Croatia - 11 days in the Land of Culture and Beauty

Croatia, a land of spectacular sceneries, of rich cultural heritage and fairy-tale medieval towns situated at the crossroads of Central Europe and the Mediterranean Sea will offer you its miracles.

Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, dated back to the 11th and 13th centuries with its Baroque architecture and picturesque open-air markets, the unique setting of Plitvice Lakes, the glamorous island of Hvar, Diocletian’s Palace in Split as one of the most imposing and well-preserved Roman ruins anywhere, Dubrovnik, the stunningly beautiful city with a fascinating history are only some of Croatian treasures which reveal themselves around every corner. 

You will visit a lot of natural wonders and historically important places, with cities like Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split on top of the list.

As a living, breathing city, Zagreb has a full menu of activities and pleasures all year round. There is no "wrong season" to visit Zagreb. Summers are rarely stifling and are a great time to enjoy Zagreb's parks. The season gears up in autumn with a full menu of concerts, exhibits and special events. Freezing winter temperatures make it the ideal time to duck into a cozy coffee house and linger over hot chocolate. In spring, cafe life blossoms as everyone heads outdoors for lunch on a terrace or an after-work drink on one of the city's attractive squares.

In Zagreb try "štrukli", a delicious pastry, filled with cottage cheese and sour cream is prepared in one of two ways: boiled in water or baked in an oven.

There is a small town of Klanjec in Hrvatsko Zagorje (i.e. Croatian Hinterland), the hometown of renowned sculptor Antun Augustinčić, whose most famous work is the Peace Monument which stands in front of the United Nations building in New York City.

In the castle of Veliki Tabor you will hear the legend of the tragic and forbidden love between the nobleman Friederich of Celje and the beautiful plebeian girl Veronika of Desinić. Their tragic love story inspired the town's name Grešna Gorica - the Hill of Sin.

In 1899, an archaeologist and paleontologist found over eight hundred fossil remains belonging to Neanderthals on the Hušnjakovo hill, near modern Krapina. The Neanderthal site of Krapina has been protected as the first paleontological natural monument in the Republic of Croatia, and has been listed as one of the richest Paleolithic habitats of Neanderthals in Croatia and Europe.

Plitvice Lakes consist of sixteen smaller and larger crystal turquoise lakes, nestled in the embrace of the surrounding wooded mountains, interconnected by foaming cascades and deep falls. The park includes the headwaters of the Korana River in an area surrounded by dense forests, and is additionally ornamented by several caves, springs and flower-filled meadows, which show the vast diversity of flora and fauna in the park. The tallest waterfalls in Plitvice are Galovački buk (25 meters) and Veliki slap (78 meters). All of the lakes in the park have a story or legend behind them, ranging from the Legend of the Black Queen, to stories about people drowning in the lakes, to names being derived from the way the water whirls, or even one being named after a monastery.

Split may be a big city, but you are expected to take it easy here. In order to “properly“ enjoy Split, you have to make time to sit on the café terraces, because this is an integral part of social life in the city, as are leasurely strolls along the popular Riva promenade, the palace waterfront. Regardless of the day of the week, the residents of Split will wear their finest attire and take a walk on the Riva, say hello to their friends and acquaintances and then probably sit down for a drink. This tranquil experience of watching the world go by in Split and elsewhere in Dalmatia is almost as important as sightseeing.

Trogir used to be one of the most significant cultural centers in Dalmatia. Enjoy a stroll through its narrow streets and visit the past as you pass by the stone houses, churches, palaces, monasteries and of course the city walls. Stop in front of the Cathedral of St. Lawrence and catch your breath before entering what is the city's main attraction - the highlight of this astounding piece of architecture is the Romanesque portal created by the local master Radovan.

Hvar attracts many visitors because of its numerous historical monuments such as the 17-th century Hvar Theater, among the oldest in Europe, or the Franciscan Monastery, which is famous for its collection of paintings by old masters. While in Hvar try Plavac Mali wine made from an indigenous grape variety from the Dalmatian region, but also the original Dalmatian dessert wine known as Prošek, made from selected and dried grapes of the highest quality.

The English poet Lord Byron called the old town of Dubrovnik, The pearl of the Adriatic, and it still holds this name today. Dubrovnik enjoyed 450 years as an independent republic, thanks largely to its formidable city walls and strategic diplomatic treaties with the Hungarian and Ottoman Empires. Take a break in one of the Dubrovnik bars where you can drink a bitter orange liqueur or pelinkovac (a liqueur made of absinth and aromatic herbs), the traditional Dubrovnik beverages, or taste the famous herb brandy (rakija travarica) containing many different Mediterranean medicinal herbs.