Tourism in Croatia
Encyclopedia
Tourism in Croatia is a well-developed industry. Many tourists visit to experience the country's extensive coastline and well-preserved coastal Renaissance towns. In 2005, Croatia
had 10 million tourist visitors, and in 2008 11.26 million tourists.
The interior of the country, with the exception of the capital Zagreb
, the erstwhile Baroque capital Varaždin
and a plethora of medieval castles, has fewer tourist attractions. Eight areas in the country have been designated national park
s, and the landscape in these areas is afforded extra protection from development. Several companies run flotilla
s of yacht
s along different stretches of the coastline, which is also popular with divers
.
The country is currently being advertised under the motto The Mediterranean As It Once Was.
Lonely Planet
named Croatia as the top pick destination for 2005, while National Geographic Adventure Magazine named Croatia as Destination of the Year in 2006.
The peninsula of Istria
has the many notable interests. Its west coast has several historical towns dating from Roman times, such as the city of Umag
, which hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP
tennis
tournament on clay courts.
The city of Poreč
is famous for the UNESCO-protected Euphrasian Basilica
, which includes the renown 6th century mosaics depicting old-style Byzantine art
. Furthermore, the city plan still shows the ancient Roman
Castrum structure
. The main streets are Decumanus and Cardo Maximus, still preserved in their original forms. Marafor is a Roman square
with two temples attached. One of them, erected in the 1st century AD
, is dedicated to the Roman god
Neptune
. A few houses from the Romanesque
period have been preserved and beautiful Venetian Gothic palaces can be seen here. Originally a Gothic
Franciscan church built in the 13th century, the 'Dieta Istriana' hall was remodeled in the Baroque
style in the 18th century.
The region's largest city Pula
has one of the best preserved Amphitheater
s in the world, which is still in use for festivals and events. It is surrounded by large hotel complexes, resorts, camps and sports facilities. A short boat ride away is Brijuni
national park
visited by numerous world leaders since it was the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito
. Roman villa
s and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the shoreline of the dozens of surrounding fishing and farming villages. The coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, wreck dives
to ancient Roman galleys and World War I
warships, cliff diving
, and sailing
to unspoiled coves and islands large and small. Pula is the end point of the EuroVelo
9 cycle route
that runs from Gdańsk
on the Baltic Sea
through Poland
, the Czech Republic
, Austria
, Slovenia
and Croatia
.
The town of Rovinj
contains well-indented coastal areas with a number of small bays hidden within dense vegetation, open to naturists. Although the beaches are not specified as naturist, many people choose to enjoy the sea and the sun in this way with a reserved toleration of other swimmers.
The interior is quieter, very green and wooded, with dozens of tiny stone towns perched on hills, such as Motovun
. The river Mirna
flows below the hill and on the other side of the river there is the famous Motovun forest
, an area of about 10 square kilometres in the valley of the river Mirna, of which 280 hectares (2.8 km2) is specially protected. This area differs completely not only from the nearby forests, but also from those of the entire surrounding karst region because of its wild life, moist soil and rich-with-prized-black-and-white truffles (Tuber magnatum), which grows successfully there. Since this fungus grows underground, it is gathered with the aid of specially trained dogs. Since 1999, Motovun has hosted the international Motovun Film Festival
for independent and avant-garde films from the U.S. and Europe.
and Lovran
, with their feel of Austro-Hungarian
imperial decadence, are regaining their former prominence.
The former Venetian
island towns of Rab
and Lošinj
are popular tourist destinations. The island of Rab is rich in cultural heritage and cultural-historical monuments that make it a popular vacation destination. Rab is also known as a pioneer of naturism
after the visit of King Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson. The island is nowadays very popular with tourists and families for its beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events, particularly the Rab arbalest
tournament and the Rab Medieval festival - Rapska Fjera
. With around 2600 hours of sunshine a year, the island of Lošinj has become a popular destination for Slovenia
n, German
and Italian
tourists in the summer months. Average air humidity
is 70%, and the average summer temperature is 24 °C (75 °F) and 7 °C (45 °F) during the winter.
The interior regions Gorski kotar
, Velebit
and Lika
have vast stretches of virginal nature, with mountain peaks, forests and fields, many animal species including bears, and the national parks of Risnjak
and Plitvice Lakes
. The Plitvice Lakes National Park lies in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains part of the Dinaric Alps
: Plješevica
mountain (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela
mountain (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m), and Medveđak (884 m). The national Park is underlain by karst
ic rock, mainly dolomite
and limestone
with associated lakes and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of its lakes. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine
, which is deposited by the action of moss
, algae
, and bacteria
. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year. The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff
from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,086.6 to 1,650.3 ) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera): Under the travertine waterfalls Cratoneuron moss sometimes grows, the moss gets encrusted with travertine and fresh moss grows further out, first a crag is formed but later a cave roof forms under the crag. If the water continues flowing the cave becomes progressively bigger. Limestone caves are present as well. The area is also home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear
, wolf, eagle
, owl
, lynx
, wild cat
, and capercaillie
can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there.
This region is a yachting paradise. The Kornati
National Park has hundreds of mostly uninhabited islands. Kornat, the biggest of the islands with a total area of 32525315 m² (38,899,953 sq yd), comprises two-thirds of the park's land area. Although the island is 25.2 km long, it is no wider than 2.5 km. The park is managed from the town of Murter, on the island of Murter
, and is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge.
Zadar, the largest city in the region, gained its urban
structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar
and Emperor Augustus
, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum
, the basilica
and the temple
, while outside the town were the amphitheatre
and cemeteries
. The aqueduct
which supplied the town with water is partially preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed with a series of churches and monasteries
being built.
The interior has mixed plains and mountains, with the impressive Paklenica
canyon as the main attraction. Paklenica National Park is the most visited climbing site in Croatia, and the largest in Southeast Europe. The close proximity of seawater gives this climbing site a special charm, making Paklenica Riviera an ideal place to combine climbing
, hiking
and water sports. Today, there are over 360 equipped and improved routes of various difficulty levels and lengths within Paklenica’s climbing sites, so each climber can find to their liking. The main climbing season begins in spring and goes on until late autumn. The Park area contains 150–200 km of trails and paths, from those intended for tourists, leading from Velika Paklenica Canyon to Manita peć cave, Lugarnica forest cottage and the mountain hut, to those intended for mountaineers, leading to the highest peaks of Velebit. The trails in the Park are marked with boards and mountaineering signs.
The island of Pag
has one of the biggest party zones in Europe in the town of Novalja and Zrće
. These beaches are well-known Croatian summer destination for partygoers, with several all-hours discotheques and beach bars operating during summer months. It regularly features gig
s by internationally known house
and trance
DJs
at the peak of the Croatian summer season in July and August. Zrće is particularly popular among young club goers, while other pebble and sand beaches on the island are more family-oriented, and are one of over 100 Blue Flag beach
es in Croatia.
and its famous cathedral, the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Several fortresses, remnants of the Renaissance era (which includes St. Nicholas Fortress
) can be seen surrounding the city.
The interior has the Krka National Park
with its waterfalls and religious monasteries. Skradinski Buk is one of the most attractive parts of the park, with numerous attractions and facilities available among various footpaths, sightseeing tours and presentations, boat trips, restaurants and museum. Roški Slap, located near Miljevci
, is the second most popular attraction of the Krka National Park in terms of numbers of visitors, and whose cascades can be visited throughout the year. The most attractive way to reach Roški Slap is to take one of the excursion boats operated by the Krka National Park, although the falls can also be reached with a public road. Inside the park is the island of Visovac which was founded during the reign of Louis I of Hungary, home to the Roman Catholic Visovac Monastery
founded by the Franciscans in 1445 near Miljevci
village. The park also includes the Serb Orthodox Monastery Krka founded in 1345. The island can be visited by a boat tour from Skradinski Buk.
The area around thecity of Knin
has medieval fortresses and many archeological remains. The recently discovered Roman town Burnum
is 18 km far from Knin in direction of Kistanje. There are the remainings of the biggest amphitheater in Dalmatia built in 77 BC
, during the rule of Vespasian
which could host 8000 people. The nearby villages Biskupija
and Kapitul are extremely interesting archaeological sites from the 10th century where many remains of medieval Croatian culture are found including churches, graves, decorations, and epigraphs.
is also the second largest city in Croatia, and is well-known for its unique Roman heritage which includes UNESCO-protected Diocletian's Palace
. The city was built around the palace, which today is well-known for its excellent preservation, and is one of the most famous and complete architectural and cultural features on the Croatian Adriatic coast. The Split Cathedral stems from the palace.
