Ivor Kruljac

Named after lovorov list, the Croatian translation of 'bay leaf' (which can be find growing all over the area), Lovran is the oldest settlement of Liburnia, an ancient region on the northern Adriatic coast. Located on the easternmost edge of the Istrian peninsula, Lovran is close to Opatija with which it’s connected by the lovely Lungomare coastal promenade. With lavish vegetation and surrounding views of the breathtaking Kvarner Bay, Lovran has been a sought-after tourist destination since the turn of the 19th century; which is evident from the eye-candy villas that date back to the time. Today, Lovran is a health tourism hotspot with rich history and traditions – plus, it tends to be less expensive than neighbouring Opatija. There is truly something for everyone in this town. Read on for our pick of the top 10 things to do in Lovran.   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.

Located on the northwest side of Krk island, Malinska is a pretty port town with a range of activities and sights to suit any and all holiday preferences. Malinska's harbour, formerly the island's main port for wood exports, is today filled with restaurants and bars that dot a wonderful – and fully walkable – waterfront. Surrounded by Kvarner bay and its beautiful beaches, Malinska features views of mighty Mount Učka and Cres island. This is a town where not only nature, but also art, breathe with full lungs. Read on for our pick of the top ten things to do and see while you’re in Malinska. 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.  RECOMMENDED: 20 great things to do in Rijeka

While Dubrovnik, Some 20 kilometres up the coast, takes the spotlight, Cavtat to the southeast is a find. Dubrovnik's darling little sister offers a clutch of reasons to skip its famed sibling and base yourself here, away from the crowds. The capital of Konavle municipality showcases a tree-lined waterfront, a string of pretty pebble beaches and treasures of ancient architecture. Here are our top picks of what to do and see while in Cavtat.  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.

Rijeka is a city with internationally-recognised museums, galleries and collections. For the city's special European Capital of Culture 2020 year, each of the existing institutions alongside the main event organisers have pulled out all the stops in order to fill every space available with exhibitions to satisfy all. From past masters to contemporary art and everything in between, here are some of the best exhibitions of Rijeka European Capital of Culture 2020.RECOMMENDED: The best interactive and installation events of Rijeka European Capital of Culture 2020

Rijeka European Capital of Culture 2020 is not just for spectators. The city's community have helped shape the events happening within the year and some of those extend a further invitation for everyone to join in. From the carnival parade and the bell-ringing of the inauguration ceremony to giant robots you can manipulate and art installations you can walk beneath or touch, here are some of the best things to do within Rijeka European Capital of Culture 2020 at which you can all join in.RECOMMENDED: The best exhibitions of Rijeka European Capital of Culture 2020

A cult music festival set in an old paper factory, Hartera stole the hearts of revellers in Rijeka since its first outing in 2005. Sadly, the festival is no more, but Hartera lives on in the memories of those who partied here. Ivan Šarar, a former keyboardist in the punk band Let 3 and now the chief of Rijeka's city department for culture, was involved in the festival from day one. I lived in Rijeka since when I was one. I lived in Kantrida. I remember the sea and I learned to sail. I must’ve been seven or eight when I started to actively listen to music and I ended up going to music school. As a musician, the rock, punk rock and, later, techno scenes of the city really made me a classic product of Rijeka. I started playing with bands when I was 15 or 16. In 1995 I started to work as a DJ and producer on Rijeka’s first private radio and around 1998 I joined Let 3 as a keyboard player. I have made music continuously ever since. Today, I have a band 'Porno brak' (porn marriage) with my wife.  © Hartera The band Let 3 directly led to the organisation of Hartera festival. The first edition in 2005 was organised by promoter Simon Dejhalla, who today owns club Pogon and Damir Martinović Mrle, Let 3’s founder. I was just sneaking around. Hartera, an old paper company went broke and part of the building’s ownership fell to the City of Rijeka. They were open to the idea of cultural entities revitalising the space. The first year had an absolutely crazy atmosphere. The numbers who cam

