Croatia-Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is a historic city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its population was 43,770 in 2001 down from 49,728 in 1991. In the 2001 census, 88.39% of its citizens declared themselves as Croats.
Since 1979, the historic centre of Dubrovnik has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. Ragusa was one of the centres of the development of primarily the Croatian language and literature, home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars.
The modern name of the city is derived from the Slavic word dubrava (meaning forest). In Croatian, the city is known as Dubrovnik and in Dalmatian, Latin, Italian, and formerly in English as Ragusa. However, today more and more Italian sources use name Dubrovnik instead of Ragusa.

Croatia-Opatija

Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast, population 7,850 (2001), total municipality population 12,719 (2001).
Opatija is situated in the Gulf of Kvarner (Quarnero or Carnaro) in a sheltered position at the foot of Učka mountain (Monte Maggiore), with Vojak peak at 1401 m. Opatija is located 90 km from Trieste by rail and 82 km from Pula by road.

The city is geographically on the Istrian peninsula, though it is not in Istria county, but Primorje-Gorski Kotar county.
It is a popular summer and winter resort, with average temperatures of 10°C in winter, and 25°C in summer. Opatija is surrounded by beautiful woods of bay laurel. The whole sea-coast to the north and south of Opatija is rocky and picturesque, and contains several smaller winter resorts.
The old 14th-century Benedictine abbey, San Giacomo della Priluca, from which the place derives its name is located in Park Svetog Jakova or Saint Jacobs Park.

The Saint Jacob church, built in 1506 and enlarged in 1937, now stands on the same spot. The neo-Romanesque Church of the Annunciation with its pronounced green cupola, was designed in 1906 by architect Karl Seidl.

The city's most prestigious sight is the Villa Angiolina, which was built in 1844 by Iginio Scarpa, a rich merchant from Rijeka. This villa, tranformed into a hotel, gave a boost to tourism to this town. It became a fashionable destination for the Austrian imperial family and Austrian nobility. Soon more luxury hotels and villas were built, such as the Hotel Kvarner, built in 1884. A new railway line was extended to Rijeka, from where one could go by tram to Opatija. The Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I used to spend here several months during winter. Many of these late 19th-century luxury hotels and villas have survived to present times.

Opatija is known for the Maiden with the seagull, a statue by Zvonko Car (1956), which is positioned on a promontory by the Juraj Šporer art pavilion. It has turned into one of symbols of Opatija. A gilded variant of the statue Madonna, that once stood here but was demolished by communists after the end of WWII, now stands in front of the Saint Jacob Church.
The town park Angiolina contains many species of plants from all over the world. It has been protected since 1968. Close-by, vis-a-vis Hotel Imperial, stands the statue The Fountain - Helios and Selena, a work of the Austrian sculptor Hans Rathautsky from 1889.
The lungomare is a 12 km-long promenade along the entire riviera, from Volosko, via Opatija, to Lovran.

Croatia-Trogir

Trogir is a historic town and harbour on the Adriatic coast in Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia, with a population of 10,907 (2001) and a total municipality population of 13,322 (2001). The historic city of Trogir is situated on a small island between the Croatian mainland and the island of Čiovo. It lies 27 kilometres west of the city of Split.
Since 1997, the historic centre of Trogir has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.

History
In the 3rd century , Tragurion was founded by Greek colonists from the island of Vis, and it developed into a major port until the Roman period. The sudden prosperity of Salona deprived Trogir of its importance. During the migration of Slavs the citizens of the destroyed Salona escaped to Trogir. From the 9th century on, Trogir paid tribute to Croatian rulers. The diocese of Trogir was established in the 11th century and in 1107 it was chartered by the Hungarian-Croatian king Coloman, gaining thus its autonomy as a town.

