October 7, 2021 - Fresh details about the terrible accident of Jennifer Welsh, the 22-year-old British tourist in a coma after falling from a Dubrovnik balcony.

This article has been updated at 15:30 on October 8 - see below.

After British media reported the story of Sara Walsh launching a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for her sister Jennifer after a horrific accident in Croatia, more details are emerging about the incident. 

Ms Walsh had apparently fallen from a balcony on Saturday, October 2 while on holiday in Dubrovnik and was left with a bleed on the brain, two skull fractures, a broken collarbone, a punctured lung, broken ribs and a fractured wrist. According to the GoFundMe campaign launched, she did not have travel insurance, and an initial appeal for £30,000 (which has now increased to £35,000) has met with big success, with £32,507 pledged at time of writing. 

Curiously for a story of this nature, it did not appear at all in the Croatian media until this morning, some 24 hours after being reported in the UK. Also a little strange were the almost complete lack of details about the case, with the only source of information being the GoFundMe appeal and some social media posts from her sister. 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Jennifer Walsh (@jenniferwalsh_)

After asking a few contacts in Dubrovnik what they knew, I was surprised that nobody had heard about the incident at all. I checked with the British Embassy, who repsonded immediately:

“We are aware of a UK person being hospitalised in Dubrovnik and we have offered consular assistance.”

I called the Dubrovnik police, who were able to give me an update. 

The police confirmed that Ms Walsh had fallen from a Dubrovnik balcony, as reported. This happened at about 20:00 last Saturday in a private apartment. It was not the one she was renting, but one rented by two British citizens.

The apartment was in the popular Ploce area of town, very close to the historic old town.

(Ploce Gate, entrance to the old town of Dubrovnik - Dubrovnik Tourist Board)

She fell about 3.5 metres and unfortunately landed on her head. She was immediately transferred to hospital and has been in a coma. 

The police are treating the incident as an accident for now, but their investigations are ongoing, and they will make more information available as things are confirmed. The police had no comment when I asked if alcohol was involved. They wanted to convey the facts as they have been established so far. 

I asked if her parents were with her. The police had heard that they were, but referred me to the hospital for more information on that and her current condition. 

Some encouraging - but unofficial - news has just emerged with regard to her condition, as reported by local portal Dubrovacki Vijesti:

-When she was brought to the hospital, the condition was critical, she had a very difficult operation with an uncertain outcome, but in the end everything ended well. She is awake, but after such severe injuries it all takes time, the operation was difficult, demanding and time consuming. Although complications are still possible, it is out of danger, but it will certainly have consequences. She has a long recovery ahead of her - Dubrovacki finds out unofficially.

Update on October 8, 2021 - Dubrovacki Vijesti has also just published a little more detail about the night the accident happened in an update to the story. According to this Dubrovnik portal, Ms. Walsh was not actually staying in Dubrovnik, but in Zupa close by. She was attending a party at the rented apartment of friends (there is a photo of the apartment in the link in the previous sentence). While standing on the terrace, she dropped something off the balcony. When she tried to retrieve it, the tragic accident occurred, and she fell 3.5 metres, as the police stated above. 

There has been a fantastic response to the GoFundMe campaign, which has now reached £35,259, thereby meeting the £35,000 target.

October 6, 2021 - Kings Landing to some, Pearl of the Adriatic to others, Dubrovnik to others, but one of the world's top 5 cities at the 2021 Conde Nast Traveler Readers Awards. 

It really is one of the most stunning cities in the world.

And more than 800,000 readers of presigious Conde Nast Traveler appear to agreee. 

Dubrovnik has been voted in the top 5 cities in the world.  

Each year, readers weigh in on their favorite international cities, big and small, and it’s always exciting to witness which trending locales can rise to the top and compete with the old stalwarts. As the world has begun to reopen, the results of our 34th annual Readers’ Choice Awards survey reflect the kinds of places you longed to visit when you couldn’t travel and the ones you returned to first once you could. Over 800,000 of you filled out our survey, and while we’re always curious about where you’ve been and where you’re going, we’re especially excited to learn about the truly memorable cities that sparked your imagination and stayed with you when your next trip seemed out of reach. Here are the cities you loved most this year. 

