The Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2012 book, available on sale, puts Hvar Island at number five on the list.

Here is an extract from the article:

5. Hvar, Croatia – Come high summer, there’s no cooler place in Croatia to get your groove on than Hvar Town on its namesake island. Fabulous suntanned bodies flock to this drop-dead gorgeous spot for round-the-clock fun. Think après-beach parties as the sun dips below the Adriatic horizon, full-moon shindigs and designer cocktails sipped seaside to fresh DJ-spun tunes…

Read the whole article here + read more about Islands of Croatia and Adriatic Sea

A new salt museum was recently opened as addition to Nin salt evaporation pond .

The museum offers a complete insight into the extraction of salt, which follows the same tradition as in Roman times.

The sea water naturally falls through the pools of the ponds where it evaporates with the help of sun and wind and eventually crystallizes into pure natural sea salt.

Nin’s Salt Evaporation Pond dates back from Roman times and covers  about 55 acres of Nin bay where locals are still producing a wide range salt products such as industrial and therapeutic salt.

Due to traditional production, unpolluted sea water and specific environment conditions including the number of sunny hours per year, salt from Nin is of a very high quality.

Have a look at the short video about Solana Nin:

More info @ Nin Tourist Board: www.nin.hr

The race lasts for two days, and the rafting descent trail takes 2-3 hours. The two-day event ends with a charity dinner and the traditional Miss Zrmanja beauty pageant. Also, apart from the race and other entertainment, organizers are preparing a series of interesting lectures on karst, hydrology of Zrmanja, ecology of karst, caves, flora and fauna of the river and its tributaries, and sustainable development of the canyon of  Zrmanja.

River Zrmanja is located in northern Dalmatia, at the foot of Velebit Mountain. It originally springs from under the
mountain Poštak in the southern part of Lika, one of central Croatia reagions and flows into the Novigrad Sea 12 kilometers from Obrovac. It is 69 kilometers long, and because of the proximity of the sea it is suitable for rafting all year round.

Zrmanja will capture you with its beauty and is regarded by many as one of the most beautiful rivers in Croatia because of its canyons and waterfalls. Its crystal clear waters meander through some two hundred meters deep canyon. In it, the river has created numerous travertine waterfalls from which the 11 meters high waterfall Veliki Buk particularly stands out.

Zrmanja is, due to its location and hard access, also called the “hidden beauty”, and lovers of rafting have given her the name “Beauty and the Beast” because when it overflows, it offers one of the best rafting experiences in this part of Europe, and when its calm it lightly carries one through landscapes that do not leave anyone indifferent.

More info about Rivers in Croatia + Zadar County http://www.zadar.hr/ and Obrovac http://www.obrovac.hr/

The Soundwave Festival in Croatia has announced a second round of acts with The Cinematic Orchestra, DâM FunK & Zero 7 (DJ set), amongst those joining the likes of Toddla-T, Benji B, DJ Format, Andreya Trianna and DJ Vadim already on the bill.

The festival, now in its second year, has already been chosen by The Guardian as one of their top ten festivals to try in 2010, describing it as having “all the quirks of a Bestival but in a far more beautiful, and sunny setting”.

Situated in the picturesque Dalmatian fishing village of Petrcane, in near vicinity of Zadar, Soundwave 2009 was a sell out event with the crowds enjoying glorious sunshine, boat parties, club nights and sets from artists such as DJ Yoda, Hexstatic, The Bays, Alice Russell and many more.

Said Noah Ball, Soundwave promoter, “I think anyone who came to the festival and saw the site last year will be able to imagine what a mindblowing experience it will be to see The Cinematic Orchestra play by the sea and under the stars. I wasn’t sure last year could be beaten but I think we may have just done it.”

Said Rob Waller, Soundwave Promoter, “After the success of last year we’ve been inundated with artists who wanted to play Soundwave in 2010. With these new additions to the line-up we really do have the line-up of our dreams now. What could better than spending the day relaxing in the sunshine, listening to the likes of Zero 7 before getting down to some serious partying as the sun sets.”

Launched by UK promoters Soundcrash and New Bohemia, Soundwave is the perfect combination of summer holiday and cutting edge music festival, a chance to hear the best new music around whilst cooling your toes in the crystal blue waters of the Adriatic Sea.

