November 20, 2022 - Good things are happening in the food and wine scene in Zagreb County, with Dani Okusa (Days of Flavours) currently underway and offering a delightful introduction. 

One of the many joys of moving to Zagreb last year has been the chance to be able to explore Zagreb County in greater detail. It is a county which is often ignored, but as I quickly realised, one full of several surprises. Who would have thought, for example, that you do not have to go all the way to Istria to hunt for truffles - they are right there in the forests of Turopolje close to Velika Gorica and the airport, and they can be best experienced in the excellent Mon Ami restaurant in Velika Gorica. Want to see what a Zagreb truffle hunting experience is like? Check out our trip in Move Over Istria: the Rise of Zagreb Truffle Hunt Tourism.

The region's wines are also a surprise, most notably the Plesivica region, with its unique micro climate, the spakling wine capital of Croatia. These wines were best showcased in the recent promo video, Taste above All, which has been winning awards from Zagreb to Lisbon. You can see it above. 

And the publication earlier this year of the Gault&Millau guide to the restauants of Zagreb and surroundings put the spotlight on some of the excellent restaurants in the county for the first time in a guide in English. Check out the best restaurants in Zagreb County in Around Zagreb: Meet the Top 12 Gault & Millau Restaurants in Zagreb County.

November is an excellent month to explore, as it coincides with the annual Dani Okusa (Days of Flavour) event, which brings restauants from all over Croatia together into a project offering their specialities at promotional prices with fixed menus. The Zagreb County offering, which runs until November 28, was presented this week at the Zagreb County Tourist Board office in Zagreb to the media. 

The Zagreb County Tourist Board has presented the program of the third National Taste of Croatian Tradition Days, which will be held from November 18 to 28, 2022.

Angemahtec, wild boar risotto, dumplings, boiled buncek and stewed greens, baked štrukli, young roasted boar, garlic, venison stew, cream cheese, porcini soup, strudel, vineyard soup, Turopolska pig's cheeks are only a small part of the menu in nine restaurants from the area of ​​Zagreb County, holder of the Tastes of Traditions of the Zagreb Region standard, where the National Days of Tastes of Croatian Traditions are held from November 18 to 28 this year.

At reasonable prices, visitors will be able to enjoy two different menus of three courses at prices of HRK 115.00 (€15.26), HRK 125.00 (€16.59), HRK 155.00 (€20.57) and HRK 195.00 (€25.88).

The standard bearers of the Tastes of tradition in the Zagreb area are hospitality establishments: Vinogradarska kuća Braje (Jastrebarsko), Restaurant Samoborska klet (Samobor), Kos-Jurišić Wine Excursion (Sveti Ivan Zelina), Farmhouse Stara preša (Šenkovec), Restaurant Mon Ami (Velika Gorica). and Bistro Babriga (Velika Gorica), and this year Restaurant Ivančić (Jastrebarsko), Krčma "Gabreku 1929" (Samobor) and Izletište Suhina (Sveta Nedelja) joined this year, also holders of the Tastes of Tradition of Zagreb area standard.

"Considering that food and drink in the global tourism market is one of the main motives for travel, a great potential for exploiting synergies and planned development has been identified. Tourists want to get to know the local gastronomy and offer, and thus experience the destination," said Ivana Alilović, director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, adding that "the Zagreb County Tourist Board is strengthening precisely through the synergy of all stakeholders in the tourism value chain through the third national project Days of Taste of Croatian Tradition developing the concept of food and drink, that is, the strategic approach adopted in the Sustainable Tourism Strategy 2030."

By the way, the national Tastes of Croatian Tradition Days are jointly organized by the county tourism boards in cooperation with local restaurateurs, holders of the Tastes of Croatian Tradition standard, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and Sports. More than one hundred catering establishments from twelve different areas are included in the project.

November 6, 2022 - More success for Zagreb County's wine promotional film, this time at ART&TUR in Portugal. 

Good things are happening around Zagreb...

There has been considerable promotion of the goumet scene in Zagreb County in recent times, part of the strategy to better connect the county with the city through the excellent Around Zagreb initiative. The year started with the presentation of the Gault & Millau Zagreb restaurant guide, which included many restaurants from the county in an English guide for the first time, and it has been a very useful addition to to the city's culinary scene. And the year is now ending with more recognition, this time for yet one more award for the excellent Zagreb County wine promotional film, Taste above Everything, which has just picked up its second presitigious award at ART&TUR in Portugal, a short time after success at the Zagreb TourFilm Festival, as previously reported on TCN.

