An aerial shot of Split, Croatia

What’s New in Croatia in 2026

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The arrival of Spring means that another summer season in Croatia is almost upon us. Easter is less than a month away, which is a time of year that often sees an uptick in establishments opening up to welcome visitors once again. Or if not Easter – for it is quite early this year – then the end of April should see them throwing open their doors once again. So let’s take a look at what’s new in Croatia in 2026 to find out all the new travel routes, hotel openings, exciting events and more that you can enjoy this year.

New Flight Routes to Croatia 2026

From the UK and Ireland

Every year, I seem to write about new Jet2 routes to Croatia (bravo, Jet2!), and I’m always thoroughly amused that they announce their new routes so far in advance. For example, the airline has just announced a new route for 2027 – yes, next year – which will see them fly from Edinburgh to Pula in the summer.

Focusing our minds back to this year, Jet2 also have some new routes for you to enjoy. The airline has just established a new base at Gatwick Airport, so they will commence flights to Pula from here on 2nd May 2026, flying once a week until 17th October. They will also start up flights from East Midlands Airport to Pula on 24th May (operating once a week, on Sundays, until 2nd October) and from the same British airport to Split (once a week on Sundays from 3rd May to 11th October). Our Scottish friends will be able to enjoy a new Jet2 route from Glasgow to Dubrovnik, which takes to the skies on 1st May, flying every Friday until 23rd October.

What's New in Croatia in 2026 - new flights to Pula from London Gatwick (an aerial shot of Pula)
An aerial shot of Pula

There has been a change to one of the longest-running routes to Croatia for this past winter season. Many travellers to Zagreb (myself included!) made good use of the year-round British Airways flights from London Heathrow to Croatia’s capital city over the years. As of October 2025, this route dropped its year-round status, with flights now only operating from March to October. Do note, however, that Croatia Airlines continues to fly from London Heathrow to Zagreb year-round, with flights three times a week. Ryanair also fly daily year-round from London Stansted to Zagreb. The airline will up the frequency of this route during summer 2026, so there will be 12 flights a week.

Ryanair continues to go from strength to strength as far as its flights (from all over Europe) to Croatia go. There are no fewer than 118 routes from Europe to Croatia this year…yes, 118! These include some new routes from mainland Europe, which you can see below.

From Europe

Because Croatia is so well connected by air, it’s surely hard to establish new connections these days. Nevertheless, some airlines have taken up the challenge, as you can see:

New Flights to Rijeka

  • Wizzair from Gdansk, Katowice and Lublin

New Flights to Zadar

New flights to Split

New flights to Dubrovnik

From the U.S.

Probably the most exciting “new in Croatia in 2026” news from the last few months has been the launch of flights from New York/Newark Airport direct to Split with United. Starting on 30th April, there will be three flights a week – on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays – up until 5th September. United continue to fly from New York/Newark to Dubrovnik as well this year.

An aerial shot of Split, Croatia
Split – welcoming travellers from New York this year

New in Croatia in 2026 – New catamaran and ferry routes

Rather excitingly, there are a number of new ferry and catamaran sailings for visitors to Croatia this year – some are already in operation! It’s no bad thing to get Croatia’s gorgeous islands even more accessible, and do remember that these new routes (or new frequencies in sailings) help islanders immensely too.

An easy connection from Bol to Hvar Town to Vis Town

Bol on the island of Brac is already connected to Split by catamaran, although services tend to be rather limited and travelling on to other nearby islands was always rather tricky. As of this year, Jadrolinija offers a summer service that connects Split with Bol, Hvar Town and Vis Town. Three lovely islands, directly connected!

Brac is even more connected

As well as the above new route to Bol, Supetar comes into focus with a new year-round catamaran that sails from Split with Kapetan Luka. The Split – Supetar route has long been serviced with a car ferry, but this catamaran now means it’s a quick 20-minute hop over to the island for foot passengers. Better still, there are 3 or 4 sailings a day in off-season and a whopping 8 in peak season.

Zadar to Losinj, via Silba

Another new route from Jadrolinija, although one which covers ports that are already connected. The Zadar – Silba – Mali Losinj summer catamaran will offer a quick way of getting to Silba and Losinj islands during June, July and August.

The island of Silba
The island of Silba

New routes from Italy

New ways of getting to Croatia by sea are always welcome…and this year there are two new routes! Again, it’s the main ferry operator in the country, Jadrolinija, introducing these new services. Firstly, the southern Italian port of Bari will have overnight ferry sailings to Split (as well as the long-established route to Dubrovnik) once a week from 30th March to 18th October 2026. Journey time is 10 hours.

