July 22, 2021 - Interior Minister Davor Božinović announced that new restrictive measures would be introduced on Monday, applying to the "orange" Adriatic Coast and that EU digital Covid certificates would be a criterion for participating in events on the Croatian coast. 

"They will refer to the Croatian Adriatic according to NUTS regions, that is, the part that is currently in orange and where the incidence is growing, although not as in other countries in the Mediterranean. Croatia is holding up well compared to others. However, the numbers are growing, and we have to do something to prevent at least some events from turning into super-spreaders," Božinović told Dnevnik Nova TV, as reported by Index.hr.

He explained that all gatherings of more than 50 to 1,000 people would have to be organized so that local headquarters and county headquarters take responsibility for their organization, while the EU digital Covid certificate is a criterion for entering the event.

“I am sure, if this is respected, that we can practically continue normally this summer, but under control,” he pointed out.

As for the numerous festivities and fairs held throughout the Adriatic, which bring together many people, Božinović explained that the point is to register these festivities and local headquarters with county officials to decide whether they can control them and whether they will let it happen. If the two headquarters do not agree and there have been such cases, then the National Civil Protection Headquarters will decide.

Božinović said that it is in the country's interest for as many tourists as possible to come to Croatia and create conditions so that they feel safe and so that the infection does not spread too much.

In addition, he stated that weddings also have their own epidemiological framework.

"Anything over 15, now it will be practically unlimited in Dalmatia, but weddings can be 200, 300 people at most. So a Covid passport is a high guarantee that everything will go well," said Božinović.

He also commented on sports competitions, stating that they will allow spectators to come with Covid certificates. He added that these measures should take effect on Monday.

Stricter conditions for British tourists

In addition, it was announced today that British tourists would have more difficulty entering Croatia.

All Britons, Russians, and Cypriots must have a negative test to cross the Croatian border, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated or have contracted the virus.

As far as tourism is concerned, this could have the greatest impact on the expected increased arrival of the British on the Adriatic. As a reminder, practically all measures have been lifted for them since Monday, making it easier for them to travel. Meanwhile, Portugal and Spain, the traditional destinations of British tourists, have ended up on the red epidemiological list, making entry into those countries difficult, and several measures have been introduced. Therefore, a significant number of Britons are expected to come to the Adriatic. In Britain, the Delta strain has spread significantly in recent weeks, despite high vaccination coverage, especially among young people. Therefore, there is a danger that the number of infected people in Croatia will increase, which would negatively affect the tourist season.

For these reasons, all Britons, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, will need to show a negative PCR test.

The CNIPH published the news, which is transmitted in its entirety below.

"To protect health and prevent the spread of COVID-19, additional epidemiological measures have been introduced, which are applied when crossing the border into the territory of the Republic of Croatia to prevent the introduction of new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Furthermore, due to the above, there was a quarantine obligation for arrivals from the Republic of South Africa, Brazil, Zanzibar, and India for a period of 14 days, which a negative PCR test can shorten after 7 days.

Since the Delta strain was imported from India, it has now become dominant in the European Union. The list of countries for which quarantine is mandatory remains the Republic of South Africa, Brazil, and Zanzibar. For persons coming from India, the mandatory quarantine after crossing the border is abolished. Instead, the obligation to present a negative test result on SARS-CoV-2 is introduced within 48 hours when crossing the border if it is a rapid antigen test or within 72 hours if it is a PCR test, regardless of whether the person has contracted COVID-19 or has been vaccinated.

Due to the worse epidemiological situation in the United Kingdom, Cyprus, and the Russian Federation, as an additional measure for all persons coming from these countries, a negative SARS-CoV-2 test performed in the home country, regardless of vaccination status or recovery from COVID-19, is required before entering the territory of the Republic of Croatia.

The change will be published on the CNIPH website and will take effect on Monday, July 26, 2021," the CNIPH said.

For all you need to know about coronavirus specific to Croatia, including vaccination points and testing sites, make sure to bookmark our dedicated COVID-19 section and select your preferred language.

