June 25, 2022 - Zagreb, Croatia’s prized northwestern capital, has gained quite the attention recently – with its captivating architecture and an abundant amount of summer activities. But is it exciting to live in for teenagers? Does it truly have a lot to offer to the vast number of youthful souls living there? Find out in the first of a new TCN series - Zagreb Through the Eyes of a Sixteen-Year-Old Expat. Prepare yourself for the culture that I have experienced as an expat living in Croatia’s most important transport hub! In today’s episode, meet the art culture of Zagreb.

From charming scenery to a distinguishable amount of greenery, offbeat entertainment, and a low crime rate, Zagreb has grown detrimentally on me during the single year I spent here (with one more to conquer before leaving for university).  Nothing about this city seemed appealing to me when my parents unexpectedly told me that, in the next few weeks, we are moving abroad for their work.

Leaving my close ones. Having to carve out a new social life. Finding a new school. It was all out of my comfort zone – which I very rarely challenge. I was not prepared to be thrown into an entirely unfamiliar community but found comfort in the fact that no one ever is. And so, with time I found myself falling in love with the medieval “old city” with contemporary Croatian culture and art.

Although Zagreb’s established reputation as a destination of culture, music, and art becomes notorious throughout the summertime, it still exudes everything it has to offer on a day-to-day basis – no matter the season. During my time here I have noticed several events provided by the city to its citizens, such as the Advent, the festival of lights, and several museums hosting gatherings for art enthusiasts. With smiling faces all around you, excited laughs from children running by, and an intoxicating atmosphere spreading with each passing second, Zagreb knows how to bring people together and have them share a memorable experience with one another.

Moreover, the city’s combination of modern pleasure with historic architecture seems to divulge contrasts unlike anything else. For example, the Croatian National Theatre (1895) has shown generations of artists showcasing contemporary beauty on multiple occasions – bringing entertainment to all age groups living in the city of Zagreb. Additionally, the National Museum of Modern Art and the Ethnographic Museum of Zagreb both interpret and spread numerous museum activities aimed to promote the culture of the past and present.

Overall, I believe the diverse experience provided by Croatia’s cultural centre nurtures and promotes art in all kinds of forms. It encourages us citizens to discover various talents and institutions that mirror how culturally rich the city is. From my experience, all the events seem to grant a large number of locals and visitors the ability to view such creations from various open spaces – providing a level of fulfilment to all who attend!

Do not miss out on the opportunity to discover the city’s distinct personality by finding out more about the art culture it is exceptionally known for and the enviable summer programme that has recently started.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 25, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as the Finnair Helsinki-Zagreb route will end on July 31st this year instead of the originally scheduled end date of September 29. The airline still plans to return to the Croatian capital next year. 

Ex Yu Aviation reports that the Finnair Helsinki-Zagreb route will end on July 31, which is two months ahead of the originally scheduled end date. The final flight will be operated by Nordic Regional Airlines with its 100-seat Embraer E190 aircraft. The Finnair seasonal route was meant to run until September 29 and no reason has been given for its cancellation. The Helsinki-Zagreb route was launched on May 1 with three flights a week, operated on Airbus A319 aircraft. 

However, Finnair plans to return to Zagreb next year, on April 30, with three flights a week on the same line. It is interesting to note that Finnair is the only airline to operate the Helsinki-Zagreb service. While Croatia Airlines ran summer flights between Helsinki and Zagreb in 2017, the line was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and has yet to be restored, and without any plans to re-launch the service. Finnair will continue to operate to Split and Dubrovnik until October 29, or the end of the summer flight schedule. 

Finnair also sacked its plans to Ljubljana this year, which ran seasonally until the coronavirus pandemic and was meant to be relaunched this summer. However, the airline should return to Ljubljana from May 2, 2023, with four flights per week.

"Slovenia and Croatia are very popular leisure destinations from Finland. A lot of the travel is point to point but we do see an increase in transfer traffic as well, those destinations are becoming increasingly popular among our Asian customers, particularly from Japan", the airline said.

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

ZAGREB, 23 June 2022- The Pizza Festival, held in Zagreb for the first time, opened in Dr Franjo Tuđman Square on Thursday, and it runs through 3 July.

"Delicious pizzas, excellent music and chilled drinks have the main role in this new gastronomic adventure," said the organisers from the Chicken or Egg agency.

