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Travelling through the Istrian region of Croatia, you'd be forgiven for wondering if you'd stumbled into rural Italy at first glance. Lush expanses of carefully preened produce are everyday scenery in this part of the world. Olive groves and vineyards stretch out in every direction, disturbed only by the occasional mountain and sea view. But there are many elements that distinguish Croatia's rural coastline from neighbouring Italy.
Lauren Razavi, Huffington Post, 29th May 2013
The article: Croatia: Seafood, Wine and Olive Oil in Istria
Eastern European destinations have enthusiastically embraced dance music and Croatia has fast become a popular festival destination. This summer, the country is hosting more than 16 festivals, from Love System to Unknown in mid-September – in fact there is barely a weekend when a festival is not happening somewhere along the rocky coastline. Most are UK-organised.
Tess Reidy, The Guardian, 26th May 2013
The article: 'Knee deep in mud at an English festival? Give me Spain any day'
In the garden of the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, lies a magical and enchanting land. Since the break-up of Yugoslavia in 1991, Croatia has seen huge improvements in its infrastructure, and can now justifiably boast of some of the finest resorts, marinas, restaurants and hotels dotted along its sparkling coast, and further inland. Dubrovnik has been a firm favourite among Irish tourists for many years – but the Istrian Peninsula is an almost virginal place, where the past marries seamlessly with the present.
Gerry McLoughlin, The Cork News, 24th May 2013
The article: A Taste of Croatia
BBC Travel featured a Mini Guide to Croatia's islands (non-UK only)
BBC Travel, 23rd May 2013
Hello! Magazine takes a look at the Natural Croatian gems
Hello! Magazine, May 2013
The rooftops are a clue to Dubrovnik’s character. At first glance, they fit the lustre of the Old Town’s gleaming limestone streets. The neatly overlapping red and orange tiles seem so deliberate, an extra layer of professionally-applied make-up on this model city. They’re the perfect coating on the Old Town’s irresistible beauty.
David Whitley, National Geographic Traveller, 23rd May 2013
The article: Dubrovnik: Pearl of the Adriatic
The Metro examines Combining a music festival with a holiday, including the Unkwown Festival in Rovinj
Metro, 19th May 2013
A few years ago when Croatia burst on to the tourist map you couldn’t move for people raving about island-hopping and villa rentals along the Dalmatian coast. Plan a holiday there and the likes of pretty Hvar and Korcula immediately spring to mind but Croatia has a lot more to offer. We decided to explore a different side of its shoreline with a trip to the Kvarner Bay islands on the northern Adriatic stretch. Arriving at a rather unpromising, ramshackle airport on Krk, the largest of the islands, my husband Patrick and I wondered if we’d made the right decision.
Charlie Wells, Daily Express, 18th May 2013
The article: There's so much more to Croatia
Hello! Magazine includes the Plitvice Lakes in its guide to the Most incredible places in the world
Hello! Magazine, May 2013
Bol, on the southern coast of Brac Island, is home to the illustrious Zlatni Rat beach, with its tongue-like shape and golden pebbles. The town is a favourite among sun worshippers and windsurfers. The channel between the islands of Brac and Hvar provides ideal wind conditions, thanks to the westerly maestral that typically blows between May and late September.
Daily Express, 12th May 2013
The article: The Colours of Croatia
The Guardian asks Is Croatia Europe's best festival destination? (The answer's yes!)
Ben Beaumont-Thomas, 10th May 2013
Dubrovnik, Croatia — Dusk had arrived, and I’d settled in for some serious people-watching at one of the many outdoor cafes lining the wide promenade of Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Suddenly, my husband, J.W., grabbed me by the shoulders, swiveled me around and shouted, “Look, it’s him, it’s him.” n He bolted from his chair, grabbed his camera and sprinted along the glossy limestone of the town’s main walkway, already congested with people out for an evening stroll.
Lori Weisberg, U-T San Diego, 5th May 2013
The article: Seaside in Croatia
Croatia's rare blend of glamour and authenticity make it Europe's 'it' destination, where beaches vie for attention with cultural treasures, ancient architecture and folk traditions.
