The head of Konavle municipality Bozo Lasic and the president of Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiques (DPDS), Niko Kapetanic signed a contract to hand over the fortress management at Prevlaka to the hands of Society.

DPDS will manage the fortress for 20 years as they agreed to put in order the fortress, open the aquarium and museum of Austro-Hungarian maritime memorabilia.

Previously Konavle municipality signed a contract with the state property ministry, whereby the Prevlaka fortress was returned to Konavle municipality.

The Office of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County in Brussels in cooperation with Matica Hrvatska in Brussels, the Croatian Tourist Board Representation and the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Kingdom of Belgium are organizing the celebration of Saint Blaise, Dubrovnik patron saint, for the fifth time in Brussels.

This year's celebration will start on January 28th by reading the proclamation of the Festival in front of the cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula, with the releasing of doves as a symbol of freedom and peace. Festanjuli are Ivica Srsen and Bozo Butigan. After the opening of the Festival, traditional Kandelora Dinner will be held at the Vinograd restaurant with the vocal group Kase.

On the following day, January 29th at the Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in the Kingdom of Belgium, a lecture will be given by the director of the Dubrovnik Museums Pavica Vilac on the topic "St. Blaise and Dubrovnik ", as well as the opening of the Dubrovnik Wine week with the vocal group Kase in the wine bar Bois Tranquille. Presentation of the "Enology of Dubrovnik-Neretva County" to journalists and travel agencies from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will be held by Franica Milos of the Regional Development Agency DUNEA and Sommelier Ivo Ivanis with a taste of golden wines and winners of last year's Festiwine.

Partners of the St. Blaise celebration in Brussels are the Office of the Representative in the European Parliament Mrs. Dubravka Suica, Representation of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Brussels, Tourist Board of the City of Dubrovnik and Tourist Board of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

By completing the criminal investigation of police officers of the Police Station Dubrovnik and the Police Station of Ploce, 66-year-old Austrian citizen is suspected of two criminal offenses of fraud.

He is suspected that from January 9th until January 12th this year he used the services of accommodation in one hotel in Ploce and left the hotel without paying a stay, which is a cost of almost 1,300 Kuna. Same thing happened in Dubrovnik, where he stayed in one hotel from January 13th to 16th, not paying the bill which was 5,500 Kuna.

The Austrian citizen has been handed over to the detaining officer of the Police Administration of Dubrovnik Neretva County, in addition to the criminal charges.

On Wednesday, January 17th at 7 pm Croatian time, Davor Rostuhar successfully finished the first Croatian expedition to the South Pole!

The expedition lasted for 47 days, during which Davor himself, walking on skis, without food being delivered to him and without help of the wind, dogs, etc., crossed 1163 kilometers (total climb - 2800 m) from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole, becoming the first Croat and 21st person in the world who has succeeded to do that.

All he needed for life (tents, food, equipment, etc.) he dragged in the sledge that weighed 135 kilos at the beginning of the expedition. He walked between 10 and 12 hours daily, an average of 25 kilometers a day. When it comes to breaks – he had a total of three days. The temperatures were between -15 and -27, with the windchill (real feel) up to -50.

                           Photo by official Facebook page: Davor Rostuhar - pisac i fotograf 

Davor did not have any problems on his journey. He feels fantastic and is looking forward to eating pizza soon and standing under a warm shower. He will return to Croatia in late January.

- I am grateful to all who believed in me. So many of my dear people told me that they are sure I will succeed, even though I was not even sure myself. There were those who did not say it, but I felt they were suspicious of my success, as well as those who secretly hoped I would not succeed. And I am grateful to them because they awoke a bitterness in me which was sometimes welcome to get to my goal.. – Davor wrote at his blog, where he described every step of the way of his expedition. Amazing job!

The latest international production to be filmed in Croatia will hit the screens on the 29th of March. The Ridley Scott produced “The Terror” is a ten-part television series and was partly filmed on the island of Pag back in April last year. AMC Studios has released a teaser trailer for the upcoming series and it follows the disappearance of a Royal Navy expedition in 1847 after they were searching for the northwest passage.

Produced by Alien director Ridley Scott, the show is based on Dan Simmons’ 2007 novel by the same name. It’s a fictionalized account of the real expedition, which became mired in the ice near King William Island in Nunavut between 1845 and 1848. The remains of both vessels were only recently discovered in 2014 and 2016.

Mamma Mia and The Terror filmed on Pag - Photo by Pag Tourist Board 

After the romantic comedy Mamma Mia – Here We Go Again was also filmed on Pag this series is a darker more supernatural tale. How a series based in the cold and snow could be filmed on the sunny Croatian island of Pag isn’t clear from the trailer, more will be revealed as the series starts.

The days of a blind turn into Cavtat from the main road will soon be behind us as a reconstruction project is currently underway. Creating a safer and wider entrance into the road to Cavtat has been in the pipeline for decades, but now the project is in the final stages. All the documentation required has long been collected, the process of expropriation and the purchase of land has been completed and the works are being carried out with full intensity.

"For decades we have been waiting for the beginning of works that will solve the traffic jams that have caused great dissatisfaction for locals and guests. The process of designing and getting all the necessary permits has been going on for too long, but luckily it is now behind us and it is time for Cavtat to get an entry road it deserves due to the traffic load during the season. The works should end by September this year, and the value of the project is almost HRK 20 million,” commented the mayor of Konavle Božo Lasić.

The contract for reconstruction, worth HRK 19.38 million, was signed in May by the President of the Croatian Road Administration, Josip Škorić, and CEO of Osijek-koteksa, Zoran Škorić. The President of the Croatian Road Administration said on that occasion that this project would solve a dangerous crossing and a big problem.

The beauties of the Dubrovnik region are being presented in the Spanish capital, Madrid, at one of the most important travel fairs on the Iberian Peninsula. Starting today the trade fair will last until the 21st of January and the Dubrovnik – Neretva County Tourist Board is attending on the stand of the Croatian National Tourist Board stand.

The FITUR fair in Madrid traditionally attracts both travel agents and tourism professionals as well as the general public looking for inspiration on where to holiday this year.

"This is our fourth consecutive presentation at this fair, and due to the abolition of the Croatian Tourist Board's representation in Spain, as well as the steady growth in arrivals and tourist nights from Spain, visitors are visiting our booth in large numbers,” commented the County Tourist Board.

All smiles on the Dubrovnik stand in Madrid 

Croatians love their beer, that's not a secret and now there is a proof for that! The newest study by Statista reveals that Croatia was one of the top beer drinking countries in the world last year. 

The website brought data showing how much beer people in selected countries consumed in 2017. Croatia was placed 6th, with the beer sales per capita in last year - 81.19 liters.

They were far behind unbeatable Czechs – the average Czech drank 137.38 liters in 2017 and nobody came even close to that. For example, Poland that is placed second with 98.06 liters.

Other countries that drank more beer than Croatia are Germany, Austria and Lithuania.