First acts on the 2017 Love International line-up revealed

After a stunningly successful debut festival this year, the team behind Love International have wasted no time in planning next year’s event. Having already announced the dates for the 2017 festival (Wednesday 28th June to Wednesday 5th July 2017) back in August, today some of the details of the Love International line-up have been revealed – and there’s some truly awesome acts and DJs in this first round of names.

Love International Line-Up 2017

Love International Line-Up 2017

Headliners will include The Black Madonna, Ben UFO, Palms Trax, Optimo, Craig Richards, Paranoid London, Jazzanova, HMD, Leon Vynehall and Mood II Swing, with support from Tim Sweeney, Honey Soundsystem, Honey Dijon, DJ Nature, Call Super, Eric Duncan, Felix Dickinson, Being, Gideon and Linkwood.

Making her Love International debut next summer, The Black Madonna is arguably the red-hottest name of 2016, segueing disco and techno with inimitable energy and an infectious joy. Detroit spinner Palms Trax will be joining her, whilst DJ duo Twitch and Jonnie Wilkes’ legendary Optimo night – mixing up techno, electro, rock and more – is also on the bill. Paranoid London’s distinctively eclectic yet visceral house music joins the party, as will revered Berlin collective Jazzanova.

Other Love International debuts to savour include Leon Vynehall’s mix of house, techno, disco, funk, hip-hop and soul, with his releases winning many accolades, whilst Mood II Swing will bring plenty of house action. Tim Sweeney’s weekly Beats in Space inspires listeners from across the world, and San Francisco DJ crew Honey Soundsystem, made up of Jason Kendig, Jacob Sperber aka Jackie House, Josh Cheon, and Robot Yang aka Beziér, are a collective of party pioneers from the city’s ebullient gay scene.

Old school Chicagoan classic disciple Honey Dijon take in house, disco, tech-house to tribal, funk, and soul, whilst revered spinner and producer DJ Nature brings decades of acumen to the festival, and Call Super’s hypnotic intensity and musical breadth, captured in his standout album, Suzi Ecto, brings another new dynamic.

Chilling in the Adriatic Love International © Photography by Michael Njunge for Here & Now (fb.com/wearehereandow)

© Photography by Michael Njunge for Here & Now

But there will also be plenty of ‘old’ favourites on the bill too. Love International and Tisno’s long-standing friends Ben UFO and Craig Richards – who last year played back to back in Barbarella’s for one of the festival’s many incredible highlights – both return, as do celebrated house and disco kings Horse Meat Disco. One of the enduring icons of the UK house music scene, Felix Dickinson, is an integral part of Team Love, and one half of the legendary duo Rub and Tug, Eric Duncan, is also a key member of the crew. Excellent support comes from Begin, Gideon and Linkwood.

Watch out for more names being added to the Love International line-up in January!

About Love International

Love International is curated by Team Love’s Dave Harvey and Tom Paine and features many of the classic elements that make up every great festival taking place on the Croatian coast – and much more besides. From the three stages – Main, Beach and Olive Grove – to the brand new sunrise sessions; countless boat parties on the glittering waters of the Adriatic to the spectacular parties at Barbarella’s, the fully outdoor club now regarded by many as one of the best places in the world to party at until dawn.

At Love International 2016, the Olive Grove really came into its own, showcasing brilliant artists, labels and club nights in a beautifully decorated space. And in the true spirit of partying ’til dawn, the Sun Rise Sessions offered the perfectly chilled way to end a night out – or herald the start of a new day, depending on how you see things – under the pine trees by the sea.

Barbarellas Love International © Photography by Khris Cowley for Here & Now (www.fb.com/wearehereandnow)

© Photography by Khris Cowley for Here & Now

Dave Harvey explains:

“It doesn’t seem so long ago we were all in Tisno partying under the sun and stars, and now we are looking fully ahead for 2017 and the next Love International! It really was a fantastic start for us – we wanted to bring our own identity here but also to carry on the ethos of The Garden Festival too, and retaining that magic and then adding more of our own created something really special from start to finish. With these first names we are announcing, we have wanted to bring in a lot of new faces but also bring back some friends who know how to do it properly here, so it’s a really strong mix of established names and brand new faces. For example, The Black Madonna is ridiculously on-point now and is great for us, just as Ben UFO and Craig Richards know this place so well. We will again be focusing a lot of our efforts on the production too; everyone loved the Olive Grove, and we will again be creating a unique visual feel to the site. There’s plenty more to come too early next year.”