The Makarska Riviera
is a stretch of coastline known for its pristine beaches and are popular destinations among sunbathers for its beaches, clubs, cafes, kayaking, sailing, and hiking along the Biokovo
range. Makarska
, Brela
, Omiš
, and Baška Voda
are the most popular.
The large islands of this region, which such pearls as the town of Hvar
, known for its fishing
and tourism
industries. Hvar has a very mild Mediterranean climate
, bountiful beaches and Mediterranean vegetation that make it one of the most attractive tourist centers in Europe. The island promotes itself as "the sunniest spot in Europe", with over 2715 hours of sunlight in an average year. Cultural and artistic events within the Hvar Summer Festival take place throughout the summer, from late June to late September. These events include classical music concerts performed by national and international artists, and performances by amateur groups from Hvar. Performances are given nearly every day in a number of venues around the town. The Gallery of Modern Art in Hvar is located in the Arsenal building, in the lobby of the historic Theatre of Hvar. The permanent display contains the most valuable paintings, sculptures and prints from the collection, and temporary exhibitions are organised within the Museum project Summer of Fine Arts in Hvar. The Cathedral of Sv. Stjepan (St. Stephen)
and the Bishop's Palace have a Renaissance-baroque style, and a facade with three-cornered gable and a Renaissance Bell Tower in Romanesque style from the 16th century, created by Venetian artists.
Other notable islands in the region include Brač
, Čiovo
, Šolta
, Vis
,
The World Heritage Site of the city of Trogir
contains a mixture of influence from the Hellenistic period, Romans
, and Venetians
with its Greek architecture, Romanesque
churches, Renaissance
and Baroque
buildings. Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic
complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe
. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Trogir's grandest building is the church of St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia.
Notable attractions include the Fortress Kamerlengo
and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir
.
with its Renaissance culture. The finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace which dates from the 16th century and is currently used to house the National Archives. The Rectors Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure that displays finely carved capitals and an ornate staircase. It now houses a museum. Its façade is depicted on the reverse
of the Croatian 50 kuna
banknote, issued in 1993 and 2002. The St. Saviour Church is another remnant of the Renaissance period, next to the much-visited Franciscan Monastery. The Franciscan monastery's library possesses 30,000 volumes, 22 incunabula, 1,500 valuable handwritten documents. Exhibits include a 15th century silver-gilt cross and silver thurible, an 18th century crucifix from Jerusalem, a martyrology (1541) by Bemardin Gucetic and illuminated Psalters. Dubrovnik's most famous church is St Blaise's church, built in the 18th century in honor of Dubrovnik's patron saint. Dubrovnik's baroque Cathedral was built in the 18th century and houses an impressive Treasury with relics of Saint Blaise. The city's Dominican Monastery resembles a fortress on the outside but the interior contains an art museum and a Gothic-Romanesque church. A special treasure of the Dominican monastery is its library with over 220 incunabula, numerous illustrated manuscripts, a rich archive with precious manuscripts and documents and an extensive art collection.
The main feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run 2 km around the city. The walls run from four to six metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city.
The nearby islands include the historical island of Korčula
. The devout Catholic
inhabitants of Korčula keep alive old folk church ceremonies and a weapon dance
, the Moreška
, which dates back to the middle ages
. Originally danced only on special occasions, in modern times there are performances twice a week for tourists. The main town's historic sites include the central Romanesque
-Gothic
Cathedral of St Mark (built from 1301 to 1806), the 15th-century Franciscan
monastery with a beautiful Venetian Gothic
cloister
, the civic council chambers, the palace of the former Venetian
governors, grand 15th and 16th century palaces of the local merchant nobles, and the massive city fortifications.
Further along are the untouched forests of Mljet
. Over 72% of the island of 98.01 square kilometres (37.8 sq mi) is forest. The island's geological structure consists of limestone
and dolomite
forming ridges, crests and slopes. A few depressions on the island of Mljet are below sea level and are known as blatine ("mud-lakes") or slatine ("salt-lakes"). During the rain seasons all blatine are filled with water and turn to brackish during dry seasons.
, dotted with castles and spas, and the old city of Varaždin
. Varaždin, with its unique monuments and artistic heritage, represents the best preserved and richest urban complex in continental Croatia.
The Old Town (fortress) is a beautiful example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture
in Croatia, were added. Varaždin's Cathedral, a former Jesuit church, was built in 1647, and is distinguished by its baroque entrance, 18th-century altar, and paintings. Among festivals, the annual Špancir Fest begins at the end of August and ends in September (lasts for 10 days). At this time the city welcomes artists, street performers, musicians and vendors for what is called 'the street walking festival'. Varaždin is also the host of the "Radar festival", which hosts concerts at the end of summer. It has already hosted musical stars such as Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, The Animals, Manic Street Preachers, Solomon Burke among others.
The Marian
shrine of Marija Bistrica
is the largest and most notable pilgrimage spot for the faithful in the entire country. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the site every year where the 14th century church has stood and contains elements of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. The church is most famous for the statue known as the "Black Madonna with Child," whose story dates back to the Turkish invasion in the 16th century when the statue was hidden in the church and then lost for decades until its miraculous discovery. Another one of the shrine's highlight is the process of "The Way of the Cross" behind the church, in pilgrims begin the trek that ultimately leads to Calvary Hill. Pope John Paul II
visited the site in 1998 in his second tour of Croatia.
The south has some natural highlights, such as the nature park Lonjsko polje
, where it covers the area of the former Jasenovac concentration camp
. The southwest area is known for its forests and wilderness, especially. Baroque
churches are found readily throughout the area, along with other cultural architecture. Much rebuilding is being done in the areas destroyed during the Croatian war of independence
.
has the national park of Kopački rit
, a large swamp with an incredible variety of fauna and birds. It is one of the most important, largest and most attractive preserved intact wetland
s in Europe, hosting about 260 various bird species such as (wild geese
and duck
s, Great White Egret, White Stork
, Black Stork
, White-tailed Eagle
, crows, coots, gull
s, tern
s, kingfisher
s, and European Green Woodpecker. Guided tourist visits by panoramic ships, boats, team of horses or on foot are available, with some packages offering the possibility of photographing or video-recording animals, bird
s in particular.
The cultural center is the historical city of Osijek
, with its baroque style buildings, such as the Church of St. Peter and Paul
, a neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia after the Zagreb Cathedral
.
The city of Đakovo boasts of the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Đakovo
is the town's most famous landmark and the most important sacral object, not only in Đakovo but also throughout the whole region of Slavonia
. The central traditional event is called Đakovački vezovi
(Đakovo Embroidery). It is a folklore show of the regions Slavonia and Baranya that is organized yearly in the beginning of July, and it presents traditional folk costumes, folklore dancing and singing groups, customs. The Cathedral hosts choirs, opera artists, and art exhibitions are organized in the exhibition salon. The horse and wedding wagon show is a special part of the program. During the sports program, pure-bred white Lipizzaner horses can be seen on the racecourse. Ilok
and the war-torn city of Vukovar
are also points of interest in the area.
Slavonian gastronomy specialties are popular, with traditional Slavonian wines and cuisine being a unique part of the region. The traditional Slavonian cuisine
, famous for its meat specialties (kulen
smoked sausage, kobasica sausages, smoked ham), venison and freshwater fish dishes are popular, along with the wines: Weissburgunder, Traminer and Riesling
.
Like Prague or Budapest, Zagreb
has a Central Europe
an feel to it, with a large and well-preserved old town on the hill and a 19th-century city center. The Croatian capital is also the country's largest cultural center, with many museums and galleries.
The historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square
is composed of the Gornji Grad
and Kaptol
, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings
that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by a funicular
on nearby Tomićeva Street.
Zagreb's numerous museum
s reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections. The Archaeological Museum
consists of nearly 400,000 varied artifacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources. The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy
and bandages with the oldest Etruscan
inscription in the world (Liber Linteus
Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic
collection. The Croatian Natural History Museum holds one of the world's most important collection of Neanderthal
remains found at one site. These are the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric Krapina
man. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various different collections.
There are about 20 permanent or seasonal theaters and stages. The Croatian National Theater in Zagreb was built in 1895 and opened by emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria
. The most renowned concert hall is named "Vatroslav Lisinski
", after the composer of the first Croatian opera was built in 1973. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Film
s, takes place every even-numbered year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music
, every odd-numbered year. It also hosts the annual ZagrebDox
documentary film
festival. The Festival of the Zagreb Philharmonic
and the flowers exhibition Floraart (end of May or beginning of June), the Old-timer Rally annual events. In the summer, theater performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts the Zagreb Histrionic Summer theater events.
Zagreb is also the host of Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music
festival
, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb on November 16 is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the Jarun
lake near the southwestern part of the city.
Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialties of national and international cuisine
. Domestic products which deserve to be tasted include turkey, duck
or goose
with mlinci
(a kind of pasta
), štrukli (cottage cheese strudel
), sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese
with cream), kremšnite (custard
slices in flaky pastry), and orehnjača (traditional walnut roll).
) has included the following Croatian sites on its World Heritage List:
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
had 10 million tourist visitors, and in 2008 11.26 million tourists.
The interior of the country, with the exception of the capital Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
, the erstwhile Baroque capital Varaždin
Varaždin
Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
and a plethora of medieval castles, has fewer tourist attractions. Eight areas in the country have been designated national park
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
s, and the landscape in these areas is afforded extra protection from development. Several companies run flotilla
Flotilla
A flotilla , or naval flotilla, is a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. A flotilla is usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as frigates, destroyers, torpedo boats, submarines, gunboats, or minesweepers...
s of yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
s along different stretches of the coastline, which is also popular with divers
Underwater diving
Underwater diving is the practice of going underwater, either with breathing apparatus or by breath-holding .Recreational diving is a popular activity...
.
The country is currently being advertised under the motto The Mediterranean As It Once Was.
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet
Lonely Planet is the largest travel guide book and digital media publisher in the world. The company is owned by BBC Worldwide, which bought a 75% share from the founders Maureen and Tony Wheeler in 2007 and the final 25% in February 2011...
named Croatia as the top pick destination for 2005, while National Geographic Adventure Magazine named Croatia as Destination of the Year in 2006.
Tourist regions
The Croatian Tourist Board has divided Croatia into eight distinct tourist regions:Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
has the many notable interests. Its west coast has several historical towns dating from Roman times, such as the city of Umag
Umag
Umag is a coastal city in Istria, Croatia.The city hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP tennis tournament on clay courts.-Geography:It is the westernmost city of Croatia, and the municipality includes Savudrija which is westernmost point of Croatia....
, which hosts the yearly Croatia Open ATP
Association of Tennis Professionals
The Association of Tennis Professionals or ATP was formed in 1972 by Donald Dell, Jack Kramer, and Cliff Drysdale to protect the interests of male professional tennis players. Since 1990, the association has organized the worldwide tennis tour for men and linked the title of the tour with the...
tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
tournament on clay courts.
The city of Poreč
Porec
Poreč is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997....
is famous for the UNESCO-protected Euphrasian Basilica
Euphrasian Basilica
The Euphrasian Basilica is a basilica in Poreč, Croatia. The episcopal complex, including, apart the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace, is one of the best examples of early Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean region.The...
, which includes the renown 6th century mosaics depicting old-style Byzantine art
Byzantine art
Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453....
. Furthermore, the city plan still shows the ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Castrum structure
Structure
Structure is a fundamental, tangible or intangible notion referring to the recognition, observation, nature, and permanence of patterns and relationships of entities. This notion may itself be an object, such as a built structure, or an attribute, such as the structure of society...
. The main streets are Decumanus and Cardo Maximus, still preserved in their original forms. Marafor is a Roman square
Town square
A town square is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Other names for town square are civic center, city square, urban square, market square, public square, and town green.Most town squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets,...
with two temples attached. One of them, erected in the 1st century AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
, is dedicated to the Roman god
Roman mythology
Roman mythology is the body of traditional stories pertaining to ancient Rome's legendary origins and religious system, as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans...
Neptune
Poseidon
Poseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
. A few houses from the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
period have been preserved and beautiful Venetian Gothic palaces can be seen here. Originally a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Franciscan church built in the 13th century, the 'Dieta Istriana' hall was remodeled in the Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
style in the 18th century.
The region's largest city Pula
Pula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
has one of the best preserved Amphitheater
Arena (colosseum)
The Pula Arena is the name of the amphitheatre located in Pula, Croatia. The Arena is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers and with all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved. It was constructed in 27 BC - 68 AD and is among the six largest surviving Roman...
s in the world, which is still in use for festivals and events. It is surrounded by large hotel complexes, resorts, camps and sports facilities. A short boat ride away is Brijuni
Brijuni
The Brijuni or the Brijuni Islands are a group of fourteen small islands in the Croatian part of the northern Adriatic Sea, separated from the west coast of the Istrian peninsula by the narrow Fažana Strait...
national park
Protected areas of Croatia
The main protected areas of Croatia are national parks, nature parks and strict reserves. There are 444 protected areas of Croatia, encompassing 9% of the country. Those include 8 national parks in Croatia, 2 strict reserves and 10 nature parks. The most famous protected area and the oldest...
visited by numerous world leaders since it was the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
. Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
s and temples still lie buried among farm fields and along the shoreline of the dozens of surrounding fishing and farming villages. The coastal waters offer beaches, fishing, wreck dives
Wreck diving
Wreck diving is a type of recreational diving where shipwrecks are explored. Although most wreck dive sites are at shipwrecks, there is an increasing trend to scuttle retired ships to create artificial reef sites...
to ancient Roman galleys and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
warships, cliff diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
, and sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
to unspoiled coves and islands large and small. Pula is the end point of the EuroVelo
EuroVelo
]EuroVelo, the European cycle route network, is a project of the European Cyclists' Federation to develop 13 long-distance cycle routes crossing Europe. The total length is , of which more than are in place....
9 cycle route
Segregated cycle facilities
Segregated cycle facilities are marked lanes, tracks, shoulders and paths designated for use by cyclists from which motorised traffic is generally excluded...
that runs from Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
through Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
.
The town of Rovinj
Rovinj
Rovinj is a city in Croatia situated on the north Adriatic Sea with a population of 13,562 . It is located on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula and is a popular tourist resort and an active fishing port...
contains well-indented coastal areas with a number of small bays hidden within dense vegetation, open to naturists. Although the beaches are not specified as naturist, many people choose to enjoy the sea and the sun in this way with a reserved toleration of other swimmers.
The interior is quieter, very green and wooded, with dozens of tiny stone towns perched on hills, such as Motovun
Motovun
Motovun is a village in central Istria, Croatia. The population of the village itself is 531, with a total of 983 residents in the municipality ; 442 of the residents have Italian as their mother language...
. The river Mirna
Mirna River (Croatia)
The Mirna is a river in Istria, Croatia. It is Istria's longest and richest river, being long and having a basin covering an area of . It rises near Buzet, and empties into the Adriatic Sea near Novigrad.-External links:* *...
flows below the hill and on the other side of the river there is the famous Motovun forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
, an area of about 10 square kilometres in the valley of the river Mirna, of which 280 hectares (2.8 km2) is specially protected. This area differs completely not only from the nearby forests, but also from those of the entire surrounding karst region because of its wild life, moist soil and rich-with-prized-black-and-white truffles (Tuber magnatum), which grows successfully there. Since this fungus grows underground, it is gathered with the aid of specially trained dogs. Since 1999, Motovun has hosted the international Motovun Film Festival
Motovun Film Festival
Motovun Film Festival is an annual film festival established in 1999 and held in Motovun, Croatia. It usually takes place over 5–6 days in late July or early August...
for independent and avant-garde films from the U.S. and Europe.
Kvarner & Highlands
One of the most varying regions, the entire Kvarner gulf provides striking sceneries, with tall mountains right next to the sea, overlooking a dozen large islands. Tourist resorts range from the coastal towns of OpatijaOpatija
Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. , the town proper had a population of 7,850, with the municipality having a total 12,719 inhabitants.-Geography:...
and Lovran
Lovran
Lovran is a town in Istria, Croatia. It is situated on the western coast of the Kvarner Bay with a population of 3,241 . Its name derives from Laurel , as shown in the coat of arms....
, with their feel of Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
imperial decadence, are regaining their former prominence.
The former Venetian
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
island towns of Rab
Rab
Rab is an island in Croatia and a town of the same name located just off the northern Croatian coast in the Adriatic Sea.The island is long, has an area of and 9,480 inhabitants . The highest peak is Kamenjak at 408 meters...
and Lošinj
Lošinj
Lošinj is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, in the Kvarner Gulf. It is almost due south of the city of Rijeka and part of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar county....
are popular tourist destinations. The island of Rab is rich in cultural heritage and cultural-historical monuments that make it a popular vacation destination. Rab is also known as a pioneer of naturism
Naturism
Naturism or nudism is a cultural and political movement practising, advocating and defending social nudity in private and in public. It may also refer to a lifestyle based on personal, family and/or social nudism....
after the visit of King Edward VIII and Mrs Wallis Simpson. The island is nowadays very popular with tourists and families for its beautiful nature, beaches, heritage and many events, particularly the Rab arbalest
Arbalest
The arbalest was a late variation of the medieval European crossbow. A large weapon, the arbalest had a steel prod . Since an arbalest was much larger than earlier crossbows, and because of the greater compressive strength of steel, it had a greater force...
tournament and the Rab Medieval festival - Rapska Fjera
Rapska Fjera
Rapska fjera is a historical reenactment and festival on the island of Rab in Croatia, in which the people of the island present their history for tourists...