Festival Listing Info:

23-25 July, 2010
The Soundwave Festival
The Garden, Petrcane, Croatia

“All the quirks of a Bestival but in a far more beautiful, and sunny setting” The Guardian

“Perhaps the summer’s most beautiful site” Time Out

“Basically The Big Chill on sea” London Lite

CONFIRMED LINE-UP
The Cinematic Orchestra / Zero 7 (DJ set) / Toddla T / DâM FunK / Smith & Mighty / Benji B / DJ Vadim / DJ Format / Charlie Dark / Mr Thing / Stuart McCallum (The Cinematic Orchestra) / Mr Thing / Kid Kanevil / Jon Kennedy / Yarah Bravo / Part Time Heroes / Laura J Martin / Andreya Triana / Homecut / Bridgette Amofah / Nathan “Flutebox” Lee / Bullion & Paul White / dEbruit / Alexander Nut / Andy H & Gilla / ASM – A State of Mind / Blue Daisy / Channel One Sound System / Confusion DJs / DJ Cheeba / DJ Suhaid / Gentleman’s Dub Club / Illum Sphere / Lone / Milly Blue / Phat Phillie / Riot Jazz / RSD / Shepdog / The Bedmo Disco Soundsystem / Fife / Hobbes / Join The Dots DJs / Paper Tiger / The BPM
Plus many more TBC + Download festival broshure here

TICKETS: Tickets are £75 (plus booking fee) and available from http://www.soundwavecroatia.com/ .  A limited number of earlybird tickets are available priced at £50 but these are expected to be sold out before the end of January.

TRAVEL INFO: The closest airport to Petrcane is Zadar which is serviced daily by flights from across the UK and Europe and is approximately twenty minutes away by car. Other airports in the region include Split Airport (90 mins) and Zagreb airport (3hr). For those with more time for an adventure other airport options in Croatia include Rijeka, Pula or Dubrovnik. Also not too far away are Ljubljana in Slovenia with Easyjet and Trieste in Italy with Ryanair.

ACCOMMODATION: Whilst there is no on site camping at Soundwave there is a wide range of hotels, campsites, apartments and villas all within close proximity to the festival site. Check here listing of Petrcane Hotels + browse and book accommodation in Petrcane

In yesterday’s eddition of The Observer, under the title ‘ How Croatia splashed on to the music festival map’, Luke Bainbridge, of Observer Music Monthly magazine, ‘ follows the clubbers to a sleepy fishing village on the Adriatic‘ .

Here is an excerpt from the article:

.. The site is key to Electric Elephant. Petrcane (pronounced ‘Petrcharner’) is a charming 900-year-old fishing village, halfway down the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia, near Zadar. The festival site itself, however, is based on a curving headland just outside the village, predominantly hidden by trees. The same site will this summer be used by the Garden Festival and numerous others. It is based around a circular beachfront bar and the wondrous Barbarellas, an 1970s discotheque in the round, that was built for disco the first time round. After its original heyday, Barbarellas had lain derelict for years until it was rescued by the current owners, Brummie ex-pats Eddie and Nick Logan…

These are the highlights:

The Garden Festival
3-5 July and 10-12 July; tickets £70; thegardenfestival.eu.
Headliners Gilles Peterson, Norman Jay

Soundwave
17-20 July; £60; soundwavecroatia.com.
Headliners DJ Yoda, The Bays, Alice Russell, Hexstatic

Airbound
31 July-2 August; €59; airbound.net.
Headliners Marcel Dettmann, Ben Klock, Beardyman

Like Minded Festival
13-16 August; £50; likemindedfestival.co.uk.
Headliners Hector, Toby Tobias, Tristan Da Cunha

Electric Elephant
28-30 August; £70; electricelephant.co.uk.
Headliners Unabombers, Andrew Weatherall, Joakim

Disco3000
4-6 Sept; €60; disco3k.com.
Headliners Château Flight, Move D, Trus’me

Exodus
11-13 Sept; £75; exoduscroatia.com.
Headliners Iration Steppas, Mungo’s Hifi, N-type

Read the whole article here

The Embassy of the Republic of Croatia  and The Croatian National Tourist Office cordially invite you to

SPLIT , ANCIENT AND MODERN: A CAPTIVATING CITY
an evening celebrating the town of Split and the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian

Thursday 16th of April 2009 6.00 to 9.00 pm

at the Croatian Embassy, 21 Conway Street , London W1T 6BN .