Here is what the 2021 Conde Nast Traveler Awards had to say about Croatia:

5. Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik saw a massive spike in tourism after being featured as the filming location for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, and while you won’t find any mad kings (or queens) here in real life, the beauty of this city at the edge of the Adriatic is very real. Wander the limestone streets and walk along the ancient city walls, or take a short ferry ride to the island of Lokrum. Here, you can hike through the botanical garden, catch a glimpse of the wild peacocks, and climb to the top of an abandoned 11th-century monastery for stunning panoramic views.

Dubrovnik was beaten only by San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, San Sebastián, Spain, Salzburg, Austria, and Siena, ItalySan Miguel de Allende, Mexico, San Sebastián, Spain, Salzburg, Austria, and Siena, Italy. See the full list here.

Dubrovnik's recognition mirrors Croatian love among Conde Nast readers:

Croatia Makes Condé Nast Traveler's 2021 Top 20 Countries in the World

Conde Nast Traveler Votes Hvar Best Island in Europe (Again!), 6th in World

To learn more about Dubrovnik, check out the TC Dubrovnik in a Page. 

October 5, 2021 - Croatia's busiest airport will not be in the capital city this year, as Split Airport is set to transport the most travelers in 2021.

In September 2021, Split Airport accepted and dispatched more than 328 thousand passengers, which is 253 thousand more passengers than last year, and only 141 thousand fewer passengers compared to the record-breaking September 2019!

A few months ago, it was clear that Split will be the champion in the number of passengers transported in the Republic of Croatia this year, and this was confirmed on Monday by the publication of Zagreb airport statistics, which, despite the introduction of 15 Ryanair routes, remained below 200,000 passengers.

From January to the end of September, Split accepted and dispatched 1,363,413 passengers, which Zagreb is unlikely to achieve in the whole of 2021. However, given the number of weekly operations and available lines, a significant number of passengers in Split is expected in October.

Split Airport will deservedly take the title of the busiest Croatian airport at the end of the year after Zagreb Airport carried it for years.

By the end of 2021, Split will probably accept and dispatch more than 1.5 million passengers, which is less than in 2019, when there were 3.3 million, but there is no doubt that Split is on the right path to recovery and that will cross 2 million passengers again next year.

In other news, Dubrovnik Airport had more than 200,000 passengers in September this year. 

Namely, 207,558 passengers passed through Dubrovnik Airport in September, as many as 166,000 more passengers compared to the same month in 2021. On the other hand, compared to September 2019, there were 50% fewer passengers (405,924 at the time). The largest share in traffic is made up of passengers from traditionally dominant markets - Great Britain, the United States of America, and France.

From January 1 to September 30, a total of 787,590 passengers traveled through Dubrovnik Airport, while in the same period last year, there were only 306,949. 

Given that Dubrovnik will be well connected to several European destinations in October, a significant increase in the number of monthly passengers is expected to continue. Dubrovnik Airport will thus reach one million passengers by the end of this year. 

Source: Croatian Aviation

For more information about flights to Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

To learn more about Osijek Airport, click here. 

October 3, 2021 - United Airlines Dubrovnik flights will continue next year from May 27 and run even longer - until October 26!

Great news for Dubrovnik Airport as United Airlines announced they would continue on the New York (Newark Airport)-Dubrovnik route next summer, citing an incredible season this year, reports Ex Yu Aviation. 

The United Airlines 2021 summer schedule ended on Saturday, October 2, though the airline will resume flights from Newark from May 27, 2022. The route will run 4 times a week, on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday and the schedule will run even later next year, until October 26. United operated this route using Boeing 767-300 aircraft.

