ZAGREB, February 11, 2020 - Zagreb City Assembly deputies on Tuesday rejected by a majority vote Mayor Milan Bandić's draft amendments to the city's urban development plan (GUP) after they previously rejected by a majority vote 11 amendments to GUP put forward by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

Of 49 deputies, 18 voted for the amended GUP and 31 voted against.

Deputies previously voted on individual amendments and rejected them all, with 42 votes against and seven in favour.

Bandić's draft amendments to GUP were rejected after deputies from his party first voted against amendments put forward by Bandić's coalition partner, the HDZ, which prompted the HDZ to vote against Bandić's amendments. After this, opposition deputies, who had proposed a referendum on amendments to GUP, withdrew that item from the agenda of the city assembly session.

Zagreb City Assembly Vice President, Rajko Ostojić of the Social Democratic Party said on Tuesday that the Assembly's failure to adopt the General Urban Plan (GUP) could have several effects on the coalition between the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić, and one could be a snap parliamentary election.

The SDP official Ostojić said after that that he believed that the failure to adopt the General Urban Plan (GUP) was a victory by residents and experts and not a victory of any particular party or political platform. "We voted for what we were asked to do," said Ostojić, thanking citizens, architects, urban planners and everyone who helped in today's decision being made.

Asked whether the fact that HDZ's councillors did not support the amendments to Zagreb's GUP also meant the beginning of the end of the coalition between Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić and HDZ at the national level, Ostojić said that everything was possible.

"We may go to a snap parliamentary election. All options are open. Maybe this is a way to avoid an intra-party election in HDZ. Perhaps the city branch of HDZ refused to obey the party's leader Andrej Plenković," Ostojić said and added that several scenarios could unfold.

The Plenković cabinet started its four-year term in late 2016 and the next parliamentary election is supposed to be held in the autumn.

Left Bloc whip Tomislav Tomašević, underscored that the "game of nerves," was over.

"The opposition was fairly disciplined and each time the count was taken we had a sufficient number to bring down the GUP. There was obviously too much at stake for the HDZ considering the pressure by experts, 20,000 citizens who attended the protest rally and public pressure, and they could not swallow that," said Tomašević.

The Croatian parliament on Tuesday made changes to its weekly agenda to postpone the vote planned for Friday noon. The vote has been postponed for next week.

The Croatian parliament media service said the vote had been postponed because a significant number of members of parliament would be absent on Friday due to official travel.

They pointed out that the changes had been made before the vote on Zagreb's General Urban Plan (GUP) and that it was not connected with the situation in the ruling coalition.

There are ten MPs in the Club of Bandić's Labour and Solidarity Party in the national 151-seat legislature.

More Zagreb news can be found in the Politics section.

February 11, 2020 - Earlybird tickets are on sale for the One Day or Day One tourism conference in Zagreb this April. And we promise you won't want to miss out. 

Tickets are now on sale for the conference of the year in the B2B tourism sector, which will be held on April 2 at the Forum Congress Center in Zagreb with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Croatian Chamber of Economy, organized by the leading B2B tourism portal HrTurizam.hr.

Namely, One Day or Day One, which is held just before the start of the tourist season, will bring together everyone who means anything in the tourism sector.

"We all say that we have an incredible amount of potential wherever we turn, and that we need a change in the context of market development, in order to turn that potential into resources. But in order to turn these potentials into resources, we need to be more proactive in addressing market development and growth, there must be dialogue and common communication and consensus around common themes and challenges. The question we all have to ask ourselves is: How do we move faster and better? What can we do to make tomorrow better? Where do we see Croatian tourism in 2030?,” said the conference director and founder of the HrTurizam portal, Goran Rihelj.

HrTurizam.hr wants to be at the center of this story as a kind of mediator, a channel that connects through dialogue and communication, and provides concrete solutions. In the tourism vocabulary, it is necessary to define a complete tourism product, or to remove market barriers for the development of the entire tourism sector.

"And that's why there is a need to launch the #DayOne platform, which focuses on connecting the 'incompatible' or initiating communication. The main focus is not on problems and the past, but on constructive, open dialogue and solutions. The focus is on the positives, not the negatives. The focus is on synergy and collaboration. As I pointed out, #DayOne is not another conference but a platform. Because we can talk about the future of our tourism not only one day during the conference, but every day,” adds Rihelj.