6.30 The evening will start with an illustrated talk by Joško Belamarić,  Director of the Conservation Department of the Croatian Ministry of Culture who will present the fascinating new research findings from Diocletian’s Palace

7.00 Ivan Sikavica, Conservator and Restorer, The Croatian Conservation Institute, will describe the current restoration and conservation work in the Palace

7.30 Vedran Matošić, Director of the Tourist Office in Split will present: “Events and Culture in European Cities – Split Project”

8-9 Reception

RSVP:  Croatian National Tourist Office: 020 8563 7979  or Flora Turner: 0207 387 3276

Nearest undergrounds:  Warren Street and Great Portland Street

With the kind support of the International Trust for Croatian Monuments and The British-Croatian Society

If you would like to know where to eat and drink at Dalmatian Islands, check today’s Telegraph‘s guide to the best bars and restaurants on the islands off Croatia’s Adriatic coast.

Here is an excerpt:

‘In most pretty bays where you drop anchor there is a ‘konoba’ (restaurant) on the water’s edge. They are invariably family run. The patron is often an eccentric character bent over a sizzling grill with a cigarette clamped between his teeth. You should see the catch of the day or what is in the pot. Fish is expensive – check before you commit. Portions are generous so if in doubt share…’

Read the whole article here

In yesterday’s article in The Mirror, titled ‘Go to Croatia for sunshine beaches and cheap prices’, the author writes about holidaying in Dalmatian coastal resort of Baska Voda and at Island of Brac.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

I’m standing at Vidova Gora, the highest point on the Croatian island of Brac, looking down on a world that seems to have turned Wedgwood blue. Distant horizons merge into a hazy blue sky that blurs into a lazy blue sea.
Far below is the seaside resort of Bol and the stunningly beautiful beach of Zlatni Rat… I wake to a wonderful sight from my window, a tumble of white stone houses with terracotta roofs, to my right are the Biokovo Mountains, to my left the Adriatic Sea… Read the whole article here + check other Beaches in Croatia

In today’s article in Telegraph, titled ‘Sailing in Croatia: 1001 Dalmatians’ , Clare Mann goes sailing in the Dalmatian Islands off the Croatian coast and finds something for each family member.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

This was my first visit to Croatia and I was excited. There are a thousand or so islands along the Dalmatian coast, and as our plane made its descent to Split they were tantalisingly spread out beneath us in a wide ribbon. There can be no better way, I convinced myself from several thousand feet, than to explore them by boat – better still, as your own master and commander…

Read the whole article here and check more info about Sailing in Croatia

Here is an excerpt from the article:

.. Today Split is the holiday gateway to a spectacular stretch of coast, to beautiful islands and to thousands of years of history.  Yet the city is often overlooked in favour of Dubrovnik to the south and the Istrian coast to the north… But the city and its environs are worth discovering. Behind a modern waterfront promenade is an astonishing building: Diocletian’s Palace, a huge, square Roman citadel built in AD300…

Read the whole article here

Sudden snowfall in Dalmatia brought traffic at standstill in Split , Zadar and on some Islands

• See more photos at Slobodna Dalmacija photo gallery  ,
• Even more photos at Jutarnji gallery ,
• Photo of Zlatni Rat beach under the snow  ,
• check current weather forecast for Croatia

The new collection of old photos is the newest addition to history of Croatian tourism that in available on the internet. Click on above image to see small collection of old photos of Hotel Korcula, the icon of Korculan and Croatian tourism and read more about Hotel Korcula and check other hotels in Croatia

All the mentioned steps are expected to secure during the next ten years an income of HRK 15 billion based on a planned annual growth of 9.8 percent (source:hina.hr)

Here is an excpert:

‘Lady Penelope set sail from Dubrovnik on a bright morning with a stack of new mountain bikes on deck and the flag of adventure tour operator Explore fluttering from her stern rail.

