Croatia ... the Mediterranean as it once was
According to the Croatian National Tourist Board. And how right they are! Ask any Croatian to describe their country and they will say things like "laid-back, friendly, good food, great sea-food!, sun, crystal clear waters, beautiful islands, and wild natural landscapes". Ask any non-Croatian visitor and they are likely to say "all of the above plus a cross between Italian coffee bar culture / fashion and Austrian "kavana" - meaning grandiosity.
These two extremes perfectly describe Croatia - illustrated by the imposing architecture to be found in Zagreb, (designed and built in the 19th century by the same architects who designed the grand buildings to be found in Vienna and Budapest), through to the rugged and picturesque coastlines and crystal clear waters found in the Kvarner Gulf along the Adriatic coast.
Situated in Central Europe, Croatia borders Hungary to the north, Slovenia to the west, Serbia to the east and Bosnia / Herzegovina to the south. With Italy only 17 miles from the Croatian border, the canals of Venice are less than 3 hours away whilst Vienna can be reached in about 4 hours by car.
The majority of the 4.9 million population are of Croatian descent and follow the Roman Catholic religion, with the remainder descended from Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian and Italian roots. As far as climate is concerned, on the coast its very definitely Mediterranean. With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine each year, the Adriatic is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe where the sea temperature can reach 27°C during summer. Inland its more of a continental climate with warm summers and colder winters.
Often referred to as Croatia’s Tuscany, Istria has it’s own unique identity even though it was Italian until World War II. Known for its distinctive cuisine, wines, olive oils and rolling green and fertile landscapes, Istria’s appeal extends to more than just beaches and tourist menus.
Getting about isn’t a problem in Istria, the roads are perfectly driveable and public transport in and around conurbations is reasonable. Further inland most places within Istria are only an hour away from each other by car, so there’s no excuse not to sample the real beauty of Istria which lies in the numerous hilltop villages dotted inland, each with its own wonderful flavour and characteristics.
These two extremes perfectly describe Croatia - illustrated by the imposing architecture to be found in Zagreb, (designed and built in the 19th century by the same architects who designed the grand buildings to be found in Vienna and Budapest), through to the rugged and picturesque coastlines and crystal clear waters found in the Kvarner Gulf along the Adriatic coast.
Situated in Central Europe, Croatia borders Hungary to the north, Slovenia to the west, Serbia to the east and Bosnia / Herzegovina to the south. With Italy only 17 miles from the Croatian border, the canals of Venice are less than 3 hours away whilst Vienna can be reached in about 4 hours by car.
The majority of the 4.9 million population are of Croatian descent and follow the Roman Catholic religion, with the remainder descended from Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian and Italian roots. As far as climate is concerned, on the coast its very definitely Mediterranean. With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine each year, the Adriatic is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe where the sea temperature can reach 27°C during summer. Inland its more of a continental climate with warm summers and colder winters.
Often referred to as Croatia’s Tuscany, Istria has it’s own unique identity even though it was Italian until World War II. Known for its distinctive cuisine, wines, olive oils and rolling green and fertile landscapes, Istria’s appeal extends to more than just beaches and tourist menus.
Getting about isn’t a problem in Istria, the roads are perfectly driveable and public transport in and around conurbations is reasonable. Further inland most places within Istria are only an hour away from each other by car, so there’s no excuse not to sample the real beauty of Istria which lies in the numerous hilltop villages dotted inland, each with its own wonderful flavour and characteristics.
