Frozen waterfalls, fairy-tale scenery, pristine nature… Visiting Plitvice Lakes in the colder part of the year is a really special experience. You will get to know a beautiful winter face of this natural phenomenon, but also have at your disposal countless picturesque motifs for great photos. Just as importantly, it is less crowded in winter and the atmosphere is calm!
Read moreMany olive growers on the Adriatic coast offer tastings of their irresistible products, especially in Istria which is known for the quality of the olive oil and the tradition of its production. Autumn is the time of olive harvesting and processing, so now is the right time to discover all the charms of “liquid gold”, an indispensable part of the Mediterranean gastronomy and life!
Read moreFrom Istria through Kvarner to the extreme south of Dalmatia, the Adriatic coast abounds in marked and arranged bike paths. Whether you are a beginner who wants to get to know the surroundings of the place you’re located in, or you are a professional who wants to stay in shape even on holiday, everyone can find a bike path to their liking.
Read moreIt’s best to sip wine, especially at the end of days spent on holiday. But have you ever wondered how this divine potion is made? If you are in Croatia during autumn, make sure you participate in grape harvesting and grape processing and get acquainted with the whole process of making wine. That will make you appreciate this miraculous drink even more.
Read moreWhether you’re on holiday with friends and family, or you opted for an escape for two, you should definitely spend a day touring the Adriatic coast by kayak. From swimming and discovering the hidden coves of Istria to visiting Lokrum Island from which you will experience an unforgettable view of Dubrovnik, this adventure will perfectly complement your summer.
Read moreHaving fun on the Adriatic coast is great, but have you ever wondered what its seabed is hiding? We definitely suggest you discover it this summer! You can embark on this exciting adventure by diving to the Peltastis wreck near the coast of Krk Island, or set out to explore the rich flora and fauna in one of the diving centres in Labin.
Read moreOk, you know for sure what the longest defensive wall in the world is. But did you know that the second longest one is in Croatia, more precisely in the small town of Ston? And that you can visit it carelessly? Originally, these magnificent stone walls were almost 7 kilometres long, and today you can tour them in less than an hour by taking a light walk.
Read moreIf your trip takes you to Dalmatia, don’t leave this region without listening to at least one klapa live. This traditional polyphonic a cappella singing is so special it was included in the list of Intangible World Heritage by UNESCO in 2012. You’ll be humming the melodies you hear for a long time, and you will never forget the power of the a cappella singing.
Read moreThere are over 200 dinosaur footprints on the four islands of the Brijuni National Park. Yes, that’s right – dinosaur! These huge reptiles walked here more than 100 million years ago, and today you too can follow their footsteps. A real treat for all palaeontology enthusiasts, both children and adults!
Read moreYour gold digging days are over, we have a more lucrative and fun activity in store for you – truffle hunting in Istria, the Earth’s richest truffle depository. Join the local hunting party led by extremely scent-sensitive dogs or even pigs: a good time is a guarantee. If you find a sample of the most expensive mushroom in the world, you might even get rich!
Read moreCroatia is known as the land of most excellent wines, with most of its wineries open for visitors for tasting the best red, white or rosé wine. Check out your maps, ask the locals or just follow the guideposts, but make sure to hit all the picturesque wine roads on your way. Bring a designated driver along, though!
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4 minEven now when you are spending more time at home, you can still enjoy the beauties of the Adriatic by watching films and TV series. We single out a few locations that won the hearts of filmmakers!
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A walk along the Zadar waterfront is a unique experience not only because of the beautiful view but also because of the magical sound that fills the promenade. You guessed it, this is the Sea organ, an innovative architectural project that creates music with the help of the sea. Underwater pipes that “catch” the melody of the waves were installed in 2005 on the western part of the Zadar waterfront, and were designed by architect Nikola Bašić.
Did you know that the method of taking fingerprints (dactyloscopy) was invented by a Croat? Ivan Vučetić was born in Hvar in 1858, and as a 26-year-old he emigrated to Argentina. He invented equipment for taking fingerprints there, and used it to effectively solve the first case. The rest, as they say, is history. Today, there is a bust of this great inventor in Hvar’s Đardin Park.
The famous Baška tablet is one of the most important and oldest Croatian written monuments. It was made around 1100 and found in the Church of St. Lucy in Jurandvor near Baška on Krk Island. The engraved Glagolitic text tells of how the Croatian king Zvonimir donated land to the Church of St. Lucy. This precious document is kept in the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb.
The next time you wear a tie, remember that it is the Croats who are responsible for its creation! The tie worn by Croatian soldiers in the 17th century attracted the attention of fashion-conscious French people, so the new fashion trend quickly spread among the local nobility, and later in the rest of Europe. Today we also have World Tie Day which is celebrated on October 18th.
With an average of 2,600 sunshine hours a year, the Croatian Adriatic is one of the sunniest Mediterranean areas. Dalmatia is the sunniest, i.e. the southern Adriatic, while Hvar Island is known for the highest insolation in Croatia with more than 2,700 sunshine hours. However, residents of Vis Island may tell you that this flattering title actually belongs to their island.
Croatia has one of the most indented coastlines in Europe and is rightly called “Land of Thousand Islands”. It has 1244 islands and islets, but only 67 of them are inhabited. The largest is Cres Island, followed by Krk Island, just slightly smaller than Cres Island. Hvar Island, on the other hand, holds the title of the sunniest island. Which islands have you visited so far?
Dalmatians are very sociable hound dogs who adore water. They are widely recognized by their dotted fur pattern which can be black or brown, and have gained worldwide popularity through, among other things, numerous adaptations of stories about 101 Dalmatians. And finally, you guessed it, one of the oldest dog breeds in Croatia comes from the region after which it was named – Dalmatia.
In Croatian, iris (perunika) was named after Perun, god of lightning. The ancient stories say these beautiful flowers grow where lightning strikes. The other name for these purple, blue, yellow or white flowers comes from the name of the ancient Greek goddess Iris. Representing royal and divine symbol in ancient Egypt, it is the Croatian national flower today, a symbol of peace among nations.
What do about 20 residents, 3 rows of houses, 2 streets and 1 castle have in common? They all make up world’s smallest city – Hum! Situated on a hill in central Istria, mentioned for the first time in 1102, legend has it this is one of the cities of the Mirna River valley built by giants… Hum is today also called the City of biska, local mistletoe flavoured brandy considered to be medicinal.
As winter blooms into spring in March, things can get quite tumultuous. It’s the season of bura, the almighty north-eastern katabatic wind that blows away everything in its path with gusts stronger than 100 km/h! Bura is a clean lady, so the saying goes, and March is her favourite month for spring cleaning. We welcome her arrival, though, because she brings a fresh, crisp air and usually introduces long periods of stable, sunny weather.
Jugo is just a southern wind, but Croatians tend to believe that it has some kind of supernatural powers making them sad, lazy, gloomy, grumpy, sneezy, sleepy, dopey – OK, now we’re just listing the dwarfs from the film Snow White. Jugo is blowing, give us a break! The point is, when they start blaming jugo for whatever, just nod and play along. It’ll stop. The winds always do.
Surrounded by the beautiful blue sea and boasting of the most days of sunlight in the region, as well as a rich cultural heritage, Dubrovnik is the perfect location for your next holiday.
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 🙂
