April 5, 2020 - So, what's it like running a craft beer company in Croatia during the corona era? TCN caught up with Barba from Split to find out more. 

Life during the corona era is bad enough, but can you imagine life during the corona without pints? Never. 

Thankfully, one Split craft beer company is ensuring no one in Croatia is thirsty during self-isolation. TCN caught up with Sinisa Andelic of LAB Split, the craft brewery behind the city’s famous beer brand - Barba.

By way of introduction for readers who may not have discovered the fabulous Barba range of craft beers yet, tell us a little about yourself and the company history.

We are small brewery based within the Split city limits. Since our opening almost 5 yrs ago, we have been at the forefront of the craft beer revolution and hopefully continue to create added value to our beautiful city.

How were you doing pre-corona? How much of your business were online sales?

Actually, the situation with the corona was a bit of an eyeopener; we were forced to react overnight and do something to survive. We started taking orders via email and realized just how big and passionate our following is in Split. We went from about 5% online sales to almost 100% online self-delivered sales overnight. Bad situations such as this one sometimes bring positive things in the long run.

When did you realise corona was going to be a big thing?

I'm still working a morning job which is very multinational and global, so the concerns and problems were known to me from the very beginning, however, with the information overload that we are all used to, I hoped this wouldn't turn out to be so severe. We all are kind of used to reading about disastrous apocalyptic things that could happen any second, and then they pass by and do not affect our lives in any way. I believe this was a major problem that led to some countries taking this virus too lightly.

Give us a timeline and story of how it damaged your business

It all went from 0 to 100 in less than 2 seconds. Overnight all our customers closed as precaution measure and then only silence occurred. Don't get me wrong, this was a very responsible decision to make and we fully support it. However, our business stopped as well, and we just had to do something.

People still need beer, perhaps now more than ever. Tell us how you reorganised, and what services you are offering now.

We started by taking orders from people via email. More and more people started calling and ordering, things began to be hard to follow, so to avoid confusion and people being left without beer, we streamlined our orders and organized a webshop in a matter of days.

How much more challenging is the production with the restrictions?

Nothing and everything changed; the main problem is that we are fighting an invisible enemy and you never know if you did enough to protect your workers and their families. We are maybe more used to hygiene and cleaning processes than others since beer production is very germ sensitive and our SOPs are very strict.

And arranging deliveries?

We are doing contactless deliveries; payment is only received via e-banking and boxes of beer are left on your doorstep usually the next day once the payment is visible in the system. Safe and quick. You can check out our webshop to see what's on offer.

Any thoughts on a special-edition #StayHome corona survivor brew?

This I cannot stress enough. A big THANKS to our customers and brewery friends that started working overtime to help us, helped spread the word, and helped us regain at least part of sales. We initially reacted by lowering prices thus making our beers really good value for money. For instance, we discounted Punica (mother-in-law in Croatian) Blond Ale that we now sell for 5.15 kuna per bottle!! And we are almost out of Punica in only two weeks.

We are still working on a few ideas on how to repay these wonderful people and show how much this means to us! Maybe a special beer, maybe an event once this is over... let's call it a work in progress for now!

Sales of the beer Corona fell 38% in the States due to the name association. Do you think you would have survived if COVID-19 had been called the Barbavirus?

I'm afraid even to think of that scenario. Let's keep it at that.

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

April 5, 2020 - Part 3 of Ivica Profaca's Diary of a Split Tour Guide in the Age of Corona - and some good news!

This is an easy job to do. I can just start every part of this series with something announced, or predicted in the previous one. Last time I was hoping that my application for financial aid through the Government's program aiming to help industries affected by COVID-19 would be accepted. And it was. It was great to get an e-mail with a PDF document attached saying "your request has been accepted", or something like that. Sure, it's nothing even close to those notes, now almost forgotten, with sentences from another world: "Are you available on that-and-that day for a tour?". From time to time, I read some of those still sitting in my inbox, just as a reminder.

Anyway, me and a whole bunch of fellow guides (and thousands of others) will get State aid, and with the second package that the government prepared, now things look a little better. Or, if you want, as well as can be expected, because I guess nobody is too excited at being on State aid. With the second package, the monthly payment will go up to 4,000 kuna, with paid tax, health and pension insurance, for a wider population affected by these measures. It means that the government finally accepted the demands coming from people in the business world. Problems are probably yet to come, because the national budget masters will have to find that money somewhere. We'll think about it tomorrow, Scarlett O'Hara would say, hopefully someone is making plans.

