Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Events’ Category

Dubrovnik in February? But of course. In the beginning of February Dubrovnik denizens turn out in force to celebrate their beloved city. The occasion is the Festival of St Blaise (Sv Vlaho), the patron saint of Dubrovnik. Statues of St Blaise dot the walled city and of course there is the splendid Church of St Blaise at the beginning of Stradun. It was to St Blaise that fearful residents prayed during the bombing of Dubrovnik in 1991.

Before the official opening of the festival on February 2 there are several weeks of special concerts, plays and exhibitions centered on the theme of St Blaise. February 3 is the feast day of St Blaise and for the two following days religious and secular events mark the special connection of Dubrovnik with Saint Blaise.

Here is the schedule of events for this year’s festival:
Thursday, February 2, 2012

One of Croatia’s most popular music festivals will have a change of venue this year. The Garden Festival began in Zadar, moved to nearby Petrcane and will now be held in Tisno, on Murter Island some 29km north of Sibenik. Founded by Nick Colgan a former Irish footballer,  this musically adventurous festival is a huge favourite with British holiday-makers. The new venue is easily accessible from both Zadar and Split airports and offers improved accommodation facilities for backpackers and campers. In an interview, Mr Colgan explains that “The Garden Tisno has its very own village, featuring 80 on-site apartments which can hold 300 people, as well as 30 Indian Shikar tents with electric fans and lighting, proper beds, mosquito nets, dressing room and porch area. There are also 120 pitches for people bringing their own tents. It will also feature the familiar elements everyone knows and loves ‘ twice daily parties on the Argonaughty seadog including sunset trips close to the Kornati Islands, partying around the Main Stage and Tiki Bar day and night and a brand new Barbarellas club. The entire site runs right along a truly gorgeous shoreline, so dancing right by the glittering waters under the sizzling sun or a moonlit star-speckled sky – classic Garden experiences ‘ remain, helping to keep the festival so unique.” So set aside July 4th to 11th this year!

Sightseeing in Zagreb could be a challenge on June 4 and 5 when Croatia’s capital will be abuzz with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI. Although Pope John Paul II made several visits to Croatia, this will be the first for the current Pope. As Croatia is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, the turnout is expected to be large and enthusiastic. With crowds, security details and ceremonies, central Zagreb will be a holy mess. Here is the program:

June 4

• 11am arrival at Zagreb’s Pleso Airport followed by a meeting with the President in the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister in the Apostolic Nunciatore at 1.50pm. Both are in Gornji Grad or Upper Zagreb
• 6.15pm meeting at Zagreb’s National Theatre with local political, religious and diplomatic luminaries.
• 7.30pm prayer vigil in Zagreb’s central Jelacic Square

June 5

• 10am mass in Zagreb hippodrome
• 2pm lunch with Croatian bishops
• 5pm vespers and prayer at the tomb of Stepinac at Zagreb Cathedral
• 7.45 departure for Rome from Pleso Airport.

As my personal holiday favorite, I was happy to see Opatija highlighted in this week’s Telegraph. Travel writer Julia Warren noted that Austrian musicians will present a special concert in Opatija on April 23 featuring music by Mozart, Dvorak and Bartok. Fittingly enough, the concert will take place in the opulent Crystal Ballroom of the Hotel Kvarner, once a choice address for vacationing Austrians. Although the hotel is now outclassed by the five-star Hotel Ambassador with its luxuriant spa, the faded elegance of the Kvarner still holds allure.

A tourism official remarks forlornly in the article that Opatija feels “forgotten” in comparison to high-profile Dubrovnik which is true but Opatija could learn some lessons from the relentless self-promotion of its southern sister. For example, the lovely Villa Angelina is, as Ms. Warren notes, now home to. . .a museum of Opatija tourism. Surely a more compelling use could be found for this 19th-century villa.

With its ice cream parlours, flaky pastries, Belle Epoque structures and a restful seaside promenade, Opatija successfully evokes another age and it remains a great base for further explorations. Nearby Volosko has one of Croatia’s finest restaurants, Plavi Podrum, and not much farther is Lovran, another architectural delight. Nature-lovers can easily take a ferry to unspoiled Cres Island and its famous griffon vultures.

Read more about Opatija

The gay and lesbian community in Croatia is preparing for the annual Pride Parade to be held on June 19 in Zagreb. The theme of this year’s parade is “Freedom of sexual expression and diversity of sexual practice”. Although there is certainly a lot of the latter in Croatia, the “freedom” part of the theme is a long way from being achieved. For historical and religious reasons, Croatia has long clung to rigid definitions of sexual identity which has disadvantaged the LGBT community. Discrimination is rampant and violent attacks on gays are not rare.

The Pride Parade has taken place yearly since 2002 and often draws angry and hateful crowds. This year may be no exception, particularly since a proposed constitutional change will protect sexual orientation. Introduced under pressure from the EU to bring Croatia’s human rights legislation into line with European standards, the proposed change has already provoked a public outcry.

The Pride Parade is the culmination of “Zagreb Pride” a series of local events celebrating LGBT identity and agitating for political change. This year’s schedule includes a roundtable with government representatives to discuss the proposed constitutional change. Despite this year’s slogan, “Croatia can swallow this”, it’s not at all clear that it can.

See more on Zagreb Pride and on gay travel in Croatia.