Here’s a selection of some of the best-known articles on Croatia from 2013.
Croatia is included on The World’s Greatest Traveler’s Go/No-Go List for 2014 from the Huffington Post.
William D. Chalmers, Huffington Post, 31st December 2013
When I broached the idea of going away to Croatia with two friends, one asked me simply, where is it? And the other one said, “Isn’t that in Eastern Europe?” A question loaded with assumptions of derelict cities lined with boxed-shaped functional architecture associated with the Soviet Era, no English speakers to speak of, and no real beauty or history to imbibe.
Charlini Yogeswaran, The Star Online, 21st December 2013
The article: Journey to the Adriatic Pearl
Split is one of Huffington Post’s 3 Charming and Affordable European Cities You Haven’t Visited Yet
Budget Travel, Huffington Post, 13th December 2013
Croatia’s heart-shaped “Island of Love,” known as Galesnjak, looks as if it has two giant bandages pasted over it…
Alan Boyle, NBC News, 12th December 2013
The article: Holiday calendar: The Island of Love needs healing
The island home of the nymph Calypso, on which she holds Odysseus captive for seven years at the start of The Odyssey, is said to be Mljet, which lies off Croatia’s Dalmatia coast. At least that’s the myth its tourist agencies peddle. Who knows if there’s truth in it (Gozo in Malta makes the same claim), but Homer’s descriptions of the extraordinary fragrant landscape blanketed with cypress, cedar, alder and juniper, and the abundant local red wine, chime with the modern reality.
Claire Wrathall, The Telegraph Luxury, 12th December 2013
The article: www.telegraph.co.uk/luxury/travel/18449/croatian-wine-odyssey.html (link no longer works)
Shaped Croatian gingerbread cookies — “licitarsko srce” which translates loosely as “licitar hearts” – are baked and dried before being painted with colored frostings and decorated. The country’s ubiquitous “Licitari” with heart motifs are popular as Valentine’s Day gifts and wedding favors. The small confections even inspired a ballet – “Licitarsko Scre” or “Gingerbread Hearts” – by Croatian composer Kresimir Baranovic.
M. English, Times Herald, 7th December 2013
The article: Croatian gingerbread is UNESCO cultural treasure
A picturesque central European city with countless squares and splashes of color everywhere, from red rooftops to green and yellow buildings, Zagreb is a charming place to wander around on foot and enjoy the tranquility of the Croatian capital.
Yang Zhenqi, Global Times, 6th December 2013
The article: Enchanting Zagreb [Link no longer works]
It’s 3 a.m. on a clear night in August, and as 100 sailboats rock quietly in a bay off the Croatian island of Solta, a massive dance party set on a rocky perch above is just ending. Six hundred international partygoers descend a hill above the shoreline, exhausted as they near the end their seven days.
J. J. Colao, Forbes, 3rd December 2013
The article: Beyond The Party: Inside The Booming Business Of The Yacht Week
Wanderlust’s guide on 7 things for free in Zagreb, Croatia
Daisy Cropper, Wanderlust, 26th November 2013
Dubrovnik is one of the 10Best Prettiest European Cities, as voted by readers
USA Today, 22nd November 2013
It’s morning here and a human tide is pouring through the Pile Gate, the massive fortifications that have protected this ancient port city from invaders for half a millennium. Hordes armed with credit cards and camcorders now breach Dubrovnik’s medieval walls every day, part of an ever-growing army of tourists surfing a global upsurge in cruise ship vacations.
Paul Ames, Global Post, 22nd November 2013
The article: Cruise control
The small Istrian town of Vodnjan hosted the ninth New Olive Oil Days this week. This year’s event was visited by very many olive oil lovers who, during the three days, had the opportunity to taste new extra virgin olive oils, attend specialized lectures, taste top-quality gastronomy delights and, for the first time this year, take part in culinary workshops.
Petra Pilat Jakovcic, Olive Oil Times, 21st November 2013
The article: ‘New Olive Oil Days’ in Vodnjan, Croatia
Countless rivers, streams and waterfalls in more than 300 square kilometres feed the 16-lake centrepiece. Underground, in massive chasms, caves and channels, billions of gallons of water churn through the subterranean karst landscape. The water leaches lime from the rock, gushes into the lakes laden with suspended chalk, and then deposits it on abundant mosses. Over hundreds of years, the mosses become encrusted with a layer of travertine, a form of limestone. This travertine forms natural dams in the lakes, which result in thundering waterfalls and burbling cascades.
Adam Hodge, The Globe and Mail, 15th November 2013
The article: Croatia’s turquoise waterfall wonderland
For the first night of my trip, the company took over a portside club in the town of Trogir. Though few people left until after 3 a.m., and an ambulance arrived for one partygoer who fell off a table dancing, multiple crew members assured me that this would be the most low-key night of the trip. They were correct. The next day included the sunset party on Hvar, followed by a 2 a.m. boat trip to a beachside club on a small island. On day three the “crew-boat party” packed all 400 attendees onto the deck of an old wooden frigate beginning at two in the afternoon. Despite the early hour, the music still blared and champagne still showered from above.