My name is Ivan Pavlić but in drag I go by the name of Mr. E. I'm 28 and Zagreb born and raised. I grew up on the outskirts of the city so, to me, it was always just this huge place that you could see in the distance whenever you walked down the street. I enjoyed the suburbs because, as a child, I was really playful and I wanted space. But, as I grew older I realised the city was calling. My first encounter with drag was in high school. We watched ‘Pink Flamingos' by John Waters as part of my theatre and film course. That's when I first saw Divine, an outrageous drag queen, one of the first international drag stars, and the movie's lead. Then, around 2012, me and my then boyfriend stumbled on RuPaul's Drag Race. I saw that drag was something with several layers, it was versatile and that successful performance requires a lot of skill. It can have a strong social commentary because it mocks gender stereotypes and gender as a construct in general. It allows people to be free and express themselves. It is also, first and foremost, a performance art. To many unaware of the culture, drag is often confused with being transgender. But, the two are actually very different. © Timy Šarec Our first show at Zagreb Pride was at club Medika and it was received rather well. Our mission was the add something that was definitely part of queer culture, but which was also entertaining. I think we succeeded. We had almost 200 people there. A couple of months later, we organised our second show,

Besides its breathtaking coastline and historical treasures, Croatia also has lots of beautiful wildlife to offer - and many species are protected. From the brown bears of Lika to the Griffon vultures of Cres island, take a look of this gallery of the most amazing animals that live in Croatia.

Špica is a traditional pastime in Zagreb, the act of putting your best clothes on, meeting your equally spruced-up friends and joining them for an extended coffee break, usually outdoors on a terrace, in the fancy bars and cafes of the city's downtown area. At the heart of the Zagreb's centre, just few meters away from Jelačić square, Bogovićeva and Cvjetni trg, (flower square), are known alongside nearby streets as 'Zagrebačka Špica'. A place full of life and events, this area is also noted for having several intriguing sculptures, monuments and landmarks, many of which hold interesting back stories. Time Out brings you the story of five such examples..

Although something of a behemoth in the German-speaking art world, this is contemporary Austrian artist Heimo Zobernig's first exhibition in Zagreb. He operates in different media, such as sculpture, design and installations, but this new exhibition concentrates only on his paintings. Visual provided by Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art Born in Mauthen, Austria in 1958, Zobernig attended Vienna's Academy of Fine Arts in the late '70s but switched to the Academy of Applied Arts, from where he graduated in 1983. He stayed on to teach there until 1999 when the Academy of Fine Arts poached him. He remains a part of the faculty there until this day. Visual provided by Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art The exhibition in Zagreb displays Zobernig's work from 2009-2018. In it, we can see Zobernigs recognisable playfulness in conceptual art. Rich in colour, Zobernig is well known for creating discrete content, playing with lines and smudges, challenging observers to find shapes and even characters within them. Sometimes he is more straightforward, funny, provocative, ironic, even paradoxical. A great example is the painting which simply says 'This new monochrome painting' (even though it's not very 'mono' at all). Visual provided by Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art Again, a discreet work, the text does not appear immediately but emerges after the viewer looks closer. Steadfastly loyal to his self-imposed rules, Zobernig is nevertheless highly innovative, continuing the long traditi

Established since 2005, Rovinj's coast becomes even more impressive during this fiesta of colourful sails and boats. In June 2019, sailors from Croatia, Austria, Italy and Slovenia attended this, the fourteenth occurrence of the regatta, the event now established as a highlight in their annual calendar. What made this year all the more special was that it was held as part of the new 'Arca Adriatica Interreg Italy - Croatia' project which deals with the protection of maritime heritage. Of all the nine event categories at the event, the main spotlight perhaps went to the batana competition, a traditional boat seen often around the Rovinj shore (indeed, the city's ecomuseum, who act as the organiser of the regatta is named after such a boat). 'Regina', a barge operated by sailors Ennio Cherin and Ermanno Turcinovich, triumphed in this category. Rovinj's regatta © Dalibor Talajic Apart from batana, spotting traditional and sometimes rarely-seen boats such as the guca, gajetas, cutter, rafts, stele, catamarans, cannons or bragagne made for a brilliant afternoon out.   Rovinj's batana © Dalibor Talajic Rovinj's regatta © Dalibor Talajic  Rovinj's regatta © Dalibor Talajic  Rovinj's regatta © Ekomuzej Batana   Rovinj's regatta © Dalibor Talajic Rovinj's regatta © Dalibor Talajic

Whether you're having a night off the booze or have called time on drinking altogether, there are plenty of ways to socialise in Zagreb and still have fun. Board and tabletop game nights provide a sober, sociable alternative and are a great place to mingle with new people. Zagreb is no exception to the popularity of tabletop game culture and you can find both playrooms dedicated to tabletop games and venues which hold regular events. Here are five of the friendliest where you'll be welcomed for your gaming enthusiasm and not for your Croatian skills. RECOMMENDED: the 71 best things to do in Zagreb.

