ZAGREB, 13 June 2022 - The 18th Islands of the World Conference - Islands: Nature and Culture, organised within the International Small Islands Studies Association (ISISA), has opened at the University of Zadar, bringing together 120 scientists and other participants from Croatia and nearly all continents.

The programme is extremely rich, University Rector Dijana Vican said in her opening remarks on Monday, noting that small islands would be approached from different scientific points of view.

According to most world classifications, all Croatian islands, which are rich in cultural heritage and various archaeological sites, are small islands. These areas are natural-geographical phenomena that have an important role in modern socio-economic development, especially tourism.

In the last decades, Croatian islands have undergone many negative processes, such as depopulation, population ageing and economic transformation, which have threatened their sustainable development and many important traditional cultural landscapes.

State Secretary Šime Erlić, who opened the conference on behalf of Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, said that islands were of special interest to this government, which didn't mean that all island problems could be resolved easily.

Although the island population has been growing over the past 10 years, due to the pandemic and energy crisis we have reached a moment when life on an island is becoming unbearably difficult. The biggest challenge is to preserve natural heritage and the ecosystem on the one hand, and on the other hand to enable citizens to live in dignity, which means investments and attracting investors, says Erlić.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 12, 2022 - International recognition of the highest level from CICAE arrived at the fourth edition of the Zadar Kino Zona (Zadar cinema zone), which now joins Urania Kino in Osijek, Valli Kino in Pula, Art Kino in Rijeka, Zlatna Vrata in Split, Metropolis Kino and Samobor Kino.

At the annual assembly of the only international art cinema association CICAE, held in Cannes during the film festival of the same name, based on the quality and diversity of the film program and cultural significance, a decision was made to give Kino Zona in Zadar membership, reports Slobodna Dalmacija.

Kino Zona joins Kino Urania in Osijek, Kino Valli in Pula, Art Kino in Rijeka, Zlatna Vrata in Split, Kino Metropolis, and Kino Samobor as the seventh Croatian cinema in the membership of this prestigious world organization. 

This membership for Kino Zona in Zadar enables international cooperation with cinemas and festivals around the world, attending seminars, professional training, networking with other members, connecting with distributors and participating in program exchange, selecting films shortly after the world premieres, presenting cinema activities at the Venice Film Festival in Berlin and Cannes as well as guest appearances at festivals in the role of expert lecturers and jury members.'', said the head of the Kino Zona, Andrej Fric.

CICAE (International Confederation of Art Cinemas) was founded in 1955 by the art cinema associations of Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Switzerland to promote cultural differences in cinemas and festivals, lay the foundations, and support the market aimed at producing quality national films considered "high-risk art forms''.

Recognized by the Council of Europe, CICAE chairs the International Council on Film, Television and Audiovisual Communications (IFTC) at UNESCO, is a member of Media Salles, the Coalition française pour la diversité culturelle, and co-operates with Europa Cinemas.

CICAE's responsibility is to network and create a link between cinemas and festivals. Today, CICAE brings together over 3,000 cinemas through national cinema networks, fifty individual independent cinemas in approximately thirty countries around the world, fifteen festivals (including Berlin, Cannes Locarno, Sarajevo, Venice, Annecy, and Hamburg), and a number of art film distributors.

The goals are to encourage art cinemas to come together under common auspices nationally and internationally, to receive support from state administrations, to encourage the distribution of quality films from all countries, in all countries, and to increase audiences and encourage production.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 12, 2022 - After the success of the Zagreb Digital Nomad Week in 2021 and the Work.Place.Culture Conference in Dubrovnik this year, now it's turn of one of the most important cities in the Adriatic and one that continues to attract a large community of digital nomads. A review of the first day of Zadar Digital Nomad Week.

In one of the most ambitious projects of Saltwater Nomads to date, and in collaboration with the Zadar Tourist Board and the Digital Nomad Association Croatia, Zadar Digital Nomad Week presents a week-long program full of cultural and outdoor activities that will allow you to discover in-depth the advantages of being a digital nomad in Zadar. The event kicked off on Friday the 10th with an opening dinner at the Groppo restaurant, where participants and organizers were able to get to know each other better and share more about their stories, experiences, and backgrounds.