The official press release below.

The wine film of the Tourist Board of Zagreb County entered the top 10 in the world with awards at these two festivals

The best wine film of the Zagreb TourFilm Festival "Taste above Eveything" of the Zagreb County Tourist Board won another international award at the prestigious XV International Tourism Film Festival ART&TUR in Portugal. At the awards ceremony, which took place on Friday, October 28, 2022, in the city of Ourém, in competition with tourist films from as many as 16 countries, the film "Taste above Everything " was awarded a silver award for second place in the Wine Tourism category, thus with awards at these two festivals, entered the top 10 in the world.

ART&TUR as well as ZAGREB TOUR FILM FESTIVAL are members of CIFFT (International Association of Tourist Film Festivals), an organization that evaluates the best tourist films in the world.

With awards from prestigious international tourist film festivals, the destination film Tastes first and foremost, created in cooperation with the Zagreb County Tourist Board and the production company Sekunda, is a strong move and incentive in the promotion of tourism and the wine roads of Zagreb County. "Being among the top 10 best tourist films in the world is a great recognition for the Tourist Board of Zagreb County and a great compliment to our work of three and a half years, as well as to destination marketing and the direction we have set. The wine roads of Zagreb County were introduced to many festival participants and the expert jury through the film, which allowed us to successfully continue the promotion of the unforgettable locations of our county," said the director of the Tourist Board of Zagreb County, Ivana Alilović. "In addition to destination campaigns such as the Via VINO film festival in the vineyards and wineries of the county, which we have been successfully conducting for the last two years, we are glad that our activities in the promotion of tourism in Zagreb County have been recognized and rewarded on international markets."

A particularly important award from the wine country, Portugal

For a wine-themed film, the awards of film festivals in wine countries are especially important. Portugal is one of the most important European wine destinations, which makes the award from the ART&TUR festival even more important in the international promotion of Zagreb County's wine routes.

"Participation in international film festivals, where the films of the world are evaluated together and the best ones are chosen, is a strong indicator of how well you can convey a message through a film. On the production side, we are proud of the success in the international film competition, where we were able to highlight the destination of the wine roads of Zagreb County and, together with the Tourist Board of Zagreb County, make a film that was awarded at all the film festivals where it was submitted," said the film's producer, Martina Miličević.

This year's films were evaluated by an expert jury of 35 members from numerous countries around the world, from Brazil, Mauritius, Iran to Canada. The Croatian representative in the jury, Spomenka Saraga, film producer and director of the Zagreb Tour Film Festival did not hide her enthusiasm and pride for the award-winning films submitted from Croatia. "Croatia presented itself in the best possible way, several Croatian tourist films were shown on the big screen, which entered the competition for one of the awards, and in addition to the film program, accompanying activities were also prepared for festival guests, such as a tasting workshop that showed how wine and extra virgin olive oil, the perfect accompaniment to film art and tourism. The sugar in the end was definitely the four prizes that went to Croatia. I am proud of the fact that thanks to the Zagreb Tourfilm Festival, the trainings held with the support of the Croatian Tourist Board, these excellent films got the chance to compete and eventually win significant awards. I hope that this will be a wind at everyone's back and that these and other Croatian tourist films will continue to be submitted to festivals and win a number of awards. I congratulate the awardees and the Tourist Board of Zagreb County on the film "Taste above Eveything", which was another wine and gastronomic invitation to the guests of the festival in Portugal to come to Zagreb and its surroundings and the next Zagreb Tourfilm Festival.

(Ivana Alilovic with the award at Zagreb Toufilm Festival)

Watch the award-winning wine film of Zagreb County!

The film takes us through the preparation of the wine cellar of the Šoškić family, the production of genuine wines by the Tomac family, otherwise the first ecologically certified winery in Zagreb County, which recently completed the construction of an impressive new winery. In the film, you will also see the fairy-tale manor house Nespesh, on the Zelina wine road, where the Litterarii winery is located today. The bearers of the tradition of Zagreb County's wine roads are families that have been producing wine for generations, such as the Kos winery.

In the Braja vineyard house, we follow the preparation of the homemade Plešivica copanjek, and the free domestic animals on the slopes of Žumberac are a reminder that the genuine wines of the Zagreb County follow the originality of the ingredients found on the menus of recognized restaurants.

