May 8, 2020 - Tourism is on hold, but most of us have plenty of time. So let's look at the virtual resources available to explore Croatia virtually. We continue our new Virtual Croatia series with the tools to discover Klis.
A few weeks ago I wrote that being a tourism blogger in the corona era was about as useful as being a cocktail barman in Saudi Arabia. I feel less useless now, a few weeks later, and I am encouraged by the number of Croatian tourism businesses who are contacting us wanting to start thinking of promoting post-corona tourism.
One of the challenges of writing about tourism at the moment is that there is nothing positive to write about. With people confined to their homes and tourism in Croatia currently not possible, many have decided to go into hibernation until it is all over.
I think that this is a mistake, and I have greatly enjoyed the TCN series by Zoran Pejovic of Paradox Hospitality on thinking ahead to tourism in a post-corona world. You can find Zoran's articles here.
Way back on March 14 - several lifetimes ago - I published an article called Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Ways to Discover Zagreb. The way I saw things, now was an OUTSTANDING opportunity for tourism promotion. People have time, they yearn for their freedom and former lives, so give them the tools to thoroughly research and enjoy your destinations, and you will have then longing to be there. And when they do come, they will have a deeper understanding of the destination due to their research.
South Africa and Portugal were the first to do their post-corona tourism promotion videos several weeks ago (Post-Corona Tourism Planning: Lessons from South Africa and Portugal), a trick which has been followed by other tourism countries, the latest being Croatia with the national tourist board campaign, #CroatiaLongDistanceLove, going live yesterday.
But while these campaigns create longing and market presence, they don't really educate. People now have time to really get into destinations. And dreams of escape to somewhere more exotic are high on the list of priorities of many.
So TCN has decided to help with that education with a new series called Virtual Croatia, where we will be helping you discover many of Croatia's destinations with all the best virtual tools available on your self-isolating sofa at home.
We started last week with Tourism in the Corona Age: 10 Virtual Tools to Discover Hvar.
After this, we put our a press release (which you can read here in English and Croatian) offering a free article to any local tourist board in Croatia who would like the free promotion in our Virtual Croatia series.
The Sinj Tourist Board was the first to respond, and now you can see just how rich the tourism offer is in this proud Alka town - your virtual tools to Discover Sinj. This was followed by DIscover Opatija, Discover Brela, Discover Rogoznica and Discover Omis.
Next up, Iva Kegalj of the Klis Tourist Board, who sent me some virtual tools to help us discover Klis.
Let's begin!
Don't Miss Klis, Live the True Experience
Klis, Live the True Experience.
2014 promo video.
Ashley Colburn's promo video of Klis.
Klis who? Welcome to Meereen and Game of Thrones
Klis may have one of the most famous buildings in Croatia and have existed for more than 1,000 years, but it is known by a totally different name by millions of people around the world.
Welcome to Meereen! The HBO hit show Game of Thrones has transformed Klis in the last few years, and tourism to its globally famous fortress has boomed thanks to its location as Meereen in GoT.
GoT tours are in!
Klis Fortress, the Gateway to Dalmatia
There is no question about what is the most recognisable thing in Klis. Take a walking tour of Klis Fortress.
In 2019, the brand new Interpretation center, the tourist attraction worth 1 million kuna, was opened. In the centre through the 3D hologram projections, visitors can learn about extremely rich historical and cultural heritage of the area. The project also includes possibility of 3D mapping on the exterior walls of the Interpretation center, which provides attractive visual content.
The Battle of Klis
The historical spectacle "The Uskoks' battle for Klis" is an international event organized by the Historical unit "Kliški uskoci". The two-day spectacle of reenactment history involving over 300 members of historical units and knights from all over Croatia and Europe brings visitors back to the Middle Ages and the era of defense of Klis from the Ottoman Empire.
The Uskoks' battle for Klis revives medieval and renaissance history with various cultural, musical, entertainment and stage performances. Medieval archery and sword tournament, fire juggling, archaic folk songs, tambourines, bagpipes, drums and fiddles playing live, oriental music with belly dancers, knight camps set in the northern foothills of the fortress, depicting warriors' life in the Middle Ages, various schools and workshops... All this in the archaic ambience of the old trades and crafts fair, domestic dishes and drinks, authentic handicrafts, autochthonous souvenirs and other Mediterranean products, with numerous exhibitors from Dalmatia and Croatia.
The central event is the reenactment of the historical battle between the Uskoks and the Ottoman Army of 1532. At a time when the Renaissance blossom in western Europe and at the same time fear of the mighty Ottoman army that had steadily advanced in conquering Europe, Klis and his defenders Uskoks bled for the benefit of the whole of Europe and became the first line of defense. The battle from this heroic period of history is re-enacted by trained members of historical units and knights from various parts of Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Czech Republic. Scenes of siege, invasion, negotiation, conquest, defense, punctuation, individual and collective battles with swords, spears, maces, axes, along with firing cannons, rifles, firelocks...
The 2019 Battle of Klis reenactment.
The battle promoted by an international travel agency.
Training for the battle.
National television feature on the Klis Uskoks.
5 Fun Facts about Klis
The Uskok legends are everywhere. My favourite concerns the name of the parking place below the fortress, Mejdan, as Filip explains in the video 5 Fun Facts about Klis, above. A young Uskok, Milos Parizevic, was in love with a general's daughter, and to prove his love and win the girl, he took on the terrifying Ottoman, Bakota. An underdog in the duel, true love won the day, with our young Uskok hero first slicing the legs off his Ottoman opponent, then his head. He went on to marry the girl. In his honour, the candlesticks in the local church are the same height as him.
Stella Croatica - Healthy, Natural Dalmatia as It Once Was
Stella Croatica, which was crowned Croatian Rural Tourism Champion in 2018, is a multi-purpose complex offering many aspects of the traditional Dalmatian way of life. These include a Mediterranean garden with more than 500 herbs and plants; arboretum; olive and fig groves, vineyard and chef's garden; traditional Dalmatian tavern and original Dalmatian stone buildings around a village square; a factory producing traditional food products; exhibition and museum; and taste and buy option.
Active Klis
Klis has worked hard in recent years to develop its credentials as a cycling destination - and with considerable success.
Klapa Klis
Nothing encapsulates the romance of a Dalmatian holiday than the wonderful local klapa music. Meet Klapa Klis.
Klis lamb - a meat lover's paradise
Klis is home to the very best lamb in all Dalmatia, and locals from Split often make the short journey from the city to get their share. Here's what awaits.
Klis at Christmas
There has been a growing trend in recent years to put on more events at Christmas, with Advent in Zagreb the best and most successful example of that. Things are a lot cosier in Klis.
Klis Webcam
For the latest live action from Klis, click here.
Virtual tour of Klis
Get to know Klis, the 360 way.
Official Klis Websites & a TCN feature article on Klis
Discover Klis via the official websites - Historical Unit Kliski Uskoci, Klis Municipality, and Klis Fortress.
Klis, a Dalmatian Tourism Success Timeline Beyond Game of Thrones & Meereen
THIS. IS. KLIS. When can we expect your visit?
To discover more of virtual Croatia, you can follow this series in our dedicated section, Virtual Croatia.
If you are a local tourist board in Croatia and would like your destination featured in this series for free, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Subject Virtual Croatia (and destination name)
