May 27, 2023 - For 16 years now, the British Post Office has been compiling a list of European cities that are the best value for money destinations. This year, the Croatian capital made it onto the list.

A new list for the year 2023 has been released, comparing 35 European cities and revealing the most profitable European destinations. This year it is the Portuguese metropolis Lisbon, writes Klix.

The Post Office team calculates and compares the average price of a weekend stay in the city for two nights in three-star hotels. Add to that the price of some top tourist attractions, sightseeing by tourist bus, the price of public transport, and food and drinks.

Lisbon is the right place this summer if you want to have an amazing mini vacation or an extended weekend in the city without spending a lot of money.

This holiday destination has topped the list of the cheapest city breaks in Europe, which is an incentive for tourists, who are already flocking to Lisbon for its world-famous nightlife, beautiful beaches and delicious food.

From the perspective of tourists, prices in the Portuguese capital are largely unaffected by inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, rising only 2 percent compared to last summer.

Two nights in a three-star hotel average around 140 euros, which is only 5 percent more than in 2022, compared to a price increase of over 20 percent in every other city surveyed. In fact, prices in Lisbon were less than a third of those in the most expensive European cities such as Venice and Amsterdam.

Lisbon is a great place to visit for a number of reasons. The city is somewhat randomly located on the rugged landscape on the west coast of the country, providing many varied and excellent views. It is said to be one of the oldest cities in the world, and according to legend, it was founded by Ulysses on his return from the Trojan War.

The title of the most expensive city in Europe was taken by Amsterdam, where 835 euros should be allocated for the weekend, and Paris, Venice, Geneva, Belfast and London are among the most expensive. Dubrovnik in neighboring Croatia took first place on the list of cities with the most expensive tickets for cultural and historical sights.

And Croatia's capital ranked quite high on this list of the most cost-effective European cities in 2023, starting with the cheapest: Lisbon (Portugal), Vilnius (Lithuania), Krakow (Poland), Athens (Greece), Riga (Latvia), Porto (Portugal), Zagreb (Croatia), Budapest (Hungary) ), Warsaw (Poland) and Lille (France).

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

May the 25th, 2023 - Remember the so-called ''Mini Manhattan'' project that many people in Zagreb were once talking about? Well, while it isn't as much in the media as it once was, it hasn't been shelved. There are several other large Zagreb projects also in the works.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, after sitting more or less forgotten about in a (probably) dusty drawer for years, the Paromlin city library project has now finally been revived. The City of Zagreb has started purchasing real estate and land adjacent to where the future complex will be. With this new ambitious project, a completely new block will be formed that will change the vision of the City of Zagreb as we've come to know it. This is exactly what Mayor Tomislav Tomasevic marked out as the main project in his mandate, as reported by HRT.

Collapsed walls, collapsed floors and burnt beams that passers-by saw every day are finally set to enter the history books after being an eyesore for around 35 years. For the ambitious plan to build a new social and cultural centre of Zagreb, the city plans to announce a tender for public procurement as early as June, and construction work will begin at the end of the year.

"It's a matter of reconstruction, extension, i.e. a replica of the wing that fell and a modern glass extension in the rest of this space," said Luka Korlaet, Zagreb's deputy mayor.

The current plan is to purchase the surrounding land and buildings in order to make the future library representative. However, no one has called the fifteen tenants in the nearby Koturaska Street to discuss it and ask questions.

''They came here sixty years ago and told us not to buy wood because they'd have to demolish any construction we put up in the spring, and that's what every new government says and has been saying since then - we'll have to demolish it all, but we're all still here," said Marijan Lokmic, a local resident.

The plan is allocate a massive 80 million euros for the 30,000 square metres of the new facility, half of which will be coming from European Union (EU) funds. The city plans to secure part of the money for the purchase of private plots with the new budget revision. Negotiations are underway, they say, and are only intensifying.

