

HRT reports that as of Friday, a new Jadrolinija summer sailing schedule is in force, with ticket prices up 20%. Jadrolinija has introduced several more daily ferry lines to the central Dalmatian islands, so there are no major crowds in the Split ferry port this weekend.

"Instead of 05:30, the point of sale will open at 04:30, so we really get up early at dawn. And off we go!" Jelena Ivulić from Jadrolinija said with a smile for HRT's show Dobro jutro, Hrvatska.

Jelena says there will be increases on the ferry lines.

"For example, Supetar will increase from 9 lines to 12, Stari Grad from 4 to 5, and so on, we are gradually moving forward. As for the catamaran lines, we are a little more careful here. We are not launching immediately with full routes, but, for a start, instead of 4, we are starting with 2 commercial routes to Hvar - we still lack air passengers who would then continue to our islands," she explains.

After many months of peace and quiet, you can finally hear some foreign languages ​​in Split - both at points of sale and in the port.

"We are starting slow, to roll in the second half of June, July, August, and so on," says Ivulić and adds that Jadrolinija has finally waited for 40 percent of the total allowed capacity to be abolished.

"We now have one hundred percent capacity in which we can board our passengers. That really came as a great relief. As for the measures, the masks remain, and we appeal to our passengers to help us with that and the whole trip to be with masks," she notes.

At Split's Resnik Airport, slightly higher traffic is expected this weekend - 67 planes and 5,500 passengers, which is slightly lower traffic than the same period last year, Mate Melvan, head of reception and departure of passengers at the Port, told HRT.

"We expect about 40 aircraft and close to 4,000 passengers, and tomorrow 27 aircraft and a little more than 1,500 passengers. We have had 70,000 passengers since the beginning of the year, and 80,000 in the same period last year. The highest numbers are expected in July and August," he told HRT.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

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

June 5, 2021 - KK Zadar becomes Croatian basketball champions after defeating Split 84:57 in the final game of the series on Saturday at Višnjik.

Since Croatian independence, Zagreb teams Cedevita and Cibona have mostly dominated the Basketball Championships (25 of 28 seasons). Split was able to pull off one title in 2003, while Zadar was able to win two in 2005 and 2008. 

Tonight, the two Dalmatian teams had to battle to find out who would be forever remembered as the 2021 champions and who would only be known by experts remembering a series that was played to the last decisive game. Recall, Zadar won its two home games to take a lead and seemed like the sure champions before Split somehow managed to come back to win game 3 in overtime and continue with a clear victory in game 4 to tie the series 2:2.

A lot of rumors were going on regarding discussions between the Zadar club,  the National Basketball Association, and the epidemiologists in charge of deciding how many spectators would be allowed into the gym. After the two losses in Split, the hosts were hoping for some support after seeing how much noise 100 spectators could make in Split and how many 100 spectators could actually be. During the first two games, Zadar had basically played in front of empty seats. Not very surprisingly thousands of spectators could not be held back and found their way into the arena to give Zadar a true home atmosphere, and despite all epidemic concerns it surely got loud in the arena. 

Despite the noise and intimidation, Split had the better start with a 0:5 in the first 3 minutes. Zadar was able to counter with a 14:2 run until 8 minutes into the game. Zadar was able to control the boards once again and outrebounded the Yellows 26:15 in the first half.

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

The second quarter opened with a three-pointer by Jordano (20:9), followed by two more Jordano three-pointers for a 15-point Zadar advantage in the 16th minute (33:18). Mesiček responded with a three-pointer, but in the next minute and a half, the 8:0 Zadar series on the wings of Mavra and Onuaku followed, and in the 18th minute, Zadar was up by 20 (41:21). The second quarter ended with a three-pointer by Ukić and Onuaku dunk (49:29).

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Zadar's Jordano was on fire tonight and scored his sixth three-pointer of the final for 55:31 in the third quarter. Thanks to Vuković and Junaković, Zadar was up by 30 (68:38) in the last minute of the third quarter. Vukovic scored for 71:40, and Ukić ended the quarter with a three-pointer for 71:43.

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Zadar calmly brought the game to an end. In the last quarter, more attention was paid to the stands than to the floor. Zadar fans lit torches and celebrated their new title.

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Burak Canboy

Zadar: Carter 15, Jordano 22, Justice, Palokaj, Brala, Vukovic 7, Bursac 4, Junakovic 4, Mavra 11, Onuaku 19, Planinic 2, Kraljevic.

Split: Perkovic 3, Perasovic 5, Kedzo 2, Ukic 18, Marcinkovic, Bajo 2, Champara, Babic 5, Vrankovic 2, Lukovic 9, Maric 6, Mesicek 5.

Referees: Luka Kardum, Tomislav Vovk, Bojan Kruljac

Source: Dalmatinski Portal

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June 5, 2021 - Good news for Hajduk fans - works are currently underway on a brand new Poljud pitch that will soon crown the beloved Split stadium! 

Hajduk announced that installing the new hybrid lawn on the main Poljud pitch is in full swing. In accordance with the planned deadlines, the first planned phase of works, removing the lawn and preparing the substrate in cooperation with the company Jadro, has been completed.

In addition, 11 centimeters of old quartz sand were removed for better drainage, and the base for laying new quartz sand was leveled. Among other things, the grass surfaces of the warm-up area and the entire surrounding part outside the tartan track are being renewed.

The field was taken over by the Croatian Football Federation on Friday together with the contractor. In the next phase, they will lay the new pitch! 

The latest generation hybrid lawn will eventually cover the current field sand, and Hajduk will soon get the national team-worthy pitch it deserves.

