Travel News for Your next Holiday & Vacation in Croatia | Croatia Blog » Travel http://www.croatia-blog.net/en Croatia Travel Blog provides everything you need to plan your holiday in Croatia including maps, list of beaches, accommodation, culture, transport and weather in Croatia. Learn about popular places to visit in Croatia. Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:06:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Brac: Walking in the rural heart of Croatia http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/brac-walking-in-the-rural-heart-of-croatia/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/brac-walking-in-the-rural-heart-of-croatia/#comments Wed, 16 Feb 2011 11:57:05 +0000 Administrator http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=382

Dusk over the Dalmatian archipelago. I'm sitting on the terrace of my guesthouse under a canopy of vines, the soft bells of
St John's chapel calling in the fishing boats. My hosts, Lidia and Josko Ivanovic, have opened the travarica, a herb-infused liquor, and I'm grazing on dried figs and nuts as we chat about Croatia's changing fortunes since they first opened their rustic, family-run guesthouse in 1967.

"We closed for four years during the Balkan war and went back to the land," Josko says. "But we missed the guests."

"Because we all cook together, I enjoy swapping recipes with our visitors from all round the world," adds Lidia.

But my hosts know that even more changes are in the air for Croatia. The country's bureaucrats are keen to join the EU and replace the native kuna with the euro, while increasing commercialisation of the islands is threatening rural traditions. That's why I've come to Brac, the third largest – but one of the lesser-known – islands, for a grass-roots glimpse of Croatian culture before the inevitable march of progress becomes a full-blown stampede.

Brac is good walking country and, thanks to a mercifully minor role in the war during the Nineties, free of landmines. Sandwiched between Split on the mainland and the better-known island of Hvar, the stony outcrop of olive groves and pine forests enjoys the tortoise-paced rhythm of a typically Mediterranean village. But I'm not here for siestas and seaside. Travelling with Footsteps in Croatia, a small independent tour operator from Britain, I'll be following a series of day walks – some gentle strolls, some more challenging hikes – to capture a late-season feel for island life. The company's ethos is simple and successful: walk with local guides, stay in simple but homely family properties and enjoy a more cultural experience than your average beach holiday.
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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/brac-walking-in-the-rural-heart-of-croatia/feed/ 0 Croatia Travel Guide http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-travel-guide/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-travel-guide/#comments Mon, 07 Feb 2011 08:12:10 +0000 Administrator http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=377

Croatia is a country located in Southern Europe, although most people would classify it as being part of Eastern Europe. It is located on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, which puts it right across that sea from Italy. Additionally, Croatia also borders countries in Eastern and Southern Europe such as Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary.

The population of Croatia is around 4.5 million people, making it one of the smaller countries within Europe. The vast majority of the people that live within Croatia are people that are Croatian in terms of their nationality, with over 95% of the population being made up of such people. The vast majority of immigrants to the country are from bordering countries and nearby areas, which means that you are not likely to see that many visible minorities when you are within the country.

Croatia is home to five different regions, all of which have a number of interesting tourist attractions for you to see. When considering where you should go in Croatia, it is useful to think of things in terms of the regions they are located in. To get you started, here is a brief rundown of all of the different regions within Croatia. 
Read more about Croatia Travel Guide here >

]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-travel-guide/feed/ 0 Huge growth in interest http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/huge-growth-in-interest/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/huge-growth-in-interest/#comments Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:51:32 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=246

We have been aware Croatia is an attractive destination for passengers on cruises for some time. However, the recently published statistics for the first eleven months of last year surprised many people. During the said period, as many as 820 cruise ships came to Croatian ports (Dubrovnik being number one), which is 31.2 more than the same period in 2007.

They brought over 937,000 passengers to visit the landmarks of Croatia, which is 35.2 more than the year before. Not only that – their combined stay in Croatia came to 1567 days, which is 61.7 percent more than last year. This clearly shows Croatia is an exceptionally attractive destination for cruise passengers.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/huge-growth-in-interest/feed/ 0 Four new flight options to Dubrovnik http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/four-new-flight-options-to-dubrovnik/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/four-new-flight-options-to-dubrovnik/#comments Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:00:04 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=244

As of 1 May of this year, EasyJet will carry passengers between London and Dubrovnik four times a week. Airplanes will fly between Liverpool and Dubrovnik three times a week from 2 June, while flights between Geneva and Dubrovnik will be available from 6 July, twice a week. As of 12 July, EasyJet will also carry passengers between Berlin and Dubrovnik, while Norwegian Air will introduce new flights between Warsaw and Dubrovnik at the beginning of this year’s season.

According to Dubrovnik Airport, 27 airlines will offer flights to one of the most beautiful tourist pearls in the Croatian Adriatic this year, 12 of them being low-cost airlines. According to the statistical data, they already account for 27 percent of the overall traffic in Dubrovnik Airport and the share will continue to grow. Last year, Dubrovnik registered 512,000 tourists and over 1.7 million overnights, while Dubrovnik-Neretva County registered around a million tourists with 4.6 million overnights. Most of the foreign guests came from France, UK and Germany. High growth rates were also recorded in arrivals from Russia, Spain, Scandinavia
and Japan.

