This popular, easy and fun summer game was invented about 1923 on the Bačvice beach in the city of Split, and soon became a favourite pastime on other beaches throughout the Adriatic coast. Owing to its popularity it is inscribed on Croatia’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Try your hand at this fun summer sport – all you need to do is make sure the ball does not fall into the sea!
Read moreIf you love the beautiful scent of lavender and want to indulge all your senses, visit the island of Hvar. Millions of purple flowers that grow on tiny shrubs release their magical scent throughout the island, especially in May and June. There is also a lavender festival, held each summer in Velo Grablje.
Read moreWhen in Dalmatia, be sure to taste dishes under the bell, traditional specialities prepared in the fireplace ovens in konobas of the Dalmatian hinterland. Whatever you opt for – veal, lamb, octopus or calamari, you’ll be thrilled with the mouth-watering harmony of tastes.
Read moreHow about waking up in the fresh air to the sound of roosters crowing? Explore the Istrian countryside by picking olives and grapes, tasting superb local wines and trying your luck at truffle hunting. Or opt for the Dubrovnik surroundings – Konavle, Mljet and Lastovo. Experience Croatia’s magic countryside, intact nature and hospitability of hard-working locals, and enjoy delicious homemade food and beverages.
Read moreCroatia’s Adriatic coast is widely known for picturesque sunsets. Even the legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock once said there were no sunsets on Earth like in the Croatian city of Zadar. The truth is – the entire coast, from Istria to Dalmatia, as well as islands (in particular Hvar and Rab), offer unforgettable sunsets. See for yourselves what makes the Adriatic a perfect destination for romantics!
Read moreHolidaying on the Makarska Riviera? Be sure to put Biokovo on your to-do list! One of Croatia’s most beautiful mountains was declared a nature park in 1981, and its peak Sv. Jure (1,762 m) is the third highest in the country. The horseshoe-shaped viewpoint Skywalk, a newly-built attraction, lends a miraculous view that should not be missed out on.
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3 minHave you ever wondered what you can discover on the streets of a town that has existed for almost two thousand years?
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Nikola Tesla, a scientist, inventor and one of the most brilliant minds in modern history, was born in 1856 in the village of Smiljan near Gospić (Lika region in Croatia). Tesla spent most of his life in the U.S., and his ground-breaking work, innovations and patents in the field of electrical engineering changed the world. Tesla died in 1943 in New York, and his birth house in Smiljan is now a memorial centre honouring his name and lifework.
The historical railway that once connected 33 Istrian towns and villages on the way from Poreč to Trieste has been turned into Istria’s cycling and hiking trail. The 123 km long narrow-gauge railway was closed in 1935, after only 33 years of service. However, it has left an indelible impression on the entire region and is today a favourite trail of many cyclists and other sports enthusiasts.
The 5.5 km long Walls of Ston, built in the 14th century, are the longest walls in Europe. Fortified by some 40 towers and 5 fortresses, they connect Ston and Mali Ston. Their importance for the Republic of Dubrovnik was invaluable: among other things, they served to defend the city’s salt pans that generated 15,900 ducats a year.
The city of Pula on the Istrian peninsula is home to a spectacular Roman amphitheatre Croatia is widely known for. This monument of ancient times is the world’s sixth largest and one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres. With the surface area of 11,500 m2, the glorious arena could accommodate up to 23,000 spectators.
Croatia is abundant in the most precious resource of the 21st century: water! Boasting 26 billion cubic metres of water, or 27,330 cubic metres per capita on average, it ranks among the top EU countries in this respect. In addition to providing invaluable drinking water springs, rivers throughout the country proud themselves on breath-taking wonders of nature.
Did you know that the first chocolate with rice was made in Croatia? Back in 1964, an unusual combination of chocolate and rice was tried out at the Zvečevo factory in the town of Požega. The confectionery made of puffed rice, 90% milk chocolate and milk from a local dairy was named Mikado. So treat your palate to the famous chocolate many generations grew up with!
Whether you are travelling in the Adriatic or exploring new destinations, be sure to put the magical island of Hvar on your list.
Read moreWould you like to share with us and our readers your memories, experiences and recommendations from your holidays in Croatia? Email them at blog@valamar.com and tell us what it was like, what impressed you the most, where you were and what you enjoyed most!
One of my biggest wishes for this year was to come to Croatia again. I hope I’ll have a chance to do that… I have so much I want to see and experience there. I can’t wait!
I love the food at Istrian restaurants… Especially their fish specialties. I even tried at home to prepare some of the dishes that impressed me the most, but they turned out to be not nearly as good. I’ll just have to find out first-hand in one of those restaurants what exactly I’m doing wrong and how to fix it 🙂
