January 26, 2022 – Following one cancelled year and a hesitant 2021, Croatian Music Festivals in 2022 look to return to normal operations. Even before the end of January 2022, two favourite events in Tisno, Dalmatia – Defected Croatia and Dekmantel Selectors – have this week sold out all tickets!

For a whole new generation of young dreamers and visitors, Croatia is on their annual wish list because of its music festivals. Set by pristine waters and beaches, in the guaranteed sunshine of a Dalmatian summer, photos of Croatia's music festivals have travelled across the world and brought international acclaim.

In 2020, all of these music festivals (except veteran domestic events at Martinska, Šibenik) were cancelled. Even in 2021, neither full confidence nor the full schedule had returned – Ultra Europe (Split) and Love International (Tisno) remained absent.

However, if early indications are anything to go by, trust in the summertime spectaculars seems to have completely returned for Croatian Music festivals in 2022. In fact, even before the end of January 2022, two favourite events in Tisno, Dalmatia – Defected Croatia and Dekmantel Selectors – have this week announced they've sold out.

News revealed exclusively to Total Croatia News informs that the rest of the summer music festivals held at The Garden Resort, Tisno are not far behind - almost all are within sight of completely selling out all tickets.

How the lineup looks for Croatian Music Festivals in 2022 and where to buy tickets

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Love International, Tisno

In every corner of the country, you can find Croatian Music festivals in 2022. Some of these might have traditional folk music and dance, others might offer favourite local rock and pop acts who mostly sing in Croatian.

But, for international visitors looking for Croatian Music Festivals in 2022, there are an identifiable number of festival locations and events. By and large, these are the events that young people travel to Croatia specifically to attend.

Ultra Europe in Split: 8 July 2022 – 10 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Ultra Europe in Split

A 3-day event in Split with the world's top EDM DJs, incredible stage design and production with a definite wow factor. DJs confirmed so far include Adam Beyer, Afrojack, Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Joseph Capriati, Martin Garrix, Nina Kraviz, Oliver Heldens, Richie Hawtin, Tiësto, Timmy Trumpet and Vini Vici.

This 8th Ultra Europe in Split will - for the first time - be followed by an extension of the party on several Croatian islands. The main festival takes place at Youth Park in Split from 8 July 2022 – 10 July 2022.

On 11 July 2022, Ultra Brač will visit Brač island's 585 Club. On 12 July 2022, there will be an afternoon beach party on the Pakleni islands, near Hvar island. Later that day, a nighttime event Resistance Hvar will take place at Carpe Diem Beach Club, Hvar island.

The Resistance Closing Party Vis is the last event and will take place on 13 July at the old Fort George (Fortica) on Vis island.

Tickets for Ultra Europe in Split can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details and entry requirements for Ultra Europe in Split can be seen here.

The Garden, Tisno 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Defected Croatia at The Garden Resort, Tisno

With the relatively recent addition of Defected Croatia, Outlook Origins and Dimensions to the 10+ year reputation of the Garden Resort roster, this festival site can now truly claim to be the epicentre of underground electronic dance music in Croatia.

Across its summer-long run, some of the world's best underground DJs visit this place, its beach and boat parties, plus the incredible open-air Barbarellas nightclub in nearby Pirovac. Each event lasts several days and is limited to between 5000 – 7000 people.

Up-to-date details of entry requirements for The Garden Resort, Tisno 2022 can be seen here. Here's the calendar of events for The Garden, Tisno in summer 2022...

Love International: 13 July 2022 – 19 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Love International

With a renowned reputation as one of the most welcoming and easy-going of all Croatia's festivals, the adored Love International returns after two years in 2022. It has been much missed. House, disco, techno and Balearic music in the main will this year come from the likes of Ben UFO, Craig Richards, Eliza Rose, Shanti Celeste, Saoirse, Moxie, Horse Meat Disco, Antal, Hunee, Palms Trax and Midland.

Tickets for Love International 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Love International 2022 can be seen here.

Suncebeat: 21 July 2022 – 28 July 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Suncebeat in Tisno

The longest-running festival associated with The Garden resort, Suncebeat traces its love affair with Croatia back to Petrcane, near Zadar, over 12 years ago. Actually, Suncebeat's heritage is even older – it's a spin-off event of the UK's 30+-year-old Southport Weekender. It, therefore, draws a slightly older crowd of house, disco and soul music aficionados.

The first wave of artists released for this 13th Suncebeat includes The Blessed Madonna, Kerri Chandler, Kenny Dope, Dave Lee ZR, Dam Swindle, Miguel Migs, Mark Farina, Horse Meat Disco, Natasha Diggs, Mike Dunn, John Morales, DJ Spen, DJ Spinna, Sadar Bahar, Terry Hunter, Children Of Zeus (live), Lukas Setto (Live), Djeff, Dan Shake, Ash Lauryn, Hyenah, Marina Trench, Lakuti, Elkka, Rich Medina, Boo Williams, Mafalda and CinCity.

Tickets for Suncebeat 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Suncebeat 2022 can be seen here.

Outlook Origins: 28 July 2022 – 8 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Outlook Origins in Tisno

A scaled-down version of the original Outlook, which used to take place in Pula. The event earned a reputation as being one of the most significant annual events for UK bass music and its soundsystem culture – covering music styles like reggae, dub, grime, drum n' bass, garage, dubstep, jungle, hip hop and more.

Line-up to be announced.

Tickets for Outlook Origins 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Outlook Origins 2022 can be seen here.