J. J. Colao, Forbes, 13th November 2013
The article: Forbes Does The Yacht Week: A Seven-Day Party In The Mediterranean
Hvar’s Hula Hula Bar is included on the Rough Guides’ list of The World’s Best Bars with a View
Bar Chick, Rough Guides, 1st November 2013
Weather.com put together a lovely photo album of Croatia’s Spectacular Plitvice Lakes Park
Lorraine Boissoneault, Weather.com, November 2013
Zadar is included on USA Today’s piece, Explore coffee cultures around the world (link no longer works)
Captain and Clark, USA Today, November 2013
When I first arrived in Zagreb, Croatia, I immediately felt as though I’d stumbled onto something entirely new: a medium-sized city that had been hidden behind the closed walls of Yugoslavia until its dissolution, and then the following war for independence. I took a deep breath of the fall air and found the aroma of paprika mixed with micro-roaster coffee, and it was enough to awaken all five senses. It turned out I was right: This really was something new.
Mattie Bamman, Oye! Times, 31st October 2013
The article: 24 Hours in Zagreb
The next day it was on to Split, Croatia. We sailed in under perfect, clear skies and were treated to a small city huddled under a giant wave of rock. Diocletian’s Palace is rightfully recognized as a UNESCO world heritage site; a palace from xxx with a huge bell tower I climbed for a great view. The complex is a maze of small streets and tiny alleyways maybe two feet wide and is lined with small shops and a few hotels and plenty of cafes. I hadn’t read a lot of about Split but found it quite charming, and with a wonderful, waterfront promenade lined with a million cafes and plenty of families and young lovers.
Jim Byers, TheStar.com, 30th October 2013
The article: www.thestar.com/life/travel_blog/2013/10/sensational_slovenia_plus_beautiful_split_and_dubrovnik_in_croatia.html (link no longer works)
When we finally spotted the 500-year-old monastery that was our destination I couldn’t believe my eyes. How on earth had anyone managed to create that massive stone structure on a cliff face high in these hostile hills? And, more importantly, how were we going to get there? It had been tricky enough getting this close because the three monks who founded the monastery in the 16th century – after fleeing from the Croatian mainland in the face of the invading Ottoman Turks – were clearly looking for solitude.
Jim Eagles, The New Zealand Herald, 30th October 2013
The article: Croatia: A journey of immense proportions
Today, Croatia is pulling out all the stops. Trees froth with blossoms, fields are speckled gold with wildflowers, and there’s the scent of summer in the air. The temperature is 68 F. Perfect for boat trips, islands and exploring fishing ports — the kind where nets dry in the sunlight, cats snooze on doorsteps, and harbor restaurants come with terrace tables brightened by red-checker cloths.
InternationalLiving.com, Huffington Post, 21st October 2013
The article: Croatia Travel: Explore Magical Cities, Islands and Fishing Ports
Dubrovnik, too, is blessed with a warm climate all year round, perfect for depicting the fantastic city where city gates are raised to allow citizens to circulate freely along its uninterrupted city walls. And let’s not forget Dubrovnik’s rock-solid city walls. For Croatians, Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian region is a popular choice to escape the temperate weather inland. The beauty of Dubrovnik and its picturesque surroundings also lure many cruise ships to set anchor off its coastline.
Gama Harjono, Jakarta Post, 20th October 2013
The article: Dreaming of Dubrovnik
Krk (and the Northern Adriatic islands) is listed on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of the Top 10 Islands in Europe, as voted for by readers
Conde Nast Traveler, October 2013
As the bus hurdles down the winding coastal road from Split to Dubrovnik, I realize with delight that my husband and I have finally found a country we can agree on. On my right I see beaches and islands for him, and on my left I see wild, daunting mountains for me. Croatia is a roughly wishbone-shaped country on the Adriatic coast directly west of Italy. It was once one-third of Yugoslavia and joined the European Union while we were traveling there in July 2013.
Jennifer Overkamp, Lincoln Journal Star, 15th October 2013
The article: Croatian Vacation
Knights Stadium in Sunshine North is hard to reach, both literally and figuratively. With an imposing industrial gas plant to one side and an enormous quarry on the other, the stadium sits almost on the edge of reality. The street sign points left to either the evangelical Christian Enjoy Church, or Melbourne Croatia Soccer Club, an open-air place of worship for Victoria’s Croatian diaspora.