Speaking of plans, everything really depends on how long the pandemic will last. That's a zillion dollar question, and only a few dare to give any prognosis. I mean those who might really know something. There is a whole army of those others, much louder, making it difficult to differentiate what is worth listening to. Will it be June, or we can't expect any good news before September, with prospects of a second wave next autumn and winter? The phrase "anything is possible" these days has a special meaning. Besides, with the death toll rising minute by minute, what's the point of looking for anything else, but how to stop this horrible chain of events? 

When it's done, other things should come back, including tourism. easyJet, an extremely important airline for tourism in Split and Dalmatia, is already advertising Summer 2021 Holidays. Just a little bit more optimistic is their Winter 2020/2021 advertising. Unfortunately, still no sign of an extension of seasonal flights to Split by any airline. Maybe when that priceless question gets some more firm answers there will be someone who will come up with the idea of turning November into the new April, just like Zoran Pejović suggested in his Total Croatia News article. There are still no ideas how to do it by  the Croatian tourism authorities, but maybe they could take this idea into consideration. In previous parts of this series I have already mentioned that I still have more postponements than cancellations, and that trend is still the same. Maybe it will change sooner than I want, but so far it's like that. Some of those bookings still don't have a new date, but are waiting to see how the situation develops, but they are still active. The last one I got of that kind is a group of hikers from Taiwan who wanted to hike Kozjak mountain mid-June. The date is cancelled, but with a note "they will definitely come when crisis calms down". It's a thin hope, but what else do we have?

Speaking of easyJet, like all other airlines, they have their planes grounded (except for emergency flights). However, you can still book a flight from London to Split from May 1. All those before that date are marked as "sold out", it's probably some IT solution for not to delete flights. I can only try to imagine the level of lack of information with someone who would really book a flight as early as the beginning of May. Or perhaps they know something we don't know. But seriously, who can even remotely believe anyone would travel in just a few weeks from now? Not only by air, but by any means of transportation. It would be fun to make that booking, just for the sake of imagining the faces of those who would receive a notification that someone wants to fly. I would offer a free tour.

Of course, this little anecdote about easyJet is not something that should be taken as a strategy foundation. When I get first queries for availability, or at least some info request, that will be something to build on. Everything else is still in "one day it will pass" domain. For example, recently I saw an article on Travel Pulse, US-based website specialized in travel news. Pledging that "all is not lost", they found five destinations as "beacons of hope". Guess what? Croatia is one of them, and main photo of the article is the one from Split. Or, what about predictions made by Luxury Travel Advisor?

It worked twice so far; I mentioned something in these articles, and it happened before the next part of this series. Maybe the same will happen with those two. Stay posted, and if you know someone who would need a tour this summer, let me know. Until then, #StayHome.

We will be following Ivica Profaca's journey through the rocky weeks ahead.

If you find yourself in Split, or are planning a post-corona visit, check out his range of tours on his website - families, look out for the kids tour of Diocletian Palace. It will not only entertain your kids while allowing you to absorb this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, but it will bring out the inner child in you too. Learn more about it here. 

You can read other parts of Ivica's Split Tour Guide in the Age of Corona series here.

(To be continued)

April 4, 2020 - Online communities around Croatia are now bringing Croatian farms to your doorstep. 

A tough part about the coronavirus pandemic in Croatia is that, because of the stringent measures in place, going to outdoor markets have become a thing of the past. 

The once-bustling markets, loud with sellers luring in buyers by convincing them that their product is the best, are mostly bleak and vacant until we’re on the other side of the coronavirus battle. 

However, one small light in the coronavirus pandemic is that it has forced creativity in order to sustain businesses, and Croatian farms that formerly only had a presence at their market stands now belong to large online communities. 

Who could have imagined a week ago, our babas and didas' eggs and produce would be advertised and sold online to be delivered to your doorstep? No one! But here we are.

With just one click, fish, fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, and eggs from your favorite sellers can be found on your doorstep the next day. 

The large number of virtual marketplaces that opened from Osijek to Dubrovnik testify that the OPGs, or Croatian farms, are determined to find a way to feed us all. 

A look at the online marketplaces around Croatia courtesy of Slobodna Dalmacija.