Penelopa, to give Lady P her official name, is an old-timer from Split: a 100ft motor cruiser with 16 tiny twin-bunk cabins below and two shower heads amidships. “Keep to the starboard side if you want a hot shower,” said Dave, Tour Leader on Explore’s Dalmatian cycling cruise…. ‘

Read he whole article at this link

This year, for the first time, Terra Incognita, taking place from 17-23 September 2008, will be in the region of South Adriatic and will cover some teritorry of Bosnia and Herzegovina with very attractive rafting section, where every team will be given special guide, paddles and raft for that section.

Terra Incognita adventure race started in eight years ago. Its disciplines include : hiking, sea kayaking,  mountain biking, river kayaking, rafting and fixed ropes descending.

See more information about Terra Incognita race here

The Adventure Company UK (www.adventurecompany.co.uk) offers Active Dalmatia tour from £799 per person. The tour includes river and bicycle activities in Dalmatia, centre based with very little travelling. 

The week is designed to encompass as many different activities as possible. Starting with an easy canoe expedition, you then head out into the countryside to explore traditional villages by bike. Returning to the river you try your hand at kayaking and the following day you’ll raft via a dramatic gorge towards Omis.

There is the chance to see a bit of Croatia’s long history as you visit the nearby town of Sinj with its museum and fortress. It’s then into the countryside for a delightful walk amongst abandoned villages and karst landscape. On your last day you return to the river to experience canyoning through the 200m deep Cetina River gorge – adrenaline definitely included!

EasyJet, the low-cost carrier announced new route from Geneva Switzerland to Split, Croatia.

The flights from Geneve Airport to Split are sheduled to start in on 28.06.08.

According to the current schedule, the flights will take off three times a week (Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays)

Prices are from CHF 39.35 one way.

Besides Geneva, Easy Jet does flights to Split Airport - the capital of Dalmatia,  from Bristol and London Gatwick too.

The Primošten Arboretum will feature the significant traditional flora of Dalmatia – about 20 old species of grape vine, olives, fields of lavender, conifers and other varied Mediterranean flora, as well as plants from other parts of the world that are adaptable to Croatian climate.

Especially attractive for visitors will be the range of summer fruits, citrus fruits in particular and various types of bamboo.

In the midst of this islet there are still the remains of old stone houses and bunja (simple, elementary structures) and an arboretum, unlike parks and botanical gardens, always includes the construction of accompanying buildings.

There will be no other structures on the island. That means that the islet will remain uninhabited and the only structures it will have is the arboretum.

http://www.tz-primosten.hr/

Sibenik , recently saw the first tourist visit to the attractive medieval gardens of the Sveti Lovro monastery, in the area of the monastery closed to the public. This has revived an important part of Sibenik’s history and given it a new dimension in both education and tourism.

The gardens were recently completely revamped, with the pupils of Sibenik’s First Private Secondary School taking part in its renewal. The renovation project, following the well known scheme of medieval monastery gardens, is the work of well-known Croatian landscape architect Dragutin Kiš.

The Sveti Lovro monastery gardens cover an area of 600 square metres with a cruciform path having a well at its hub, a field hedged with boxwood, and cypress trees at the edges of the fields, old rose varieties, citrus fruits and figs on the edges with spices and medicinal herbs in the fields and capers on the surrounding rocks.

With the Mediterranean monastery gardens Šibenik is richer for a rare tourism and cultural point of interest, all the more as this is the town in which Robert Visiani, one of the best known 19th century botanists in Europe was born, himself a renovator of one of the best known botanical gardens in Europe.

The first draft of 2007 figures are following:

• Croatia had a total of 10.8 million visits (6% increase compared to 2006), resulting in just over 57 million overnight stays.
• Istria had a total of 2.75 million visits. (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 18 million overnight stays.
• Kvarner had a total of 2.45 million visits (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 12.6 million ovenight stays.
• Dalmacija had a total of 4.5 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 24.5 million overnight stays.
• Croatian Adriatic Coast had a total of just under 10 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in just over 55 million overnight stays.
• Continental Croatia (Slavonija and Central Croatia), had 400 thousand total visits (6% increase compared with 2006), with 850 thousands overnight stays.
• Zagreb had a total of 606 thousand visits (13% increase compard with 2006), resulting in 1.1 million overnight stays.