News.com.au, 5th May 2013
The article: Beautiful beaches and buildings abound in Croatia
F. Scott Fitzgerald, having helped popularize the original French Riviera, should be living at this hour. If he were, he and Zelda and Gerald and Sara Murphy would undoubtedly set up camp in Croatia: hundreds of islands and miles of cove-pocked coast on the gin-clear Adriatic sea. In addition to the swimming, a main draw is the little, family-run restaurants where lobster, amberjack, bream, and shrimp jump straight onto your plate from the fisherman’s boat via the fire of a wood-burning oven.
Victoria Mather, Vanity Fair, 29th April 2013
The article: Island-Hopping in Croatia (Affordably)
For thousands of years, fishermen have set off from Zadar for the rich harvest of the Adriatic Sea. There, bobbing on the channel in front of me, was a small boat doing exactly the same in 2013. I waved and beckoned the skipper over. I hoped simple human curiosity would catch me a ride in a fishing boat. Sure enough, as the spring sunshine flickered across the waves, the bow of the open white dinghy turned towards me.
Paddy O'Connell, BBC News, 27th April 2013
The article: Zadar: One Square Mile of Croatia (Click to also view a video report)
Bread is for the body; wine is for the soul,” goes a Croatian proverb. I am a wine novice. I don’t know a Chardonnay from a Sauvignon Blanc. I can’t tell an earthy wine from a fruity one. I have no clue why a decanter is important, or what it means to let a wine “breathe”. But as I’m standing atop the fortified walls of Motovun, a hilltop town in Croatia’s Istrian peninsula, I hold a glass of the local Malvazija and take in the view below—leafy-green vineyards, the truffle-rich Mirna Valley, and somewhere in the distance, the roaring Adriatic Sea. I begin to understand why Croats consider wine food for the soul.
Neha Puntambekar, live mint, 27th April 2013
The article: Istria | A glass apart
Zadar’s old town is a destination in itself, with a Roman forum, some beautiful medieval churches and a warren of cobbled streets lined with Venetian-era town houses, all sitting compact on a car-free peninsula. Close to the tip of the peninsula, be sure to check out two contemporary sound and light installations, the Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun.
Jane Foster, The Daily Telegraph, 24th April 2013
The article: Off-the-beaten track Croatia
Grebeni lighthouse near Dubrovnik makes it onto Conde Nast Traveller's list of the World's best private-island resorts
Conde Nast Traveller, April 2013
A lovely set of Your Pictures: Croatia, and a great album of Croatia: Life in Pictures.
BBC News, 25th April 2013
AOL Travel include Croatia on their piece on Top Spots in Europe for Guaranteed Sunshine This Summer.
Roshina Jowaheer, AOL Travel, 22nd April 2013
A walking trip in Istria is included in this article - On Trails Less Traveled.
Elaine Glusac, The New York Times, 19th April 2013
I just spent a few days at the Emperor Diocletian's beach house on the Dalmatian Coast and it was amazing. As you'd expect, with Diocletian having been the Emperor of Rome, the most powerful person in the ancient world, the palace he built for his holidays - and then retired to in 305 - is pretty impressive, covering 190m of prime seafront. By all accounts the site is not quite as pristine as when he built there nearly 2000 years ago - over the years the city of Split, with a population of 350,000, has sprung up around the palace walls - but New Zealanders know all about the way coastal development can spoil rosy memories of yesteryear.
Jim Eagles, The New Zealand Herald, 17th April 2013
The article: Croatia: In The Footsteps of an Emperor
Croatia is included on AOL Travel's list of Europe's best-value holiday destinations
Roshina Jowaheer, AOL Travel, 15th April 2013
The Metro proclaims that From the Cote D’Azur to Croatia, you don’t have to travel too far for the sun
Metro, 15th April 2013
Rough Guides include Brela in their piece on The Best Beaches in Europe
Rough Guides, April 2013
The Guardian selects its pick of Spring holidays in the sun, with the inclusion of Zagreb
Rachel Dixon, The Guardian, 12th April 2013
Bypass Croatia’s claim to fame—its 1,185 sunny islands strewn down the Adriatic Coast—and head east instead, to the aqueous wonderland that is the intersection of the Danube and Drava Rivers. A canoe excursion through fairy-tale floodplains finds you in a newly minted UNESCO biosphere reserve, where you can paddle through the mazelike waterways, oxbow lakes, and hidden sandbars of Kopacki Rit Nature Park.