Defected Croatia: 4 August 2022 – 9 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Defected Croatia

Days and nights filled with sunshine, smiles and house music from one of the most successful independent house music record labels in the world. The 2022 line-up includes Moodymann, Carl Craig, Danny Tenaglia, Bob Sinclar, Honey Dijon, Jayda G, KiNK, A-Trak, Boys Noize, Heller & Farley, Kenny Dope, Mark Farina and Spen

International tickets for Defected Croatia 2022 have sold out. The last few remaining domestic (ex-Yu) tickets for Defected Croatia 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Defected Croatia 2022 can be seen here.

Dekmantel Selectors: 25 August 2022 – 30 August 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Dekmantel Selectors

A deliberately intimate and scaled-down sister event to the mammoth underground European festival Dekmantel. With a line-up that you could well describe as the DJs' DJs of choice, this year the underground selections come from the likes of Hunee, Daniele Baldelli, Kode9, Shanti Celeste, John Talabot, FAUZIA, Eris Drew, Identified Patient, Vladimir Ivkovic & Young Marco, Carista.

International tickets for Dekmantel Selectors 2022 have sold out. Up-to-date line-up details for Dekmantel Selectors 2022 can be seen here.

Dimensions: 1 September 2022 – 5 September 2022

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Dimensions

Techno, electro, drum n' bass, house, hip hop, reggae and bass music on this 10th anniversary year come from the likes of Helena Hauff b2b DJ Stingray 313, Raresh, Blawan, Mala, Caliber, DVS1, Marcellus Pittmann, Tama Sumo, Peach, Saoirse, Laurine, Francesco Del Garda, Soichi Terada, Sherelle, Eris Drew & Octa Octa, Sonja Moonear, D. Tiffany & Rosa Terenzi, Gene On Earth b2b The Ghost, DJ Storm, Batu.

Tickets for Dimensions 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details for Dimensions 2022 can be seen here.

Šibenik Music Festivals 2022 – Martinska, Seasplash and Project Vojarna

Martinska

Located on a perfectly secluded seaside peninsula, just outside the city of Šibenik, the Martinska venue hosts a summer-long run of intimate music festivals within fantastic natural surroundings. Events range from punk music and live concerts to more modern electronic styles. Most famous internationally is the reggae and dub event Seasplash Festival which celebrates its 20th birthday between July 14th - 17th 2022.

Project Vojarna

Just over half a decade old, Project Vojarna is a dance music event born from the collaboration of Šibenik electronic music enthusiasts. In its current standing, the main event is a 10-hour open-air rave held at a former military barracks just outside Šibenik. Each year the event grows in fame and stature. This year's event will take place on 23 July.

Up-to-date line-up details, links for tickets and entry requirements for all events at Martinska, Šibenik can be seen here.

Up-to-date line-up details, links for tickets and entry requirements for Project Vojarna, Šibenik events can be seen here.

InMusic Festival Zagreb: 20 June 2022 – 23 June 2022

InMusic Festival, Zagreb

The largest and most prestigious event for rock music and alternative in Croatia, InMusic has certainly put the country – and Zagreb – firmly on the international rock festival map. Taking place around Zagreb's Lake Jarun, the festival site welcomes campers from all over Europe for its four-day run.

2022's incredible line-up includes The Killers, Kasabian, Deftones, Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Royal Blood, White Lies, Gogol Bordello, IDLES, Amadou & Mariam, Sleaford Mods, Fontaines D.C. Hinds, The Comet Is Coming, Dry Cleaning, Tamikrest and Nick Mason.

Tickets for InMusic Zagreb 2022 can be purchased here. Up-to-date line-up details and entry requirements for InMusic Zagreb 2022 can be seen here.

Solardo Presents Higher Dubrovnik

After two years of unforgettable sell out shows in Dubrovnik, mighty Manchester duo Solardo aim for a hat trick in 2022. In conjunction with Pollen Presents, Solardo announce their largest festival to date from September 23-27th: The pair curate their biggest ever line up with international tastemakers, showcasing some of the world's top house and techno talent, a testament to the Manchester duo’s musical depth. The first wave of names include Marco Carola, FJAAK, Nicole Moudaber, Mall Grab, Maya Jane Coles, Vintage Culture, Nic Fanciulli, Lee Foss and many more. After multiple sell out shows at WHP, Circus Liverpool & London, Higher is now set to grow into a multi venue event across this historic city

Lineup: Solardo, Marco Carola, Mall Grab, FJAAK, Nicole Moudaber, Maya Jane Coles, Vintage Culture, Nic Fanciulli, Lee Foss + more

Tickets: https://pollen.co/x/solardo-dubrovnik-2022-1

Date: 23rd - 27th September

Location: Dubrovnik, Croatia

BSH Island

BSH Island is one of the jewels in the Croatian festival crown and has been leading the way in the local scene in recent years. Its first edition in 2020 brought something new to the region, and the follow up in 2021 made a mark on the international stage and now it returns to Island of Pag for the bigger than ever third edition. This follows two much talked about festivals on Zrce Beach - BSH Island, which included a legendary party in the breathtaking 17th century Fortress overlooking the sea hosted by Amnesia Ibiza, and the epic Amnesia takeover Croatia festival. It was a truly unique experience that offered something completely fresh away from the clubs on Zrce beach, and when you add in the fact that accommodation came in the form of a beautiful yacht docked at Noa Beach Club, it's no wonder BSH Island has made such a special impact. 

