From Seoul to Zagreb

IN 2019 Korean Air will celebrate its 50th anniversary and celebrated its inaugural flight from Seoul, South Korea to Zagreb, Croatia on September 1, marking the first regular service connecting Croatia and Far East Asia directly.

The airline’s maiden flight KE919 from Seoul, which took 11 hours and 40 minutes, was welcomed with a water cannon salute upon landing at Zagreb (Franjo Tuđman) International Airport on Saturday. 

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Worlds most popular cruise destinations

THE world's leading cruise reviews site, Cruise Critic and its online #cruise community, has announced the winners of its third annual Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards, naming the world's most popular cruise #destinations, based entirely on consumer ratings submitted with reviews on Cruise Critic. The awards name the top cruise destinations across 18 regions worldwide. New in 2018, the awards also highlight the best cruise lines to visit each region.

The Eastern Mediterranean port of Kotor, in Montenegro, came out as the number one destination hotspot for UK cruisers. The Baltic Sea port of Talinn, capital city of Estonia, secured second place in popularity, and the Aegean island of Santorini proved third favourite overall, for UK cruise travellers.

Highlighted Awards:

Glacier Bay in Alaska was named the Most Popular Cruise Destination in 2018 – It's one of the best Inside Passage locations for glacier and wildlife viewing, with its Margerie Glacier considered one of the most photogenic glaciers.

Edinburgh secured the top destination award in the British Isles & Western Europe category – for the very first time - beating Barcelona, Rome and Venice, among many others. 

Cuba's capital city of Havana was named the Best Cruise Destination in the Western Caribbean & Riviera Maya for the first time. While international cruise lines have long visited Cuba, U.S. travelers were only able to begin visiting the island once regulations were eased in 2016.

Dubrovnik has been named the Top-Rated Eastern Mediterranean Destination for the past two years, and has done it again this year to score a hat trick.


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From Seoul to Zagreb

LOCATED in Northwest of Croatia, Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of #Croatia. It has rich history and culture dating back to Roman times. The other prominent tourist destinations are Dubrovnik, which is an UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and Trogir, a historic town and harbor on the Adriatic coast. 

In addition, Plitvice Lakes National Park is world-famous for one of the oldest and largest national park in Croatia with 16 lakes and 90 waterfalls. 

Korean Air will expand its network to Europe with the launch of a direct scheduled service between Seoul, South Korea and Zagreb, the capital of Croatia. Korean Air have operated charter flights from Seoul to Zagreb since 2010, and the number of Korean visitors to Croatia have steadily risen every year; a Korean TV travel program featuring Croatia and first shown in 2013, is considered influential in first inspiring leisure travelers to the Eastern European country. 


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Wine and Sailing in the Dalmation Islands

CROATIA has been making wine for 2 millennia and is home to the oldest continuously-planted vineyard in the world — yet many people have never tasted Croatian wine. Wind & Wine #Croatia is on a mission to change that. This adventure travel company takes small groups on week-long luxury sailing trips and organizes custom, curated winery experiences in the Dalmatian Islands. 

Experience the adventure of sailing and sleeping on a modern yacht while visiting six hand-selected wineries and exploring six historic islands and towns. Wind & Wine Croatia is co-founded by seasoned wine professional Lizann Grupalo and life-long sailor and certified yacht master Ivan “Pale” Paškvan. Both have over 20 years of experience in their respective fields and formed this company to share their two passions – wine and sailing – with others.

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Croatia cruising adventure awaits

CROATIA'S award-winning DMC and small ship #cruise company, Katarina Line, announced that it is expanding its custom tour options for 2018 as the North American group travel market heats up. Its programs include a wider range of tours catering to groups such as music aficionados, youth travel, food lovers, history buffs, soft adventure vacationers, as well as those seeking classic sightseeing tours. The new tours include more excursions into neighboring countries such as Slovenia, Bosnia, Montenegro, and Serbia, among others, and feature English speaking guides and private buses.

