April 23, 2023 - An important date for those interested in the strengthening ties between Croatia and its diaspora - ACAP 2023 (Association of Croatian American Professionals conference) is coming to Zagreb.

Wherever I look, i see shoots of hope for the future of Croatia. 

Entrepreneurs who are becoming more successful at business, a slowing down of the emigration in Osijek and surrounding area, and a much greater engagement from the Croatian diaspora with the young movers and shakers in the Homeland. Not to mention the steady trickle of those in the diaspora who have decided to return to Croatia for its safety, lifestyle and authentic experiences. You can read a number of interviews about their experiences in the TCN section, Croatian Returnee Reflections. 

One of the strongest bonds that has been built across the Atlantic has been with the Association of Croatian-American Professionals (ACAP), which has been doing excellent work promoting Croatia and ties to Croatia since its inception in 2014. The official website describes itself 

The Association of Croatian-American Professionals is an international network of 2,000+ professionals spanning all industries and academic communities.  Since 2014, ACAP has endeavored to connect and inspire Croatian-American professionals from the United States and around the world to exchange ideas and engage in business collaboration while preserving the cultural heritage we all hold dear to our hearts.

ACAP is a non-profit organization created to foster knowledge-sharing, networking, and promoting Croatian and Croatian-American professionals, and trade between the two. We are active in providing opportunities for professional development, promoting trade, bridging businesses and communities, and facilitating networking events. We welcome individuals of non-Croatian heritage who are active in the Croatian community.

And ACAP is coming to Zagreb! This year's ACAP 2023 conference will be held in Croatia for the first time, from July 5-8 in Zagreb, bringing together some of the heavyweights of the diaspora looking to develop more business and connections in Croatia. These include the CEO of the world-famous Cleveland Clinic, Tomislav Mihaljevic. Health tourism is a huge potential for Croatia, which boasts excellent in the field, and ACAP 2023 has made it a large focus of the event, backed by some very influential speakers in the field, including ACAP President, Dr. Steven Zivko Pavletic:

We hope you will be able to join us in Zagreb. Expectations are high and we will need your support to make this conference a full success. We hope to highlight the excellence of Croatian professionals in Zagreb with a force like never before.

More details on the July conference can be found here with the agenda and link to register. 

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What's it like living in Croatia, and where can you get the best survival tips? TCN CEO Paul Bradbury and TCN Editor Lauren Simmonds have teamed up to publish Croatia, a Survival Kit for Foreigners.

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April 19, 2023 - A delightful evening of fine Croatian food and wine, as the Gault&Millau 2023 edition of Croatia's top restaurants.

I have a terrible memory for faces, and I always get a little anxious when I get invited to a big event with hundreds of people in the same room, many of whom I will have met in a different context. It has got me into some embarrassing situations over the years, but occasionally I see a face I haven't seen for a decade and the brain clicks.

And so it was last night, as the highlight of an excellent evening at Hotel Esplanade in Zagreb at the presentation of the 6th edition of the Gault&Millau Croatia guide - a smiling, humble man from Sibenik in his 80s walking towards me. And even more incredibly, he seemed to recognise me, despite it being 11 years since our last meeting. On that occasion, Zdravko Kalabric, the only Croatian member of the World Master Chefs Association, prepared a stunning 10-course replica of the last meal on the Titanic by Lake Jarun on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the ill-fated ship. 

Our first meeting was 11 years ago, soon after I started Total Hvar (and actually the first time I ever appeared in any media in Croatia in this Hvar TV report, above). Kalabric, who left his native Sibenik to try his luck in North America, where he enjoyed a glittering career as a celebrated chef, before returning to his native land and helping the next generation of Croatian chefs to improve their skills, was coaching four young Croatian chefs, who were in training for the 2012 Culinary Olympics in Germany. Here he is, being interviewed, above.

It was a very warm reunion, and it is fair to say that young Zdravko has aged better than me in the last decade.

As for the evening itself, there was plenty of fine wine, food and awards for the best Croatian chefs, a more detailed breakdown of which you can read about below in this press release.

The Chef of the Year, according to the gastronomic guide Gault&Millau Croatia, is Marijo Curić, chef of the Dubrovnik restaurant 360. The Big Chef of Tomorrow trophy was won by two chefs - Saša Began from the Foša restaurant in Zadar and Aleksandar Grubić from the Badi restaurant in Lovrečic near Umag.

The Chef trophy of traditional cuisine went to Tomica Đukić and Damir Josić, chefs of the Josić Winery Restaurant in Zmajevac, while Nenad Kukurin from the Kukuriku restaurant in Kastavo won the Chef Trophy of modern traditional cuisine. The Young Talent of the Year trophy was won by Katarina Vrenc, chef at the Sopal restaurant in Zagreb, and Mate Sučić, owner and chef of Konoba Campanelo in Mirlović Zagora.

Zdravko Kalabrić, the only Croatian chef member of the World Master Chefs Association, won the Trophy for merit in gastronomy, and the Zagreb restaurant Noel received the Trophy for the best service. The Samobor confectionery U prolazo won the Trophy for the best POP restaurant.

In the category of the best restaurants,  celebrated with 4 points, were 360 from Dubrovnik and its chef Marijo Curić, Cap Aureo restaurant and chef Jeffrey Vella, Monte from Rovinj and chef Danijel Đekić, Zagreb's NAV by chef Tvrtko Šakote, Nebo restaurant by chef Denija Srdoč from Rijeka, Sibenik's Pelegrini by chef Rudolf Štefan, Noel restaurant from Zagreb and chef Bruno Vokal, and Zinfandel's restaurant at Esplanade Hotel in Zagreb and chef Ana Grgić Tomić.