Lineup: Archie Hamilton, Ben Sterling, Blackchild, Dennis Cruz, Paco Osuna, wAFF + more

Tickets: https://www.noa-zrce.com/en/events/bsh-island-2022

Date: 29th June - 3rd July

Location: Noa Beach Club, Zrce Beach, Croatia

Zrće beach on Pag island

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Hideout Festival, Zrce beach, Pag island

The summer-long run of parties on Zrće beach on Pag island continued last year. Although, in 2022 you should expect a return to pre-pandemic levels of attendance and hedonism. Along with that, the bigger named DJs will likely be returning in force during 2022.

Croatian Music Festivals in 2022: Hideout Festival

Taking place from Sunday 3rd July - Thursday 7th July, Hideout Festival 2022 is representative of this return to form. DJs like Andy C, Jamie Jones, Eats Everything, Camelphat, Jayda G, Hot Since 82, Sam Divine, Solardo, Shy FX, Richy Ahmed, Sonny Fodera, Skream, Gorgon City, Mike Skinner, Paul Woolford, John Summit, Alan Fitzpatrick, Darius Syrossian, DJ Seinfeld, Maya Jane Coles, Denis Sulta and Chelina Manuhutu will play house, techno, drum n' bass and UK bass music sounds to a crowd of 13, 000+

The sixth edition of Sonus Festival (here) takes place at Zrce between 20 August and 26 August 2022 with DJs like Adriatique, Âme, Amelie Lens, Andrea Oliva, Ben Klock, Chris Liebing, Dax J, Dixon, Hot Since 82, I Hate Models, Jamie Jones, Joseph Capriati, KiNK [live], Loco Dice, Maceo Plex, Monika Kruse, Pan-Pot, Patrick Topping, Ricardo Villa, lobos B2B Zip, Richie Hawtin, Richy Ahmed, Rødhåd, Seth Troxler, Sonja Moonear, Stephan Bodzin [live], Sven Väth, Black Coffee, Carl Cox, Denis Sulta, Desiree

Information about events in the summer season on Zrće beach, Pag island can be seen here.

Tickets for Hideout Festival, Zrće beach, Pag island can be bought here

January 24, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as S7 Moscow-Zagreb winter flights have been dropped, and Eurowings drastically reduced winter operations to the capital city.

In mid-December last year, Russian S7 Airlines announced a new route between Moscow and Zagreb. The first flight was announced for January 23, 2022, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Although the airline exclusively confirmed this news to Croatian Aviation, the flights did not operate. Namely, only 6 days ago, the airline withdrew regular flights between Moscow and Zagreb, justifying the move with demand below expectations.

Flights were announced from January 23 until the end of the winter flight schedule, i.e., until the end of March this year, with the possibility of continuing operations in the summer flight schedule. However, this will not happen, and this Russian airline will continue to operate on seasonal flights from Moscow to Pula, Zadar, and Split.

Russian Azur Air announced regular operations to Zagreb, at one point, even with wide-body aircraft, but the line was canceled after only a few rotations.

On the other hand, on Friday, January 21, the new regular Aeroflot and Rossiya Airlines line between Zagreb and St. Petersburg was launched. The first flight from St. Petersburg carried 97 passengers to Zagreb (Load Factor 61%), and flights take place according to the announced flight schedule, twice a week, on Fridays and Sundays.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that German low-cost airline, Eurowings, has drastically cut the number of flights to Zagreb Airport since the beginning of this year due to reduced demand. January and February are traditionally the two worst months of the year regarding air traffic in Croatia and the region. Still, this year, just like the previous ones, demand is adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic in Europe and the world.

For this reason, Eurowings has canceled numerous departures to and from Zagreb International Airport. 

On the Stuttgart - Zagreb - Stuttgart line, Eurowings made its last flight on January 9 this year, and there are no regular flights between the two cities until February 7. Furthermore, 14 return flights were canceled in the mentioned period, which is 4,368 fewer seats to and from Zagreb.

On the Cologne - Zagreb - Cologne route, Eurowings operates regularly, twice a week, but some weekly flights have been canceled, as many as 10, which is 3,120 seats less than planned!

The Dusseldorf - Zagreb line last operated on December 28, 2021, as all flights for January and February were canceled. The next flight is announced for March 1. Zagreb lost an additional 6,120 seats from 17 canceled rotations.

The Prague - Zagreb line was supposed to start operating in the winter flight schedule this year, but it did not happen. Eurowings has already extended the start of operations on this line several times, and the first flight has been announced for March 8. A total of 6 rotations planned for January and February were canceled, which is an additional 1,872 fewer seats.

From the beginning of the year to March, Eurowings canceled 47 return flights on four international routes, which caused Zagreb to lose 15,480 seats.

The number of lost seats is relatively small compared to Ryanair's canceled flights, of which there are significantly more. Namely, from the beginning of January to the end of February, Ryanair withdrew more than 45,000 seats to and from Zagreb International Airport!

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

January 20, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as new Ryanair Zagreb-Lviv flights have been announced from March, while Air Serbia Belgrade-Rijeka flights return from this summer!

Ryanair announced a new route from its Zagreb base, which will start operating at the end of March this year, reports Croatian Aviation.

Namely, Ryanair will connect Zagreb and Lviv from the end of March!

The line between Lviv and Zagreb will operate from the very beginning of the summer flight schedule, on March 27, and the flights have been confirmed until the end of October this year. Two flights a week have been announced, every Wednesday and Sunday.

The new Zagreb-Lviv route will run using A320 aircraft with a capacity of 180 seats, which means that Ryanair will offer 22,320 seats between the two cities this summer season. 