In 1123 Trogir was conquered and almost completely demolished by the Saracens. However, Trogir recovered in a short period to experience powerful economic prosperity in the 12th and the 13th centuries. In 1242 King Béla IV found refuge there as he fled the Tatars. In the 13th and the 14th centuries, members of the Šubić family were most frequently elected dukes by the citizens of Trogir; Mladen III (1348), according to the inscription on the sepulchral slab in the Cathedral of Trogir called "the shield of the Croats", was one of the most prominent Šubićs.
In 1420 the period of a long-term Venetian rule began. On the fall of Venice in 1797, Trogir became a part of the Habsburg Empire which ruled over the city until 1918, with the exception of French occupation from 1806 to 1814. After World War I, Trogir, together with Croatia, became a part of the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs and subsequently the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. During World War II, Trogir was occupied by Italy and subsequently liberated in 1944. Since then it belonged to the second Yugoslavia, and from 1991 to Croatia.

Cultural heritage

Trogir has a fascinating 2300 years of continuous urban tradition. Its rich culture was created under the influence of old Greeks, Romans, and Venetians. Trogir has a high concentration of palaces, churches, and towers, as well as a fortress on a small island, and in 1997 was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List. "The orthogonal street plan of this island settlement dates back to the Hellenistic period and it was embellished by successive rulers with many fine public and domestic buildings and fortifications. Its beautiful Romanesque churches are complemented by the outstanding Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period", says UNESCO report.
Trogir is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. Trogir's medieval core, surrounded by walls, comprises a preserved castle and tower and a series of dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque periods. Trogir's grandest building is the church of St. Lawrence, whose main west portal is a masterpiece by Radovan, and the most significant work of the Romanesque-Gothic style in Croatia.


Economy
Tourism is the most important economic factor in the Trogir region, covering 50% of the municipal budget with more than 20,000 beds in hotels and private apartments. There is also a strong fishing and agriculture tradition among the population in surrounding areas.
The most important industry is shipbuilding, with shipyard "Trogir" established at the beginning of the 20th century. The shipyard has a capacity of two ships of 55,000 tons. Between 1990 and 2004, 93 ships were built in the shipyard.
Infrastructure
Trogir lies six kilometers from Split Airport, and a regular bus connects Trogir with the airport and Split. In the future, the Split Suburban Railway will be lengthened towards the airport and Trogir.
Water supply to Trogir is from the Jadro River; moreover, the Jadro River is the same source that supplied the ancient Diocletian's Palace.

Croatia-Makarska

Makarska Riviera is a part of Dalmatian coast of Adriatic, about 60 kilometers long and only several kilometers wide, squeezed under towering mountain Biokovo. Sunny climate and long pebbly beaches make this region a popular tourist destination. A string of settlements along the coast from the border with the Omis Riviera on the northwest to the Neretva delta on the southeast. We are very proud to offer you the large number of quality accommodation facilities in all of the places of the astonishingly beautiful Makarska riviera.

Makarska is a city in the Split - Dalmatia county of Croatia, population 13,716 (2001). It is located on the Adriatic coast of Dalmatia, about 60 km southeast of Split and 140 km northwest of Dubrovnik. It is a tourist centre, located on a horseshoe shaped bay between the Biokovo mountain and the Adriatic Sea. The city is noted for its palm-fringed promenade, where fashionable cafés, bars and boutiques overlook the pretty harbour where many pleasure craft are moored.Arrival to Makarska over Biokovo, from Vrgorac offers a breathtaking magnificent view of riviera, from Drasnice, Podgora, Tucepi, Brela, all the way to the Split, and in front to the islands Brac, Hvar, Korcula and peninsula Peljesac.

Center of Makarska is an old town with narrow stone-paved streets, a main church square where there is a flower and fruit market, and a Franciscan monastery that houses a sea shell collection featuring a giant clam shell. Most of the city's hotels are located just off of the bay and their own private beaches. We invite you to browse our pages and find your own place for an unforgettable vacation on Makarska riviera.