Visitors will be able to try 19 different pizza flavours from four Croatian hospitality establishments. The working hours of the festival are from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., and admission is free.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 21, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 4-weekly Lisbon-Zagreb flights will run in July as the only direct line connecting Portugal and Croatia. 

Portuguese national airline TAP Portugal will operate between Lisbon and Zagreb in July four times a week, reports Croatian Aviation. 

Lisbon and Zagreb will be connected by a direct TAP line four times a week in July, every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. In this year's summer flight schedule, the Portuguese airline restarted the line between the two cities, and Croatia Airlines operated on it until the pandemic outbreak.

In July, the peak summer season, a total of 5,300 seats are available on 19 return flights on the only direct line between Croatia and Portugal. 

TAP will use several different aircraft types on this line in July, the 106-seat Embraer E190, the A319, A320, and A320NEO.

According to currently available data, the Portuguese airline will operate between Zagreb and Lisbon until the end of this year's summer flight schedule, i.e., on October 29 this year.

Unlike major European hubs, such as Frankfurt, Amsterdam, and London, Lisbon has no major operational problems, so flights are mostly scheduled according to plan.

Zagreb International Airport recently released monthly statistics for May, when a total of 265,317 passengers passed through this airport.

In the first five months of this year, Zagreb exceeded one million passengers (a total of 1,006,473), while in the whole of 2021, there were 1,404,478. Compared to the previous two years, the positive recovery continues, so that in May this year alone, more than 265 thousand passengers arrived and were dispatched.

Most passengers arrived in Zagreb on Croatia Airlines, Ryanair, KLM-Air France, and Lufthansa Group airlines, which account for the largest share of total traffic from the Croatian capital.

Compared to May 2019, there were 46,000 fewer passengers in Zagreb last month. However, the positive trend is expected to continue in the coming summer months.

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

ZAGREB, 19 June 2022 - An exhibition of works of Polish cartoonist Zygmunt Zaradkiewicz will be staged in the Bogdan Ogrizović library, one of the city libraries in Zagreb, on 27 June.

The exhibition of his satirical cartoons is being organised by the Polish Embassy and the Croatian Cartoonists' Association.

Zaradkiewicz's works and activity include book illustrations, cartoons. prints, posters paintings and stage sets. He has received many awards and recently he was one of the winners at the World Press Cartoon Festival in Portugal.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

ZAGREB, 19 June 2022 -  An international mental arithmetic and mental math Olympiad, which took place in Zagreb on Sunday, brought together about 500 children from Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Austria, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The event for children aged between 4 and 17 was organised by the "Malac Genijalac Hrvatska" association.

Mental arithmetic concerns arithmetical calculations using only the human brain, with no help from any supplies (such as pencil and paper) or devices such as a calculator.

For more, check out our lifestyle section.

June 16, 2022 - Croatian Aviation exclusively reveals that Korean Air Zagreb charter flights are in the plans for October, connecting Seoul and Zagreb later this year. 

A Croatian Aviation exclusive reveals that the Korean national airline and SkyTeam alliance member is planning charter flights to Zagreb in October this year!

The Korean airline used to operate on a regular route between Seoul and Zagreb until the outbreak of the pandemic. At one point, Korean Air announced on its official website the possibility of re-establishing this direct line this summer season, though this will not happen, which, given the reduced demand, was expected. The airline plans to replace the risk of re-establishing this regular line with charter operations between Seoul and Zagreb in October this year.

October, along with April and May, is the month in which Korean citizens travel the most abroad, so it is not surprising that operations are announced at the very end of the summer season. It is at the time of Chuseok when most citizens use their vacations and go on trips abroad.

Several South Korean tour operators are offering travel packages to Croatia in October, and an agreement was reached between the tour operator and Korean Air on conducting charter operations to the Croatian capital. The project is logistically supported by Croatian Aviation, primarily in the form of the organization of transport and crew accommodation in Zagreb.

Regular charter operations are planned once a week, from October 7 to 29 this year, with arrival in Zagreb on Friday and departure on Saturday.

Tour operators are also working on the option to turn the planned direct line between Seoul and Zagreb into a stop line in Athens in case of lower interest in holidays in Croatia. The final decision will be made in the coming months.

A330-200 aircraft with a capacity of 218 seats in Korean Air's fleet is planned for these charter flights. This type of aircraft was not frequent in Zagreb when Korean Air operated on a regular route between the two cities.

The airline claims that the decision on the summer flight schedule for next year has not yet been made, so the regular line between Seoul and Zagreb for the next summer season is questionable. As these are currently planned charter flights, operational changes are certainly possible.