Joe Gorman, The Guardian, 14th October 2013
The article: Football gives Australia’s Croatian community heart and home
Istria is included on Huffington Post’s list of the World’s 10 Most Romantic Places to Retire
Kathleen Peddicord, Huffington Post, 10th October 2013
Today, the Museum of Broken Relationships has become one of Zagreb’s most popular attractions. Ironically, it’s located next to the picturesque Saint Mark’s church, a popular venue for local marriages. Inside, the museum’s bright space offers visitors a shared sense of intimacy.
Jose Miguel Calatayud, Global Post, 9th October 2013
The article: From the Dept. of Love Stinks: Broken hearts, on exhibit
After a few glasses of his delicious aged Malvasia Istriana, (known locally as Malvazija Istarska) winemaker Ivica Matosevic told us, “My grandfather lived in Austria, my father was born in Italy, I was raised in Yugoslavia, and my daughter was born in Croatia, yet nobody ever moved.” Matosevic, one of the superstars of the Croatian wine world, was not exaggerating or oversimplifying the 20th to 21st century history of Istria, a wedge-shaped peninsula in the northeastern Adriatic Sea.
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen, Huffington Post, 9th October 2013
The article: Inspired by Istria: Visiting Croatian Wine Country
According to figures just released by the country’s tourist board, almost 300,000 Britons visited Croatia in the first eight months of the year, a 24 per cent increase on the same period in 2012.
Adrian Bridge, Daily Telegraph, 4th October 2013
The article: Young Britons flock to Croatia
I confess I’m not much of a museum tourist. On a recent visit to Croatia’s capital, Zagreb, I strolled past three museums without feeling any urge to step inside. Then I came across one I just couldn’t ignore: the Museum of Broken Relationships.
Sean Carberry, NPR, 30th September 2013
The article: A History Of Love Gone Wrong, All In One Croatian Museum
A team of U.S. Navy bottlenose dolphins and divers is combing the pristine waters around Dubrovnik in a unique mine-detection operation — a collaboration with the Croatian navy to clean up any unexploded ordnance that may have ended up at the bottom of the sea following two world wars and the siege of the city 20 years ago.
Slobodan Lekic, Stars and Stripes, 30th September 2013
The article: US Navy dolphins help clean up seabed off of Croatia resort town [Link no longer works]
Croatia’s breathtaking coastline combines glamour with natural beauty, offering visitors a glimpse into its Mediterranean past and its glittering future as a top tourist destination. Just a ferry’s ride away from our base in Split is the island of Vis – the most mysterious of the islands sprinkled between the former Yugoslav Republic and Italy.
Lauren Potts, Dewsbury Reporter, 28th September 2013
The article: Lauren Potts explores the glamour and natural beauty of Croatia, with Jet2 from Manchester
An interesting video from BBC News – Croatia’s brown bear makes a comeback
BBC News, 26th September 2013
Like a rainbow emerging from the storm, Zagreb is the beautifully archaic capital city of a country that’s starting to make a name for itself after a violent struggle for political independence. The city is steeped in history, with its medieval architecture, open-air markets, and surrounding neighbourhoods full of houses with Croatia’s trademark orange rooftops. Best of all, it’s a city where it’s cheaper to buy a pint of beer than a bottle of coke, which means Zagreb definitely deserves a place on the European tourist’s map.
Leanne Shearsmith, Leeds Student Newspaper, 21st September 2013
The article: www.leedsstudent.org/2013/09/21/blogs-postcards-from-europe-zagreb/ (link no longer works)
Once part of the Roman Empire, Zadar’s ancient forum is still the center of action, even though much of it was destroyed during World War II. It’s fun to mingle with the locals at the large outdoor cafe, sip a latte and watch kids play on the ruins, jumping from one beautifully carved stone to another as if they’re nothing more than giant Lego blocks.
Suzanne Morphet, Dallas News, 20th September 2013
The article: Zadar, Croatia: music, chocolate and a joy for life
A fascinating look at an abandoned hotel near Dubrovnik: Resort in Ruins: Abandoned Hotel in Croatia
The Weather Channel, September 2013
One of the highlights of the trip was walking the paths and slatted wood planks in Plitvice Lakes National Park, the oldest national park in Southeast Europe. Established in 1949, it’s Croatia’s largest (115 square miles) and first national park, and became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979.
Stefani Jackenthal, Huffington Post, 16th September 2013
The article: Croatia Part 2: Wine, Grappa, Truffle Hunting & an ER Visit!
Mediterranean magnificence flanked me en route: wine lands dotted with crumbling stone cottages and poppy fields and wild, lavender-lined scrublands where golden jackals lurked and wild boars foraged. Set in a revamped shipyard with seating spilling onto a deserted strand, Restoran Plavi operated on a refreshingly novel ethos. “We don’t do menus,” said the affable Zagreb chef Tadej Kovac Andric, as he greeted me at my table. “We go with five or six dishes a day, based on what comes in off the boats.” It sounded promising.
