Real Madrid and Spain star Sergio Ramos has arrived on holiday in Dubrovnik with his partner Pilar Rubio.

The football star, who recently captained the Spanish national team at the Euro 2016 in France, posted a photo on his Instagram account tonight with Pilar along with the caption “A magic night in a fairytale city. Dubrovnik!”

Within a few hours of posting the photo of the couple on the steps leading to the Jesuit Church he had received 200,000 likes and with over 10 million followers that number is sure to rise.

Dubrovnik is proving a real magnet for footballers this year, already the Chelsea star John Terry has visited, the Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera and the Seville playmaker Pablo Sarabia.

Dubrovnik has been the darling of the worlds press for the past few years, with more and more column inches filled with the delights of the city and its tourist attractions. Now comes an article from one of the most respected news agencies in the world CNN entitled “How Croatia's Dubrovnik rules the rivieras.”

- With 260 days of sunshine and one of the most eye-catching coastlines in the Med, this chic stretch of Adriatic shoreline is justifiably pulling in ever-greater visitor numbers each year – writes CNN in praise of the Dubrovnik Riviera. The article includes the Old City of Dubrovnik and Korcula. And gives 12 reasons why you need to visit Dubrovnik this year. The top three are, Medieval Dubrovnik, Mount Srd cable car and Dubrovnik Carnival and Summer Festival.

Once again another shining article on Dubrovnik and its gems, expect even more guests from the USA to follow the lead of CNN and explore the Dubrovnik Riviera this year.

It's hard to catch all the big names that visit Dubrovnik daily, but if they put photos on social media – it's bit easier. After world famous footballer John Terry, we have some great sport names coming and even though they might be less famous, their followers on Instagram go crazy when they see photo from Dubrovnik.
In todays top posts from Dubrovnik we have Steffen Weinhold, a German handball player for THW Kiel and the German national team. There is also Ragnhild Mowinckel, a Norwegian alpine skier. Mowinckel represents the club SK Rival. She won the gold medal at the youth World Championships in 2012 in the giant slalom and super combined as well as bronze in super-G.
They both have thousands of followers on Instagram, so this is really great promotion of town. We hope they're having a good time and that more atlethes will come soon and brag about their time in Dubrovnik.

British Telegraph has published an article few days ago with the list of reasons why everyone is going to Croatia this summer. Reason behind the article is the increasing number of British tourists every year – according to the Croatian Tourist Board there is 36 per cent increase in overnight stays by UK travellers during the first half of this year.
Here's the list:
1. It’s hot
2. And easy to reach
3. It’s still good value
4. And has the Game of Thrones appeal
5. It has the world’s most atmospheric Roman ruin
6. And one of its finest amphiteatres
7. There are spectacular beaches
8. Incredible national parks
9. You can combine beach life with soaring mountains
10. Its capital is heaven for coffee lovers
11. With one of the world’s quirkiest museums
12. They made the White House
13. There are some incredible summer festivals
14. And party towns
15. Parts of it remain virtually unknown
16. And it’s got wonderful cities you never thought to visit
17. It’s the birthplace of Marco Polo
18. And has one of Europe’s tastiest regions
19. You can even spot dolphins
20. It’s got a fascinating (if sobering) recent history
21. Because Dubrovnik is one of the world's bucket list cities
22. It's got a beach fit for a Bond villain
23. And a monument that looks like the Millenium Falcon
The article is quite detailed so if you want to know some more information, don't miss it.

Croatia could well be the part of the Schengen region by 2018 commented the Foreign Minister Miro Kovac at a meeting to mark the anniversary of Croatia accession into the European Union.

It is believed that negotiations over the Schengen entry could be completed by the end of this year and the full implementation of the agreement on Croatian borders could take affect by 2018.

Croatia became a full member of the European Union on the 1st of July 2013 and is slowly entering into all of the European institutions and regulations. Of the 28 current members of the EU 22 are part of the “open border” Schengen region.

"After that, we will get new leaderships in those two fundamental countries on the European continent. I think it's possible that Croatia will join the Schengen Area from 2018 on," commented Kovac in reference to the elections due to be held in Germany and France.

Nikola Brzica, the assistant of the Croatian Minister of Defence and Robert Hranj, the director of the General Staff of the Croatian Armed Forces, had a meeting with a senior military delegation of China, headed by Cui Changjun, the assistant director of the General Political Department of the Central Military Commission of the Chinese People's Liberation Army on the 29th of June 2016.

