Croatia Blog

Natural wealth of continental Croatia

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:31:23 +0000

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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Pag cheese bears the international Superior Taste mark

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:03:58 +0000

Pag cheese bears the international Superior Taste mark The famous Pag cheese produced in the cheese plant Sirena- Mala sirana in Kolan owned by Ivan Gligora, has recently been awarded two golden stars and the right to label this cheese with the Superior Taste mark at the international Superior Taste event in Brussels. This is the greatest award so far for this cheese that has thus been included in the circle of seventy top food products in the world.

Ivan Gligora’s Pag cheese bears the marks of Original Croatian, Protected Geographic Origin and Croatian Island Product, and HACCP system principles are applied in its production. Pag cheese is made from sheep milk produced by the domestic autochthonous breed of Pag sheep. Mature cheese is 6 to 12 months old and has a distinctive piquant taste and a characteristic smell. It is served alone and may also be grated and added to meat and seafood delicacies.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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A rich opera,drama and dance program

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:58:34 +0000

The premiere of Giuseppe Verdi’s opera Don Carlos to be shown on 14 July in Peristil will mark the beginning of the 54th Split Summer. During the month of this traditional festival of opera, drama and dance, numerous artists from Croatia and abroad will perform, and the shows will take place in other attractive locations in Split, in addition to the old town core. As the festival has stepped out of the city’s boundaries, the Ero s onoga svijeta opera will be performed in Vrlika, in the very ambient where composer Jakov Gotovac placed the plot of this comedic three-act opera. The opera repertoire of this year’s Split Summer is arranged in the honor of the great Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi, so the guests will be able to see a repeat performance of his Nabucco, while the Gripe Fort will be the venue for Mirela Ivcevic’s Za tri lipe.

The final concert Opera Stars in Split will be organized on 18 August in Prokurative and will feature famous soloists Svetla Vasileva, Clifton Forbis and Georgio Surjan. This year’s Split Summer will also include a number concerts featuring, among others, the Croatian Radiotelevision Symphony Orchestra, Varaždin Chamber Orchestra, National Academic Folklore Choir Veriovka, Rucner Quartet, Vlatko Stefanovski and guests, and many other musicians from the country and abroad. The drama program will include ten plays, two of which will be premieres. They are Euripides’s Bahke directed by Oliver Frlji?, and Summerfolk, directed by Jaunusz Kica and based on a piece written by Maxim Gorky, which will be performed in Villa Dalmacija. The 54th Split Summer is also expecting the arrival of the famous French director Peter Brook who will be presenting himself by Samuel Becket’s Fragments, and the play will be performed by Theatre des Bouffes du Nord of Paris. The highlights in this part are the repeat performance of Fedra, directed by Marc Sciaccaluga, which will be shown in the cellars of Diocletian Palace, Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream performed by the Dubrovnik Summer Games troupe, and the performance of Croatia’s theater legend Pero Kvrgic. He will perform in two plays and will present his Stilske vježbe, directed by Tomislav Radic forty years ago and based on a play written by Raymond Queneau, in Bol on Brac. The dance program will feature a premiere of Midsummer Night’s Dream by Felix Mendelssohn, choreographed by Youri Vamos. The play will be given in Sustipan, which will also be the venue for Leonid Jacobson’s ballet school from St. Petersburg. The 54th Split Summer program will be accompanied with various other cultural events.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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Among the most beautiful Mediterranean beaches

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:56:54 +0000

British Telegraph Magazine pronounced Zlatni rat in Bol the most spectacular beach in Croatia and one of the most impressive ones in the Mediterranean, and published its photograph on the cover page. Although this is an unofficial selection of the best 17 beaches in European countries, the British magazine placed Zlatni rat among the most impressive Mediterranean beaches, stating that its magnificence is in the fact that it changes the shape and position depending on the wind. This is why the beach in Bol is ideal for windsurfing and and many other water sports.

At the time the issue of Telegraph Magazine with the list of the most beautiful European beaches was published, Bol was hosting the world kiteboard competition called Red Bull Golden Jump. This multi-day competition, the first one of the kind organized in Croatia, featured 14 professionals in this extreme sport. Athletes competing in kicker- wakestyle–freestyle disciplines also fought for the world title, jumping over platforms set up at the far end of the beach to its other side. As this sport has become increasingly popular in Croatia over the past few years and the world kiteboard championship in Bol attracted numerous spectators, Zlatni rat is expected to be the venue for competitions in this adrenaline sport in the future.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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Opening of Hotel Atrium Residence Baška

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:45:32 +0000

Baska, a popular tourist destination on the Island of Krk, now has yet another high-category hotel – Hotel Atrium Residence Baska, classified as four and five stars. The hotel was built in the place of the former hotels Baska and Velebit. The total value of the investment is 56 million HRK. The hotel has 64 accommodation units, and its luxury suites have a five-star standard. Over the past few years, Hoteli Baska invested almost 100 million HRK in construction and renovation of its facilities, including the annex to Hotel Zvonimir transformed into Hotel Zvonimir, Adria annex transformed into Villa Adria with 12 apartments, reconstruction of Camp Zabla?e and the naturist camp Bunculuka.