May the 16th, 2021 - Exclusive Hvar weddings are being given the limelight as the summer season rapidly approaches and Croatian tourism is left vulnerable to the instability and difficulties of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic yet again.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Marta Duic writes, for many years now, beautiful Hvar Town has been one of the most desirable destinations for organising weddings in all of Croatia. One of the most popular holiday destinations for many visitors from all over the world, it is an ideal place where many guests from all over the world want to tie the knot.

With an ideal climate of "2700 hours of sunshine a year", Hvar offers incredible wedding scenery, rich cultural heritage, hidden coves, terraces and a complete offer for all sorts of holidays of all guests. To complete the story, Hvar has some of the very best hotels, restaurants and famous wineries. This was recognised by the Tourist Board of Hvar Town, which supported this exclusive Hvar weddings project, within which numerous initiatives aimed at positioning Hvar in this regard have been readily launched.

One of the first steps in the exclusive Hvar weddings project process was to gather together as many partners as possible who are engaged in or participate in the organisation of weddings on the island of Hvar in order to establish regular communication and cooperation with them. In order to further improve and develop this tourist product, and brand Hvar Town as a wedding destination, the Promessi W&E and Wed our way from Split agencies, in cooperation with the group Suncani Hvar, have implemented concrete measures of cooperation and development with numerous partners from the county and from further afield.

In addition to aerial shots of various jaw-dropping locations, two stylised shoots were organised in numerous specific locations of Hvar Town, such as at the unique Fortica, the nearby islands and more. With numerous local partners and established professionals in the wedding industry from across Croatia, the goal was to show the natural resources of the island, as well as its rich cultural heritage and gastronomic offer.

"At the time of the coronavirus pandemic, when destination weddings have been most affected for two years in a row now, the joint work of many participants in this project is actively working to promote Hvar and Croatia as a wedding destination and support this product. This material will be used to promote Hvar on various wedding and tourist platforms, YouTube channels, across social media, in specialised magazines, and also to use it for the preparation of promotional materials for fairs and targeted presentations. The further plan of cooperation includes numerous activities, including creating a list of the most beautiful locations for weddings, certification, organising an inspiring round table for exchanging experiences, organising educational lectures, quality standardisation, etc,'' explained Ivana Knezovic from Promessi W&E from Split.

The exclusive Hvar weddings project participants believe that the development of wedding content such as this can significantly mitigate the effects of the pandemic on tourism, strengthen the pre- and post-season, significantly increase the income of the entire local community and promote underdeveloped tourist areas and small businesses on the island.

For more, follow our travel section.

February 1, 2021 – A bold declaration of love that first captured hearts in the city of Split has now travelled all across Croatia, as one city resident requested the hand of his beloved in a billboard proposal

Dominating the skyline on the city's northern shores, Poljud is perhaps the best known - and most visually impressive – football stadium in Croatia. Holding near 35, 000 people and boasting sleekly curved roofs on opposite sides, you can't help but admire the relatively modern arena when it is in eyesight.

But, over recent days, the gaze of city residents has drawn by a competing spectacle nearby. In an unabashed declaration of love and intent, one Split resident has placed a billboard proposal within eyesight of the stadium and the local swimming pools. The petition for marriage has captured the hearts of any passing by.

How local media outlet Dalmatinski Portal revealed the romantic request. Their story has since been picked up by national media and captured hearts all across Croatia © Dalmatinski Portal screenshot

Translated, the text of the billboard proposal reads:

"Baby
Here's where we met
Here's where you took my hand
Here's where I ask for your hand"

The billboard proposal was pictured and the romantic request revealed by local media outlet Dalmatinski Portal. Many Split residents had already seen the billboard proposal for themselves – it is prominently positioned near the crossroads where Osmih mediteranskih igara, Put Supavla and Ulica Zrinsko Frankopanska meet, in the area of the city which is also called Poljud. But, the story has since been picked up by national media in Croatia and has now raised hearts and smiles all across the country. And they say romance is dead!