''This process isn't going to be a smooth one. The city can purchase the land at the price estimated by the court expert and what is confirmed by the appraisal commission, so there's no negotiation, no haggling. I hope that there will be understanding because these prices are realistic and the City of Zagreb has good intentions, this is all about the common good, the public good. We want to complete the City of Zagreb, we want to arrange all this and create a more modern Zagreb,'' said Luka Korlaet when referencing upcoming Zagreb projects.

The city administration hopes for a future modern library, an underground garage, halls, and even a brand new square. The last big project, the Zagreb (Sljeme) cable car, divided the people of Zagreb due to the large amount of work which needed to be carried out, and also the issue of it being considered ''Milan Bandic's legacy'' never faded away. The profession believes that there should be a consensus for large and expensive Zagreb projects, and fortunately, the future Paromlin library has it.

"This is a step forward that Croatia must start working on in all areas, including here in Zagreb. We have to direct ourselves towards large Zagreb projects that have significantly greater financial requirements and come out of one four-year mandate. Without such projects, there's going to be no progress for us as a society," said Tihomil Matkovic, president of the Society of Architects Zagreb.

Paromlin is only the beginning of the revitalisation of the city centre south of the railway line, and the next step, they say from the city administration, will be the opening of the Gredelj project, for which studies are already being carried out and discussions are being prepared with Croatian Railways and various European banks.

For more, check out our news section.

May 24, 2023 – With technology taking tourism in one direction, a refreshing addition to the Zagreb cultural scene – meet the new quarterly ZAGART magazine.

Not a day goes by without the arrival of some new technology and innovation in tourism, as with every other aspect of life these days. With less people reading and more addicted to their phones and apps, it seems that aspects of the life we knew are slowly eroding.

And while Zagreb is a very modern city embracing new ways, one of the things I love about living here is its celebration of tradition, culture and art, things which are becoming more prominent as the Croatian capital establishes itself as a fascinating and diverse tourist destination in its own right.

It is a city which once was not known for tourism, but today very much is. The stunning success of Advent in Zagreb, which went from nothing to European champion three years in a row is a case in point, but there is another aspect of Zagreb tourism which is becoming increasingly visible in recent years – art and culture.

I can't recall living in a place which had so many vibrant events in every nook and cranny of the city. Street festivals, concerts in squares, courtyards and parks – the whole city seems like a stage. Or multiple stages, and the chance to bump into a cultural gathering around the corner is commonplace in Zagreb these days.

Art, graffiti, cinema, street performers – it is all happening, and Zagreb has definitely developed a vibe of urban cool. Festivals such as Zagreb Festival of Lights, Zagreb Classic, Ilica Q'ART, Artupunkututa, Cest is d Best and others too numerous too mention have brought a cultural diversity to the city's tourism offer which did not previously exist. There is so much going on, in fact, that it is pretty hard to keep up with the vibrant cultural scene of this very underrated destination.

Until now.

Working with the team from Zagreb for You, the Zagreb Tourist Board have produced an old-fashioned quarterly magazine called ZAGART, which showcases the full cultural scene for that quarter, as well as containing numerous feature articles by cultural experts on what is happening in the city.

The first edition, Spring 2023, for example, has among its focus Animefest in June, the iconic Kordunska 1 Kinoteka cinema, a look at the new cool Zagreb through the eyes of Vecernji List's Cultural Editor, the art hub of Novi Zagreb, the move of Q'ART from Ilica to other neighbourhoods, and the Subversive Festival.

In other words, a superb overview and introduction to the cultural cool of Zagreb, and a good barometer of the liveliness of the cultural scene of the city.

The Zagreb Tourist Board has been focusing in recent years on increasing the visibility of art and culture in the city, making it an essential reason to visit. CEO Martina Bienenfeld had this to say about the launch of ZAGART:

Zagreb is the leader of cultural tourism in Croatia, therefore we wanted to create ZAGART as a quarterly magazine which serves as a platform to emphasise and raise awareness about diverse cultural events, including concerts, festivals, exhibitions and performances. Featuring various artists, musicians, writers and performers, ZAGART is a comprehensive source of information about upcoming cultural events in Zagreb. It helps individuals stay informed about a wide range of events and it enhances the overall visitor experience, while promoting the cultural tourism offer in the Croatian capital.

