Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Karlovac
October 11, 2020 - Continuing TCN's look at the video tools available to explore Croatia's tourism destinations, it is time to Discover Karlovac.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Klis, Discover Trogir, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, Discover Gradac, Discover Virovitica, Discover Bibinje, Discover Crikvenica, Discover Rovinj and Discover Brac.
We have had several more emails from local tourist boards, who we invited to participate in the series by sending in video material about their destination. As with everywhere else, corona dominated the agenda at TCN during the summer, and we now finally have time to continue with the series with a visit to one of Croatia's most underrated cities - Karlovac. Many thanks to the Karlovac Tourist Board for sending material.
Welcome to Karlovac
Let's start with a general introduction to this beautiful town on four rivers.
Visit Karlovac 2019 - official promotion video.
A 4K tour of Karlovac from the air.
Dan Grada - the Day of the Town.
A video tour of Karlovac.
Active Karlovac
Karlovac and surrounding area are part of the Green Heart of Croatia, a paradise for active tourism in pristine nature.
An enticing introduction.
Karlovac is one of the most bike-friendly cities in Croatia. Combine it with the routes and landscapes on offer in the surrounding hills, and your cycling itinerary is taken care of.
Runners head to the city in July for the annual Karlovaci Cener, a 10 km race that even COVID-19 could not stop.
For a city which boasts four rivers, it is perhaps not surprising that the kayaking options are excellent.
Or if you are feeling a little more adventurous, there are some great rafting options.
Discover Karlovac Museums
Karlovac got a fantastic new family attraction back in 2016 with the opening of Aquatica, a state of the art freshwater aquarium, which presents the flora and fauna of the Croatian rivers, lakes and ponds, its geological past, traditional culture, as well as the history of the four Karlovac rivers area – the basins of the Korana, Kupa, Mrežnica, and Dobra.
One museum not to be missed is the Homeland War Museum in Turanj, 4 km from the centre. Karlovac and surrounding area suffered terribly in the Homeland War, which only finished 25 years ago. This painful but important part of recent history has been well preserved at the Homeland War Museum.
Looking to delve back a little deeper into the city's history? Check out the historic Karlovac City Museum.
Historic Karlovac - Dubovac Castle
Dubovac Castle overlooks the Croatian city Karlovac. Its square tower was probably built during the 13th century. In the 15th century, the castle was rebuilt in Renaissance style. The castle had various owners—from Slavonian nobleman family Sudar to famous Croatian counts and dukes Frankopan and Zrinski. From 1671 until 1809, the Dubovac was owned by the Karlovac generals. In 1837, a new owner, Count Laval Nugent, rebuilt the castle in the spirit of romanticism. Dubovac was once again renovated in 1952 in relation to graphics from the end of the 18th century. The castle was used for several years recently as a hotel, and the damage done to the interior to accommodate rooms is now being repaired. There are museum exhibits and a large model of the countryside. Guide materials indicate that the fortress was built on a hill constructed by the people in order to maximize defenses and views of the surrounding areas.
Karlovacko, the Beer Capital
There is no doubting the city's most famous product, one which is sold all over Croatia, as well as internationally. Karlovacko beer is one of the top brands in Croatia. Now owned by Heineken, it will not be long before you notice the Karlovacko presence in the town.
And there is no better time to visit and sample the beer than during the Karlovac Beer Festival
Rivers and Beaches
We may be some way from the Adriatic, but that does not mean you have to travel far to the beach in Karlovac. Karlovac, the town on four rivers, boasts the first registered river beach in Croatia. It is situated on the Korana bank. The Foginovo beach, as the historic heritage of the citizens, has been engraved in the town's very fabric, and its future matrix, just like a genetic code. And there are plenty of other places to jump in to cool off in the hot summer months.
Parks
Karlovac is an incredibly green city, and it will not be long before you find yourself in a park. Indeed, as this official tourist board promo video states, Discover Karlovac, a town within a park:
"The first parks in Karlovac were planned already during the construction of the fort itself. And that is how it all got started. We haven’t stopped doing this even to this very day, taking care of our parks, avenues, flowers, and lawns. Our parks grow with the town. The town is a part of the park. We have flowers at our windows. Our river beaches are covered in the lush and soft grass."
Advent in Karlovac
In recent years, Karlovac has managed to add a little winter magic in its tourism offer, with Advent in Karlovac. Check out the festive atmosphere from last year's celebrations.