Photo: Jose Alfonso Cussianovich/Total Croatia News

The day started in front of the Foša Gate, in the old town of Zadar, where Rudi Witkowsky offered an active masterclass. Rudi, a fitness coach and consultant from Cape Town, South Africa, was Zagreb's digital nomad ambassador last year in August. Rudi has already been able to get to know numerous coastal destinations in Croatia since it is definitely the climate that he pursues as a digital nomad, but he highlighted Zadar as a fitness-friendly city, with enough provision and infrastructure for athletes and physical activity enthusiasts. In his active masterclass, Rudi guided those present to reconnect with their bodies through demanding exercise routines in tune with relaxation exercises, all this under the shade of the trees, taking into account the high temperatures that herald the arrival of summer.

Photo: Jose Alfonso Cussianovich/Total Croatia News

Around noon, we got together for a very interesting activity that tested our knowledge about Zadar: the puzzle picnic. Through very creative clues, the participants were able to walk the ancient streets of the old town of Zadar while we deciphered the way to finally arrive at a location with surely one of the best panoramic views of the city. Under the shade of the trees, a well-deserved tasting session of Croatian prosecco, cheeses, fruits, and sponsored kombuchas appeased everyone's appetite and thirst after a long day of walking under the merciless sun — a proper reward.

Photo: Jose Alfonso Cussianovich/Total Croatia News

There was no better way to end the first day than visiting the surroundings of the historic town of Nin, just 30 minutes from Zadar by car. It's almost seven in the evening, and it's the best time of day to take a bath, but one very different from what we're used to. At Queens Beach, visitors come to cover their bodies with mud well known for its therapeutic and healing functions. Mud baths are very popular in Croatia, especially in this part of the country. It is even known that this activity dates back to Roman times.

On the way back to Zadar, and without planning it, we stopped to take a look at the church of Saint Nicholas, a small church built on a small hill, and that keeps a short but very interesting history. According to tradition, seven Kings were crowned in Nin, and every crowned ruler rode on horseback to the Church of Saint Nicholas, and it was in fact here that he would be presented to the people through a symbolic ritual, where he would point with a sword the four corners of the world.

Photo: Jose Alfonso Cussianovich/Total Croatia News

It was an excellent opening of the Zadar Digital Nomad Week, which presented the city in a great way, and it is best to know that there is still much to enjoy from its rich program. The second day awaits Turkish coffee and baklava, keynote in a kayak, and much more.

Visit the official Zadar Digital Nomad Week website.

For the latest news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section.

June 11, 2022 - A look at the cost of living in Croatia according to the world's largest cost of living database - Numbeo.

According to Numbeo, Zadar is the most expensive city to live in Croatia. Namely, the average family of four needs 18,973.92 kuna to live without rent, and a single person needs 5,486.52 kuna for monthly expenses. It is 10.45 percent more expensive than Zagreb, and the rent in Zadar is, on average, 22.08 percent higher than in the capital, reports Dalmatinski Portal. 

Second on the list is Dubrovnik. The average family of four needs 18,453.15 kuna to live in the Adriatic pearl without rent, while the average monthly cost for a single person is 5,390 kuna without rent. It is 9.34 percent more expensive than Zagreb, but the rental price in Dubrovnik is on average 12.65 percent lower than in Zagreb.

In Zagreb, a family of four needs 16,769.81 kuna to live (or 4,874.39 kuna for a single person).

In Rijeka, a family of four needs 15,370.73 kuna to live (or 4,392.67 kuna for a single person). It is 6.81 percent cheaper than the Croatian capital, while the rental price is 22.30 percent lower than in Zagreb.

In Split, on the other hand, a family of four needs 15,073.86 for living expenses (or 4,312.83 for a single person), making Split 6.93 percent cheaper than Zagreb, while the rent is 10.77 percent lower than in Zagreb.

Of the larger cities, life seems to be the cheapest in Osijek. For example, a family of four needs 13,295.23 kuna to live (single 3,894.22 kuna without rent), while in Osijek, the cost of living is 15.24 percent lower than in Zagreb, and the rental price is lower by 42.65 percent.