 

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/four-new-flight-options-to-dubrovnik/feed/ 0 Croatia – the third most desirable European travel destination http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-the-third-most-desirable-european-travel-destination/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-the-third-most-desirable-european-travel-destination/#comments Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:46:21 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=224

Croatia took the third place in the contest for the best European travel destinations. This was the opinion of over 17,000 readers of the Guardian and Observer dailies in a survey that has been carried out for 22 years in a row.

The success of Croatian tourism is that much greater considering the fact that Croatia jumped from the 10th place to the third in a just year, right after Switzerland in the first place and Sweden in the second place, leaving Austria and Italy behind. Every year more Europeans plan their holidays in Croatia recognizing its pristine beauty and, most of all, its crystal clean sea. The presentation of the Guardian & Observer Travel Awards 2008 was held in mid-October in Morocco with over 120 representatives of the travel industry, advertisers and journalist teams. Guardian and Observer have around 1.3 million readers combined.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/croatia-the-third-most-desirable-european-travel-destination/feed/ 0 The experience starts with a journey http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/the-experience-starts-with-a-journey/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/the-experience-starts-with-a-journey/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:50:11 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=188

Like elsewhere in Europe, a network of modern roads in Croatia has provided its citizens and tourists with speed of travel, but also deprived them of the pleasure of observing the environment, an interesting and eventful pause and a kind of an insight to the local lifestyle while approaching the destination. Since the Zagreb-Rijeka motorway has been built, the former main road that passed through areas of exceptional natural beauty has been neglected until someone came up with the idea for a project to include it in the network of European cultural and tourist routes, which was supported by the Ministry of Tourism.

The project concerns two roads of great historical significance. The Carolina Road was built in the first half of the 18th century and was named after Emperor Carl. However, due to the small capacity and great inclines, it was replaced in the early 19th century by the Louisiana Road, one of the most modern roads in the former monarchy. Now that the motorway has been built, both roads have lost their original function, but they are faced with an interesting tourist future, preceded by  the Summer on Louisiana and Carolina event. The project was launched by the Louisiana Association of Delnice, and its members’ effort is focused on revitalization of undeveloped and abandoned rural parts within the broader area surrounding
the roads and inclusion of traditional and natural heritage in the tourist offer. This year’s Summer on Louisiana and Carolina event was held in late June and featured folklore and ethno troupes, presentations of old crafts and customs, etc. This was an opportunity for promotion of an occasional stamp marking the bicentennial of the construction of the Louisiana Road. The promotion was accompanied with the staging of a postal carriage and its crew dressed in historical uniforms. This event in June marks the beginning of the project that will restore the former importance of Carolina and Louisiana and enable the tourists to enjoy themselves while traveling.

 

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/the-experience-starts-with-a-journey/feed/ 0 A cave opens beneath the airport http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/a-cave-opens-beneath-the-airport/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/a-cave-opens-beneath-the-airport/#comments Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:56:26 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=180

Since this summer, guests to Dubrovnik, one of the most beautiful cities in the world,, have had the opportunity to see a new tourist and speleological attraction near the city – the ?urovi? Cave. The cave contains archeological remains dating back to the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, located right beneath the strip and the station for airplanes at Dubrovnik Airport in ?ilipi. The exploration and works in the cave took 7 years, and the overall investment amounted to 2.2 million HRK. This prehistoric site is abundant in various underground forms, including aesthetically valuable stalactites, stalagmites, covers, deposits and curtains. The portable finds from the cave (ceramics, bones, etc.) are being conserved and will be kept in the Museums
and Galleries of Konavle. The first phase of renovation that included completion of the interior design has been completed, while the second phase that has yet to begin provides for construction of the area in front of the cave where the chronology of the cave’s creation and other geomorphological features of the Croatian Adriatic coast will be presented in a multimedia room with audiovisual effects and computer animation. ?urovi? Cave is around 150 meters long and descends to 25 meters
beneath the very airport strip. This priceless natural pearl used to be visited and used by the locals as a source of water and shelter during the war until 1962 when the entrance to the cave was closed for construction of the airport. At the beginning of the Homeland War in 1991, the tunnel entrance served as shelter. This year, the cave will only be open to organized groups subject
to prior notice to the Museums and Galleries of Konavle, but it is soon expected to be open full time.

 

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/a-cave-opens-beneath-the-airport/feed/ 0 Natural wealth of continental Croatia http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/natural-wealth-of-continental-croatia/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/natural-wealth-of-continental-croatia/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:31:23 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=133

If you wish to get to know the interior of the country on your way to the seaside or on your way back, we recommend you visit Krapina-Zagorje County, a region in the northwestern part of the country.