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

June 15, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Iberia Croatia flights will be boosted from Madrid next month, namely running from Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik airports. 

Spanish airline Iberia, a Oneworld alliance member, plans to increase the number of weekly flights between Madrid and Croatian airports in July, reports Croatian Aviation.

The Spanish national airline already operates regular routes from its main base in Madrid to Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

Between Zagreb and Madrid, Iberia plans three flights a week in July, every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, while in the last week of July the number of weekly operations will increase to five. The airline is still selling daily flights between Zagreb and Madrid in August, but there is a possibility that will change.

Sixteen return flights between the two cities have been announced for July, exclusively with A320 aircraft, so 4,928 seats will be available on this route next month.

The Madrid - Split - Madrid line is currently running three times a week, while four flights a week have been announced for July; on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, also with A320 aircraft.

Seventeen return flights were announced on this route in July, and 5,236 seats are currently available.

Dubrovnik and Madrid should be connected on a daily basis in July. Iberia is planning daily operations with A320 and A319 aircraft announced on the route, and a total of 9,528 seats are available on 31 return flights in July.

Between Madrid and the three mentioned Croatian airports, Iberia is offering almost 20,000 seats in July. In addition to point-to-point passengers, the line is used by a significant number of transfer passengers, primarily from North and South America, given that according to destinations on the mentioned continents Iberia Airlines has developed a quality network of routes.

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

June 14, 2022 - The latest flight news to Croatia as 29 weekly LOT Croatia flights from Poland will run this summer. 

LOT Polish Airlines has finalized its summer flight schedule to Croatia by announcing a new, third route to Rijeka and increasing weekly operations between Zagreb and Warsaw, reports Croatian Aviation. 

The Star Alliance Group group member will operate 9 international routes from Poland to 5 Croatian airports at the peak of the summer season, namely to Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zagreb.

The largest number of weekly operations has been announced between Warsaw and Zagreb, where the airline's aircraft will operate 13 times a week, twice a day every day except Monday. Thus, LOT in Zagreb returned to almost the same number of flights as before the pandemic.

LOT already operates to Rijeka from Warsaw, once a week, and at the beginning of July, there are two more lines, from Zielona Góra (Sundays) and Rzeszów (Tuesdays).

Two lines have been announced to Zadar. From Warsaw once a week (on Saturdays) and from Rzeszów, also on Saturdays, from June 18.

On the line between Warsaw and Split, LOT will operate three times a week this summer, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, and Boeing 737-800 aircraft have also been announced on this line.

LOT will connect Warsaw and Dubrovnik on a daily basis, and will additionally operate on the line between Dubrovnik and Krakow (every Saturday). 

“Last year, we transported over 33,000 Poles to Croatia, and we hope for a much better result this year. I also hope that Croats will visit Poland in greater numbers," said the carrier’s CEO, Rafał Milczarski for Ex Yu Aviation at the beginning of June. 

"Croatia is becoming more and more popular among our passengers each year and is becoming of interest for travelers outside of Warsaw as well. As we continue to increase our offer, both Zagreb and Croatia as a whole are becoming popular for short weekend breaks as well," he added.

“Our performance in Croatia is the result of consistent work by our team as well as the growing popularity of Croatia in Poland and the increasing number of Poles who want to come to Croatia within two hours," said LOT Board Member for Commercial Affairs, Michal Fijoł.  

Overall, 29 weekly flights is a smaller number of operations compared to the 2019 summer flight schedule.

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

June 12, 2022 - Summer is approaching, and the parks are calling for a season of outstanding outdoor concerts with this year's Zagreb Classic in the Croatian capital. 

Zagreb really is a city for all seasons, and I am looking forward to spending my first full summer here without the traditional summer stop on the coast.

In recent years, Zagreb has attracted the global tourism headlines for its hugely successful Advent in Zagreb event, which went from almost nothing to being voted the best Christmas market in Europe three years in a row (read more about this masterclass in tourism development in From Zero to European Champion: a History of Advent in Zagreb. 

(Photo credit: Sanjin Kastelan)

Summer, of course, has a completely different feel, and one that I am looking forward to exploring in more detail. The majesty of outdoors Zagreb really comes into play, as its green spaces, squares and streets are put to versatile use to bring the city to life. In recent years, Zagreb is slowly gaining a bigger and bigger reputation as a city of art, culture and music, and its fresh approach to maximising the city's offer makes the summer months an attractive alternative to those not looking for a beach holiday. As I wrote recently in Back to Normal: Summer in Zagreb, Concerts, Culture & Festivals, there is a LOT going on this summer in the city, with the end of this month holding one of the best events of all - Zagreb Classic. 