According to Numbeo, Croatia is one of the most expensive countries in this part of Europe. Croatia is in 59th place in terms of price, while Serbia is in 94th place. Kosovo ranks 134th and Bosnia and Herzegovina 96th. The most expensive countries in the world are Bermuda, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Barbados. 

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 10, 2022 - Following award-winning events in Zagreb and Dubrovnik, the team from Saltwater Nomads unveil their latest - Zadar Digital Nomad Week, which starts today. Great programme!

Zadar Digital Nomad Week - press release 10/6/2022

Zadar is ranked as one of the fastest-growing hubs for digital nomads in Croatia by Nomad List. The CEO of Wifi Tribe recently dubbed it “the one to watch” in Croatia at the Work.

Place. Culture. Conference in Dubrovnik. It’s easily accessible by road, sea and air. Zadar has a very affordable cost of living, an abundance of nature and recreation and a growing coworking and business community. If you have the option to work from anywhere, Zadar, and the lifestyle it affords, has fast become a “get in now” destination - and this event showcases highlights - including the wider off-path region.

From 10-17 June, Saltwater Nomads presents the first-ever Zadar Digital Nomad Week - a week-long program in Zadar and the region. It follows the format of the acclaimed Zagreb Digital Nomad Week, devised by Saltwater Nomads in 2021. This event is supported by the Digital Nomad Association Croatia, KPMG Croatia, Cognism, Authland, Safety Wing, Total Croatia News, the University of Zadar, City of Zadar and Tourist Board of Zadar. The Embassy of the Netherlands and the Australian Embassy in Croatia also joined to support five of their nationals in person in Zadar.

The event will feature over 30 speakers in person and virtually, including experts in remote work, lifestyle and business.

Keynotes will take place from kayaks on Croatia’s largest lake, Paklenica’s peaks and Tesla’s birthplace - Zadar Digital Nomad Week’s lineup reflects the “digital-by-nature” city.

The keynote speakers include: Dr Diane Erceg, an Antarctic guide and academic turned writer, who has visited the ice continent 44 times and is now penning a memoir on lessons learned after nine nomadic years around the planet. Yes, there will be penguins.

Dean Kuchel, the self-proclaimed ‘King of Digital Nomads’, who has been to over 100 countries, and Croatia many times will, as always, deliver an inspiring Call To Arms to take up digital nomadism.

Kashlee Kucheran, world-class Travel Lifestyle trendsetter, covers the must-sees and emerging destinations for nomads. As her site’s name, Travel off Path, implies - Kashlee unlocks the unknown in destinations. With a base in Mexico, the journey of discovery around the Balkans is one you’ll want to catch, especially if this part of Europe’s on your travel radar.

Michael Freer of the recently launched Impact House, formerly Digital Nomad Association (DNA) Croatia, will deliver a speech on social impact - from a kayak, on Croatia’s largest Lake embarking at Camp Vransko Jezero.

Jan de Jong, dubbed the godfather of Croatia’s digital nomad visa, will represent the Digital Nomad Association (DNA) Croatia alongside community manager Romana Konjevod and DNA Croatia co-founder Tanja Polegubic, CEO of Saltwater Nomads, delivering the event.

Workshops and Masterclasses by: Mandy Fransz (LinkedIn Branding) and Steve Tsentserensky (The Content Nomad - The Dark Art of Upwork), Charlie Brown (Making Money on Medium), Podcasting - in a winery, by Marlee McCormick and Jeff Burkett. Virtual ‘podcasting for business’ by Maya Middlemiss, Ethan Meyers and Sam Brown on Entrepreneurship and Desmond Dixon - on building an 8-figure business - and selling as you travel. The event even has a Chief Nomad, 4-year nomad, Anna Maria Kochanska from Poland.

The program includes fitness sessions, locally brewed kombucha tastings, podcasting, panels at coworking spaces - and a nod to Tesla. The man and the machine.

Zadar Digital Nomad Week includes a day trip - in a Tesla, to Tesla’s birthplace. The trip is courtesy of Rent A Tesla.

