Italians have their dolce far niente, and Croatians - fjaka. What is the Dalmatian art of relaxation about?

Italians have their dolce far niente, and Croatians have their fjaka. The art of sweet idleness can be wrongly confused with laziness. For Croatians, fjaka is the ability to be here and now, a short meditation and a tool that allows you to relax.

Dalmatians call fjaka a state of mind. It is a skill that comes naturally. The state of fjaka can appear while looking at the sea or drinking coffee in the rays of the rising sun.

The term fjaka probably appeared in Dalmatia in the Middle Ages thanks to Venetian sailors and merchants. They used the Italian word fiacco, which loosely translates to "tired" or "apathetic".

Often, fjaka is wrongly associated with laziness , which, as the Croats claim, it has nothing to do with. For them, it is the art of being here and now , a short meditation and a tool that allows you to relax, slow down your body and mind.

- Fjaka inspires people not to worry about things. It's about not being money-oriented. We have other priorities here that exist outside of capitalism - admitted Marc van Bloemen , a Briton who has lived in Dubrovnik for 20 years, in an interview with AFAR. - Fjaka is meditation without meditation - adds artist Josip Skerlj in the interview. It's a straight line, uninterrupted by ups and downs - the Croats repeat.