Anja Mutic, NY Mag, 12th April 2013
The article: Croatia by Canoe
Most people we talked to planned to spend as little time in Zagreb as possible, using the city as a transit hub to reach Croatia's better-known destinations along the southern Dalmatian coast, including Split, Dubrovnik and the islands of Korcula and Hvar. We spent two nights and one full day in Croatia's capital and found it very enjoyable. The city center is compact and walkable, so we didn't need to ride the electric trams and buses that zipped up and down the major streets.
Joe Tash, NewsOK, 10th April 2013
The article: A steamy visit to the best of Croatia
Nothing beats a personal recommendation when you're choosing a hotel. As I deliberated about where to stay in Croatia, a colleague described her holiday at the Lesic Dimitri Palace as "amazing", with that faraway look in her eyes that made me immediately reach for the computer keyboard to book a room. A few weeks later, as my travel partner and I stepped off the ferry from Hvar to the island of Korcula, a smiling gentleman introduced himself. "I'm from the Palace," he said. And with those words I knew I had made the right choice.
Asher McShane, Daily Mail, 9th April 2013
The article: Fit for a king: Croatia's palace hotel that is a medieval masterpiece of the Mediterranean
For a couple of months every year, Croatia’s border points clog out. Cars snake for kilometers waiting to get into Europe’s favorite playground. Inland, the situation is more sedated but fun remains guaranteed. I was in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital city, when the senators at the Sabor (Croatia’s house of parliament) negotiated to join Brussels. The news was both welcomed and frowned upon as the European Union battled an economic crisis, but Croatia still plans to join the economic bloc in July this year.
Vasco Ro, Jakarta Globe, 7th April 2013
The article: Taking a Break In The Streets of Zagreb
Cats in 15th century Dubrovnik doing what cats always do - walking on your stuff: Cats leave their mark on centuries of books
Alison Flood, The Guardian, 5th April 2013
Fodor's Best Places to Visit for Food and Wine in Europe includes Istria (no surprises there!)
Fodor's, April 2013
Handbag.com pick out 8 reasons why croatia should be on your holiday hotlist
Rona Wallis, Handbag.com, 3rd April 2013
The Huffington Post declare that Croatia is one of their picks for 10 Places You Should Go While They're Still Cheap
Huffington Post, 2nd April 2013
I love the knack Croatians have for taking a humble stretch of rocky shoreline and turning it into a wildly romantic bar or café. At Valentino Bar in the coastal town of Rovinj, the woman who runs the place hands out pillows as you arrive - an invitation to find your own nook in the rocks overlooking the bay. As the sunset fades and the flames on the old-time candelabra seem to brighten, you realize that you don't need to be rich to enjoy a luxurious moment on the Adriatic coast.
Rick Steves, Vancover Sun, 2nd April 2013
The article: Croatian coast offers its own Riviera
Zadar, a bustling seaside town on the central coast of Croatia, should be on any traveler’s must-see list. About 180 miles southwest of Zagreb, it’s known for the Plitvice Lakes, a series of lakes connected by varying waterfalls as they cascade through lush green forests.
Jeff Nicklas, San Luis Obispo Tribune, 1st April 2013
The article: Art meets nature in the coastal city of Zadar, Croatia
Many visitors to Croatia make the trip in the summer to relish the clear, blue waters of the Adriatic aboard a sailboat or from the comforts of Dubrovnik, Split and other towns that sit along the country’s hundreds of miles of picturesque coastline. Others head inland. My husband, Andrew, and I were among the others — twice. We traveled to the capital city of Zagreb, in central Croatia, in spring 2011 and then again this past Christmas, its friendly residents and easygoing ambience drawing us back.
