Since the first performance of the Midsummer Scene Festival at Fort Lovrjenac in 2014, only a few believed it would grow into a traditional festival visited every summer by thousands of people from around the world. This summer will be no different – from June 22 to July 6, the historic Lovrjenac Fortress, Rector’s Palace, and the entire city of Dubrovnik will once again become the most beautiful stage and home to this international theatre festival.

Now in its eleventh edition, this year’s festival brings an excellent program, rich with classical dramas, contemporary adaptations, and local cultural gems. The highlight: Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s The School for Scandal, which will be performed in Croatia for the first time.

Until July 5 (except June 28), audiences will be able to dive each evening at Lovrjenac into a world of sharp gossip, refined hypocrisy, and witty intrigue in the brilliant satire The School for Scandal. This timeless piece, which opened the door to the comedy of manners and boldly mocked 18th-century social norms, comes to Lovrjenac in a production directed by Fred Gray, a rising star of London’s West End. With a lavish staging, an award-winning British cast, stunning costumes by Broadway Drama Desk-nominated Robert Surace, and lighting design by Aleksandar Mondecar, this is a true theatrical spectacle under the Dubrovnik stars. If you thought today’s tabloids were outrageous, Sheridan will show you it all started long before Instagram — and was just as entertaining.

At the heart of the festival, on June 28, a special tribute will be paid to the father of Croatian drama, Marin Držić, during Držić Day at the Rector’s Palace. In collaboration with the Marin Držić House, this year’s event celebrates the English translations of two of his masterpieces – Skup and Venere and Adonis – published by the cultural institution. Translators Filip Krenus and Wendy Bracewell worked as each other’s editors, and their partnership symbolizes meaningful international dialogue. The evening, following a historic reading of Držić’s comedies at St John’s University in York, will culminate in a performance by the charismatic Adele Anderson, whose music and interpretation will round off this celebration of Dubrovnik’s cultural heritage.

The festival will close on July 6 with a touch of magic – a solo performance of I, Peaseblossom, a moving and witty fairy monologue inspired by a character from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, written by Tim Crouch. Directed by Philip Parr (York Shakespeare Festival) and performed by Filip Krenus, this unique show transports audiences into a magical world of fairies and mortals through the eyes of Peaseblossom. With innovative video animation, shadow theatre, and visual effects by world-renowned Joseph Herscher (Joseph’s Machines), the performance offers an interactive theatrical experience that blurs the line between stage and audience. Unique, tender, and disarmingly funny, this show has already been invited to the Shakespeare Festival in Verona in 2025 and is a true gem to close Dubrovnik’s summer.

The Midsummer Scene Festival once again brings together tradition, languages, world-class artists, and audiences from across the globe. It is organized with the support of the Dubrovnik Tourist Board and the City of Dubrovnik, and numerous sponsors, produced by Brilliant Events Dubrovnik and London’s Honey-Tongued Theatre Productions. Midsummer Scene celebrates Dubrovnik as a city of culture, where history and art live side by side.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković is visiting the United States on May 7 and 8. Upon arrival, he participated in the inauguration of the new session of the Congressional Croatian-American Friendship Caucus, stating that the caucus will promote cooperation in foreign policy, energy, trade, and transatlantic relations.

Speaking in Washington, Plenković said this was an excellent opportunity to highlight the relationship between the United States and Croatia as partners and allies—especially within the NATO alliance—as well as to emphasize bilateral relations and growing economic exchange.

"During the first term of my government, from 2016 to 2020, we decided to build a liquefied natural gas terminal on the island of Krk. That decision has proven to be politically farsighted in light of the energy crisis following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, ensuring gas supply diversification for Croatia and positioning us as a regional hub for gas arriving from the United States. This has certainly transformed the scale of our energy cooperation, which is very important," said Plenković.

He also emphasized that Croatia is a country undergoing positive development, highlighting that it has been a NATO member for 16 years and a member of the European Union for 12 years. He pointed out that bilateral relations with the U.S. have been strengthened by the lifting of visa requirements and Croatia’s inclusion in the Global Entry program.

Plenković expressed hope that the Croatian-American Friendship Caucus would further contribute to the dynamic development of relations between the two countries. "In short, we look forward to greater investment from the United States in our country," he added.

"I would like to thank our ambassador and the entire team here for their daily efforts to improve relations between Croatia and the United States," he concluded.

California Democratic Congresswoman Nanette Barragán congratulated Plenković on his contribution to Croatia’s economic growth and the strengthening of international ties with the European Union. She said the caucus plays a vital role in deepening U.S.-Croatia relations.

"Since the last session of Congress, we sent a letter to the Senate urging ratification of the double taxation avoidance agreements between the U.S. and Croatia, something we’ve already discussed. We will continue to advocate for this treaty’s ratification in the current Congress and work to resolve the issues blocking it," said Barragán.