“Yesterday I ordered eggs, chard, young onions and radishes. A man brought me everything this morning, delivered to my door, and even left a small flower seedling as a gift. There was no contact, I paid them into their account, and they left me eggs and vegetables at my front door,” said a member of the Facebook group Virtual Pazar Split, which already has close to 12,000 members. Not only green products of local farmers are offered, but also delicacies from the continent, as well as lamb, cheese, and even donkey milk.

The virtual Zagreb market, however, gathered more than 35,000 members in a week. The group was founded by HSS spokeswoman Ivana Tomic. Food vendors can be advertised free of charge in Zagreb's virtual marketplace, where you can find everything from basil, to onions and mint, asparagus from Zadar. 

An official online marketplace was opened in Zagreb on Friday, and the launch of a drive-in purchase on the green market has been announced. About fifty family farms and artisans from the Zagreb area and its surroundings are offering products online.

On the page, you can see how they deliver the goods, delivery times, and what locations they cover. The profile of each OPG on to the platform has their contact information, product list and price. Besides calling them, customers can also place an order through a query that goes to the farmer’s email address.

Lana Šegetin from Dubrovnik founded the Facebook group Virtual Dubrovnik Market. It brings together members from Peljesac to Konavle, and all local food producers from the wider Dubrovnik area and the surrounding area can advertise and offer their products for free. More than 7,000 people from the Dubrovnik-Neretva County have joined the group.

Through the website kupujdomaće.hr, 450 Vrgorac family farms producing strawberries, apples, grapes, eggs, nectarines, honey, and quality wines could be found. Clicking on a fruit or vegetable icon opens a rich list of OPGs offering that selected product.

“I sell green onions, parsley, collards, leeks,” advertises an OPG on the page Virtual plaza - Neretva Valley. 

“We sell oranges, apples, fresh cow's cheese, seedlings of all kinds of vegetables, ajvar, lemons, sweet potato, and more,”

Citizens of Velika Gorica, Sisak, Pula, Osijek, Varaždin, Bjelovar can also enjoy virtual markets.

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

April 4, 2020 - The Split City Museum is walking us down memory lane in an effort to making our days at home a bit easier. A look at the once-famous beaches in Split, in black and white.

With summer just a few months away and sunny weather teasing us this weekend, the Split City Museum has teamed up with Professor Goran Borcic, a longtime Museum Advisor, to prepare a photo chronology of the city's old bathing areas in several sequences. 

The first episode presents the chronology of the first beaches in Split; the one opened in 1860 in the Split city port in front of the present Port Authority building and the "Bagno Polo" bathing area that opened in 1875. 

The photo chronology continued with Baluni Bay and Zvončac. After the First World War, Baluni Bay became a meeting place for young people, and it was built in 1954 by Zvončac.

We then walk to Marjan. Beginning at Ježinac, we continue to Meje where, in 1910, Frane Schiller built a luxury villa with a swimming pool, which at that time was the best-equipped villa in Dalmatia. Villa Dalmacija.  The video takes us through Kašjuni Bay and the swimming area at Bene, and ends in Spinut.

The series then takes us to the northern part of the city. At the beginning of the 20th century, the cove at Poljud was the favorite bathing place for citizens. At Poljud, there was medicinal antirheumatic mud that had been used by swimmers for decades. Lora and Supaval coves were also the city's favorite beaches.

As of April 2, the Split City Museum had only reached the fourth video in the series, which will count 12 once all is said and done. Be sure to follow along on the museum's Facebook page or Dalmatinski Portal.

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

April 3, 2020 - Even with the warm weather this weekend, citizens should not be tempted to ignore the measures of the National Civil Protection Headquarters. A message from the Split Police.

“Given that sunny and warmer weather is announced for the weekend, we would like to draw our attention once again to Decision on strict restraint on streets and other public places. This Decision applies to streets, squares, waterfronts, parks and all other public areas where a large number of persons can move and gather,” began today's statement by the Split-Dalmatia Police Directorate, in which they urge citizens to abide by the rules, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

“We know that Znjan, Bacvice and the Split waterfront are favorite places for citizens to gather, but in this situation, you cannot stay in these public areas. Especially not in large numbers because then you are not able to adhere to the rules on the distance between people.

Given the current situation, to prevent the spread of the infection, adjust your habits and exercise your leisure and outdoor activities in a shorter time, in places that you know are not visited by a large number of people. If you want to go outside, go to places where you are sure that more citizens will not gather.