Lviv, a city in western Ukraine with about 800,000 inhabitants, will be Ryanair's 27th destination from Zagreb Airport. This is the second regular line between Zagreb and Ukraine. Recall, Ukrainian Windrose Airlines operates on a regular route between Kyiv and Zagreb, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Sundays, throughout the year.

Ryanair from Lviv operates on 28 international routes to as many as 13 countries, and Zagreb and Croatia have now joined this list.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports even more good news. Serbian National Airline Air Serbia will reintroduce a regular flight between Rijeka and Belgrade this summer!

Namely, Air Serbia is re-introducing its Belgrade-Rijeka flight, which was introduced in the 2019 summer flight schedule when it operated twice a week and was then planned as a year-round connection. Following the pandemic, the airline cut off traffic on this route and did not operate on it in the summer of 2020 and 2021.

However, expecting a significant recovery in demand, Air Serbia announced the reintroduction of this line from June 15 to September 17 this year.

Flights are announced twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and one-way tickets currently cost only 49 euros.

ATR72 aircraft have been announced on the line between Belgrade and Rijeka, which has a capacity of up to 70 seats in the passenger cabin. Air Serbia will offer almost 4,000 seats between the two cities this summer!

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

January 16, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as TUI Zadar flights are on the list of Croatian destinations this summer, while Austria Airlines will temporarily suspend Vienna-Zagreb flights from Monday. 

TUI fly Belgium, a member of the well-known TUI group specializing in organized tourist trips to a number of well-known leisure destinations, including Croatia, has announced a number of destinations in the upcoming 2022 summer flight schedule.

In the past summer season, TUI Group planes flew to Pula, Dubrovnik, and Split, and this year, according to the announcements, we can expect them in Zadar as well, reports Croatian Aviation.

Just like last year, TUI has strengthened its network of destinations this year by adding four new airports to its list.

The list of airports for 2022 according to which TUI fly Belgium plans to operate along Zadar includes Havana (Cuba), Aruba (Netherlands Antilles), and Ohrid (Northern Macedonia).

According to currently available data, flights from Brussels (BRU) to Zadar have been announced from April 23 to October 1, and TUI fly Belgium aircraft on this route should operate twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Croatian Aviation adds that although the summer season and the whole of 2021 were very challenging for the airline industry, it seems that this airline believes that the 2022 summer season should be more successful, so in the announcement for the upcoming season, all destinations from 2021 remain on the list of destinations, including four new ones.

In 2022, TUI fly Belgium plans to offer 95 destinations and 168 routes, and flights should take place from airports such as Brussels, Ostend, Antwerp, Charleroi, Liège (Belgium), and Lille (France).

Furthermore, Ex Yu Aviation reports that Austrian Airlines will temporarily halt Vienna-Zagreb flights from Monday, for the third time in the last two years. The service should be suspended until at least February 28. 

"Due to the rapidly evolving pandemic situation, during the second half of January and part of February, certain flights have been cancelled, but the majority are on sale from February onwards. Zagreb Airport is in contact with airlines across the world. However, due to the confidential nature of such contacts, we cannot share any more information at this time," Zagreb Airport said. 

Croatia Airlines will continue to fly between Vienna and Zagreb with three weekly flights planned. 

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

January 14, 2022 – Open less than two months, Fuego Fresh Latin Food is the Croatian capital's latest international food offer. TCN visited to check out their authentic South American and Caribbean Latin cuisine.

Slightly hidden at the foot of a residential building on the edge of Lower Town, immediately behind Zagreb Holding, the capital's latest international food offer is definitely worth finding. Fuego Fresh Latin Food serves rustic and affordable dishes of Mexico, Venezuela and Cuba. Think homemade tortilla chips, corn, salads, spices, lime juice, salsa and chilli sauce. Its authentic menu is the creation of American-Croatian Richard Gruica, a chef with 20 years experience making Latin cuisine. Total Croatia News went to meet him and get the story behind his Fuego Fresh Latin Food.

Fuego Fresh Latin Food's Richard Gruica-Plešivica © Marc Rowlands

My name is Richard Gruica. I was born in Jamaica and grew up in Miami. My parents are both from here, Zagreb. They lived in Jamaica because my dad had a fibreglass business there.

My parents split up when I was about 7 and my mom had a time where she was deciding where she wanted me to grow up. So, we came back to Croatia, we tried Scotland, England and Spain. Then we went to Haiti, but on one of the layovers, we stopped in Miami. My mom liked it there and we ended up staying.

I have fewer memories from my early days in Jamaica. But, we still have friends there, like my Godparents, and we go back to visit every few years.

My mom was just 15 when she left Croatia and she moved to Venezuela. So, long before I was born she was tied into the Latin community. Miami has a big Latin community. It is huge.

Fuego Fresh Latin Food

When we first moved there we lived in downtown Miami. These days, it's all multi-million dollar properties. But, back then, it really wasn't the best place to live. Living there, I was always exposed to Latin life and culture. Those were our neighbours. My mom's best friends were Cuban, Venezuelan and Brazilian.

Even now, there are not so many Croatians there. More Serbians and Slovenes. I remember back in the day we all used to go to the same club – this ex-Yu place. But, when the war started, that all went to shit (laughs). We couldn't go there anymore.

Fuego Fresh Latin Food

My dad was actually trained as a chef and an engineer. He just chose to do something else. But, my uncle had the top French restaurant in Miami. My first job was working weekends there as a teenager, peeling potatoes and chopping onions. Over time, I learned the techniques of classic French cooking, from the bottom up. Originally, I was supposed to go to university to study law. But, I ended up instead going to culinary school.

