August 6, 2022 - An innovative - and very quirky - addition to the Zagreb ice cream scene, complete with brioches, Kit-Kats, Oreos, and Gummi Bears. Meet Briocherie.

I must admit that I had my doubts when I first heard about it, but I live under the motto of 'I will try anything once.'

The toppings were REALLY interesting, and a throwback to my childhood, to be added to a brioche and choice of ice cream. An unusual combination at the best of times, but add in my choice of Gummi Bears and...

You know what, it worked. And I have to confess, it was mildly addictive. I was back the next evening for my second brioche, with mixed ice cream, topped off with Kit-Kat. 

Meet the latest addition to the Zagreb culinary scene, Briocherie, which opened its doors in the centre a few days ago. Located at Bakaceva 5, between Sol and Ficlek, on the street between Ban Jelacic Square and Zagreb Cathedral, Briocherie actually made its debut at Advent in Zagreb's Fuliranje in 2019, where it was a major hit with queues up to an hour.

Zagreb is quiet at this time of year, so get in early before the crowds, although it seems that there are already some celebrity regulars. Celebrated chef Mate Jankovic is already in love with Briocherie, posting on his Facebook profile:

Perhaps the best thing that has happened lately is the opening of Briocheria at Bakačeva 5 in my neighborhood. I love that concept and the creative possibilities it offers, I mean who doesn't love a top ice cream locked in a nice, warm, crispy brioche pastry. Even if you throw in various accessories and textures, the thing is incomparably more interesting. I'm only sorry because I didn't think of it first. Admittedly, if I did, I would eat a lot more of them, this way I limited myself to only a few a week. My kid kills me every day to take him. I watch him enjoy and chew, which makes my pain much worse.

It's that good.

The brioche combination is optional, and the ice cream with toppings and sauces in a cup is also well worth investigating, made as it is from Carpigiani machines, the Rolls Royce of ice cream machines.

I must confess that I have never come across anything like it, and I am sure it will be a hit for some and perhaps not so for others. But if you are in the centre why not give it a try and let me know what you think. 

Open daily from 15:00 to 22:00, and you can follow the story on the Brioche Facebook page. 

August 3, 2022 -  A 12-day streak of local stand-up comedy shows in the English language will launch this month in downtown Zagreb

Zagreb has got a new summer attraction! For the first time ever, it will offer Croatian stand-up comedy shows, but - in English! These events will take place in the heart of the city (Confusion Bar, IvanaTkalčića 15) every evening from 20.00h, starting August 3. Their air-conditioned underground room will have limited seating of 40, so a timely booking is highly recommended.

- For years now we shave seen international tourists enjoying traditional Zagreb attractions. Nevertheless, one of its best ones - comedy - remained undiscovered! It is time to change that!, says Pedja Bajović, producer and the most international stand-up comedian from Croatia, who has performed in English all over Europe whilst his global action stretches from Vancouver all the way to Tasmania! More about this comedian and his previous work, you can learn on his website.

These comedy nights are titled _The Balkan Brain_ and will provide many answers about this part of the world, starting with is Zagreb in the Balkans at all and then comparing it to those were the audiences will be coming from; you guessed it: making them laugh along the way!

Tickets for these shows can be obtained online, or at the comedy club entrance prior to the show. Piece of advice: while strolling the streets of Zagreb do pay attention to comedians carrying flyers for the shows, as those provide an entry fee discount at the door!

More about the show can be seen on its webpage where you can also watch a short video trailer of the comedy special which made it to global distribution through the Comedy Dynamics, a company based in Los Angeles - as the first one ever from Eastern Europe!

Contact: +385 91 799 0848

August the 3rd, 2022 - The City of Zagreb is the fifth worst in Europe in terms of the amount of available electric vehicle charging stations according to Uswitch.

As Poslovni Dnevnik/Mladen Miletic writes, the constant rise in fuel prices led 70 percent of Europeans to choose an electric vehicle as their first choice when buying their next new vehicle, according to research by Uswitch, a platform for comparing energy prices.

Additional research also determined the top list of European metropolises that invest the most in the network of charging stations for electric vehicles they have available to road users, and those that are significantly behind in this segment. The Croatian capital of Zagreb is one of those cities lagging behind quite a lot.

Unfortunately, the City of Zagreb has a mere 43 charging stations available in total for electric vehicle owners according to Uswitch, which is still more than the nearby Slovenian capital of Ljubljana (41) and Vilnius (21) and Sofia, Nicosia and Riga, all of which have a mere 15 charging stations each.