The investment also provided for reconstruction of Hotel Baška-Corinthia and the most recent reconstruction of the said Hotel Atrium Residence Baska. The hotel complex was enriched with modern wellness facilities, a multipurpose congress area, and other facilities providing the guests with a pleasant stay. Baska happens to be a tourist center with a long-standing tradition. The beginnings of organized tourism date back to 1904, and the bathing area was developed and formally opened exactly one hundred years ago. The strong tourist orientation is confirmed by the fact that six hotels operated in Baška in 1914, and three more opened before 1930.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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A festival for all generations and musical tastes

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:43:41 +0000

A festival for all generations and musical tastes Rijeka Summer Nights, a music and scenic festival, will go on until 25 July and, like in the past three years, the music and scenic program will be held in the authentic ambience of the City of Rijeka
and its halls. In addition to Croatian artists, a series of drama, music, dance literary and other performances will feature guest artists from Italy, France, Portugal, USA, Slovenia… Among a number of interesting performances, we are highlighting
the From Baroque to Bossa Nova concert at which Zoltán Hornyánszky will take the listeners for a musical walk by playing the oboe and English horn, while Pedro Abreu from Portugal will play the guitar. The Laibach band of Slovenia, which has eliminated all physical, ideological and mental borders for 27 years, will provide a music and scenic mega-spectacle in the abandoned hall of Torpedo Factory.

The Ballet Section of Croatian National Theater Ivan pl. Zajec and the ballet troupe CeDeCe of Portugal have coproduced and will perform two plays on 8 and 9 July: “Penelopa” ballet by Luis Sous and the premiere “Pjesme nad pjesmama” by Stasa Zurovac. On 10 and 11 July, Post Theater New York/ Berlin/ Tokyo skinSITEs will have a video-performance at a special location, etc. The opera spectacle “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini will be given at three cultural and historical locations in Rijeka – the first act will be performed in the Capuchin Church of the Lady of Lourdes, the second in the Maritime and Historical Museum of the Croatian Littoral Rijeka, and the third one on Trsatska gradina. The formal closing ceremony of Rijeka Summer Nights will be held on 25 July and will include a presentation of the best event/ the most complete performance award for Rijeka Summer Nights 2008, as well as audience awards.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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Opening of Aquae Balissae thermal water park

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:10:16 +0000

Thermal water park Aquae Balissae has recently been opened in Daruvar, a town in West Slavonia having a population of ten thousand. The value of the investment is nearly 40 million HRK. The water park stretches over 60 thousand square meters. The thermal water park includes indoor and outdoor swimming pools and additional facilities such as baths and the like. The next phase of the investment should include a wellness area, a hotel and a golf course. This investment is a substantial contribution to the offerings of continental tourism and Daruvar, well known for the Daruvar Spa and the Special Medical Rehabilitation Hospital.

Ancient Romans began the tradition of using the healing properties of thermal water and healing mud, and Daruvar Spa has a two-millennia-long tradition in treatments, prevention and preservation of health. Today, Daruvar Spa is a modernly equipped facility with a highly educated staff for wellness treatments and therapies. In addition to recreational facilities, Daruvar Spa offers complete medical diagnostics and rehabilitation, as well as relaxation in the wellness area, team building programs, etc.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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Hotel Amfora reconstructed

admin — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:02:35 +0000

The reconstructed Hotel Amfora, located in the town of Hvar on the Island of Hvar and owned by Suncani Hvar company, has recently been opened, offering a number of different amenities and services in addition to the accommodation part, so it is now called Amfora Grand Beach Resort. This is yet another investment undertaken by ORCO Group, which now operates the largest hotel facility in Hvar.

All rooms are equipped to high international standards, and the hotel has the appropriate conference facilities and a swimming pool with cascades unique to this part of the Adriatic. In addition to two congress halls, each seating 350 people, the hotel offers several smaller conference halls for ten to forty participants. The hotel is situated in a quiet bay with pinewood, only a ten minutes’ light walk from the historical core of the town of Hvar.

Source:press.croatia.hr

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Tourist are offered around 30 autochthonous Crikvenica dishes

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:00:32 +0000

This season, restaurants and hotels in the tourist centers of Crikvenica, Selce, Dramalj and Jadranovo will offer tourists some thirty autochthonous Crikvenica dishes. Their originality is confirmed by a certificate issued by the Gastronomy Committee comprising experienced chefs and restaurant operators. The project is entitled Autochthonous Cuisine of Crikvenica – Our Intangible Heritage, and it certified the autochthonous cuisine and restaurants in the town of Crikvenica.

The project was organized by the Town of Crikvenica, the Town Tourist Board, and the Gastronomy Committee that decided to refresh the gastronomic offer of Crikvenica by food from the past. Unique in Croatia, this project is a contribution to the celebration of 120 years of tourism in Crikvenica. It is important to say that the chefs who wanted the certificate were required to pass a gastronomic course. 25 chefs, eight hotels and ten restaurants they work in were awarded the certificate. To maintain
the quality of the facilities and offerings, the certificate is issued for only a year, and the course for preparation of certified
Crikvenica dishes will be held every year for new interested chefs and restaurant operators. The presentation of the project dealing with the autochthonous cuisine of Crikvenica is number twenty in a series of quality cultural tourism projects organized by the Cultural Tourism Business Club, established in 2004 by the Association for Cultural Tourism attached to the Croatian Chamber of Economy.

Source: press.croatia.hr

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Present in 146 beaches and marinas

admin — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:51:39 +0000

As of this year, the International Blue Flag for beaches and marinas flies in 146 places in Croatia – 125 beaches and 21 marinas deserved it for environmental protection and equipment. There are ten new beaches and one marina among its holders this year. In addition to sea beaches, seven of them are in the continental part of the country - Aquacity Beach near Varazdin and six beaches within the Jarun Sport & Recreation Center in Zagreb.

The International Blue Flag for beaches and marinas is a program for protection of the environment and coastal areas that has been successfully implemented in Europe for 17 years, as well as some countries outside Europe since two years ago. The leader and international manager is the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), while the Lijepa Naša Friends of Nature Movement coordinates the campaigns in Croatia. Environmental education and public informing, water quality, environmental management, safety and services are the factors rated for the Blue Flag. Blue Flags for marinas are awarded for environmental education and informing, environmental management, safety, services and water quality.

Source: press.croatia.hr