You can learn more about ZAGART on the Zagreb For You Facebook page – and you can find your free copy at the following locations:

Visitor Centres

Cultural Centres (NZG, Peščenica, Trešnjevka..)

Clubs (Tvornica, Medika, Vintage, Sax...)

Selected libraries/reading rooms and cultural gathering places (KIC, Botaničar,...), kazališta (ZKM, Gavella,..), Lisinski,...

Festivals and events

All major hotels, hostels, museums, cafes

May 16, 2023 - The kindness of strangers, a constant theme in Croatia.  Where else could you drop your laptop in the street and not realise until the next day and then be reunited with it?

Croatia is a very safe country, and female travellers in particular often comment on how much safer they feel walking around at night here than in cities in Western Europe.

It is also a country where I have heard countless stories over the years of tourists and expats leaving things such as their wallet in a cafe, only to return a couple of hours later and find it untouched, or behind the bar, waiting for their return.

I have my own experience, which I explain in this video - the day I somehow lost my laptop in Zagreb and didn't notice until the following morning in Varazdin.

And then I got a message from a stranger on Facebook...

The latest from the Fat Vlogger, which premieres at 19:53 tonight.

****

You can subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia Expert YouTube channel here.

What is it like to live in Croatia? An expat for 20 years, you can follow my series, 20 Ways Croatia Changed Me in 20 Years, starting at the beginning - Business and Dalmatia.

Follow Paul Bradbury on LinkedIn.

Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners is now available on Amazon in paperback and on Kindle.

May 16, 2023 - Due to unplanned works, the western part of Zagreb will remain with no hot water until the middle of the week. And considering that the planned works on the revitalization of Zagreb's hot water network continued yesterday - the residents of Gajevo, Staglišće, and Jarun will have no hot water until June 5, when the dilapidated hot water network along the Horvaćanska road will be restored.

More than 20 thousand households in the western part of Zagreb still have no hot water, writes Index. The repair of the rupture of the main pipeline that passes through this part of the Zagreb thermal power plant is in progress.

"The damage is quite large, and we don't know its extent yet. What I can say is that by Saturday morning, we pumped out the water thanks to the firefighters, and today we are working on cleaning, drying, dismantling, and inspecting the electric motor to avoid even greater damage," said Robert Krklec, director of HEP Proizvodnja, for HRT.

Works for another three weeks

When this is fixed, and hot water is released, it will not reach everyone in the western part of the city. Residents of Gajevo, Staglišće, and Jarun will have to wait another three weeks because that's how long the announced works on the hot water network will last, which are planned from today when the heating season officially ends.

"Generally, it is part of the hot water pipeline that is the oldest and most prone to cracks, and the annual works started with Horvaćanska," said Jurica Brnas from HEP Toplinarstvo.

Twenty-two kilometers of dilapidated hot water network will be replaced along Horvaćanska cesta all the way to Street Hrvatskog Sokola.

"The interruption of delivery will last three weeks. We strive to organize construction sites so that if the works are more extensive, the delivery is interrupted in several stages for three weeks each so that consumers have as much opportunity as possible to use consumable hot water," explains Brnac.

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

May 15, 2023 - The parks and squares of Zagreb come alive again this weekend with Zagreb Open City Days.

"All the world's a stage," said Shakespeare in As You Like It, "and all the men and women merely players."

It is a quote that comes back to me often these days as a contented Zagreb resident, for the longer I live here, the more I appreciate how the city is using its various open spaces to promote art and culture.

From what was once a capital city with little to do with tourism, Zagreb is blossoming as a destination, offering a diverse offer which is constantly evolving. 

The capital is perhaps most famous for its award-winning Advent in Zagreb, an out of season concept that literally developed from nothing to become one of the flagship events in the Croatian calendar, but there is another very exciting development in the Zagreb tourism strategy which is bringing out the city's personality and promoting art and culture in an innovative way - its combination of its open spaces such as parks and squares. 

