Due to the forecast of bad weather, the Recreational Walk through the Hinterland, originally scheduled for May 14th, has been postponed to a new date – May 20th. The starting point remains the same.

Novi Vinodolski is a town rich in history, cultural heritage, and natural beauty, proudly upholding the tradition of organized tourism for 145 years. It has been 735 years since the Vinodol Code was written here in 1288, in what is now the Town Hall. The fact that in 1878 the Mrzljak family built their own bathing area on the Bribir Riviera marks the early and strong beginnings of tourism in Novi Vinodolski, with that year recorded as the official start of tourism development. However, the foundations for tourism were laid even earlier – in 1746, when a road was built from Novi through Vinodol and Bakar to Rijeka, followed by the Novi–Jasenak–Ogulin road connecting inland Croatia with the coast.

This year marks not only 145 years of tourism, but also 40 years since the extension of Hotel Lišanj, 30 years of the International Summer Carnival, and 25 years of winemaking in Pavlomir. These anniversaries highlight the city’s long-standing tradition and its importance both within Croatia and beyond.

Throughout May and June, the Tourist Board of Novi Vinodolski, in cooperation with local institutions, associations, and tourism professionals, will celebrate these anniversaries through a variety of activities and events. The festivities will symbolically begin this Sunday, May 14th, with a recreational walk through the beautiful green hinterland of Novi, in the area of Breze. The starting point is at 10:00 a.m. in Breze (across from the sawmill). In case of bad weather, the walk will be cancelled.

Tourism cannot thrive without those who create offers and provide services – among them, hospitality professionals. Trends in gastronomy and lifestyle continue to evolve, shaping visitor preferences. Recognizing this, the Tourist Board has organized four educational workshops for restaurateurs, led by experts in their fields.

The first week’s workshop, led by Chef Damir Tomljanović from Rijeka (originally from Novi Vinodolski), will focus on new trends, ingredients, cost calculations, meal preparation, and presentation. It will take place on May 16th at Marina Novi.
The second workshop, Raw Vegan for Restaurateurs, will introduce participants to an increasingly popular style of cuisine. The session will include the preparation of a vegan menu featuring a hearty salad, protein dressing made from seeds and nuts, avocado dressing, almond milk, and a raw vegan fruit cake. The goal is to encourage restaurateurs to incorporate vegan desserts or salads into their menus – or even more, if they wish. The workshop will be led by Mrs. Spomenka Marković from Raw Slastice Viškovo on May 18th in the Small Hall above the Cultural Centre. Registration is required due to limited seating. Applications can be sent to tzg-novi-vinodolski@ri.t-com.hr until all spots are filled.

The second week of educational workshops will be dedicated to desserts and wines. Pastry chef Lorena Otavijević, from “Daj kolačić”, will share her knowledge and skills in creating modern desserts that set one establishment apart from another — desserts that are both of high quality and visually appealing. The workshop will take place on May 23rd in the Town Hall of Novi Vinodolski, and to make sure everything doesn’t stay only theoretical, Lorena will also bring and present some of her delicious creations.

The final workshop will focus on the wine and eno scene, an increasingly important part of tourism and one of the main reasons for visiting various destinations, wineries, and wine fairs. Croatia truly boasts top-quality wines and a variety of fine spirits, and the Kvarner region has much to offer in this regard. Lucija Matijević, a sommelier from Kvarner, will talk about wine lists, grape varieties, wine and food pairing, and other essential topics every restaurateur should know. This workshop will be held on Thursday, May 25th, at the Sky Bar of the Wyndham Grand Novi Vinodolski Resort.

The walk and workshop on medicinal herbs were met with very positive feedback, and a wonderful continuation of that will be a herb picking and balm-making session led by Mrs. Vasiljevka Kovač. This event will be moved to a new date, which will be announced in due time.

This year also marks 40 years since the expansion of Hotel Lišanj. To celebrate the occasion, there will be a photo exhibition and lecture on the history of the hotel, held in the courtyard of the old part of the hotel — a beautiful setting reminiscent of times gone by. Unfortunately, due to organizational reasons, the event has been rescheduled from June 7th to July 5th at 7:00 PM.

We are also pleased to announce that this year, in Mitan Marina in Novi Vinodolski, the most beautiful girl of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County will be selected to compete for the Miss Croatia title next year. In addition to this eye-catching event, Novi Vinodolski will host two wonderful concerts: the Kaplan Choir will perform in the town center, while Tea Bašić, accompanied by pianist Mateo Žmak, will perform on Prva Dražica Beach, accompanied by the soothing sound of the sea.

The Sparkling Breakfast in the Vineyard will bring together Kvarner’s finest sparkling wines and local products to celebrate 25 years of winemaking at Pavlomir Winery. The event will be organized under the patronage of the Zagreb Salon of Sparkling Wines, with the support of the Tourist Board of Novi Vinodolski, Pavlomir Winery, and the Kvarner Wines Association. Visitors will enjoy a unique experience showcasing the best of the region, accompanied by smooth jazz music. The program will include a sparkling wine and chocolate pairing workshop and the presentation of a new wine – En primeur. Tickets for the event, which will take place on June 24th at 10:00 AM, cost €20 per person and are payable directly to the Pavlomir Winery.

To mark its anniversary, Pavlomir will also treat visitors to a concert by the popular Klapa Intrade, held in the scenic surroundings of the vineyard, creating the perfect introduction to the 30th International Summer Carnival.

The tradition of the Summer Carnival in Novi Vinodolski dates back to 1993, and this year it celebrates its 30th anniversary with an even richer program. On June 27th, a photo exhibition celebrating 30 years of the Carnival will open at the Tourist Information Center of the Novi Vinodolski Tourist Board and along the Korzo of Croatian Defenders. On June 29th, a Carnival party with six DJs will take place in the town center as a warm-up for the upcoming parades.

The Children’s Parade will be held on Friday, June 30th at 8:00 PM, featuring music on two stages and a fun children’s program. All children, whether part of a group or not, are welcome to dress up and join the parade.

The grand finale – the Great International Parade – will be held on Saturday, July 1st at 8:00 PM, featuring numerous groups and costumes, music on three stages, awards for the best and most creative masks, and fantastic entertainment lasting late into the night. “With the 30th Summer Carnival, we will symbolically round off the celebration of this year’s anniversaries and announce the continuation of a lively and eventful summer in Novi Vinodolski. I hope everyone will find something for themselves and that there will be plenty of reasons to visit Novi. My deepest thanks go to all co-organizers for their support and effort, as well as to those who recognize and follow our work – the Kvarner Tourist Board and the Croatian National Tourist Board,” said Tena Peričić, Director of the Tourist Board of Novi Vinodolski.