After studies, I worked my way up - from line chef to sous chef to executive chef then restaurant owner. I had a 20-year career as a chef, almost exclusively within the top echelons of gourmet cooking – the total opposite end to the casual, approachable food we're doing here at Fuego!

Fuego Fresh Latin Food © Marc Rowlands

Miami is the home of 'Nuevo Latino' – New Latin American cooking. Basically, you take traditional Latin food but execute and present it in an elevated way. Very fancy. During my career, there were five chefs in the USA best recognised for pioneering this style of food. I worked for three of them.

These days, I split my time between the US and Croatia. I have business in the US. In the earlier days of the internet, before Facebook got really popular, I founded some meet-up groups, based on the common interest of food. I started off in one city with a group of thirty people. That thirty became three hundred. Then, three thousand. Then, thirty thousand. Now I have active groups in seven different cities. We have one hundred and fifty thousand members.

I organised trips for group members around the US. We would go to food festivals. But, because of my heritage, I had this urge to better reconnect with Croatia. So, I decided to start doing tours to here. That was in 2016.

Fuego Fresh Latin Food © Marc Rowlands

In a way, Fuego is a product of the pandemic. Travel and tourism were hugely affected by Covid. I had extra time on my hands and Fuego is the result. I also run 808, the bar next door, with my partner.

Coming from somewhere else, people like us can see that the food options in Zagreb are really quite limited. But, it's getting better! Certainly, it's a lot better now than it was when I first started to come here quite regularly.

We're going into our second month now. Right now we're only open for lunch (11am – 3.30pm), Monday – Friday. We're hoping to soon open for dinner too. People can eat the food next door in 808, or in any of the other cafe bars in our building.

Some of our dishes are genuine, authentic dishes of Mexico, Peru or Cuba. Others take inspiration from other Latin sources, like Venezuela or Chile.

Fuego Fresh Latin Food

Corn is a big staple in Mexico. And also in Croatia! In Croatia, you get corn in sandwiches. Or on pizza. That's really weird. But, OK. I can go with that. One of the dishes we have is Mexicorn. Basically, it's a cross between the crazy popular Mexican dish Elote and Croatian Francuska salata, with corn, sour cream, cream cheese, spices and some chilli.

Another dish is Bananas Latinas – bananas, black bean puree, sour cream, avocado, garlic sauce and pickled onions. It's sweet and salty, with citrus too. In Latin food there are a lot of overlaps.

Spices and chilli sauces at Fuego Fresh Latin Food

People ask “Is your food spicy?” Well, it can be. If you want it spicy, we can make it like that for you. But, generally, our food is just very well seasoned. We do use a lot of spices, but that doesn't necessarily translate to food that's too spicy or too hot.

Ita's Aji de Gallina Bowl at Fuego Fresh Latin Food © Marc Rowlands

This dish is Ita's Aji de Gallina Bowl, named after my mother-in-law. It's based on a traditional Peruvian dish, with pulled chicken in a creamy chilli sauce. It's served next to Papa a la Huancaina - another Peruvian dish - boiled potatoes in a creamy sauce.

We make our own corn tortilla chips in-house. Yes, it's a lot of effort to go to, a long process. But, the ones you can buy here just aren't the same. We couldn't serve those. If you taste them, you'll immediately know the difference. I wanted ours to stand out from anybody else's. And, we've succeeded in doing that, we've perfected them. Right now, we're in the process of perfecting our own tacos. I anticipate they'll be on the menu in a month or so.

You can visit Fuego Fresh Latin Food at Zelinska 7 on the edge of Lower Town (it's immediately behind Zagreb Holding) and you can check out their menu here.

You can check out more of Zagreb's international food options on Total Croatia News Gourmet pages here.

January 14, 2022 - Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey is currently in Zagreb filming a Franjo Tudjman movie directed by Jakov Sedlar. 

The right-wing Hrvatski Tjednik is the only publication in Croatia to have the opportunity to talk to Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey, who arrived in Zagreb a few weeks ago to star in a film about the first Croatian President Franjo Tudjman, directed by Jakov Sedlar, Jutarnji List writes.

The article points out that Spacey arrived quietly. The controversial Hollywood movie star revealed that he has been working on the project about the first Croatian president for eight months, and very intensively for about three months.

"It's my usual work process. Tudjman was a fascinating person, definitely the most important person in the creation of your country," he said.

Spacey said that it did not take long for director Sedlar to persuade him to accept the Tudjman role. 

"We are friends, and I know he wouldn't try to do something bad to me. He spoke very honestly and with a lot of passion about Tudjman; he cared that I was playing his friend Franjo and we quickly agreed."

At the request of journalists, he tried to describe how he felt about Tudjman.

"Based on his available interviews and videos, it is clear that he was a very passionate man who believed in his ideas and in his Croatian people. I think he belongs to that old generation of politicians who were statesmen, not administrators, who thought that the people needed a leader to follow, and he did everything to make it so. He was happy, especially on the Freedom Train. I love his sincere passion that many politicians today lack."

At the end of the interview, Spacey said that he loves Croatia, especially Dubrovnik and Hvar, which he has visited before, and that he liked Zagreb. In the end, he said that Croats are a tough people and that he is sure that they will rebuild Zagreb after the earthquake.

In the interview, he did not want to talk about his problems back home in the US regarding the accusations against him for sexual abuse as he is convinced that the court will make a fair decision.

For more, check out our dedicated lifestyle section.

January 13, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia with more bad news for Zagreb Airport as 5 Ryanair Zagreb lines have been canceled and KLM reduces the Amsterdam-Zagreb line until the end of January. 