Among Katarina Line’s diverse new programs for 2018 are festivals such as the 3-night “Prosciutto Fair” in #Croatia. Scheduled for October 20 – 21, 2018, the fair draws upwards of 25,000 people each year to the town of Tinjan in Istria. It features more than 30 types of prosciutto from countries such as Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Spain, and, of course Croatia. In addition to participating in the festival, the guests enjoy a tasting of Istrian Grappa – homemade brandy – olive oil tasting, and sightseeing in Rovinj and Labin. 

The “Croatia Classic,” which starts at the Croatian capital of Zagreb, takes guests through the mountains of Gorski Kotar and Plitvice Lakes National Park, and to the coastal town of Zadar, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Itinerary highlights include tours of Zagreb and Zadar, a visit to Plitvice Lakes, rafting on the Zrmaja River, and a castle tour. 

Also on offer are  5-night hiking tours of the Kvarner Bay that include the islands of Lošinj, Cres, and Susak, and which boasts more than 1,200 different plant species. 

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Hot European Deals with roomsXML

EUROPE tried and tested for both the novice and experienced traveller. With millions of tourists heading straight for Paris and Amsterdam (for very good reasons), there is a slight changing of the guard with newer tourism hotspots. Relatively new (a few decades is nothing between friends) as a tourism destination, Prague has been kicking goals especially in the last 10 years. 

Initially a convenient Easyjet flight for younger Brits wanting their dollar to stretch further, #Prague (and the Czech Republic as a whole) is now a legitimate destination in its own right. Aptly named the City of Spires, Prague largely remained in tact, while the rest of Europe was hammered with destruction during the war. Stunning architecture, churches, museums, and a burgeoning reputation for modern cuisine, Prague has it all. As for the Old Town Square, you might even see some familiar gothic architecture. 

Another destination coming in to its own in the last 5 or 10 years is #Croatia; more specifically the beautiful town of Dubrovnik. Restaurants, Bars, cafes, copious hotels, and a kind currency conversion make this a place to settle in and enjoy. From the baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace, now a converted history museum.

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Zagreb voted best destination for Christmas holidays

ZAGREB was named the best destination for the Christmas holidays in Europe for the third year running, by the voters’ choice of the European Best Destinations web site. 

The Croatian capital defended the title competing against 20 cities, making it the only city crowned with the best Christmas destination recognition for three consecutive years.

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Visit Zagreb for a brush with culture

ZAGREB is just an easy, two hour flight from London Heathrow with #Croatia Airlines and British Airways, from London Gatwick with Monarch and also from Manchester with Monarch with a flight time of just 30 minutes more. A wide range of accommodation in the capital from funky hostels, city apartments through to five star hotels.

Street Art - This is quite remarkable and brings present day street art to a new level. Also known as MUU, everyone is talking about this. Street Art was based on an idea by a group of famous Croatian artists to revitalise various parts of Zagreb. The ZagrebBeThere app is a free iOS and Android app which takes you to Zagreb’s coolest spots and helps you to discover the fabulous street art.

Museum of Broken Relationships - An art installation which is now world famous. It exhibits mementos of relationships which have gone wrong (not just between lovers) and is housed in an 18th Century Palace in the Upper Town.

Croatian Museum of Naive Art - Also in the Upper Town, there was an amazing collection of totally self-taught artists and sculptors, many of which were simple country folk. Without any training, this movement developed between 1930-1970’s with most of the artists from the Zagreb and surrounding area, with Hlebine having an important role in this genre. www.hmnu.hr/en

Mestrovic Atelier - The art scene of the capital cannot be considered without mention of Ivan Mestrovic, Croatia’s most famous sculptor and architect. Across Croatia, even in the smallest places, there is usually a Mestrovic creation somewhere. He lived from 1883-1962 and worked with Rodin. More than 300 sculptures and other artwork are on display in his former residence in the Upper Town and dating from 17th century. www.mestrovic.hr/muzeji/atelijer-mestrovic/atelijer-mestrovic.html

Art Pavilion - Not to be missed, a beautiful yellow art deco building at the southern end of Zrinjevac Park. This was never intended as a permanent structure (it was intended as temporary exhibit in Budapest in 1896) and was rebuilt in original stone in Zagreb. The Pavilion houses a wide range of exhibitions – featuring works of both local and international world class artists. www.umjetnicki-paviljon.hr/en

Moderna Gallery - Home to a national collection of 19th and 20th century art including “Tactile Gallery MG”, the first multi-sensory gallery in this part of Europe for visually impaired people. www.moderna-galerija.hr

Lauba House for People & Art - This contemporary art gallery opened in 2011 with a permanent collection that rotates every month. Located in an old Zagreb textile mill, it features new artists from Croatia and abroad. www.lauba.hr/en

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On the runway . . .

