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/

Croatia Airlines, the Croatian national air carrier, has recently officially confirmed that it has introduced many new direct flights in their summer timetable.

New seasonal flights are being added from Zadar airport to Munich and Zurich.

The first regular flight from Zadar to the Bavarian metropolis is scheduled for 3 May whilst from 29 September airplanes on that line will fly twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Direct connection between Zadar and Zurich will start on 20 May and last until 30 September. This line will also operate twice a week, on Mondays and Fridays.

In the summer timetable Croatia Airlines will connect Zagreb with Istanbul on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Up until now Croatia Airlines had only been leasing seats on the flights of Turkish Airlines for this connection.

Return flights between Dubrovnik and Venice will also be established twice a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, from 19 May to 23 October this year. The aircraft which will connect these two pearls of the Adriatic is Dash 8-Q400, with the capacity of 76 seats. New flights will also be introduced from Dubrovnik to Athens (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays) and from Dubrovnik to Belgrade (Mondays and Wednesdays).

There will also be flights from Split to Hamburg (Tuesdays and Saturdays), and once again, the line between Rijeka and London has been established, with flights on Wednesdays.

Another novelty is that Croatia Airlines, in cooperation with SAS, will fly via Copenhagen to New York and Washington, starting from this summer.

Italian airline Air One, owned by Alitalia, will from 25 September this year introduce a direct line from Milano
Malpensa to Zagreb. It will fly three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Visit Croatia Airlines for more info and booking.

The first exhibition of  New Media Art Gallery that was opened in Zadar, the exhibition titled ‘She_story’ began on 13th of March in the space of ex cinema Pobjeda in Zadar and will last until 31st of March. 

Exhibition ‘She_story’ is the world seen through woman’s eyes. 84 new media art works were applied to this exhibition and we selected 20. Art works are using different media to explore the subject of She_story. On a content level the authors are approaching the subject on several levels: from works that refer on the life or work of other artists like Frida Kahlo and Nadja (“Cry me”/ “NadJA”), to art works that use film as a polygon for artistic exploration of intimate world (“Being a woman…”/”The Aria”), works that deal with the relation between body and digital body, or world and virtual world (“Study on human form….”/”Urging Absence”/”Blind hands”), works that explore position of a woman in religious and/or political context (“Roghieh”/”Basbas”), to authors who use body in a radical ways in approaching the subject (“Parto”/”Lovemaking”).

New media exhibition She_story includes also three interactive installations and three performances by Croatian artists. The art selection presents mechanisms and strategies of exploring the She_story, using different contexts and media, and in specific cultural codes worldwide incorporated under the same topic – woman. (Click here to download catalog of the exhibition)

NMG_New Media Gallery_ is a platform initiated by organisation Mavena in cooperation with Teatro Verrdi with an aim to introduce the concept of new media art to the broad public; to produce, coproduce and present new media art, artists and developments; to establish, promote and develop international artistic cooperation’s in the field of new media arts.

NMG is a platform that uses large space of ex cinema Pobjeda in Zadar, with the intention to become „moving“ gallery. The concept of the gallery is focused on developing research art projects through scientific researches and public calls for art works that will explore and promote the present situation on the new media art world scene, and present exhibition of selected works at the NMG;  education projects: new media workshops for children and performance workshops for adults that will focus on education and presenting new projects;  international intercultural and interdisciplinary cooperation between artists, theorists and critics of new media art on collaborating projects;  Living in the Interface_internet lectures-discussions with eminent world new media artists, theorists and critics.  Gallery’s directors and curators are Boris Kadin and Natasha Kadin, while technical director is Juraj Aras. Read more Croatian Art news

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

For 2010, Lufthansa is increasing its number of regular connections between Munich and Dubrovnik too. From March 27th, five connections a week will be operating between the two cities – on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Lufthansa is also introducing two regular connections between Dusseldorf and Dubrovnik, on Thursdays and Saturdays. The number of flights to Split Airport will be increased to four a week and a connection between Zadar and Munich will also be introduced, operating ever Saturday.

Germanwings and Ryanair are also introducing new 2010 seasonal connections between the Zadar Airport and Hannover, Oslo and Brussels, as well as keeping the all seasonal connections from last year.

The new Germanwings connection to Hannover will start from May 1st till October 30th, once a week – on Saturdays. It is the fourth connection Germanwings has introduced between Zadar and German destinations, the others are with Stuttgart, Cologne, Bonn and Berlin.