The second new route – although really a resurrection of a previous connection – is from Ancona to the north Dalmatian city of Zadar. Rather thrillingly, this service now utilises a catamaran, which means the journey takes just 4 hours! Sailings will commence on 12th June, running three times a week for the duration of that month, and then increasing to five sailings a week during July and August.

New Hotels in Croatia in 2026

Each new year brings some new hotels for guests – whether refurbishments of existing properties, or total new builds – and 2026 is no exception.

Up in Savudrija, almost at the most northern tip in Istria, the 5-star Adriatic Istria Resort is now owned and run by the Minor Hotels group. No refurbishment has been undertaken this year, but is expected at the close of the season in preparation for 2027.

The town of Porec has been a long-standing favourite for holidaymakers, but isn’t perhaps best known for luxury. That’s all set to change this year with the opening of the 5-star Pical Resort from Valamar. The expansive resort will feature three distinct properties with rooms and suites, no less than 7 restaurants and 9 bars, 3 themed beaches and 11 (eleven!) pools and an exclusive V Level option featuring the finest rooms and private areas.

A rooftop bar at the new Pical resort in Porec
A rooftop bar at the new Pical resort in Porec

Following the launch of a Marriott property on the island of Cres last year (the Isolano), the Marriott brand is due to launch another luxury hotel, this time in Icici (near Opatija) on the mainland. The Opatija Marriott Resort and Spa will offer 185 rooms, including six villas with private pools and a “historic villa”. Indoor and outdoor pools will also be able to be enjoyed here, as well as three restaurants and three bars. However, do note that this is expected to open at the end of 2026, with December the target opening month.

The Hotel Sirena is located on the outskirts of Hvar Town by a secluded cove. Having undergone an extensive renovation, the hotel now offers an elegant stay with rooms and common spaces all offering gorgeous design details. The Sirena’s sister hotel, the very popular Amfora Hvar Grand Beach Resort (with its gorgeous pool area) has also undergone a refresh prior to the 2026 season, with updated rooms and modernised bathrooms.

New travel rules

Entry into Croatia

Not exactly new for 2026, although certainly something that is affecting and will continue to affect travellers this year, is the EU’s border Entry/Exit System. Travellers now need to provide biometric data when going through passport control, i.e. they need to provide their fingerprints and a photo. Full implementation should be in force by 10th April 2026 at all entry points of the Schengen Zone. Some airports and border points seem to have coped with the implementation better than others; reports of hour-long queues at certain airports abound I personally experienced barely any queues at Zagreb Airport in December, and I’ve heard good things about Split Airport. However, summer may well be a different matter! Find out more here: The new Entry/Exit System (EES) and Croatia.

Do also note that ETIAS – which is something entirely different to the EES (it is a visa waiver programme, similar to the ESTA when entering the U.S.) – is also due to come into effect at the end of 2026.

Drinking rules in Split…or not

The UK and American press seemed to have got rather excited about a potential (and it is just potential at the moment) new law which would ban alcohol sales in shops in certain parts of Split between 8pm and 6pm. (See Popular European destination proposes alcohol sale restrictions, for example.) Such an action is aimed at curbing antisocial behaviour by tourists. Do note that such a regulation would not affect clubs, bars or restaurants!

New attractions

The northern coastal region of Kvarner – centring around Rijeka and Opatija and islands such as Krk, Losinj, Cres and Rab, but also inland in the Gorski Kotar area – has been named as the European Region of Gastronomy 2026. This part of Croatia may well be overlooked in gastronomic terms in favour of its neighbour Istria (so well known for its delicacies…truffles, wine, olive oil, asparagus and more) or parts of Dalmatia, so this seeks to rectify that!

Solo Holidays in Croatia - Opatija
The gorgeous Opatija

Many events throughout the year will focus on this award, with additional presentations of traditional food elements from other parts of Kvarner included. Watch out for this at – for example – WineRi Festival in Rijeka (this weekend, 13th and 14th March), the Losinj Cuisine Festival in May, or the Crna Ovca (Black Sheep) Festival in Baska on the island of Krk from 15th to 17th May.

New Events

Music festivals in Croatia normally only take place during the peak summer months, so here’s an exciting new option if you’d like to experience some festival vibes before the season starts. Brought to you by the same people behind the inland Croatia Mystic Mountain event, Horizons Spring Break will take place in the Primosten area from 29th April to 3rd May 2026. With a limited capacity, the festival will be a transformative and conscious gathering in a beautiful location. Expect DJs dropping Afro, tribal and shamanic house beats, workshops and nature field trips.