The area has amazing natural beauties, castles, cultural and historical landmarks, as well as excellent gastronomy and wines. This county is a separate geographic whole in the north, surrounded by the peaks of Macelj and Ivancica in the north, and Medvednica in the southeast. It shares borders with the Republic of Slovenia, Varaždin County and the capital city of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Its area makes it one of the smallest Croatian counties, but it has an above-average population density. Although primarily known as a Mediterranean destination, Croatia also has numerous tourist attractions in its continental part, interesting to an increasing number of guests. In addition to the thermal sources used in the spas in Krapinske Toplice, Stubi?ke Toplice and Tuhelj, equally attractive for health and recreational tourism, the popular hilly area attracts more and more guests with its beauty and playfulness – its roads and pathways are suitable for hiking, biking, visiting vineyards or country estates offering original food and homemade wine, and acquainting the guests with the traditional customs of the region. Krapina-Zagorje County also has numerous castles associated with many historical customs, important events and persons significant for Croatian history, as well as the history of the broader region. Many guests also come to the shrine in Krapina-Zagorje County – the most popular one is the national shrine of Marija Bistrica, but the churches of Mary of the Mountain in Lobor, Mary of the Snow in Belce and Mary of Jerusalem on Trški Vrh are also interesting. This area offers plenty of events throughout the year. For example, the Tabor Film Festival held 11 – 19 July in Veliki Tabor castle in Desini?. This event is among the most significant short film festivals in the region. Every Sunday in August, an event called The Summer with Krapina Neanderthal is held in the town of Krapina, the center of the county. As it happens, one of the richest paleoanthropological finding sites in the world is located right here, and there is a reconstructed Krapina Neanderthal and his family and some animals from the era on Hušnjakovo brdo. On 30 August, a presentation of a traditional Zagorje wedding, including the traditional music, dancing, food and beverage, is held in the Staro Selo Museum in Kumrovec, known as the birthplace of the president of former Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito.

 

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/natural-wealth-of-continental-croatia/feed/ 0 Rural tourism attracts more and more guests http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/rural-tourism-attracts-more-and-more-guests/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/rural-tourism-attracts-more-and-more-guests/#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:24:41 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=98

Rural tourism is becoming an increasingly strong magnet for tourists arriving in Croatia. Living in autochthonous houses, enjoying food prepared in the traditional way and staying away from crowds are the advantages attracting more and more people for whom the Zadar County Rural Tourism Catalog is intended. In the catalog, the Development Agency presented 17 rural estates in the region, divided into three thematic segments – the Sub-Velebit Region, Ravni Kotari and Bukovica. In addition, they designed a website that will be constantly updated in line with the expansion the offer. The catalog contains all information on the offer on rural estates in Zadar hinterland. The highlights of the offer are estates having a gastro offer with food prepared from homegrown ingredients – vegetables, bread, cheese, prosciutto, fruit, meat, homemade wine and brandy.


The development of rural tourism, which has been attracting more and more interest among guests, is becoming increasingly rapid– considering the potential in this region and local population’s interest, it is expected to become a real hit in Zadar County’s tourist offer.

 

Source: press.croatia.hr

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]]> http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/rural-tourism-attracts-more-and-more-guests/feed/ 0 Europe on a Budget http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/europe-on-a-budget/ http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/europe-on-a-budget/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 11:45:20 +0000 Filip http://www.croatia-blog.net/en/?p=73

Traveling to Europe can be an expensive proposition these days. With oil prices reaching record highs and the US economy on a downward spiral, many people are finding that their dreams of a European holiday are being put on hold. But, there are ways to travel to Europe without breaking the bank.

Go east, young man

From the undiscovered beaches of Croatia to the Parisian style nightlife of Prague, Eastern Europe is a place to discover and be discovered while getting more bang for your buck. Inexpensive hotels, cheap beer, culinary treasures, and welcoming locals all entice the budget traveler to the countries of the former Soviet bloc. Finding a cheap flight might be more difficult, but once you’re there, you’ll be sure to make up the difference and then some.

Off season is key

Stay away from Europe and Eastern Europe in the summer. Airfare is through the roof, hotels fill up quickly and raise there prices even quicker, squares are busting at the seams with tourists, and most everything will cost you more. Conversely, autumn is the perfect time to travel; airfares are at their cheapest, hotels offer off-peak season discounts, and the tourists disappear.

Consider a hostel

You’re never too old to stay at a hostel. And if you’re worried about sleeping in a twelve bed dorm room, you may be surprised to learn that many hostels offer private rooms for a fraction of the price of a standard hotel. Yes, you may still have to share a bathroom and you certainly won’t get those nifty hotel soaps, but you will have a lot of extra money in your pocket.

Set a budget

Not having a firm budget can be the single most expensive mistake. Research your trip beforehand and allocate yourself a certain amount of money a day. This will deter you from spending needless cash on trinkets and that extra beer. It all adds up!

Visit Eurotrip

As the largest community of budget travelers to Europe, eurotrip.com offers advice for anyone who wants to save some money while trekking through Europe. From cheap flights to bargain pints, Eurotrip covers it all.

by Matt McLaughlin

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