Awards to the best restaurants and chefs were presented at an exclusive dinner in the Emerald Hall of the Esplanade Hotel, where more than 90 leading chefs of Croatian restaurants gathered on Tuesday, April 18. The sixth edition of the bilingual international gastronomic guide was also presented, which included 270 top restaurants, 100 POP - popular places (bistros, street food, snack bars, pastry shops) and 100 wines from all over Croatia, and for the first time a selection of the best Croatian olive oils. In the selection of restaurants and POP places, there are 39 new ones, which are included in the guide for the first time.

"We are happy that despite all the challenges our gastronomy faces, awareness of its importance for the development of tourism and the economy is growing, and that some Croatian regions are making additional efforts to encourage their restaurateurs and small food and wine producers to improve the quality of their offerings. We are especially glad that chefs and guests increasingly recognize the relevance of our guide, and we want to thank our partners who support us and believe in the quality of Croatian gastronomy" - said Ingrid Badurina Danielsson, director of the Croatian Gault&Millau.

The guests of the gala ceremony were specially greeted by Nikolina Brnjac, Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and Kristjan Staničić, Director of the Croatian Tourist Board.

At the Gault&Millau Croatia ceremony, scholarships from the Raise the Bar program, whose goal is to increase the quality of the educated workforce in hospitality and tourism, were also presented this time. So far, 14 young chefs and pastry chefs have won valuable Raise the Bar scholarships, which enabled them to train at the world's best universities as well as practice in some of the most prestigious restaurants. Now they are joined by 4 new scholars: Stella Pasek, Željka Bleuš and Nikola Tomašić from Croatia and Tilen Utenkar from Slovenia. Filip Verbanac - director of the Department for strong alcoholic beverages, coffee in the Coca Cola HBC hospitality industry, presented the awards to the scholars.

The night of the culinary Oscars began with an aperitif with Veuve Clicquot Brut champagne and the President's mature Ribanac, and dinner for 200 guests in the Smaragdna hall was cooked together by Paul Ivić, chef of the TIAN restaurant in Vienna, Michelin* and 4 toques Gault&Millau Austria and Ana Grgić Tomić, G&M Croatia Chef of the year 2022. Top wines from the Laguna, Belje and Mladina wineries were served alongside the vegetarian fish dishes of their delicacies. Chef Ivić won the guests over with an appetizer of cabbage turnips, radishes and kohlrabi, a main course of celery, mushrooms and marjoram and a dessert of stracciatella, while chef Grgić Tomić masterfully prepared tartares of salted red prawns and aged sea bass served with roasted celery cream and shiitake.

The Gault&Millau dinner is the largest annual gathering of Croatian restaurant chefs, a unique occasion when chefs are guests, and the highlight of the evening is the awarding of recognition for their creativity. The Chef of the Year trophy was presented to Mari Curić by Fabris Peruško - member of the Board of Directors and CEO of Fortenova Group, and Uroš Kalinić - member of the board of Konzum, whose company Velpro is a premium partner of Gault&Millau Croatia. Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnjac and HTZ director Kristjan Staničić presented the awards to the best restaurants. Other trophies were presented to the best chefs and restaurants by the heads of partner companies that support this gastronomic guide: Zoran Ković - director of Dukat, and Iva Kuhtić - director of marketing at Dukat, Ivica Skočič - marketing director of Coca Cola, Mihaela Kadija, director of TZ Zadar County and Ivana Alilović, director of the TZ of the Zagreb County. The awarding of the trophy was led by Frano Ridjan. The Gault&Millau Croatia 2023 gastronomic guide is available globally on the website hr.gaultmillau.com and in Tisakmedia bookstores and Tisakplus stores at a price of 18 euros.

April 15, 2023 - Global Production Awards 2023 is a prestigious awards ceremony organized by Screen International magazine and the British consulting firm Olsberg SPI. Screen Intl. is one of the three professional publications with the largest distribution worldwide, and it was their jury that recognized the city of Zagreb as the most desirable newly discovered and fast-growing location for filming.

As Poslovni writes, after a highly successful year in the Croatian capital with all kinds of audiovisual works, another confirmation of success has arrived. The city of Zagreb, despite numerous applications, was chosen in the 'Emerging location' category of the Global Production Award 2023, and its competitors include:

· Film AlUla (Saudi Arabia)

· Film Friendly Samaná (Dominican Republic Film Commission – DGCINE)

· Film in Limerick (Ireland)

· New Mexico Film Office (US)

"We are very proud that Zagreb was selected from the many applications, along with only five other locations worldwide! This is already a great success for us; we look forward to the announcement of the winner during the Cannes Film Festival in May and secretly hope for victory. We also send a big thank you to the Croatian producers with whom we have excellent cooperation in the promotion of Zagreb and who have greatly helped us put Zagreb on the film map of the world again," said Mia Pećina Drašković, head of the Zagreb Film Office.

Film stars in Croatia

The year 2022 was in terms of the number of days of filming (573 days in total) in Zagreb at the level of the years before the pandemic, but what marked '22. is the filming of the Hollywood film 'Canary Black', which will be extremely important for the promotion of Zagreb. The city plays itself for the first time throughout the film and is one of the story's most important 'characters'. In addition to 'Canary Black', the second season of the series 'Hotel Portofino', as well as numerous commercials for well-known companies such as Samsung, Zalando and PlayStation, were filmed.