C'Est is d Best, Courtyards, Artupunkura, Ilica Q'Art, and Zagreb Classic are all now established annual festivals where the entertainment spills out onto the streets, parks, squares and courtyards of Zagreb, giving a delightful atmosphere and a surprise at every turn for people walking this most walkable of cities. I have lost count of the number of times I have stumbled upon an exhibition or live music while out for an evening stroll, and one of the things I love most about this wonderful city is seeing how art and culture combines with its public spaces. Zagreb is truly a stage of which Shakespeare would have been impressed. 

And this weekend sees another such event, and one which is growing into a regular event. Following the success of the inaugural Zagreb Open City Day last October, a concept created and conducted by Dubravka Vrgoč, Anica Tomić and Ivica Buljanc, this weekend will see the event expanded into Zagreb Open City Days, a 2-day cultural manifestation covering 7 of the city's premier spots, through a mixture of dance, poetry, song and ballet. 

It is an interesting concept, one that tourists and local residents are encouraged to join, as the programme moves from location to location over the two days, incorporating different activities at each location. Here is what there is to check out, and the times to be there. 

Saturday, May 20

King Tomislav Square - "Gathering" - 11:00

We kick off at King Tomislav Square, home to classical concerts in the summer, and that iconic ice rink in winter. The first event is known simply as 'Gathering', a live chain of locals, tourists and passers-by to create a human chain across the square while holding hands. This symbolises unity and togetherness and a better future. 

Ban Jelacic Square - Ode to Youth - 12:00

Heading north an hour later in time to hear the infamous midday Zagreb cannon on Ban Jelacic Square. - 'Ode to Youth' will explore the dialogue between solidarity and music. Hana Gospodnetic, accompanied byVitomir Ivanjek and Ivan Petranovic, will lead the choir on a choral journey of famous songs from the present and yesteryear, all dedicated to Zagreb. Passers by will be invited to join in the singing, a reminder of the spontaneity of life and joy. In addition to the main choir, some Zagreb primary school choirs will also be performing. 

(Photo J. Duval)

Dolac Market - Flash Mob - 12:45

One of the great social and meeting places in the city is of course, Dolac Market, in many ways the heartbeat of Zagreb, particularly on a Saturday late morning, as residents grab a coffee or something stronger while picking up their favourite fruit and veg. This Saturday will bing an extra spice with the arrival of a flash mob. The arriving artists will intrigue customers and stall holders alike with their performances. Exactly how, you will have to find out on the spot, for only the location is revealed for now, not the content.

(Photo J.  Duval)

Zrinjevac Park - Dance - 19:00

What better way to finish the first day than dancing in one of Zagreb's most famous and beautiful parks, Zrinjevac? The first masked dance was held in Zagreb way back in 1749, and while there has been frequent reference to the so-called “plesnjaci” - organised dances where ordinary citizens took part. It is a lovely tradition, and one you can help resurrect to the sound of Robert Marekovic and his band, the Swingers, who will be performing a set of classics from the 1960s and 1970s..

Sunday, May 21

(Photo J. Duval)

Zrinjevac Park Music Pavilion - Zagreb Chanson - 11:00

One of the true icons of Zagreb is the location of the opening of Day 2 - the Zrinjevac Park Music Pavilion, one of the great symbols of Advent in Zagreb, as well as a resource increasingly in use throughout the year. Sunday morning Zagreb chansons will be the order of the day, performed by Ivana Starcevic and Matija Antolic. This will be followed by Marko Petric reading passages about old Zagreb, with citizens invited to share their personal stories and favourite moments about the city. 

European Square - Sports Matinee - 12:00

From chansons to sport a short walk away on European Square, with a range of sporting activities for all ages, organised by the Croatian Deaf Sports Association. Everyone is invited to participate to promote togetherness through sport.

(Photo M. Gacaparovic)

Flower Square - Ballet - 16:00

Ballet has a strong tradition in the city, and the School for Classical Ballet of Zagreb will help to make it a little more accessible with a diverse ballet programme on Flower Square, ranging from ballet exercises to popular ballets.