Thomas Breathnath, Boston Globe, 15th September 2013
The article: A culinary tour of Dubrovnik, Croatia’s, hinterland
This sizable peninsula in northwestern Croatia that juts like an old Roman spearhead into the Adriatic Sea attracts a suspicious number of superlatives. Travel virtuosos will tell you that Istria is the truffle capital of the world, the olive oil capital, and the Muscat capital; that it contains better examples of well-preserved antiquities than its neighbors; that it offers an unparalleled showcase of medieval hilltop towns that, aside from the fresh pastels of dwellings, look as they did centuries ago.
Ann Parson, Boston.com, 14th September 2013
The article: Istria and its secrets of the soil
In early summer, and again from September onwards, Rovinj and its archipelago of 21 islands is relatively free of tourists. You can wander undisturbed among the cluster of ateliers and galleries offering paintings, ceramics and locally made arts and crafts. You have to rely on serendipity to find the best work, but that’s part of the pleasure.
James Hopkin, The Independent, 14th September 2013
The article: Rovinj: An artists’ colony on the Adriatic
It’s the eve of Croatia’s entry into the European Union, and we’re here for a drive along the Dalmatian coast, maybe a little island hopping in the Adriatic — not to be stalked by some American tough guy. We have to smile when we learn our hotel’s Wi-Fi password is chucknorris. And we have to wonder when we see a Chuck Norris pizza on a menu. But then it gets eerie when on Korcula, the legendary birthplace of Marco Polo, we find Chuck Norris T-shirts competing with the island’s favorite son at the souvenir shops. What’s up with that?
Charles Buhman, Stuff.co.nz, 24th September 2013
The article: Stalked in the Balkans
‘Stop the car,” I blurt. My driver has been filling me in on Croatia’s tourist industry and the image the country was moulding for itself after recent dark days. We’re up on the winding road overlooking the old city of Dubrovnik. The citadel is an orange-tiled tapestry from up here, but something else is hogging my attention. And there aren’t many things that could distract you from ‘the Pearl of the Adriatic’ and one of Europe’s most prized UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Hilary A White, Independent.ie, 8th September 2013
The article: www.independent.ie/life/travel/croatia-a-sanctuary-of-serenity-29561403.html (link no longer works)
There’s no disputing it: Hvar has glossy good looks. At its pretty harbour, sleek yachts and twee fishing boats bob on turquoise waters, while a palm-flanked promenade gives way to modern hotels, chic restaurants and open-air bars that throb with wealth.
Laura Binder, Yorkshire Post, 8th September 2013
The article: Following the stars
Blogger Jane Mountain from My Five Acres writes about Our Favourite Places: Croatia for the Huffington Post
Jane Mountain, Huffington Post, 5th September 2013
The climate welcomes – warm, sunny, dry – and the days in Hvar with the rhythm of a jog or cycle in the morning, a swim in the Caribbean-like Adriatic and passeggio through the market in the afternoons, and dinners on our balcony in the evening watching the light of the setting sun soften the town below, become a “routine” pleasure.
Joan Thompson, Ottawa Citizen, 8th September 2013
The article: www.ottawacitizen.com/travel/Perched+Adriatic+Hvar+lives+reputation/8834215/story.html (link no longer works)
The Plitvice Lakes makes it onto Tripadvisor’s list of 20 Awe-Inspriring Places around the world.
Tripadvisor, September 2013
The Guardian checks out the rising popularity of cricket in southern Europe: A big hit in the Balkans: Aussie expats find a second cricketing chance
Tristan Lavalette, The Guardian, 29th August 2013
USA Today Travel considers what Dubrovnik, Croatia is like as a cruise ship excursion (link no longer works)
Kay Harwell Hernandez, USA Today Travel, August 2013
BBC Travel checks out Five Curious Facts About Croatia
BBC Travel, 26th August 2013
It’s 5 o’clock on a Friday afternoon in July and the after party at the Hideout Festival, a hub for electronic music lovers, is in full swing on Zrce, pronounced zer-che, the world-famous party beach on the island of Pag in Croatia. The 24-hour scene mostly congregates at Zrce’s largest club, Papaya, which hosts multiple festivals during the summer. It could be a Tuesday or a Thursday. The continuous string of revelries makes the days blur together.
Kristin Vukovic, The Daily Beast, 25th August 2013
The article: Party on in Pag: The Controversy on Croatia’s Hottest Island
One of the problems Dubrovnik faces is its sheer popularity. When two or three ships visit together, the old town starts to burst at the seams, as everyone tries to see the same sights at the same time. A walking tour of locations used for scenes from the show [Game of Thrones] provides an opportunity to see Dubrovnik from a different angle, and to get away from some of the crowds.