Happy travels to Croatia in 2026!

New York to Split Flights for Summer 2026 with United Airlines - United plane on the runway

New flights from the US to Croatia – New York to Split!

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Exciting news, dear North American travellers! The major U.S. airline United has just announced four new transatlantic flight routes for summer 2026, which include a new route to Croatia – from New York to Split! This is a great addition to the flight schedules to Croatia, especially for those fro North America, of which there are only a handful.

Read on to find out all the details of these New York to Split flights, and other options for travelling from North America to Croatia.

New York to Split Flights for Summer 2026 with United Airlines - United plane on the runway

New York to Split Flights for 2026

United will commence flights from New York/Newark Airport to Split on 30th April 2026, flying three times a week until 5th September 2026. Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays with flights departing Newark at 5pm and landing in Split the next morning at 7.45am. The perfect time as you’ll then have a full first day in Croatia!

Return flights from Split back to Newark will operate on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Flights will depart Split at 10am, landing in New York at 2.05pm.

United is the first U.S. airline to launch a route from New York to Split. The other new routes that United have launched for summer 2026 are also all from New York/Newark – these are to Bari in Italy; Glasgow in Scotland and Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Flying to Bari could potentially also be an option for travelling to Croatia, as there are direct ferries from this Italian port to Dubrovnik.

Tickets for next year’s flights are available to be booked now!

Other North America to Croatia Flights

We have a special section on U.S. to Croatia Flights which details the other options available to you if you’re planning to travel across the Atlantic to Croatia.

As you can see on that page, United also operate flights from New York/Newark Airport to Dubrovnik. These flights are expected to continue in 2026 – hopefully also on a daily schedule as they did this year! – although booking for them has not yet opened. I hope this will be available soon!

Meanwhile, our Canadian friends can already starting booking their flights to Croatia for 2026. Air Transat will continue with their Toronto to Zagreb route, starting operations on Saturday 9th May 2026. This route will intially fly once a week during May, increasing to three times a week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) in June. The route will continue until 10th October 2026.

Other Options for Travelling to Croatia

If you’ve travelled to Croatia from outside of Europe, your journey will likely have involved a stopover in another European country. And really, travelling in this way offers the most flexibility! There are plenty of flights from all over Europe to Croatia, to the seven main airports in the country, so you have plenty of choice. I would recommend flying via London, Rome or Munich or Frankfurt.

Or why not split your holiday with some time in one or more other European countries, and then fly down to Croatia. That would be quite some vacation, right?!

More Info

You can learn a little more about this new route and the others that were just announced: United – New Routes 2026.

Pac-Man display at The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

New in Zagreb – The Video Game History Museum

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Visitors to Zagreb will already know that the city has an excellent selection of museums, from the traditional venues covering history, culture, art and similar to far more quirky offerings. Many of these excellent museums are incredibly interactive, meaning that visiting them is not only a learning experience but also super fun! And now there’s a new kid on the museum block in Zagreb – the Video Game History Museum. It’s an absolute must for anyone into gaming, computers, technology…or just having some fun!

Pac-Man display at The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

What can you see and do at the Video Game History Museum?

The Museum focuses on the evolution of video games and gaming right from the 1960s to the early 2000s. As you can imagine, that’s quite a journey through gaming history! Covering a space of 800 square metres over three floors, the 3,000 items that are exhibited allow you to explore influential games and hardware in gaming history, as well as giving you the chance to learn more about important designers and publishers in the gaming industry.

Visit the museum to see many rare and iconic games and gaming artefacts; you’ll also be able to immerse yourself in one of the largest collections of computer games in the world!

Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

Explore the early days of gaming – from amusement arcades and simple home games such as Pong, to gaming in the transformative days of the 1980s, when home consoles became more commonplace and iconic games such as Pac-Man were launched. Move on to the 1990s, the decade that saw groundbreaking consoles such as the Sony PlayStation and the Nintendo 64 introduced, as well as iconic franchises emerging. Step through into the 2000s and the modern era of gaming, which includes everything from the exciting launch of innovative consoles to the rise of mobile gaming.

Throughout the decades that the museum covers, you can also learn more about the impact of video games on contemporary culture and life. Video games are everywhere these days – from something that only interested a small group of tech specialists, or that was supposedly targeted to kids – almost all of us walk around with a device in our pockets that can access thousands of games with just a fingerpress.