Republican Congressman Dave Joyce from Ohio said that Americans of Croatian descent continue to contribute across the U.S. "This is especially true in northeast Ohio, home to over 15,000 Croatian Americans—the fourth-largest concentration in the country.

The work of the Croatian Caucus will ensure that the U.S. and Croatia maintain strong bilateral relations. Since gaining independence, Croatia has been our ally, and we share a commitment to democratic values and the rule of law. Under President Trump, we will continue to strengthen these ties and further enhance our economic and cultural cooperation," he stated.

Joining the Prime Minister on the Washington visit are Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman and Minister of Economy Ante Šušnjar.

The Mayor of the City of Dubrovnik, Mato Franković, along with his associates, welcomed a delegation from the twin city of Sorrento yesterday, which included Mayor Massimo Coppola and President of the City Council Luigi Di Prisco. On this occasion, the commitment to continuing the successful cooperation between the two cities was reaffirmed.

Mayor Franković emphasized the importance of such meetings in deepening cultural and friendly ties, expressing special gratitude for the gift from the city of Sorrento – authentic Neapolitan nativity scene figures.

"The Neapolitan nativity scene, which adorned our park at Ploče during the Christmas season, was much more than just a decoration – it symbolized friendship, warmth, and cultural closeness between our cities. With this gift, Sorrento shared a piece of its tradition and spirit with us, and the people of Dubrovnik recognized and embraced it with great joy. I believe we will continue to nurture such noble gestures that go beyond formal relations and bring us even closer together," said Mayor Franković.

As part of the visit, a formal signing of a Partnership Agreement took place this morning in front of the Crijević Pucić summer residence between the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra and the Sorrento Concert Society (Società Concerti di Sorrento), further strengthening relations at an even higher level and opening new opportunities for joint projects. Among them is the planned event “Sorrento-Dubrovnik Celebration Concert Day,” which will be held annually in both cities as part of their cultural programmes.

The cultural exchange was further enriched by yesterday’s concert by the Piccola Orchestra Tasso in the Rector’s Palace, joined by the vocal group (klapa) of the Luka Sorkočević Art School, creating a unique blend of musical expression from both communities.

Also, as part of the exchange programme, children from Sorrento are staying in Dubrovnik from May 5 to 7, participating in various activities and visiting cultural and educational institutions. This allows them to experience the city, its culture, and their Dubrovnik peers firsthand, further strengthening the foundations of this lasting friendship.

Dubrovnik Airport is seeing promising results in passenger traffic in 2025, with growth continuing into the early months of the year. After impressive results in 2023 and 2024, the airport is on track for another solid year, showcasing Dubrovnik’s status as a major European travel destination. 

A Positive Start to 2025

The year 2025 began strong for Dubrovnik Airport, with January 2025 seeing 19,856 passengers. February also showed growth, with 22,314 passengers, continuing the positive trend set in 2024.

March's numbers reached 48,998 passengers, showing a solid growth compared to 42,657 passengers in March 2024. This early momentum suggests that 2025 is shaping up to be another robust year for the airport.

Spring Expectations: Continued Strong Numbers

Looking at the upcoming months, spring 2025 is expected to see continued strong passenger numbers. April 2025 saw 245,397 passengers—a notable increase compared to the same month in 2024, when 224,163 passengers passed through the airport. As the high season approaches, passenger numbers in May are expected to grow, with 361,755 passengers recorded in May 2024.

Summer Traffic Projections for 2025

As summer approaches, Dubrovnik Airport’s peak months—June to August—are expected to see significant passenger traffic, following the strong results of 2024. In June 2024, the airport recorded 431,771 passengers, while July and August saw 522,848 and 530,885 passengers, respectively. 

Growth in Overall Traffic

Looking at the year-to-date traffic, Dubrovnik Airport has seen a steady rise in passengers, totaling 336,565 passengers by the end of April 2025. 

The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will perform this Sunday, May 11, in Croatia’s most prestigious concert venue—the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall in Zagreb. With this concert, the orchestra will celebrate its 100th anniversary in the capital, while also contributing to the second edition of the Zagreb Spring Music Festival, which this year is dedicated to the great composer and pedagogue, Stjepan Šulek.

On this occasion, the orchestra will be conducted by Valentin Egel, with violinist Eva Šulić Brajčić appearing as the soloist at Lisinski. The program will include works by Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Sorkočević, Rogowski, and Šulek.

Audiences in Dubrovnik will also have the opportunity to hear part of this program—and soloist Eva Šulić Brajčić—at a concert this Friday, May 9, in the atrium of the Rector’s Palace. The Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will traditionally perform this concert as part of the celebrations for Dubrovnik-Neretva County Day. As in previous years, students from local music schools will perform alongside the orchestra. This year’s participants are Ema Bulum (flute), Blanka Maria Franušić (horn), and Đive Ćatić (cello). The concert will begin at 8:30 p.m.