Tuskanac Park - Enchanted Forest  - 18:00

Can there my a more enchanting place to conclude Zagreb Open City Days than Tuskanac Park. Home to the city's open air theatre, Tuskanac is a true natural haven right in the heart of the city, and the perfect location for the Enchanted Forest programme. The stage event will be directed by Ivica Buljan, who will take visitors on a 'treasure hunt' looking for performers hidden in different locations and reciting poetry, extracts from the literary greats such as Shakespeare,Chekhov and Moliere, as well as improvised performances of everyday life. Unorthodox theatre in an enchanting setting.

So, Mr. Shakespeare, how would you rate the city of Zagreb as a stage?

You can find more about Zagreb Open City Days on the official website. 

Zagreb, May 11 2023 (Press Release) - Zagreb’s citizens and visitors will soon have the opportunity to enjoy supreme Italian pizza, have a romantic date in Italian style with backdrop of dreamy canzone, while appreciating unbelievably creamy artisanal gelato or a proper classic Negroni.

From 18th till 28th of May J.J. Strossmayer’s Square in Croatia’s capital will host the second Pizza Festival Zagreb that brings creative and rich gastronomic experience, irresistible music delights, charity events and celebrities.

This unique festival dedicated to the most famous dish in the world will transform Zagreb’s J.J. Strossmayer square into a proper Little Italy. Meticulously selected, experienced team of chefs and pizzaiolos will gather just for this occasion, and offer their newest creations. Apart from pizzas of all kinds and styles that you could imagine, they will delight you with original pastas, sourdough focaccias, and artisanal gelatos.

This truly unique gastronomic experience will be offered by: Mrs. Fogg pizzeria and bar - with their special Festival edition of pizzas in baking tin: Margherita, signature Pizza Bacon-Friarelli, Pepperoni, and one special kind every day. The uniqueness of their pizza, among other things, lies in the five-day fermentation of the dough, love and enthusiasm. Italian restaurant Al Dente will present pizza Contemporanea that is being described as contemporary Napoletana. They will also offer mouthwatering Pizza Fritta.

You can expect to be delighted with creative selection of unparalleled pizzas made by passionate pizza enthusiasts from Pizza Social Club, followed closely by Full Circle Pizza by Marko Palfi i Lana Bene. Marin Medak and RougeMarin will be making five kinds of pizza Siciliana that was one of the greatest hits at last year’s Pizza Festival. Bite of Fun by Melkior Bašic will seduce you with 6 kinds of pizza and 5 kinds of pasta. Specialty that they are keen to share with you is Wheel of Cheese pasta - homemade pasta immersed in a wheel of Grana Padano cheese. Poma Food Boutique will amaze you with completely new and creative concept and tastes of their Sourdough Focaccias: Pistachio, Roastbeef, Truffle and Caprese. With the rising trend of plant-based diet, flexitarian way of living, caring about environment and our bodies Beg’s Plant Based are fully dedicated and invested in becoming a small window of big plant-based world out there. They will amaze you with combinations like Meet The Fig and Beg’s Salmon & Avocado pizzas, and are welcoming everyone - whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or a hardcore meat lover - because for all of you they have something of interest. To complete this Festa Italiana there will be Pizza Fritta - Ispirato al Napoli and Luxury Gelato Pri suncu with their artisanal premium ice creams. You will be able to enjoy full flavour and balanced textures of perfectly smooth and creamy pistachio, almond and honey, Baileys, white chocolate with cinnamon and cocoa. They will also offer Croatia’s first popsicles.

The musical part of programe Festa Italiana is created by Ozren Kanceljak and is entirely dedicated to Italian music. On Thursday, the 18th of May DJ Kanca will entertain you with FESTA FELICITÀ, programme that includes hits from Dean Martin to Maneskin. On Friday the 19th of May you can enjoy in TUTTI FRUTTI BY DJ Robert Mareković, Saturday 20th of May is reserved for a musical delight by The Griff ZUCCHERO Celebration Band - genius musicians from Istria and their frontman Goran Griff Kauzlarić. This singer-songwriter, talented guitar and sax player also looks like a twin brother of Zuchhero and promises you unforgettable night of fun.