“We feel really bullish about Europe for next summer. We had a look of that this summer. We started in a few new markets. In fact, we loaded those for sale very late. And those new markets are actually, some of our top performing city fares, because Croatia and Greece in particular, made it clear to the world that they were open for business. And in fact, our customers responded to it immediately, and our new flights degrees did incredibly well," said United’s Chief Commercial Officer, Andrew Nocella, emphasizing that the service was launched for American citizens and residents as they were allowed to travel to Croatia throughout the coronavirus pandemic. 

“Flights from the US performed well above our expectations. These incoming tourists stay in Dubrovnik, which serves as a base for them to explore other places - nearby islands and Dalmatia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Furthermore, these flights are important as they have enabled cargo transport to the United States. As a result, each aircraft departs with around ten tons of exportable goods to the States," said General Manager of Dubrovnik Airport, Frano Luetić. 

Recall, both United and Delta Air Lines launched flights from New York this year, though Delta operated from JFK Airport. Ex Yu Aviation adds that Delta likely won't restore flights to the Croatian coast next summer as the airline has already scheduled all of its European routes introduced this year.

For more information about flights to Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

To learn more about Osijek Airport, click here. 

September 27, 2021- An ecologically sustainable project called Dubrovnik-Elafiti Gate is being developed in Brsečine, including a parking lot with a pier and a boat connection to Lopud and Šipan.

HRTurizam reports that Dubrovnik-Elafiti Gate is a concept of connecting Dubrovnik with the Elafiti islands, especially Lopud and Šipan, with docks for small boats and additional infrastructure in Brsečine.

This concept, presented to the representatives of the City of Dubrovnik by the author and architect Željko Katalinić, is based on the existing idea of ​​activating Brsečine as a link with the Elafiti islands and is complementary to numerous strategic and development documents. Furthermore, the concept is based on the use of renewable energy sources. Therefore, it represents a significant contribution to the relocation and diversification of the tourist offer with numerous benefits for the local population and all citizens of the City of Dubrovnik.

According to the presented concept, the goal is to offer additional parking spaces (120 spaces) at the current rest area, located along the highway, and connect with the new dock for small boats on the newly built road.

All the energy needed to operate this multifunctional project based on eco-technologies would be drawn from self-sustaining sources, including the energy required to charge electric vehicles and small electric ships/ferries with a capacity of 10 to 35 vehicles and up to 150 passengers, which would drive to Elafiti. 

In this sense, there are plans to cover all parking spaces with solar panels, and wind energy (windmills) and wave energy obtained through a movable breakwater would be used. In addition, the concept includes the arrangement of a lookout and recycling yard as a representative example of such plants, and kiosks would be set up for the tourist and sales needs of local family farms, an info center for Dubrovnik's Gornja Sela and Elafiti.

For irrigation of green areas and the need for fire protection, rainwater obtained by biological wastewater treatment would be used. The drop-off/on zone by the sea would be arranged as a park of Mediterranean plants.

In nature, the implementation of the Dubrovnik-Elafiti Gate project connects parts of Gornja Sela and the entire city area with the Elafiti. It provides a new basis for the development and exchange of goods and services. In addition, the existing road to Brsečine beach is relieved, which would become a pedestrian zone passable for emergency services, which is not the case so far.

Such a multidimensional and complex project, which is now still at the concept level, will continue to develop to be ready in time to apply for EU funds. Namely, in the new budget period of the European Union, investments from 2021 to 2027 will be focused on five main goals, of which two specific goals are related to the energy transition, renewable energy sources, and the promotion of sustainable multimodal urban mobility, according to City of Dubrovnik.

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

September 23, 2021 -The Dubrovnik-Bulgaria Connection stretches through centuries. A lecture by the Ivo Pilar Social Research Scientist Vinicije Lupis reveals some interesting details on their shared art and history.