October 17 2022 - The steady and effective promotion continues to attract attention, as the Zagreb County Wine Roads promo video, Tastes above Everything, wins best wine video at this year's Zagreb Tourfilm Festival.  

A nice thing is happening around the Croatian capital - more and more people are discovering the Zagreb County Wine Roads, which offer a very diverse tasting experience just a short drive from the city centre. The three wine roads of Samobor, Zelina and Plesivica offer an array of grapes, styles and presentations, including Croatia's premier sparkling wine production.

But rather than wait for visitors to show up, there has been excellent promotion of the region's wine potential in recent years, with some truly innovative initiatives such as the recent Via Vino month of open cellars, combined with art, music, cinema and culture. Where else in the world, for example, could you watch the premiere of the new James Bond movie last year, while sitting in a picturesque vineyard on straw bales, covered in blankets, which sampling roasted chestnuts and sipping young Portugiesac wine? 

That effective promotion has continued on YouTube, with a truly excellent promotion of the Zagreb Country Wine Roads in the shape of the official promo video, Okusi prije svega (Tastes above Everything). Released earlier this year, the video beautifully captures the region's nature and rich gastronomy. It was nominated for last week's Zagreb Tourfilm Festival, and with an excellent conclusion, winning Best Wine Film. The dynamic regional tourist board director, Ivana Alilovic, was on hand to collect the award.

The official press release below. 

The Tourist Board of Zagreb County won the award for the best wine movie

The Zagreb County Tourist Board's destination film, Tastes above Everything, which introduces the audience to the rich, eno-gastronomic offer of the wine roads on the festive occasion at the Zagreb Tour Film Festival awards, and on Friday, October 14, it was declared the best wine film. In the competition, 106 films and works of audiovisual production that promote tourism aspects of the tourist destination, an expert jury made up of relevant domestic and international experts, first of all, he awarded the film Okusi the award for the best promotional tourist film in the category of eno-gastro tourism.

"First of all, we prepared the destination film Tastes with the aim of giving our guests and visitors the chance to bring Zagreb County closer to the inextricable link of wine roads and gastronomy that is cherished here for centuries. Zagreb County is a well-known destination for enjoying local gastronomy and fresh, indigenous foods that naturally complement the wine offer. We are extremely proud that our work is followed in the tourist community of Zagreb County, and the great results of our winemakers, winners of numerous international awards for their recognition excellence of the wine," said the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, Ivana Alilović.

With this award from the Zagreb wine route countries, the winemakers themselves, but also the restaurants and producers of domestic products that accompany them, have achieved recognition in the international competition of the best tourist films in the world. Preparation of vinjak, care of the vines of the first ecologically certified winery in Zagreb County or the flavors of tradition - all this awaits you at its best wine film. The production of the film was entrusted to Martina Miličević, a multiple award-winning producer of tourist films. "The main actors in the Zagreb County destination film are themselves winemakers. Without preparation, they proudly stood in front of the cameras and showed what they truly have to offer visitors. I believe that it is the most sincere form of promotion, an experience that is truly expected of each visitor. Conceptually, we wanted to show how destination wine roads also include the unforgettable nature that surrounds them, the wealth of fresh food available in the narrow circle of the county, and that to explore the world of wine, you just need to start."

The film takes us through the preparation of vinjak by the Šoškić family, the production of sincere wines by the Tomac family, by the way, the first ecologically certified winery in the area of ​​Zagreb County, which recently completed the construction of an impressive new winery. In the film, you will also see the fairy-tale mansion Nespesh, on the Zelina wine road where the Litterarii winery is located today. Bearers of the traditional wine roads of Zagreb County are families that have been producing wine for generations, such as the Kos winery. In the Braje winegrower's house, we follow the preparation of the local Plešivica copanjek and free-range domestic animals on the slopes of Žumberac are a reminder of the genuine wines of Zagreb the county also monitors the authenticity of the ingredients found on the menus of recognized restaurants.

Learn more about the Zagreb County Wine Roads on the official regional tourism board website.

September 4, 2022 - Director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board, Ivana Alilović, spoke in the Novi Dan program of N1 television about the tourist season in her county. Zagreb County as a year-round destination, she said, has exceptional results.

As Index writes, they reached the level of 89 percent of 2019 as far as arrivals are concerned, but they have exceeded overnight stays by one percent.

She pointed out that the camps proved to be good destinations to go to. She cited the example of Sveta Nedelja, as well as the area of ​​Velika Gorica, which has the most hotels, and Plešivica proved to be a good combination not only for the wine story, but also for a safe stay in nature.