Many parts of the museum involve interactive elements and multimedia displays – what better way to learn about the subject matter? You’ll be able to play some of the most popular early gaming titles – including Space Invaders (launched in 1978), Asteroids (1979) and Pac-Man (1980).

Arcade machines at The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

Astonishingly, you can even witness one of the rarest video game titles of all time – Tennis for Two (1958) – as well as one of the very first commercially available video games, Computer Space (1971).

The museum also often hosts special events, workshops and lectures on gaming history and gaming innovation, often featuring industry experts. Keep an eye on the Museum’s social media channels for news!

The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

About the Video Game History Museum

The Museum is the brainchild of Damir Šlogar, a Croatian IT entrepreneur who has worked in the global gaming industry for over four decades. He started his career in the 1980s, developing games for platforms such as MSX and the Commodore Amiga before eventually moving on to game development in North America, where he contributed to more than 150 titles, including renowned franchises such as Shrek, Barbie, and Battlefield.

In 2004, Damir founded Big Blue Bubble, a Canadian video game company. It gained international acclaim with titles such as “My Singing Monsters” which reached over 100 million players worldwide.

Damir has returned to Croatia – to his hometown of Zagreb – and founded this museum, investing €2 million in the impressive project. Many of the items exhibited in the museum are from Damir’s personal collection, amassed on two continents since childhood.

The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb
The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb

Tickets for the Video Game History Museum

Tickets are priced at €15 for adults and kids aged 15+, or €12 for kids aged 5 to 12 years, or for concessions. Children aged 5 and under go free. A ticket to the museum is valid for 2 hours.

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time at en.vghm.hr.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am to 10pm each day,

More info

You can learn all there is to know about this new museum on the official website en.vghm.hr.

Do also take a look at what others think about it (spoiler: they love it!) on TripAdvisor.

New for Croatia in 2025

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As we’re now well into March and fast approaching proper Spring time – both weather-wise and on the calendar – let’s take a look at what’s new for Croatia in 2025. This post will round up the new flight routes, hotel openings, transport links and events on the calendar that are all new for Croatia in 2025. As you can see, there’s lots to get excited about this year!

New for Croatia in 2025 – Flights

From the UK and Ireland

Jet2 has been operating flights to Croatia for a number of years now but this year they are to fly to a new destination (for them) – Pula in Istria! From May, the airline will fly there from London Stansted, Birmingham and Manchester airports. Their sister company, Jet2Holidays, is also launching holidays to Pula and the Istrian Coast this year.

New for Croatia in 2025 - An aerial view of Rovinj in Istria
An aerial view of Rovinj in Istria

In other airline news, Easyjet has a new route for 2025. They will operate flights from Liverpool to Split, flying twice a week (on Mondays and Fridays) from 9th June. The same airline has also already started operating some of their routes for the year, which is unusually early. Their London Gatwick and Manchester routes started flying in the last week of February. That means you can make it there right now to take advantage of the pleasant early spring weather.

Don’t forget to take a look at our Flights to Croatia from the UK and Ireland page for details of all flight routes to Croatia this year!

From Europe

There are a number of new flight routes to Dubrovnik for this summer. Easyjet will introduce flights from Bordeaux, whilst Ryanair also has a new French route to Dubrovnik – from Marseille. The same airline will be adding flights from Katowice in Poland and Gothenburg in Sweden. FInally, Swiss airline…er…Swiss will begin flights to Dubrovnik from Zurich. 

Aside from the new Easyjet route from Liverpool (mentioned above), it’s just one new route to Split that’s so far been announced and that’s from Porto.

For Zadar, Easyjet will begin flying from Lyon whilst Ryanair is adding two new Italian connections – from Bari and from Rome Fiumicino. The same airline is also to begin flying from Bratislava in Slovakia to Zadar, whilst Edelweiss Air will begin to operate flights from Zurich to Zadar.

Tiny Rijeka Airport doesn’t get a lot of love (or flights, to be honest) but at least for 2025 it will see two new routes! Ryanair will start operating flights to Rijeka from Frankfurt Hahn and from Wroclaw in Poland.

For Pula Airport, Play are introducing flights from Reykjavik. Seeing as the airline also operates flights from U.S. cities such as Boston and New York to Reykjavik, you could potentially consider using them to reach Istria or Croatia via a stopover. There’s also another new Scandinavian connection to Pula for this summer – from Gothenburg in Sweden with Ryanair.

