According to the unemotional official guidebooks, Croatia is a small country in South-East Europe. It borders with Slovenia in the Northwest, Hungary in the North, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Southeast, Serbia and Montenegro in the East, it has a Maritime border with Italy. Its area is 56 540 square km., the population is 4,5 million persons. 78% of them are Croats, 12% are Bosnians. Serbs, Hungarians and Slovenes also live here. The language is Croatian. The national currency is Kuna. The capital is Zagreb (Zagreb). Major cities are Split (Split), Rijeka (Rijeka), Osijek, Pula (Pula), Zadar (Zadar) to Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik)
Ancient beauty of Croatia. Mixing of cultures
Hardly anyone will be able to talk impartially about this wonderful, magical country. Its fabulous landscapes are truly breathtaking in their beauty. Croatia always attracted people of different nationalities and spheres of life. The interests of the Romans, Byzantines, Venetians, Turks, Hungarians, French and Germans crossed here at different times. Of course, this fact affected its cities, monuments, architecture, literary works, even the way of life and habits of Croats. A large number of monuments of the Ancient Rome has been well preserved to our days. Among them, you’ll find an amphitheater in Pula (Pula), Diocletian's palace in the city of Split (Split), the city-museum Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik), the birthplace of Marco Polo - the island of Korčula.
Absolute quietude
There are 1185 (!!!) islands along the coastline of Croatia. Some of them are covered with luxurious Mediterranean vegetation, others are bare and desert. Most of them are uninhabited. Croatian Islands are very popular with tourists seeking solitude and a peaceful holiday. Recreation on lighthouses is widespread among some Robinsons, who don’t like noisy crowds and large groups of people.
Entertainment
However, tourists who prefer noisy campaigns and cheerful feasts will not be bored in Croatia. They can find a lot of interesting things in the cities of Opatija, Poreč, Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar, which are famous for their best restaurants, bars, nightclubs and modern cinemas. Nightlife is bustling around the clock here.
Croatia is a paradise for gourmets
As for local restaurants, in spite of location, there you can always find the perfect wine, taste the freshest, recently caught, extremely delicious fish of all sorts and to try dishes from a variety of "inhabitants of the sea" - squids, mussels , shrimp, oysters, cooked by local cookers craftsmen.
Ecology and climate
Croatia is a country with an impeccable ecology, so there is no any doubt about the quality of the served food. The products are always of natural origin here, that’s why they have an excellent, rich taste. Such food will do you and your health a lot of good.
You can breathe unpolluted, clear and fresh air, lie in the sun on clean beaches, walk in pine forests and bathe in the emerald-blue sea. The waters of the Adriatic Sea on the Croatian coast are very clean and transparent because mountain rivers do not contain silt or sand. In addition, the bright sun shines 2600 hours per year in Croatia. The air warms up to a minimum of +21° C in summer. Autumn is very pleasant here and winter is mild.
Rest for every taste
In Croatia, everyone can afford healthy and interesting leisure time.
Some tourists prefer to soak up the sun, sunbathe, swim in the turquoise sea, walk along the picturesque streets of the seaside towns and enjoy a cup of aromatic coffee in small cafes.
Those who enjoy the “fun days at sea” can rent a yacht and explore the nearby uninhabited islands, go sailing, diving, surfing, or water skiing on an unusual sea cable car.
For avid lovers of skiing, it is possible to slide down the slopes in the snowy mountains of Gorski Kotar, Velebit or in the vicinity of the city of Zagreb (Zagreb). Croatian mountains are also very popular among fans of mountain tourism.
Nature lovers can enjoy the fabulous Park in Plitvice, where the turquoise lakes are connected by waterfalls and bordered by wooded hills. It will be interesting to visit Europe's largest bird sanctuary or national Park Paklenica (Paklenica) with its rock formations, cliffs, caves, dense pine forests and Alpine meadows, as well as a unique Botanical garden. Not far from the city of Rovinj (Rovinj) you can admire the Bay, which looks like a Norwegian fjord (Lim fjord).
Fishing in the sea and fresh water in Croatia is great. And if the fishermen have a permission, they will certainly get a lot of pleasure from the exciting and varied fishing.
Lovers of hunting will certainly find what to do In Croatia. They can go hunting for wild boar, deer, partridge, and even a bear.
In Croatia, there are modern comfortable spa resorts for tourists who want to improve their health, where they can not only relax, but also get all kinds of health procedures.
Those who can not stay at the same place for a long time can rent a car and drive along the coast, enjoy the wonderful nature, study the numerous local sights.
Hospitality
The locals will surely captivate the traveler with their warmth and hospitality. The wars for the survival of the nation and the establishment of independence are in the past. Now Croatia is one of the most comfortable places to relax in Europe.
According to Interpol, Croatia is one of the safest countries in Europe. A rest without unpleasant incidents is guaranteed here for every tourist. It does not matter where the traveler will stay: in a large or a small hotel, in a private room or apartments. The attitude towards guests is very friendly everywhere.
However, in order to comprehend all the delights of this paradise, resembling a miniature Europe, you need to plunge into its life. Only in this way it is possible to experience the charming peculiarity of Croatia, to get acquainted with its people, their customs, culture and mentality.