Zagreb County Tourist Board

Alilović added that more than 90 percent of arrivals are individual. She highlighted the arrival of tourists from Scandinavian countries.

Not a mass destination

"More and more tourists are coming looking for green and sustainable, and we have that. We try to capture the element of sustainability with the activities and European projects we implement. We are not a mass destination and I don't think we will ever be".

"The coexistence of our residents is important to us, what they can invest and get out of it. We will try to nurture the tradition found here," said Alilović. She added that they are moving towards offering quality to every guest and creating sustainability. "This is a big difference compared to previous years. It is important that we stand behind what we offer," she emphasised.

Zagreb County Tourist Board

They are promoting the project "From farm to table". There are more than 14 thousand OPGs in the area of ​​Zagreb County. She believes that all those who taste Zagreb dishes will return. Via Vino, Alilović added, is an award-winning event which opened the the doors of the county's wineries for the second time. In order to become an attractive destination, they also introduced attractive events such as a movie theater under the stars in the vineyards.

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

June 19, 2022 - Croatia's emerging medical tourism industry has some rather unique features, including good news for those battling skin diseases - Europe's only naphthalene oil. 

The story begins with a legend of a camel far, far away in a time gone by on the fabled Silk Road. A camel on one of the many caravans travelling on the famous trade route collapsed due to disease and exhaustion. Figuring out that there was not much they could do apart from making the camel comfortable, the merchants of the caravan left the camel in the shade in an oasis next to a large, dark lake, then departed on their way. Unable to stand, the poor camel slipped and fell into the dark lake. 

Months passed. The merchants passed the oasis again, this time in the opposite direction with the returning caravan, and they were astonished to find the camel alive and well, relaxing in the shade of the oasis. Noticing the darker colour of the camel due to the lake, the merchants concluded that the lake must have some magical healing powers, and they scooped up some of the dark liquid and continued on their journey. 

And that is how naftalan, or naphthalene, came to be discovered. It soon became highly sought-after in eastern medicine as a remedy for skin diseases, and came into regular use in eastern medicine in the 19th century. But it could only be found in the oil-producing country of Azerbaijan, where the city of Naftalan was founded. Marco Polo paid tribute to it on his Silk Road travels 700 years earlier. 

And then, in the 1970s, far, far away in a country called Croatia (ironically the country of Polo's birth), a well of naphthalene oil was found close to the town of Ivanic Grad (which has its own oil-producing heritage), currently the only place in Europe apparently where one can find this dermatological treasure. 

The unusual discovery is attributed to the remnants of what was once the mighty Pannonian Sea. Naphthalene oil has been formed from biological, organic material by the deposition of the remains of dead microorganisms, more precisely phytoplankton, zooplankton, bacteria, algae and higher terrestrial plants on the bottom of the sea or lake, where they were covered with mineral particles. 

Yet another unique treasure for Croatia!

Such a treasure indeed that in 1989 Special Hospital Naftalan was opened near Ivanic Grad, just 30 kilometres from Zagreb. In the last 30+ years, it has become a haven for patients with various skin complaints, and the team at Naftalan have successfully added a range of products and treatments. 

Through years of work, the experts of Special Hospital Naftalan have developed naphthalene therapy, which was proven efficient for treating psoriasis, an unpleasant chronic disease, and the related psoriatic arthritis. Naphthalene has anti-inflammatory and desensitizing properties and affects the metabolism of proteins and electrolytes.

The treatment includes specific, unique procedures - baths in naphthalene tubs, iontophoresis with naphthalene, mastic therapy (a healing mixture of naphthalene, paraffin, and camphor helps to reduce pain and to recover after suffering a brain stroke), ultrasound combined with naphthalene or with phototherapy.

In addition to all the medical therapies, the hospital has developed an impressive range of cosmetic products based on naphthalene oils, creams, and shampoos, created and produced by the Naftalan subsiduary, Ivalan Terme. The aim is to develop the range into a full cosmetic line to satisfy the needs of customers with dry or problematic skin.

Naftalan is the only hospital in Europe and one of the few in the world to provide treatment for skin and inflammatory rheumatic diseases using a unique natural resource - naphthalene mineral oil. Since opening its doors over 30 years ago, the special hospital has enjoyed considerable success and expansion, treating over 20,000 patients in that time. A high number of those guests come from Scandinavia, Germany, Italy and Russia. 