Most visitors to Croatia came from Germany, Slovenia and Austria, followed by resident of other European coutries.

The article begins with paragraph: ‘We’ve trawled the brochures and websites to find this summer’s best holidays with every angle, taste and budget catered for’. It follows by ‘If you plan to stay at home all summer, you don’t need to read this. But if you think some sort of holiday might be an idea, you do. Because laid out below are 100 of the best trips that 2008 has to offer’

Under the ‘Romance’ subsection, at the 77th place, Hvar is featured for ‘glamour’, as ‘ritziest resort in the Adriatic’:

For glamour, head for Hvar, writes Sunday Times. Where? The beautifully preserved port in Croatia is the ritziest resort in the Adriatic. Croatian Affair (020 7385 7111, www. croatianaffair.com) has three love nests in the 15th-century gothic gorgeousness of Palazzo Jaska; from £355/£960 for a week. Fly to Split with Thomas Cook (www.flythomascook. com), then it’s a two-hour ferry.

In comparison with last year’s Sunday Times article written at the same time (the first weekend of January) when Croatia was not mentioned at all, this year’s article feels as a bit of improvement

Read the complete article here .

About “Croatia Cruising Companion” by John Wiley & Sons:

The Dalmatian coast, with its many unspoilt islands and crystal clear waters, ranks high amongst the best cruising areas in the world. Share its secrets, get an inside track on the latest cruising and destination news, and obtain all the facts, photos and chartlets you need to cruise it safely, discover its hidden gems, and enjoy it to the full.

Croatia is a cruising hotspot that is developing rapidly. This is the most in depth and up to date book of its kind on the market. The authors have access to the best contacts and latest information on what is happening onshore and offshore. They have lived and worked in the cruising area for five years.This book features:

This unique exhibition brings together a collection of artifacts from the monasteries and churches of the Dominicans in Croatia.

The selection of exhibitis includes paintings by old masters Tintoretto, Tizian, Jacopo Palma Jr, Nikola Bozidarevic, Blaz Jurjev Trogiranin and Vlaho Bukovac as well as variety of  illuminated manuscripts and codices, decorated clothing, liturgical silverware, votive jewelry etc..

Dominican monasteries in Croatia are located in Korcula, Dubrovnik, Trogir, island of Brac,  island of Hvar, Split , Zagreb and Rijeka. Some of them (Dubrovnik and Brac) have well organized collections of arts.

The exhibition ‘Dominicans in Croatia’ will remain open until end of March 2008.    

More info on Dominicans in Croatia at www.dominikanci.hr (Croatian Only)

The last stage of the Sibenik cathedral facade reconstruction has begun using the latest modern technologies of cleaning.

All the 12 apostles’ sculptures are to be taken down, cleaned of salt and further cleansed by using laser beams and replaced.

The works are to continue for next couple of months with plan to be finished by the summer.

Sveti Jakov Cathedral Sibenik, built in 1434, is an important architectural Renaissance building in Croatia that is listed by Unesco World Heritage.

It is a triple nave basilica with three apses and a cupola with hights of 32 meters. The most intersting part of the cathedral is its roof and the dome, which was build from stone, using the same techniques Juraj Dalmatinac used while building the apses and the sacristy.

The cathedral lies just underneath the fortress walls of the town in the old area of Sibenik.

More info About Sibenik + Sibenik Photos

Beside Peljesac Bridge, the Island of Ciovo is going to get its own bridge.

The offers for the project of the island of Ciovo – mainland bridge have been opened at the Hrvatske Ceste  – The Croatian Roads Company.

The offer that was submitted by the Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering has been accepted.

Facts about Ciovo Bridge:

• The new bridge will be located at about 850 meters east of Trogir.
• The lenght of the bridge will be 523 meters. The width is planned to be 5.45 meters.
• It will be constructed by 14 arches on 7 meters above the sea level.
• As the bridge will be the moveable one, the middle part of the bridge will move to allow passage for boats.

The price of the whole project is not known yet. However, it is expected that bridge will be built pretty soon.

The new Ciovo bridge will replace the existing, small and overcrowded one that connects the island with Trogir.