It is important to emphasize that Zagreb and Zagreb County have risen in the ranking of the most desirable cities for filming in Croatia in the past few years, jumping from fourth to second place, right behind Split-Dalmatia County (HAVC / Filming in Croatia data).

All of the above has resulted in Zagreb being on the world list of newly discovered locations for filming, and we will find out whether it will beat the competition at the final award ceremony during one of the biggest film festivals in the world, the Cannes Film Festival, on May 22, 2023!

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

April 3, 2023 - Did you know that the world's most franchised museum was born in Zagreb? A look at the unique and innovative world of Zagreb museums.

Someone told me a few years ago that Zagreb has the most museums per capita in the world. Whether or not that is true, there do so seem to be a LOT of them, some of them very successful, and some of them very peculiar. It is a mix that adds a level of attraction to the visitor, while putting Zagreb on the cultural map of the world. 

Arguably the most innovative and best-known of Zagreb's museums is not the one that has travelled the globe more than any other in museum franchise history. 

Ask most guidebooks what there is to see and do in Zagreb, and the response will undoubtedly include a visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships. 

Located in the historic Upper Town in its permanent home since 2010, the Museum of Broken Relationships was the brainchild of a Croatian couple who had just finished a relationship and were dividing up their belongings. Olinka Zvisitica and Drazen Grubisic decided that it would be cool to have a place where people could showcase momentoes of their failed relationships, to help them move on, as well as to acknowledge to the world that this love had existed.

First exhibited in 2006 with contributions from friends, the concept was an absolute hit, and today the museum houses more than 4,000 exhibits that have been donated, with around 70 on display at any one time. A caption explaining the story and the relevance of the item gives a poignancy to every exhibit.  Exhibits range from a prosthetic leg to 30-year-old scabs in a petri dish, and pretty much everything in between. 

The exhibition has toured the globe, and in 2016, the Museum of Broken Relationships Los Angeles opened in California, the first time that a Zagreb museum appeared elsewhere. But it was not long before a new kid on the block would truly put Zagreb museums on the world stage.

In 2015, two Croatian enthusiasts looking to offer an interactive edutainment product of photogenic exhibits and rooms of illusion opened a new concept in the Croatian capital, called the Museum of Illusions. I have no idea what the expectations were of the two founders, Roko Zivkovic and Tomislav Pamukovic, but the 8 years that have followed have been truly breathtaking. Already with locations in places such as Toronto, New York, Dubai, Chicago, Athens, Vienna, Paris, Madrid and Istanbul, last week, the 41st and 42nd Museum of Illusions opened in Austin and Scottsdale. The Museum of Illusions is now the largest chain of private museums in the world. 

Which of the innovative Zagreb museums will be next, if any? Well, there are certainly some unusual ones to take in on your next visit to the city. Here are some of the more unusual museums which have not had that much global acclaim... yet. 

Museum of Hangovers - I first came across this very centrally-located museum feeling a little fragile after a heavy night one morning on the way to a meeting. A Zagreb original, founder Rino Dubokovic introduces it best:

"After having a blast at a Beer fest, my friends and I went for one more drink to a bar next to where this Museum is today. As we were talking about funny stuff that was mostly drunk stories, my friend told us a story about how he recently woke up with a bike pedal in his pocket. Apparently, his friend was driving his bike when he drunkenly smashed into a pier, broke a pedal and fell down. As he was telling his story I thought of a great idea - a place or some sort of collection where all these objects from drunk stories (like this pedal) would be exposed together with their stories. And that is when the idea of Hangovers museum was born and came to life 6 months later."

Tresnjevka Neighbourhood Museum - Not so well known, but a vey cool concept is the Tresnjevka Neighbourhood Museum, a great initiative to celebrate this very cool Zagreb neighbourhood.

"THE TREŠNJEVKA NEIGHBORHOOD MUSEUM is a project that we have run since 2018, with the goal of establishing a hybrid neighborhood institution where “its engine and purpose is the community, and the coexistence of men with their environment its foundation.” It is inspired by similar institutions one finds in poor working-class areas worldwide, in which the official, national, and imperialist white culture has bypassed oppressed communities and their needs. In the post-socialist context, over the past three decades, historical narratives as well as museum exhibition programs have systematically evaded themes related to workers’ struggle, socialist revolution, and building of socialist society. Since Trešnjevka is known for its rich working-class history, we have started an initiative for revalorization and historization of its heritage, in cooperation with the local community.

"Through THE TREŠNJEVKA NEIGHBORHOOD MUSEUM we work on setting up a neighborhood museum based on democratic principles of representation and mediation of its history, which will be open to all residents. We are building the future museum together with the community, through field research of Trešnjevka and continuous growth of its virtual collection, as well as through public arts and culture programs that focus on the local history and activate neighborhood’s residents."

Museum of the New Wave - Museums these days offer interaction, besides the art displays - meet the Museum of the New Wave. The museum opened its door for the very first time in November 2022. Here, you can admire a synergy of 80s art in Croatia: from musicians, journalists, photographers, actors and directors, to numerous other artists. For every rock music lover, or ultimate 80s fan, the museum is a must-visit when in Zagreb. It will take you through a period when rock music, tight ripped jeans, big hair, leather jackets, and glasses were a must in every wardrobe. 

Zagreb Cannabis Museum - Looking to relax on your next visit to Zagreb? There is a museum for that...