Connections between Dubrovnik and Bulgaria date back to as early as the 13th century. These connections weren't just in a common, political sense, but also in the sense of art and cultural exchange, as noted by Georgius Bulgarus, a Bulgarian blacksmith that stayed in town back in 1218. 

This fun fact is the opening of an invitation from the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute to free up your schedule on September the 23rd for a lecture on the connection between Dubrovnik and Bulgaria by Vinicije B Lupis. The event starts at 19:00 at the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute's Dubrovnik location, at the address: Od Kaštela 11.  

Vinicije B. Lupis graduated in history and archaeology back in 1992 as well as in art history and theory in 1995, both times at Zadar University. Along with his MA on Ston's liturgy silver (1998) and his Ph.D. on the topic of the skull relics in the reliquary of the Dubrovnik Cathedral (2004), Lupis began his professional work in 1992 as a conservatory archaeologist in Split and then moved to work in Dubrovnik's Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments.

''Since 2007, Lupis has worked for the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute, and from 2008 on, he has been the Head of the institute's Dubrovnik location. He has published hundreds of scientific papers and several books on the topic of sacral heritage, the art history of Dubrovnik and Boka Kotorska (Montenegro). He is the editor of multiple magazines and almanah's, and as an outside associate of the Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT), he gave his contribution to documentary series on Dubrovnik's history and heritage,'' reads the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute on its website. 

With the lecture being held in Croatian and as such not being very accessible to non-native-speakers, its worth noting some of the interesting key facts about Dubrovnik and Bulgaria that will be the subject of Lupis's lecture.

Lupis analyses the Renaissance painting of the Lady with Christ from the St. Kevork Armenian Church in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. He dated the picture to be from the beginning of the 16th century and connected it to the Dubrovnik painting circle (which is additionally interesting since this painting is the first renaissance painting in all of Bulgaria). The same church also holds the Engolpion (a medallion with an icon in the centre worn around the neck by Orthodox and Eastern Catholic bishops), which is close to the Dubrovnik-style of production at that time. This is just one example of Dubrovnik's influence on Bulgarian artistic heritage. 

''The (Bulgarian) National gallery in Sofia holds the work of Croatian painters from the Dubrovnik area such as Vlaho Bukovac and Mato Celestin Medović. Dubrovnik as a place of inspiration is especially important for Bulgarian painters such as Bencho Yordanov Obreshkov and Mario Zhekov. Zhekov, the most significant Bulgarian marinist, painted an entire series of Dubrovnik landscapes,'' explains the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute.

This should come as no surprise as the City of Dubrovnik, throughout its history, nurtured relations with various kingdoms and states. These include, as noted by the online edition of Croatian Encyclopedia, the then-Croatia, the Venetians, the Normans, and many others. Dubrovnik also became an independent republic, and history remembers the state for its great diplomacy ( which is valued by Croatian diplomats even today) and for abolishing slavery as early as 1416.  

As TCN previously wrote, the Ivo Pilar Social Research Institute's scientists also made excellent connections with the Slovakian science community and explored the history of relations between the two countries. It has also since expanded its connection in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in Montenegro with regards to the ethnic Croats of Boka Kotorska.

Learn more about Croatian Art Galleries in Zagreb, Dalmatia, Istria & Slavonia on our TC page.

For more about history in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 22, 2021 - The city of Dubrovnik has been positioning itself as one of the best-prepared destinations to receive digital nomads, after the success of the In-Residence project. Now, it has invited economic entities and other city services to present new offers for digital nomads and thus continue their arrival.

The City of Dubrovnik, through the Administrative Department for Tourism, Economy, and the Sea, announces a Public Invitation for the participation of economic entities in shaping the offer of Dubrovnik as a destination for digital nomads, reports HrTurizam. The Call invites all interested parties to express their interest through new offers for digital nomads that include accommodation, catering, transport, trade, and other social and service activities in tourism, which would attract digital nomads to choose the City as their place of residence.

