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The 51 best things to do in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a one-town tourist industry on its own, with endless things to do all year round. As stunning as the clear blue sea around it, the former centre of the independent Republic of Ragusa invites superlatives and attracts the lion's share of Croatia's visitors. Read on for our insider's guide to the best things to do in Dubrovnik. RECOMMENDED: More great things to do in Dubrovnik. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.
Rab Film Festival
Rab Film Festival is a new event for the Adriatic island in 2019. For its debut, the festival has lined up and interesting and thought-provoking line-up of new films and documentaries, including the premiere of the new Ken Loach movie 'Sorry We Missed You', his first since the award-winning 'I, Daniel Blake' (this one is set to the UK backdrop of the food bank system and an employment market without rights for workers). There's a gastronomic element to the event and a more than impressive music programme which includes performances by Croatian acts Zdenka Kovacicek & Greenhouse Blues Band, Damir Urban&4, Nipplepeople, Elemental and Detour. The film programme contains winning entries from the past year's Cannes, Sundance and Berlin film festivals, with all foreign-language films containing both Croatian and English subtitles in a wise effort to engage as many locals and visitors as possible. The festival opens on 23 August with the film 'Les Misérables', its subject matter being the French race riots of 2005. The film's director Ladj Ly and lead actor Djibril Zonga will be in attendance. Aside from the aforementioned, other films to be featured include; 'Sons of Denmark', a contemporary crime story by first-time Danish director Ulaa Salim, set within a polarised and highly politicised multi-ethnic Europe, 'By the Grace of God', which is based on a true story about paedophilia in the Catholic Church and its cover-up plus two regional highlights in 'Stitches (Šavovi)' and 'Diary
The Chemical Brothers
From their university days in Manchester, mining the city's eclectic club sounds and invented a bold, breakbeat-based style that went on to be dubbed 'big beat', to the release in 2019 of their ninth studio album, 'No Geography' and their triumphant live return to the Glastonbury Festival, UK duo The Chemical Brothers have been at the top of the electronic scene for over 25 years. Classic singles like 'Chemical Beats', 'Galvanize', 'Block Rockin' Beats' and 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' are evergreen rave anthems, the duo have remixed the likes of Boys Noize, The Charlatans, Primal Scream, The Prodigy and Saint Etienne and they continue to imaginatively push the boundaries of the audiovisual experience of their live shows to great acclaim. The duo visit the grand arena of Dom Sportova for what will surely be one of October's highlights.
Hostel 2.0
Hostels have come a long way in Croatia in the last decade. Just eight years ago, there was one hostel option in the Croatian city of Rijeka; today there are 21. But, quantity doesn't always mean quality. And no hostel in Croatia has perhaps done more to imaginatively improve its quality and offer than Zagreb's Swanky Mint. 'We are a hostel in name only. What you see here is more like a playground, ' says Swanky Mint Hostel's managing director Ana Kovačić. 'Even from this start, this was always supposed to be so much more than accommodation.' © Leon GrdićPositioned in a quiet, former industrial courtyard, just off Ilica in the heart of Zagreb, it's easy to see just what she means. Set across multiple levels, Swanky Mint Hostel has enough going on within its walls that you needn't even leave in order to enjoy Zagreb. Beyond its 24 hour reception and sleek, modern rooms, which include ten private bedrooms, two studio apartments and eight dorms, the hostel is set across multiple levels and is a bustle of activity at any time of day. Guests tuck into Asian street food, available from the impressive new on-site restaurant. The much-anticipated SOI fusion bar arrived this summer to lots of local hype, serving up a solid range of Asiatic dishes - from vibrant bowls of tuna poke to sizzling satay skewers. Locals also drink cleverly constructed cocktails at the bar, rubbing shoulders with travellers from across the world. Groups of backpackers make plans with newly found friends
Freilauf: Gerd Janson
Gerd Janson is the big boss at one of Europe's most consistent house music labels of the last 15 years, Running Back, who have released music by the likes of Deetron, Redshape, Theo Parrish, Radio Slave, Todd Terje, Leon Vynehall and KiNK. He's also one half, alongside Phillip Lauer, of Tuff City Kids, who are among the busiest and most prolific remixers around. But, most of all, Gerd Janson is a brilliant DJ, drawing on many years of experience in records shops, in journalism, behind the decks and just from an unending enthusiasm, to string sets together that take in disco, Balearic grooves, jazz, house, vintage electronics and techno.