Throughout Dalmatia, the humble donkey is revered as a symbol of the region, honoured with statues and celebrated in children’s books. Nowhere reveres, honours and celebrates donkeys more than the village of Tribunj, north-west of Šibenik. Here, a statue of this beautiful but stubborn creature stands by a stone bridge that once secured the crossing between a small island and the mainland. Today, it’s a popular selfie spot for visitors. Every summer, tourists flock to Tribunj for the annual donkey races. As this Dalmatian community looks forward to another successful event in 2024, Time Out Croatia speaks to the head of the local tourist office, Josipa Jerkov, to find out more about this special relationship. Ivor Kruljac “Preparations for the next year have already begun,” she says. “This is a unique event that keeps the whole family entertained.” This summer, 14 riders took part in the 56th annual races. Each donkey must have at least one parent from the Tribunj area. Some earn a standing ovation from the crowd, others prefer to approach bystanders for a pat on the back. Only the best storm to the finish line with their rider on top. “The atmosphere was incredible. We did not expect such large numbers of visitors,“ enthuses Jerkov. The races are rooted in legend. For centuries, the people of Tribunj had to defend their homes, their forests and their fishing waters from the Ottomans. When this threat increased, locals moved south to the waterfront and the nearest island ju

Just as the country's sailing and yachting sector are returning to relatively normal operations, so too are innovations within Croatia's associated industries. One such innovation is that a boat made from cannabis will be built in the Istrian village of Kaštelir. Taking its power from the sun's rays via solar panels mounted atop, the boat will be an altogether green option for taking to the high seas.Luciano Beg, the owner of Marservis, a ship construction company from Kaštelir, is the mastermind behind the scheme. He recognised the potential for using the fibres of hemp (the name of the cannabis plant when grown for industrial purposes) in tandem with resin to construct a boat hull. In cooperation with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb, Marservis has designed a 15-metre long catamaran which was successfully submitted to a public contest of IRI, an EU investment fund.   © Marservis d.o.o.   'Our project passed all three stages of the contest,' the Marservis director told Time Out. 'The only stage now remaining is signing the contract to release the funds.'  Beg is confident that the construction will begin within a month of the fund's release and the boat be completed within three years. Once finished, the boat would be able to carry you and 150 of your best buds. Despite being a small company (with a total number of 15 employees), Marservis is internationally renowned for its innovation. Founded in 1994, the company gained success as a

Holding official recognition for eight national parks and eleven nature parks, Croatia can rightly claim to be making the most of its incredible natural assets. And, very soon the country might be adding a twelfth nature park. The Croatian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Energy has issued a proposal that the Dinara mountain and its surroundings be listed as the latest nature park. If successful, the Dinara massif, which consists of the Dinara, Troglav and Kamešnica mountains, as well as the upper course of the Cetina river and the Hrvatačko, Pašno and Vrličko karst fields, would gain a new level of governmental protection.    Glavaš, the amazing source of the Cetina river© Ivan Banović   The Dinaric Alps are one of the most rugged and extensive mountainous ranges in Europe, stretching from Italy in the northwest through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo to Albania. The Dinara is situated in the hinterland of Šibenik-Knin County, with one side of the mountain existing across the border in Bosnia. It is wholly uninhabited. The area surrounding the mountain is the site of Glavaš, a spectacularly coloured rock pool which is the source of the Cetina river. Other Croatian mountains, Biokovo and Velebit, already enjoy nature park status, but standing at 1831 metres, Dinara's peak is the highest in Croatia (the massif's other high peak, Troglav, is even higher, standing just across the border in Bosnia at 1913 metres). Although it lie

With the reopening today of cafés and bars across Croatia, another much-missed option for getting out of the house will shortly return to the country's capital, Zagreb. This weekend, the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum will host a drive-in spectacle with movies and a music programme. From Friday to Sunday, film fans will have the opportunity to recapture the iconic feel of the 1950's by watching movies from their cars. The programme kicks off on Friday with 'Zagreb Equinox' by Svebor Mihael Jelić, a hit from last year's Pula Film Festival about Zagreb's alternative. This will be followed by a performance by local band Ljetno Kino. On Saturday, the main event is Nebojša Slijepčević's 'Gangster Of Love' (2013) about a matchmaker from Imotski. Finally, on Sunday, 2013's 'Vis-à-Vis' by Nevio Marasović, a story about the relationship between the director and an actor on the set of Marasović's 2018 movie 'Comic Sans'.   © Chris Boswell   Alongside the main titles, in true old-school fashion, each evening will also screen a short, opening film. These are comprised of selected works from young directors of the Zagreb Academy of Dramatic Art. Drive-in cinema programmes have recently returned to Germany and are an inventive response to social distancing directives. Although the Nikola Tesla Technical Museum programme is due to last only for the weekend, there are separate plans to hold another drive-in experience in a car park on Zagreb's Radnička street. This proposed 'Drive-IN Fest'