Sunday the 21st of May will be hosting Festa Domenica, Monday the 22nd L’ITALIANO, Tuesday 23rd PORTO AZZURRO, and on Wednesday the 24th of May GIORNO FESTIVO. After DJ Kanca’s BUONA SERA onThursday the 25th, on Friday the 26th you can dance at GLORIA PARTY by DJ Stanko Bondža. Saturday the 27th is reserved for DJ Filip Jelaš and Jovannotti Beach Party. Festival will end on Sunday, the 28th of May with FESTA DOMENICA.

To make sure that nobody stays thirsty there will be Gingle Bells with their amazing signature cocktails, Šoškić Winery will present their new premium wines and a Central Bar will offer you ice cold Staropramen beer.

We are extremly proud to be able to announce Celebrity Pizza Challenge for Down Association. During 18th, 23rd, 24th and 25th for two hours (14-16h) celebrities will be making their own signature pizzas. By trying pizzas made by actor Goran Bogdan, influencer Sandi Pego, TV presenters Antonija Blaće and Minea you will contribute to Down Association - those are more than great reasons not to miss this challenge. During the whole Festival there will be Zagi Kids Zone - offering creative workshops, magician shows, trampoline and bungee trampoline.

Join us at this unique Festa Italiana starting on the 18th of May at 14:00 hours when the Festival will be officially opened by an Italian Embassy representative. Come and visit every day from noon till midnight, entrance is free and a smile on your face is guaranteed.

Follow us on our socials for daily updates

https://www.facebook.com/pizzafestivalzagreb

https://www.instagram.com/pizzafestivalzg/

May 7, 2023 - Brothers Martin and Valent Sinković won the double sculls gold medal at the World Rowing Cup, which is held at Jarun Lake in Zagreb.

They led from the start of the race, followed closely by Spaniards Aleix Garcia Pujolar and Rodrigo Conde Romero, who eventually finished the race in second place.

The Sinković Brothers achieved a time of 06:16.74, and in the end, the Spaniards were a little less than four seconds behind. In third place was the Serbian crew of Aleksandar Beđik and Aleksandar Filipović.

"This is our first victory this season; there is no better audience, no better athletes than Croats. I'm still emotional; this is wonderful. Our city, our audience. Thank you all. We knew the Spaniards would be fast; they were second in the world, but this proves that we are still better. As agreed, we hit the finish line in the end. Thank you once again to everyone who came to cheer us on," said Martin Sinković for HRT.

Valent added:

"This is something special; we will remember this for the rest of our lives. We have never experienced this, such a thrashing in the last 200 meters that my heart is full—everything we did paid off. Guys, thank you. Everywhere we looked, our fans supported us from the start, but in the last 200 meters, when we heard that noise, we decided to step up even more. This is great." 

Sisters Ivan and Josipa Jurković finished the race in third place in coxless pairs. Three crews competed in the final, and first place was taken by Spaniards Aina Cid and Esther Briz Zamorano (7:16.49). Czech representatives Radka Novotnikova and Pavlina Flamikova won silver (7:17:22), and the Jurković sisters took third place (7:36.73).

Brothers Patrik and Anton Lončarić took fourth place in coxless pairs (06:38.81). Swiss team Roman Roeoesli and Andrin Gulich won gold (06:30.98).

Source: HRT

To follow the latest sports news in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

Zagreb, May 5, 2023 - As part of the 4th editon of Zagreb Clown Festival, May 11^th to 14^th, world-famous clowns are bringing laughter, fun and good vibes to Croatian audiences!

KUC Travno is hosting Zagreb Clown Festival 2023 which will take place from May 11^th to 14th, bringing Croatian audiences the opportunity to enjoy six performances by world-famous figures in the world of clown art. The festival is organized by Triko Cirkus Teatar, and this year the theme is perseverance. The theme will be delivered in six different clown shows coming from USA, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Serbia, France and Croatia. In addition to the performances, the audience will also be able to participate in a panel about the regional clown scene. The panel will be moderated by Barnaby King, and there will also be a master class in clowning and physical comedy by the world-famous artist John Towsen. The festivals’ Clown Cafes will be open for visitors and friends and will give an opportunity for all to communicate, exchange experinece and meet artists.