Namely, by amending the legislation on 1 January 2021, the Republic of Croatia introduced visas that regulate the temporary stay of the so-called digital nomads. It has thus become only the fifth country in the world to regulate the market, which currently covers 4.8 million people, and which could house 17 million people in the future. The initiative of the Government of the Republic of Croatia was launched due to the fact that more and more people in the world work exclusively online, and the further increase in interest in this specific way of life was additionally influenced by the COVID-19 virus pandemic.

With its geographical location, natural and cultural heritage, and safe environment for a comfortable life, Dubrovnik certainly has the prospect of becoming one of the most desirable destinations for digital nomads, with numerous benefits for the local population. In order to diversify the tourist offer and strive to become a year-round destination, the City of Dubrovnik recognized digital nomads as one of its tourist niches, which is why in 2020 it organized a special conference to discuss digital nomads and implemented the project "Dubrovnik Digital Nomad In-Residence”, which was a success and attracted the attention of the international public.

For positioning on this market, with excellent communication technologies developed by the City of Dubrovnik, it is necessary to adapt, monitor trends and market requirements of this segment of tourism. In this context, it is important to involve employers in shaping the new offers for digital nomads that will attract them and ultimately reap the benefits for the entire community.

Applicants are required to provide information about their company or trade and a statement of intent to participate in this project with the benefits that registered digital nomads can use with them.

Applications are accepted by e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. until September 30, 2021.

For more news and features about digital nomads in Croatia, follow the dedicated TCN section.

September 15, 2021 - Mayor Mato Franković sent a letter to famous American actress Gabrielle Union, responding to a story in her new memoir that details racism in Dubrovnik when she visited in 2019.

Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković sent an open letter to famous American actress Gabrielle Union, who in her new memoirs recalled an unpleasant racially conditioned incident she experienced during a summer vacation in Croatia, reports Slobodna Dalmacija. 

"Dear Ms. Union, I was quite surprised by your statement that during your stay in Dubrovnik you had an unpleasant experience where you, I quote 'experienced a large amount of hatred and threats of violence,' as you say, in a club full of racist symbols and neo-Nazis who were present.

On behalf of the City of Dubrovnik, the people of Dubrovnik, and myself, I express my strongest condemnation of such a statement and outrage at any messages of hatred and violence. Dubrovnik has always been an open city where racist segregation clubs have never existed. Dubrovnik is a city that actually has a single nightclub that is one of the best clubs in Europe.

Dubrovnik is a city of highly tolerant people, culture, and history that has been developed on the Dubrovnik cliff for more than a millennium. That is why we are surprised by such a primitive and individual act.

Moreover, we are proud that our rich history is adorned by the fact that the Republic of Dubrovnik banned the slave trade in 1416, long before the United States did so, even though the republic's main economic branches were maritime trade. As in many ways, the people of Dubrovnik were already ahead of their time in respecting human life and human rights. The notion of ‘freedom’ (libertas, libertà) is one of the key motives in the political tradition of old Dubrovnik that has survived to this day.

I believe that you are aware that your statement on the isolated case has caused great damage to Dubrovnik and all its citizens, who will get the impression that they belong to a system of values that Dubrovnik and its citizens have never inherited. Dubrovnik, on the contrary, is a city that has always accepted all people, and our fellow citizens treat everyone like good hosts. Therefore, your recollection about the event that you stated happened two years ago took us by surprise, especially because there is no such club as you describe in Dubrovnik.

Therefore, dear Mrs. Union, I again express my regret for the isolated incident that happened to you in our city. I apologize to you and at the same time emphasize that Dubrovnik has always been and will be in the future a city of freedom, equality, and respect for all," said Dubrovnik mayor Mato Franković.

Namely, Union was in Dubrovnik two years ago with actress Jessica Alba at NEM. In her memoirs, “We're Going to Need More Wine,” she recalled a ‘terrifying’ racist incident she experienced in Dubrovnik. The actress reportedly got into what she thought was a gay bar with a group of friends, but after looking around, they realized they were surrounded by people they perceived as ‘neo-Nazis’ who immediately threatened them.