Naftalan boasts 137 beds, of which 26 are luxury. The general facilities have been expanded, and one can now find a complex with three indoor and one outdoor pool, a new kitchen and restaurant, gym and multifunctional hall. There is a swimming school for children, recreational swimming, hydromassage, water exercises, Pilates and other fitness programs are available to both Naftalan patients and citizens. The pools are open to the public from 07:00 to 21:00. 

- Health tourism is an important link in the tourism of our county, and Naftalan is certainly a diver in terms of capacity, significant investments and the tradition that the spa has. The key social challenges for the development of health tourism are the growth of costs of the EU health system, prevention and new forms of treatment and personalized medicine, demographic changes through constant aging and the need for a healthier lifestyle. Zagreb County is also recognized as the fastest-growing health tourism destination in the European Union and is considered a high-income industry that then vertically binds and strengthens many other segments important for the accelerated development of the entire region, points out the director of the Zagreb County Tourist Board Ivana Alilovic.

In addition to the dermatology offer, there are also 4 specialists working in the Department for Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, with programmes for inflammatory rheumatic diseases, post-traumatic and post-operative care, and degenerative changes of joints and spine and vertebrogenic pain syndromes.

There are also 27 physiotherapists working on a range of modern physical therapies - combined with electrotherapy, kinetic therapy, massage, hydrotherapy with underwater massage and a pool with running thermal mineral water, accompanied by naphthalene therapy with electronically conducted process of regeneration and sterilisation of naphthalene.

The gyms are equipped with exercise machines, tubs for underwater massage, a space for naphthalene therapy with 24 tubs, a pool with thermal water, machines for thermotherapy (therapy with paraffin, naphthalene and camphor) and criotherapy, a room for massage, a cosmetic salon, a wellness zone with saunas, a whirlpool and a laconium.

An excellent addition to Croatia's medical tourism story, and one which owes its thanks to a camel all those years ago. One wonders how quickly the camel would have recuperated in Ivanic Grad...

You can learn more about the unique Naftalan offer on the official website. 

To learn more about what is on offer with health tourism in Croatia, check out the Total Croatia Health Tourism in a Page guide. 

April 18, 2022 - Easter weekend marked the peak of preparations for the World Rally Championship - WRC Croatia Rally 2022, the largest sporting spectacle and one of the most-watched sporting events in the world, which will take place from April 21-24, 2022

About 250 trucks will equip the competitors and the Service Park. In addition, more than 300 people will stretch and install over 6 km of cables, 7 km of fences, and over 800 m of water installations. The expected total electricity consumption will be about 1.2 MWh, which is needed to turn the Zagreb Fair into a Fan Zone of the WRC Croatia Rally 2022 Service Park, the center of the motorsport world next week.

The organizers are aware of their significant impact not only on economic activity and consumption but also on the environment, so this year with the help of scientists from the Faculty of Transport Sciences and the Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute, they will find ways to maximize their efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

As the organizers of this year's WRC Croatia Rally announced, visitors can expect rich content along the track and in the Fan Zones. The largest Fan Zone Service Park (Zagreb Fair) will be the first to start operating on Tuesday, April 19, and will be open for six days until April 24, when the final party is expected in the evening. There, visitors will be able to see a real small town built by the teams of the best rally drivers of today, cars and service areas of top competitors, and observe their final preparations and maintenance of cars during the competition. As part of the accompanying program, motorsports fans will be able to buy Croatia Rally souvenirs and swag from the top teams and the WRC, enjoy the food offered, DJs, and famous music performers, and try their skills on game consoles and simulators. In addition, drivers participating in the Croatia Rally 2022 will sign autographs on Tuesday, April 19, and Wednesday, April 20, and hold Meet the Crews on Thursday, April 21, Friday, April 22, and Saturday, April 23, during which they will give statements on the big stage for the audience. You can download the detailed program via the link https://rally-croatia.com/hr/gledatelji/sluzbeni-program.

Tickets for all six Fan Zones with the best views of the most beautiful passages are on sale via ulaznice.hr/web/. In all Fan Zones, visitors can expect a rich food offer and varied all-day entertainment with sports, watching the entire race on large video walls with comments and explanations from the program's host. A complete four-day package that includes accommodation for €215 and up can be purchased through the Btravel agency: https://www.btravel.pro/en/wrc/.