For those looking to start this lifestyle, there will be a Watch Party for the premier of remote expert Rowena Hennigan’s LinkedIn Learning course on how to be a digital nomad.

The Content Nomad Steve Tsensentrensky and Charlie Brown, two nomadic writers making a living on the road will hold masterclasses and workshops.

Dallas, Texas radio host Marlee McCormick and her veteran sound engineer husband Jeff Burkett, intermittent nomads in Europe - are in Zadar to deliver a masterclass in Winery Fiocic (yes, a simultaneous wine tasting). “Call that a podcast?” will challenge the “anyone can podcast” notion, from two industry experts. If you’ve been thinking about podcasting - or already do, this is a session to learn how to podcast like a pro.

Maya Middlemiss, the freelance queen, gives a special masterclass for digital nomads in particular - to consider creating podcasts as a service. Companies are calling for it- she knows, it’s what she does. You’ll even get access to an AMA (ask me anything) session later.

On the topic of AMA’s. We’ve got three.

1. Ukrainian digital nomad, Orest Zub, in the 100+ country club, will be live on DNA Croatia’s LinkedIn page for an AMA.
2. Violeta Debro from KPMG Croatia will be online for your tax questions. You can even write in anonymously to us, and we’ll posit the question.
3. And Dr Diane Erceg will be online for “everything you’ve wanted to know about going to Antarctica… but were afraid to ask”. It’s a special 1-hour session with AMA.

Later in the afternoon, Diane is part of the crew heading up to ‘digitally disconnect’ and reconnect with Nature on the peaks of Paklenica National Park (close to Zadar). Guests at Zadar Digital Nomad Week 2022 will take a 2-hour hike, with streams, flora and fauna and a moon-like landscape - and a haven for climbers. The mountain hut will be the backdrop of a Campfire Keynote for the in-person.

More special guests will be announced through the week - including 8-figure nomad podcaster Desmond Dixon and experts who shape entire tech ecosystems around the world, as well as Croatia experts assisting digital nomads come and even stay in Croatia. Who might they be? Tune in to find out - the series will be streamed on Saltwater Nomads Youtube and DNA Croatia LinkedIn.

And - does everyone love digital nomads? No! Hear from nomads and locals about the impact this market is having on tourism.

Press contact: Tanja Polegubic.

+385 91 330 8000

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

VIsit the official Zadar Digital Nomad Week website.

For the latest news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, check out the dedicated TCN section.

June 10, 2022 - The former Hotel Iž, where Luka Modrić and his family were housed during the Homeland War, will open as 'A'mare' hotel next month.

Renovations on the former Hotel Iž in Zadar are coming to an end, and in mid-July, it should open its doors as 'A'mare', reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

"Every resident of Zadar and many of their guests have certainly heard of the hotel "Iž". Finally, after years of decay, one of the city’s icons will shine in a whole new light. 

To keep the heart of Zadar in the hotel, we came up with the name 'A'mare', which is synonymous with the famous historical heritage of the city, the amarena that marked many lives of Zadar families. The latest gem in the tourist offer opens its doors on July 1 and is looking for diligent, responsible, and ambitious people with the motivation to work in tourism," reads the advertisement from 'Green Tech Group' on the internet portal Moj Posao where they are looking for kitchen workers.

Behind Green Tech Group is a young Zadar entrepreneur Anthony Ninčević, son of the famous Mladen Ninčević, who also owns the hostel "4 You" in Zadar and Zagreb.

Recall, in the autumn of 2018, the Government decided to sell a majority stake in the former single military hotel Iž, where refugees lived during the Homeland War, including today's world-famous football player Luka Modrić and his family. It was sold to Ninčević's company for 11.47 million kuna.

The renovated tourist facility will have about a hundred rooms and a dozen four-star apartments. They will be able to accommodate about 250 guests.

Computer simulations of the future appearance of the kitchen and part of the hotel interior have also been published on the pages of the Moj Posao portal. The central hotel building has been renovated; a built-in elevator can be seen on the facade, while work on the annex - where the hotel's reception and restaurant will be - is in full swing to meet opening deadlines, more likely by mid-July.