Finally, Croatia’s capital city Zagreb will see the most new flights this year with six new routes starting up. The country’s national carrier, Croatia Airlines, will be introducing most of these new routes with flights from Prague, Hamburg, Milan, Bucharest and Madrid providing some excellent new connections. As a Ryanair hub, that airline also has a new route – from Palermo on the Italian island of Sicily, meaning they now have 31 (31!) routes from all over Europe to Zagreb.

From elsewhere in the world

At the time of writing, there are unfortunately no new flight routes to Croatia from beyond Europe. Nevertheless, take a look at our U.S. to Croatia Flight and Flights from Asia to Croatia pages to see what airlines do fly from these continents.

New for Croatia in 2025 – Festivals and Events

Who loves a brand-new festival in Croatia? That’s right, everyone! This year it’s the turn of Balance Croatia which will take place in one of Croatia’s main festival destinations – The Garden in the small town of Tisno in central Dalmatia – from 8th to 11th August. The electronic music event is coming to Croatia’s shores thanks to Australian label Balance Music and will see some truly fantastic acts perform including Dave Seaman, Danny Howells, Guy Mantzur, Sasha & John Digweed and many more. Further details: Balance Croatia Line-Up Phase 1 Revealed + Ticket News.

Balance Croatia

New for Croatia in 2025 – Hotels

New hotel openings keep coming thick and fast for Croatia all the time, and 2025 is no exception.

One of the best new hotel openings must surely be The Isolano, an Autograph Collection Hotel on the very much off-the-beaten-track island that is Cres. Billed as an adults-friendly resort (only welcoming guests aged 12 and over), this luxury five-star hotel has a stunning outdoor pool and is just metres from the nearest beach.

New for Croatia in 2025 - The Isolano Hotel, Cres
Creski Beach Bar at the Isolano Hotel (Credit: The Isolano Hotel)

In a similar vein, the Hotel Preko on tiny Ugljan island is a Curio Collection by Hilton property. Opening on 15th July 2025, this expertly furnished hotel is close to beaches and really provides a slice of relaxation for guests.

Another luxury hotel opening is the Hyatt Regency Zadar. Also a sumptuous five-star property, the hotel is in an excellent location within walking distance of Zadar’s Old Town – home to many top sights – as well as beaches and Zadar Marina.

Actually opened at the end of 2024, it’s also worth mentioning the new Pullman Zagreb, the first Pullman hotel in Croatia. This contemporary, four-star hotel is located in Novi Zagreb and relatively close to Zagreb Airport; an ideal place to stay if you’re looking for accommodation near the airport.

Pullman Zagreb
Pullman Zagreb (Credit: Pullman Zagreb)

Future hotel openings

Obviously not opening this year, some of you may be interested to hear that the large abandoned Kupari resort near Dubrovnik may finally be redeveloped. You can read the interesting back story to this resort and future plans here: Holidays at a one-time Communist luxury beach haven? Yugoslav resort built for Tito to rise from ruins.

New for Croatian in 2025 – Ferries and Catamarans

In the Dubrovnik region

Following on from the launch of a new catamaran connecting Dubrovnik and Budva last summer, the same ferry operator – Adriatic Lines – will commence operating a service connecting Dubrovnik and Kotor at the start of June 2025. This new catamaran service will allow you to enjoy a day trip in historic Kotor and see its stunning bay, giving you five hours there before the return boat to Dubrovnik departs.

Kotor in Montenegro

Read the full details of this catamaran including timetable information and ticket prices on our blog post: New Dubrovnik to Kotor Catamaran for 2025.

In the Istrian region

Announced a few months ago, this summer will see the return of ferry services from Trieste to destinations in Istria, such as Porec and Rovinj, and the island of Mali Losinj as well. (There will also be a stop in Piran in Slovenia along the way.) Timetable details – or indeed that of the ferry operator – have yet to be announced, so this is definitely a case of watching this space. Visit Croatia will absolutely keep you updated as soon as I hear anything!

New for Croatia in 2025 – Entry Requirements

There are no new entry requirements for Croatia or the EU per see, although the introduction of ETIAS and the new Entry/Exit System for the EU and the Schengen Zone keeps hovering in the background!

The latest news on this front is that the Entry/Exit System is that it is expected to start in October 2025. This new system will see travellers have their passport details registered when entering the Schengen Zone – essentially, have your fingerprints scanned and your photo taken. The word expected is doing some heavy work there, as the scheme has already been postponed from last autumn. I’d suggest keeping an ear out for news closer to October to see if it does in fact come into existence.