No word has yet arrived as to whether the billboard proposal has been accepted. Perhaps the response might be issued in a more private manner? Or, if the recipient is as bold in expression as the proposer, perhaps keep your eyes peeled on the billboards of Split for a joyous 'yes'.

November 29, 2020 - Because who doesn't want to say I do in Dubrovnik? A look at why the Adriatic Pearl is an ideal wedding destination.

HRTurizam reports that within the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the Dubrovnik County Chamber, a professional group of wedding organizers has been established, which will bring together agencies that organize weddings from the wider Dubrovnik area. The idea is to gather the organizers themselves, but also related activities, into one marketing story to brand Dubrovnik as an ideal destination for weddings.

"This is an industry that entails a lot of other activities, such as suppliers of various equipment, catering, musicians, florists. From a marketing perspective, this is a unique opportunity to position Dubrovnik among different groups of people as a destination for weddings, but also in general. Weddings by their nature bring together a heterogeneous group of people, of different ages and interests in one place, and the arrival of such a group creates a unique opportunity to present the city and its offer if they decide to return in a private arrangement," said the president of the Professional Group Ines Nanić from the company Dubrovnik events.

The newly established Expert Group emphasizes that weddings in destinations have a multiplier effect on the entire economy. An average of 70 to 150 participants travel to a destination for a couple of newlyweds.

"Their promotion of the destination through pictures and posts on social networks is something that can hardly be achieved through commercial campaigns. Therefore, this story has an extremely large impact on all segments in the provision of tourist services within a destination and is an excellent platform for building the image of the destination," said the Expert Group.

Nanić also reminds us that in these challenging times, the competition is certainly not asleep, preparing its marketing plans and strategies for appearing on the markets, so we must be ready.

“Let’s not forget how big the wedding industry is and how many micro-entrepreneurs have been affected by its drastic decline this year. Hundreds of service providers in our country have lost their jobs. Our mission is to work together with marketing activities to revive our industry in the form of promotion that can only bring us positive results. At a time when everyone is quiet, it is up to us to do our best to make a good word heard about the services and beauties and values ​​that our city offers," concludes Nanić.

To speed up the recovery, joint marketing activities will promote the destination, but also those segments of the offer, i.e., the business sector that is involved in the wedding as a final product. They hope to present to the newlyweds what their story might look like if they say "DA u DU" (“YES in DU”). Since the English version of this slogan is hardly applicable, it may be that the Professional Group is targeting domestic guests and newlyweds from Croatia. The Expert Group invites all interested parties to get involved in the work of the group and present their ideas on how to improve this story and help in the campaign of positioning Dubrovnik as an ideal place for the most important day for the future newlyweds.

Weddings are a well-known tourist product that has been intensively developed by Istria since 2014, with the desire to get guests from the Western European market for weddings, as well as newlyweds from overseas countries. The Istria - wedding destination project has encouraged numerous initiatives aimed at positioning Istria in this domain and has resulted in the creation of a specialized website to further improve and develop this tourist product. Two months ago, Istria also announced that some new cooperation and product development measures had been agreed upon. In Istria, one of the first realized projects was the production of photographs and videos advertising the destination on various platforms. In addition to aerial shots, two stylized shots were organized - in the Brijuni National Park and the Village & Hotel San Canzian. According to the American lifestyle online magazine Brides.com, San Canzian is listed among the TOP 8 world locations where guests can travel virtually in search of their honeymoon.

The Istrian Tourist Board also believes that the development of wedding products can significantly mitigate the seasonality of tourism, strengthen pre-and post-season and consequently increase local community revenues in the off-season while promoting less developed tourist areas and small businesses.

Given the popularity of Dubrovnik in the world, it should not be difficult to sell the idea and story of a romantic wedding in the city where Game of Thrones was filmed. 

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

November 19, 2020 – The famous Croatian island receives another recognition as the wedding blog Boho Weddings lists Hvar among the top honeymoon destinations on the Mediterranean.