TripAdvisor puts the Zagreb Cannabis Museum on the global stage in its niche: "The most modern Cannabis Museum in the world is situated in Zagreb on 250sqm inner and 150sqm outer part. Rich programs, history overview, modern design, specialty for growers."

Museum of Selfies and Memories - Not a Zagreb original after being imported in from the States, but a fun one for the contemporary visitor. Museum of Selfie and Memories Zagreb is the new place to be! It provides you with unlimited fun, massive joy and adorable pictures of unforgettable moments spent with your loved ones. It is a place where you will wake up the child in you and get an opportunity to take memorable selfies. Take a break from reality, get out of your usual routine, visit Museum of Selfie and Memories and make amazing photos. Peek into your imagination, have fun and unforgettable experience!

They never had museums like this when I was growing up... For a look at more museums in Zagreb, including the more traditional, click here.

March 30, 2023 - Where is the best place to live in Croatia? The case for the capital, Zagreb.

A few years ago, I suggested to the TCN writers at the time that we do a series called Where is the Best Place to Live in Croatia. As we were bigger in number and located all over the country, I thought it might make for an interesting series. And so it proved, with the three submissions we published:

Where is the Best Place to Live in Croatia? The Case for Rijeka

Where is the Best Place to Live in Croatia? The Case for Split

Where is the Best Place to Live in Croatia? The Case for Varazdin

After almost two years living in Zagreb, it is time to continue the series, and I would hereby like to answer the question - Where is the Best Place to Live in Croatia? The Case for Zagreb.

My earliest memories of Zagreb were hardly auspicious, and if I heard myself saying that is was probably the best place I have ever lived decades later, I would have been very surprised. 

But the fact is that I truly do feel that way after having lived in many diverse places in my time - Manchester, Surrey, York, Banbury, rural Northamptonshire, Munich, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Tbilisi, Kardzali, Nairobi, Kigali, Hargeisa, Bosaso, Hiroshima, Hvar, and Varazdin.

Amazing experiences all, and I feel privileged to have travelled so much.  

(Photo J. Duval)

It didn't really feel that cool as I first emerged from Zagreb Train Station for an overnight stop en route to Medjugorje back in 1987 - ah, the power of a Jesuit education - nor when I made my regular trips to Zagreb Bus Station, Ban Jelacic and Zagreb Train Station en route to Graz and Ryanair to the UK two decades ago. Zagreb didn't seem that cool, or a place I wanted to spend a lot of time. 

But then, things changed. 

A lot. 

In the last 5-10 years, Zagreb has undergone a huge - and positive - change, notwithstanding the destruction caused by a major earthquake in March 2020. Yes, a lot of the buildings were damaged, but this is a city which has really come to life in the last few years, both for locals living here, as well as the increasing number of visitors who are discovering a little hidden gem which is slowly becoming a European superstar. Actually, no longer that hidden - back in 2019, Lonely Planet named Zagreb as the number 1 destination in Europe.  

So what makes Zagreb so cool these days?

1. Safety

I have lived in some hairy parts of the planet - none more so than the rough end of Manchester as a student in the 90s - but few if any have felt as safe as Croatia, or Zagreb as a capital city. It is a city where you can lose your laptop on the street in the centre of the city, not notice until the following day in another city, and still be reunited with it thanks to the kindness of strangers - read more in Losing a Laptop in Zagreb: the Kindness of Strangers. 

I am constantly in awe of how safe it is to walk home at night, even in the early hours. Not once have I felt threatened (a huge contrast to late nights in cities in Western Europe), and the number of solo female tavellers who cite safety as one of the top reasons why Zagreb is significant. In fact, in a recent NomadList survey, Zagreb was preferred by a larger percentage of female nomads than male, with safety being a top reason. 

2. A City of Four Seasons

Having lived for 13 idyllic years on Hvar, where there is essentially a season around the summer, and a non-season around winter, with little inbetween, I was surprised how much I have come to appreciate the distinct four seasons of Zagreb. And each season seems to be introduced with a defining event. Winter, of course, is defined by the award-winning Advent in Zagreb, an annual event that grew from nothing to be voted the best in Europe three years in a row. 

And anyone who was here earlier this month will agree that there are few more spectacular ways to welcome Spring than the excellent Festival of Lights. Ah, Spring - the trees in blossom, the outdoor cafe terraces filled. What a season to be alive.

Summer in Zagreb is a relatively new discovery to me after years on the coast, and probably my favourite time to be in the capital, while others head to the coast. A LOT of people head to the coast, leaving being a much emptier city, but one full of cultural events and things to do, where the ratio between tourist and local seems to be almost equal. There is time, space, and the insider knowledge that those who have stayed behind have done so for a reason - that actually Zagreb in the summer without the people is a seriously cool place. 

And as the locals come back with their tans and annual dose of fjaka from the beach, so the leaves start to fall, and the magic of Autumn descends upon us. The Artupunktura art and culture festival seems to encompass the very best of this most pleasant of seasons. 

3. Nature

There can't be many greener capital cities in Europe. And once you have enjoyed the nature in the city, check out the magic all around with the fabulous Around Zagreb website, which brings out the very best in outdoor Zagreb and surroundings.  And with the addition of the new Zagreb Cable Car, how simple is it to switch from city life to the ski slopes in about 10 minutes (see video below)?

4. Walkability

I can't recall living in a city which was so walkable as Zagreb. It is a city of just under a million, where everything is not too far away.  As the central area is pretty flat, its parks and leafy avenues numerous, it is a great place to stroll and chalk up your 10,000 steps a day. Having said that, the public transport is affordable and excellent, particularly the tram network. And parking for a resident is more than affordable. 160 euro a year buys full access to an underground public garage where you never have to de-ice the car.  