From May 11^th to 14^th , the 4^th edition of Zagreb Clown Festival will be held in the Travno Cultural Center (KUC Travno). Zagreb will host world-famous names of physical comedy and clown art. According to Iva Peter-Dragan, the artistic director of Triko Cirkus Theater, the organizer of the festival, the theme of this year's festival is perseverance and everything that term implies as a term in everyday life. In the 4th edition of this unique festival in Croatia, the organizers have prepared a great international program with a special EX YU block of performances and John Towsen's clowning and physical comedy master class, which will be held from May 11^th to 13^th as part of the festival. "Preparations for this year's festival began last year with the call for artists. We received more than 50 applications, and based on the theme of the festival, which is perseverance, we selected those that best fit the entire theme and that we found are of exceptional artistic value. The topic is extremely important for a clown. Everyone involved in clowning knows this. Not only is the art of clowning quite marginalized itself, but perseverance in clowns hides in abandoning the most logical patterns of behavior and showing his way of tackling a problem or a challenge and achieving success. This sometimes requires a lot more energy than if we had decided to act ”normally”. But, also investing that energy creates a lot of fun and very often comic situations arise from it. Perserverance in order to make the audience laugh and everything that happens in our failures in order to achieve it, that is the clown's way that leads to success, and that is why it is the theme of this year's festival", explained Iva Peter-Dragan, organizer of Zagreb Clown Festival.

The festival program includes six shows that will make us laugh

During the four days of the festival, the audience will be able to enjoy six shows performed by artists from the USA, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Serbia, France and Croatia. The first day brings the Italian artist Angela Delfini. She will "explain everything to us" in her comedy called "Angela Delfini will explain everything to you". A day later, on May 12th, the Serbian artist Stefan Ostojić brings to the stage his folklore-clown solo show "Lala" to share with us the love for tradition, culture and the history of his native region - Northern Banat and the city of Kikinda in a way that the audience has never seen before. On the same day in front of KUC Travno, Triko Cirkus Teatar will perform their clown show "MMMaid", in which two maids, instead of working as a theme, see each other as competition. The day ends with the Slovenian artist Tina Janežič and her show "The Chair Tamer" who has a special relationship with her chair. On the third day, May 13th, there is a special surprise for those over 18. The world-famous clown troupe The Hot Clown Company from Chicago will take the stage, and their witty performance will have its premiere in Zagreb. The name of the show is "Hot Clown Sex", and the organizers say that it is definitely worth watching. The program of the 4th Zagreb Clown Festival closes on May 14^th with the performance of Tanja Simma, an Austrian clown who will introduce herself to the audience with her hit show "Anna de Lirium - Live Concert!" Anna will make us laugh in her recognizable, authentic way as a wild and lovable clown.

Zagreb becomes the meeting place of the world clown scene with the 4th edition of Zagreb Clown Festival

In the official program of the festival, the audience will be able to participate in a panel moderated by Barnaby King on the state of the regional clown scene. Barnaby King is a world-famous clown and the founder of the "Clown Spirit" platform, which unites clowns around the world and offers both practical and theoretical education. "Festivals are places for socializing and networking, and the arrival of Barnaby King is important for our festival and its recognition in the world. During the festival, he will broadcast live interviews with the participants, and the play "MMMaid" will be broadcasted live as well on his channel Clown Spirit. I am also happy and honored to have John Towsen with us this year. John is the author of a legendary book on clowns “The Clowns”. Lee Delong, an actress and clown who played on the biggest Parisian stages will join us too and the festival also brings a play directed by Jango Edwards, the indispensable figure of the clown theater of our time who made a kind of clown revolution with his festival The Festivals of Fools. With this festival, Zagreb really becomes the centre of the world clown scene", Peter-Dragan pointed out.