Ryanair will for 2010 establish connections between Zadar and nine European destinations. The air-carrier has announced it is introducing a new connection between Zadar and Oslo twice a week from March 31st, on Wednesdays and Sundays. The new connection between Zadar and Brussels will start from May 1st, three times a week  on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. With these new connections, Ryanair will for the very first time connect Croatia with Belgium and Norway.  The air carrier will continue with flights to Zadar  from Britain – London-Stansted and Edinburgh, Ireland  – Dublin, Sweden – Stockholm, Germany – Frankfurt and Dusseldorf-Weeze as well as with Italy – Pisa.

In yesterday’s Times, Zadar was featured as ’the perfect city break in Croatia‘ following with statement ‘ With its café culture and blend of ancient and modern architecture, this city likes to party’

This is an excerpt form the article:

‘I first went to Zadar two years ago and was instantly seduced by its easygoing café culture and intriguing blend of ancient and modern architecture.

I returned telling anyone who would listen that I had found the perfect Croatian city for a weekend break; all it needed was cheap flights and boutique hotels. Well, now it has both.’

Read the whole article here

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

In the travel section of Saturday’s The Guardian, in the article ‘Europe’s best beach cabins for less then £50 a night’ , two cottages from Croatia are featured, while the main photo of the article features pebble beach Pupnatska Luka located at the south shores of Korcula Island. This is an excerpt from the article:

• Vesna’s Cottage, Lapad, Dubrovnik:  On the lush Lapad peninsula, 3km north-west of Dubrovnik, this enchanting little cottage is nestled within a walled garden, surrounded by caper bushes and shaded by towering bamboo. Inside, vases overflowing with jasmine cuttings from the garden offset the cottage’s contemporary turquoise and emerald walls. Owners Vesna, a local mountaineering expert, and Maro, an artist and scuba-diving instructor (blueplanet-diving.com), live next door. The cottage has air-conditioning and Wi-Fi, but as it’s metres from Dubrovnik’s port, with swimming beaches only a walk away, you probably won’t be spending much time indoors: 00385 20 356 078, vesna-cottage.com. From €175pp pw, based on four sharing. Nearest airport: Dubrovnik.
• Veli Rat, Dugi Otok island, Croatia:  Unlike some lighthouses, Veli Rat isn’t completely isolated, idyllic though that may sound. Instead of a pricey private speedboat ride to get there, guests can hop on a local ferry from Ryanair’s Croatian hub at Zadar, 60 miles north of Split. The two apartments below the lighthouse tower are basic, but the setting is sublime, with wide ocean views from the deserted pebbly beach. Walkers can take in the two nearby national parks. And bring a snorkel: there’s plenty to see, shipwreck included, in the crystal clear waters off Dugi island: 00385 12 415 611, adriatica.net. From €255pp pw based on four sharing. Nearest airport: Zadar.

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 heart-shaped island of Galesnjak, located in near vicinity of Zadar , was featured in yesterday’s Telegraph.

This is an excerpt from the article:

The 130,000 square yard islet of Galesnjak came to prominence after its unusual shape was highlighted on Google Earth.  Even the owner of the uninhabited island – now known as Lovers’ Island – didn’t realise how perfectly heart-shaped the island off the Croatian coast was until he was swamped with requests from couples to stay there. It seems many lovers from around the world consider it the ideal spot for a romantic Valentine’s Day break…

Read the whole article here

The flights from Stockholm to Zadar Airport are sheduled to start in on 01.04.09, flying twice per week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays:

• On Wednesdays, the flights will take off  from Stockholm at 16.05 , arriving in Zadar at 18.50. Returning from Zadar, the flights will take off at 19.15, arrving in Stockholm at 22.00.
• On Saturdays, the flights will take off from Stockholm at 13.00, arriving in Zadar at 15.45. Returning from Zadar, the flights will take off at 16.10 arriving in Stockholm at 18.55.

Read more about Zadar airport + Check Cheap Flights to Zadar

About year later, on the 14th February 2008, ABC News referred to it in it’s Heart-Shaped World clip:

Click here for ABC News original Heart Shaped world clip

Today, while reading my favorite Slobodna Dalmacija daily, I was surprised to find that CNN World Report will broadcast a programme about Galesnjak on St. Valantine’s Day (14.02.09)

The heart shaped Galešnjak Island covers an area of 132.475m2 with the highest peak of 34 m. The island has very little vegetation, so it was mainly used as a safe haven for local fishermen to avoid the bad weather.