A company from Vinkovci have designed a new greeting mat that kills Coronavirus at your door. Grad-Export from the Slavonian town have already sold some 700 of the new doormats. The new disinfection barrier kills any Coronavirus you may have on your shoes, stopping you from taking it inside your home or workplace. It is made from a vacuumed PVC with anti-slip rubber and it can be covered with sponge or carpet, depending on the doorway or your preferences. It is fixed to the floor so can't be accidentally removed.     © Grad-Export     The doormat comes with a cleaning liquid needed to keep the barrier functional and has so far proved popular with shops, restaurants, cafes, hotels and private homes. Grad-Export of Vinkovci earns 75% of its income overseas, with the new doormat similarly selling more outside Croatia than at home (although one has been fitted to a kindergarten in the town).

Renowned as the region which manufactures Vegeta, a seasoning which is one of Croatia's most famous culinary exports, the Podravina area has recently presented a new hit. In a village of Veliki Bukovec, in Varaždin county, they have come across the Orehovec family whose range takes the appreciation of duck to a royal level. Their brand, Royal Duck, is a line of fully organic products, including duck pâté, duck fat and smoked duck breast. Flavourings such as pumpkin seed and truffles accompany the rich taste in some of the fancily presented options.    © Royal Duck   Reviewers have highlighted the Royal Duck range for its quality and for being quite unlike anything else found in Croatia. In some parts of Croatia, particularly those close to the Hungarian border, corn-fed duck and goose liver is a traditional specialty, an ethical alternative to foie gras. Royal Duck's range is available via export so everyone can now make the comparison themselves. Though these days it is less traditionally used, because of its high content of saturated fats, duck fat provides the best results for roasting potatoes, not least because of the high temperatures it can be taken to without any damage to its flavour. This feature is part of Time Out Croatia's commitment to support businesses, commerce and non-profit organisations during the period of social distancing.

Zlatni rat or the Golden Cape / Golden Horn (pictured) is one of the most famous beaches in Croatia. Extending out into the Adriatic from its position two kilometres west of the town Bol on Brač island, this glistening beach of white pebbles is subject to strong currents that dictate its changing shape. Appearing different on every visit, people never tire of snapping shots, making it one of the most photographed beaches in the country. But, while the town of Bol is proud of this distinct natural attribute, it's also keen to show off its others.The town places the residents as its highest-valued asset, as seen in a new series of videos made by Bol Tourist Board. It is these 'Boljans' and their efforts who make a visit to the island so special. In the first video (above) we meet Mira Bodlović and her husband, farmers whose organic produce has supplied the island's restaurants for years. Nikica Bodlović is an experienced olive grower whose groves help grant the town's landscape such a classically Mediterranean appearance. Mother and son, Irena and Miran are owners of Konoba Dišpet, a tavern renowned for its traditional food and its use of traditional ingredients. Pravdan Katić is a fisherman who spends his hours out at sea, his success informing what today's special will be at the local tavern. And there are others too. Markito Marinković, director of Bol Tourist Boar

Optimistic signs stemming from Croatia's relatively successful imposition of travel and commerce restrictions, plus the observance of social distancing, have prompted plans for their easing. The Croatian Economic Chamber have advised that supermarket opening hours could be extended from this weekend and, at the same time, some other shops and services could re-open. Greater access to public transport may run in tandem. Large stores with few customers, such as car showrooms, could be among the first to open and it is hoped the more densely populated ones, such as shopping malls, could re-open by mid-May.Decisions on the easing of restrictions are expected to be decentralized and may vary from county to county, with all such decisions being subject to the constantly updated epidemiological situation. Earlier this week, restrictions on inter-county travel were successfully removed. Also, Krunoslav Capak, director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health, in an interview for Croatian National radio, detailed a vision of how businesses would need to operate under the limited lifting of restrictions. He proposed that in cafes and restaurants 'what used to be a table for four will now be a table for a maximum of two' and that thorough disinfection of said places must take place between their use.