Due to the limited number of parking spaces at the locations and possible crowds that could affect the race and the organizers' efforts to minimize their impact on the environment, the organizers ask visitors to connect with friends, relatives, and acquaintances wherever possible. They arrive at the location together, at least 3 hours before the start of the competition. Access to speed tests from both directions, start and finish, will not be possible even on foot in the last 30 minutes before the start of the speed test.

About the WRC Croatia Rally
WRC Croatia Rally will be held from April 21-24 at 20 attractive special stages through five Croatian counties - Zagreb, Karlovac, Krapina-Zagorje, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, and Varaždin. The ceremonial start and finish and the driver's park will be located in Zagreb. This year, a record number of spectators is expected at a sporting event in the country. Namely, according to the organizers, special fan zones and the track will be followed by more than 350,000 people, whose arrival is expected from Europe and many countries. At the competition in April, fans of octane attractions will be able to see the revolutionary new generation of hybrid Rally1 vehicles, first presented at the beginning of the season. Thanks to the excellent organization of the race and its features, including environmental protection, Croatia has been mentioned many times as a real surprise in the WRC calendar. The event is supported by numerous partners, local governments, tourist boards, and other institutions, including the Government of the Republic of Croatia and the City of Zagreb.

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

March the 31st, 2022 - A set of brand new public services for Zagreb County bus transport have been presented, with the actual needs of the wider county's inhabitants properly taken into account when it comes to public transport.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes, along with the representatives of Zagreb County, the Municipality of Kravarsko and the Coordination of Internal Public Regular Road Passenger Transport at the Croatian Employers' Association (HUP), some new public services for Zagreb County bus transport was presented.

It is a model that enables the introduction of new and the renewal of some old bus lines with the aim of providing better transport connections and ensuring more mobility of the local population. Despite the secured budget funds of the state, Zagreb County is the first county in Croatia to provide its resident population with a larger number of lines and departures and ensure the better connectivity of more rural areas. According to the representatives of the local community, as well as the bus carriers themselves, this model is crucial for the survival of smaller rural areas that are threatened by an ongoing demographic catastrophe. Kravarsko is, as they point out, an example of how public transport can offer momentum and provide a spring in the step for a population that faced a devastating earthquake two years ago.

The mayor of Kravarsko, Vlado Kolarec, stated that residents of the area over which he governs have been using the new services of the Zagreb County bus transport offer for three months now.

"The public bus transport service is necessary for the long-term perspective of our municipality. Our locals are better connected, they're mobile, they can stay in their homes where they grew up. I'm glad to see the positive changes that public transport has brought with it,'' said the Mayor, praising the cooperation with the county and local bus carriers who showed unwavering readiness to help during the height of the coronavirus crisis.

A new Zagreb County bus transport timetable which meets the real needs of the local population

In Kravarsko, the population uses Autoturist buses from Samobor, whose procurator is Franjo Grguric: "Locals rely heavily on our buses because there's been no alternative transport for them to use. Several times, after the announcement of the abolition of certain lines, we received desperate calls from people who quite simply could no longer go to work or provide education for their kids. We want to continue to unite Croatia, so thank you to Zagreb County for recognising this need. I hope that others will follow that example."

"Better and more accessible public transport services, especially in rural areas, is the reason why we were the first in Croatia to sign almost 90 million kuna worth of two-year contracts with our bus carriers," said Zagreb County Deputy Prefect Damir Tomljenovic, who added that their lines are constantly growing and that the Zagreb County bus transport system's timetable will continue to be adjusted to meet the real needs of the population.

All of the legal preconditions have been provided for the implementation of this public service model in Croatia, as have the necessary financial resources - 428 million kuna per year from the state budget. It is a model that operates very well across almost all EU countries and systematically solves the problem of both bus carriers and people.

Hrvoje Mestrovic, President of HUP-Coordination of Public Line Passenger Transport, pointed out that bus carriers continue to be in a crisis situation, and rising fuel prices, inflation and the pandemic are endangering the work of the transport sector as a whole. This public service model, Mestrovic explained, therefore helps the local population, but also the bus carriers themselves, to continue performing activities which are of wider social interest.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 15, 2022 - The best Zagreb County Gault & Millau chefs were presented today at Korak Winery to promote the first "2022 Gault & Millau Zagreb and surroundings" guide.