Croatian Aviation reports that Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair canceled 12 scheduled flights from Zagreb in January this year. The number of weekly departures to 4 more international lines has been further reduced, and the airline has now made additional changes and canceled 5 more lines until the beginning of March!

Passengers were sent notices about the canceled flights last night, in which it is clearly stated that they are not entitled to compensation in accordance with EU 261 regulations. Of course, the airline offered passengers a free change of date or refund, but the bigger problem is that according to most cities where the cancellation occurred, there is no option of a direct flight with another airline from Zagreb.

Route cancellations until March:

Zagreb - Dusseldorf Weeze, from March 2,

Zagreb - Frankfurt Hahn, from March 4,

Zagreb - Naples, from March 4, 

Zagreb - Oslo Torp, from March 2,

Zagreb - Sofia, from March 2. 

By canceling these flights, Ryanair will have 88 fewer return flights from Zagreb Airport in February, and consequently 15,840 fewer seats.

Croatian Aviation also reports that Dutch KLM has reduced the number of weekly flights on the scheduled flight between Amsterdam and Zagreb. Until January 10 this year, KLM operated twice a day between the two mentioned cities, arriving in Zagreb in the afternoon and evening.

Due to reduced demand, KLM has canceled certain evening flights to Zagreb, which depart from Zagreb to Amsterdam at 6 am the next day.

Namely, until the end of January, KLM will operate from Amsterdam to Zagreb in the evening flight three times a week, on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while afternoon flights between the two cities remain in daily traffic. In total, by the end of January, the airline will have 10 weekly flights between the capitals of the Netherlands and Croatia.

According to the schedule, KLM should operate 14 times a week or twice a day between Amsterdam and Zagreb at the beginning of February, but the realization of flights will depend exclusively on passenger demand, which is still determined by the pandemic and passenger restrictions in Europe.

The Croatian national airline, Croatia Airlines, operates daily between Amsterdam and Zagreb in the morning, with aircraft from the A320 family.

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

January 9, 2022 - Looking for a great dining experience on a day trip outside Zagreb? Gault & Millau has published its first top 100 restaurants guide for Zagreb and Zagreb County. 

One of the joys of moving to Zagreb last year was being in a better position to explore Zagreb County. I had no idea that there was so much to see and explore, and the excellent Around Zagreb website has been a great resource for ideas for family day trips from the capital. 

(Zagreb County Tourist Board Director, Ivana Alilovic, with the new Gault & Millau guide at the Zagreb County press conference)

There is another excellent resource, which has just been published - the Gault & Millau Croatia 2022 guide to the top 100 restaurants and POP (street food, canines, wine bars, and pastry shops) for Zagreb and its surroundings. While the majority of the entries are for the capital itself, there is a comprehensive and very diverse section of the best places to eat in Zagreb County. There are so many fabulous authentic experiences a short drive from the capital, and now a guide to the best places to combine a day in nature with a fantastic culinary experience. But if you are planning to go at the weekend, make sure you book in advance. I have been stunned by how full of life the restaurants and cafes of Zagreb County have been on our weekend visits. 

Here are the top 12 restaurants in Zagreb County, according to what sounds like some fun and very comprehensive research by Gault & Millau Croatia - you can find out more about the guide and how to order it (price 99 kuna) on their official website. 

1. Korak Family Estate, Jastrebarsko - 16/20

Haute cuisine is usually associated with cities, so exceptions like the restaurant at the Korak family wine estate are rare. This gastronomic oasis is part of the family winery in Plesivica, in the heart of the smallest wine region in Croatia. The view of the hills and vineyards, the terrace in the shade of the old linden trees, the soft breeze, and fine dining combined with their wines - this is Korak. Chef Bernard Korak has elevated the gastronomic offer of this region to new heights. There are no a la carte dishes at the restaurant; you can only find eight and five-course tasting menus, with or without wine pairing, so for lunch you need to set aside about four hours. More info in the guidebook.

www.korakwinery,com/hr/o-imanju 

2. Gabreku 1929, Samobor - 13.5/20

This place has a cult status among many Zagreb residents and is synonymous with the Sunday lunch in nature. Since 1929, Gabrek has been an oasis of traditional cuisine of continental Croatia. It is surrounded by the picturesque walls of the Old Town, by St. Michael's Church, and by the Gradna creek. Their homemade food is honest and tasty, and they have always presented themselves as a tavern serving good food; some dishes have been on the menu for over nine decades. Here you can try entrails specialities: fried brains, sweetbreads, and tripe, and in winter, you can warm yourself up with either some blood sausage or Samobor garlic sausages with sauerkraut and restani krumpir (boiled then fried potatoes with onions) served with mustard and horseradish. More info in the guidebook. 

www.gabrek.hr  

3. Karlo, Jastrebarsko - 13.5/20

Lunch at Karlo is definitely a good incentive to visit Plesivica, especially the part between Klinca Sela and Jaska, where the long and winding Plesivica wine road is located. On that road there is a lovely wooden house with an almost unreal, picture-postcard view. There you can enjoy homemade dishes prepared on a highly professional level (which is what all rustic cuisine should be like). The hand-written one-page menu includes several soups and meat dishes as well as two desserts, and it changes seasonally depending on ingredients. More info in the guidebook. 

