This isn’t the first time, and probably won’t be the last time, that a summer image of Dubrovnik has been confused with another destination.

Newspapers, magazines and even airlines have used Dubrovnik to advertise Mostar, Italy and Malta and the latest sees the iconic Banje beach in Dubrovnik advertising Cyprus.

Triangle Travel, an Indian based travel operator, has advertised holidays in Cyprus with a beautiful photo of the Banje beach with the ancient city of Dubrovnik in the background.

The UK based low cost airline easyJet is continuing its growth in Croatia with the announcement of yet another new connection for 2019. easyJet will launch seasonal flights between Pula and Amsterdam for the summer season of 2019.

The low cost airline already flies to multiple destinations to Croatia, with Dubrovnik acting as a mini-hub for the popular airline. In fact, easyJet carried the second most number of passengers to Dubrovnik this year after the Croatian national airline, Croatia Airlines.

And now easyjet is expanding in Pula and plans to carry around 57,000 passengers to the Adriatic destination next year with flights from London Southend, Milan, Basel, Liverpool and now Amsterdam.

The James Brown classic seems to be true in Croatia – it is a man’s world. According to a recent survey men earn much more than women on an annual basis. The European Project – Equal Rights Equal Pay Equal Pensions, whose goals are to achieve gender equality and fight poverty in Croatia, was presented in Zagreb this week and one of the shocking statistics was the gap in pay equality.

In 2015 men in Croatia earned on average €1,550 a year than women. The average gross monthly wage in Croatia in 2015 was some 7,500 kuna (€1,000) for women and 8,400 (€1,130) for men, which means that women received on average 88.7 percent of the wages men received that year.

Of course the fact that men receive larger salaries in general than women also means that women receive lower pensions, this can quite easily lead to financial dependence on husbands.

As part of the project, an in-depth study of the situation will be carried out at national level, educational programmes will be designed, workshops will be held in four cities and a national legislative framework for equal pay and pensions is expected to be drawn up.

The fourth European Tourism and Strategy Festival opened today in Dubrovnik at Hotel Valamar President. The panel discussion entitled "Cruise Travel and Cities - Challenges and Opportunities" was attended by Dubrovnik Mayor Mato Franković, President and the President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association Cindy D'Aoust and renowned CBS travel editor Peter Greenberg.

“About a year and a half ago Dubrovnik was an example of unsustainable tourism, and all the world’s media wrote about how Dubrovnik was collapsing. Today all the world’s media are talking about how Dubrovnik started to be a sustainable destination. They are inviting us to the world's leading conferences to talk about what we have done," commented Frankovic.

Dubrovnik Mayor speaks at congress

D'Aoust stressed that CLIA supports the idea of sustainable destinations for citizens and guests. "We have to think outside the box, not just thinking about doing things as we always did. The most important part of our co-operation is that Mayor Frankovic knew what his goal was, which was Dubrovnik's long-term success with regard to tourism. All partners, all factors involved in the story must cooperate and this is a way to success. Frankovic immediately understood and immediately contacted me," she said.

Greenberg emphasized the importance of managing figures “I've been coming here since 1984. Most of these conferences are concerned with how to increase or improve numbers, but today we are talking about how to manage them, to provide a great experience with increased numbers. When we stop looking at the numbers and start looking at the experience, and when the private and public sectors start to cooperate, as is the case here, the problems will be solved," said Greenberg.

The thee-day festival continues tomorrow in the Hotel Valamar President and concludes with an open day in the Port of Dubrovnik on Saturday.

Every journey starts with a first step, and now five dogs from the Dubrovnik Animal Shelter are hoping that with your help that first step will be a giant leap.

Aretha, Princess, Maxi, Luka & now a very recent addition, Ms Lola, are five loving dogs who through no fault of their own have found themselves in the Žarkovica animal shelter. These five dogs have a lot in common. They are all loving and caring animals, but that can almost be taken for granted. They are all getting on in years. They all currently reside in the animal shelter and they all would certainly struggle to survive the long, cold winter up on top of the mountain overlooking Dubrovnik. They are hoping for a brighter future. And most importantly they all have a lifeline. And you can all help make this happen.