THOMAS Cook Airlines has announced that from May 2018, Brits will be able to holiday on the beautiful Dubrovnik coast as it introduces package and flight-only options to its summer 2018 programme.

On sale now, flights to #Dubrovnik will operate on a Sunday and Wednesday from Manchester with Thomas Cook Airlines.

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Getaways just for grownups

CHILDFREE boltholes for guaranteed pool peace and toddler tantrum-free dining. Prestige Holidays has hand-picked some adults-only properties that are ideal for those seeking a peaceful peak summer child-free getaway this August.

Tenerife  - This small rural hotel is in a glorious location central to Tenerife’s Mount Teide walking routes. Just 15 miles from the famous 5000ft peak, the hotel is set within a pine forest in the mountain village of Vilaflor, which is surrounded by four nature parks and has 11 walking trails to explore, with two straight from the hotel: the six mile 'Lunar landscape route' and the 12-mile 'Las Lajas Route'. While the 3.7 mile 'wine route' is ideal for lazy days. 

Packed with sporting opportunities, yet not a kids club in sight, Spa Villalba offers a range of fitness options including: yoga, personal training and a climbing wall. There's also a spa, with extensive treatments including wine therapy, an indoor/outdoor pool, Turkish bath and sauna. 

Departing Gatwick to Tenerife South with Monarch on 3rd August, the price is £648 per person including seven nights bed and breakfast accommodation, return flights and car hire.

Dalmatia, Croatia - One of the loveliest hotels in the central Dalmatia region, the new adults only, boutique style, Hotel Ola overlooks the Adriatic close to Trogir. Many aspects of this fabulous new property are five star including its gorgeous roof top infinity pool with fantastic views that can be enjoyed in blissful peace, the super a la carte restaurant and large sea view rooms.

Hotel Ola is just a five-minute taxi ride from Trogir, a UNESCO listed, walled old city that looks like a mini Dubrovnik. Trogir has an excellent choice of restaurants, bars and boutique shops with some superb galleries. 

Its medieval centre has an “Aladdin’s Cave” feel as narrow cobbled streets lead into tiny courtyards – not to be missed is the impressive St Lawrence Cathedral.
Seven nights departing 16th August cost just £1069 per person.

Paphos, Cyprus  - With Paphos the joint European Capital of Culture in 2017, this summer is the perfect time to experience the celebratory events taking place in the historic UNESCO listed city. 

Just 20-minutes from Paphos airport, The Asimina Hotel is a boutique style, all-suite hotel exclusively designed for adults only and situated on a delightful beach within its own private gardens. Thalassotherapy, Aromatherapy and a ‘couple’s suite’ in the Spa are just some of the facilities, which also include two outdoor freshwater inter-connected pools and one indoor pool – all perfect for peaceful dozing, plus a floodlit tennis court and gym. The luxurious Executive Suites even offer a private pool, a Jacuzzi bath and a private Cabana on the beach, ideal for a quiet read.

Departing London Stansted on 14th August with Ryanair to Paphos for £1418 per person.

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Croatia in May

RED sunsets are a feature of Crvenka Luka (Red Port) resort on Croatia’s Dalmatian coast. A £40 million hotel upgrade makes this a top holiday spot with three beaches (one sandy) and possibly the best infinity pool over the Adriatic in #Croatia. There’s also tennis, aqua aerobics, bikes, canoes and a rather funky beach bar.