Unlikely Fact about Karlovac - Michael Jackson's 'Earth Song' Partially Filmed in Karlovac.
Everyone remembers MJ right? The video for his single; “Earth Song”, was released in 1995 and was shot in four locations around the globe. It dealt with subjects of environment and animal welfare with scenes of illegal poaching, destruction of the rainforest and war. The war scenes were shot here.
Karlovac was on the frontline in the Homeland War from 1991-95 and was severely damaged as a result. The location used in the video was the suburb of Turanj which was practically levelled over the four years of fighting.
Official Tourist Board and 25 Things to Know about Karlovac
Learn more about the city on the official Karlovac Tourist Board
Looking to get to discover Karlovac in greater detail? Check out TCN's Karlovac, 25 Things to Know about the City on 4 Rivers.
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Brac
October 10, 2020 - Continuing TCN's look at the video tools available to explore Croatia's tourism destinations, it is time to Discover Brac.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Klis, Discover Trogir, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, Discover Gradac, Discover Virovitica, Discover Bibinje, Discover Crikvenica and Discover Rovinj.
We have had several more emails from local tourist boards, who we invited to participate in the series by sending in video material about their destination. As with everywhere else, corona dominated the agenda at TCN during the summer, and we now finally have time to continue with the series, with perhaps the most ambitious article yet. I am very grateful to all 8 local tourist boards and offices on the island of Brac for sending me material for this comprehensive overview of this incredible island. So pour yourself a coffee, or perhaps something stronger, and learn just how magical Croatia's tallest island really is.
Welcome to Brac - promo videos
Brac from the air - a spectacular overview!
Brac, island of Culture and Adventure.
Brac in 4k by Travel + Leisure.
Meet the main destinations...
Supetar.
Bol.
Milna.
Sutivan.
Pucisca.
Postira.
Nerezisce.
Selce.
Skrip.
Splitska.
Povlja.
Discover Brac in History
So how did Brac look in years gone by? Some things change, some stay the same. A selection of videos from yesteryear.
Bol promotional video 1960.
Brac in 1974.
1980's promo video.
1990's promo video.
Autumn as It Was Once - Brac in 1957.
Active Brac
Brac promotes itself as an island of culture and adventure, and there are certainly plenty of things to do on the island for those itching to get active after time on the beach.
Among the top activities is cycling, and the island has made great progress in recent years developing its cycling tourism offer. Here is it, being promoted along with Hvar by the Central Dalmatia Tourist Board.
A relaxing, safe, family-friendly cycling destination, where even British Prime Ministers are known to escape to.
There is plenty of action on the water as well, apart from swimming. Bol is one of the top windsurfing locations on the Adriatic.
The Central Dalmatian islands are havens for sailors, and Brac is included on most itineraries. Two harbours which are very popular are Milna...
... and Bobovisca.
There has been an explosion of interest in kayaking on the Adriatic in recent years, and Brac is no exception. A great way to explore all those hidden coves and bays up close.
And there is plenty to discover below the surface, with numerous scuba diving options.
Calling all kitesurfers.
Vanka Regule Festival (translated Out the Ordinary) based in the town of Sutivan, isn’t your everyday sports competition. It is more of an ad hoc gathering of like-minded individuals looking to have fun while enjoying extreme sports; mountain bike racing, free-climbing, and original mixes of various outdoor sports with the legendary tent-town (šator grad)as the centre of it all. Lonely Planet describes it as the X-games meet Woodstock. Need we to say more?
If you prefer views of the sea rather than being in it, Brac offers plenty of choice. Wherever you are, the views are just stunning. It is also a great island for hiking. If you have the energy of course, the peak of the island is the place to be. There is talk of a cable car from Bol to Vidova Gora in the future, but for now, the sense of achievement at hiking to the top of Croatia's talest island will be rewarded with views to match your efforts.
Brac Heritage
Take some time away from the beach, and you will discover some truly unique things on Brac, particularly with regard to its heritage. Top of the list is the outstanding Blaca Hermitage Monastery, whose construction and history is beautifully told in one of the best videos I have seen about Croatia, above. I particularly liked the story of the monks somehow transporting the grand piano which resides there, consuming an alleged 56 litres of wine along the way.
Equally impressive, and even more unusual, is Dragon Cave, hidden away high above the hamlet of Murvica, close to Bol, and only visited by about 1,000 people a year. It is quite the hike, but the views are more than worth it, and that is before you see the spectacular (and still not fully explained) stone carvings in the walls of the cave. Check it out in the video above, or here is an overview of my visit a few years ago.