We know that you follow the recommendations of doctors and epidemiologists, and we just want to remind you of their advice that when you are outdoors, keep the recommended distance. In this way, we will positively all contribute to reducing the spread of the infection.

Police officers supervise and implement the measures of the Headquarters daily, including these Decisions on the measure of strict restraint on streets and other public places, and will continue to do so throughout the weekend. Please follow the advice and warnings of police officers on the ground.

We thank all citizens who respect the Decisions of the Civil Protection Headquarters of the Republic of Croatia. With responsible behavior, they protect themselves and all of us,” the police bulletin says.

The police also responded to a request from a Dalmatinski Portal journalist about playing picigin at Bacvice.

“Such behavior is contrary to the decision of the National Headquarters. Had police officers been there, they would have certainly warned the participants to disperse. You can walk, but picigin cannot be played under these circumstances,” Split police said.

Follow TCN's live updates on the coronavirus crisis in Croatia

April 2, 2020 - Croatia has introduced some of the most restrictive measures on movement in the world to combat COVID-19, and with great success. But the Split game of 'picigin', it seems, is an exception. 

One of the most powerful (in a field of very powerful) articles I have read in the last few weeks about our new reality was A letter to the UK from Italy: this is what we know about your future in The Guardian. 

The harrowing details apart, the sentence that stays with me is this:

Being locked up in a house with a pretty garden or in an overcrowded housing project will not be the same.

It was a thought that occurred to me several weeks ago. And so when schools were closed for an initial two weeks (we all knew it would be months), we had a choice to make. Stay in our very nice rental home in a village near Varazdin, where we would slowly kill each other once restrictions, or come to our rental apartment and previous home in Jelsa on Hvar. 

From a mental health aspect, there was no question. The sun, the terrace, the nature win every time. And if things got really bad, as they might, we had the family field to feed us. 

We were responsible and kept away from everyone (and I am yet to have a conversation with anyone here in the flesh almost three weeks later). Self-isolation and work. I have never worked harder. 5am start, bed at midnight. A break for lunch and one precious hour when I leave the house for my own solitude and escape from the world. 

I think twice before posting on social media, because I am aware that gorgeous videos of sunset by the sea must be frustrating to watch. But I do post them because 1)  I want to support Croatian tourism by reminding people in isolation that this is what awaits, 2) giving people a happy reminder that their favourite places are waiting for them, and 3) because those who follow TCN will appreciate the hard work we do needs some stress relief. 

And Hvar is stunning right now, and the local tourism businesses will be very happy to welcome you after all this madness is over. 

Meanwhile today, in Split, reports Dalmacija Danas...

The traditional Split game of Picigin was in full flow. If you are not familiar with picigin, it is a Split tradition with its very own World Championship, and the first beach game in the world to get cultural heritage status. You can learn more about picigin here. 

Dalmacija Danas is conducting a poll on whether or not this is responsible behaviour, with 79% initially disapproving. 

Your thoughts? Comments below or vote in the Dalmacija Danas questionnaire. 

April 1, 2020 - Do foreigners in Croatia feel more or less safe sitting out COVID-19 here than in their home country, and what are their experiences? A new series on TCN, with Tin Bojanic from Argentina our sixth contributor.

Oxford University recently published some research on government responses to coronavirus which showed that Croatia currently has the strictest measures in the world. While inconvenient, this is a good thing in terms of reducing the spread of the virus, and I am certainly not alone in my admiration of the official Croatian handling of this crisis in recent weeks, both in terms of action and communication. 

But what do other expats here think? And how does it compare with the response in their home country? Would they rather sit this one out here or there? In the first of a new series on TCN, we will be featuring expats from all over the world to see what their views are on life in corona Croatia rather than back home. Having started with an excellent contribution from Romanian Mirela Rus, American/Irishman Jason Berry in Split and Gabriela Lopez Zubiria from Mexico, Steve Gaunt in an English pub in a field in the middle of nowhere near Vinkovci, Barbara Grauning from Munich in Istria - time to go back to Split via Buenos Aires with Tin Bojanic, the popular owner of Marvlvs Library Jazz Bar. 

If you would like to contribute to this series, full details are below. Now, over to Tin. 

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels. 