The situation is actually worse when this set of data is put into the context of the spatial size of the city itself, meaning that the Croatian capital city of Zagreb has just 0.07 charging stations for electric vehicles per square kilometre. Still, Zagreb isn't the absolute worst on the list, with the Bulgarian capital of Sofia having just 0.01 per square metre, while the Greek capital of Athens is slightly better than Zagreb with 0.10 charging stations for every kilometre of space.

The capital of neighbouring Hungary, (Budapest) for example, already has 452 stations for electric cars, which is ten times more than Zagreb can boast of. With three million inhabitants, Budapest is, of course, much larger than the Croatian capital city, but the fact that for every 100,000 inhabitants there are 80 percent more charging stations than the Croatian metropolis is quite worrying indeed.

Uswitch has determined that the Norwegian capital city of Oslo (2,481) has advanced the farthest in this segment of environmental awareness, and Oslo's residents have access to almost five and a half charging stations per square kilometre in that city, of which the British capital city of London has the most in total (4,991).

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

July 28, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Korean Air Seoul-Zagreb charter flights have been confirmed for the end of September, with five rotations planned. 

Korean national airline, Korean Air, has confirmed charter flights between Seoul and Zagreb for October this year. The first arrival is announced on the last day of September, and the planes and crew will spend the night in the capital of Croatia, reports Croatian Aviation.

As Croatian Aviation exclusively announced earlier, Korean Air is returning to Zagreb on September 30 with a total of 5 rotations on charter flights for the well-known South Korean tour operator.

The planes will land at Zagreb Airport on Fridays after approximately 10 hours in the air, while on Saturday afternoon, the aircraft will fly back to Seoul.

The route will be operated by A330-200 aircraft on all five rotations, which have a capacity of 218 seats. These aircraft were frequent guests at Zagreb Airport when the regular Korean Air route operated.

The airline is still considering establishing a regular direct route for the next summer season while following low-cost T'way Air, which is also planning a regular route to the Croatian capital. There is no room for two South Korean airlines in the relatively small Croatian market at the moment.

Croatian Aviation also exclusively reports that Korean Air will run several charter flights to Dubrovnik Airport as well for the needs of a South Korean corporation. The flights are currently planned for November, but the airline leaves room for changes, which are always possible with charter operations, considering that everything depends on the client or the lessee of the flights.

Recall that the Korean airline regularly operated between Seoul and Zagreb until the pandemic. The airline plans to replace the risk of its summer route by re-establishing this regular line with charter operations between the two cities. 

October, along with April and May, is popular for Koreans traveling abroad, so it is not surprising that operations are announced at the end of the Croatian summer season. The Chuseok holiday is when most Koreans use their vacation days to go on trips abroad.

Several South Korean tour operators are offering travel packages to Croatia in October and an agreement was reached between tour operators and Korean Air to conduct charter operations to the Croatian capital.

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

ZAGREB, 25 July (Hina) - Zagreb was the best value-for-money European tourist destination in June, according to Mabrian, a Barcelona-based company analysing tourist data which ranked 14 destinations.

"Despite being among the last in terms of air connectivity, it has a very high level of satisfaction in most of the areas analyzed. At the same time, it offers a very competitive accommodation price compared to the other destinations analyzed," says Mabrian.

Dubrovnik ranked ninth, with the company saying that it "is the destination with the highest satisfaction levels among the analyzed destinations. However, the average hotel price is high and air connectivity is limited, which places it in ninth position." 

Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, ranked third, while London, Barcelona and Paris were at the bottom of the rankings.

"London and Paris, despite being better connected, are penalized by a very high average hotel price among the destinations analyzed," the Barcelona-based company says.

In order, the best tourist cities for quality and price in June are: Zagreb (Croatia), Athens (Greece), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Rome (Italy), Vienna (Austria), Lisbon (Portugal), Madrid (Spain), Milan (Italy), Dubrovnik (Croatia), Berlin (Germany), Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France), Barcelona (Spain) and London (United Kingdom).  

The security perception index analyzed by Mabrian is led by Dubrovnik and Lisbon, followed by Milan and Madrid. At the bottom of this index are Berlin, Barcelona and Vienna.

"There is a growing trend of demand for less crowded and more authentic destinations. For this reason, countries such as Croatia and Slovenia and their capitals are highly valued destinations due to their balance between a destination that offers security, a differentiated offer of activities and a very attractive average price," according to Carlos Centra, Mabrian's sales and marketing director.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

July 21, 2022 - As Zagreb continues to become a beloved destination to visitors and a home full of life to those fortunate, the continuation of the new TCN series – exploring the thriving capital of Zagreb through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old expat – presents culinary traditions that I have experienced during my time here.