Hajduk's new coach, Jens Gustafsson, will gather the team on June 14 and lead them at the beginning of preparations for the new competitive season.

Hajduk will train until June 17 in Split, when they will head down south to Konavle for three trainings before the first preparatory match. Hajduk will be guests at the 100th-anniversary celebration of HNK Slaven Gruda on June 19 at 5 pm at the Gnjila Sports Center playground.

After visiting the Dubrovnik surroundings, Hajduk will return home to train at Poljud until June 23. The team will then leave for fifteen-day preparations in Slovenia. This year, Hajduk's expedition will stay and do a series of training in the new preparation base in Zreče.

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

To learn more about sport in Croatia, CLICK HERE. 

June 4, 2021 - With the scientific community in Croatia busy and involved in international projects, meet the CASCADE Project. Learn how Italian and Croatian scientists are working together in monitoring ecosystems.

Croatian scientists in Croatia are running various projects which either don't get reported on by journalists, or if they are reported on, they sadly don't get too much attention from the public.

One such project is the Projekt CASCADE which started back on January first, 2020, and will continue until the very end of 2022.
As reported on the website of The Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOR), the 5,817,547 euros, 85 % of that capital (4,944,914.95 euros) is secured by The European Regional Development Fund (ERFD).

CASCADE is short for „CoaStal and marine waters integrated monitoring systems for ecosystems protection and management“, and is part of the Interreg Italy-Croatia 2014-2020 strategic program. Assess the quality of coastal marine ecosystems in order to restore the habitats of endangered species and provide support for integrated management is the main goal set by 2022.

For the next three years, the project team from the Laboratory for Plankton and Shell Toxicity and the Laboratory for Chemical Oceanography and Sedimentology will work on monitoring, gathering knowledge about habitat and ecosystem biodiversity in the field of project cooperation (Adriatic Sea). It will participate in the establishment of new, as well as the improvement, of existing coastal systems for monitoring and management of coastal and open water ecosystems. Joint actions will assess and protect coastal and marine biodiversity and establish restoration actions. The pilot area of ​​the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (IOR) within the EU CASCADE project is the mouth of the Neretva River“, explains the IOR website.

There are eleven pilot areas in Croatia and Italy where the researches will be conducted: lagoon Grado and Marano and Gulf of Trieste, coastal belt of the Italian region Emilia-Romagna, marine protected area Torre Guaceto (natural reef), Punta Della Contessa, Melendugno in the Italian region of Puglia, the mouth of the Neretva river, the coastal zone of the Italian region of Veneto, mouth of the river Miljašić Jaruga, coastal belt of the Italian region of Molise, the northeastern part of the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, mouth of the river Cetina, Torre del Cerrano and Pineto Marine Park on the Abruzzo coast, and finally, the coastal zone of the Italian Marche region.

„At the mouth of the Neretva River (P4 pilot area), the IOR team members will sample sediment, shells, and seawater, depending on the type of matrix, they will analyze various parameters such as salinity, oxygen concentrations, heavy metals, and nutrients, with the aim of establishing an optimal system of observation of coastal and open waters“, added IOR.

The head of the projects within the IOR side is Dr. Sc. Ivana Ujević and various Italian and Croatian regions/counties, regional development agencies, scientific institutes, and two ministries from Italy and Croatia are included as associated partners.

Learn more about Croatian inventions & discoveries: from Tesla to Rimac on our TC page.

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June 3, 2021 - Split public bicycle rentals have reached over 200,000 - and this season, even more rental records will be broken! 

It is already known that Split locals have fully accepted the public bicycle system, and by all accounts, we are facing another season in which rental records will be broken. This is according to data released before World Bicycle Day, which is celebrated on June 3. The total number of rentals since the beginning of the system in Split has reached 204,107, and the number of registered users has exceeded 20,000, Dalmatinski Portal writes. 

Since the expansion of the system, the number of rentals has constantly been growing, and in May alone, a total of 36,540 rentals were realized, which is a significant increase compared to April when there were 25,000. If we look at the ratio in the first five months of last year and this year, there has been an increase in rentals over four times. On May 27, as many as 1,521 rentals were realized, which is the largest recorded figure in one day so far.

Last month was also a record year in terms of the number of newly registered users, of which there were 1,823. The majority of riders are still domestic (80%), but there is still a slight increase in the share of foreign riders. Precisely because of the constant growth of cyclists on the streets, which is expected with the arrival of better weather and the season, Split Parking has published an online version of cycling etiquette so that all cyclists can meet or be reminded of current traffic rules and you can read it on their website.

"Cycling has become a habit for the people of Split, and bicycles are becoming an increasingly desirable means of transport because they are now easily accessible. With the growing number of cyclists on the city streets, which will grow further with the start of the season, special attention should be paid to their safety and all road users. Last month, therefore, in cooperation with partners, we issued cycling etiquette to educate users on riding a bike safely and the rules to follow. At the same time, we are also working on better protection of stations and bicycles to prevent damage and make bicycles more accessible to users and less to be repaired. To continue to develop the system of public bicycles in Split and further, it is necessary to work in parallel on the development of adequate infrastructure that will be able to support the growing trend of cycling in Split," said Marko Bartulić, director of Split Parking.

All planned stations have been set up, and a total of 51 stations are available to citizens. After Mertojak, the stations at the elementary schools Žnjan - Pazdigrad, Sirobuja, and the elementary school Kamen Šine were put into operation this weekend. As of this week, parents with children have an additional 15 child seats available.

Split Parking once again invites all citizens to ride a bike responsibly and to find out about the rules for safe riding at: https://www.splitparking.hr/javne-bicikle

For more, follow our lifestyle section.