The Argonaughty © Photography by Khris Cowley for Here & Now (www.fb.com/wearehereandnow)

© Photography by Khris Cowley for Here & Now

With a unique sense of intimacy and inspiration, Love International is set in the picture-postcard town of Tisno, surrounded by verdant pine forests and the glittering waters of the Adriatic Sea, and hidden away with its own secluded beach and bay. By day the festival offers a beatific chill-out under the sizzling sun, then as the evenings gather pace the stars come out and the enchanting site transforms; as night closes in it becomes a pulsating festival which looks out across the sea. Love International draws music lovers and adventure seekers from across the world to Croatia for a mesmerising holiday and festival odyssey.

Tickets for Love International 2017

Tickets are on sale for Love International 2017 – the standard 8-day pass costs £125 + booking fee. (Boat parties and club nights are extra.) Book now at loveinternationalfestival.com/buy-tickets.

Find out more

For all details about the festival, check out the official website and do also check out all the latest news on Facebook and Twitter!

Festivals in Croatia - Tisno

A new venue for Croatia’s festivals (well, some of them)

Anyone thinking about attending one of Croatia’s (many) great festivals may have seen the announcement not so long ago the site used in the village of Petrcane – home to The Garden Festival, Electric Elephant, Soundwave, Suncebeat and Stop Making Sense – was a no go for 2012. Concerns from the owners of the site, the Hotel Pinija, on how the festivals impacted guests staying at the hotel meant a new venue had to be found for these festivals for next year.

These concerns by the site owners were perhaps not entirely justified, but that’s not an issue I’m going to discuss here! I did read a number of articles in the Croatian press, however, about the negative impact (i.e. loss of tourist revenue) that losing these festivals from the Zadar region would have. (So it’s good to see they haven’t moved that far – read on below.)

Festivals in Croatia - Tisno
Tisno – you could be here next year!

Today, many of these festivals announced a new venue for 2012 – in the village of Tisno, which is roughly halfway between the town of Zadar and the city of Split. My immediate thought is that this will mean a significant number of additional travel options for partygoers attending any of these festivals, as there are many, many flights from the UK (and from elsewhere in Europe) to Split. (Of course, attendees in previous years could also have flown to Split too – but this just makes things a little easier!)

This news on the change of venue is “hot off the presses”, so I’d advise taking a close look at the festivals’ websites and Facebook pages (and Twitter too) for additional information as and when they release it.

Check out the latest news from the following sites – more is surely still to come very soon.

  • The Garden Festival (4th – 11th July): The Garden Tisno Facebook group
  • Soundwave (20th – 23rd July): their Facebook group should have news today!
  • SunceBeat (27th – 29th July): updated website
  • Stop Making Sense (2nd – 6th August) updated website

There’s also some news from Electric Elephant (12th – 16th July) via their Twitter feed.

And for some early travel planning check out the following pages from Visit Croatia:

Alternatively, check out what other festivals are taking place in the country in our Festivals in Croatia section – more information being added all the time!

Other than that – start thinking about partying it up in the summer of 2012. It’s going to be a good one!

Photos of Dubrovnik - Cable Car

Dubrovnik’s cable car a hit just one year on

The Dubrovnik Cable Car attraction in the beautiful Croatian town has already become a very popular tourist attraction, in less than a year of opening – as reported by today’s Slobodna Dalmacija.

This is according to Tripadvisor, where travellers have ranked the cable car as the third best attraction in the town – out of 60 listed for Dubrovnik on the site. This puts the attraction behind the Old Town walls (called the Ancient City Walls on Tripadvisor – not entirely sure I agree with that name!), in first place, and the whole Old Town itself, in second.

Dubrovnik cable car
View from Mount Srd – at the top of the Dubrovnik Cable Car

Although this incarnation of the cable car opened in July last year following a €5 million renovation, the cable car was already a popular attraction back in the day. The first version was opened to tourists in 1969, ferrying up to 2 and a half million visitors per year until it was destroyed during the war in Croatia in 1991.