https://www.facebook.com/Restoran-Karlo-Ple%C5%A1ivica-349403015176262 

4. Mon Ami, Velika Gorica - 13.5/20

One of the most famous seafood restaurants in the Zagreb region is located on the main road to Velika Gorica, in the heart of Turopolje. It is always full, so be sure to book a table. The space is divided into sections, there is a separate hall for smaller gatherings, and the interior is decorated in a classic restaurant style. Here you will always find fresh wild white fish and seafood. They also offer the black Turopolje truffle but we did not try it. The menu is special, like those in Asia, with large colour photos of each individual dish - everyone knows what they are going to get so there can be no complaints later! More info in the guidebook.

www.monami.hr

5. Restoran Potkova (Trajbar), Zapresic - 13/20

If you want to end your outing in nature by having lunch in some well-maintained surroundings, then the Trajbar equestrian club, about 3 km from the centre of Zapresic, is a very good choice. The estate spans 110,000 m2 and includes the forest, equestrian trail, and the enclosed winter riding hall 3,000 m2 in size. The road signs that lead you to Trajbar are good, there is enough parking space, but at weekends it is always very busy as it is popular for large celebrations under a tent. In the indoor area, there are several restaurant halls, while the glass-panelled cafe terrace offers a great view of the huge courtyard, gazebo, and horse riders. Potkova's menu is not large, but it is well-balanced; it follows the seasonal availability of local ingredients, More info in the guidebook.

www.trajbar.hr/vjencanja/restoran-potkova 

6. Cowboy Western Rancha, Markusevac Turopljski - 12.5/20

This huge complex on the wooded slopes of Vukomericke Gorice, about 20 km from the centre of Zagreb, is a popular place for an outing. From the terrace of the beautifully maintained wooden hacienda, there is a view of the ranch with horses for recreational riding, but for children, they also offer riding in horse parades, and their delighted parents can record them with their mobile phones. In fine weather, visitors can enjoy a walk, recline in wooden armchairs in the meadow, and have a look at various cowboy iconography arranged around the estate. The interior of the restaurant includes two halls, which can comfortably accommodate about 100 guests, and is entirely made of wood. More info in the guidebook.

www.cowboy.com.hr   

7. Gostionica Kod Spilje, Otrusevec - 12.5/20

Kod Spilje, a tavern opposite Grgos Cave - one of the most famous sites of the Samobor region - has been a beloved destination for the inhabitants of Zagreb, Samobor and Slovenia for years. Many people happily come back, as they know they can rely on them for good food. Standard starters include cooked ham, Samobor salami, cottage cheese and sour cream, homemade pork cracklings, tlacenica, and baked strukli (sweet or savoury dough with cottage cheese filling either baked or boiled). Don't miss their generous porcini mushroom soup. More info in the guidebook.

www.gostionica-kodspilje.hr  

8. Zeleni Papar, Samobor - 12.5/20

Although the interior is very spacious, with large tables spaced comfortably apart, the main advantage of Zeleni Papar is its terrace. Surrounded by the greenery of Perivoj, a Samobor neighbourhood of predominantly family houses with gardens, the terrace resembles a small arboretum, in which low shrubbery, stone garden areas with flowers, and trees function as natural dividers between tables. It is possible to sit outside as long as the weather conditions allow. The restaurant, which is about 20 km from Zagreb, can be reached exclusively by car (you are going to need a satnav as there are no signs along the way) and there is a gravel parking area. The interior looks like a dining room in someone's home, adorned by numerous household items such as Biedermeier commodes, old radio, bakelite telephone, desk lamps, paintings, a piano... - all to make guests feel as if they really are visiting someone they know. More info in the guidebook.

www.zelenipapar.hr 

9. Ampelos Hotel Princess - 12/20

Halfway between the urban and the rural, the city bustle and the peace provided by nature, halfway between Zagreb and Karlovac - there is the Jaska region, one of the best-preserved parts of nature in Zagreb County. In this picturesque area, at the foot of the southern part of Plesivica, Hotel Princess was built together with its gastronomic oasis - Ampelos restaurant. The menu is clearly divided into international and local dishes, such as Plesevica copanjak (a savoury cake made of shortcrust pastry filled with spinach, Swiss chard and/or nettles), strukli (sweet or savoury dough with cottage cheese filling - either baked or boiled), stuffed with bacon, cheese and mushrooms, homemade potato cream soup with goat cheese and bacon, Jaska skewer... More info in the guidebook.

www.princess.hr/gastronomija/restoran-ampelos  

10. Baraz, Etno-Farma Mirnovec, Samobor - 12/20

The Mirnovec family farm started very ambitiously, with plans to become one of the most visited places in the Samobor area. Hiring Tomislav Spicek, a culinary star, to run their Baraz restaurant menu is just one of the steps towards success. The 17-acre property is located about 20 km from Zagreb, just before Samobor, and it is perfectly landscaped with large, beautiful lawns, playgrounds, and an equestrian club. The most interesting attractions are the wooden houses brought to the farm from different parts of Croatia, some covered in red tiles, and some with authentic thatched roofs. One of these houses Baraz, 'the tavern and tasting room', where chef Spicek has recently created the menu. More info in the guidebook.

https://www.facebook.com/EtnoFarmaMirnovec

11. Taverna 1860, Donja Zelina - 12/20

Old brick walls, dim lighting, wood and wrought iron furniture, window niches filled with wine bottles, and an old radio on the shelf - all this gives the basement restaurant its feeling of warmth and intimacy, making you feel you are in a large country house living room. What adds to this feeling are the custom-made ceramic plates and platters; which completely match the dishes served. The board at the entrance to this well-frequented restaurant displays the information about the daily lunch offer, and whatever you offer, it will be fresh, made of quality ingredients from local producers. Depending on the day, you can try some old classic homemade dishes: meat stew with dumplings, meat and wine stew, or pork knuckle, homemade roast sausages and blood sausages with sour cabbage and restani krumpir (boiled and then fried potatoes with onions), all delicious and affordably priced. More info in the guidebook.