The promotion of the first "2022 Gault & Millau Zagreb and surroundings" gastro guide organized by the Zagreb County Tourist Board was held today at the Korak Winery. Gault & Millau encourages sustainable tourism, i.e., that small food and wine producers and restaurants remain dedicated to the food and dishes of their region. Zagreb County has a rich tradition in gastronomy because it has several products with a mark of origin. Although it is the destiny of every good dish to disappear soon after being prepared, these dishes have the status of a cultural asset precisely because of carefully preserved recipes and a skill passed down from generation to generation as part of a unique local heritage.

"Today, we are grateful to our caterers who, thanks to their dedicated work, are included in the guide, and these yellow chef's caps are a guarantee of proven quality for tourists. Zagreb County is also home to the black truffle, which excellent chefs use and compose with our indigenous cuisine. Food and culture are deeply ingrained in the national identity of Zagreb County. Even the simplest dishes cooked by our grandmothers are real gastronomic specialties because they are prepared from authentic ingredients from family farms. This unique story "from the field to the table" is significant," said the Zagreb County Tourist Board director, Ivana Alilović. She added that they are incredibly proud to have participated in preparing the world gastronomic guide Gault & Millau Croatia in cooperation with the Zagreb Tourist Board to present a part of the authentic gastronomic scene. "I thank Gaul & Millau for believing in the strength and quality of our County's gastronomy."

Zagreb County and the City of Zagreb are top gastro destinations with great wealth. The quality of the food is exceptional, so the idea of expanding the next guide to include family farms and wineries in addition to restaurants will be considered.

"The gastronomic scene of Zagreb and its surroundings has developed especially in recent years, and the city has received many new restaurants with a rich and diverse offer. Certainly, some of them deserve a place in the guide, but they could not be included in this year's print edition due to the limited number. However, they will be presented on the GM website, where the guide's content for the whole of Croatia is available, and it records 2.5 million users and 6 million views a year. The printed edition of Gault & Millau Croatia 2022 for Croatia will be published on April 5. Therefore, the special edition for Zagreb and its surroundings is a real announcement of what awaits us then," said Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, Gault & Millau director for Croatia.

As part of the promotion, awards were given to the best chefs in Zagreb County.

Restaurant Trajbar Team with chef Vlasta Šander won 13 points and two toques. The following were evaluated with 13.5 points and two toques: Restaurant Mon Ami with chef Goran Marko Beus, Restaurant Karlo with chef Karlo Navoj and Restaurant Gabreku with chef Ana Perić. The most significant recognition as the highest-rated restaurant with 16 points and three toques went to Restaurant Korak and chef Bernard Korak.

"Our restaurant nurtures tradition and cuisine not only as an offer but also as a culture of living and creating unique stories and combining our rich heritage and knowledge results in authentic gastronomic experiences recognized by Gault & Millau. This recognition is a great incentive to our work and effort. We have made a big step forward since last year, and I hope that we will continue to do so," said chef Bernard Korak.

After five years in Croatia, Gault & Millau has published its first specialized edition for Zagreb and its surroundings, which is also the announcement of Gault & Millau Croatia 2022, which will be released in early April. The City of Zagreb and Zagreb County thus received their edition of this prestigious gastronomic guide. In addition, for the first time in history, a bilingual (Croatian-English) edition of the guide was published, translated by Morana Zibar. The guide contains reviews and photos of 100 restaurants, taverns, snack bars, POP bars, and pastry shops in Zagreb and the surrounding area. This wide range of catering listings is based on GM's motto, "luxury is in quality, not price."

Gault & Millau is a French restaurant guide founded by two critics, Henri Gault and Christian Millau, in 1965. Gault & Millau rates on a scale of 1 to 20, with 20 being the highest. Points are awarded based on the quality of the food, along with comments on the restaurant's service, price, or atmosphere. Based on this rating, high-ranking restaurants can display one to four toques.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

February 8, 2022 - The Zagreb and Zagreb County Gault & Millau guide has been released for the first time at the initiative of the Zagreb Tourist Board and in cooperation with the Zagreb County Tourist Board.

At the initiative of the Zagreb Tourist Board (TZGZ) and in cooperation with the Zagreb County Tourist Board (TZZŽ), Zagreb and its surroundings received their own edition of one of the most relevant gastronomic guides in the world - Gault & Millau (GM). Thus, for the first time in history, a bilingual (Croatian / English) edition of the guide was published, containing reviews and photos of 100 restaurants, taverns, snack bars, POP bars, and patisseries in Zagreb and the surrounding area, reports Novi List.