John Honeywell, Daily Mirror, 22nd August 2013
The article: Game of Thrones tour of Dubrovnik is more than just fantasy
A cute tale on driving to Croatia: Going On Holiday With My Classic Car Was An Ambitious Idea
Mate Petrany, Jalopnik, 21st August 2013
On a recent afternoon, I found myself having lunch on a shaded patio about 20 feet from the banks of a placid river that empties out into the Adriatic Sea. The restaurant, Martin Pescador — named for the bird that skims the water’s surface in search of food — is in Trget, a fishing village in the region of northern Croatia known as Istria. I’d arrived there after a rough drive down a 10-mile road that hugs the Rasa River and then traverses railroad tracks and freight depots and lumberyards before dead-ending in Trget. Docked nearby were about 20 boats, the same number as residents of the village.
Robert Draper, The New York Times, 22nd August 2013
The article: Sipping the Pleasures of Istria
Within five minutes of our cruise ship leaving the marina at the stunning Croatian resort of Opatija, we witnessed a spectacular display of dolphin acrobatics. Their leaping, twisting and shameless showing off had us all spellbound and ensured that our week-long cruise got off to a magical start. Opatija, in the country’s little-known Kvarner region, combines the Belle Epoque architecture of Nice, the grandeur of Vienna and the gorgeous terracottas and yellows of the Italian Riviera.
Julie Peasgood, Daily Mail, 18th August 2013
The article: Setting sail around secret Croatia: Please don’t visit Kvarner – I want it all to myself!
From Communist-era ammunition bunker to award-winning winery. Apparently it’s a natural transition to make in Croatia — the Mediterranean country that was part of the war-torn former Yugoslavia. Our Bike and Wine Adventure excursion tour group from the Disney Magic cruise ship has just pedalled up to Dubrovacki Podrumi Winery outside Dubrovnik, and guide Valgho Carevic is talking history. “Don’t be afraid,” he says in his Slavic-accented English. “It was an ammunition bunker, but the wine is good and it’s nice inside.”
Steve MacNaull, thespec.com, 17th August 2013
The article: Wine and cycle wandering in Croatia
It’s the Great Wall of Croatia–and the longest fortified wall in Europe. Of course during the cold war there were the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall. However, these mechanisms of crowd control involved electronic surveillance and primarily barbed wire and electricity. Ston, which dates back to 1333 protected the nearby Ragusian salt works which themselves emanate from Roman times.
Francis Levy, Huffington Post, 16th August 2013
The article: Letter From Croatia: Ston Walled
The Weather Channel has collected a lovely selection of images of Dubrovnik for its Incredible Places: Dubrovnik, Croatia gallery (link no longer works)
Casey Morris, The Weather Channel, August 2013
CNN picks out Istria as one of its Top Summer Food Destinations
Stirling Kelso, CNN, 13th August 2013
In fields and forests they stand – strange, futuristic giant stone sculptures; some with jagged edges reaching for the sky; others resembling alien towers. But these haunting monuments are actually war memorials of the former Yugoslavia. During the 1960s and 70s, the country’s then president, Josip Broz Tito, ordered their construction to demonstrate the strength of the socialist republic throughout the Balkans.
Nick Enoch, Daily Mail, 8th August 2013
The article: Ghostly stones of a nation’s past: The futuristic war memorials of former communist Yugoslavia that have been left to decay
The lure of the glistening Adriatic coast pulls the majority of tourists to Croatia’s coastal cities Dubrovnik, Split, Hvar and their surrounding islands. This coastline’s regular appearances on the hit HBO television series Game of Thrones have only served to ensure tourists flood south like a landslide. There are hidden gems to be found north of the inland capital Zagreb. The Zargorje region offers a goldmine of medieval castles, informative museums, relaxing spas and bountiful vineyards on lush rolling hillsides.
Russell Butt, getSurrey, 6th August 2013
The article: Discover Croatia’s hidden heartland
CNN includes Zagreb’s Museum of Broken Relationships as one of the Best Places for a Breakup (!)
Hiufu Wong, CNN, 5th August 2013
Heading into a big sea on a small sailboat unleashes the nautical poet in a man. That, anyway, is my justification for leaping to the foredeck and bracing myself against the rigging, “Master and Commander”-style, to bellow lines from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s “Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” “Water, water, every where/Nor any drop to drink,” I manage, before memory fails me. I crawl back along the bouncing deck to the cockpit, where my wife has the helm. “Too early for a beer, then?” she says.
Jonathan Gornall, Wall Street Journal, 1st August 2013
The article: Sailing Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast
Conservators in Croatia have completed a ten-year project to remove more than 1,700 years of grime from the courtyard of the palace of the Roman Emperor Diocletian (AD244-311), in the coastal city of Split. Lasers were used as the primary method to clean the peristyle of the fourth-century imperial residence—an innovative technique that is normally reserved for cleaning individual sculptures or details of larger architectural elements, as opposed to whole structures.