I am like everyone I guess, wishing that this nightmare would finish as soon as possible. I am with my family and we are all good. I own a bar (Marvlvs Library Jazz Bar) in Split’s Old Town, and apart from financial losses, the big issue these days is that the City looks like it does at Christmas or New Year’s, a ghost town, and there are no police around, so crime is enjoying a big party. To protect our businesses, we arranged with other owners, to walk around town checking on our properties and trying to clean the trash a little bit from the previous evening.

Also, there is a park where I live which has people drinking all night long, fighting each other and not allowing us to sleep, and leaving big amounts of trash behind that nobody ever will come to pick up or clean.

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

I do remember the previous flu viruses when I was living in Madrid, so it is not new to me to see people with masks around town. But I realized this one was different in February at Rome airport when I went through security in one minute because it was almost empty. And I started to get worried when politicians started to talk over scientists: nothing scares people more than that.

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

I understand that nobody was prepared for this around the world; this are times where people should understand the importance of choosing good leaders.

I follow the idea that you have to pause this horror movie so you can organize the health system for when you will have to press play again. The virus is not going to disappear, and you will have to deal with that. My main concern is that Dalmatia, in this case, cannot get through without a season, and unfortunately Croatia cannot isolate itself as it does not produce all goods needed for its people (hopefully we learn from this too).  

But I feel cheated when I do my part, staying home, and only going to check on the bar for protection, and then I see all older people - who are at the biggest risk- during daylight sitting on the park in front of my house, and at night, as there are no bars, people drinking on the streets. Why I am paying taxes if bars cannot sell alcohol but stores are good for that? No controls, more trash, and beers being sold without receipts.

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

I am from Argentina -and Croatian as well- and I am in contact with my people and very well informed about what is going on there. The quarantine is stricter there than here, but the army and security forces are doing their job.  Argentina is better in that, if the government is smart enough, it can satisfy all needs and goods for its people as the country produces all, but there are many poor neighborhoods that if this virus gets in will be a total disaster.

On the other hand, in Argentina are talking about very low salaries of politicians and to deal with taxes in a circumstantial way. Here there are no clear rules of what is going to happen regarding that and that was always the main problem for business in Croatia.

It is good that here they understood that running is very important as runners are in low risk to get the virus. In some countries they did not allow it at the beginning and now they make it happen again as they have learned. The world is learning day by day.

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

Up to now all the information that I got was by word of the mouth as on media is very confusing and they contradict themselves. To be honest, TCN was always one of my sources of news, and nowadays it has become a landmark against fake news.

In Argentina politicians are using this mess to position themselves trying to look they have an answer to everything and doing most of things wrong; but here in Croatia I think politicians would love to hide away and not face this situation.

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation?

My friends say to me that I should do the self-isolation at the bar where I have everything to survive: music, cinema, alcohol, cheeses and prosciutto…

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

As a journalist I have been in conflict zones so is not the first time that I have to adapt myself to what is going on around. If I can read, I am good.

My concern is that for most people is going to be hard to be all day at home, especially in Dalmatia where people love to be on the streets. But the main thing is going to be - if quarantine is extended-  that who is not going to run the risk of a virus if you are hungry or you need a job? If this goes on you will see few heroic acts and many miserable actions between people.

Not to finish on a depressing note I would like to say that we will make it through and Croatia will proclaim independence once again, this time from a miserable invisible enemy.

ABOUT MYSELF. I am a Croatian citizen and I was borne in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am a writer and journalist and I always had businesses like restaurants, magazines, editorials... and bars.  My grandmother was from Stari Grad Hvar, and years ago I came to Croatia looking for to do something here. I found the House of Marulic destroyed in the Old Town of Split and I decided to refurbished and to take care of the building. Now, to tribute the Father of Croatian Literature, I opened 6 years ago a Library Jaz Bar, where the jazz was my decision as it would not work out with only medieval music. Now Croatia is my home too.

Thanks Tin, stay safe and see you on the other side.  You can follow events at his bar and join him for a drink when all this over via the official Facebook page.

You can find more foreigner corona stories in our dedicated section here.

TCN is starting a new feature series on foreign experiences of sitting out covid-19 here in croatia compared to their home country. If you would like to contribute, the questions are below. Please also include a para about yourself and where you are from, and a link to your website if you would like. Please also send 3-4 photos minimum to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Corona Foreigner

If you would be interested to record a video version for our partners www.rplus.video please let us know in the email. Thanks and stay safe. 

Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer Than in Your Home Country?

Firstly, how are you? Are you alone/with someone? Tell us a little about your situation and sanity levels.