Click here to see my blog entry about the island on 09/03/2007 with helpful readers comments + find more about other Islands in Croatia

Swap Corfu for Korcula : A long-time family favourite, Corfu offers an ideal mix of bustling resorts, long sandy beaches and stunning Venetian architecture in Corfu town. The Croatian island of Korcula, however, can match it on almost every front – wooded hills, unspoilt beaches and an elegant old town of its own. There are vineyards for wine-tasting, walking and cycling trails and a far less developed feel than its Greek equivalent. Best of all, the Croatian kuna goes much further; try garlic mussels washed down with a glass or two of Posip (local white wine) and you won’t spend much more than a fiver.

Swap Chianti for Istria: Vinophiles who shudder at the price of accommodation in the Italian wine region should look further afield; Istria, Croatia’s northernmost province, has rolling hills scored with vines. In autumn the woods are filled with truffles, and villages are home to cheese and olive-oil makers, whose produce is a fraction of the price of their Tuscan equivalents. Hilltop towns such as Groznjan and Motovun have all the charm and none of the crowds, while a long lunch in the square in medieval Svetvincenat will deliver home-made pizza with wine for around £15.

Swap Ibiza for Zadar: It might sound surprising, but Zadar in Croatia has one of the hippest club scenes in Europe come the summer months. Like D’alt Vila, the atmospheric old town in Ibiza, the polished cobbles of Zadar are crammed till the early (or late) hours with partygoers moving between venues such as the Garden and the Arsenal, which stages art and fashion shows alongside the club nights. If you’re looking for a Pacha equivalent try Porat run by renowned Croatian promoter Sergej Ludovic – where drinks will cost considerably less than the Pacha-average of £20.

Read the whole article here

Hotel Bastion, a new facility in the very center of the Dalmatian city of Zadar, has recently been opened.
The hotel has 28 accommodation units, a modernly equipped conference hall, a wellness center and a restaurant.
Classified to the four star standard, the hotel was named after a 13th century bastion that formerly occupied the location, the remains of which are incorporated in the hotel. 
Hotel Bastion is the second hotel in the very center of the city, supplementing the offer of Hotel Kolovare, which is occupied year-round thanks to its location near historical landmarks and quality of accommodation. Hotel Kolovare is a modern and originally designed building adapted to the Mediterranean, having a capacity of 420 beds. The hotel also has a congress hall and other amenities.
It is expected that more new hotels will be opened in the city center due to the increasing tourist popularity of Zadar.

Click for more photos and Hotel Bastion online booking + Check other Hotels in Croatia

Named after the historical bastion site where it was built, Hotel Bastion will offer a 4-star service.
A total of 28 accommodation units will be available – 23 double bedrooms and five suites. In line with the target client group, the hotel is equipped with a videoconference room and a small wellness center in the basement for guests to relax in.

As the hotel was built in the city’s historical core, in the part of the peninsula known as Muraj, the architects who worked on it ensured its design is in accordance with the conservation rules.

Zadar has a dozen hotels, most of which are located in seaside areas. Few of them (including Hotel Bastion as of summer 2008) are situated in the city, which makes them ideal for visiors who want to be in the center of the action and enjoy walks and sightseeing around the cultural heritage of Zadar.

Zadar Tourist Board http://www.tzzadar.hr/

In today’s Travel Supplement of Sunday Times, Kornati Cottages are recommended among 13 of the world’s most remote hotels. This is an excerpt from the article:

KORNATI COTTAGES, Croatia: Legend says that when God was making the earth, he tossed a handful of soil over his shoulder into the Adriatic – and where it fell, so rose the Kornati islands. George Bernard Shaw said that God created them “out of tears, stars and breath”. A colleague stayed here a week, and put his clothes on only to meet the Tuesday supply boat and to row to a neighbouring island cafe. You get the idea. Largely uninhabited, the 150-odd islands sprinkled between Zadar and Sibenik are a tiny turquoise slice of holiday heaven. Hotel heaven they are not, however, as there aren’t any. What there is, though – one, two- and three-bedroom, gas- or solar-powered fishermen’s cottages, if not on their own island, then on their own private bay – is a Crusoe dream, with rowing boats (£107 per week) and fishing rods (£36 per week) the only distraction from your reading.