Another new EU entry requirement that’s fairly imminent is ETIAS. This visa waiver scheme for the EU will act much like ESTA does for travellers to the U.S. However, the introduction of ETIAS has now been pushed back to the last quarter of 2026, so you still have some time to go before you start concerning yourself about that.

The above requirements all relate to those travellers who can visit Croatia either visa-free or on short-term visas. Take a look at our Visa Requirements for Croatia page for general entry rules.

New for 2025 – Balance Croatia Festival, 8-11 August

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Very exciting news for all keen Croatian festival goers – there’s a brand new festival on the calendar for 2025! Taking place in one of the best festival venues in Croatia, The Garden Tisno, the Balance Croatia Festival will be held 8th to 11th August 2025. This new electronic music festival will take place over three days and three nights over three stages, with fifty-plus artists and five thousand revellers – will you be one of them?!

Balance Croatia 2025

About Balance Music and Balance Croatia

Balance Croatia is being brought to you by the Australian label Balance Music, who will next year celebrate 25 years in the music business under the visionary leadership of director Tom Pandzic. In that time they’ve gone from humble beginnings to become a global music presence in independent electronic music, shaping and documenting progressive dance music, fully deserving its status as a scene cornerstone.

The label’s iconic Balance Series mix compilation albums are truly spectacular, featuring legends such as Hernan Cattaneo, Danny Tenaglia, Nick Warren, Guy J, and Joris Voorn. Balance Music and sub-label Dawn till Dusk have also nurtured quality EP releases from both upcoming and established artists, fully showcasing progressive, melodic and organic house sounds.

The festival will be collaborating with leading brands The Soundgarden, SkylineEvents and Super Progressive to maintain the high level of music programming always associated with Balance!

“After 25 Years at the helm of Balance, I thought it was time to celebrate our illustrious history! The Balance Croatia Festival will be a unique gathering of passionate music lovers, unlike anything seen previously. We will honour 25 years of memories, and the times when music meant more. We’ve invited over 50 world-class artists to soundtrack the weekend on Croatia’s stunning Adriatic Coast in Tisno… Under the sun, on the beach, with you. We are also excited to be partnering with TheSoundgarden, Skyline Events, and Super Progressive for the inaugural Balance Croatia Festival.“

Balance Music Director Tom Pandzic

Balance Croatia Line-Up

The first phase of artists playing at Balance Croatia will be revealed on 21st November, so mark your calendars for that date! However, you can be sure that the best progressive and melodic acts will be appearing, from legends to the next generation of artists.

Tickets and Accommodation for Balance Croatia

Pre-sale tickets will be launched on 28th November so set your alarms! You can however sign-up to register for early bird tickets NOW on the website: www.balancecroatia.com.

Attendees to Balance Croatia can make use of many of The Garden Tisno’s accommodation offerings, including apartments, glamping tents, mobile homes and airstream trailers. There is also the official Balance Hotel (Hotel Miran) and beach cabins that can sleep 2 to 5 people.

Balance Croatia 2025 at The Garden Tisno
The Garden Tisno

About The Garden Tisno

Home to some of the most famous summer events in the country – such as Love International, Defected, Dimensions and Dekmantel – The Garden Tisno offers all partygoers a stunning festival venue and then some. Set around beautiful beaches next to crystal-clear water, there are three stages that will take Balance Croatia to the max.

At the heart of the site is The Yard Stage which dazzles with stunning visuals crafted for maximum vibes; it is surrounded by bars, food shacks, and all the essential festival facilities. The Beach Stage meanwhile provides breathtaking views and an extraordinary backdrop for all-day partying. And the Olive Grove, shaded by trees and conveniently located near the beach and amenities, serves as the perfect spot for both daytime lounging and nighttime raving.

And if you’ve ever attended The Garden Tisno before, you’ll know all about the famed Barbarella’s Discotheque. It’s just the place to dance all night under the stars.

More info

Full details about the festival can be found at www.balancecroatia.com. Do also keep tuned to their Facebook and Instagram pages for all the latest news.

Balance Croatia
8th – 11th August 2025
The Garden, Tisno
www.balancecroatia.com

Sonic Festival Dubrovnik

The first Sonic Festival to take place in Dubrovnik’s stunning Lovrijenac Fortress this September

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A new name on Croatia’s impressive music festival scene comes to Dubrovnik this September. Sonic Festival’s Sonic Sunset Session is to be held in the mighty Lovrijenac Fortress in Dubrovnik on 8th and 9th September 2022 – electronic music fans will delight in partying it up in this amazing location, the first time it will be used as a festival site.