An excellent story about cooperation with big brands and a positive example of synergy between public and private will be told by Denis Ivošević from the Tourist Board of Istria. The challenges and opportunities of cooperation between OPGs and destinations in the 1 VS 1 format will be discussed with Petra Butković from the Lika Destination Cluster.

The One Day or Day One conference should showcase all niches and all development opportunities in Croatia. Thus, Berislav Sokač from Run Croatia will bring an interesting vision of Croatia as a racing destination.

We continuously talk about continental tourism and emphasize the importance of developing the continent that has the greatest opportunities for year-round tourism. The best campaign of the East was the great HeadOnEast campaign as part of Croatian Tourism Days in Slavonia. Ivana Juric from the Osijek-Baranja Tourist Board will also be at the conference. 

How tourism is developed in Austria, which is one of the best examples of year-round continental tourism, will be told by Michael Fend, LAG manager at Steirischen Vulkanlandes.

Paul Bradbury, owner of Total Croatia News, One Day or Day One conference partner, and an ambassador of Croatian tourism, is someone who sees the whole story from the outside as a foreigner with a Croatian passport. His lecture, “5 tourism gifts that Croatia is ignoring, and how to fix them,” will certainly arouse great interest.

Branding in Croatia is a unique story that is talked about often, and the importance of branding does not need to be over-emphasized, because it is imperative today. The conference will also be thoughtfully themed with branding, a complex process in which we cannot go wrong. Bozo Skoko will discuss this topic at the conference, too.

The private sector in tourism has a lot to say. What are the challenges and biggest problems, what they expect from the public sector, and what solutions they propose will be shared in a large panel where there will be representatives of hoteliers, travel agencies, family accommodation, and caterers. 

Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli, who has supported the conference and expects a lot from it, will present a tourism development plan and a vision of where we see each other in 2030. The fact that the Minister of Tourism and his associates will accompany the entire conference already gives hope for the detection of genuine problems and the concept of concrete solutions. The same panel should also feature the Croatian National Tourist Board, which should be represented by Director Kristjan Stanicic. This panel will give clear guidance to the private sector, where Croatia is going, and where Croatia wants to be. The moderator of this panel is acclaimed communications expert Kresimir Macan.

How private and public sector dialogue and cooperation can look will be revealed by the example of Ognjen Bagatin and Bagatin Clinic’s health tourism development.

One of the current leading tourism experts, Doug Lansky, will speak for the first time in Croatia about positive global examples of how tourism destinations are positioned, developed and grown. Doug's lectures have always attracted a large number of listeners and attention, especially from the tourist public and the profession, and he has a large base of followers in Croatia as well.

It is crucial to emphasize that after the conference, meetings with the private sector in each area follow, in order to gather all concrete solutions into one strategic document, with a clear argument of the whole issue, and most importantly, with concrete solutions offered to accelerate market change. A document that will integrate the views of the private as well as the public sector, with the aim of consensus on the main challenges with a specific time interval on how to overcome them.

There will also be an after party in a location yet to be announced, with discounted drinks and a chance for attendees to network with like-minded progressive tourism professionals, as well as meet some of the conference speakers. 

Tickets can be purchased directly from HRTurizam.

For Earlybird entries, which run through March 20, tickets are 750 kuna, or 40% of the total ticket price. After March 20, the ticket price will be 1250 kuna. Seats are limited.

Don't miss out on the first-ever One Day or Day One tourism conference in Zagreb!

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

February 10, 2020 - The 21st round of the Croatian First League was held from February 7 to 9, and saw wins for the top three teams in the standings - Dinamo, Hajduk, and Rijeka.

Istra 1961 v. Varazdin (1:0)

Istra and Varazdin opened the 21st round on Friday, February 7, 2020, in Pula in front of 625 spectators. 

The only goal of the game came in the 30th minute when Grzan scored for Istra’s lead and, ultimately, the win. 

Istria is currently in 9th place with 15 points, while Varazdin is in 10th place with 12. 

Osijek v. Inter Zapresic (1:1)

Osijek and Inter met at City Garden Stadium on Saturday, February 8, 2020, in front of 2120 spectators. 