Emily Sharpe, The Art Newspaper, 30th July 2013
The article: www.theartnewspaper.com/articles/Diocletians-palace-gets-laser-facelift/30058 (link no longer works)
This week I had the chance to see why the Pula Film Festival in Croatia comes with the tagline ‘Film Under The Stars’ as I saw several nights of films in the Pula Arena, a gorgeous Roman amphitheatre by the sea. For this cityslicker who doesn’t get much stargazing opportunity in London, it was a chance to spot a few constellations during any slow scenes of a film — not to mention the wonderful distraction of looking around the 2000-year-old amphitheater.
Wendy Mitchell, Screen Daily, 28th July 2013
The article: Starry cinema
The hunters of the Neretva Delta had enjoyed a fortunate night. Before me, about six dozen freshly skinned frogs, shiny and headless, sat in a large bowl on the kitchen counter of family-owned Konoba Vrilo, a restaurant in the town of Prud, near the delta’s edge in southern Croatia. The special of the day was frog and eel brudet, a rich, chunky stew seasoned with bay leaves and hot peppers. The delta was my first stop on what would be a weeklong exploration of the frog fare of Croatia.
Darrin DuFord, BBC Travel, 23rd July 2013
The article: Leaping into Croatia’s frog leg tradition
My first view of Dubrovnik was by moonlight, and it was enough to convince me that magical places exist other than in fairy tales. After a flight from Zagreb, I arrived to see the medieval walls of this old city burnished to a golden sheen by the light of the full moon, which hung so low it appeared to be resting on the rooftops.
Patti Nickell, Kentucky.com, 21st July 2013
The article: Seaside Croatian city of Dubrovnik deserves its glowing reputation
The Istrian peninsula dangles like a heart-shaped pendant from the northern end of Croatia’s Adriatic coastline. Small (you can drive from one end to another in just over an hour) and self-contained, it can claim three of Croatia’s most attractive coastal towns in Pula, Rovinj and Porec. Behind the beaches, though, the hilly, wooded interior produces high-quality wine, olive oil, ham and the diamond of gastronomy, the truffle, all of which have contributed to Istria’s growing reputation as a gourmet destination.
Mick Webb, The Independent, 20th July 2013
The article: Traveller’s Guide: Istria
The Daily Express points out the Top 10 things you must do in Dubrovnik
Anne Gorringe, Daily Express, 16th July 2013
Forget the “If it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium” slogan. In less than an hour, I had gone through three countries. Landing at the airport in Venice, Italy, I motored through a tiny slice of Slovenia before arriving in Croatia. The three countries form the Istrian Peninsula, nestled between the Adriatic Sea and Bay of Kvarner — the largest and loveliest stretch being in Croatia.
Patti Nickell, Kentucky.com, 14th July 2013
The article: Istrian region of Croatia feels like Italy but without all the tourists
I really started to feel the effects of travelling the “wrong way round” in Dubrovnik, with peak heat and peak crowds. Cruise ships tend to dump their passengers on towns in tandem, which is great for said town’s economy but bad for anyone who’s not part of the group and trying to take in some sightseeing.
Maryam Siddiqi, National Post, 13th July 2013
The article: nationalpost.com/category/life/2013/07/12/wrong-way-round-on-dubrovniks-history-and-hipsters/ (link no longer works)
For a country [Croatia] that has been touched (read: invaded) by so many others (seemingly everyone), it’s impressive how much of the coast is untouched. And the water. My god. The spectrum of blues in the water would have even the people at Pantone finding inspiration. On top of the hues, the water is stunningly clear. Italians, only a few hours away via ferry, are vacationing here in increasing numbers because of the clean water.
Maryam Siddiqi, National Post, 13th July 2013
The article: life.nationalpost.com/2013/07/03/wrong-way-round-taking-on-croatias-coast/ (link no longer works)
While modest in its approach to appreciating cinema, Motovun Film Festival in Croatia cannot be said to lack class. At last year’s pre-screening reception held for the latest offering by Austrian filmmaker, Ulrich Seidl, I found myself chatting with Festival Director Igor Mirkovic about the past and future of one particular celebration of cinema that is in no hurry to outgrow its humble roots.
Tyson Yates, AustralianTimes.co.uk, 12th July 2013
The article: For the love of film | Motovun Film Festival
It was that moment when you ask yourself: “Why haven’t I come here before?” There I was, sitting at the top of a hill overlooking a stunning vineyard, drinking a top notch glass of white wine. Roast duck was on the menu for lunch at the Korak winery in the Plešivica hills 30 minutes from Zagreb. The sun was out and, best of all, another bottle was being uncorked. Perfect! With its stunning countryside, warm climate and superb wine, Croatia – which joined the EU on Monday to become the 28th member – should have already been high on my list of places to visit.