During the etire time of the festival, the CLOWN CAFFE will be open. Located in Vlaška 92, that will be a meeting place for artists and the audience.

The program of the 4^th edition of Zagreb Clown Festival is supported by the Kultura nova Foundation, the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Culture and Media City of Zagreb.

You can find the complete program on the Triko Circus Theater website: www.trikocirkusteatar.com

Tickets are available at: www.ulaznice.hr.

You can buy group and festival tickets by contacting Triko Circus Theater at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Venue: KUC Travno, Božidara Magovca 17, Zagreb.

May 3, 2023 - The Jarun reconstruction works were worth 3.7 million euros, of which around 2.4 million euros are expected to be covered by the EU Solidarity Fund and the rest from the budget of the City of Zagreb.

As Poslovni writes, Aleja Matija Ljubek on Jarun was renovated after 40 years, and on Saturday, Mayor Tomašević visited it, expressing his satisfaction.

"After 40 years since the Universiade, Aleja Matija Ljubek was finally renovated, and not only was it renovated, but improved, first of all for cyclists, but also for pedestrians," the mayor pointed out.

For the arrival and departure from the Recreation and Sports Center (RSC) Jarun, for the first time, public transport, the ZET bus on weekends, can now be used, he says.

"All visitors doing various activities around Jarun can use the bus, for now, on weekends," said Tomašević, who took a ride on the ZET bus with his colleagues after the press conference.

He said that they managed to withdraw the money for the works on that road from the Solidarity Fund; almost everything done will be financed from that EU fund, so they made savings in the city budget.

He said he is pleased "that we are going to Jarun without a car." As a transitional solution, the number of parking spaces around the lake has been reduced, and the number of parking spaces at the entrances to RSC Jarun on three sides has been increased.

He said that traffic for cars remains in one direction, which was introduced during the time of the previous mayor; however, as we have this weekend - a car-free weekend, the last weekend of every month - will be a car-free weekend and only people will be able to enter the RSC Jarun complex licensed vehicles - official and those for the needs of sports clubs operating within the Jarun complex.

Tomašević said that the transitional period would be one year, after which they plan to completely ban traffic for all vehicles that do not have a license so that RSC Jarun would become the largest new pedestrian and bicycle zone in Zagreb.

"So, for Earth Day, in a year, we expect this transitional period of traffic regulation to end, and that from then on, only vehicles with a permit can enter," Tomašević said.

Significantly expanded bicycle path

Deputy Mayor Danijela Dolenec reminded that the works on the reconstruction of Aleja Matija Ljubek opened at the beginning of February. Even then, they said it was a historical reconstruction of that thoroughfare because it had never been renovated since its creation 40 years ago. She pointed out that the works were used to significantly improve the entire traffic regulation on the lake and to announce the future direction of that regulation.

She noted that there are three main features of the new traffic regulation. The two-way bike path has been significantly expanded and is now on the lake's inner edge, making it much safer. It is also separated by a protective belt along the entire road along the lake.

Also, many parking spaces around Lake Jarun were removed, and new parking spaces were opened at several locations at the entrances to the lake. New parking spaces were created on Hrvatskog Sokola Street, a parking lot was opened next to the entrance to the lake, and a parking lot was arranged on the south side of the lake on Petrovaradinska Street.

The key novelty they want to promote is the bus line. Dolenec said that there was a bus line 113 from Remiza that ran around Hrgovići and turned at Hrgovići Street, and now it makes a circuit around the lake on weekends. There are 11 bus stops in total. "It is another way in which we promote the idea of public transport and, above all, the use of Lake Jarun as a recreation center," said Dolenec.

She also pointed out that the result of the cooperation with the coalition partner SDP agreed upon in the city budget for 2023 is that the City ordered two studies - the spatial programming of RSC Jarun and the lake desilting study. They hope to have these two studies by the end of the year, which will further enable activities on improving RSC Jarun.

Dolenec also announced that the Rowing World Cup would be held on Jarun next weekend.

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