Starting from Zagreb’s popular living landmark: the Dolac Market. A crowded hub of interactions, which overlooks the main square, comprises itself of a raised open site lined with endless stalls of fresh produce. Additionally, the market's variety consists of seafood, which is set up alongside the produce in a ‘Ribarnica’, as well as red meat and dairy products, which can be found at street level in the indoor area. The impressive diversity of the domestic trading system has brought the capital of Croatia an attraction worth visiting and likely to be spotted thanks to the big, red umbrellas!

Photo: Romulic & Stojcic

Zagreb’s local economy attracts people from all over the world with its renowned traders, known as 'kumice' – who fill the atmospheric scene with delicacies and comforting commotion of distinct voices – as well as flower stands offering seasonal greenery before the entrance to the active market.

The Dolac Market, having been built between Kaptol and Tkalčićeva, has become Zagreb’s busy thoroughfare, which continues to showcase trading traditions that have been started all the way back in the 1930s.

Photo: Romulic & Stojcic 

Continuing on with the famous Štrukli, the traditional specialty of the Croatian Zagorje region. The prized dish has earned its love amongst tourists and locals because it is handmade and quality, and earned its place within the local tradition. Being known as a pastry that is served as an appetiser, filling addition to soups, a tasty main meal, a fast snack or a sweet dessert, Štrukli has gained attention unlike anything else!

Moreover, in honour of the traditional dish, there has been the occurrence of Štruklijada, a special event organised in the village of Kumrovec since 2009. The event's purpose is to help promote and preserve the traditional method of preparing the štrukli pastry, which year after year is attracting ever more local and foreign guests.

Photo: Bonč/Wikimedia Commons

To reveal, when first invited to try štrukli, I was impressed by the gentle taste of the soft dough, creamy cheese, eggs, and its sour-cream sauce. The dish made a great first impression on me and made me re-visit “La Štruk” – a small restaurant serving only štrukli.

Lastly, let’s talk about the sidewalk cafes, restaurants, and bars on Ivana Tkalčića Street. Unlike the street we now know and love, Ivana Tkalčića used to be a natural border – known as the Medveščak stream – between the two settlements that Zagreb emerged from, where numerous conflicts used to arise. It used to involve brutality and hatred, while now it promotes an atmosphere of blissful days filled with laughter and relaxation. And being known as the most vibrant street in Zagreb, the local street food does have a lot to offer!

Photo: Luis Bartolomé Marcos/Wikimedia Commons

A mixture of cuisine and flavours can be found on this promenade; from oriental food to classical hamburgers, you will find everything here. But what makes this street and the dishes it has to offer extra special are the people. I find the indisputable charm of the street coming from the dynamics of the locals and the laid-back attitude of those surrounding you.

Do not miss out on the opportunity to discover the city’s distinct personality and the food it has to offer by finding out more about the culture it is exceptionally known for!

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 20 July 2022 - The international credit rating agency Moody's has raised the long-term credit rating of the City of Zagreb and the Zagreb Holding multi-utility conglomerate by two notches, from Ba1 to Baa2, that is from a speculative to an investment grade, with a stable outlook, the City of Zagreb said on Wednesday.

"We are glad that Moody's has recognised the financial stabilisation not only in the City of Zagreb but also the restructuring of Zagreb Holding, which was necessary for the City of Zagreb and Zagreb Holding to withstand new challenges caused by global circumstances," Zagreb Mayor Tomislav Tomašević said, commenting on the upgrade of the rating.

After the decision to raise Croatia's credit rating, the agency expects the upgrade of the rating will positively affect the City of Zagreb and Zagreb Holding following the introduction of the euro, having in mind the strategic position of Zagreb within Croatia. A stable outlook related to the credit rating of the City reflects its financial stabilisation and a medium-term reduction in debt burden, the City said.

Moody's says that Zagreb's Baa2 rating reflects its large and diverse local economy, which contributes to a tax revenue base with low volatility and a positive growth trend. It also noted that the debt of some of the City-owned companies would continue to decline in the medium term thanks to better financial results.

The agency stated that Zagreb's solid institutions and its governance strength are reflected in a governance issuer profile score that is neutral to low. The City's high credibility contributes to this, as it manages its operations using prudent financial planning, which allows for multi-year forecasting of key trends, the press release reads.

For more news about Croatia, click here.

July 19, 2022 - In the first leg of the Champions League 2nd qualifying round, Dinamo and Shkupi draw 2:2 at Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb. 

Dinamo had their first European test of the season tonight against the champion of North Macedonia, Shkupi. The two teams met at Maksimir Stadium at 21:00 for the Champions League 2nd qualifying round. 

Dinamo entered tonight's match as big favorites. According to Transfermarkt, the North Macedonian champion is worth only 5.5 million euros, while the Croatian champion is valued at 100.5 million.