This year has taught us many lessons, and the most important of them is that life can sometimes be very unpredictable. The tourism sector and the event industry have been hit hardest by the coronavirus pandemic, which is why many trips and events have had to be either canceled or postponed for the next year. Among them, of course, were weddings and honeymoons, which should be the happiest and most exciting events for all couples in love. But this year, weddings and honeymoons are some of the biggest challenges faced by both couples and their organizers.

However, with the arrival of the coronavirus vaccine on the horizon, there is hope that from the next year, we can again organize wedding celebrations in the most desirable places in the world. There is also hope that popular honeymoon trips won't lag either.

Hvar town is a popular wedding and honeymoon destination / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić

The Croatian island of Hvar has often been characterized as one of the most romantic places in the world, where every summer (not counting the summer of 2020) many couples say their fateful "yes", or just choose it for their honeymoon destination after tying the knot. It seems like this sunniest island in Europe has it all – a romantic atmosphere, perfect sunsets, beautiful landscape, clear sea, rich cultural heritage, lavender fields, great wine, and delicious food.

The beauty and attractiveness of Hvar have been recognized by the wedding experts from the leading UK wedding blog named Boho Weddings, who listed Hvar among the top honeymoon destinations that we'll be looking forward to in 2021, in the company of other famous Mediterranean pearls – Greek Santorini, Spanish Ibiza, Italian Sardinia, and Malta.

Hvar town / Romulić and Stojčić

The Boho Weddings reports:

"Swarming with opulent hotels and expensive restaurants, the Croatian island of Hvar has a longstanding reputation for glitz and glamor. Here, well-heeled holidaymakers, posh partygoers, and A-list celebrities gather in classy beach bars for legendary nightlife. Remember, this is where Prince Harry earned his party boy notoriety.

But apart from the capital’s pizzaz, the island is host to countless wonders, from ancient villages to white cobblestone streets to picturesque squares to majestic cathedrals and hilltop fortresses. The northern coastal town of Stari Grad is home to a UNESCO Protected World Heritage Site, an agricultural landscape of sprawling lavender-clad fields, olive tree groves, and vineyards. If you venture down south, you will discover secluded pebble beaches fringed by sweet-smelling pine forests. Are you looking for the perfect private hideaway? Sail to the nearby Pakleni Islands to find sheltered sandy bays and remote coves that let you forget the rest of the world."

Lavender on Hvar / Romulić and Stojčić

No matter the situation with the pandemic, one can always dream about their perfect wedding destination and look forward to their honeymoon trip, whether it will happen next year or not. As Boho Weddings put it, "these honeymoon ideas are the perfect place to put 2020 behind you and crack on with the rest of your married life."

October 14, 2020 - The Croatian Institute of Public Health has published new recommendations for weddings in Croatia, which were announced on Tuesday. 

During the entire time spent in all areas, including arrival and departure, a physical distance of 1.5 meters is recommended. This rule does not have to apply among members of the same household or persons who are otherwise in close contact.

Each person at the wedding must have at least 4 square meters of space. In case there are more than 50 guests, Covid guards will also take part in weddings.

Records of all participants must be kept.

There must also be no standing places or high tables at weddings where only standing guests are possible.

Seats must be pre-marked and spaced one and a half meters apart, and there must be a distance of 3 meters between the tables. The maximum number of people at one table is eight.

The guests enter the space where the wedding is being held so that they do not linger or gather in groups and should immediately sit at their table. It is recommended that people from the same household sit at the same table, as well as that the seating arrangement does not change during the wedding.

Only newlyweds are allowed to dance

Only newlyweds and their parents or close family members are allowed to dance, and only at the beginning of the celebration. After that, dancing is not allowed.

You can read other measures for weddings in Croatia below:

https://www.scribd.com/document/479907241/Preporuke-svadbe-ver-3-11-10-2020

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages.

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

September 1, 2020 – Wedding numbers in Dubrovnik-Neretva County have been limited to 50 maximum after a Coronavirus outbreak was traced back to someone's big day. But, who can possibly stop the juggernaut of joy that are Croatian summer weddings?