Osijek’s Lopa was sent off the pitch in the 16th minute after a double yellow, forcing Osijek to play with a man down for the remainder of the game. Inter took the lead with a goal by Tsonev in the 32nd minute, though Maric equalized in the 37th for 1:1, which is how the game ended. 

Osijek is currently in 4th place with 35 points, while Inter is in 8th with 17.

Hajduk v. Lokomotiva (1:0)

Hajduk and Lokomotiv met at Poljud on Saturday, February 8, 2020, in front of over 11,000 fans. 

Hajduk’s goal came in the 28th minute thanks to Eduok for 1:0 at the half. Mujakic received a red card with four minutes to go in the game, though Lokomotiva was unable to equalize. 

Hajduk is currently in 2nd place with 41 points, while Lokomotiva is in 5th with 31.

Rijeka v. Slaven Belupo (1:0)

Rijeka and Belupo met on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at Rujevica stadium.

Colak scored the only goal of the game in the 33rd minute for 1:0. Belupo’s Mikulic was given a red card in the 72nd minute. 

Rijeka is currently in 3rd place with 37 points, while Belupo is in 7th place with 18.

Dinamo v. Gorica (2:0)

Dinamo and Gorica closed out the 21st round on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at Maksimir stadium. 

While the first half went without goals, Theophile-Catherine scored in the 72nd minute for 1:0, and Kadzior increased Dinamo’s lead to 2:0 in the 86th minute for the final score of the game. Gorica’s Suk received a red card in the 50th minute. 

Dinamo is currently in 1st with 53 points, while Gorica is in 6th with 30.

You can see the full HNL table here.

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

A brand new tourist attraction is set to enrich the already impressive tourist offer of the bustling Croatian capital city of Zagreb - in the form of no less than tanks.

As Poslovni Dnevnik writes on the 8th of February, 2020, when the Croatian team from Iron Bull, full of impressions and important contacts from Las Vegas, returned to Zagreb, they announced that they wanted to open their first ''tank game room'' in Croatia in an interview with Zimo. Their plans for the attraction in the Croatian capital city are moving in the right direction, and at this week's Bug Future Show new information about the was learned, as well as their plans to expand to international markets.

In an interview with Zimo, Ante Medic from Iron Bull revealed when and where they plan to launch their first tank game room and that if their plans come to fruition, the Croatian capital could get the new attraction in the second half of this year.

''Now that we're back from CES, the process of the further development for our company is such that we're opening the first prototype game room in Zagreb. We hope that this will be in the area of ​​the Zagreb Fair (Velesajam). Some 300 squares metres will be taken up by the game room, of which 250 square metres will be a map where the tanks can be used. Up to some 12 to 16 tanks at a time, with two people per tank. The idea is to do the soft opening sometime by July and a full launch in September,'' they stated.

The tank game room seems to be an ideal place not only for fans of World of Tanks and tanks in general, but for anyone willing to try their hand at real tank battles, not on a computer screen, but in reality. Such a game room could certainly improve the tourist offer of the Croatian capital.

''Each tank is designed to be operated by two players, so some teamwork is implied. You have to be an effective crew, which means developing a skillset that kind of evolves over time. Each tank has two cameras, one for the driver and one that controls the firing mechanism. The tank also has a network of sensors that recognise when bullets hit the tank,'' said Ante when describing how controlling and fighting in the tanks works.

The Croatian capital is merely the first step in Iron Bull's global plans because, after Zagreb, similar game rooms could be opened in some cities abroad. Firstly, they want to get enough people interested who are ready to take this franchise concept to other countries.

''We'd love to have at least five international locations in a year, starting in Europe, and then of course expand to other markets like North America, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia... So, there are really good and interesting markets for us,'' they stated.

The interest in their product is promising and will probably exceeded the initial expectations of the Iron Bull team. Their experience, as well as the popularity of video games like World of Tanks, has shown that there are a lot of fans of tanks and tank fighting, and there's little to no doubt that they would all like to replace virtual fights with real ones in Iron Bull game rooms.