The cable car takes passengers on a 778 metre journey from Dubrovnik to Mount Srd – which is 405 metres high – where they can enjoy a fantastic view of the Old Town below, out to sea and of the nearby islands. There is a restaurant at the top for those wishing to kick back and relax whilst enjoying the view. The Museum of the Croatian War of Independence is also located there.

Open year-round, the cable car departs every half hour – though departures can increase in frequency (even every ten minutes) at busy times. Each cabin can hold 30 passengers.

Travellers on Tripadvisor rightfully comment on the wonderful views, and the quick journey time (around 4 minutes) to the top when praising the attraction. Let’s hope the reviews keep rolling in!

Sources: Slobodna Dalmacija, Valamar Hotels & Resorts

New flights to Croatia in 2017

We’re pleased to say that there have been many, many direct flights from the UK and Ireland to Croatia for years…but that doesn’t stop new routes being announced all the time! Here we check out new flights to Croatia in 2017 to make planning your trip that little bit easier.

New flights to Croatia in 2017

New Easyjet flights to Zadar, Dubrovnik and Pula

Despite already having a very strong presence in the country, Easyjet announced a handful of new routes to Croatia for 2017. For the first time, they will fly to Zadar – flights from London Luton will start on 27th May (to 30th September) and operate on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

They’ve flown to Dubrovnik for a number of years, but this year they will also operate flights from Manchester and Belfast Airports. From Manchester, they will fly twice weekly (Wednesdays and Saturdays) from 22nd July, whilst from Belfast it’s also twice-weekly (Tuesdays and Sundays) from 14th May.

Bristol Airport – already connected to Dubrovnik and Split – will now also see flights to Pula with Easyjet this year. This route will start on 27th May (to 30th September) and only operate once a week, on Saturdays.

Unfortunately, Easyjet have dropped their Newcastle – Split route

New Ryanair flights from Bristol and Glasgow to Zadar

Zadar is very firmly Ryanair‘s base in Croatia and to their long-established routes from London Stansted, Manchester and Dublin, they will also start flying from Bristol and Glasgow. Bristol – Zadar has already started for the season (to 28th October 2017), flying on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Glasgow – Zadar will also fly twice a week (Mondays and Fridays) but only in peak season – this route starts on 3rd July to 28th August.

Ryanair have dropped their London Stansted to Osijek route in 2017, meaning Osijek is no longer connected to the UK.

Jet2.com new flights from London Stansted to Pula, Split and Dubrovnik

London is of course very well connected to almost all of Croatia’s airports, but a few more flights just adds to the choice available to travellers! Jet2.com will fly from London Stansted to Pula from 24th April (Sunday initially; Wednesdays and Sundays from 1st May); to Split from 26th June (Sunday initially; Wednesdays and Sundays from 3rd July); and to Dubrovnik from 24th April (initially Saturdays only; Tuesdays and Saturdays from 1st May; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 22nd May).

Jet2.com will also start flying from East Midlands Airport to Split from 24th April to 1st October 2017 (once a week, on Sundays) and from Glasgow to Dubrovnik from 24th April to 22nd October 2017 (on Sundays).

New Monarch flights to Zagreb

Croatia’s coastal airports see new routes introduced all the time…so it’s very pleasing to see that capital city Zagreb will also get some new connections this year! From the 28th April, Monarch will fly thrice-weekly from London Gatwick (on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays) and twice weekly from Manchester (on Mondays and Saturdays) to Zagreb. The latter route is certainly very welcome as it is the first non-London connection to Zagreb for quite some time. It was also recently announced that these routes will operate year-round – very pleasing to hear.

British Airways to fly to Pula in 2017

There aren’t many flights from London Heathrow to Croatia, but British Airways is seemingly doing its best to change that! Already flying to both Zagreb and Split from that airport, they will also fly from London Heathrow to Pula in 2017 – twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from 1st July to 30th September.

Aer Lingus introduce a Dublin to Split route

Already operating flights to Pula and Dubrovnik, Aer Lingus will now fly from Dublin to the central Dalmatian city of Split in 2017. From 27th May to 28th October, they will fly twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Other flight news

Norwegian appear to have dropped their Gatwick – Pula route for 2017, although will still fly to Split and Dubrovnik.

Thomson have dropped their Newcastle – Dubrovnik route.

Croatia Airlines have sold some of their London Heathrow slots; however, they are currently leasing some of these slots back so for the time being, continue to fly to Zagreb eight times a week.