What do you think about the economic measures the government is taking, are they helping your business? (PLEASE IGNORE IF THIS DOES NOT AFFECT YOU)

When did you realise that corona was going to be a big issue? 

What is your impression of the way Croatia is dealing with the crisis? How safe do you feel?

Now compare that to your home country and how they are handling it. What is Croatia doing better/worse?

What about official communications from the authorities, compared to your home country?

What's the one thing you wish you had taken with you into self-isolation.

One thing you have learned about yourself, and one thing you have learned about others during this crisis. 

TCN has recently become a partner in Robert Tomic Zuber's new R+ video channel, initially telling stories about corona experiences. You can see the first TCN contribution from this morning, my video from Jelsa talking about the realities of running a news portal in the corona era below. If you would like to also submit a video interview, please find Robert's guidelines below 

VIDEO RECORDING GUIDE

The video footage should be recorded so that the cell phone is turned horizontally (landscape mode).

There are several rules for television and video news:- length is not a virtue- a picture speaks more than a thousand words

In short, this would mean that your story should not last more than 90 seconds and that everything you say in the report should be shown by video (for example, if you talk about empty streets, we should see those empty streets, etc.).

How to do it with your cell phone? First, use a selfie camera to record yourself telling your story for about a minute and a half. Ideally, it would be taken in the exterior, except in situations where you are reporting on things in the interior (quarantine, hospital, self-isolation, etc.). Also, when shooting, move freely, make sure everything is not static.

After you have recorded your report, you should capture footage that will tell your story with a picture, such as an earlier example with empty streets.

One of the basic rules of TV journalism is that the story is told in the same way as a journalist with his text. Therefore, we ask you for additional effort. Because we work in a very specific situation, sometimes you may not be able to capture footage for each sentence of the report. In this case, record the details on the streets: people walking, the main features of the city where you live, inscriptions on the windows related to the virus, etc.

The same rules apply if you are shooting a story from your apartment, self-isolation, quarantine. We also need you to capture footage that describes your story.

When shooting frames to cover your reports, it is important that you change the angle of the shot (in other words, shoot that empty street from several angles). Also, when shooting a detail, count at least five seconds before removing the camera to another detail.

The material should be about 5 minutes long (90 seconds of your report + frames to cover your story).

After recording everything, send us to Zagreb, preferably via WeTransfer to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

April 1, 2020 - On Tuesday, March 31st, the Split fish market celebrated its 130th birthday. 

The special birthday was welcomed closed, for the first time in history, a scenario that only a few could have imagined just a few weeks ago.

Slobodna Dalmacija writes that while we can no longer buy fish here, for the time being, we can talk about the importance of this Art Nouveau building, as well as the long traditions of the city related to the catch and sale of seafood.

Although not much attention was paid in official documents, the sale of fish and Split coexist, and even during the greatest crises, famines and wars, fish was on the local’s menu. 

The first official record of the sale of fish in Split was found in the City Statute of 1312, in the section dealing with animals and products of animal origin. It states that “fishers must sell fish the day they arrive at a town port, in a fish market and not elsewhere. Types of sea bream were sold at eight dinars, Jack mackerels at two, tuna at three, mackerel at two, and all other fish at two dinars per libra. If the fishermen were to arrive at the harbor in the afternoon, he would have to bring the fish to the square early in the morning and sell it as said. "This is how it reads in the fourth book of the Statute, Chapter 116.

The Reformation Book states that "everyone who brought fish by sea or land to the city of Split or its district, so that he sold or carried it home, had to pay an eighth part, which they were obliged to pay anywhere they sold fish, both in and out of the Split district, and whether it was transported by boat or not.”

The rules, therefore, were very well known, as were the prices. With the fall of Dalmatia under Venice in 1409, the Venetian Republic on the eastern Adriatic Coast put fishers and fishing revenues under their control. Due to catches and fishing areas, mutual conflicts between Dalmatian communes were recorded. The Austrian Empire continued to bureaucratize and abandon fisheries. According to the "Statistical Notes on Dalmatia", published in Vienna in 1818, fisheries are said to have once flourished and then declined because of the Venetian levies and other circumstances as fisher's income had decreased.