Make sure to follow our dedicated Made in Croatia, lifestyle and travel pages for more. If it's just Zagreb you're interested in, give Total Zagreb a follow or check out our dedicated Zagreb in a Page for all you need to know about the Croatian capital city.

February 6, 2020 - The Croatian car industry may be minuscule, but it is top quality. Rimac Automobili investors Porsche discover the capital city of Zagreb. 

Can a few good men and women transform a country?

Possibly not, but imagine if each of Croatia's sectors had a Rimac equivalent. 

Croatia didn't have a car industry at all until a young Mate Rimac started playing around with a car in his garage. Ten years later, Rimac Automobili has been hailed as one of the most exciting companies in the global automotive industry, its electric hypercars the fastest in the world. 

A rapidly expanding company in an industry which simply did not exist now has 600 permanent employees at the last count, as well as an A-list of corporate investors. Among them, some of the biggest names in the industry, Porsche and Hyundai. 

And whatever Porsche is doing with Rimac in the labs and factories, there are plenty of other spin-offs for Croatia with the association of the Porsche brand. 

Such as gorgeous videos of Zagreb and Croatia, like this one which was posted on the official Porsche Facebook page yesterday and has already been viewed more than 50,000 times. 

The capital of Croatia, Zagreb, represents the ideal bridge between past and future, between tradition and innovation. The Porsche Travel Experience Croatia talked with Mate Rimac, founder of Rimac Automobil about the vibrating town. 

To follow the latest in the Rimac story, follow the dedicated TCN section. 

February 7, 2020 - The fourth Adria Business Network was held at the FORUM Convention Center, organized by entrepreneurs Zeljka Barisic and Kristina Krstinic. The event is aimed at business networking in Croatia and the region, creating business opportunities and fostering continuing education. Through the event, everyone is offered the chance to find new clients and enter into lucrative deals.

Guest lecturer Dace Ulste, director of BNI Croatia, shared her years of experience about how networking is just like the word 'networking', and that it takes years for you to build a good quality network of contacts. Each ongoing contact begins with a follow-up within 24 hours, with additional contact after seven days through which your relationship will grow, and a renewed contact after 30 days, to know at what stage your relationship is. They should always be guided by the thought of Givers Gain, because those who give, receive.

A look at what the organizers and presenters said about the event called Turning Contacts into Contracts below.

“Although I have been extensively involved in networking for over a decade, tonight's lecture has brought me many valuable lessons that I will apply in the continuation of my business. In addition to our loyal visitors, this time, we had a lot of new ones, so this contributed to quality networking in the final part of the event. Anyone considered a networker who has not visited us yet should do so. Our event is a place where you will meet new quality people and, over time, build a business but friendly relationship with them. This is how we function, so we want to motivate you in that direction, because it has proven to be the right thing to do,” said Željka Barišić, owner of Forca Digital Agency and co-founder of Adria Business Network, after the event.

Kristina Krstinić, owner of MIKRIS Project Management in Zagreb and founder of Adria Business Network, said the following about the event: “After a short break in January, we started decisively and successfully in 2020. Today's Turning Contacts into Contracts lecture brings entrepreneurs with the skills of successful networking and how to make the most of events such as Adria Business Network to expand their business ideas, present services and products, and conclude lucrative deals. We are sure that our participants will enthusiastically apply the techniques presented in their business, namely, from our own experience, we can say that success is guaranteed."

The event's business partners are the FORUM Zagreb Convention Center and Creative Info.

The sponsors of the event are photographer Hrvoje Podobnik Gero, InspireMe, Prtenjača Delicatessen, Aero Print, Kupinovo Vino - Kupilek.

Media sponsors of the event are the magazine Poduzetnik, magazine and portal Zaposlena, Netokracija, She.hr, Zagrebonline.hr, Story.hr, Rep.hr, Glas Istre, Flash.hr, Moja Domovina, Total Croatia News, Fama and ZgExpress.

The next Adria Business Network event will be held on March 4, 2020. at 6 pm at the FORUM Zagreb Convention Center, when the event guest is one of the most famous fitness trainers in Croatia, Marko Loncar.

To read more about business in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

February 6, 2020 - New tourism conference 1 Day of Day 1 #hrturizam2030 announces leading global tourism thinker Doug Lansky as its keynote speaker, with Tourism Minister Gari Cappelli also confirmed in an impressive and high-profile programme of speakers. 