Happy flying!

2016 Summer Season at Kalypso Club Zrce Beach

For those heading to the party-central destination that is Zrce Beach in Novalja on the island of Pag this summer, be sure to head straight to the open-air Kalypso Club. They’ve announced a very exciting line-up which features a rich and international programme of DJs, festivals, events and parties, all set on the gorgeous Adriatic sea. We’re sure you won’t want to miss out on the fun at Kalypso Club Zrce Beach!

Festivals at Kalypso Club Zrce Beach

There’s the club’s own Woodshock Festival (17th – 20th July 2016) with DJs Klingande, Jack Novak, Will Sparks and Jauz as well as the Stereoforest Festival (8th – 10th August 2016) which features Deorro, Tigerlily, a ÄUDÄJ night with Simon & Lush, DJs from Mars, Damian N-Drix or Gregori Klosman, a special featuring with DJ Antoine, DJ Da Candy, Rony Rex, and resident DJ Bronxwon.

Kalypso Club Zrce Beach - Croatia Spring Break

This year, Kalypso is also part of the new Black Sheep Festival (31st July – 3rd August 2016) – taking place in all four major clubs on Zrce beach and featuring DJs Michale Calfan, Nervo, Quintino and R3HAB.

But of course it’s impossible to forget that Kalypso is also one of the host clubs for the main famous music festivals taking place in Zrce Beach. These include Hideout Festival, SONUS, Loveweek, Fresh Island, Barrakud, Hard Island, UES Festival, Zrce Spring Break and Croatia Spring Break.

Kalypso Club Zrce

Parties at Kalypso Club Zrce Beach

There’s many special parties being hosted at Kalypso too. These include the Neonsmash Musicfestival (13th July 2016) direct from the Carribbean Islands with 2faced funk, as well as the Holi One Color Party (9th August 2016). Kalypso will pull out all the stops to surprise partygoers with crazy After Beach Parties and performances, plus numerous individual events and chill-out parties.

Kalypso Club Zrce Beach - Croatia Spring Break

Open-air clubbing in Croatia has a long, long history with Zrce Beach being part of this scene as far back as the 1970s! Kalypso itself was one first trendsetters, welcoming partygoers for almost 30 years. And after a complete refurbishment in 2015, the 2016 is likely to be the best season yet!

Full details of all events taking place at Kalypso Club, Zrce Beach can be found www.kalypso-zrce.com and www.facebook.com/KalypsoClub.

Istria

Visiting Croatia in September

Although the summer holiday crowds have gone home, many travellers come to Croatia to visit this month. That’s no surprise – there’s a lot to be said for visiting the country in late summer/early Autumn. But what’s it like visiting Croatia in September?

Rovinj
Rovinj

Getting to Croatia in September

Travellers shouldn’t have any problems in reaching Croatia in September – most airlines that operate flights from the UK and the rest of Europe continue their summer schedules well into September, if not into October too. (Some even to early November!) Take a look at our Flights to Croatia from the UK & Ireland to see the full operating dates of all routes from these two countries to Croatia.

Getting around Croatia in September

Likewise, most transport options – with buses and ferries being those that travellers will most likely use when visiting Croatia – still continue with high season or special ‘summer’ schedules in this month too. For example, Jadrolinija – the largest ferry operator in Croatia – continues its high season schedule until the end of September. Kapetan Luka – operator of the very popular catamaran service that travels from Split to Brac, Hvar, Korcula, Mljet and Dubrovnik (and return too, of course!) still continues to operate this service daily in September. (Note: it changes to being a three-times a week service in October.)

Some seasonal bus routes may have stopped operating at the end of August, although most of these of are of the kind that take (domestic) holidaymakers from inland Croatia to the coast. Check out our Bus Travel in Croatia section for help in planning bus routes.

Visiting Croatia in September - Plitvice Lakes

Accommodation in Croatia in September

Not to sound like a broken record…but since absolute peak season is now over, accommodation should be slightly cheaper in Croatia in September. But seeing as it’s still a busy month, it’s not the time for bargains! Check out our Accommodation in Croatia section if you need some help with planning and booking where to stay.