King Tomislav Square - just opposite the main train station - is the place to be for 7 days of outstanding local and international classical music, featuring internationally renowned violinists Anastasiya Petryshak and Francesco Manara, soprano Cristina Mosca, singer-songwriter Joyce Jonathan, Cameristi della Scala ensemble, Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra, Croatian National Theater ensemble, soloists and choir of the City Theater Komedija, Croatian Army Jazz Orchestra, conductors Marcello Rota, Paolo Spadaro Munitto and Davor Dropuljić, composer and musician Tonči Huljić as well as musician Hana Huljić Grašo, singer and actor Adalbert Turner Juci and others. 

Zagreb Classic made its debut on the Zagreb tourism calendar back in 2016, the same year Advent in Zagreb started attracting global attention and awards. In many ways, it is symbolic of what tourism in the capital is during the summer - a focus on relaxing in the many green and open places, while enjoying high-quality entertainment in the open air during balmy summer evenings. One of the things I am appreciating more about my new home as I wander the streets at this time of year is the sheer number of smaller events and concerts which are taking place, with music appearing almost a free staple product during an evening stroll. Zagreb Classic is the epitome of this. 

Zagreb Tourist Board CEO Martina Bienenfeld is looking forward to another high-quality festival:

"Ukrainian violin soloist Anastasiya Petryshak opens this year's Zagreb Classic accompanied by the Croatian National Theater Opera Orchestra in Zagreb. Over a period of 7 days, visitors will be able to enjoy carefully selected performances by domestic and international performers and the wonderful ambiance and atmosphere of King Tomislav Square. Zagreb Classic lasts until Wednesday, June 29, when the chamber orchestra Cameristi della Scala, consisting of musicians from the Teatro alla Scala orchestra from Milan, will perform. All programs during all 7 days are free of charge, so I invite everyone to come to Zagreb Classic and enjoy top-class classical music in the open air."

And what a programme it is:

Thursday, June 23, starting at 21:00

Soloist: Anastasiya Petryshak, violin (Ukraine); Orchestra of the Opera of the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb conducted by Paolo Spadaro Munitto (Italy)

Rossini Ouverture from Barbiere di Siviglia

W. A. Mozart Symphony no. 29 in A major K201

W. A. Mozart Violin concerto no. 3 in G major K216

L. v. Beethoven Romance no. 2 op. 50 in F major

M. Skoryk Spanish dance from “The Stone Host” suite

Friday, June 24, 21:00

Alfi Kabiljo: “My Musicals #2” - Zagreb city theater Komedija conducted by Dinko Appelt