Epidemiological guidelines can only be followed so far. You can put some extra space between the tables, insist people wear a mask, and aim for the highest standards of hygiene. For all the measures insisted upon by the Croatian state and the sincere efforts of some business owners and their staff, a necessary part of the burden falls on personal responsibility.

People tut and shake their heads in disbelief at the photos and videos of irresponsible Italian youths in the nightclubs of Pag. Others assign blame for Croatia's international safety downgrading on specific regions of Dalmatia and the kind of tourists who visit there. But, there is one homegrown phenomenon which Coronavirus cannot hold back - nor epidemiological measures - and to which no outside blame can be assigned - Croatian summer weddings.


© Pexels

From spring until autumn, the sound of car horns fills Croatian streets each and every weekend. Youths dangle precariously from car windows, the national flag flutters in the air and the strong scent of rakija arrives especially early, even before midday. An occasion of unrestricted joy, of tradition and, usually, extravagant expense, Croatian summer weddings are long in the planning and the fuel for a thousand remembrances. They are automatically dissected after their occurrence, each minute detail compared against the other weddings you have attended.

“They had sarma. In the summertime! And with nothing, only bread. No potato. No rice. Also, there was no fish,” one Dalmatian wedding guest recalled in 2019, after accompanying her husband to a Croatian summer wedding in an agricultural part of the continental region.

“But, surely there was rice in the sarma?”

“Well, yes. But also, the flowers we wore were not as nice as those at my sister's wedding. Her's cost 200 kuna per person!”


Sarma, served in summertime. With no potato! Some details of Croatian summer weddings will never be forgotten © Gurman chef

Everything has to be done correctly. Everyone has to be invited. The seating of guests is given more consideration than the planning of a national counter-attack.

A young couple from Osijek, now residents of Sweden, didn't so much want a traditional affair for their wedding of this year. Both are of an alternative nature. They would have sat miserably through hours of tamburica music. Instead, they wanted similar friends to DJ some music they enjoyed at a more informal gathering, without the compulsion of inviting all the cousins who they only ever see at extended family weddings. A fair request, right? After all, it was their big day, right? Wrong.

Everyone agreed. Except for the bridegroom's sister. She hit the roof “You cannot possibly have a wedding without the tamburica band and all the cousins! We went to ALL their weddings, and gave them gifts! They owe us!”

After ceaseless petitioning to their parents, her demands were eventually met. The parents gave in and refused to pay for the wedding unless it was done correctly. The couple married alone in Sweden, before one witness, who they didn't even know. In Croatia, your big day does not belong just to you. It belongs to everyone in your family.

Nothing can stop this juggernaut of joy. Not poverty nor personal wishes. And certainly not Coronavirus or epidemiological guidelines.

Civil Protection Headquarters in Dubrovnik-Neretva County recently banned 'large' weddings. The maximum number of guests for each wedding is now set at 50. This is in response to an outbreak of Coronavirus in Metković, which stemmed from a wedding held there on 15 August. 38 active cases of Coronavirus were subsequently recorded. And few who've attended a Croatian wedding would be surprised.

Who will try to tell the boys not to drink too much at a wedding, then not to hug or dance with their cousins? Who will tell the godfather of the bride that he must remain distant from his guests, and alone wipe the tears of happiness from his face? This is a day he waited for all of his life.

No wonder, as Slobodna Dalmacija reports in their coverage of the situation in Neretva, that in response to the new limits, Croatian summer weddings are simply now moving across the border into nearby Herzegovina. There, wedding numbers remain unrestricted. No masks will be required to ruin the close group family photos. There probably won't even be anyone stopped on the way back through the border for carrying leftovers. Nor potentially carrying coronavirus.

There is no easy fix to this situation, no simple solution to appease both authorities and celebrating families. We can only hope that the case in Metković is an isolated one and the porous nature of the border with Herzegovina remains the advantage it always has been for Croatians living in the region. For whosoever tries to impede the festivities of Croatian summer weddings is surely fighting a losing cause.

For the latest travel info, bookmark our main travel info article, which is updated daily. 