(Photo Sanjin Kastelan)

5. Growing International Gourmet Scene

When I first started coming to Zagreb on a regular basis 20 years ago, the international options where a bad Chinese and a not-much-better Indian. How times have changed, and not only with the international options, but with a welcome diversity and experimentation of local food. Noel heads the way with its Michelin star, but there are so many other great dining options with Croatian food. But if you are looking for international - the range has really expanded over the last five years, from Thai street food and sushi almost on every corner, to Venezuela, Vietnamese and Nigerian.  

6. Accessibility

Not only is Zagreb easy to get around, but it is also a VERY accessible starting point for the rest of Croatia and several fabulous other European cities. Ljubljana, Belgrade, Budapest, Graz and Vienna are all 1.5 - 4 hours drive on good motorways, the allure of the coast under two hours, and several great destinations such as Split, Zadar, Pula, Rovinj, Osijek and RIjeka 2-3 hours away. 

The arrival of Ryanair has opened up Zagreb as never before, and with ove a million passengers last year, the Irish budget carrier has made the world a lot more accessible to Croatians, just as it opens up Zagreb to the world. 

Hiking, wine tasting, bikiing, culture - there is SO much around Zagreb which is easily accessible - one of my favourite things about living here. 

7. Vibrant StartUp Scene

Much as I loved my time on Hvar (and I really did), after 13 years of talking about olives, I thrived on the most vibrant intellectual life in Zagreb. This is a city on the move, with SO many entrepreneurs finding their way, eager to collaborate and build the new Croatia. This for me is one of the best things about living here - and one of the secrets of why summers are best.  

8. Cafe Lifestyle

Croatia, the lifestyle. Need I say more?

Just a great way of living.  And a great way to do business.

9. A Remote Work Hub among the Best in Europe

A couple of years ago, the words Zagreb and digital nomads would not be mentioned in the same sentence. How times changed. The Zagreb Digital Nomad Week put the city on the remote work map, and as nomads arrived, they really liked what they saw - a truly hidden gem on the remote work map. We interviewed the self-styled King of Nomads, Dean Kuchel, at the time, who gave his impressions of Zagreb as a digital nomad destination - the only thing missing in his opinion was more digital nomads.

And those nomads and remote workers have been coming in droves ever since, spending in the city and bringing their positive mindset. At times I feel a nomad myself, albeit a stationary one, as I maintain relationships with nomads I met a couple of years ago. And while I never seem to move, the thing that connects us is their  love and desire to return to Zagreb. Zagreb was recently named in the top 5 most-liked destinations in the world on the influential NomadList 2023 survey, as well as the fastest-growing remote-work hub. 

10. Dolac Market on Saturdays

The iconic Dolac marketplace is one of the great symbols of Zagreb, and an excellent place to pick up your locally-produced fresh fruit and veg (and at prices which surprised me in a good way when I started making it part of my routine. But then I got into the habit of stopping for first a chat, then a drink with a little spek, onions and bread, with the locals, a wonderful way to pass an hour or two on a Saturday morning, listening to their stories past and present. 

Ah, Zagreb, why would you live anywhere else?

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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.

Subscribe to the Paul Bradbury Croatia & Balkan Expert YouTube channel.

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

March 26, 2023 - Ryanair posts some impressive Zagreb results for 2022, as Zagreb Airport launches incentives for airlines to connect to an additional 16 destinations. 

For years, Zagreb did not have a low-cost carrier of note, save for a couple of (often seasonal) routes. 

The arrival of Ryanair, which established a base in the Croatian capital in 2021, changed all that. 

The strongest challenge that Croatia Airlines has perhaps faced, the Irish airline started with a very impressive schedule, connecting Zagreb dozens of destinations all over Europe.

Last year, the low-cost carrier noted:

“Currently, we are really satisfied with the majority of the markets served out of Zagreb. For example, the UK market performs really well, as well as Ireland with the Dublin route. Then we see German markets, Swedish markets … so we are very happy with the current demand. There are some tourist destinations in the future that are of interest to us too. We really believe that Zagreb can be attractive all-year round, not just for families and the diaspora, but for tourists as well, so we want to use all these opportunities in the future”.

And it seems that not only has Ryanair been a big success, but Zagreb Airport has announced incentives to attract flights to 16 additional destinations. 

As ExYuAviation reports, Ryanair served some 816,500 passengers on 23 of its 27 Zagreb routes last year, in numbers recently posted. More than 100,000 of those were carried on the most successful route - from London Stansted to Zagreb, followed by Bergamo, Charleroi, Malta and Gothenburg. Data for two routes the Irish carrier competes with Croatia Airlines - Rome and Dublin - were not posted, and seasonal routes to Brindisi and Corfu were also missing. The routes with the east traffic were Sofia, Bratislava, Sandefjord, and Thessaloniki.  

Meanwhile, Zagreb Airport will introduce a new incentive scheme on June 1, aiming to connect more European capitals.

 “The Connecting Capital Cities Incentive Model is designed to link Zagreb to unserved capital cities located in the European Common Aviation Area (ECAA) member states, as well as Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine and Moldova, which have signed a Common Aviation Area Agreement with the European Union”, the airport said. Routes that will be eligible for incentives are those from Zagreb to Prague, Tallinn, Berlin, Budapest, Riga, Vilnius, Luxembourg, Stockholm (Arlanda or Skavsta airports), Tirana, Pristina, Reykjavik, Tbilisi, Kiev, Chisinau and Yerevan.