The guide was promoted with an awards ceremony for the chefs of the best restaurants in Zagreb. As a result, the Atrium by Filho, Le Bistro, Baltazar, Balon, Tač, Dubravkin put, Bistro Apetit by Marin Rendić, Noel, ManO2, and ManO can be proud of three characteristic chef's hats which suggest they run a high-quality kitchen.

Four caps, or a very high-quality kitchen, was awarded to Zinfandel’s at Esplanade, receiving a 17 out of a possible 20, while at the very top with a respectable 17.5 points is NAV and chef Tvrtko Šakota.

This is the assessment of GM inspectors who visit restaurants undercover, pay for their meals properly and evaluate everything according to GM rules. Šokota of NAV also thanked everyone, primarily colleagues, because, as he said, this is a job that must be loved to do, even at a high level.

"Congratulations to all our caterers who are deservedly included in the first edition of Zagreb, which further valorizes the gastronomic offer of our city. Special congratulations to the 11 award-winning Zagreb chefs, and I believe that their GM ratings and awards will incentivize them to continue striving for excellence in creating the overall gastronomic experience.

Namely, this type of experience is one of the most important motives for the arrival of our guests in Zagreb and its surroundings and the reason for choosing an individual restaurant," said Martina Bienenfeld, director of the Tourist Board.

The Deputy Mayor of the City of Zagreb, Luka Korleat, pointed out that this small but large book shows the Zagreb gastronomic scene in all its diversity.

GM's director for Croatia, Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, pointed out that there are certainly more restaurants that deserve a place in the guide. Still, due to the limited number, they could not be included in this year's selection of the print edition.

"However, they will be presented on the GM website, where the content of the guide for the whole of Croatia is available, and annually records as many as 2.5 million users and six million views," said Badurina Danielsson, noting that the print edition of Gault & Millau Croatia 2022 for the whole Croatia will be published on April 5, 2022.

Gault & Millau was launched in 1965 in France, and today the guide is published in about twenty countries. The yellow labels guarantee quality as GM's motto is "luxury is in quality, not price".

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

January 28, 2022 – The snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022 show a spectacular and all-natural winter wonderland.

Snow finally stuck to the streets of central Zagreb for a couple of days this week. Early morning temperatures dropped to the lowest yet of this winter. Despite the chill, clear skies and sunshine days were enough to see the snow soon melt away.

But, far from the city, the snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022 have kept their white blanket for longer. These all-natural landscapes look epic after the snowfall. For winter walkers and climbers – or even just lovers of photography – these images are way more spectacular than the bright lights and theatre of the Advent season.

Let's take a closer look at the winter wonderland of snowy riversides and magical mountains of Croatia in January 2022.

Gorski Kotar

Delnice, Lokve, Fužine, Stara Sušica, Ravna Gora

© Turistička zajednica Gorskog kotara

© Turistička zajednica Gorskog kotara

From above, Dvorac Stara Sušica © Vladimir Franolić

© Branko Lautar & Višnja Bolf

Jezero Bajer near Fužine © Marino Kirinčić

© Branko Lautar & Višnja Bolf

© Turistička zajednica Gorskog kotara

Another view of Dvorac Stara Sušica © Branko Lautar & Višnja Bolf

Risnjak National Park and Snježnik Hrvatski

© Risnjak National Park

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Snježnik hrvatski © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

For more about Risnjak National Park, look here

Velebit

Northern Velebit National Park

© Dejan Delač

© Dejan Delač

© Vedran Katalinić

For more about Northern Velebit National Park, look here

Velebit Nature Park

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Ljubičko Brdo © Ivan Ćuća-Žentil

Paklenica National Park

© Mario Jurina

Bojinac © Ivan Coric Photography

Bojinac © Ivan Coric Photography

For more about Paklenica National Park, look here

Kloštar Podravski, Podravina and Koprivnica-Križevci County

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

© Ivan Nemet

For more about the Drava river in Koprivnica-Križevci County look here. For more about the area of Podravina containing Kloštar Podravski and Đurđevac, look here

Slavonski Brod

© Mirna Šikić

The wetlands and ponds in Oriovac near Slavonski Brod are not only home to fish - over 50 species of birds visit these waters © Antun Lukšić

For more about Slavonski Brod, look here

Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park

The high peak of Sveti Gera, on the western edge of Žumberak-Samoborsko gorje Nature Park © Domagoj Novosel

The author would like to thank each of the photographers who kindly loaned their work to him for this article