"I have never experienced such a level of hatred and the threat of physical violence," Union recalled, adding that the group followed them down the street as they left.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

September 13, 2021 - The City of Dubrovnik limits single-use plastics as part of the EU 'Plastic Smart Cities' project. 

Within the EU project "Plastic Smart Cities," the City of Dubrovnik, as well as institutions and companies (co) owned by the City, will limit the use of single-use plastics. This also comes as part of the Decision adopted at the last City Council session and previously, in April, the Action Plan for the Reduction of Plastic Pollution in the City of Dubrovnik from 2021 - 2026, reports HRTurizam.

The decision on restricting single-use plastics enacts measures which, administrative bodies, institutions, and companies (co) owned by the City of Dubrovnik determine how they will restrict disposable plastics and replace certain items used in business with environmentally friendly solutions, all to prevent and/or reduce the adverse impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

The decision also stipulates that the use of single-use plastics is limited to all public events that the City of Dubrovnik (co) organizes or (co) finances. Furthermore, the city, institutions, and companies are obliged to ensure or arrange with the organizer of public events a separate collection of waste at the venue and its timely and appropriate collection and disposal.

Furthermore, in the operations of the City, institutions, and companies, it is necessary to apply the criteria and benchmarks of green public procurement whenever possible. Therefore, one of the measures prescribed by the Decision also refers to the digitization of documents and the promotion of electronic documents among employees, officials, and employees whenever possible.

With the adoption of the Plastic Pollution Reduction Action Plan, which began in June with a two-day workshop, the City of Dubrovnik became the first city in Croatia to have such a document. Some of these measures are applied before the Plan and Decision.

Recall, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has launched a Plastic Smart Cities initiative that supports coastal towns and villages in taking action to stop plastic pollution. Other Mediterranean and European cities, such as Nice, Izmir, Tangier, Amsterdam, and Venice, are also part of this initiative. The contractual aspects of the project implemented in the area of the city of Dubrovnik are WWF Mediterranean, Association Sunce, and the City of Dubrovnik.

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page. 

September 5, 2021 - The completed lineup for Solardo’s HIGHER Dubrovnik event is here! 

From September 23rd - 25th, party-goers will enjoy the sun-soaked town of Dubrovnik besides the breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea, all the while partying throughout the day and night to an assortment of some of the UK’s (and worlds’) much-loved DJs.

Solardo's unique day and night terrace party Higher is now only a few weeks away, and the lineup just got even bigger with the addition of Andrew Meller, Ben Hemsley, Hannah Laing, James Burton, Lost On Mars, Mandalo, Saffron Stone, Versus, and more. These new names come on top of the already serious lineup of Andrea Oliva, Danny Howard, Heidi, Max Chapman, Nic Fanciulli, and wAFF, who will all play the stunning terrace of Dubrovnik's famous Club Revelin from September 23-25th.

The always sun-soaked town of Dubrovnik is a historic location with breathtaking views of the Adriatic Sea. The iconic setting has been used in the Game of Thrones TV series and is now set to be the site of this legendary party for two days and nights of world-class music. Culture Club Revelin is one of DJ Mag's Top 100 clubs in the world for good reason, and these day and night sessions will make the best use of its open-air terrace - soaked in the sun by day and lit up by a gorgeous sunset in the evening. 

The varied and vital house talents of Andrew Meller, Ben Hemsley, Hannah Laing, James Burton, Lost On Mars, Mandalo, Saffron Stone, and Versus are now also lining up with the boss men themselves, Solardo, to complete a lineup that features a who's who of contemporary house talent. Hosts for the event include eclectic Birmingham party crew WYLD, with Rituals LDN also joining in.

The final few tickets for this unique terrace party are available now at https://www.skiddle.com.

Website | Tickets | Facebook Event

For more on lifestyle in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.