After the concerts in Dubrovnik and Zagreb, the Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra will travel to Poland, where they will give two performances, in Lublin and Warsaw. The tour is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković met with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, expressing satisfaction that the two countries enjoy "partnership-based and good neighbourly relations."

The Prime Minister also shared on platform X his pleasure that the two countries held an economic forum that brought together numerous companies, “with the aim of boosting economic cooperation and investment.”

Tajani arrived in Zagreb primarily for the forum, which gathered around 150 companies.

In his post, Plenković noted that in 2024, Italy was Croatia’s second-largest foreign trade partner, with total trade amounting to €8.3 billion.

“We discussed bilateral issues, transatlantic relations, the situation in Southeast Europe—particularly in Bosnia and Herzegovina—as well as the importance of continued support for Ukraine,” the Prime Minister wrote.

Earlier on Tuesday, Tajani also met with his Croatian counterpart Gordan Grlić Radman and addressed the economic forum.

A new season of the acclaimed documentary series Treasures of the World was recently filmed at the Lokrum Reserve. During the shoot, renowned British historian and television presenter Bettany Hughes visited Dubrovnik, accompanied by her production team from SandStone Global Productions.

The series airs on Britain’s Channel 4 and is also broadcast on numerous international networks, reaching millions of viewers across more than 120 countries worldwide, according to an announcement on the Lokrum Reserve’s official Facebook page.

Whether it’s the warm glow of morning or the shimmering lights at sunset, discover the best times to experience the Dubrovnik Cable Car and make your visit unforgettable.

There are many ways to fall in love with Dubrovnik. You can stroll its marble-paved streets, feel the centuries under your feet, dive into the crystalline Adriatic, or dine by candlelight beneath medieval stone. But there’s one experience that quite literally rises above them all—the Dubrovnik Cable Car. And while the view is consistently awe-inspiring, choosing the right time of day can elevate your journey from impressive to unforgettable.

From the blush of first light to the final gold-streaked moments of dusk, the Cable Car offers a window into the soul of the city.

So, when is the best time to ride it? The answer, quite beautifully, depends on what you’re looking for: tranquillity, clarity, romance, or drama. Let us take you through a day in the sky above Dubrovnik—one breath-taking moment at a time.

Morning: The Quiet Majesty of Morning

For early risers, there’s a kind of magic that only exists in the morning - a time when Dubrovnik is still wiping the sleep from its eyes, and the air is cool, calm, and filled with promise. As the cable car cabin begins its slow ascent up Mount Srđ, the city begins to reveal itself in layers. The rooftops turn from grey to rose, the sea shifts from indigo to silver, and the first golden rays begin to dance across the ancient walls.

There’s a hush in the morning, both literal and metaphorical. It’s a moment of calm reflection, ideal for photographers, couples, or anyone seeking a more meditative encounter with the city.

And with fewer visitors around, it often feels as if you have the entire sky to yourself.

Perfect for: Photographers, honeymooners, peace-seekers, and early birds.

Midday: The Crystal-Clear Canvas

As the day unfolds and the city buzzes into life, the Dubrovnik Cable Car takes on a different energy. By late morning and early afternoon, the sun is high and the sky is a painter’s dream—vivid, crisp, and impossibly blue. It’s during this time that the views are at their sharpest and most vibrant, making it ideal for first-time visitors who want to soak in the full splendour of Dubrovnik in detail.

From the cabin, the Old City is laid out like a model village: the symmetry of Stradun, the green patches of cloister gardens, the neat battlements wrapping protectively around the town. Beyond the walls, Lokrum Island looks close enough to swim to, and the intricate patterns of the coastline unfold like a lace collar.

At midday, the views stretch as far as the eye can see—sometimes even across the sea to Italy if the weather is particularly kind. It's also when the contrast between the city's rich history and the natural grandeur of its setting is most striking. You realise, with a slight intake of breath, that Dubrovnik is not just beautiful—it’s perfectly placed.

Perfect for: First-time visitors, families, and those who want the clearest, most vivid views.

Late Afternoon: The Golden Hour Glow

Then comes what many consider the sweet spot - late afternoon, when the sun begins its slow descent and Dubrovnik slips into its most photogenic self. Photographers call it "golden hour" for good reason. The light softens, the colours warm, and the city is bathed in a kind of cinematic brilliance.

The terracotta rooftops below turn amber, the sea glimmers with flecks of gold, and the shadows grow long and theatrical across the landscape. As the cable car rises, the whole city seems to sigh in contentment, as if reflecting on a day well lived.

This is the perfect time for those looking to capture the city in its most flattering light - or simply to enjoy the beauty without the harsh glare of midday sun. It’s also when the upper station’s panoramic restaurant begins to fill with guests sipping chilled white wine or enjoying coffee and cake with a view.

Perfect for: Instagrammers, romantics, slow travellers, and sunset-chasers who like to be fashionably early.

Learn more or plan your visit: www.dubrovnikcablecar.com

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