Tom Howell, Daily Mirror, 10th July 2013
The article: EU will love Zagorje: Come and discover Croatia’s hidden gem
I “did” the Croatia island hop five years ago when it wasn’t quite on the package tourist map. I was anticipating a much busier country than the one I found. But as we stepped off the ferry on to the isle of Brac, it was like going back in time. While Croatia is on many people’s travel lists, Brac is still untouched and its dramatic coast, lined with pine and olive trees, hidden coves and rolling countryside, should see it added to those lists.
Mason Brownlow, The Sun, 6th July 2013
The article: Go Brac in Time
Hvar, an island in the Adriatic Sea off Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, is in many ways a contradiction. As a visitor, you might wake up and hike across brambly hillsides to a medieval ghost town, and by sundown be drinking infused cocktails while dancing to techno music. It’s an island where opulent hotels continue to sprout up across the coastline, but the equivalent of $30 can still get you a room in the house of a local grandmother.
Charly Wilder, The New York Times, 5th July 2013
The article: A Croatian Island’s Day in the Sun
It was British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who famously coined the phrase ‘Iron Curtain’ in 1946 and, in doing so, entrenched post-war divisions between the democratic west and the communist east. But, 67 years later, those tensions have been washed away. And now with Croatia being lapped up by the European Union (the country became the 28th member on 1st July) there has never been a better time to take advantage of rosy relations around the Adriatic Sea.
Oliver Pickup, Daily Mail, 3rd July 2013
The article: Adriatic adventure: Seeing Italy and, across the water, her new best friend Croatia
Porec, a small, historic port of on the Istrian peninsula in Croatia, has just held its fourth Valamar Jazz Festival. The event, held at the end of June, has concerts in stunningly picturesque locations.The town has at different times been part of the Venetian Republic, the Napoleonic Empire, under the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, and in Marshal Tito’s Yugoslavian federation. The final Saturday night concerts ended less than 24 hours before Croatia tied Porec’s fate to another entity, the European Union.
Sebastian Scotney, Daily Telegraph, 2nd July 2013
The article: Beautiful range of sounds at Valamar Jazz Festival
The Daily Telegraph helpfully provides a Croatia in the EU: Q & A for holidaymakers
Adrian Bridge, Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2013
Viewed from a mile above the Adriatic, the Makarska Riviera is barely a terracotta thread stitching the silk-smooth sea to the pines and rock of the Dalmatian Coast. The bathers on its pebbly beaches have disappeared in the early summer haze. So, too, has Italy. On a clear day, they say, the ankle of its boot is visible more than 150 miles out, far beyond the green islands of Hvar and Brac.
Simon Usborne, The Independent, 29th June 2013
The article: A fresh view of Europe’s new arrival
Nearly 20 years after the end of the Croatian War of Independence, the once battle-scarred slice of the former Yugoslavia is officially hitting the big time with its entry into the EU. If you haven’t yet dipped your toe into the waters lapping its stunning Dalmatian coast or discovered its museum-packed capital of Zagreb, now is the time – before the rest of the world arrives.
Amy Laughinghouse, Irish Times, 29th June 2013
The article: Croatia close-up
After these three great article (below), The Guardian also have an article on the Best of Croatia: family holidays, festivals, beaches and adventure
Gemma Bowes, The Guardian, 28th June 2013
As the air cools in a fir-lined valley east of Croatia’s Velebit mountains, the bears of Kuterevo stir to life in the gloaming. Lumbering out from their daytime retreat in the thick undergrowth, with a heavy grace that can only come with weighing upwards of 100kg, a female is wooed by two younger members of the group, cheerfully at first. Then suddenly her humour turns, signalling a rejection with a snarling scoring of the ground with her claws. This, I am informed by my beloved, who knows a bit about bears, means the opposite of: “Get your coat, love, you’ve pulled.”
Libby Brooks, The Guardian, 28th June 2013
The article: Bear-watching in Croatia’s national parks: holidays beyond the Dalmatian coast
As hangover cures go, it seemed a bit extreme. Perched on the top deck of a Croatian sailing boat just outside Split, I was about to launch myself into the topaz blue of the Adriatic below. My internal organs groaned with foreboding. Couldn’t I just stick with the trusted hangover staple of a gallon of orange Lucozade and 278 back-to-back episodes of Friends?
Gwilym Mumford, The Guardian, 28th June 2013
The article: Cruising and boozing in Croatia
Croatia’s pretty north-western peninsula of Istria, on the Italian and Slovenian borders, is a pastoral expanse of ancient forests, traditional villages and gently rolling farmland on the Adriatic. Famously fertile, over 110 small-scale wineries and 145 olive oil producers have sprung up across the region in the last 20 years, developing its reputation as Croatia’s best corner for foodies. There is also a comprehensive network of biking and hiking trails by which to explore them, criss-crossing this 1,400-square-mile peninsula. So I plan a cycling and wine holiday, taking my boyfriend along.