For a man who has never organised a conference before, Goran Rihelj from HRTurizam is putting on quite a show. 

As previously reported on TCN, a new tourism conference, aimed at positivity and achievability, bringing the key stakeholders in the public and private sector in Croatian tourism, will take  place at Forum Congress Centre in Zagreb on April 2. 

The final list of speakers is almost confirmed, the schedule is by far the most engaging and thought-provoking I have seen at any tourism conference in Croatia, and I encourage anyone with an interest in a better future for Croatian tourism to attend. The schedule will be published in the next few days, and tickets will be available online next week, with a special early bird price. 

I am particularly excited - but for very different reasons - at the attendance of two speakers in particular - tourism guru Doug Lansky, and Minister of Tourism Gari Cappelli. 

I certainly don't agree with everything the minister says and does, as followers of TCN may have noticed, but I think it is fantastic that he has decided not only to support Goran's excellent initiative but also to speak. The minister will be participating, along with senior representation from the Croatian National Tourist Board, on a panel discussing where Croatian tourism will be in 2030. The panel will be moderated by PR expert Kresimir Macan, former Communications Director for current Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. 

Cappelli's willingness to engage is commendable, one of several senior officials to support Goran's conference, and I really believe that this could be the starting point for a new era of cooperation and understanding between public and private sector in this most important sector of the Croatian economy. 

I am delighted to support Goran as well, and I will be speaking in the morning on 5 Tourism Gifts Croatia is Ignoring, and How to Fix This. Croatian speakers can read more about this on Goran's site.

And I won't mention the beach or the Adriatic Sea once, I promise. 

But I am really excited by the announcement of the keynote speaker, Doug Lansky. Excited not only because he is an outstanding addition to the conference, but also because his messages are exactly the ones Croatia's tourism chiefs need to hear. And this time they will, for they will taking part in the conference. 

I first met Doug Lansky at the Crikvenica International Health Tourism conference a few months ago, where he not only gave an outstanding keynote speech on successful tourism, but also two thought-provoking workshops. I wrote about my impressions of Doug's message at CIHT here.

For those who want to catch Doug Lansky down in Dubrovnik, he will also be speaking at EPIC 2020, the first European Patient Experience and Innovation Congress on March 19 - 21, another outstanding addition to the Croatian conference season. 

More details of One Day or Day One #hrturizam when we get them. See you there. 

“Good Riddance, UK!” After Irena Andrassy, Croatian ambassador to the EU, delivered her side-splitting parting statement to the UK; one English language school in Zagreb, Croatia used the ambassador’s English language fail to their advantage. She emitted the Freudian slip (?) while chairing the last meeting between the envoy of the United Kingdom and the European Union.

‘Good Riddance’ Becomes Croatia Ad Campaign

To widespread amusement, Andrassy told British Ambassador to the European Union Tim Barrow "Thank you, goodbye, and good riddance" which means "Thank you, goodbye, good to be rid of you", according to JutarnjiList on February 6, 2020.

The Američki institut (American Institute), a private English language school based in Zagreb, ​posted a photo of the new jumbo roadside billboard promoting the ambassador’s gaffe. The poster says: “Good riddance", and attributes those apparent no love lost parting words to the Croatian ambassador. The American Institute logo and message follow below along with the slogan: “Rid yourself of bad English”.

"Tree tousand young people" | Irena Andrassy

Croatia Ambassador Scrambles for Control of Runaway Gaffe

The Brexiting British and English speakers around the globe have enjoyed many laughs at Ambassador Andrassy's expense. After realizing the joke was on her, she rapidly responded in a Twitter post implying that her apparent gaffe was intentional, but that she was only kidding.

This isn’t the first time the American Institute has used the poor English skills of celebrities for its advertising campaigns. In 2017, the language school advertised English lessons with a photo of Melanie Trump on a roadside billboard: “Just imagine how far you can go with a little bit of English.”

First Lady Dispatched Legal Team to Threaten Language School

The First Lady of the United States was displeased with this representation of her considerable accomplishments and command of the English language. Through her legal team, the she demanded that the school remove the billboards within 24 hours or face severe legal consequences. The American Institute bowed to the demands of Trump's powerful legal team. However, because they had already leased the advertising space, they replaced the poster with another clever billboard; this time without Melania’s image.