The best of Croatia
The 51 best things to do in Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a one-town tourist industry on its own, with endless things to do all year round. As stunning as the clear blue sea around it, the former centre of the independent Republic of Ragusa invites superlatives and attracts the lion's share of Croatia's visitors. Read on for our insider's guide to the best things to do in Dubrovnik. RECOMMENDED: More great things to do in Dubrovnik. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.
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Hostel 2.0
Hostels have come a long way in Croatia in the last decade. Just eight years ago, there was one hostel option in the Croatian city of Rijeka; today there are 21. But, quantity doesn't always mean quality. And no hostel in Croatia has perhaps done more to imaginatively improve its quality and offer than Zagreb's Swanky Mint. 'We are a hostel in name only. What you see here is more like a playground, ' says Swanky Mint Hostel's managing director Ana Kovacic. 'Even from this start, this was always supposed to be so much more than accommodation.' © Petar SantiniPositioned in a quiet, former industrial courtyard, just off Ilica in the heart of Zagreb, it's easy to see just what she means. Set across multiple levels, Swanky Mint Hostel has enough going on within its walls that you needn't even leave in order to enjoy Zagreb. Beyond its 24 hour reception and sleek, modern rooms, which include ten private bedrooms, two studio apartments and eight dorms, the hostel is set across multiple levels and is a bustle of activity at any time of day. Guests tuck into Asian street food, available from the impressive new on-site restaurant. The much-anticipated SOI fusion bar arrived this summer to lots of local hype, serving up a solid range of Asiatic dishes - from vibrant bowls of tuna poke to sizzling satay skewers. Locals also drink cleverly constructed cocktails at the bar, rubbing shoulders with travellers from across the world. Groups of backpackers make plans with newly found frie
Advertorial: a taste of timeless Zagreb
Experience bygone grandeur and contemporary comfort at Palace Hotel. A city of one million inhabitants, as with any metropolis, the face of modern Zagreb changes year after year. But deep in the heart of the capital, time moves more slowly. The grand facades of Austro-Hungarian architecture found here were built to last. They offer a flavour of Zagreb as it was when the city was a key cultural and administrative hub of the Habsburg empire. Having welcomed the upper echelons of Habsburg-era society since 1907, the Palace Hotel offers a luxurious taste of Zagreb as it once was. Located in the prettiest part of the city, overlooking the splendour of the three glorious parks which have impressed visitors for over 200 years, you couldn't be better placed to discover the delights of Zagreb, both old and new. Hotel Palace © Ivan Zovko Fully renovated and containing everything you'd expect from a modern premium hotel, each of the Palace's bright 123 rooms carefully balances the old and the new, where modern facilities complement the antique-style furniture. Elaborate stairways and walkways bridged by stained glass concave roofs provide a visual theatre as impressive to today's city break visitors as it was to the high society of yesteryear. Lit by chandeliers, the ornate wooden flooring of the hotel's cafe and bistro are perhaps the best place in the city to sample Zagreb as it once was. There you can relax on antique furniture after a meeting in one of the hotel's
Ten brilliant things to do in Bjelovar
A fortress town under the Habsburgs, Bjelovar lies between Zagreb and Slavonia, a busy city of some 40,000 people. Restaurants, cafés and bars dot the grid-patterned centre, the horizon characterised by the bell towers of two impressive churches, with a theatre and cultural centre on either side of the tree-lined park in the heart of town. This article is sponsored by the Bjelovar Bilogora county TB and The Croatian National Tourism Board: 'Croatia Full of Life'.