In Bol, there is the 'house in a house'. The story says that the house was created in the 19th century when three brothers from Vuković family married three Spanish women and decided to build a big house (Paloc) on their land. However, there was already a house located there, built by a local peasant called Marko. The brothers offered Marko a handsome amount for the house, but Marko refused. Influential brothers then sought help from the local authorities but Marko had a huge fight and even threatened to kill the mayor. Fearing retribution, Marko fled to the Dubrovnik Republic and brothers began to build the walls around Marko’s house, planning to bring it down in the process. As they sailed to Venice to get the material for the building, they were caught in a storm and died in a shipwreck. Since they had no heirs, Marko came back to live in his old house, surrounded by the walls of the unfinished house that are still there today.
The olive oil museum in historic Skrip is a great addition to the island's heritage and traditions, located as it is in an original olive mill. And the oil is excellent!
And don't miss the spectacular Branislav Deskovic Gallery and its historic building in Bol.
Perhaps Brac's most unusual piece of heritage - the recreation of Supetar in... Texas! Crazy but true - learn why in this video report from Time Magazine.
Food
Brac has incredible food, and very healthy - just ask UNESCO!. Along with the island of Hvar and several other locations in Mediterranean countries, the Mediterranean Diet of the island of Brac was inscribed as intangible UNESCO heritage back in 2013.
Two VERY local delicacies to try (the first one not for vegetarians) are Vitalac, lamb offal on a skew, and the traditional cake, Hrapocusa.
Dalmatia is famous for its olive oil, and the golden liquid from Brac is highly prized. It is also the subject of a rather unusual competition each year - the Olive Picking World Championships, which are held in Postira. And with teams coming from as far away as New Zealand, competition is highly competitive!
Wine
Brac has a rich wine tradition, and today's winemakers are producing some outstanding wines which are being exported nationally and internationally. There are two of note which offer very different tasting experiences.
Stina in Bol, right in the heart of the waterfront.
And Senjkovic in Dracevica, a charming rustic experience, complete with local dialect poetry from Magdalena Senjkovic.
Beaches
Put the words 'Brac' and 'beach' together and what do you get? Zlatni Rat, of course. Easily the most famous beach in all Croatia, the 'Goldern Horn' lies a short walk from the centre of Bol, and it starred in the local tourist board campaign, SymBOL of the Adriatic.
But there are magnificent beaches all over the island, and you will not have to travel too far to find the perfect spot. To help you choose, here are 5 of the best.
Stone for the White House
One of the most famous claims about Brac is that its famous white stone was used in the construction of The White House in Washington, as well as several other notable buildings around the world, including Diocletian's Palace, Liverpool Cathedral and Budapest Parliament. The island has a very rich stone tradition, one which is very much alive today in Pucisca, where the stonemason school specialises in this ancient craft, and pupils from all over the world come here to study. Visitors are welcome, and it is well worth the effort. Incredible place.
Klapa
The hauntingly beautiful a cappella klapa singing is a highlight of any visit to any visit to Dalmatia, and many romantic memories are created to the sound of this UNESCO-protected type of traditional singing. Traditionally the preserve of male voices, there are a growing number of female klapa ensembles these days. Among the most beautiful promoting Brac is this one above from Klapa Neverin from Kastel Luksic, set against the stunning Brac backdrop of Skrip and Skrip dialect poetry.
Brac has several male klapa groups who sing with passion about their homeland and favourite island. Here is Klapa Braciera and 'Bolska'.
Official Tourist Board Websites, and 25 Things to Know about Brac
There are six local tourist boards and two tourist offices on Brac, where you can find out more:
To learn more about this fantastic island, check out TCN's Brac: 25 Things to Know about Croatia's Tallest Island.
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Rovinj
August 2, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Rovinj, one of the most amazing towns in Istria.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, Discover Gradac, Discover Virovitica, and Discover Bibinje.
Paola from the Tourist Board Rovinj-Rovigno helped us with the materials you need to discover Rovinj online.
Let's begin!