. With around 2600 hours of sunshine a year, the island of Lošinj has become a popular destination for Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n, German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
tourists in the summer months. Average air humidity
Humidity
Humidity is a term for the amount of water vapor in the air, and can refer to any one of several measurements of humidity. Formally, humid air is not "moist air" but a mixture of water vapor and other constituents of air, and humidity is defined in terms of the water content of this mixture,...
is 70%, and the average summer temperature is 24 °C (75 °F) and 7 °C (45 °F) during the winter.
The interior regions Gorski kotar
Gorski kotar
Gorski kotar is the mountainous region in Croatia between Karlovac and Rijeka. Together with Lika and the Ogulin-Plaški valley it forms Mountainous Croatia. Because 63% of its surface is forested it is popularly called the green lungs of Croatia or Croatian Switzerland...
, Velebit
Velebit
Velebit is the largest though not the highest mountain range in Croatia. Its highest peak is the Vaganski vrh at 1757 m.The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior...
and Lika
Lika
Lika is a mountainous region in central Croatia, roughly bound by the Velebit mountain from the southwest and the Plješevica mountain from the northeast. On the north-west end Lika is bounded by Ogulin-Plaški basin, and on the south-east by the Malovan pass...
have vast stretches of virginal nature, with mountain peaks, forests and fields, many animal species including bears, and the national parks of Risnjak
Risnjak National Park
Risnjak National Park is a national park in Croatia. It is located in Gorski kotar, the most mountainous and heavily forested region of the country, about 15 km inland from the Adriatic Sea. The park covers an area of 63.5 square kilometers including the central part of Risnjak and Snježnik...
and Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes
Plitvice Lakes National Park is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. The national park was founded in 1949 and is situated in the mountainous karst area of central Croatia, at the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. The Plitvice Lakes National Park lies in the Plitvice plateau which is surrounded by three mountains part of the Dinaric Alps
Dinaric Alps
The Dinaric Alps or Dinarides form a mountain chain in Southern Europe, spanning areas of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro....
: Plješevica
Plješevica
Plješivica or Plješevica is a mountain in Croatia and on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction north–south, and it extends from the mountain pass that separates it from Mala Kapela, along the Krbava field to the west and the Una River...
mountain (Gornja Plješevica peak 1,640 m), Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela
Mala Kapela is a mountain in Croatia, part of the Dinaric Alps. It stretches in the direction northwest-southeast, and it extends from the mountain pass called "Kapela" or "Vrh Kapele" that separates it from Velika Kapela, down to the mountain pass that connects Otočac and Plitvice and from then...
mountain (Seliški Vrh peak at 1,280 m), and Medveđak (884 m). The national Park is underlain by karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
ic rock, mainly dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
and limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with associated lakes and caves, this has given rise to the most distinctive feature of its lakes. The lakes are separated by natural dams of travertine
Travertine
Travertine is a form of limestone deposited by mineral springs, especially hot springs. Travertine often has a fibrous or concentric appearance and exists in white, tan, and cream-colored varieties. It is formed by a process of rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate, often at the mouth of a hot...
, which is deposited by the action of moss
Moss
Mosses are small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm tall, though some species are much larger. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leaves cover the thin wiry stems...
, algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
, and bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
. The encrusted plants and bacteria accumulate on top of each other, forming travertine barriers which grow at the rate of about 1 cm per year. The sixteen lakes are separated into an upper and lower cluster formed by runoff
Surface runoff
Surface runoff is the water flow that occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain, meltwater, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source...
from the mountains, descending from an altitude of 636 to 503 m (2,086.6 to 1,650.3 ) over a distance of some eight km, aligned in a south-north direction. The lakes collectively cover an area of about two km², with the water exiting from the lowest lake to form the Korana River. The lakes are renowned for their distinctive colours, ranging from azure to green, grey or blue. The colours change constantly depending on the quantity of minerals or organisms in the water and the angle of sunlight. The lakes are divided into the 12 Upper Lakes (Gornja jezera) and the four Lower Lakes (Donja jezera): Under the travertine waterfalls Cratoneuron moss sometimes grows, the moss gets encrusted with travertine and fresh moss grows further out, first a crag is formed but later a cave roof forms under the crag. If the water continues flowing the cave becomes progressively bigger. Limestone caves are present as well. The area is also home to an extremely wide variety of animal and bird species. Rare fauna such as the European brown bear
Brown Bear
The brown bear is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It can weigh from and its largest subspecies, the Kodiak Bear, rivals the polar bear as the largest member of the bear family and as the largest land-based predator.There are several recognized...
, wolf, eagle
Eagle
Eagles are members of the bird family Accipitridae, and belong to several genera which are not necessarily closely related to each other. Most of the more than 60 species occur in Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just two species can be found in the United States and Canada, nine more in...
, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, wild cat
Wild cat
The wildcat is a small cat with several subspecies and a very broad distribution, found throughout most of Africa, Europe, and southwest and central Asia into India, China, and Mongolia. It is a hunter of small mammals, birds, and other creatures of a similar or smaller size. Sometimes included is...
, and capercaillie
Capercaillie
The Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
can be found there, along with many more common species. At least 126 species of birds have been recorded there, of which 70 have been recorded as breeding there.
Dalmatia - Zadar
Kornati
The Kornati archipelago in Croatia is located in the northern part of Dalmatia, west from Šibenik, in the Šibenik-Knin county. With 35 km in length and 140 islands, some large, some small, in a sea area of about 320 km², Kornati are the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea...
National Park has hundreds of mostly uninhabited islands. Kornat, the biggest of the islands with a total area of 32525315 m² (38,899,953 sq yd), comprises two-thirds of the park's land area. Although the island is 25.2 km long, it is no wider than 2.5 km. The park is managed from the town of Murter, on the island of Murter
Murter
Murter is name of the island in the Croatian part of the Adriatic sea, located in central Dalmatia at , as well as that of a small village on the north-western part of the island....
, and is connected to the mainland by a drawbridge.
Zadar, the largest city in the region, gained its urban
Urbanization
Urbanization, urbanisation or urban drift is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008....
structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
and Emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum
Forum (Roman)
A forum was a public square in a Roman municipium, or any civitas, reserved primarily for the vending of goods; i.e., a marketplace, along with the buildings used for shops and the stoas used for open stalls...
, the basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
and the temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
, while outside the town were the amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
and cemeteries
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. The aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
which supplied the town with water is partially preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed with a series of churches and monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
being built.
The interior has mixed plains and mountains, with the impressive Paklenica
Paklenica
The Paklenica karst river canyon is a national park in Croatia. It is located in Starigrad, northern Dalmatia, at the southern slopes of Velebit mountain, not far from Zadar. It has two canyons: Mala and Velika Paklenica. Today there is no water flowing throughout Mala Paklenica...
canyon as the main attraction. Paklenica National Park is the most visited climbing site in Croatia, and the largest in Southeast Europe. The close proximity of seawater gives this climbing site a special charm, making Paklenica Riviera an ideal place to combine climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
, hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
and water sports. Today, there are over 360 equipped and improved routes of various difficulty levels and lengths within Paklenica’s climbing sites, so each climber can find to their liking. The main climbing season begins in spring and goes on until late autumn. The Park area contains 150–200 km of trails and paths, from those intended for tourists, leading from Velika Paklenica Canyon to Manita peć cave, Lugarnica forest cottage and the mountain hut, to those intended for mountaineers, leading to the highest peaks of Velebit. The trails in the Park are marked with boards and mountaineering signs.
The island of Pag
Pag (island)
Pag is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea. It is the fifth-largest island of the Croatian coast, and the one with the longest coastline....
has one of the biggest party zones in Europe in the town of Novalja and Zrće
Zrce
Zrće is a long pebble beach on the Adriatic island of Pag in the northern part of the Croatian coast. It is located near Novalja, about 4 kilometers from the town's center...
. These beaches are well-known Croatian summer destination for partygoers, with several all-hours discotheques and beach bars operating during summer months. It regularly features gig
Gig (musical performance)
Gig is slang for a musical engagement in which musicians are hired. Originally coined in the 1920s by jazz musicians, the term, short for the word "engagement", now refers to any aspect of performing such as assisting with performance and attending musical performance...
s by internationally known house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
and trance
Trance music
Trance is a genre of electronic dance music that developed in the 1990s.:251 It is generally characterized by a tempo of between 125 and 150 bpm,:252 repeating melodic synthesizer phrases, and a musical form that builds up and breaks down throughout a track...
DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
at the peak of the Croatian summer season in July and August. Zrće is particularly popular among young club goers, while other pebble and sand beaches on the island are more family-oriented, and are one of over 100 Blue Flag beach
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
es in Croatia.
Dalmatia - Šibenik
This is another popular yachting region, dotted with islands, and centered around ŠibenikŠibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
and its famous cathedral, the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Several fortresses, remnants of the Renaissance era (which includes St. Nicholas Fortress
St. Nicholas Fortress
St. Nicholas Fortress is a fortress located in the town of Šibenik, one of the oldest native Croatian towns on the eastern shores of the Adriatic, in central Dalmatia, Croatia.-History:In the town of Šibenik there are four fortresses:...
) can be seen surrounding the city.
The interior has the Krka National Park
Krka National Park
Krka National Park is one of the Croatian national parks, named after the river Krka that it encloses. It is located along the middle-lower course of the Krka River in central Dalmatia, in Šibenik-Knin county, downstream Miljevci area, and just a few kilometers northeast of the city of Šibenik...
with its waterfalls and religious monasteries. Skradinski Buk is one of the most attractive parts of the park, with numerous attractions and facilities available among various footpaths, sightseeing tours and presentations, boat trips, restaurants and museum. Roški Slap, located near Miljevci
Miljevci
Miljevci or Miljevci plateau is a small region in Šibenik-Knin County in Croatia that includes seven villages. The plateau has an area of over 100 square kilometers and is located between the rivers of Krka, Čikola and mountain Promina. Miljevci are only a few kilometers from the town of Drniš in...
, is the second most popular attraction of the Krka National Park in terms of numbers of visitors, and whose cascades can be visited throughout the year. The most attractive way to reach Roški Slap is to take one of the excursion boats operated by the Krka National Park, although the falls can also be reached with a public road. Inside the park is the island of Visovac which was founded during the reign of Louis I of Hungary, home to the Roman Catholic Visovac Monastery
Visovac Monastery
The Visovac Monastery is a Roman Catholic monastery on the island of Visovac in the Krka National Park, Croatia. Visovac was settled by Augustinian monks, who established a small monastery and church dedicated to the Apostle Paul in the 14th century...
founded by the Franciscans in 1445 near Miljevci
Miljevci
Miljevci or Miljevci plateau is a small region in Šibenik-Knin County in Croatia that includes seven villages. The plateau has an area of over 100 square kilometers and is located between the rivers of Krka, Čikola and mountain Promina. Miljevci are only a few kilometers from the town of Drniš in...
village. The park also includes the Serb Orthodox Monastery Krka founded in 1345. The island can be visited by a boat tour from Skradinski Buk.
The area around thecity of Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
has medieval fortresses and many archeological remains. The recently discovered Roman town Burnum
Burnum
Burnum or Burnum Municipium, an archaeological site, was a Roman Legion camp and town. It is located 2.5 km north of Kistanje, in inland Dalmatia, Croatia...
is 18 km far from Knin in direction of Kistanje. There are the remainings of the biggest amphitheater in Dalmatia built in 77 BC
77 BC
Year 77 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Brutus and Lepidus...
, during the rule of Vespasian
Vespasian
Vespasian , was Roman Emperor from 69 AD to 79 AD. Vespasian was the founder of the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for a quarter century. Vespasian was descended from a family of equestrians, who rose into the senatorial rank under the Emperors of the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
which could host 8000 people. The nearby villages Biskupija
Biskupija
Biskupija is a village and a municipality in Šibenik-Knin County, Croatia.The municipality covers a karst field called Kosovo polje located between the mountains of Promina and Veliki Kozjak...
and Kapitul are extremely interesting archaeological sites from the 10th century where many remains of medieval Croatian culture are found including churches, graves, decorations, and epigraphs.
Dalmatia - Split
The coastal city of SplitSplit (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
is also the second largest city in Croatia, and is well-known for its unique Roman heritage which includes UNESCO-protected Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's Palace
Diocletian's Palace is a building in Split, Croatia, that was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from...
. The city was built around the palace, which today is well-known for its excellent preservation, and is one of the most famous and complete architectural and cultural features on the Croatian Adriatic coast. The Split Cathedral stems from the palace.
The Makarska Riviera
Makarska riviera
The Makarska Riviera is a part of the Croatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, about 60 kilometers long and only several kilometers wide, squeezed under towering mountain Biokovo. Sunny climate and long pebbly beaches make this region a popular tourist destination...
is a stretch of coastline known for its pristine beaches and are popular destinations among sunbathers for its beaches, clubs, cafes, kayaking, sailing, and hiking along the Biokovo
Biokovo
Biokovo is the second-highest mountain range in Croatia, located along the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea, between the rivers of Cetina and Neretva...
range. Makarska
Makarska
Makarska is a small town on the Adriatic coastline of Croatia, about southeast of Split and northwest of Dubrovnik. It has a population of 13,716 residents. Administratively Makarska has the status of a town and it is part of the Split-Dalmatia County....
, Brela
Brela
Brela is a municipality in the Split-Dalmatia county of Croatia, population 1,771 . The municipality consists of two villages: Brela and Gornja Brela. Village Brela is located on the Adriatic coastline of Dalmatia, about 15 km northwest of Makarska....
, Omiš
Omiš
Omiš is a town and port in the Dalmatia region of Croatia, and is a municipality in the Split-Dalmatia County. The town is situated approximately south-east of Croatia's second largest city, Split. Its location is where the emerald-green Cetina River meets the Adriatic Sea...
, and Baška Voda
Baška Voda
Baška Voda , is a municipality in Croatia in the Split-Dalmatia County. It has a population of 2,924 , 95.5% which are Croats, 1.03% Serbs, etc. It is located on the Adriatic coastline of Dalmatia 10 km northwest of Makarska....
are the most popular.
The large islands of this region, which such pearls as the town of Hvar
Hvar
- Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7...
, known for its fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
industries. Hvar has a very mild Mediterranean climate
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, bountiful beaches and Mediterranean vegetation that make it one of the most attractive tourist centers in Europe. The island promotes itself as "the sunniest spot in Europe", with over 2715 hours of sunlight in an average year. Cultural and artistic events within the Hvar Summer Festival take place throughout the summer, from late June to late September. These events include classical music concerts performed by national and international artists, and performances by amateur groups from Hvar. Performances are given nearly every day in a number of venues around the town. The Gallery of Modern Art in Hvar is located in the Arsenal building, in the lobby of the historic Theatre of Hvar. The permanent display contains the most valuable paintings, sculptures and prints from the collection, and temporary exhibitions are organised within the Museum project Summer of Fine Arts in Hvar. The Cathedral of Sv. Stjepan (St. Stephen)
Cathedral of St. Stephen in Hvar
The Cathedral of St. Stephen in Hvar is a Roman Catholic cathedral in the town of Hvar , on island of Hvar in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia.- Location :...
and the Bishop's Palace have a Renaissance-baroque style, and a facade with three-cornered gable and a Renaissance Bell Tower in Romanesque style from the 16th century, created by Venetian artists.
Other notable islands in the region include Brač
Brac
Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of 396 km², making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. Its tallest peak, Vidova Gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 778 m, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic...
, Čiovo
Ciovo
Čiovo is a small island located off the Adriatic coast in Croatia with an area of 28.8 km2 , population of 6,071 inhabitants and its highest peak is 218 m ....
, Šolta
Šolta
Šolta is an island in Croatia. It is situated in the Adriatic Sea in the central Dalmatian archipelago, west of the island of Brač, south of Split and east of the Drvenik islands . Its area is 58.98 km2 and it has a population of 1,675 .The highest peak of Šolta is the summit Vela Straža...
, Vis
Vis (island)
Vis is the most outerly lying larger Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, and is part of the Central Dalmatian group of islands, with an area of 90.26 km² and a population of 3,617 . Of all the inhabited Croatian islands, it is the farthest from the coast...
,
The World Heritage Site of the city of Trogir
Trogir
Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo...
contains a mixture of influence from the Hellenistic period, Romans
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
, and Venetians
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
with its Greek architecture, Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
churches, Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
and Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
buildings. Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Trogir's grandest building is the church of St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia.
Notable attractions include the Fortress Kamerlengo
Kamerlengo Castle
Kamerlengo is a castle and fortress in Trogir, Croatia. It was built by the Republic of VeniceThe castle was built in the mid-15th century by Marin Radoj as part of an expansion of the Veriga Tower, built on the site in the late 14th century. It is used as a location for performances during the...
and the Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir
Cathedral of St. Lawrence, Trogir
The Cathedral of St. Lawrence is a Roman Catholic triple-naved basilica constructed in Romanesque-Gothic in Trogir, Croatia. Since its construction lasted several centuries, it illustrates all the styles that succeeded one another in Dalmatia...