Ten brilliant wines from the supermarket
Croatia produces some of the finest wines you will ever try. You may know it, you may not. But it's a fact. The country may not have as famous or developed a reputation as a world leader in winemaking like, say, France or Italy, but those in the know have been aware of Croatia’s brilliant wines for many years. This year alone, Croatian wines have swept the boards at each of the leading, internationally-recognised wine competitions and trade fairs. Croatia’s wine products are of too high a quality and some too small in production to ever become ubiquitous on UK supermarket shelves; you’d have to go to a specialist wine trader to pick them up. Croatia itself has terrific specialist wine stores where, if you really know what you’re looking for and you’re willing to travel, you can pick up the very best Croatian wines. But not everyone who likes wine is an expert and not every place you go while on holiday has a specialist wine store. However, wherever you go you will find supermarkets like Spar, which has well over 110 outlets in the country. Here, you can pick up some truly excellent wines to treat yourself or to take home.
Three inspiring hotels in Istria
Picture-postcard Istria has something to offer everyone, from families and romantic couples looking to relax to those seeking a more active holiday. Whatever holiday you’re looking for, you can expect the finest service and gastronomy of the highest standard at Valamar’s luxury 5-star resorts. Whether you’re coming as a couple, as a family or as a group of active travellers, you can make the 5-star options near Poreč and Rabac your base before exploring the beautiful surroundings of Istria. The Istrian peninsula gleams with lush greenery, crystal-clear sea and offers unforgettable cuisine. Now the choice depends on if you are looking to relax or get active in the sun.
Why you need to try Arman Marijan wine
The 25 acres of vineyard and wine cellar belonging to Arman Marijan wines have been in the family for over 200 years. Current owner Marijan is the fifth generation of Arman producing wine on the southern slopes of the Mirna river, located near Poreč, Istria. He now passes the family experience and tradition down to his daughters Ines and Nina. Having evolved into a fully modernised boutique winery, the heart of their estate is a wine cellar, tasting room and open terrace with views over their vineyards. Here, they welcome visitors to taste their 14 different labels. Their white varieties include Malvasia, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and White Muskat, their red grapes, Teran, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah. Arman Marijan's flagship wine, which holds the Vižinada terroir seal, is the Malvasia Grand Cru. It was recognised as the best young Malvasia in the world Malvasia competition at the 2018 Vinistra fair in Poreč. Although this single grape variety gets much of the international attention, it's also fascinating to learn about the different attributes of each of the grape varieties and the skill utilised in combining them in Marijan Arman's blended wines, the Cuvee Superior (made of Teran, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot), and the Cuvee Superior Blanc (made of Malvasia, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc). Arman Marijan's winemaking process is a careful one; he inspects his vineyards himself and prunes the vines by hand. Coupling these traditional, labour-intensive
Croatia's best cities
20 great things to do in Pula
Istria’s historic main city of Pula is symbolised by its Roman amphitheatre, scene of a surprisingly wide range of outdoor events every summer. Festivals of film and electronic music, and concerts by everyone from Elton John to José Carreras, fill the 2,000-year-old arena, with its near intact walled ring. Roman remains also form Pula’s city centre, dominated by a hilltop Venetian fortress. With docks rather than beaches nearby, many head south for out-of-town seaside fun in Verudela and Medulin. RECOMMENDED: more great things to do in Pula. Done something on this list and loved it? Share it with the hashtag #TimeOutDoList and tag @TimeOutEverywhere. You can also find out more about how Time Out selects the very best things to do all over the world, or take a look at our list of the 50 best things to do in the world right now.
What's happening in Zagreb
Popular destinations in Croatia
Croatia's best bars and restaurants
The best Dubrovnik restaurants
Dubrovnik restaurants are beginning to offer the culinary quality and variety that should be expected of such a luxury destination. And dining in Dubrovnik needn't cost an arm and a leg: many places offers simple, wholesome dishes at wallet-friendly prices.
The best Zagreb bars
People in Croatia's capital city always give themselves time to linger and socialise over drinks. Whatever the time of year, new Zagreb bars are always raising and lowering their banners across the city centre and beyond, while traditional landmarks stay firm. Time Out's experts discover the best places to sip across town.