Croatia for Travellers (020 7226 4460, www.croatiafortravellers.co.uk ) has seven nights, self-catering, in a one-bedroom cottage from £442, including flights with Croatia Airlines to Split and transfers.

Read the whole article + Read about Kornati Islands National Park + See Photos of Kornati

The Greeting to the Sun, as the monument is referred to - a large art installation consisting of 300 solar plates incorporated in the stone quay in the shape of a circle, measures 22 meters in diameter.

The monument symbolizes the Sun while the solar plates absorbs solar energy in daytime, transforming into unusual light effects during the night.

Following distinctive originality of the Zadar Sea Organ, the image of which has already circled the globe, Zadar will soon be presented with another attractive feature that will certainly make the city different than any other.

It will offer 87 secure berthing surrounded by modern facilities provided within the cost of the mooring fees, including laundry facilities, Wi-fi access, water, electricity and refuse disposal,  a modern shower block and marina office on site, as well as the village bars and restaurants nearby.

Shops, including a regular local fruit and vegetable market are within 50 metres of the marina. Other facilities include a bank and regular bus and ferry service.

The marina is just a short ferry ride from the mainland port of Zadar, which is just two and a half miles away by water. A frequent ferry service runs between the island and the mainland.

The nearest airport is Zadar Airport , a short taxi ride up the mainland coast, with regular connections to main European airports.

Marina Preko Info and Facilities: 

Lat: 44º 04.9N
Long: 15º 11.6E
Charts: BA 2711, 515, MK 13

Berths:
87 berths for vessels of up to 20m LOA (minimum depth 2 metres)
3 superyacht berths for vessels of up to 60m LOA (alongside)

Marina Facilities – on site and in the village of Preko:

• VHF Channel 17. Call Sign: “Marina Preko”
• Easy access 24 hours a day in all weather conditions
• Good all round shelter in berths
• Sheltered cruising waters amongst the islands of the Dalmatian coast
• Port of Entry nearby in the port of Zadar
• Overnight ferry from Ancona to Zadar
• Harbour with minimum depth of 2m
• Electricity: 220v and 50Hz
• Fresh water
• Grey and black water discharge
• Refuse disposal
• 24 hour CCTV security
• Modern shower block
• Laundry facility for bertholders
• Internet access through Wi-fi
• Fresh supplies from a regular local market
• Restaurants and bars surrounding the marina
• Medical services locally
• Beaches for swimming and watersports close to Marina Preko
• Many local festivals and traditions throughout the year
• Supermarket and shops within 50m 
• Sport fishing, angling, diving, mountain biking and trekking
• International flights to/from Zadar

More info: about Sailing in Croatia, about Islands in Croatia +  Marina Preko home page: http://www.marinapreko.com/

This year, from January till end of October, Croatia was visited by 644.2 thousand cruising passengers (12% more than in same period of 2006) who spent in Croatia 934 nights (increase by 20.4 percent comparing to same period of 2006).

The most visited places in Croatia were:

• Dubrovnik with 523 cruising visits
• Korcula with 107 cruising visits
• Zadar and Split with 80 cruising visits each
• Pula with 55 cruising visits
• Hvar with 39 cruising visits
• Mljet and Ploce with 20 cruising visits

Cruisers were from various countries around the world – 140 from Bahamas, 76 from Italy , 64 from Panama, 52 from Portugal, 24 from UK etc..

Visit Croatia with Croatia Airlines holidays and enjoy everything it has to offer during this period of winter magic.

Come to Zagreb, the capital of Croatia and a center of arts and culture with its numerous museums and galleries.

Visit the miraculous Dubrovnik and celebrate New Year’s Eve in a magnificent atmosphere of this unique pearl of South Dalmatia, famous for its cultural heritage and beauty.

Split, a city with a 1700-year old tradition, a variety of archaeological, historical and cultural monuments, among which the well-known Palace of Diocletian is particularly attractive in this time of year.