In the paper "Fisheries of Dalmatia in the 19th and 20th Centuries", by Điva Bašić, we learned about the average catch of the Split area, which in 1830 was 22,800 barrels of bluefish, 17,000 barrels of grey mullet, and about 220,000 of other fish. Fishing in Dalmatia three years later, during the summer and autumn, brought 20,576 thousand pieces of all kinds of fish, but the low price brought only a meager profit. As far as sales are concerned, it took place only at fish markets, which in Split, were in the city squares and on the waterfront, though it wasn't a profitable job.

The "fisherman's wife, eager for all the good" was a proverb that could not be easily eradicated in Dalmatia. At the end of the 19th century, the modern fish market was erected in the city, the one we use and are proud of today.

At the end of the last century, more precisely in 1890, according to the decision of architect Ante Bezic, a Solta native from Grohot, the Split fish market was built right next to the sulfur spa, which significantly contributed to the creation of its recognizable image as one of the few fish markets in the world without flies. Professor Frano Baras wrote that on March 31, 1890, at exactly 11 am, in the presence of municipal deputies and the general population, after the blessing of the canon of Dvornik, the new fish market was opened to the public by the Mayor, Gajo Filomen Bulat. It was the first public building to be built by the new Croatian municipal administration. "You almost don't believe your eyes that such a big and tidy fish market could have come out of this old and gross enclosure,” historical sources said.

Under the design and supervision of the municipal technician Ante Bezic, the works began in July 1889. They were performed by the entrepreneur Ivan Celić. Due to technical difficulties, primarily around the skylight and hydrants, the works were completed in eight months. Meanwhile, fish were being sold on the benches in front of the monastery of St. Frane.

"Smooth stone tables lined up, a flat and mastered tiled floor, convenient faucet for washing fish and pumping water, beautiful iron door work by local artisans, and solid iron columns resting on a beautiful iron roof with glass openings, matching window panes - all this represents a harmonious perfect unit that you would not have hoped in the construction of this kind from afar,” the journalists wrote at the time.

Special praise went to the expense of the three iron gates, which were claimed to be incredibly low cost, and made by the valuable blacksmith Lovro Aržić. Split was thus awarded a fish market according to "all the requirements of taste, order and cleanliness", one which were envied by much larger and more advanced cities. For the then 15,500 inhabitants, 30 outlets were erected at the fish market. It is known that the main sulfur springs are located at the site of the Obrov fish market. In the southwestern part of the building is a larger source of sulfur water, which was then used for the Split spa with galvanized pipes.

As the city grew, it was thought that the fish market should be larger, so in 1939 there was talk of "the need to build a bigger fish market three times the size“ at Matejuska. But World War II put an end to such dreams. Despite its long tradition, it is interesting to see how, on the eve of the war, the annual fish consumption in Japan was 45.5 kilograms per capita, in England 13.5, in Germany 9.5, in France 7.5, in Italy six, and the then Kingdom of Yugoslavia only half a kilo per capita.

It should be said that the new building delighted the citizens, and today the Secession building is admired mainly by tourists. In the bombing of the town on June 3, 1944, most of the Vidović house was demolished with the front-facing Marmontova Street, and after the rubble cleared in 1955, outdoor sales began. After three years, that is, in 1958, a famous and popular favorite market place was set up on the west side of the fish market. Lately, however, fish may only be sold indoors.

During the 1990s, the fish market was closed for about a year because it was being renovated. Sales were not suspended, but then moved to Morpurgo Field. Stands were set up and fish were offered to citizens every day, revealed Tvrtko Karoglan, director of Hippos, a concessionaire of the Split fish market.

The coronavirus pandemic has now stopped sales, but it's clear fishers and sellers can't wait to get back to their stands. The Split fish market is undoubtedly one of the most picturesque symbols fo the city, and today it is protected cultural property.

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

April 1, 2020 - Shop at Split's famous green market online thanks to the new Facebook group Virtual Pazar Split.

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the usually bustling outdoor markets are closed, the banks are empty, and only a few people can be found on the streets.

However, until things turn back to normal, we’ve discovered the beauty in the virtual world - and many small Croatian producers are getting the exposure they’ve never had before.

Namely, Slobodna Dalmacija writes that Pametno party member Marijana Puljak has done a great thing for both buyers and producers and sellers of fruits and vegetables at Split Pazar. Less than a week ago, she founded the Facebook group Virtual Pazar Split on Facebook, which already has over 8,000 members.

Due to the inflation of new members and offers, the group administrators introduced rules and asked everyone to adhere to them.

- We ask all sellers to include product prices with their offer in the announcements.