1. MEDLEY (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo EMPEROR FRANZ JOSEPH IN ZAGREB, 1989) orchestra
2. LET THE ACTORS COME (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: EMPEROR FRANZ JOSEPH IN ZAGREB, 1989) Renata Sabljak, Vanda Winter, choir
3. PREMIERE (M. Bulgakov – V. Kljaković – M. Grgić: RED ISLAND, 1981) Sandra Bagarić, Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Danijela Pintarić, Renata Sabljak, Vanda Winter, Ervin Baučić, Dražen Bratulić, Filip Hozjak, Đani Stipaničev, Adalbert Turner
4. WONDERFUL DAYS (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: THE BIG RACE, 1969) Danijela Pintarić, Ervin Baučić, choir
5. EVERYONE'S KISSING (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: SHAGGY LIFE, 1976) Filip Hozjak
6. A HOLIDAY IS A HOLIDAY (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: THE BUTTERFLY BOY, 1976.) Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Danijela Pintarić, Dražen Bratulić, Ervin Baučić, Adalbert Turner, Sandra Bagarić, Vanda Winter, Filip Hozjak, choir
7. LET LIFE BE NOT A DREAM (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: THE BUTTERFLY BOY, 1976) Renata Sabljak
8. LET'S HAVE A NICE TIME (M. Gavran – A. Kabiljo: THE THEFT OF MONA LISA) Đani Stipaničev, choir
9. A WOMAN'S FATE  (M. Gavran – A. Kabiljo: THE  THEFT OF MONA LISA) Danijela Pintarić
10. JOURNEYS (M. Maras –  A. Kabiljo MADAME HAMLET) Jasna Bilušić
11. NORMA JEAN (I. Krajač –  A. Kabiljo MARILYN MONROE) choir
12. TO A WOMAN (I. Krajač –  A. Kabiljo MARILYN MONROE) Vanda Winter, Danijela Pintarić, Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Đani Stipaničev, Sandra Bagarić, Jasna Bilušić, Renata Sabljak, Ervin Baučić, Dražen Bratulić, Filip Hozjak, Adalbert Turner, choir
13. CYCLAMENS (D. Britvić – A. Kabiljo: ONE SONG A DAY TAKES MISCHIEF AWAY, 1998) Dražen Bratulić, Sandra Bagarić
14. THE BEAUTIFUL ZAGREB (D. Britvić – A. Kabiljo: ONE SONG A DAY TAKES MISCHIEF AWAY, 1998) Adalbert Turner, choir
15. THE KING IS NAKED (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: THE KING IS NAKED, 1994) Danijela Pintarić, Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Dražen Bratulić, Adalbert Turner, choir
16. NOTHING BUT TRUE LOVE (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: THE KING IS NAKED, 1994) Ervin Baučić, Vanda Winter, choir
Choreography by Dejan Jakovljević according to Sonja Kastl and Lili Čaki
17. WHAT HAPPENS TO US TOMORROW (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: YALTA, YALTA, 1971) Renata Sabljak
18. YALTA, YALTA (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: YALTA, YALTA, 1971) Đani Stipaničev, choir
19. ONE SONG A DAY TAKES MISCHIEF AWAY (D. Britvić – A. Kabiljo: ONE SONG A DAY TAKES MISCHIEF AWAY, 1998) Sandra Bagarić, Jasna Bilušić, Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Danijela Pintarić, Renata Sabljak, Vanda Winter, Ervin Baučić, Dražen Bratulić, Filip Hozjak, Đani Stipaničev, Adalbert Turner, choir; Choreography by Dejan Jakovljević according to Lili Čaki
20. LET THIS WHOLE WORLD (M. Grgić – A. Kabiljo: YALTA, YALTA, 1971) Sandra Bagarić, Jasna Bilušić, Vlatka Burić Dujmović, Danijela Pintarić, Renata Sabljak, Vanda Winter, Ervin Baučić, Dražen Bratulić, Filip Hozjak, Đani Stipaničev, Adalbert Turner, choir

Photo credit: Ines Novković 

Friday, June 25, 21:00

Tonči Huljić: Mediterranean Pop Mass Ave Maria; Hana Huljić Grašo: Dies Irae

The piece is divided into three parts: part one is the concert mass itself with the acts: Kyrie Eleison, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus Benedictus, Agnus Dei. Part two consists of Dies Irae, and part three is entitled Ave Maria.

Saturday, June 26, 21:00

Joyce Jonathan, French singer-songwriter concert as part of France’s presidency of the European Union

20:30 Speech by French Embassy representatives
20:35 Multilingual competition of music spots
20:40 Award ceremony
21:00 Joyce Jonathan concert

Sunday, June 27, 21:00

Nino Rota and Ennio Morricone: “The Most Beautiful Film Music.” Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marcello Rota (Italy); Soloist: Cristina Mosca, soprano (Italy)

Part 1 – Nino Rota: Romeo e Giulietta, suite The Godfather, suite Le notti di Cabiria, Overture, Canzone, Fox-trot, La strada, Gelsomina theme, Rumba

Part 2 – Ennio Morricone: The professional, Mission Suite’, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, Giù la testa, Per qualche dollaro in più, C’era una volta in America, C’era una volta il West

Monday, June 28, 21:00

Adalbert Turner Juci & Croatian Army Jazz Orchestra conducted by Davor Dropuljić

Tribute to Sinatra
famous swing classics
American Patrol
In the Mood
Sweet Georgia Brown
popular songs by F. Sinatra (My Way, Strangers in the Night, NY NY)

Tuesday, June 29, 21:00

Cameristi della Scala perform Vivaldi and Piazzolla in “Eight Seasons”; Conductor and soloist: Francesco Manara (Italy)

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons (44 min)
Piazzolla - The Four Seasons (26 min)

Please note that all concerts are dependent on the weather and may be cancelled in case of rain. You can learn more about Zagreb Classic on the official page of the Zagreb Tourist Board website.