Jennifer Cox, The Guardian, 28th June 2013
The article: Croatia: a wine-tasting holiday by bike
If you’re walking after dark along the poorly lit, cobblestone streets here, you might forgo searching for the restaurant Konoba Kod Joze. But stay with your plan: It’s there, opposite a little stone house. You’ll see a covered, split-level terrace that seats dozens of diners drinking bottles of a local wine called domace bijelo, and ordering seafood caught that day. Some of these customers have been coming here for decades. Kod Joze has maintained its place in Manusha, the oldest neighborhood of Split, since 1984.
Molly Kravitz, The Boston Globe, 25th June 2013
The article: Croatian restaurant maintains longevity
Dalmatians, the ultimate menswear accessory, and a clutch of sporting greats are just some of the national successes that Croatia will bring to the EU when it joins the bloc on July 1. “At all events, people who deny the influence of Europe’s ‘smaller nations’ should remember that the Croats have the rest of us by the throat,” wrote Norman Davies in his book “Europe: A History”.
AFP via GlobalPost, 25th June 2013
The article: https://www.pri.org/dispatch/news/afp/130625/croatia-adriatic-home-dalmatians-ties-and-top-skiers (link no longer works)
Unbelievably, I was located somewhere between two islands. Out in the open sea, the inky blackness of genuinely deep water beneath me, I was trying hard to keep my mind from replaying scenes from Jaws and Open Water as I battled with my own primal fears. In fairness, this was the first real moment of near panic I’d experienced so far in my sea swimming trip to the Sibenik archipelago and Kornati Islands National Park in Croatia. Until now, it had all been going, well, swimmingly.
Lara Dunn, The Independent, 23rd June 2013
The article: Island-hopping without a boat? Coast along on a sea-swimming adventure in Croatia
What happens when 16 inter-connected lakes are formed by the confluence of multiple rivers and natural dams into irregular tiers of breathtaking aquatic artistry? The answer: you get the Plitvice Lakes, the oldest national park in Southeastern Europe and the largest in Croatia.
Bob Taylor, Washington Times Communities, 22nd June 2013
The article: Croatia’s Plitvice Lakes: Mother Nature’s aquatic theme park
The plan is simple: to bridge the stretch of Adriatic Sea for a summer holiday in two countries in the space of a week. It would start with a road trip through Italy’s Abruzzo and Le Marche before sailing across that ink-blue gap of sea and into Croatia. Typically, the weather would have other plans. “We cannot sail,” the skipper tells me gravely. Despite plans for our private charter falling flat, I feel calm. For while the masses drive on towards Rome, my travel companions and I veer off to rural L’Aquila, stopping in the medieval village of Calascio.
Laura Binder, The National, 20th June 2013
The article: Adriatic adventure: Croatia and Italy in a week
The Telegraph offers up advice on What to see and do in Rovinj
Jane Foster, Daily Telegraph, 19th June 2013
AOL Travel checks out Croatia’s cities for perfect holidays: Sibenik and Zadar
Roshina Jowaheer, AOL Travel, 18th June 2013
“We are a history book come alive,” says my city guide, Bojana Jagarinec. “We are music, architecture and art… and bugs. Ah, so many delightful bugs.” Before I can inquire whether something was lost in translation, Bojana asks a couple beside me where they are from and smiles. “You are the first Canadians I have ever seen in Varazdin!” Surprising words coming from a professional guide, but not completely unexpected given Varazdin’s status as one of the best-kept secrets in Croatia. Though travellers visiting Zagreb do occasionally take a day trip to the city of 40,000 (Varazdin is only 80km from the Croatian capital), for the most part, the city remains untouched by mass tourism.
Sandra MacGregor, The Daily Telegraph, 17th June 2013
The article: Varazdin: Croatia’s ‘little Vienna’
A reader’s experience of visiting Dubrovnik on a cruise ship shore excursion: Gothic charm and grandeur
Sydney Morning Herald, 16th June 2013
The Daily Express offers up Island dreams from the lesser-known ones to idyllic Croatia
Annabelle Thorpe, Daily Express, 15th June 2013
CNN also has a list of the World’s 100 best beaches, including Paradise Beach on Rab
CNN.com, 6th June 2013
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 (link no longer works)
BBC Travel featured a Mini Guide to Croatia’s islands
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 (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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 in 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 (link no longer works)
Croatia is included on AOL Travel’s list of Europe’s best-value holiday destinations (link no longer works)
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
A reader’s experience of visiting the island of Mljet: Get thee to an island monastery
Stuff.co.nz, 10th April 2013
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 [link no longer works]
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
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
The article can now be read on Rick’s website at Croatia’s Coastal Delights
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
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
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
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
Article no longer available online
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 (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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! (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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 (link no longer works)
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