.
Dalmatia - Dubrovnik
One of the most famous Croatian tourist site is the fortified city of DubrovnikDubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
with its Renaissance culture. The finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace which dates from the 16th century and is currently used to house the National Archives. The Rectors Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure that displays finely carved capitals and an ornate staircase. It now houses a museum. Its façade is depicted on the reverse
Obverse and reverse
Obverse and its opposite, reverse, refer to the two flat faces of coins and some other two-sided objects, including paper money, flags , seals, medals, drawings, old master prints and other works of art, and printed fabrics. In this usage, obverse means the front face of the object and reverse...
of the Croatian 50 kuna
Croatian kuna
The kuna is the currency of Croatia since 1994 . It is subdivided into 100 lipa. The kuna is issued by the Croatian National Bank and the coins are minted by the Croatian Monetary Institute....
banknote, issued in 1993 and 2002. The St. Saviour Church is another remnant of the Renaissance period, next to the much-visited Franciscan Monastery. The Franciscan monastery's library possesses 30,000 volumes, 22 incunabula, 1,500 valuable handwritten documents. Exhibits include a 15th century silver-gilt cross and silver thurible, an 18th century crucifix from Jerusalem, a martyrology (1541) by Bemardin Gucetic and illuminated Psalters. Dubrovnik's most famous church is St Blaise's church, built in the 18th century in honor of Dubrovnik's patron saint. Dubrovnik's baroque Cathedral was built in the 18th century and houses an impressive Treasury with relics of Saint Blaise. The city's Dominican Monastery resembles a fortress on the outside but the interior contains an art museum and a Gothic-Romanesque church. A special treasure of the Dominican monastery is its library with over 220 incunabula, numerous illustrated manuscripts, a rich archive with precious manuscripts and documents and an extensive art collection.
The main feature of Dubrovnik is its walls that run 2 km around the city. The walls run from four to six metres thick on the landward side but are much thinner on the seaward side. The system of turrets and towers were intended to protect the vulnerable city.
The nearby islands include the historical island of Korčula
Korcula
Korčula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. The island has an area of ; long and on average wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk...
. The devout Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
inhabitants of Korčula keep alive old folk church ceremonies and a weapon dance
Weapon dance
The weapon dance employs weapons—or stylized versions of weapons—traditionally used in combat in order to simulate, recall, or reenact combat or the moves of combat in the form of dance, usually for some ceremonial purpose. Such dancing is quite common to folk ritual in many parts of the world...
, the Moreška
Moreška
Moreška is a traditional sword dance from the town of Korčula, on the Croatian island of the same name in the Adriatic. Dating back hundreds of years, the Moreška is an elaborate production involving two groups of dancers, engaging in a mock battle over the fate of a veiled young woman...
, which dates back to the middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Originally danced only on special occasions, in modern times there are performances twice a week for tourists. The main town's historic sites include the central Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
-Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Cathedral of St Mark (built from 1301 to 1806), the 15th-century Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
monastery with a beautiful Venetian Gothic
Venetian Gothic architecture
Venetian Gothic is a term given to an architectural style combining use of the Gothic lancet arch with Byzantine and Moorish architecture influences. The style originated in 14th century Venice with the confluence of Byzantine styles from Constantinople, Arab influences from Moorish Spain and early...
cloister
Cloister
A cloister is a rectangular open space surrounded by covered walks or open galleries, with open arcades on the inner side, running along the walls of buildings and forming a quadrangle or garth...
, the civic council chambers, the palace of the former Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
governors, grand 15th and 16th century palaces of the local merchant nobles, and the massive city fortifications.
Further along are the untouched forests of Mljet
Mljet
Mljet is the most southerly and easterly of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea belt 500 m wide from the most prominent cape of Mljet covering an area of...
. Over 72% of the island of 98.01 square kilometres (37.8 sq mi) is forest. The island's geological structure consists of limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and dolomite
Dolomite
Dolomite is a carbonate mineral composed of calcium magnesium carbonate CaMg2. The term is also used to describe the sedimentary carbonate rock dolostone....
forming ridges, crests and slopes. A few depressions on the island of Mljet are below sea level and are known as blatine ("mud-lakes") or slatine ("salt-lakes"). During the rain seasons all blatine are filled with water and turn to brackish during dry seasons.
Central Croatia
The most interesting part of this large region is the north, with the hilly area of ZagorjeZagorje
Hrvatsko Zagorje is a region in northern Croatia.Zagorje may also refer to:*Zagorje ob Savi, a town and a municipality in Slovenia*NK Zagorje, a Slovenian football club-See also:...
, dotted with castles and spas, and the old city of Varaždin
Varaždin
Varaždin is a city in north Croatia, north of Zagreb on the highway A4. The total population is 47,055, with 38,746 on of the city settlement itself . The centre of Varaždin county is located near the Drava river, at...
. Varaždin, with its unique monuments and artistic heritage, represents the best preserved and richest urban complex in continental Croatia.
The Old Town (fortress) is a beautiful example of medieval defensive buildings. Construction began in the 14th century, and in the following century the rounded towers, typical of Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
in Croatia, were added. Varaždin's Cathedral, a former Jesuit church, was built in 1647, and is distinguished by its baroque entrance, 18th-century altar, and paintings. Among festivals, the annual Špancir Fest begins at the end of August and ends in September (lasts for 10 days). At this time the city welcomes artists, street performers, musicians and vendors for what is called 'the street walking festival'. Varaždin is also the host of the "Radar festival", which hosts concerts at the end of summer. It has already hosted musical stars such as Bob Dylan, Carlos Santana, The Animals, Manic Street Preachers, Solomon Burke among others.
The Marian
Marian
Marian may refer to:* Marian , people with the given name Marian* Maid Marian, companion of Robin Hood* Marian, an adjective for things relating to Gaius Marius...
shrine of Marija Bistrica
Marija Bistrica
Marija Bistrica is municipality in Krapina-Zagorje County in central Croatia, located on the slopes of the Medvednica mountain in Hrvatsko Zagorje, not far away from Zagreb...
is the largest and most notable pilgrimage spot for the faithful in the entire country. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims visit the site every year where the 14th century church has stood and contains elements of Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque styles. The church is most famous for the statue known as the "Black Madonna with Child," whose story dates back to the Turkish invasion in the 16th century when the statue was hidden in the church and then lost for decades until its miraculous discovery. Another one of the shrine's highlight is the process of "The Way of the Cross" behind the church, in pilgrims begin the trek that ultimately leads to Calvary Hill. Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
visited the site in 1998 in his second tour of Croatia.
The south has some natural highlights, such as the nature park Lonjsko polje
Lonjsko Polje
Lonjsko Polje is the largest protected wetland in both Croatia and the entire Danube basin. It covers an area of , extending along the river Sava from the areas east of Sisak, the lower course of the river Lonja for which it is named, to the areas west of Nova Gradiška, along the course of the...
, where it covers the area of the former Jasenovac concentration camp
Jasenovac concentration camp
Jasenovac concentration camp was the largest extermination camp in the Independent State of Croatia and occupied Yugoslavia during World War II...
. The southwest area is known for its forests and wilderness, especially. Baroque
Baroque
The Baroque is a period and the style that used exaggerated motion and clear, easily interpreted detail to produce drama, tension, exuberance, and grandeur in sculpture, painting, literature, dance, and music...
churches are found readily throughout the area, along with other cultural architecture. Much rebuilding is being done in the areas destroyed during the Croatian war of independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
.
Slavonia
Tourism in this region is just developing, mostly with spas. The area of BaranjaBaranya (region)
Baranya or Baranja is a geographical region between the Danube and the Drava rivers. Its territory is divided between Hungary and Croatia...
has the national park of Kopački rit
Kopacki Rit
Kopački Rit , is a nature park in eastern Croatia. It is located northwest of the confluence of the Drava and the Danube, situated at the border with Serbia. It comprises many backwaters and ponds along the Danube...
, a large swamp with an incredible variety of fauna and birds. It is one of the most important, largest and most attractive preserved intact wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s in Europe, hosting about 260 various bird species such as (wild geese
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
and duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
s, Great White Egret, White Stork
White Stork
The White Stork is a large bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. Its plumage is mainly white, with black on its wings. Adults have long red legs and long pointed red beaks, and measure on average from beak tip to end of tail, with a wingspan...