At the end of the season, the plan is to continue the work on improving the hotel infrastructure. Namely, the owners are negotiating with the City about the conditions for arranging the square in front of the hotel. An underground garage should be built below it, and the square above is planned to be renovated and arranged following modern communal standards.

For more, make sure to check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

June 10, 2022 - The greatest professionals in the world of sports will spend the next two days in Zadar at the SUNSET Sports Media Festival, which was officially opened on Thursday night at the Punta Skala Hotel in Petrčane.

SUNSET Sports Media Festival is a project that will set new standards in the organization of sports business events, and the participants of the festival are the world's biggest faces in the world of sports and sports production, writes  Zadarski.hr 

Italian sports journalist Giulia Diletta Leotta. (Photo: Sime Zelic/PIXSELL)

One of the most famous sports journalists in the world, Italian Giulia Diletta Leotta, arrived in Zadar for the festival. With her commitment to the life of a reporter, which is closely related to her other love - sports, Diletta inspires many women, but also people around her, so we can often see her professionally and passionately reporting from the football field.

Peter Schmeichel, Ray Lewis, Julian Edelman, Stephen Espinoza, and Damjan Rudez. (Photo: Milan Sabic/PIXSELL)

Former goalkeeper of the Danish national football team Peter Schmeichel, legendary American football players Julian Edelman and Ray Lewis, and producer and director Pete Radovich, famous Zadar man with an American address and winner of more than 40 Emmy awards who is also the ambassador of the first SUNSET Sports Media Festival.

Sports media producer and director Pete Radovich. (Photo: Sime Zelic/PIXSELL)

''Zadar is a sports city and there is no better location for the Sunset Sports Media Festival than this one. Whether you work in sports production or not, it will certainly be interesting to learn from the most famous people in this business and find out why they make the decisions they make. The most important thing about the whole festival is to find out what modern technology in sports is now available. Although some visitors are not in sports production, this is a great opportunity to learn from those who are.'', said Pete Radovich, adding that the stars of the SSMF festival, despite the rain that fell on the first day of the festival, were delighted with the city of Zadar.

To read more about sport in Croatia, follow TCN’s dedicated page.

June 7, 2022 - After award-winning events in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, Saltwater Nomads is organising the first-ever Zadar Digital Noamd Week, starting Friday. 

The story continues... 

It is hard to imagine that it is less than 2 years since Dutch entrepreneur Jan de Jong wrote an open letter to the Croatian Prime Minister asking him to introduce a digital nomad visa in Croatia. So much has happened since then, and it is fair to say that Croatia is very much 'in' as a nomad destination. 

After last year's award winning Zagreb Digtial Nomad Week and Dubrovnik Digital Nomads-in-Residence programs, the team at Saltwater Nomads have been busy designing and delivering more events for the digital nomad community, and the latest one starts this Friday, the first-ever Zadar Digital Nomad Week. 

And if you are a digital nomad who enjoys being active in nature, with a taste for good food and fine wine, then this is an event for you. Keynote speeches from Antarctic explorers after hiking up a mountain, or talks on a kayak on a lake are but some of the highlights. 

Final details are still being applied, but the official event website (you are advised to check for any updates) currently has a very exciting programme of speakers, including two of the top 10 LinkedIn voices on remote work. From the Zadar Digital Nomad Wekk website (where you can register your interest and attendance):

Stay tuned for details of our speakers, including some of the leading voices in Remote Work, Digital Nomads (who love Zadar!) and local businesses who have gone global.

• FRIDAY 10th June: Nomad Table - with special guest Mandy Fransz, Make The Leap Digital.
• SATURDAY 11th June: Fitness Masterclass with Rudi Witkowski, later ... gourmet picnic - with a twist.
• SUNDAY 12th June: Outdoor excursion. Talk on a kayak with Michael Freer.
• MONDAY 13th June: Press conference. Mic'd up Monday - masterclass with Marlee McCormick. And virtual session with Maya Middlemiss.
• TUESDAY 14th June: Remote Work. Masterclass with Rowena Hennigan.
• WEDNESDAY 15th June: How to Nomad: Special session, featuring Anna Maria Kochanska and digital nomad guests @ a local winery.
• THURSDAY 16th June: Overnight hike up Paklenica with Keynote by Dr. Diane Erceg.
• FRIDAY 17th June: Return to civilisation...