The match was refereed by 39-year-old Romanian Rad Petrescu.

The starting lineups saw Dinamo coach Ante Čačić leave Mislav Oršić on the bench.

Lineups

Dinamo: Livaković - Moharrami, J. Šutalo, Perić, Ljubičić - Mišić, Ademi - Špikić, Petković, Ivanušec - Drmić

Shkupi: Naumovski - Brdarovski, Dzelil, Margvelashvili, Sheji - Putita, Faustin, Alvarez - Hamidi, Danfa, Adetunji

Match report

Dinamo's first real chance came in the 10th minute. Perić crossed, and Petković chested to Ademi, who shot ten meters over the goal. Dinamo used their first sub in the 17th minute as Theophile entered for an injured Josip Šutalo. 

Dinamo was shocked in the 25th minute. A big mistake by the defense between Mišić and Theophile saw Queven take advantage and shot past Livaković for 0:1. 

Dinamo had a few more chances but didn't equalize until the 44th minute. Ademi scored off a Moharrami cross for 1:1 at the half. 

The second half started with one change - Menalo entered instead of Špikić

Ljubičić had a chance in the 49th minute but shot near post. Oršić was subbed on for Drmić in the 64th minute. 

Ademi was shown a yellow card in the 72nd minute for simulation after diving in the penalty area. 

Dinamo continued to have chances in the second half and was relentlessly attacking Shkupi's goal. Bruno Petković finally scored to put Dinamo ahead at 2:1 in the 86th minute.

But the euphoria didn't last long. A quick attack and a volley over Livaković saw Shkupi equalize at 2:2 in the 89th minute, which is how the match ended. 

The second leg will be played away on Tuesday, July 26, at 21:00. 

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

July 19, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as British Airways Zagreb flights see further reductions in September and October this year. 

After reducing its August schedule, British Airways has revised its flight schedule for September and October, announcing that further changes are possible, reports Croatian Aviation. 

It was recently announced that the British Airways route between London (Heathrow) and Zagreb had been reduced for August, but the airline has now reduced the number of planned flights for September and October as well. 

On July 17, the airline changed its flight schedule for July and August on several European routes. Namely, until September 11, the rule of Heathrow Airport is in force, which limits the number of passengers at this airport daily due to the lack of workforce. 

Many flights on the line between London (Heathrow) and Dubrovnik have been announced for September. However, instead of 20, the carrier will operate 22 return flights on this route, which is why flights between Heathrow and Zagreb have been reduced. Namely, that line was initially planned with 39 return flights in September, but now it has been reduced to 36, which is an almost negligible number.

However, in October, British Airways is significantly cutting operations on the route to Zagreb again. Until July 17, the carrier had planned 52 monthly flights to the Croatian capital, but the flight schedule was reduced again. Namely, 52 flights were initially planned for October, but 12 were canceled, so now 40 flights are available for booking in October.

It is likely that by September, the airline will further reduce the number of monthly flights for October, not only to Croatia but at the European level, so additional cancellations are undoubtedly possible. However, unlike Zagreb, given that we are in the peak summer season, the flight schedule to the airports on the coast (Pula, Split, and Dubrovnik) has no significant cancellations, except for Split, where several last-minute cancellations were recorded.

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

July 12, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 23 of 49 British Airways London-Zagreb flights have been canceled in August. 

British Airways significantly reduced the number of weekly flights between London (Heathrow Airport) and Zagreb for July, justifying the move by problems in the industry (lack of staff and capacity). The carrier has now reduced the schedule of flights to Zagreb for August, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Namely, the OneWorld alliance member canceled 23 of the announced 49 flights between Zagreb and London (Heathrow) planned for August this year.

Due to the lack of workforce within the company, but also due to the problem with the lack of staff at Heathrow Airport, British Airways has reduced the number of weekly flights on several European routes, including the one to Zagreb Airport.

Until a few days ago, British Airways offered up to 12 weekly flights between London and Zagreb. Still, since the number of weekly operations was reduced for July, it was expected that the company would do the same thing in the flight queue for August.

This has now happened, and instead of the planned and announced 49 weekly flights between London and Zagreb, British Airways canceled 23 flights. So now, 26 return flights have been announced for August.

British Airways plans to operate between London and Zagreb 6 times a week in August, every day except Mondays, mainly using its A320 aircraft and A321 aircraft leased from Finnair, which already operates on this route.

The airline has not yet reduced its flight schedule for September, but further cancellations of this carrier are expected.

Croatia Airlines also operates between Heathrow Airport and Zagreb three times a week, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, mostly with A319 aircraft. It is also possible to get to London with a direct Ryanair flight from Zagreb to Stansted, an airport approximately 60 kilometers from the center of London.

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