Discover Rovinj - the Gem of Istria
Rovinj tourist board official 2020 promo video
Rovinj - the most beautiful place; video by a guest
Rovinj Travel Guide
St. Andrija Island
Best restaurants in Rovinj
4K, drone-recorded video of the sunsets over the Red Island
Some of the Best Hotels in Croatia
Hotel Monte Mulini
Grand Park Hotel
Hotel Lone
Health and Active Tourism Mecca
Health tourism in Rovinj
An active holiday in Rovinj
Biking in and around Rovinj
Discover Rovinj Websites
Tourist Board Rovinj-Rovigno has an amazing website, with an incredible wealth of resources to help you get to know all there is to Rovinj. They have a photo and a video gallery, a 360° panorama tour of the town, and even some mobile apps to help you navigate and discover Rovinj.
What's keeping you away? Rovinj is close, it's amazing, and it's safe!
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Crikvenica
July 18, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Crikvenica, a sea-side town often considered "the beach of Zagreb".
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, Discover Gradac, Discover Virovitica, and Discover Bibinje.
Gordana Jelenović from the Crikvenica Riviera Tourist Board gave us a hand in putting together some resources for you to discover Crikvenica.
Let's begin!
Discover Crikvenica - Zagreb's Beach
Riviera Crikvenica in 4K from 2018
Beautifully safe - promo video by Tourist Board made this year
Beautifully safe - promo video by Tourist Board in English
A perfect oasis - promo video
Crikvenica without people, earlier this year
Beaches as far as the eye can see
Crikvenica beaches in 2020
Another video that will make you want to jump in right away
A German video about the beauty of Crikvenica
XCM Bike Marathon in and around Crikvenica
Swimming marathon Šilo (Krk) - Crikvenica
Crikvenica Riviera - an Oasis of well-being
Discover Crikvenica Websites
Crikvenica Riviera Tourist Board website offers you a lot of resources, including a video section where you can find many more videos about the town and the Riviera around it. You can learn more about the Riviera, including about their history, location, climate, and more. And you can even see what's happening right now, on their web-cams.
Are you now beginning to understand why we said that Crikvenica is popular with the people of Zagreb, and that it's not JUST because it's close?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Bibinje
July 15, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Bibinje, one of the many picturesque small towns near Zadar.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, and Discover Gradac.
Marijana Kovač from the Tourist Board Bibinje helped us put together a series of resources to introduce Bibinje.
Let's begin!
Discover Bibinje - the Beach Gems
A postcard of Bibinje in 4K
Another video postcard, featuring mostly beaches
Tourist Board produced promo video
Bibinje from the air, earlier this year
Bibinje from the air, during the high tourist season
Tourist-recorded video of their vacation Bibinje
What to do in Bibinje
Catching squid in Bibinje
Bibinje fishermen
Good Friday procession
Local food competition in Bibinje
Local Bibinje traditions
Discover Bibinje Websites
Tourist Board Bibinje website has a great website, which will help you experience Bibinje before you even arrive there. Their Facebook page is also quite active, and they'd love to answer any questions you might have.
Will your next visit to Bibinje be a day-trip from Zadar, or a longer, relaxing vacation in a place with amazing beaches?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Virovitica
July 9, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Virovitica, the center of the amazing region of Podravina.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica, Discover Pašman, and Discover Gradac.
People from the Virovitica Tourist Board most kindly helped us put together a series of videos promoting their town and region.
Let's begin!
Discover Virovitica - a Town with Rich History
The introductory promotional video
History of the town and the Pejačević Castle
The project of the Pejačević Castle restoration
The story of lace traditionally made in Virovitica
Events in Virovitica through the year
December in Virovitica
GoPro postcard
International bee safari tourist route
Virovitica loves trains
Discover Virovitica Websites
The Virovitica Tourist Board website has a lot of information about the town, its history, and what it offers today. You can find out all about the walking routes in Virovitica (the Green, the Sacral, the route of noble families). The Virovitica Town Museum has decided to create a virtual museum during these times when we're not supposed to spend much time indoors with other people.
Has this lovely town of remarkable history managed to get under your skin?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Gradac
July 1, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Gradac, the southernmost Riviera in Split-Dalmatia County.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by Discover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omiš, Discover Lumbarda, Discover Jezera, Discover Šolta, Discover Cavtat and Konavle, Discover Koprivnica and Discover Pašman.
People from the Gradac Riviera Tourist Board helped us put together a series of videos that will introduce you to the Riviera.
Let's begin!