A special public funding action, entitled “Free These 4 Oldies Before Winter!” was started last week in order to raise funds to transport these four and now a + 1 furry friend away from the biting Dubrovnik northerly winds and into a warm and safe surrounding in the UK.

The worthy project is the brainchild of a group of volunteers who are throwing themselves into saving these dogs with open hearts and care.

“We've just had our third visit volunteering at the animal shelter in Dubrovnik where over the last fifteen years just one woman, Sandra Sambrailo and her two helpers have been looking after over 300 dogs on a mountainside,” comments one such volunteer Annie Curran from the UK.

Adding that “Weather conditions are brutal in the wintertime as the shelter has no electricity, running water or sanitation. The terrain is rough and the dogs live in makeshift wooden kennels that help shelter them from the biting winds and freezing temperatures. We're really hoping to raise enough funds to pay for their transportation to the UK before the worst of the winter hits the mountainside and also to cover any potential immediate veterinary costs on their arrival in the UK.”

Annie is one of a small group of volunteers, including Tina Duk, Claire Scannell, Kerry Jones and Steve Enstone, who are fighting for these elderly dogs’s survival. Behind the scenes these volunteers have been working day and night to make this journey to the UK possible. Care and responsibility are the keywords as this would be the dog’s first road-trip of such magnitude. A specialised DEFRA registered courier service from the UK, Animal Couriers Pet Transport Services, has been selected to carry out the task and have confirmed collection for the 21st November 2018.

The group are planning to raise £2,000 to cover the costs of transporting and caring for these Dubrovnik dogs on route to the UK. Hopefully if they manage to raise more funds, then that will help towards providing living expenses & potential veterinary care on arrival for Maxi, as he only has a foster home so far with no shelter back up funds. A public funding website is up and running and they are already well on their way to reach their target. You can help them not only reach this target but exceed it. Go to the website now and donate, however small or large, because every little helps to give these dogs a safe and warm future.

“Žarkovica shelter Dubrovnik needs so much help, but they especially need some happy endings. Getting these fluffy little creatures off the mountain and into a home would brighten the day of Sandra and her dedicated workers and volunteers,” concluded Annie.

Meet the five furry friends

Aretha and Princess are firm friends. They have both lived together all their lives, they have slept together, played together and walked together, and they are absolutely bonded. These well-loved pets were reluctantly given to the self-funded Žarkovica shelter after their elderly owner moved to a nursing home and was unable to care for them. To support the well-being of the dogs you're helping, you might find it useful to explore information on managing joint pain in pets, such as this article on whether you can give your dog ibuprofen for pain. She really wants the two to stay together and Annie Curran has offered to foster them both in her own home in the UK until they move to a permanent home in the New Year. They are both inside dogs and have got used to been loved and stroked, life for them in the shelter is a million miles away from what they are used to.

Aretha and Princess

Maxi is an elegant older gentleman, the wise old dog of the quartet. He is around ten years old and again the harsh Dubrovnik winter would be impossible for this proud old dog. He was rescued from this very shelter when he was just two years old, and now 10 years later has been returned because the family are moving away and not taking him with them. And finally Luka is a small and loving cross breed who has been offered a permanent home already. All the dogs really need is a safe, warm and cosy bed and lots of love… not so much to ask.

Maxi and Luka 

Last but certainly not least is Lola a Labrador cross who is the fifth member now jumping on board with the other four fur balls. Sadly Lola’s flight plans to her forever home in the UK fell through literally at the Dubrovnik airport just last week. Her new mother Rose MacDonald who met Lola while volunteering at the shelter was devastated, so this first ever specialised road trip could be an even happier ending if more animal loving readers donate.

Lola

“There are so many causes, so much need, but sometimes a particular cause or a particular dog catches our attention. Everyone who met these little dogs and heard their stories has been hoping to get them into homes before winter comes to the mountain” - Kerry A. Jones.

To help and donate just follow this link...thank you for your support 

The Dubrovnik based restaurants Taj Mahal have won the prestigious award as the second best restaurant in Croatia at the recent Days of Croatian Tourism. This Bosnian restaurant in Dubrovnik, in fact two restaurants with one in the historic Old City and the other in Hotel Lero, offers traditional cuisine, drinks and all served in an authentic interior. These very values have been recognised at the leading tourism event in Croatia and Taj Mahal for the first time in their short history have picked up an award.

