July 11, 2022 - Hvar, also known as Croatia’s lavender island, has plenty to offer to any lucky visitor during the Mediterranean summertime. With its lavender flowers blossoming during the early summer days – in June and July – tourists and locals embrace the intoxicating scent of domestic herbs from all around!

The island of Hvar is located in the Adriatic, off Croatia's famous Dalmatian Coast, and is well known for being the sunniest spot in the country. By having dry, chalky soils and long sunny days, the colourful Croatian island provides a perfect place for growing the plant that is widely known for its various benefits. Being used in medicine, cosmetics production, and even cooking, lavender production is still very significant to the residents of Hvar.

Photo: Romulic & Stojcic

Although lavender cultivation on Hvar began all the way back in 1930 and its production has declined over the years due to a combination of emigration and devastating forest fires, the Hvar Lavender Festival continues to revive both the lavender tradition and its heritage every summer. In late June, Velo Grablje marks the start of the harvest time as it hosts exhibitions, presentations, workshops, and even concerts. Therefore, the annual two-day Lavender Festival attracts visitors from all over the globe to celebrate all things lavender!

Photo: Romulic & Stojcic

As the air gets full of fragrance and the hills are covered in purple shades, freshly made lavender souvenirs appear in all local markets and shops. Workshops hosted by generous villagers and medicinal herb experts aid in filling the quiet island of Hvar with laughter and conversation. And just like every year, the little island showcases its big welcoming heart for visitors to explore the Lavender Festival and the cobblestoned streets of Stari Grad.

Photo: Romulic & Stojcic

Most of Hvar's lavender fields are located around Zastražišće, Gdinj, Bogomolje, Brusje, Grablje, and along the road from Stari Grad to Hvar. So, to see Hvar lavender, it is advised to take a ferry to the island and experience the aroma of the wild herbs and their constant intensity, as it will linger on with you for the rest of your life!

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

27 Nov 2021 - Central Croatia is rightfully getting more and more acclaim as a top-notch travel destination. This is especially true when it comes to its offer of food and wine. Another step in the right direction is the unveiling of the new project Gourmet Tourism – GoWine.

There are numerous attractive towns, villages, and micro-regions around the Croatian capital Zagreb. Some of them are well known among Croatians, most of them unfairly neglected by international travellers. However, things are changing at a rapid pace and we are seeing an increase in promotional actions uncovering the wonders of Central Croatia. The Gourmet Tourism project is a joint effort by tourism boards of three towns: Sv. Ivan Zelina, Jastrebarsko, and Samobor and aims at promoting the food and wine offer in these three areas. This project is backed by the Zagreb County Tourism Board and authorised by the Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

Increasing visibility of Jastrebarsko, Samobor, and Sv. Ivan Zelina

The primary goal of the project is to communicate a local offer of authentic food and wine more clearly and efficiently by creating interactive and printed maps, a promotional website (www.gowine.hr), WebVR app, as well as to give the project its own recognisable visual identity. The most attractive parts of all these three areas covered in the project are their wine roads. Using stylised maps, the users will now have an easy time navigating them. The locations of numerous local wineries and countryside estates offering quality, authentic bites and sips are now there for all to find and enjoy. With plenty to explore in the area, the creators of the maps had their hands full at selecting those local businesses that will represent the area well.

The presentation of the project itself took place at the beautiful Mirnovec Ethno Farm. While there was plenty of information to go through, representatives of the three tourism boards and their associates kept the protocol dynamic and interesting. With plenty of mouth-watering local food and delicious wine, all gathered members of the press were able to taste for themselves exactly what wonders lie in the vicinity of Zagreb. Well-known names of the Croatian food and wine scene: Mr. Bakalovic, Mr. Spicek, and Mr. Spiranec created a lunch menu perfect for showcasing the finest this region has to offer. 

So, next time you get a chance, make sure to explore the areas of Jastrebarsko, Samobor, and Sv. Ivan Zelina. With gowine.hr and all the local information one click away, you now officially have no excuse not to do so. Just make sure you go hungry and thirsty.

For all the tourism information in Croatia, do not miss Total Croatia