Zadar, in the very centre of the Croatian Adriatic, and Pula, an Istrian destination, would also make an excellent choice

Croatia Airlines have prepared some special offers for this winter:

• Amsterdam – Zagreb from € 153
• Brussels – Zagreb from € 148
• Frankfurt – Zagreb from € 150
• London (Gatwick) – Zagreb from GBP 106
• London (Heathrow) – Zagreb from GBP 112
• Munich – Zagreb from € 146
• Paris – Zagreb from € 158
• Rome – Zagreb from € 138
• Sarajevo – Zagreb from € 134
• Skoplje – Zagreb from € 154
• Vienna – Zagreb from € 148
• Zurich – Zagreb from CHF 254

The prices include the airport taxes. Terms & Conditions: Min. stay: 3 days or weekend + Changes: allowed, fee: € 50 per segment + Refund: restricted  + Check Croatia Airlines’ web at : www.croatiaairlines.hr for more info..

The MS Arion cruises from city to city, island to island along the Croatian coast including Dubrovnik, Split, Korcula, Kotor in Montenegro, and Corfu, Corinth in Greece and Istanbul, and Kusadasi in Turkey.

Owned by Arcalia Shipping of Portugal, MS Arion has an intimate feel with only 320 passengers on board, and her size is particularly suited to explore the unspoiled small ports of Croatia unreachable by today’s mega liners.

The 8-day cruise follows the Dalmatian coast to the Croatian gems of Dubrovnik, Split, Korcula, Pula, Zadar and on to Kotor and Kotor Bay in Montenegro.

Starting in the Slovenian port of Koper you cruise through the Bay of Koper between Italy and Croatia to the Croatian towns of Pula and Zadar. From there cruise the Dalmatian Coast to historic Split, the island of Korcula and Dubrovnik, the ‘pearl of the Adriatic’.

A highlight is the visit to the Montenegro medieval city of Kotor in its picturesque bay location.

The cruise calls in at the Croatian port of Ploce before returning to Koper. http://www.sterlingvacations.com/cruises/cruise_01_arion/rates.html

Zadar’s Sea Organ - a real music instrument built into Zadar‘s harbor and sea front is now the subject of a video by National Geographic, and features an interview with Croatian architect Nikola Bašić, who explains how it was planned and designed.

It also features the haunting music it creates, which, coupled with the waves, leaves us drifting off to sleep. 

The Sea Organ is seventy meters long with about thirty five organ pipes built in concrete. The pipes are located so that the sea water and wind movements produce sounds that are heard by passers by so that it achieves a communication with nature and promotes a unity of architecture and environment. As sea forces and energies are unpredictable in terms of tides and winds, this organ offers never-ending concert of numerous music variations in which the performer is nature itself.

Have a look and listen here 

The first one is route Gaženica – hub Zadar 2 that opened for traffic by Croatian Minister Božidar Kalmeta. He opened the new four-line route Gaženica – hub Zadar 2,  positioned at the motorway Zagreb – Šestanovac, 17.5 km long. In front of the hub Zadar 2, the minister told the journalists that this represented one of the most important infrastructural objects in the Zadar county and an important starter for the development of the whole region. Kalmeta also mentioned the importance of the future port Gaženica, which will receive 220 million kunas of state funding, offering also a great opportunity for the progress of the whole area.

The second route is A5 Djakovo-Sredanci Section of Motorway that was opened for traffic by Croatian Prime Minister, Ivo Sanader, who has opened the first section of the A5 motorway between Beli Manastir, Osijek and Svilaj, between Sredanci and Djakovo. Some 1.4 billion kuna was invested into 23 kilometres of road which will in the end measure nearly 89 kilometres and pass between Hungarian and Bosnia-Herzegovina borders, becoming a part of the 5C corridor between Budapest, Osijek, Sarajevo and Ploce.

Unlike the previous version of Google Earth, which used mostly older shots of Zadar, the new changes and additions to the service have incorporated the latest NASA satellite photos of the Zadar area on which all of the changes to the town that have taken place in the meantime are visible.

On the Zadar peninsula you can see the expansions with the newly outfitted cruiser dock and the many other changes like the new buildings on the Bulevar and Višnjik in Borik.

Along with technical improvements to the navigation system the latest version of the service has been upgraded with hundreds of new colour photos that allow surfers to make detailed bird’s eye view searches. The photos, namely, cover practically all of the more important historical and cultural monuments, squares and churches in the town, the sights, promenades, and a view of the town from the sea, air and mainland – in fact everything any visitor could enjoy.

More about Zadar at Zadar Travel Guide or Zadar Tourist Board http://www.zadar.hr/