Jennifer Robillard, San Luis Obispo Tribune, 1st April 2013
The article: Touring Zagreb, Croatia
The island of Mljet is included on this list of 12 Untamed Islands To Get Lost On
Sabotage Times, 31st March 2013
Hvar is included on NBCNews.com list of The 5 best islands to live on
Joe Yogerst, NBCNews.com, March 2013
Readers' tips for visiting Dubrovnik: Revealing beautiful Dubrovnik's hidden gems
news.com.au, 31st March 2013
Wanderlust looks at The Danube's Wildest Corners
Wanderlust, 30th March 2013
Croatia expert Jane Foster, writing in The Telegraph, helps suggest some Dubrovnik attractions: what to see and do in spring
Jane Foster, Daily Telegraph, 29th March 2013
A reader's experience of visiting the island of Mljet: Get thee to an island monastery
Sydney Morning Herald, 24th March 2013
The Boston Globe has a very nice look at Folklore in Cilipi
Caitlin Hurley, The Boston Globe, 17th March 2013
You can buy a pair of designer jeans in Emperor Diocletian's third-century retirement palace, at Split on the Croatian coast. This is where crumbling Roman walls house sleek boutiques and bars, and hundreds of people call a former imperial villa home. The Adriatic port city is a surreal meld of the ancient, the modern and all points between, making it a perfect metaphor for the cruise that brought me here.
Susan Cadisch, The Independent, 16th March 2013
The article: Adriatic cruise: A history lesson in every port
For many years, my husband and I have followed the motto "assume nothing" during our travels. Occasionally, however, during a senior moment, we neglect this advice. We travelled recently to Umag, Croatia, where my husband participated in the two-week long World Senior Tennis Championships. Umag is one of the northernmost cities in Croatia. Before our trip, we decided that after the tennis championships, we would travel to the southern city of Dubrovnik.
Donna McCormick, Vancouver Sun, 16th March 2013
The article: Bus ride to southern Croatia an unforgettable experience
Croatia is included on USA Today's list of 10 places you should go while they're still cheap
Donna McCormick, Vancouver Sun, 16th March 2013
A lighthouse on the small island of Porer near Pula gets a mention in Metro's Five amazing lighthouse stays guide
The Metro, 4th March 2013
"The Mediterranean as it once was." As tourism slogans go, this one has always held a special allure for me. Launched by the Croatian tourist board to invigorate its ailing vacation industry after the breakup of Yugoslavia, it’s a motto that has graced billboards and glossy magazine ads for a decade. And this morning, I’ve stepped off the ferry onto an island that embodies the claim better than any other.
Henry Wismayer, Washington Post, 14th March 2013
The article: Taking it slow on the Croatian island of Vis
But could this love of cycling ever run deep enough to persuade holidaymakers to ditch the usual sun, sea and sand in favour of physical exertion? Despite having spent 10 years in the bike-less wilderness, I decided to put it to the test on an island-hopping cruise around Croatia. Fellow Europeans have been a fan of bike-centred holidays for years - perhaps affording some explanation as to why the German women always seem to have much sturdier thighs at the poolsides of Spanish hotels. And fellow passengers aboard my Katarina Line cruise ship, there for a four-day holiday took me around the magnificent Kvarner coastline, did indeed hail from Deutschland.
The Star, 2nd March 2013
The article: Island-hopping on two wheels
The NY Times takes a look at House Hunting in...Croatia (in Dubrovnik, specifically)
Alison Gregor, The New York Times, 27th February 2013
Mr White and Mr Ruck meet at Dubrovnik airport. After three long hours with no signal, Mr White is on the phone, but breaks off to extend a paw. The tousled leonine head cracks a wide smile. On the box it may look quite menacing, with a hint of Jack Nicholson as the Joker. In the presence, however, the effect is disarming. Charisma crackles like hot fat on the hob. "Hello, Mr Ruck."
Adam Ruck, The Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2013
The article: Mediterranean cruise: what floats Marco Pierre White's boat
Choosing a holiday to suit a woman of 25, who just wants to relax in the sun, and her rather more mature mother who loves walking and sightseeing was never going to be easy. In fact, as Rosanna and I pulled our suitcases through the crowded pedestrianised streets of Dubrovnik in search of our ship, I was beginning to wonder whether, as that mother, I should have even tried.
Sue Bradbury, Manchester Evening News, 23rd February 2013
The article: The grandeur of sail and so many sights to savour
Kolocep is included in The Telegraph's Valentine's day 2013: the world's most romantic places list
The Daily Telegraph, February 2013
Last week I asked: Where was pizza invented? Croatians like to say it was in Split. It is usually hard to find out where a specific food item was invented because the general concept was adapted in many places.