Edin Macanović (on right on photo) picks up award in Hvar 

“We really couldn’t believe it when we finished second, it is a complete shock and a great honour. Especially when you take into account that we are a Bosnian restaurant,” commented Edina Macanović the co-owner of Taj Mahal.

The Taj Mahal story started back in 2004 with the first restaurant opening in the UNESCO Old City of Dubrovnik. “Back then our only advertisement was the comforting and inviting smell spreading from our grill and stove in the Old City restaurant’s tiny kitchen were we first started sharing our cooking traditions. People came and told their friends. And the homely atmosphere and our filling dishes have been popular with both locals and tourists ever since,” added Taj Mahal. And then in 2013 they opened a sister restaurant in Hotel Lero. Taj Mahal was quickly becoming a brand in Dubrovnik. The home of high quality Bosnian cuisine with guaranteed good service and a smile.

Taj Mahal in Hotel Lero

“It was a complete surprise that we were nominated amongst the first five restaurants in Croatia. In fact, we were very proud to be in the top five and on the evening when they announced us in second place we were blown away,” added Macanović.

Edin Macanović was obviously pleased and surprise when he received the award at the Days of Croatian Tourism on Hvar.

And yes, as the first place went to the Sveti Nikola restaurant in Porec that means that Taj Mahal was the top rated restaurant in Dubrovnik. The third position was taken by Brasserie Adriatic in Rovinj. Meaning that two of the top three restaurants in Croatia are located in Istria.

With its unparalleled beauty and proud history, the Old City of Dubrovnik has been a constant source of inspiration for artists over the centuries. Authors have created timeless poetry, sculptors formed granite-hard stone into delicate figures and painters brought life to the city’s landscapes. The melody of the stone facades has also enthused composers down the centuries to sparkle in the Mediterranean sunshine.

And as you walk around the ancient city today you can still hear classical tunes echoing in the stone architecture. Dubrovnik is a living city, a city with a heart and soul, and music brings that soul to life. Children practising the cello, world famous artists tuning up before a major concert or friends gathered around with a guitar and piano, these are the sounds of Dubrovnik’s soul. The citizens are rightly appreciative of their history, especially their musical heritage.

Over the centuries these noble stone walls have been the inspiration to many a composer. Without doubt one of the kings of Dubrovnik composers is Luka Sorkočević. Born into a noble family in 1734 Luka began his musical education in Dubrovnik before moving to Rome to continue his learning. His style, often described as being between Baroque and classical, of composing encapsulates the elegance of the city. Whilst working in Vienna he met and rubbed shoulders some of the great composers of the day including Gluck and Haydn.

Luka Sorkočević

His works are treasured to this day in the city. The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra certainly hasn’t forgotten their most favourite son. Frequently the orchestra performs Sorkočević classics in one of the ambient surroundings of the Old City of Dubrovnik. And his brilliant pieces are brought back to life in the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.

For a real Dubrovnik experience find yourself a place in the Rector’s Palace on a balmy summer’s evening with the melodies of Sorkočević drifting through the sky. It is an unforgettable experience and one that will stay with you for a lifetime.

Three countries generated over half of the European Union's overall budget in 2017, Germany, the UK and France, hardly surprising as these are the three largest economies in the European Union.

The GDP for 2017 reached a massive €15.3 trillion with Germany with a GDP od €3,300 billion was the largest economy in the EU and generated a fifth of the entire European Union GDP.

The United Kingdom remained second despite a 0.9 percent drop in the EU GDP share between 2016 and 2017. It generated 15.2 percent of GDP, just 0.3 percent more than France (14.9 percent). The top three countries are followed by Italy (11.2 percent), Spain (7.6 percent), and the Netherlands (4.8 percent).

Croatia came in the bottom half of the economic list. In fact, Croatia’s GDP accounted for a mere 0.3 percent of the EU GDP in 2017. The same figure was produced by Bulgaria, Slovenian and Lithuania.