On their Facebook page, the American Institute posted a photo of a new billboard with the caption “Take 2": “Invest in your English and billboards. People love a good billboard,” the new billboard sign advised.

Click here for more Total Croatia News articles on the First Lady, her accomplishments and English-speaking skills. Follow this link for TCN articles on prominent Croatians speaking English. Check out the Američki institut’s Facebook page for more amusing promotional imagery and an illustrated array of vocabulary builders.

February 6, 2020 - The Zagreb medical tourism story is gathering pace, with a surprising amount of world-class healthcare options to choose from, and savings to more than pay for the flight and holiday.

What is the best tourism promotion story you know about Croatia?

Is it an unforgettable holiday on an idyllic island? A fortnight on that perfect beach, or a tour into the wondrous and often undiscovered world of Croatian history and heritage?

Having followed Croatian tourism for almost a decade, I can think of no better promotion story about Croatian tourism than the one about the American who came to Zagreb in December to fix his teeth.

Yes, that's right, an American flying halfway across the world in the dead of winter, to a Croatian city far from the coast, to visit a dentist.

Carl's teeth were so bad that they had long ago affected his personality, turning into a shy and retiring 40-year-old totally lacking in confidence. His basic health insurance meant that a proper fix was unaffordable, and it was only a matter of time before he would lose his teeth altogether.

To cut a long story short - but I really do encourage you to read the original version and enjoy some great photography as well - a friend stepped in to transform his mouth, as well as his life, by sourcing, crowdfunding and accompanying Carl on his first trip outside the United States, to a city in Europe whose high-quality and affordable private dental care has transformed Carl's life and personality.

An unforgettable 19-day trip from the US to Zagreb via Sweden coincided with the internationally acclaimed Advent in Zagreb, which offered Carl and his companion an outstanding tourism experience in a safe European city with excellent English spoken. And with savings of some US$35,000 on the cost of similar treatment back home, even after all the travel costs were factored in, this was truly the trip of a lifetime.

Zagreb, a top medical tourism destination.

Really?

Yes, really, and it appears that dental services are a small part of the quality on offer. Back in 2018, no less than THREE Zagreb clinics were named in the best 6 English-speaking dermatology clinics in all Europe. 

At the recent International Medical Travel Journal Awards in Berlin, a Zagreb clinic was voted International Cosmetic Surgery Clinic 2019 by 20 independent expert judges. Zagreb's outstanding eye surgery expertise has attracted the likes of actor Tim Roth and Ivana Trump, the ex-wife of the current US President. A Leading Hospital of the World in Zagreb was the first location in all Europe to offer the revolutionary new pharmacogenetic test, which was co-developed by Mayo Clinic.

Ground-breaking stem cell research and services, oncology, orthopaedics, cardiology – the list of top-quality Zagreb medical services available goes on, and you can find out more about the clinics and hospitals offering them here, as well as an overview of the Zagreb health tourism scene in the video below:

While the savings are rarely as spectacular as in Carl's case, above, price is one factor in the mix that makes Zagreb such an attractive medical tourism proposition. Prices for services are typically at least 25% cheaper than in Western Europe, often much more than that. With the high cost of dental care in the UK, for example, dental treatment in Zagreb often works out cheaper than back home, including flights, and you get a free holiday in addition to that smile. How cool is that!

And tourism is one of the many, many additional reasons why Zagreb is such an attractive destination for health tourism. While the surgery may be the main reason for travel, the chance to have a great experience and place to relax and recuperate is incredibly important as well. And there are few places to beat Croatian in that regard, a country which last year welcomed more than 20 million tourists, and whose diverse tourism offer ranges from the stunning Adriatic coast and UNESCO heritage, to breathtaking continental Croatia and a diverse food and wine regional offer that rivals the very best gourmet experiences in Europe. Where else in Europe can you undergo surgery in the morning and be on an idyllic Adriatic island to recover in the afternoon.