The low-cost airline revolution in Croatia continues. 

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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.

March 26, 2023 - One more milestone for Croatia, as its airports officially join the Schengen Zone. Internal flight to Paris, anyone?

There are many ways of looking at Croatia and its progress as a young democracy. Today was the latest milestone. 

One of them is in milestones. There have been quite a few over the last decade or so.

2009 - Croatia joins NATO.

2013 - Croatia joins the European Union.

2022 - Croatia gets visa-free travel to the United States.

2022 - Croatia signs double taxation agreement with the United States.

2022 - The Peljesac Bridge opens, connecting Croatia into one contiguous country. 

2023 - January 1 - Croatia joins the Euro.

2023 - January 1 - Croatia joins the Schengen Zone. 

While land borders to neighbouring countries such as Hungary and Slovenia were abolished at the beginning of the year, passport control remained in place in Croatian airports for EU flights until today, March 26. 

Those controls have now been abolished, and Croatia has become the 27th full Schengen Zone member - the others are the 23 EU countries, plus Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Only four EU countries are now outside the Schengen Zone - Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Ireland.

The power of the Croatian passport is certainly rising, and this post-Brexit Brit can only look on with envy. 

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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.

March 22, 2023 - It is three years since the Zagreb earthquake - some reflections from a longterm resident of Croatia. A tale of 4 earthquakes.

My phone started pinging at 06:25, just a minute after it happened.

But it did not wake me.

For I was already chained to my laptop since 05:00, working in bed in Jelsa on the idyllic island of Hvar, as I was every day in those early days of the pandemic, trying to keep my business alive as all clients cancelled around me. March 2020 was already the scariest month of my time in Croatia. And it was about to get worse.

Earthquake in Zagreb!

The earthquake struck at 06:24, and my article was indexed by Google News at 06:39, the first news in English on the web, and the first of many articles we would write that day and in the coming weeks.  

(Photo credit - Vlada.hr)

And then the horrible sight from the maternity ward car park in Zagreb, of evacuated mothers and their newborns huddling in the cold - threatened by both corona and aftershocks. There was not much I could do from my Jelsa bed, apart from write, write, write, as well as check on the Zagreb team. Lauren, my editor, was safe if a little traumatised. She wrote a brilliant piece on the first anniversary - Zagreb Earthquake Memories - Deafening Sounds and Cracking Walls.

(Photo credit - Forrest J. Stilin)

Our other writer at the time had a much more dramatic wakeup call, with a chandelier landing on his bed and narrowly missing him. 

One child died. The government made all the usual promises, and the emergency was acute. And while the main focus was on the city itself, little attention was paid to the village just outside Zagreb, where Karla Lemaic (who quite coincidentally happens to be the producer of my talkshow on 24Sata 3 years later), sent us this video report from the epicentre.

Months passed, with little sign of anything happening regarding the renovation. EU funds were made available, and then - on December 28, 2020 - disaster struck again about 50km from Zagreb in the Petrinja and Sisak area, with another powerful earthquake, whose epicentre was the village of Majske Poljane. I visited the next day to document the story, which you can read in Majske Poljane, Glina, Petrinja: A Foreigner View of Croatia's Emergency Response.

I returned to Majske Poljane one year later, coinciding with a trip there by Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, and saw little change - read more in Petrinja Earthquake 1 Year On: Politics, Pain, Problems, But Progress?

And, as TCN reported on the second anniversary in December 2022, Banovina Earthquake Reconstruction Recap 2 Years Later - Houses Built: 6

And there are plenty of stories in the Croatian media on the third anniversary to show how little progress has been made in the Croatian capital.

Tragic. 

Especially when you compare it to past earthquake responses, earthquakes which wrought much more destruction, death and homelessness. 

Back in Januay 15, 2022, I posted a new status on Facebook:

This is how good we are.

In 1962, the Makarska earthquake destroyed or badly damaged 12,000 homes. Within 17 months, everything had been rebuilt.

In 1963, the Skopje earthquake killed over 1,000, left 150,000+ homeless, and destroyed or badly damaged 75% of the city. Within 17 months, the city had been redesigned and 14,000 apartments had been built. (link in second comment)

In 2020, the Zagreb and then Petrinja earthquakes badly damaged both cities. 17 months later, little to nothing has been done, and now EU funds earmarked for the earthquake will have to be returned, as the deadline for spending them is looming.

There ain't no political leadership like Croatian political leadership. Happy Anniversary, Croatia, on the 30th anniversary of International Day of Recognition of Croatia. A golden age when the population was 4.78 million, compared to 3.88 million today.

You can read more in Makarska Earthquake 1962 Full Reconstruction after 17 Months: And Zagreb, Petrinja 2020?

(And for more of an account of the 1962 earthquake and aftermath through the eyes of a child, read An 8-Year-Old's Memory of the Dalmatian Earthquake of 1962.)

I contacted Karla Lemaic to see how things were going in the epicentre village three years later:

"After 3 years in Markuševec, the epicenter of the earthquake, the most of all people have changed. Many received help and support from the City of Zagreb. Some took advantage of it, and for some it brought even bigger problems. For example, the deadline for submitting invoices in order to justify the use of money from the City for the purpose of renovation is only one year. In one year, you cannot find a construction company that would completely renovate larger projects and issue an invoice. Also, sometimes the renewal of requests and other repairs opens up 'old holes', so this donation from the City is not even enough. Be that as it may, most of them solved the aesthetic repairs, so Markuševec looks nicer, but with every new news about the earthquake somewhere in the world, old wounds appear."