www.facebook.com/Taverna-1860-114220496955337  

12. Vina Kos - Jurisic, Donja Zelina - 12/20

On the Zelina wine road, in a place called Nespes, first there were the Kos-Jurisic family's vineyards and winery, and then good wine was followed by good food. At their winery, you could always taste their varieties of Pinot gris, Kerner (a cross between Trollinger and Riesling), Chardonnay, Kraljevina,(one of the oldest indigenous white grape varieties in Croatia), and Riseling - at first, the wines were accompanied by cheese and charcuterie platters, and later they ventured into more serious cooking. Recently, they have started offering picnics at the vineyard; the idea was that guests choose one of four baskets full of homemade delicacies and then, with someone dear to their heart, sit on a blanket between the vines and enjoy the tasty bites and fresh air. Once the weather is no longer nice, it is too cold to sit on the ground, but the baskets - Spekec, Picek, Pajcek, and Grincajg, priced between 250 and 350 kuna, are still available at weekends. More info in the guidebook.

www.vina-kos-jurisic.hr

Learn more about the gastronomy and tourist offer of Zagreb County on the official tourist board website.

January 9, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Korean low-cost carrier T’way Air is putting Seoul-Zagreb flights back on the table this year, that is, once the pandemic allows it. 

Ex Yu Aviation reports that Korean T’way Air Seoul-Zagreb flights are back on the table with the introduction of the low-cost airline's Airbus A330-300 wide-body aircraft in February. Flights should commence from Seoul to Zagreb once the pandemic allows it as all permits have already been obtained for four-weekly flights between the South Korean and Croatian capital. T’way is also planning flights to Singapore and Sydney this year. 

Recall, Korean Air will not return to Zagreb this year due to the pandemic. The airline ran on a seasonal basis to the Croatian capital since 2018. 

Ex Yu Aviation adds that Korean Air was dominant between Seoul and Zagreb when it last operated flights in 2019, with over 95% of passengers originating from South Korea. 

"The only other South Korean city with notable traffic to Zagreb is its second-largest - Busan. In 2019, 4.691 passengers travelled indirectly between Busan and Zagreb on a single itinerary based on OAG data. The overwhelming majority of Korean travellers enter Croatia on a separate ticket via other European markets after spending several days in their original point of origin," reports Ex Yu Aviation. 

When speaking about if T’Way would take passengers from Korean Air, Croatian Ambassador to South Korea Damir Kusen recently said:

"We believe that this will certainly be an attractive option for younger travelers to Croatia due to the significantly lower priced tickets and will stimulate a new category of passengers."

T’way will also secure another two A330s in 2022 in hopes to become South Korea’s second-largest airline.

T'way would certainly be an excellent replacement in Zagreb for Korean Air. 

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

January 7, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as MyWings cancels the newly introduced Zagreb-Pristina line from February 2, 2022. 

On December 15, 2021, the Kosovo tour operator MyWings introduced a regular route between Zagreb and Pristina, in cooperation with two Croatian airlines, Trade Air and Croatia Airlines. The line, however, will soon be canceled, reports Croatian Aviation.

The regular line between Pristina and Zagreb was introduced on December 15, less than a month ago, and three flights a week were announced. Shortly after the operations were established, flights were canceled on Mondays, and the remaining flights will be canceled soon.

Namely, the Kosovo tour operator withdrew tickets from this line after February 2, 2022. Until that date, flights should run regularly, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Croatian Aviation writes that objectively speaking, the line was introduced at the wrong time, and that they do not remember when one airline reduced the number of rotations and determined its end in less than a month since the line was introduced. The line is no longer announced for the summer flight schedule and there are no direct flights between the two cities after February 2, 2022.

Croatia Airlines is selling tickets for these flights through a code-share agreement between the mentioned partners in this project, and the last flight available for booking with the Croatian national airline is February 2, 2022. Croatian Aviation concludes that the question is whether, when, and who will try to re-introduce a regular line between Pristina and Zagreb after this Kosovo tour operator failed. 

But this isn't all the bad news hitting Zagreb Airport.

Recall, before the holidays, Croatian Aviation was contacted by several passengers who had tickets on Ryanair flights in January but were informed by the airline that their flight had been canceled, without further explanation as the airline was not required to compensate for the cancellation if more than 15 days before the travel date.

Croatian Aviation thus reported that flights on the following routes had been canceled:

Zagreb - Brussels Charleroi - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Sofia - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Dusseldorf Weeze - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Frankfurt Hahn - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Karlsruhe - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Memmingen - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Naples - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Podgorica - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Oslo Torp - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 02.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Malmo - Zagreb, from 08.01. to 01.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Basel - Zagreb, from 07.01. to 04.02.2022.,

Zagreb - Manchester - Zagreb, from 09.01. to 03.02.2022.

In addition, the number of weekly operations has decreased on certain lines:

Zagreb - Gothenburg - Zagreb, from 3 to 2 flights a week,

Zagreb - Milan Bergamo - Zagreb, from 4 to 2 flights a week,

Zagreb - Paphos - Zagreb, from 2 to 1 flight per week,

Zagreb - London Stansted - Zagreb, from 7 to 4 flights a week.

Croatian Aviation added that it is very likely that the suspended lines will not return to traffic in early February, but only with the summer flight schedule, which is expected given the low demand and new travel complications caused by the pandemic.

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