Gradac Riviera - 15 km of Beach Heaven
Gradac Riviera Tourist Board introductory promotional video
Something for everyone on Gradac Riviera
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A walk along the beach
Discover Gradac Riviera Villages
Zaostrog, as seen by a guest in 4K
Brist
Beaches in Brist
Beaches in Podaca
Gradac
Active Vacation Destination
Cycling path along the Gradac Riviera
Rock-climbing site Vrisje
Biking, hiking, walking adventure in Gradac
A video of a bike tour on the Gradac Riviera
Discover Gradac Riviera Website
The Gradac Riviera website offers you many tools to discover Gradac and the places around it. Make sure you find out all about their active vacation offers.
Is there a beach you'd love to be on more than one of the amazing beaches on Gradac Riviera?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Pašman
June 28, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Pašman, the magical central-Dalmatian island.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omis, Discover Lumbarda and Discover Jezera.
Now, Petra Perinović from the Pašman Municipality Tourist Board helped us find virtual tools to discover the island of Pašman.
Let's begin!
Pašman - the Central-Dalmatian Island of Dreams
Tourist board Pašman- new promotional video 2020 - wake up the forgotten part of yourself!
Remarkable video promoting Pašman through Škraping
Tourist board's video "From Pašman with love <3"
Meet the destinations on Pašman
Dobropoljana
Barotul
Mrljane
Banj
Kraj
Čokovac Monastery
Ždrelac
Neviđane
Pašman
Discover Pašman Website
Find out more about the Pašman island and its destinations on the municipality tourist board website, where you can find out more about one of the most recognizable Croatian sights, the Galšenjak Island, and follow the Pašman webcam.
So, is Pašman your next vacation destination?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Koprivnica
June 25, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us still have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Koprivnica, a continental beauty.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omis, Discover Lumbarda and Discover Jezera.
Ivona Šimunić from the Tourist Board Koprivnica provided us with some of the resources which will make you want to visit the beautiful town in the central Croatian Podravina region.
Lifestyle Capital of Central Croatia - Discover Koprivnica
Koprivnica is a town of exceptional beauty, great lifestyle, natural resources to be enjoyed close to the town, and vibrant art scene.
Official promotional video created by the town in 2019.
Nexus Produkcija invites you to visit Koprivnica with a beautiful video
A drone-shot video, showing what it looked like when the Tour of Croatia bicycle race came to Koprivnica.
Carlos Garcia set some of his music to the wonderful sights of Koprivnica.
The Rennaisance Festival in Koprivnica is often said to be the best-organizes tourist event in Croatia.
Šoderica Lake is a centre of outdoors activities for the people of Koprivnica.
Moonlight session of a local band performing a song about Koprivnica
If you're one of the trainspotting people, Koprivnica also seems like a place to go to.
Rafting along the Drava River near Koprivnica has recently became a tourist attraction.
Official Koprivnica Website
Find out more about Koprivnica on the tourist board website, and make sure you read the article which will explain to you why a stinging nettle leaf is attached to the mouse pointer while you're on the site (hint: in Croatian, the word for stinging nettle is kopriva).
Next time you decide to visit central Croatia, will Koprivnica be on your not-to-miss list?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Cavtat and Konavle
June 21, 2020 - Tourism was on hold when we started this series of articles, but most of us have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Cavtat and Konavle.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica, Discover Stari Grad, Discover Omis, Discover Lumbarda and Discover Jezera.
Today, Lucija Velizić from the Tourist Board of Konavle helps us tell you the story of the southernmost part of Croatia, of the tourism in Cavtat and Konavle.
Discover Cavtat and Konavle - the Gems in the South
Konavle is a region with particular natural beauties and contrasts: mountain and valley, green hills and naked stone, the blue, and the green. Cavtat is the biggest town in the Konavle region.
Official promotional video for Cavtat-Konavle region, made in 2019.
A somewhat older promotional video worth watching.
Žal beach in Cavtat
Get to know Cavtat old town and the beaches of Cavtat
When the guests really fall in love with a place, this is the kind of video they make.
Another lovely video made by a guest of Cavtat
Look Beyond Cavtat to the Konavle Region
Intro video for Konavle
Sokol-grad, magical fortress worth a visit
A perfect location for an active vacation
A pathway commemorating Ron Brown
Official Cavtat-Konavle Website
Find more materials about Cavtat and Konavle on the tourist board website, or find out more about Konavle or Cavtat.
Cavtat has been put on the list of the safest destinations to travel to post-corona.
Will you give Cavtat and Konavle a try this year or in the upcoming years?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