Read the Croatian Travel Update in your language - now available in 24 languages

Join the Total Croatia Travel INFO Viber community.

July 31, 2020 - PICTURES: Converted island monastery LOPUD-1483 near Dubrovnik offers incredible luxury

Set inside a former 15th-century monastery, LOPUD-1483 is one of the newest luxury dwellings south Dalmatia has to offer. Located on a car-free island, just seven miles off the coast of Dubrovnik, the stunning property has already caught the eye of the international press.


© LOPUD-1483 lies inside a former island monastery and walled fortress

Sunset from the terrace

Available as an exclusive buy-out for groups during peak season (its five suites are available individually later in the year), LOPUD-1483 also features a slightly younger walled fortress which lies adjacent, surrounding manicured gardens and an unobstructed view of the sea, lying just a few metres away.


Head to the rooftop for relaxation or yoga sessions 

It is aimed towards family or other groups who can rent together, such as those organising yoga retreats, small business conferences, weddings and birthday parties The property balances its historic architecture with contemporary interior design and all the fixtures and fittings you'd expect fro a luxury resort.


The property balances its historic architecture with contemporary interior design and all the fixtures and fittings you'd expect 


The courtyard dining area is perfect for weddings or functions 

LOPUD-1483 also holds ample space to display art and this year has a season-long exhibition from a private collection belonging to the Thyssen-Bornemsza family. The resort has the option of private chefs and a complimentary boat service between the island and Dubrovnik for longer-staying guests.


Walls of the historic property are just yards fro the sea 

Rates start at €1,400 per night, including breakfast, with a minimum three-night stay. Buy-outs start at €10,000 per night.

All photos © LOPUD-1483

April 16, 2020 - Planning a wedding in Croatia which is being affected by coronavirus? Help is at hand with a free online consultation from an experienced wedding planner. 

One of the things I am finding fascinating as a journalist in this corona crisis is how different industries are dealing with the direct impact they are experiencing on their particular business and sector. 

Health and economic survival are the most important things to consider, of course, but once you catch your breath on the rapid changes in the world, then one remembers that we all had plans and dreams before the world was put on hold. 

Spare a thought for the young couples planning to tie the knot in idyllic Croatia this year, such as this couple above, who did in one of the Adriatic's top destinations, the island of Hvar. 

Getting married is one of the most stressful things to do at the best of times, doing so abroad adds another level of pressure, and then throw in the corona factor, and what is a bride-to-be supposed to do?

Thankfully, help is at hand. 

TCN's popular new series looking at expats locked down in Croatia - Foreigners Self-Isolating in Croatia: Do You Feel Safer? has taken us all over the country and all over the world, as some 40 expats locked down in Croatia have shared their experiences in Croatia, as well as comparing how Croatia is handling the crisis to things back in their homeland. You can see the entire series here. 

Among them was Tamara Shatkova, who runs Adriatic Weddings Croatia on Murter, who gave us this lovely and very positive interview about her current reality in the only part of Croatia under quarantine. 

While we were chatting, I asked her how she was adjusting her business to the new reality, and her answer surprised me. 

She told me that while business was obviously affected, she was concerned also about the many couples who are trying to organise their wedding in Croatia without a wedding planner. The corona effect would have knocked them sideways. 

And so she recently posted this message on her social media channels:

Stressed about your upcoming wedding in Croatia❓Ask me what to do!⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Most couples face stress as they move toward their wedding day, but making changes during a pandemic adds another layer. I’m sure that they are a lot of couples out there, who don’t have the support of a wedding planner as they are organizing a wedding in Croatia by themselves. These couples need a person who can guide them in this time of uncertainty.  For that reason, I would like to offer a complimentary one-on-one call for those couples until the end of the summer. No strings attached:) You can message me directly or contact me through our web to set up the time that works best for you. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Wishing everyone an amazing day and stay positive ?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Lots of love,⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Tamara

A very nice gesture from a very nice lady. 

If you would like to take Tamara up on her offer, you can contact her via her Adriatic Weddings Croatia website.