With vast tracts of agricultural land, unblemished countryside and rows of uniform vineyards, Croatia's eastern region of Slavonia is unquestionably beautiful. Pretty though it is, Slavonia is also one of the poorest regions in Croatia. But, just as natural assets provide the region with its essential agriculture, so too could they create some of Slavonia's power. Waters discovered during the mid-80s oil exploration of Vukovar-Srijem county are currently being evaluated with a view to building a geothermal power plant main picture) which would make the county energy independent.     © Visit Vukovar Srijem   An assessment study of the area's potential confirmed with 90% certainty that the county could bank on geothermal water capacity of 6400 m³ per day (74 l/s). The water temperature at the mouth of the well would be 125ºC, which gives a heat-generation capacity of 27 MW and a net electricity generation of 1 MW. This would be enough to supply 1000 households with electricity. The geothermal source could offer even more if the drill is deepened to 3800 metres where the temperature is higher than 170ºC. This would provide between 15 to 20 MW of electricity. 85% of the finances for research and necessary documentation (a little over 2 million kunas) has been provided by EU funds. Delivery of the completed documentation is expected to take place within the next ten months.

The Zagreb Zoo's newest member is now old enough to separate from its mother for periods of time, allowing experts to learn more about it. And so, it's confirmed: the baby zebra is a girl! Zoo staff, wanting to express gratitude, asked Zagreb's firefighters to become the baby zebra's godfathers - a duty which includes picking out a name. The gratitude wasn't inspired only by firefighters' help during the earthquake and COVID-19 crises, but also for the general care they show to Zagreb's pets and wild animals. First, zoo staff put out an open call for name suggestions on social media. From thousands of proposals, five final options were selected for firefighters (who are extra-busy these days given the challenges Zagreb and the entire country face) to choose from. The top five names were: Iskra, Nada, Prugica, Flora and Kora. Among other suggestions that didn't make the final cut were, on the more provocative side, names like Corona. The name Alemka was also suggested, in honour of the head of Zagreb's University Hospital for Infectious Diseases 'Dr. Fran Mihaljevic', who is also a member of the Croatian Civil Protection Directorate. 'We've done all kinds of things in life, but we've never been godfathers to an animal. Our commission was arguing all night and in the end, we chose a name that suits our profession' said Zagreb Fire Department head Siniša Jembrih. 'Iskra', the baby zebra's new name, means 'spark' in Croatian. Firefighters have already visited their new godchild,

Communities in Croatia can be friendly, welcoming and often quite close-knit. So, it comes as no surprise to see that the country's inhabitants are lining up to assist their most vulnerable and isolated neighbours.   In response to advice that some people isolate themselves at home during the current threat of Coronavirus, social media groups have been launched to organise volunteers willing to step in and help such neighbours. 'Jedni za druge' (one for another) is a Facebook group, launched over the weekend, which gathers together people wanting to volunteer their time to the community. Members of the group assist by picking up and delivering medication and groceries. They will even make sure your beloved dog doesn't go without its daily walks. With many older residents forgoing social media, posters have been placed in the streets to advertise the heartwarming community response. The group started its activity in Zagreb and volunteer numbers there have already reached an incredible 9760. The scheme rapidly grasped the imagination of people all across Croatia. Localised offshoots were quickly established in Split (218 members), Slavonski Brod (117), Osijek (110), Zadar (385) and Šibenik (50). Volunteer numbers in each group are rising by the hour and it is anticipated further groups in other locations will emerge. With the closure of schools, colleges, universities and a number of nonessential businesses, some have more free time to contribute to such a scheme. However, lots

It took veterinarians at the orthopedics clinic of Zagreb Veterinarian Faculty almost 10 hours to clean, fill and reconstruct the teeth of Martina, a cute, young Croatian lynx. The first procedure of its kind in Croatia, the surgery went well and the feline's fangs are ready again for action. The lynx had first been spotted in a village near Ogulin around November and it was obvious she was a cub that had lost her mother. The Ministry for Environmental Protection and Energy intervened immediately. With the help of local hunters, they captured the lynx and found that she was malnourished, weighing only six kilograms. She was quickly moved to special confinement in Risnjak National Park where she was taken care of by experts from Zagreb zoo. By February, Martina had gained 13 kilograms but she still wasn't able to return to the wild as her teeth were broken.  © Ministry of environmental protection and energy 2 Following the groundbreaking dentistry, Martina, who was named after St. Martin's day, was assessed and the surgery deemed a great success. She was released back into the wild some three weeks ago but remains monitored by a neck tag and a camera. Experts have already seen that the rare cat is capturing small rodents, birds and other animals. They reckon it will take her a bit more time to start tackling bigger meals but are confident she will transition properly when the time comes, considering her young age.  Croatia has only between 40 and 60 lynx living in the wild.