Weather in September in Croatia

This is a big one – what’s the weather like during the ninth month of the year? Well, traditionally, summer temperatures and conditions normally do stretch out well into September if not beyond. This is one reason that many choose September as the month to visit Croatia – especially as the summer holidaymakers have gone. Sea temperatures will also be warm, given waters have been heating up for a number of months!

Southern and Central Europe was undergoing something of a heatwave in early September, with temperatures reaching into the 30s Celsius. However, mid-20s C is a more normal temperature for this time of year – and it looks like this sort of weather has returned to Croatia and will stay.

The Croatian Meteorological Service website is a great website to check out weather forecasts (although I’m sure you already have your own favourite weather website or app!) – but do be sure to take a look at their current sea temperatures page.

What’s on in Croatia in September

Plenty!

Korcula is the location of the 4th Korkyra Baroque Festival, 5th to 12th September.

The 20th Split Film Festival – an international festival of new film – will be taking place in Croatia’s second city from the 12th to 19th September.

The 9th Giostra Festival will take place in Porec, 9th to 11th September 2015. Over the three days of the event, around 250 participants celebrate costumes, culture and events from the 18th century.

If you’re in Istria towards the end of the month, look out for the Parenzana Bike Race (25th – 27th September), a World Cycling Federation event. Or if you’re feeling active, join in on the recreational ‘race’ on the Sunday!

The Food Film Festival will be held in Zagreb from 11th to 20th September, combining two wonderful items – food and film! Films with a gastronomic focus will be shown. Also in Zagreb is the 48th International Puppet Festival (14th – 19th September) and music and food event RujanFest (literally, ‘SeptemberFest’) from 11th to 20th of the month.

Nightlife and festivals in September in Croatia

Outlook Festival, held in Fort Punta Christo near Pula from the 2nd to 6th September concludes the festival season for Croatia for the year…so if you planned to attend one of these gatherings, you’ve kind of missed the boat!

Most of the island clubs (such as in Novalja) also normally close for the season at the end of August. But if clubbing’s your kind of thing, we’d advise sticking to one of the larger cities or towns in the country – such as Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik.

Enjoy your September visit to Croatia!

Dubrovnik

More on British visitors to Croatia – and the popularity of Dubrovnik

Folllowing yesterday’s post in which we talked about the number of British visitors to Croatia this year, newspaper reports today further discuss Croatia’s popularity amongst Brit travellers, as news, statistics and quotes emerge from the World Travel Market event currently taking place in London.

What’s interesting to pick up from today’s press reports is that beyond Dubrovnik (and Dalmatia), other regions of Croatia are apparently far less popular with British visitors. Meri Matesic, head of the Croatian National Tourist Office in London was quoted by newspaper Novi List revealing the regional breakdown of British visitors to Croatia. She stated that around 60% travel to Dalmatia’s delights (aside from Dubrovnik there’s of course Split; the Makarska Riviera; and islands such as Hvar, Brac and Korcula to name just a few), with around 20% holidaying in Istria and the remaining 20% going to destinations around Zadar or on the Kvarner Riviera.

British visitors to Croatia - Dubrovnik
It’s all about Dubrovnik…sort of

The newspaper Vjesnik reports that Darko Ivic of the Istrian hotel group Plava Laguna (now known as Plava Laguna – do keep up, Vjesnik!) saying that British visitors account for only 3% of the nights stayed at their hotels. Mr Ivic states, “The British are not going to Istria, we lost them during the war. We are no longer able to get them [as visitors], the younger generation of Brits do not know about us.”

However, it seems Dubrovnik’s popularity amongst Brits may simply go from strength to strength. Currently making great efforts to position itself as a year-round destination, the city is being promoted with a campaign in which it is advertised as “A City For All Seasons”. (See this photo of a recent advert in a London newspaper, and this photo of an advert we saw on the side of a London bus!) Vjesnik reports that 13 hotels are to remain open in Dubrovnik during winter, and of course regular, direct flights from the UK (there are four flights per week from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik with British Airways) mean the city is easy to reach, even just for short break.

The final point of interest to pick up from today’s reports is that Ms Matesic states that Ryanair brought 12,000 passengers to Rijeka Airport with its twice-weekly flights from London Stansted this year, which she says is a good result. Given that direct flights to Rijeka Airport from the UK were reintroduced this year, it’s a promising figure.

Sources: Vjesnik, Novi List

Croatian Fair & Gala Dinner in London this week!