Sandra Scott, Oswego County Today, 9th February 2013
The article: Welcome To Split, Croatia, Where Pizza Was Born
Thought Croatia was all about the beaches and billionaires partying on yachts? The national parks of North Dalmatia are still unspoiled by tourism. Here's why adventurous travellers should see this hidden part of Croatia. Think again. Head instead to the mainland in North Dalmatia and you'll discover breathtaking scenery, spectacular natural wonders and an abundance of wildlife.
Roshina Jowaheer, AOL Travel, 7th February 2013
The article: Secret Croatia: A tour of North Dalmatia's national parks
This charming city situated on the Dalmatian coast in the south of Croatia is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic. It's a place rich in history and visitors flock here to admire its historic monuments, secluded beaches, unspoilt countryside and Mediterranean climate.
Birmingham Mail, 6th February 2013
The article: Travel Destination: Beautiful city of Dubrovnik in Croatia
The historic stone walls of Ston loom high above, a daunting 5km fortress that has guarded this small Croatian town for more than 500 years - and which would challenge the fittest of iron-man tourists. It is mid-morning on a crystal-blue day, the temperature nudging 30C, and our group of eight Aussies is 11 days into a fortnight sailing along Croatia's rugged and magnificent Dalmatian Coast.
Steve Lewis, news.com.au, 3rd February 2013
The article: Plain Sailing in Croatia
Before the Croatian war of independence in the early 1990s, this part of former Yugoslavia was a popular tourist destination. Now Croatia, which has 1,800km of coastline on the Adriatic – not counting its 1,185 islands – is back on the tourism map. The city of Dubrovnik, a Unesco World Heritage site in the south of the country, is one of the fastest growing destinations this year, according to Tui, a German tour operator.
Mary Wilson, Financial Times, 1st February 2013
The article: Jewel of the Adriatic
The walled city of Dubrovnik is one of 2013’s must-see places. But I was lucky to get there for a week’s holiday exploring Croatia’s shoreline before the rush.
Fiona Parker, Daily Mirror, 31st January 2013
The article: Dub star: Croatia's beautiful Dalmatian Coast
Handbag.com advises its readers to holiday like beyoncé and jay-z on the croatian island of hvar
Sarah Jordan, Handbag.com, 30th January 2013
"The jewel of the Adriatic" is indeed a picture-perfect city. With whitewashed walls, melt-between- the-toes sand and boats bobbing on a crystal harbour, Dubrovnik's Old Town is a camera-magnet.
Guy Needham, Stuff.co.nz, 30th January 2013
The article: An eye on the Hvar horizons
There’s no better way to explore the Adriatic coast than off Dubrovnik – island-hop, cruise and swim to your heart’s content.
Helen Elfer, TNT Magazine, 27th January 2013
The article: Rocking the boat in Dubrovnik: Island-hopping, cruising and swimming off the coast of Croatia
American TV network The Travel Channel plans the Trip of A Lifetime in Croatia!
The Travel Channel, January 2013
Determined to sample Istria rather than just Camping Lanterna, after a few days by the pool we drove out to the nearest town, Porec. We started at the heavily advertised aquarium where for a tenner or so we met some residents of the Adriatic, from hideous moray eels to cute crabs and a stunning octopus. An hour later I was eyeballing his less fortunate cousin on a skewer alongside perfectly cooked and seasoned monkfish, scampi, crab and sea bass on a bed of red chicory and vegetables.
James Tute, Daily Mirror, 23rd January 2013
The article: Magical Istria tour: A family fortnight on Croatia's Adriatic coast
Alphabetically, the Croatian capital of Zagreb may be at the bottom of everyone’s list, but, in fact, it’s an A-star city break, especially in winter. There’s just as much to do indoors here as there is outdoors. One minute, you’re standing on ancient cobblestones in front of St Mark’s Church, with multi-coloured roof tiles that look like they’ve been put together by medieval monks with a liking for Lego.