, Black Stork
Black Stork
The Black Stork Ciconia nigra is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It is a widespread, but rare, species that breeds in the warmer parts of Europe, predominantly in central and eastern regions. This is a shy and wary species, unlike the closely related White Stork. It is seen in...
, White-tailed Eagle
White-tailed Eagle
The White-tailed Eagle , also known as the Sea Eagle, Erne , or White-tailed Sea-eagle, is a large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which includes other raptors such as hawks, kites, and harriers...
, crows, coots, gull
Gull
Gulls are birds in the family Laridae. They are most closely related to the terns and only distantly related to auks, skimmers, and more distantly to the waders...
s, tern
Tern
Terns are seabirds in the family Sternidae, previously considered a subfamily of the gull family Laridae . They form a lineage with the gulls and skimmers which in turn is related to skuas and auks...
s, kingfisher
Kingfisher
Kingfishers are a group of small to medium sized brightly coloured birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species being found in the Old World and Australia...
s, and European Green Woodpecker. Guided tourist visits by panoramic ships, boats, team of horses or on foot are available, with some packages offering the possibility of photographing or video-recording animals, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in particular.
The cultural center is the historical city of Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
, with its baroque style buildings, such as the Church of St. Peter and Paul
Church of St Peter and St Paul
The Church of St Peter and St Paul , the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, is a neo-Gothic sacral structure located in Osijek, Croatia. The multi-tiered 90-metre spire is one of the city's landmarks...
, a neo-Gothic structure with the second highest tower in Croatia after the Zagreb Cathedral
Zagreb cathedral
Zagreb Cathedral on Kaptol is the most famous building in Zagreb, and the tallest building in Croatia. It is dedicated to the Holy Virgin's Ascension and to St. Stephen and St. Ladislaus. The cathedral is typically Gothic, as is its sacristy, which is of great architectonic value...
.
The city of Đakovo boasts of the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Đakovo
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul in Đakovo
The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul , the co-cathedral of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Đakovo-Osijek, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Đakovo, Croatia. It is sometimes referred only as the Cathedral of St. Peter....
is the town's most famous landmark and the most important sacral object, not only in Đakovo but also throughout the whole region of Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
. The central traditional event is called Đakovački vezovi
Đakovački vezovi
Đakovački vezovi is the biggest traditional festival in Đakovo, Croatia.The festival of Đakovački vezovi was founded in 1967, on the occasion of the international year of tourism...
(Đakovo Embroidery). It is a folklore show of the regions Slavonia and Baranya that is organized yearly in the beginning of July, and it presents traditional folk costumes, folklore dancing and singing groups, customs. The Cathedral hosts choirs, opera artists, and art exhibitions are organized in the exhibition salon. The horse and wedding wagon show is a special part of the program. During the sports program, pure-bred white Lipizzaner horses can be seen on the racecourse. Ilok
Ilok
Ilok is the easternmost town and municipality in Croatia. Located in the Syrmia region, it lies on a hill overlooking the Danube river, which forms the border with the Vojvodina region of Serbia. The population of the town of Ilok is 5,036, while the total municipality population is 6,750...
and the war-torn city of Vukovar
Vukovar
Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river and the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Syrmia County...
are also points of interest in the area.
Slavonian gastronomy specialties are popular, with traditional Slavonian wines and cuisine being a unique part of the region. The traditional Slavonian cuisine
Cuisine
Cuisine is a characteristic style of cooking practices and traditions, often associated with a specific culture. Cuisines are often named after the geographic areas or regions that they originate from...
, famous for its meat specialties (kulen
Kulen
Kulen is a type of flavored sausage made of minced pork that is traditionally produced in Croatia and Serbia , and its designation of origin has been protected. In parts of Slavonia, kulen is called kulin due to Ikavian speech.The meat is low-fat, rather brittle and dense, and the flavor is spicy...
smoked sausage, kobasica sausages, smoked ham), venison and freshwater fish dishes are popular, along with the wines: Weissburgunder, Traminer and Riesling
Riesling
Riesling is a white grape variety which originated in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines. Riesling wines are usually varietally...
.
Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
has a Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
an feel to it, with a large and well-preserved old town on the hill and a 19th-century city center. The Croatian capital is also the country's largest cultural center, with many museums and galleries.
The historical part of the city to the north of Ban Jelačić Square
Ban Jelacic Square
Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, named after ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg bana Jelačića...
is composed of the Gornji Grad
Gradec, Zagreb
Gradec or Grič is a part of the Zagreb, Croatia, and together with Kaptol it is the mediaeval nucleus of the city. It's situated on the hill of Gornji Grad.- History :Gradec was given a royal charter by King Bela IV in 1242...
and Kaptol
Kaptol, Zagreb
Kaptol is a part of Zagreb, Croatia in the upper town and it is the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Zagreb.-History:The existence of Kaptol, the settlement on the east slope, was confirmed in 1094 when King Ladislaus founded the Zagreb diocese. The bishop, his residence and the Cathedral...
, a medieval urban complex of churches, palaces, museums, galleries and government buildings
Government Buildings
Government Buildings is a large Edwardian building enclosing a quadrangle on Merrion Street in Dublin, Ireland, in which several key offices of the government of Ireland are located...
that are popular with tourists on sightseeing tours. The historic district can be reached on foot, starting from Jelačić Square, the center of Zagreb, or by a funicular
Funicular
A funicular, also known as an inclined plane or cliff railway, is a cable railway in which a cable attached to a pair of tram-like vehicles on rails moves them up and down a steep slope; the ascending and descending vehicles counterbalance each other.-Operation:The basic principle of funicular...
on nearby Tomićeva Street.
Zagreb's numerous museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
s reflect the history, art and culture not only of Zagreb and Croatia, but also of Europe and the world. Around thirty collections in museums and galleries comprise more than 3.6 million various exhibits, excluding church and private collections. The Archaeological Museum
Archaeological Museum, Zagreb
The Archaeological Museum in Zagreb, Croatia is an archaeological museum with over 450,000 varied artifacts and monuments, gathered from various sources.Some of the famous artifacts include:...
consists of nearly 400,000 varied artifacts and monuments, have been gathered over the years from many different sources. The most famous are the Egyptian collection, the Zagreb mummy
Liber Linteus
The Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis is the longest Etruscan text and the only extant linen book...
and bandages with the oldest Etruscan
Old Italic alphabet
Old Italic refers to several now extinct alphabet systems used on the Italian Peninsula in ancient times for various Indo-European languages and non-Indo-European languages...
inscription in the world (Liber Linteus
Liber Linteus
The Liber Linteus Zagrabiensis is the longest Etruscan text and the only extant linen book...
Zagrabiensis), as well as the numismatic
Coin collecting
Coin collecting is the collecting or trading of coins or other forms of minted legal tender.Coins of interest to collectors often include those that circulated for only a brief time, coins with mint errors and especially beautiful or historically significant pieces. Coin collecting can be...
collection. The Croatian Natural History Museum holds one of the world's most important collection of Neanderthal
Neanderthal
The Neanderthal is an extinct member of the Homo genus known from Pleistocene specimens found in Europe and parts of western and central Asia...
remains found at one site. These are the remains, stone weapons and tools of prehistoric Krapina
Krapina
Krapina is a town in northern Croatia and the administrative centre of Krapina-Zagorje County with a population of 4,482 and a total municipality population of 12,479...
man. The holdings of the Croatian Natural History Museum comprise more than 250,000 specimens distributed among various different collections.
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
. The most renowned concert hall is named "Vatroslav Lisinski
Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall
Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall is a large concert hall and convention center in Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after Vatroslav Lisinski, a 19th-century Croatian composer. The building has a big hall with 1841 seats and a small hall with 305 seats. A large lobby doubles as an exhibition...
", after the composer of the first Croatian opera was built in 1973. Animafest, the World Festival of Animated Film
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
s, takes place every even-numbered year, and the Music Bienniale, the international festival of avant-garde music
Avant-garde music
Avant-garde music is a term used to characterize music which is thought to be ahead of its time, i.e. containing innovative elements or fusing different genres....
, every odd-numbered year. It also hosts the annual ZagrebDox
ZagrebDox
ZagrebDox is an international documentary film festival established in 2005 and held annually in Zagreb, Croatia.It is the biggest festival of its kind in South East Europe and its goals are to showcase documentary films from the region as well as to provide a meeting place for authors from all...
documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
festival. The Festival of the Zagreb Philharmonic
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
and the flowers exhibition Floraart (end of May or beginning of June), the Old-timer Rally annual events. In the summer, theater performances and concerts, mostly in the Upper Town, are organized either indoors or outdoors. The stage on Opatovina hosts the Zagreb Histrionic Summer theater events.