- Limit the number of posts to find everything you need as quickly as possible. If you need to change your bid or pricing, change your initial posts.

- This group serves to help each other overcome these difficult days, so keep decency and determination in communication with each other.

The idea, Puljak said, came from her Facebook friend Zoran Djurdjic, who pointed out to her that other cities are opening similar groups on social networks.

“We have seen that such groups work well, directly connecting small-scale producers of food production and home delivery with buyers who are mostly confined in their homes today. I searched for something similar for Split already and I couldn't find one. In less than 48 hours, we had over 5000 members, which is a real surprise to me. It shows that a platform like this was really needed. You can find producers of fruits and vegetables, butchers, fish markets, even sellers of flower and vegetable seeds,” says Puljak.

Puljak is pleased that she can help people follow the recommendations of the Civil Protection Headquarters to stay home, but have the opportunity to purchase quality products under these conditions.

“On the other hand, this helps producers market their goods during these times. The group is completely open to everyone and we invite everyone to take this opportunity to connect. Leave your comments, as you are satisfied with the service; this is the best way to support all those who do their job excellently,” said Puljak and concluded:

“Take care of yourself altogether and use #VirtualPazarSplit.”

It should also be noted that the administrators of this group, along with Marijana Puljak, are two other members of the Pametno party Branimir Urlic and Nenad Introic. You can join the group HERE.

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

March 30, 2020 - Split entrepreneur and law student Mario Goreta, a 30-year-old who started the field of cosmetics a few years ago, is donating soap to KBC Split and the Institute for Public Health in the fight against the coronavirus. 

When we were kids, we were trumpeted by what was known as "hygiene is half of our health." And today, when the coronavirus rules our daily lives, we hear more about the importance of hygiene than we did in kindergarten. 

Dalmacija News writes that Split entrepreneur and law student Mario Goreta, a 30-year-old who started in the field of cosmetics a few years ago, has decided to donate soap to KBC Split and the Institute for Public Health in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. 

It all started with the company Spartium, which produces natural cosmetics.

“We started with the production of natural soaps and marketed a line of soaps called 'Fragrances of the Mediterranean'. We have lavender, sage, basil, lemongrass, immortelle, orange and cinnamon, rosemary, lemon, mint, and pine-scented soaps,” Goreta started.

“All our soaps are handmade and each is painted differently. They are very rich in composition, so along with extra virgin Hvar olive oil, coconut and castor oil, our soaps also contain unrefined shea butter,” he said.

Mario's soap production also turned into establishing his own brand of natural cosmetics.

“As the market for natural cosmetics is full of beauty products, as a man in the industry, I decided to launch a line of men's beauty products. After going to the barbershop, the idea of producing natural cosmetics for men was born.

We have created and launched a brand of men's natural cosmetics under the name MEŠTAR! With the advice of barbers all over Dalmatia and Zagreb, we designed natural and professional men's cosmetics,” Goreta said.

After learning about the production and the brand, Goreta spoke about the charity campaign he launched. 

“As we manufacture according to the principles of good manufacturing practice, we have disinfectants in our production facility. We listen to the news, read the newspaper, and concluded that there is a great shortage of disinfectants and protective equipment. We do not have protective equipment, but we have the means for personal hygiene and disinfection,” Goreta said.

Given the importance of soap in these moments, the young entrepreneur encouraged donations. 

“The ph of natural soaps is around 9, and this is great for destroying bacteria and viruses. We have enough of finished products in the warehouse, but the stores are not working, and it is not a time to make money. Let's help those who help us and who we most need right now. We have decided to donate the natural soaps and disinfectants in our production facility to KBC Split and the Public Health Institute. We do not need to produce at the moment because the stores are closed and all help to the medical staff is welcome,” he explained.

Others helped him realize this project - for free.

“The designer created the design for us for free, Bingo d.o.o. printed free of charge. We were able to get more disinfectants, crafts from Zagreb, TEHNOPROCES sent us extra alcohol for the production of disinfectants for free, all to donate to KBC Split,” Goreta pointed out, and then sent a message to fellow manufacturers.

“In situations like this, every soap and every drop of disinfectant is welcome. We would also like to invite all our fellow manufacturers to join us in donating to hospitals. Soaps, liquid soaps, disinfectants, face masks, protective suits, gloves, everything you have in production facilities, doctors need,” Goreta concluded.

Follow TCN's live updates on the coronavirus crisis in Croatia.