Currently, the island of Lokrum can only be visited on weekends, but from March 29, a daily boat schedule to the island is planned, operating from 10 AM to 5 PM every hour, weather permitting.

The Lokrum Reserve Public Institution has also commented on preparations for the upcoming season, which, as they say, are being carried out in a planned manner in this special forest vegetation reserve, reports Dubrovacki Vjesnik. 

"Lokrum is ready to welcome visitors, with a continuous focus on maintaining safety, preserving natural and cultural values, and improving offerings in line with the island’s protection regime," says Ana Barović, Director of the Lokrum Reserve Public Institution.

And she added that “Horticultural activities also include the continuous upkeep of the Botanical Garden, which is carried out by the Institute for the Sea and Coast. Tree pruning and path maintenance have also been carried out in the Botanical Garden where needed.”

As part of maintaining urban equipment and infrastructure, worn-out interpretive boards and warning signs have been replaced, while fences, exercise equipment, and wooden structures such as the Portoč hut have been restored and repainted. The old shower in Portoč has also been replaced with a new double model.

The island of Lokrum is Dubrovnik's green oasis - Photo - Canva

Ladders for sea access are expected to be installed in April, depending on weather conditions and sea temperature.

For the 2025 season, ticket prices have increased. Last year, the entrance fee was €27, while this year it is €30.

The Lokrum Reserve Public Institution also offers rental services for specific locations on the island, as well as exclusive use of the entire island for one day.

"We frequently receive inquiries from domestic and international agencies regarding event organization and location rentals. However, to date, no official collaboration has been established for renting the entire island for a day," said Ana Barović.

According to Eurostat, Croatia ranks first in the EU for water reserves, with an average of 30,700 cubic meters per capita. UNESCO data places it fifth in Europe and 42nd globally in water availability and resources.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Green Transition highlights ongoing initiatives for water quality protection, public water supply improvements, wastewater treatment, and flood defense projects.

With €3.9 billion in EU-funded water infrastructure projects, 300,000 residents will gain improved water access, and 800,000 will benefit from enhanced wastewater treatment. Climate change challenges make water conservation a key priority in national reforms.

At the beginning of next week, large amounts of Saharan dust will once again flood the atmosphere, and strong southwesterly and southerly winds could carry it as far as the Arctic Circle.

In addition to Saharan dust, moderate to strong jugo (southeasterly winds) will arrive, along with scattered rain and thunderstorms, particularly on Sunday when heavier downpours are possible, reports tportal. 

How Saharan Dust Reaches Croatia

Sandstorms in the Sahara occur when strong winds blow through the desert in dry conditions. Some particles are large and heavy, and when they inevitably fall to the ground, their impact breaks up other sand formations, dispersing them into ultra-fine dust particles. These smaller particles travel across the Mediterranean and reach our region.

The average monthly net salary per employee in legal entities for January this year was 1,392 euros, which is 8% higher in real terms compared to January 2024, reported the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (DZS) on Thursday.

The average monthly net salary of 1,392 euros was nominally higher by 31 euros or 2.3% compared to December last year. Compared to January 2024, the net salary was nominally higher by 153 euros or 12.3%, and in real terms, it was 8% higher.

The highest average monthly net salary per employee was paid in the air transport industry, amounting to 2,184 euros, while the lowest was in the clothing manufacturing industry, at 919 euros.

Average Gross Salary: 1,925 Euros

The average monthly gross salary per employee in January was 1,925 euros, which is nominally 2.6% higher and 2.5% higher in real terms compared to December 2024. Compared to January 2024, it was nominally 13.6% higher and 9.2% higher in real terms, according to DZS data.

The highest average monthly gross salary per employee was also paid in the air transport industry, amounting to 3,166 euros, while the lowest was in clothing manufacturing, at 1,204 euros.

Following an agreement between the European Parliament and the European Council on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), Croatia has been positioned on two additional corridors: the Baltic Sea - Adriatic Sea and the Western Balkans - Eastern Mediterranean, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković announced on Tuesday via X.

On Monday evening, the European Parliament and the Council reached an agreement on the TEN-T Regulation to encourage the implementation of major projects related to rail networks, roads, inland waterways, and ports by 2030, reports tportal.  

"With the agreement on the TEN-T Regulation, Croatia is positioned on two additional corridors: the Baltic Sea - Adriatic Sea and the Western Balkans - Eastern Mediterranean. This fully integrates Croatia into the European Union’s transport system," Plenković wrote on X. According to him, Croatia fought for the inclusion of railway and road infrastructure up to Split, as well as in Slavonia, with the ports of Ploče and Split becoming core network ports, while Rijeka will be included in three corridors.

Plenković also announced the inclusion of an additional 450 km of railway lines, 430 km of roads, eight new ports, and five new urban nodes, making Croatia’s proportional changes to the TEN-T network the largest in Europe. Being positioned on four EU transport corridors creates the conditions for further investments and infrastructure development in Croatia. Among the current TEN-T projects are Rail Baltica, connecting Helsinki and Warsaw, the Brenner Pass tunnel linking Austria and Italy, and the high-speed rail line Lisbon-Madrid. European Commission Commissioner Adina Valean stated last night that this is a "historic agreement for the EU."

The Dubrovnik Tourist Board has launched an exclusive international marketing campaign that is being showcased on Sports24, a global platform for sports content in in-flight entertainment systems (IFE).

The campaign runs from March 16 to April 16, 2025, reaching 1.5 million passengers worldwide. Dubrovnik will be featured during live broadcasts and highlights of some of the most prestigious sports events, including the UEFA Champions League, NBA regular season, ATP and WTA tennis tournaments (Miami Open and Monte-Carlo Masters), Formula 1 (Saudi Arabian and Japanese Grand Prix), The Masters golf tournament, and the European Six Nations rugby final.

The campaign will be available to passengers on flights with prestigious airlines such as Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines, and many other global carriers that use the Sports24 platform for their in-flight entertainment. These marketing activities provide Dubrovnik with the opportunity for global visibility among travelers who are already in the process of planning or considering their future destinations. Given the engaged audience of the Sports24 platform, Dubrovnik will be positioned alongside high-end sports content, associating the city with premium brands.

The City of Dubrovnik will once again take part in the Earth Hour initiative organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). On Saturday, March 22, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM, the lights on Stradun, as well as the northern and western sections of the city walls—from Revelin to Pile and Fort Bokar—will be switched off.

Earth Hour is a perfect opportunity to show solidarity and care for both the planet and each other. The city encourages all residents, businesses, and individuals to join the initiative by turning off lights in their homes and workplaces.

Originally launched in Sydney in 2007 as a symbolic lights-out event, Earth Hour is now observed in over 180 countries and territories. Croatia joined the movement in 2009, with an increasing number of cities participating each year.

The Ministry of Physical Planning, Construction, and State Assets has issued a location permit for the reconstruction of the Kupari tourist complex, allowing the investor to begin demolishing the existing structures. All hotels on the site of the former military complex will be demolished except for Hotel Grand, which will be renovated.

In place of the former four hotels, a luxury complex with entirely new accommodation capacities will be built, with special attention given to landscaping.

The project dates back to 2014 when the renowned architectural firm 3LHD began working on the complete revitalization of the Župa Bay area.