Zagreb is also the host of Zagrebfest, the oldest Croatian pop-music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
festival
Music festival
A music festival is a festival oriented towards music that is sometimes presented with a theme such as musical genre, nationality or locality of musicians, or holiday. They are commonly held outdoors, and are often inclusive of other attractions such as food and merchandise vending machines,...
, as well as of several traditional international sports events and tournaments. The Day of the City of Zagreb on November 16 is celebrated every year with special festivities, especially on the Jarun
Jarun
Jarun is a neighborhood in the southwestern part of Zagreb, Croatia. It was named after Lake Jarun, formed by the Sava River, now located on the southern edge of the neighborhood.-Lake:...
lake near the southwestern part of the city.
Many Zagreb restaurants offer various specialties of national and international cuisine
Fusion cuisine
Fusion cuisine combines elements of various culinary traditions while not being categorized per any one particular cuisine style, and can pertain to innovations in many contemporary restaurant cuisines since the 1970s.-Categories and types:...
. Domestic products which deserve to be tasted include turkey, duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
or goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
with mlinci
Mlinci
Mlinci is a dish in Croatian and Slovenian cuisine. It is a thin dried flatbread that is easy to prepare by simply pouring boiled salted water or soup over the mlinci....
(a kind of pasta
Pasta
Pasta is a staple food of traditional Italian cuisine, now of worldwide renown. It takes the form of unleavened dough, made in Italy, mostly of durum wheat , water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of different shapes that serve for both decoration and to act as a carrier for the...
), štrukli (cottage cheese strudel
Strudel
A strudel is a type of layered pastry with a — most often sweet — filling inside, often served with cream. It became well known and gained popularity in the 18th century through the Habsburg Empire....
), sir i vrhnje (cottage cheese
Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a cheese curd product with a mild flavor. It is drained, but not pressed, so some whey remains and the individual curds remain loose. The curd is usually washed to remove acidity, giving sweet curd cheese. It is not aged or colored. Different styles of cottage cheese are made from...
with cream), kremšnite (custard
Custard
Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as...
slices in flaky pastry), and orehnjača (traditional walnut roll).
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
) has included the following Croatian sites on its World Heritage List:
| Image | Name | Location | UNESCO data | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plitvice Lakes National Park | Plitvička Jezera Plitvicka Jezera Plitvička Jezera is a municipality in central Croatia, in the eastern part of the Lika-Senj county, that lies in and near the eponymous Plitvice Lakes National Park, bisected by the D1 main road . Its total area is 539.08 km². The main town and seat of the municipality is Korenica... |
Over time, water has flowed over the natural limestone Limestone Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera.... and chalk, creating natural dams which in turn have created a series of connecting lakes, waterfalls, and caves. The nearby forests are home to bears, wolves and many rare bird species. |
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Historical Complex of Split Split (city) Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and... with the Palace of Diocletian Diocletian's Palace Diocletian's Palace is a building in Split, Croatia, that was built by the Roman emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD.Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on 1 May 305 AD. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from... |
Split Split (city) Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and... |
The palace was built by the Roman emperor Roman Emperor The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor... Diocletian Diocletian Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305.... at the turn of the 4th century AD, and later served as the basis of the city of Split. A cathedral was built in the Middle Ages inside the ancient mausoleum, along with churches, fortifications, Gothic and Renaissance palaces. The Baroque style makes up the rest of the area. |
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Old City of Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641... |
Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641... |
Dubrovnik became a prosperous Maritime Republic during the Middle Ages Middle Ages The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern... , it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state City-state A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:... to rival Venice Venice Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region... . Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy Diplomacy Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states... , the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. |
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| Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica Euphrasian Basilica The Euphrasian Basilica is a basilica in Poreč, Croatia. The episcopal complex, including, apart the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace, is one of the best examples of early Byzantine architecture in the Mediterranean region.The... in the Historic Centre of Poreč Porec Poreč is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.... |
Poreč Porec Poreč is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th century Euphrasian Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.... |
The episcopal complex, with its striking mosaics dating back to the 6th century, is one of the best examples of early Byzantine art Byzantine art Byzantine art is the term commonly used to describe the artistic products of the Byzantine Empire from about the 5th century until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.... and architecture in the Mediterranean region and the world. It includes the basilica itself, a sacristy, a baptistery and the bell tower of the nearby archbishop's palace. |
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| Historic city of Trogir Trogir Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo... |
Trogir Trogir Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 12,995 and a total municipality population of 13,322 . The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo... |
Trogir's rich culture was created under the influence of old Greeks, Romans, and Venetians. It is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic Gothic architecture Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture.... complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe Central Europe Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe... . Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. |
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| Cathedral of Saint James Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik The Cathedral of St. James inŠibenik, Croatia is a triple-nave basilica with three apses and a dome in the city of Šibenik, Croatia. It is the church of the Catholic Church in Croatia, and the see of the Šibenik diocese. It is also the most important architectural monument of the Renaissance in... |
Šibenik Šibenik Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea... |
The cathedral is a triple-nave basilica Basilica The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes... with three apses and a dome (32 m high inside) and is also one of the most important architectural monument of the Renaissance Renaissance The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not... the eastern Adriatic. |
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Stari Grad Plain Stari Grad Plain The Stari Grad Plain on the island of Hvar is an agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists in the 4th century BC, and remains in use today. The plain is generally still in its original form... |
Hvar Hvar - Climate :The climate of Hvar is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The yearly average air temperature is , 686 mm of precipitation fall on the town of Hvar on average every year and the town has a total of 2800 sunshine hours per year. For comparison Hvar has an average of 7.7... |
The Stari Grad Plain is an agricultural landscape that was set up by the ancient Greek colonists Colonies in antiquity Colonies in antiquity were city-states founded from a mother-city—its "metropolis"—, not from a territory-at-large. Bonds between a colony and its metropolis remained often close, and took specific forms... in the 4th century BC, and remains in use today. The plain is by and large still in its original form. The ancient layout has been preserved by careful maintenance of the stone walls over 2,400 years. |
Statistics by year
| Year | Total tourist arrivals | Total tourist nights | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 10,125,000 | 67,665,000 | |
| 1986 | 10,151,000 | 68,216,000 | |
| 1987 | 10,487,000 | 68,160,000 | |
| 1988 | 10,354,000 | 67,298,000 | |
| 1989 | 9,670,000 | 61,849,000 | |
| 1990 | 8,497,000 | 52,523,000 | First democratic elections Croatian parliamentary election, 1990 Parliamentary elections were held in Croatia on 22 April 1990, with a second round of voting on 6 May. The first free elections since multi-party politics were introduced, they resulted in a victory for the Croatian Democratic Union, which won 55 of the 80 seats... Early Log Revolution Log Revolution The Log Revolution was an insurrection which started on August 17, 1990 in areas of the Republic of Croatia which were populated significantly by ethnic Serbs.... -related incidents |
| 1991 | 2,297,000 | 10,471,000 | Croatian War of Independence Croatian War of Independence The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat... begins Siege of Dubrovnik Siege of Dubrovnik The Siege of Dubrovnik is a term marking the battle and siege of the city of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area in Croatia as part of the Croatian War of Independence. Yugoslav People's Army invaded the Dubrovnik area in October 1991 from Montenegro, Bosnia and even parts of Croatia, surrounding... |
| 1992 | 2,135,000 | 11,005,000 | |
| 1993 | 2,514,000 | 13,208,000 | |
| 1994 | 3,655,000 | 20,377,000 | |
| 1995 | 2,610,000 | 13,151,000 | End of Croatian War of Independence |
| 1996 | 4,186,000 | 21,860,000 | |
| 1997 | 5,585,000 | 30,775,000 | |
| 1998 | 5,852,000 | 31,852,000 | |
| 1999 | 5,127,000 | 27,126,000 | NATO bombing of neighbouring FR Yugoslavia |
| 2000 | 7,137,000 | 39,183,000 | |
| 2001 | 7,860,000 | 43,404,000 | |
| 2002 | 8,320,000 | 44,692,000 | |
| 2003 | 8,878,000 | 46,635,000 | |
| 2004 | 9,412,000 | 47,797,000 | |
| 2005 | 9,995,000 | 51,421,000 | |
| 2006 | 10,385,000 | 53,007,000 | |
| 2007 | 11,162,000 | 56,005,000 | |
| 2008 | 11,261,000 | 57,103,000 | |
| 2009 | 10,935,000 | 56,301,000 | Global financial crisis |
| 2010 | 10,604,116 | 56,416,379 | |
| 2011 | TBD | TBD |
See also
- National parks in Croatia
- World Heritage Sites in CroatiaWorld Heritage Sites in Croatia-World Heritage Sites:-Tentative List:The following sites are on the Tentative List for Croatia, meaning that the government intends to consider them for nomination in the future:*Zadar - Episcopal complex...