An important factor in Zagreb's health tourism offer is the availability of wellness and spa services, which are abundant and affordable. Croatia actually boasts the oldest organised tourism in Europe, with the founding on the Hvar Health Society back in 1868, as the temperate climate of Croatia's premier island attracted the sick and infirm Austro-Hungarian aristocracy to 'the Austrian Madeira' to recuperate. And while a combination of Zagreb surgery and coastal recuperation is appealing, there are also many other options much closer to home, with several spa resorts in the region within an hour's drive from the capital.

But why leave Zagreb at all! Here is a vibrant European capital which is quickly developing into one of the must-sees of Central Europe, so much so that Lonely Planet recently named it the best destination in Europe. A year-round tourist city these days, as Carl found out during his December stay and Advent in Zagreb.

There are, of course, many other considerations to think about when looking at medical procedures abroad. Affordability of care is a significant one, and Zagreb is competitive on that score. But so too is the affordability of the destination if one is to stay for a longer time to recuperate, or even to enjoy a holiday. Here, too, Zagreb fares well.

Accessibility is another key factor, and the new 330-million-euro terminal at Zagreb Airport has raised the city's profile, as well as now hosting flights from literally all over the world through the networks of global players such as Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines. Bus, rail and road connections are excellent for those planning to visit by land.

English is widely spoken (Croatia was recently named the second-best English-speaking country in Central and Eastern Europe, and German is also spoken by many. Croatia is one of the safest countries in Europe, and many visitors comment on how safe it is to walk the streets of Zagreb, even at night.

So the next time you need to get some medical treatment, why not treat yourself to a holiday into the bargain. You may find it cheaper, you will certainly find it more exciting, and who knows – perhaps Zagreb will also provide you with a life-changing experience such as Carl's..

To follow the latest in the Croatian medical tourism story, check out the dedicated TCN section. 

February 6, 2020 - In addition to The Killers, Beck, Deftones, The Lumineers, and Rival Sons, the beloved Scottish indie pop band Belle and Sebastian are coming to INmusic Festival #15, which will also be their first-ever concert in Croatia.

Jutarnji List writes that Stuart Murdoch and Stuart David founded Belle and Sebastian in 1994 in Glasgow, where they released their debut album, "Tigermilk," in 1996 at the faculty record label Electric Honey in 1996, with a print run of just 1000 copies.

In the same year, "If You're Feeling Sinister" was released for Jeepster Records, which also released their debut album in 1999 as well as the next three studio releases - "The Boy With An Arab Strap", "Fold Your Hands Child, You Walk Like a Peasant” and “Storytelling". Four studio albums followed - "Dear Catastrophe Waitress" (2003), "The Life Pursuit" (2006), "Belle and Sebastian Write About Love" (2010), "Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance" (2015). ) - and the rarest 2019 release, that is, the original music for "Days of the Bagnold Summer," starring Earl Cave, Nick Cave's son.

Belle and Sebastian, who chose the band's name after a television adaptation of the French novella about the boy and his dog, are one of the most important indie-pop bands and genre pioneers who have been passionately supported by the audience from the very beginning - even to the point that in 2005, they were officially chosen by the audience for the best Scottish band in fierce competition. The premiere of Belle and Sebastian in Croatia will take place as part of the jubilee fifteenth edition of the INmusic Festival.

Belle and Sebastian join the impressive lineup with The Killers, Beck, Deftones, The Lumineers and Rival Sons. 

At the end of last month, INmusic announced American hard rock band Rival Sons as part of the lineup. Rival Sons consist of Jay Buchanan, Scott Holiday, Michael Miley and Dave Beste. They formed in 2009 in Long Beach, California, and in addition to hard rock, they also play blues. Rival Sons have released six studio albums and one EP so far, and their 2019 album Feral Roots was nominated for two Grammy Awards (Best Rock Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance).

The INmusic Festival #15 will take place at the already well known Jarun lake in Zagreb from June 22 to 24, 2020.

Three-day tickets for the 15th INmusic Festival are on sale and can be purchased through the official INmusic webshop for a price of HRK 499 (+ transaction costs) and at Dirty Old Shop (Tratinska 18, Zagreb) for a price of HRK 499. Camp tickets for INmusic #15 are available exclusively through the festival's webshop for a price of HRK 250 (+ transaction costs) until stocks run out.

To read more about lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.