Mr Brzica emphasized that the Republic of Croatia as a permanent member of the UN, NATO and the European Union was an active participant in building the world peace and security and was committed to the development of strong partnerships and relations with countries of common values and interests. Confirming the good and friendly bilateral relations, the two delegations also underlined that there was room for intensified defence and economy co-operation.

The Chinese delegation also visited the Croatian Defence Academy "Dr FranjoTudman", where they were briefed on the history, the organisation, tasks, study programmes and the military education exercised by the Academy and the studying and living conditions provided.

In the WorldStar competition organized by the World Packaging Organization (WPO) among 293 entries from 35 countries around the world, the Croatian creative agency Portofolio by Studio Grozic have won the 2016 WorldStar Award for excellence of its potato chip packaging for Franck on the 26th of May, in Budapest, Hungary.

This competition gives an opportunity for winning the worldwide recognition but can only be accessed by brands which have already won one of the national or regional awards for packaging, and which are also members of the WPO.

The awarded packaging for Cipi Cips Country has already won the Cropack 2015 award for the best design so this international award represents the crown of all previous awards.

Franck's Cipi Cips Country comes in three flavours: salt, bacon and smoked cheese and is very popular among Croats of all ages. All graphics on the Cipi Cips packets are hand drawn and of high quality print which were used to emphasize a traditional look, a domestic origin and a top quality of the potato which this product is made from.

The winning packaging is a result of the joint work of Adria Snack Company and the Croatian creative agency Portofolio by Studio Grozic. For the past eleven years this creative agency has successfully developed a number of the world renowned brands such as Sergio Tacchini, Stefanel, Audi, Illy coffee and Pikenz.

The WorldStar Award was founded in 1970 and as World Packaging Organization (WPO) emphasizes, a special attention is paid to packaging that demonstrates creativeness, innovation, eco-friendliness, aesthetic appeal, easy way of production etc. This year, a total of 194prizes were awarded in categories of food and beverages, health and beauty, household goods, luxury products, electronics, transport packaging etc.

With the Dubrovnik Summer Festival right around the corner, press conference was held today on the terrace of  Hotel Hilton Imperial.
The speakers were: Mayor of Dubrovnik Andro Vlahusic, Deputy County Mayor Davorko Obuljen, artistic director Mladen Tarbuk, theatre programme director Mani Gotovac and Paulina Njiric, executive director counsel.
Andro Vlahusic said that he is delighted to be the part of Dubrovnik Summer Festival eight years in a row, while the Festival is celebrating its 67 year.
- The purpose of art is to be different and that's not an easy thing to do for 67 years – said the Mayor and also thanked all the creators that combine creativity and freedom into masterpieces.
Davorko Obuljen congratulated the organizers and all of the artist as well.
- I had a chance to take a look at the programme and I can just say that we can't wait it to begin.  
Artistic director Mladen Tarbuk first said thanks to all the citizens and tourists for their fidelity.
- I'm happy to see that art still runs in the veins of Dubrovnik – added Tarbuk and said that the programme was planned last year. He talked about two lines of programme: North and South. North is presented by Shakespeare, with Othello and also the music programme. South, or the Mediterenian is coming to this Festival from Spanish speaking area. There will be ballet on Lokrum which consist mostly of great opera Carmen.
There will also be small piano festival that brings the audience some of the most famous pianist today. It's interesting that Dubrovnik Summer Festival is spreading, so it will be held at Konavle and Cavtat too.
Theatre programme director Mani Gotovac said that this Festival has 'the ghost, the breath, the dream of the Latin American art', on which they worked really hard and that will be seen on the Opening, 11th of June.
- For me, Dubrovnik Summer Festival is like Arboretum, peace in todays noise – said Gotovac.
She talked about Othello, saying that it will be performed on fort of Lovrijenac and it will have the motif of manipulators who appeared and also about 'Kafetarija' or 'Coffe bar', a show well known to the locals that is making a come back this year. She emphasized that this will not be the same show from before.
Paulina Njiric said thanks to everybody and added that money isn't everything so she wants to thank all the supporters.
Dubrovnik Summer Festival will have its opening at 11th of June and in 47 days it will show more than 70 theatre, music, ballet, folklore and other performances on nearly 20 different venues. See the programme here.

                  Andro Vlahusic and Mani Gotovac

                  Andro Vlahusic, Mani Gotovac and Mladen Tarbuk

                  Paulina Njiric and Davorko Obuljen