Sonic Festival Dubrovnik

About Sonic Festival

Sonic Festival’s first edition is being presented as the Sonic Sunset Session to provide revellers with an unforgettable experience of both the location and the entire event. And some of the top names in the house and techno scene – both internationally and locally – are on the bill for this first edition: Italian producer and DJ Marco Faraone; one of Ibiza’s go-to DJs, Jamie Roy; and regional acts such as Danijel Čehranov, Dea Tosh, NEROA, Brigitta & MattButt.

Hailing from Tuscany, Marco Faraone grew up immersed in music – his father was a DJ in the 80s, and his initial foray into DJing was dominated by the many hip-hop records that comprised his then-modest collection. Marco then graduated to playing drum ‘n’ bass, before settling on a discerning techno vibe for which he is best known today. Marco became a resident at Florence’s globally-renowned Tenax club and quickly graduated from being a ‘crafty up-and-comer’ to one of modern techno’s most recognised and respected names. Marco’s productions have graced some of the scene’s most respected labels such as Drumcode, Defected and Rekids as well as his own much-respected UNCAGE imprint.

Jamie Roy is someone who lives and breathes underground electronic music culture in all its forms. It’s therefore no surprise that Jamie quickly became one of Ibiza’s go-to DJs in 2019 when he held a residency at the legendary Ushuaia for Nic Fanciulli’s ‘Dance Or Die’ events. As a producer, he has landed on the likes of Repopulate Mars, Trick, Unsound, Saved, Kaluki and Under No Illusion. With each and every new EP, Roy shows a subtle evolution of his sound while staying true to his roots. Whether playing an intense club set at places like Studio 338 or La Terrazza Barcelona, or
laying it down for huge crowds on main stages at BPM Festival Costa Rica or Elrow in Glasgow, Roy always knows exactly what record to reach for to make the best connection with his crowd.

Danijel Čehranov, the owner of Last95 Records, is one of Belgrade’s most sought-after DJs, as well as one of the most successful regional music producers. He has played at the amazing Dance Arena at Exit Festival, the Main Stage at the Sea Dance Festival, and also in New York, Moscow, Istanbul and the entire region.

Tickets for Sonic Festival

Tickets for Sonic Festival are planned to go on sale on 1st July 2022, and will be available on Entrio.

More Info

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New Flights to Croatia 2019

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Here we are at the end of March already – a time when quite a few airlines start their regular ‘summer’ flights to Croatia! A great opportunity to look and see what new flights to Croatia – and other changes – there are for 2019.

New Flights to Croatia 2019

New flights from Ireland to Croatia

There’s some excellent news for our Irish friends with plans to visit Croatia this year. Ryanair have two new routes this year – from Dublin to Split and Dubrovnik. Both routes will operate four times a week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays to Split; and on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays to Dubrovnik) from the beginning of June through to the end of October.

Aer Lingus continue to fly the above two routes as well, but have also introduced a new one for 2019. They will fly from Cork to Dubrovnik twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from 11th to 28th September.

London to Zadar with Easyjet

Zadar is a stunning town, so it’s great news that there’s more and more flights to this Dalmatian airport each year! Easyjet have flown from London Luton to Zadar for a couple of years and will now also fly to Zadar from London Gatwick. Flights will operate twice a week (Tuesdays and Saturdays) from 30th April to the 26th October.

Another London airport for flights to Split

London is of course spoilt for choice when it comes to flights to Croatia – with plenty of flights from Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton and Stansted.

But British Airways will now add another airport into this mix – London City Airport. Flights from here will operate three times a week (on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays) from 21st June to 6th September.

British Airways have also increased frequency of flights from London Heathrow to Split – in peak summer (from 20th May onwards), the airline now has seven flights a week on this route. (Daily apart from Saturdays, with two flights on Sundays.)

New flights to Rijeka with TUI

01/04/19 Note: We’ve been informed that TUI have cancelled their Manchester to Rijeka route – before they’ve even started operating it! They will now NOT fly from Manchester to Rijeka this year. See changes below.

TUI have introduced two one new route for 2019 to an airport in Croatia they have never serviced before, Rijeka.

They will fly from London Gatwick and Manchester to Rijeka once a week (Thursdays) from 23rd May to 10th October.