Please check the official website for the latest schedule.

For more news and features on digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

June 5, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as a LOT Croatia expansion is on the horizon due to an increasing number of Polish tourists booking a Croatian holiday. 

Ex Yu Aviation reports that Polish airline LOT will expand its presence in Croatia beyond the eight routes between Poland and Croatia this summer. LOT currently serves five cities in Croatia with 170,000 seats on sale between Poland and Croatia this season alone. Namely, from Warsaw to Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, and Rijeka, from Krakow to Split, from Rzeszow to Zadar and from Zielona Gora to Rijeka. The Polish airline's main competitors between Poland and Croatia are Wizz Air and Ryanair.

“This summer we will fly 28 times per week between Poland and Croatia. Most Polish nationals come to Croatia by car. However, I hope that we will jointly develop solutions so that we can save our compatriots a car trip and that everyone can fly with LOT. Last year, we transported over 33,000 Poles to Croatia, and we hope for a much better result this year. I also hope that Croats will visit Poland in greater numbers," said the carrier’s CEO, Rafał Milczarski.  

"Croatia is becoming more and more popular among our passengers each year and is becoming of interest for travelers outside of Warsaw as well. As we continue to increase our offer, both Zagreb and Croatia as a whole are becoming popular for short weekend breaks as well," he added.

“Our performance in Croatia is the result of consistent work by our team as well as the growing popularity of Croatia in Poland and the increasing number of Poles who want to come to Croatia within two hours," said LOT Board Member for Commercial Affairs, Michal Fijoł.  

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Zagreb Airport has seen a growing demand from secondary cities in Poland. Before the pandemic, Zagreb saw a lot of traffic from Poland’s second-largest city Krakow, with over 5,000 people traveling between the two cities in 2019 that year on a single itinerary. The cities of Gdansk, Wroclaw, Poznan and Katowice followed.

LOT has bases in Krakow and Katowice, meaning Zagreb could be served with Embraer E170, E175, and the Dash 8 turboprop which can seat 70-80 passengers. 

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.

June 3, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Ryanair Zagreb flight reductions continue into the middle of next month. 

Several Ryanair Zagreb destinations will see further reductions and temporary route suspensions into mid-July, reports Ex Yu Aviation. 

Passengers already witnessed reductions in May, and while the airline was to conclude the network cutbacks in June, it is now extending the suspension of some of its Zagreb lines into next month - namely to Basel, Sofia, and Brindisi until July 18. 

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Sandefjord, Malaga, and Paphos flights will only run once a week until mid-July and that reductions on the lines to Bergamo, Charleroi, Hahn, Gothenburg, Malmo, Malta, Memmingen, and Weeze will also be extended. Furthermore, the Corfu line will not run until the beginning of July and will operate just one flight a week. This line was supposed to launch in June. 

But this is no surprise. Recall that in January, 16 Ryanair Zagreb flights were temporarily suspended because of reduced demand due to the pandemic. This is now the fifth month this year that Ryanair has either temporarily suspended or reduced its Zagreb flights.

Thus, in June, Ryanair reduced its capacity in Zagreb by 35,000. This time, however, the Irish low-cost airline has not provided an explanation for its decision. Ex Yu Aviation writes that staffing issues and lack of equipment could carry some of the blame. The airline has two aircraft based in Zagreb when there were plans to have three. 

But Zagreb isn't the only city affected. The low-cost airline has delayed many new routes from the Zadar base, too. Namely, the Helsinki, Turin, and Bournemouth routes will be pushed back by another two weeks. These lines had already been delayed until the beginning of June. Ryanair will however bring much-needed traffic to Zadar Airport this summer, operating 120 flights to 46 destinations! 

For more on flights to Croatia and other travel announcements, make sure to check out our dedicated travel section.