1962, with much worse infrastructure and no EU funds - 12,000 destroyed homes rebuilt in 17 months.

And in Zagreb and Petrinja 2023, more than two years on?

The Croatian people deserve a lot better. 

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March 19, 2023 - I am not political at all, but I do like to support great ideas, such as yesterday's Dangerous Ideas 2 conference in Zagreb, which was opened by Split Mayor Ivica Puljak. You can view the entire conference on the embedded YouTube video below. 

If anyone is interested in my presentation, The Vukovar Card, a New Deal for Eastern Croatia, it starts at 07:30 and last 10 minutes. 

Below a translation of from the Croatian media about the event.

"We gather open-minded people who are not afraid to test both dangerous and best ideas. Positive selection is not afraid of competition or communication of its own ideas. That's the kind of Croatia we want and that's the kind of Croatia we will build," said the President of the Centar Party, Ivica Puljak, at the conference.

The big conference of the Center "Dangerous ideas 2 - All the good things you always wanted for Croatia, but no one dared to implement", gathered a number of experts in Zagreb on Saturday who presented ideas for the future of Croatia.

According to the President of Centar Ivica Puljkak, at these gatherings we see what Croatia can be like once HDZ is in opposition. "Croatia is in this state today because it is ruled by negative selection, and negative selection is afraid of every dangerous, good and realistic idea. When the best wins in public tenders, there is no place for those who win just because they have a party card," said Puljak, adding that clientelism, nepotism and corruption are afraid of any idea that changes the current situation.

"Old politicians are afraid of any reform. That's why we gather open-minded people who are not afraid to test both dangerous and best ideas. Positive selection is not afraid of competition or communication of its own ideas. That's the kind of Croatia we want and that's the kind of Croatia we will build," concluded the President of Centar.

"Can ideas really be dangerous? Or is it actually more dangerous to be without ideas? Through a series of stupid mistakes and as a result of unimaginably disgusting corruption, we lost INA. Are we going to allow that instead of energy independence, solar power plants on the roofs of our citizens and entrepreneurs, instead of energy exporters, instead of a stronger and more stable economy and secure democracy, we become dependent on energy, and then in every other way?" asked REGEA director Julije Domac, emphasizing that Croatia can and must do much more and better.

"All of us should be part of the changes we wish for and influence politics with our own involvement and ideas, because only then can it become a reflection of what we want as a society," said Domac.

According to entrepreneur Dražen Oreščanin, Croatia is speeding into reverse in fifth gear. "Instead of the public administration providing a framework for the development of innovation and entrepreneurship through systematic reforms and digitization, it has been fighting for decades so that nothing changes and to maintain and increase its power, influence and privileges," he warned. As he emphasized, people who do not want to go backwards but forward, should be given the environment and conditions to progress and prosper, because together with them, the whole society will prosper.

The gathering was attended by Ivica Puljak, Paul Bradbury, Julije Domac, Mihovil Škarica, Marlena Bogdanović, Dražen Oreščanin, Frano Barbir, Vinko Filipić, Ivan Mrvoš, Jasna Karačić, Branko Zemunik, Majda Milevoj Klapčić, Hrvoje Čupić, Tvrtko Jakovina, Natalia Zielinska, Dijana Grgić, Ružica Božić Cerovac and Vesna Coufal Jaić.

March 15, 2023 - The fifth edition of the innovative Zagreb Festival of Lights kicks off tonight - where to find the magic around the Croatian capital.

One of the things I really like about tourism in Zagreb as opposed to the coast is that there are four distinct seasons. If there is one year-round tourism destination in Croatia, Zagreb is it, at least in my opinion. And not only that, but the way certain seasons are introduced is quite spectacular and lifts the mood in the city considerably. 

The best example of that, of course, is Advent in Zagreb, arguably Zagreb's best-known tourist event these days, which rose from nothing to become the best in Europe three years in a row. The city is transformed from a dark winter into several weeks of concerts, gastronomy and a beautifully decorated city. 

And so too a wonderful bundle of energy kicks off tonight, as Zagreb looks to Spring and those longer summer nights with the 5th edition of the Zagreb Festival of Lights, which will run from 1800-2300 from tonight until March 19, with a spectacular laser show at the Tuskanac Summer Theatre officially opening the festival at 19:00. 

Brought to you by the Zagreb Tourist Board and partners, with support from the City of Zagreb, imagination, art and light technologies will unite again, heralding spring through positive energy and good emotions. Over the next 5 days, there will be 33 attractions in some 28 locations in the Upper and Lower Town. 

At the festival press conference, Zagreb Tourist Board CEO Martina Bienenfeld, said: "After last year's premier expansion of Zagreb Light Festival locations, this year's edition again includes Donji grad, where we included some new locations to make it easier for everyone to visit and reduce crowds. Thus, we introduced the locations of Ribnjak, Stara Vlaška, Kurelčeva Street, the Square of Croatian Giants, the Square of the Victims of Fascism with which we rounded off the eastern part of the city center, and the Dolac and Opatovina markets are also new. The novelty is represented by international collaborations with artists from France, whose installations will be in four locations (Dolac, EU square, Trg kralja Tomislava and Ribnjak), as well as Italy and the Netherlands. I am also happy about the Croatian visit from Šibenik, and artists from Berlin joined us again. These guest appearances, as well as the great interest of foreign and domestic artists in future performances, show that the Zagreb Light Festival is becoming an authentic international project and event, so I would like to thank all the partners for their involvement in its very demanding and comprehensive implementation."