Christopher Middleton, The Daily Mail, 18th January 2013
The article: Why Zany Zagreb's a charmingly barmy tonic for the winter blues
The prosciutto- and arugula-laced sandwiches beckoned from the cafe displays at Venice’s shiny new Marco Polo Airport. Despite my annual trips to Europe, I have never seen the storied canals and haunting architecture of this city. Still, my friend Vanessa and I settled for two frothy cappuccinos to go, trudged to the rental car hut and bid arrivederci to Venice. We were headed to an all-inclusive family resort on the Adriatic Sea on Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, a two-hour drive from the airport. What was I thinking, bypassing one of the world’s greatest cities for a sleepy coastal resort? I was thinking that Croatia — a spot still off the well-worn path for U.S. tourists — would be fascinating.
Rochelle Olson, Star Tribune, 18th January 2013
The article: Croatian resort feels like summer camp
Given everything Croatia has going for it, it’s no surprise to see it become one of the world’s most desirable festival destinations. From the esteemed Garden Festival to more recent arrivals, the attraction of pristine beaches, boat parties and long, balmy nights is a no-brainer. As Europe starts to look ahead to the Northern summer, the fleet of Croatian festivals are locking in their line-ups.
Jack T, In The Mix, 17th January 2013
The article: Croatian holiday? The festivals are looking fine
Hvar is included in The New York's great list for The 46 Place to Go in 2013
The New York Times, 11th January 2013
National Geographic Traveler magazine selects Zadar in its wonderful Europe's Best Small Ports guide
National Geographic Traveler, January 2013 (February/March issue)
A detailed guide to Pula with some useful tips: Weekender: Pula - the perfect way to spend a weekend in this jewel of the Adriatic
TNT Magazine, 9th January 2013
Pula in Croatia is best known for its unspoilt scenery, wine-making and fishing. That’s if you’ve heard of it at all. I hadn’t, until I booked tickets for the Outlook music festival — a dirty great beast of an event which seems at odds with its historic surroundings. Pula’s ancient treasures include an impressive Roman amphitheatre that now plays host to the city’s film festival every July.
Lauren Naylor, The Sun, 6th January 2013
The article: Rock of ages
[Webmaster note: Sorry, but this is one of the worst articles on Croatia I've read in a long time! Not because it says anything bad...but because it barely says anything!]
Her coastline faces eastern Italy, basks in the same Adriatic-Mediterranean summer heat and has a number of labyrinthine terracotta towns with an ancient Tuscan feel. But venture inland, and Croatia's Dalmatia region soon resembles North Wales - a thickly forested, mountainous lure for climbers and walkers, and twitchers looking to pap a golden eagle.
Robert Spellman, Daily Express, 4th January 2013
The article: 101 Reasons to love Dalmatia
Zadar probably isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think Croatia—not when there’s the increasingly popular Dubrovnik and Baroque gem, Varazdin. But this lively Roman-era city on the northern Dalmatian coast is the perfect destination for those who love spontaneity and serendipity.
Shawn Balakrishnan, Today Online, 3rd January 2013
The article: Travel 101...Zadar
The "Boatmen of Zadar" have been rowing passengers across the city's harbour for centuries. Today, as I make the five-minute crossing to the old town side, the red skiff rolls in the choppy sea. It looks hard work for my oarsman, who is from one of the local families that have long run this service. I disembark at Liburnska Obala, fringed by 16th-century walls, and enter the city through the magnificent Port Gate, built in 1573. It's the perfect way to begin a day exploring this wonderful city in Croatia's Dalmatia region, which has endured a turbulent history of occupation and bombardment.
Nick Harrison, Sydney Morning Herald, 2nd January 2013
The article: Home of the world's best sunsets
Picturesque seascapes, pulsating waterfalls, bountiful green valleys... such was the palette of backdrops we discovered while driving through continental and coastal Croatia a few months ago. And after spending almost two weeks there, on our last day, we were serenaded by an amazing collection of soothing (and may we say pretty cute) male voices of the singing group Klapa Subrenum. There's something unforgettable about visiting a fantastic destination and then having a group of men sing, cook and clean that turns any sightseeing trip into a "wow I've just been woo'ed with a farewell serenade!"
Regina Fraser and Pat Johnson (aka Grannies on Safari), Huffington Post, 1st January 2013
The article: Serenaded By The Beauty Of Croatia
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