But TUI don’t just stop there in terms of new flights! There’s also good news for Welsh visitors to Croatia – for the first time, there is now a direct flight from Cardiff Airport to Dubrovnik (operates on Thursdays from 2nd May to 31st October).

And the airline also have two more new routes – from Doncaster Sheffield to Pula (operates on Saturdays from 4th May to 5th October) and from Leeds Bradford to Dubrovnik (operates on Thursdays from 2nd May to 31st October).

However, there’s one route that TUI have dropped for 2019 – they are no longer operating flights from Newcastle to Dubrovnik.

Flybe no longer fly to Croatia

Flybe have dropped all of their flights from the UK to Croatia. They used to fly from London Southend to Zadar and Dubrovnik.

More flights per week with Jet2.com

There’s no new flights with Jet2.com this year. (The airline has introduced a number of new routes to Croatia in the last couple of years, so we’ll forgive them!) They are, however, increasing frequency on some of their existing routes. There will be three flights a week in peak season (15th July to 22nd September) from London Stansted to Split, and five flights a week in peak season (27th May to 22nd September) from London Stansted to Dubrovnik.

However, they have reduced frequency on their East Midlands to Split and Edinburgh to Split routes for 2019 – both will only fly once a week this year.

New flights from America to Croatia, too!

Although this post largely covers new flights from the UK and Ireland to Croatia, we couldn’t help but also mention a new route from America to Croatia as well! (Mainly because it’s the first route directly connecting the U.S. and Croatia in decades!)

American Airlines will fly from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik three times a week (on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays) from 7th June to 21st September. Flight time will be nine hours and 15 minutes.

More on new flights to Croatia 2019

Check out our Flights to Croatia page for full details of all routes from the UK and Ireland to Croatia for 2019, as well as their frequency and dates of operation.

Happy flying!

Museums in Zagreb - Image of War Museum

New in Zagreb – The Image of War Museum

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Croatia’s wonderful capital city, Zagreb, is home to many fine museums. Its latest one – the Image of War Museum – opened only a couple of months ago, has already been receiving rave reviews from visitors.

Image of War Museum

Image of War Museum, Zagreb

Image of War Museum, Zagreb

The Image of War Museum

Image of War is a museum of war photography whose aim is to show the horrors of armed conflict through the eyes of professional photographers. The museum also tells the stories of the ordinary and innocent people caught up in wars.

Sadly, war is something that the country of Croatia has experienced in its relatively recent past. To this end, the museum’s first exhibition is titled “Up Close and Personal: War in Croatia”. It covers the war in the country from 1991 to 1995, featuring images by world-renowned photographers, as well as  stories and photographs taken by ordinary people and collected through an online campaign on museum’s Facebook and Instagram pages.

Danilo Gregović, the museum’s founder, says:

“War is hell. In Croatia we still remember it vividly because we lived through it quite recently but the message seems to be forgotten easily. War unleashes the worst and the best in humans. The mission of our museum is to show both sides of human nature. Visitors will be able to learn about real and personal tragedies but also about hope, friendship and mercy. This is the power of photography – it tells personal stories in a universally understandable and relatable way.”

As well as promoting peace and raising awareness about the destructiveness of war, the museum will actively work towards changing the realities of those directly affected by war today. Part of the revenue from all ticket sales will be donated to the NGO Are You Syrious? which helps refugees and victims of war.

Image of War Museum, Zagreb

Image of War Museum, Zagreb

Croatia’s First Crowd Funded Museum

The museum recently raised funds through a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo titled “War belongs in a museum”, making it the first crowdfunded museum in Croatia. This message – “war belongs in a museum” – reflects the basic idea behind this anti-war museum: to make war a thing of the past by stimulating dialogue about its devastating consequences and educating on the imperative of peace for everyone.

Visiting the Image of War Museum

The Image of War Museum opened on 8th August 2018 and has already received fantastic reviews by visitors.

The museum is open daily (except Mondays) from 10am to 8pm. It is located at  Ulica Andrije Hebranga 4, close to Zrinjevac Park and a short walk south from the main Ban Jelacic Square.

Tickets cost 50 Kunas for adults, 40 Kunas for concessions (students/pensioners/veterans). It is 80 Kunas for couples, and for groups of 10 or more, it is only 30 Kunas per person.

Further information about the museum can be found on their website or their Facebook page.

Image of War Museum, Zagreb

Image of War Museum
Ulica Andrije Hebranga 4
Zagreb
www.imageofwar.hr