Dubrovnik is on most peoples’ hit list but the UNESCO listed fabulous walled city can sometimes feel a touch crowded. So stay at the luxurious 5 star Hotel Admiral Grand in the picturesque town of Slano, around 45 minutes away and visit for the day. The hotel stands on a delightful beach and features an excellent spa, pedaloes, kayaks and three tennis courts. The city is easily reached by bus and day boat trips to the islands including Jakljan which locals call the "desert island".

Stay at the stylish Hotel Nautica in the charming medieval fishing town of Novigrad on the Istrian Riviera this half term. Set on the waterfront at the marina it’s ideally situated for enjoying the restaurants, bars and Neo Gothic buildings the town has to offer. A lovely pebble beach is also just a short walk away.

Prestige Holidays has huge savings on these and many other holidays but they must be booked by April 28th - www.prestigeholidays.co.uk/croatia

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Outdoor Adventure in Croatia

ADVENTURE and tourism leaders in Zadar, #Croatia come together on April 27 to April 30 under the name Zadar Outdoor Festival to celebrate the great outdoors that Zadar has to offer from sailing, trail, swimming, cycling, sea kayaking, running and rafting. 

For four days in April 2017 Sea, land, rivers and mountains of the Zadar region will become a natural, world sports arena for professionals and amateurs.

The waters of Zadar channel will host a sailing regatta, and swimming marathon and sea kayak race will take place before the old town. Lovers of rafting will find their adventure in the hidden beauty of Zrmanja river.

On land there are three very attractive disciplines: cycling, running and trail of three rivers. Competitors have the option to choose to run towards the world famous and the most beautiful sunset, to bike on attractive Zadar tracks or to dare to trail three rivers.

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Seaside Sounds in Croatia

AFTER nearly two decades of running the most successful #festival in Southeast Europe, EXIT in Serbia, the EXIT team is coming to #Croatia.

Sea Star, a new festival in Umag held from 26-27 May at the Stella Maris resort. First announced acts include of the most popular global bands - The Prodigy, with the local favourites Dubioza kolektiv and Croatian hosts Urban&4. This new shining festival of the Adriatic Sea will present artists from the global and regional music scene on six different stages. 

Along with the two official festival days, festival-goers can also expect a huge warmup party on Thursday May 25 and an after party for the fittest on Sunday May 27.

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Picture Credit: Morton1905 76740876@N07/15117535674 via photopin

2017: The 'Year of Eastern Europe'

TRAVELZOO is forecasting 2017 to be the ‘Year of Eastern Europe’, with the region gaining popularity largely due to the shift in tourism away from other destinations that have been affected by acts of terror. 

The region is also appealing to British tourists concerned about the value of the British pound. Experts say holidays in beautiful destinations such as #Croatia and #Bulgaria are on average 30% cheaper than ever-popular southern coastal Spain this year and Travelzoo predicts the Eastern European region will continue to grow in popularity throughout 2017.

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Walk Europe

FANCY a bit of a ramble? Have a look at BSpoke tours, a #cycling and #walking #holiday company who have added to their already bursting range of itineraries.

Featuring 13 self-guided walking tours across eight European countries including Austria, Italy, Portugal and Slovenia plus NEW destinations for 2017 including France, Croatia, Spain and Switzerland; there is something to suit every type of holidaymaker. 

From gentle strolls along golden sandy beaches and through lush vineyards to pleasant hikes around shimmering lakes and majestic mountains.

And if food is your thing their sister company Cycling for Softies offers gourmet cycling adventures in France, Italy and Spain.

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Bristol to Croatia

RYANAIR, Europe’s No. 1 airline added a new Zadar route to its Bristol summer 2017 schedule, with a twice weekly service beginning at the end of March.

This brings Ryanair’s Bristol summer 2017 schedule up to 31 exciting destinations in total offering customers in the South West and Wales more choice than ever before.

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Food & Wine Flotillas

SUNSAIL launched successfully several Food and Wine Flotillas in Croatia and Italy combining wine tasting and sampling local delicacies whilst on a Sunsail flotilla. Due to their success they will be offered again 13 May, 8 July and 14 October 2017 from Procida in Italy.

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