As part of the celebrations in the run up to Croatia’s accession to the EU on 1st July 2013, the British Croatia Business Club (BCBC) is hosting a couple of exciting events this week!

On the 23rd & 24th May – this coming Thursday and Friday – they will be hosting a Croatian Products and Services Fair, which will be the perfect opportunity to sample and purchase Croatian food and drinks – whether that’s something you’re trying for the first time, or something you know and love well! This fair, the first of its kind in the UK, will see a number of well-known Croatian companies gather together to showcase their wares, with over thirty companies taking part. Well known names such as Croatia Airlines, Croata, Jamnica, Maraska, Paprenjak and Podravka will all be appearing, amongst many others. The Croatian Products and Services Fair will take place in the Battersea Arts Centre in south London, a wonderfully historic venue – built in 1893 – that’s been host to many important events over the years.

Croatian Fair - Croatian Gala Dinner

The Fair will be open to the public from 11am to 7pm on both Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th, and entrance is free. Do register your attendance for the fair via info@bcbc.org.uk as every fifth entry will win a prize!

If you’d like to celebrate in some additional style and glamour, the BCBC is also hosting a wonderful Gala Dinner on Saturday 25th May, also at the Battersea Arts Centre. The four course dinner – a Croatian menu, of course, created by Croatian and British chefs – will be accompanied by a fine selection of Croatian wines. There will also be a full entertainment programme featuring both Croatian and British artists, as well as a raffle and auction with some exciting prizes – the proceeds of which will be going to the Croatian charity, Anima Caelestis. Popular TV personalities will introduce the evening, and a welcome speech of distinguished British and Croatian guests will also take place.

Croatian Gala Dinner

Tickets cost £45 per person (£30 concessions), which includes the four course dinner and a limited selection of wine and soft drinks. There’s only a few tickets left, so do be quick to snap one up! They can be bought online via the BCBC website at www.bcbc.org.uk/fair.html.

British Croatian Business Club

Croatian Fair
10am – 7pm, Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th May 2013

Croatian Gala Dinner
6.30pm – 10.30pm, Saturday 25th May 2013

Battersea Arts Centre
Lavender Hill
SW11 5TN

Croatia Airlines Airbus 319

Zagreb Airport looks forward to 2011; could a direct route to New York be on the cards?

This morning’s Vjesnik has a report on the progress of Zagreb Airport during 2010, and its plans for the coming year. Airport director Tonci Peovic states that by the year end, 10,000 more passengers will have passed through the airport than 2009, which adds up to a total of 2.07 million passengers for the entire year. However, this increase was about 40,000 less than expected, mainly due to a number of airlines cancelling their flights during the ash cloud crisis in Europe in April this year.

Mr Peovic expects that passenger numbers will rise by 5% during 2011, and is proud of the fact that the airport has agreed routes with three new airlines – Spanair, Norwegian Air Shuttle and Easyjet, the latter of which has or will start three new routes. (Easyjet commenced flights to Paris Charles de Gaulle in November, and will start services to London Gatwick and Dortmund in February 2011.) National carrierCroatia Airlines has also added new routes from Zagreb, to Hanover and Athens, during 2010.

Perhaps the bit of news of most interest to our North American readers is that Mr Peovic says negotiations for establishing a direct route between Zagreb and New York (perhaps solely during the summer months) has nearly reached a conclusion. This would surely make reaching Croatian destinations far easier for those travelling from the U.S.!

Source: Vjesnik

Klapa Motovun Concert in London tonight, 15th October 2010

Organised by the British Croatian Society, Klapa Motovun will be performing a concert tonight, 15th October, at St Elthelburga’s Centre of Reconciliation and Peace in London (78 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 4AG; nearest underground station is Liverpool Street).

The concert starts at 7.30pm to 10pm (doors 6.45pm), and tickets cost £10. They can be purchased online at http://stethelburgas.org/civicrm/event/info?id=208&reset=1 and will also be available on the door.

Klapa Motovun is an a cappella group that has taken this type of singing to a high level; klapa itself is a traditional form of singing that has grown out of folk music, and is usually in the style of unaccompanied male singers. This group come from the beautiful hilltop town of Motovun in Istria, and their visit will provide a rare opportunity for audiences in the UK to experience klapa singing.