So where to find the action?

LOWER TOWN

Odd Dynamics / Mimara Museum

The spectacular projection will present the story of industrial revolutions throughout history visualized in an unusually satisfying animation style.

The Spirit of nature / Ban Josip Jelačić Square

This artwork celebrates the arrival of spring with its vibrant depiction of nature and blooming flowers, evoking a sense of renewal and growth in the viewer.

(Photo J. Duval)

The Transformation / Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

May this dreamlike and lively dance inspire a transformation that awakes in us with the arrival of spring.

Anooki (Kiss) / European Square

Meet two giant Inuit-inspired figures.

Lumineoles / King Tomislav Square

Enjoy the dance of imaginary illuminated birds «Luminéoles». With their graceful wings they dance in the wind, bringing light and a poetic atmosphere in the air.

Anti - meandar / Croatian Association of Artists

''I have probably already painted my last paintings, but maybe not the first ones'', Julije Knifer.

Anooki (Apparition) / Dolac Market

After a long and cold winter, their ice has melted, and they are now embarking on a journey around the world.

Why oh why do I have to go to school? / Mažuranić square

Through ambient lighting on the park crowns and a broken LED wall we take you on a journey along the archives of the Croatian Museum of School.

Among The Clouds / Zrinjevac Park

Fly into your own little cosmos of creativity and let your imagination run wild as you swing on unique swings, surrounded by gentle lights and music that accompanies your daydreaming.

Neon circles / Music Pavilion – Zrinjevac

Notes cut music, threads cut clothes, and colors and light cut – life around us. Step into the world of vivid colors and magical installation patterns in the Music Pavilion.

Florescence / Lovački rog Passage

Experience spring through the Florescence ambient light installation.

(Photo Sanja Bistrici)

Circles / Zagreb Dance Center

A circle does not have a beginning. It also does not have an end. It is an eternal motif for various artists, it is found all around us in different forms, it is a perfect geometric shape.

(Photo Emmanuel Epanzarini)

Italian Flag / Kurelčeva Street

Special geometric pyramidal structures served as a painting canvas where the main artist is the light!

Luminous Vision / Old Vlaška

The picturesque landscape of illuminated images, each of which depicts the beauty and energy of the city in a unique and enchanting way, is an ideal opportunity for a night walk.

Glowing Starlight / Strossmayer Square

The "Glowing Starlight" installation will evoke the heart of Lenuci's horseshoe, which completely dominates the space.

Urban garden / Croatian Nobles Square

Discover a city center oasis in the urban garden with captivating luminous flowers.

UPPER TOWN

Lighthouse / Lotrščak Tower

Embark on a fairy tale adventure and join us in celebrating the arrival of new hope in our Zagreb.

(Photo copyright Janus van den Eijnden)

Absorbed by light / Strossmayer Promenade (East)

Three figures sit next to each other on a bench, displaying the typical characteristics of smartphone users: their heads are bent, fingers typing and swiping, and their faces lit up by their phone screens.

Awakening light / Lotrščak Tower

Multicolored lights will paint one of the most important buildings of the Upper Town – Lotrščak Tower!

New radiance / St. Catherine's Church

Experience an incredible projection that conveys the impression of a dance of transcendental dimensions and strong contrasts.

Glitch Garden / Dežman Pass

 Find out how much we truly notice greenery in our city with the Glitch Garden installation, which makes us think about coexistence with the nature around us.

Promenade of Colors / Strossmayer Promenade (West)

The Promenade of Colors brings a special spirit and charm by connecting with a playful light.

Outside the Wall / Parking Tuškanac

A touch of the Mediterranean has arrived in our metropolis.

Dancing Simetrix / Opatovina Park - playground

What better way to welcome spring than with a dance of light colors! Let the multimedia installation that combines movement, sound and light, i.e. dance, music and painting, inspire and motivate you to move and completely surrender to spring.

Twisted / Opatovina Park

Take a walk through the tunnel of colors and neon light and immerse yourself in new dimensions of space.

Laser Blockbuster / Tuškanac Summer Stage

What's better than a combination of dance and a superb light show? The performance of the Atomic Dance Factory dance group will accompany the Prolight show and its well-known laser effects.

Lumia / Atrium of the Zagreb City Museum

 Lumia, art created by light. This interesting installation creates different shapes with its fractals that continuously change in color and appearance.

Globoscope / Ribnjak Park

The impressive installation of the Globoscope is made from hundreds of luminous spheres.

(Photo J. Duval)

Luminous Horses / Ribnjak Park

A hidden oasis of greenery in the very heart of the city will delight visitors of the Festival of Lights this year with three of the brightest Lipizzans.

Meteorites / Ribnjak Park

Lovers of space and of all celestial have the opportunity to discover their brilliant colors!

EggOtrick / Ribnjak Park

An art installation will emerge in the middle of the Ribnjak Park, which at its core hides the birth of a new life through the play of light! 

Neon Playground / Dubravkin put

The magical playground takes us back to our childhood when we carelessly absorbed new colors and daydreamed.

The secret life of forests / Vraz's Promenade

What type of secrets are kept and what kind of conversations are held between city forests?

A magical, magical few days in Zagreb awaits. See you there. 

For much more on this magical festival, check out the official website.