Croatia-Korcula

Korcula is an island in the Adriatic Sea, in the Dubrovnik-Neretva county of Croatia. The island has an area of 279 km² — it is 46.8 km long and on average 7.8 km wide — and lies just off the Dalmatian coast. Its 16,182 (2001) inhabitants make it the second most populous Adriatic island after Krk. 96.77% of the population are ethnic Croats, 1.8 others (declared ethnicity, none over 1%), 1% others.

The island of Korcula belongs to the central Dalmatian archipelago, separated from the Pelješac peninsula by a narrow strait of Pelješac, between 900 and 3,000 meters wide (illustration, right). It is the sixth largest Adriatic island with a rather indented coast. The highest peaks are Klupca (568 m) and Kom (510 m). The climate is mild; an average air temperature in January is 9.8 °C and in July 26.9 °C; the average annual rainfall is 1,100 mm. The island is largely covered with Mediterranean flora including extensive pine forests.

The island also includes the towns of Vela Luka and Blato and the coastal villages of Lumbarda and Račišċe, and in the interior Žrnovo, Pupnat, Smokvica and Čara. The main road runs along the spine of the island connecting all settlements from Lumbarda on the eastern to Vela Luka on the western end, with the exception of Račišċe which is served by a separate road running along the northern coast. Ferries connect the city of Korčula with Orebić on the Pelješac peninsula and Drvenik on the mainland (near Makarska). Another line connects Vela Luka with Split and the island of Lastovo. Fast passenger catamarans connect those two ports with Split and the islands of Hvar and Lastovo.

The main Adriatic ferry line connects Korčula with Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Rijeka and in summer there are direct ferries to Italian Adriatic ports.
Korčula is the most populous Adriatic island with almost 20,000 inhabitants, although their number has slightly dropped between the censuses of 1991 and 2001. The island is divided into Korčula, Smokvica, Blato and Lumbarda municipalities.

Croatia-Split

Split is the largest and most important city in Dalmatia, the administrative center of Croatia's Split-Dalmatia County, and the country's second-largest city. It is a Mediterranean city, situated on a small peninsula on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea.


According to the 2001 census, the city of Split had 188,694 citizens, in 2007 this rose to 221,456. There are approximately 410,000 people in the Split metropolitan area. Split has one of the largest demographic growths in Croatia. The entire Split-Dalmatia county has around 470,000 residents, with Croats making up 95.15% of the population.

Since 1979, the historic center of Split has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.
Split is also known as one of the centers of Croatian culture. Its literary tradition can be traced to medieval times, and includes names like Marko Marulić, while in more modern times Split excelled by authors famous for their sense of humor. Among them the most notable is Miljenko Smoje.Also well known is Ivo Tijardović, and his famous operetta "Little Floramye". Both Smoje and Tijardović are thought to represent the old Split traditions that are slowly dying out due to the city being overwhelmed by large numbers of rural migrants from the undeveloped hinterland.

The old Split families still desperately cling to the littoral Dalmatian way of life and values, often publicly stating their disgust at the ruralization of the ancient city.
Split also houses two important archaeological museums - one dedicated to antiquity, another to the early medieval period.

The most recognisable aspect of Split culture is popular music. Notable composers include Ivo Tijardović, Zdenko Runjić - some of the most influential musicians in former Yugoslavia. There is great cultural activity during summers, when the prestigious Split Music Festival is held, followed by Split Summer theater festival. The largest concerts in Split since Croatian independence have been held by Mišo Kovač, Thompson, and a night of traditional klapa singers from across Dalmatia, all at Poljud.

Croatia-Pazin

Pazin is a town of Croatia, long and rich tradition. It is situated in the very centre of Istrian peninsula, only 30 km away from well-known tourist centres. The intensity of life here is pretty much the same in winter and summer.
The Castle of Pazin is the biggest and the best-preserved medieval fortress in Istria. It was first mentioned in written documents in 983. Since that time, the Castle and the growing civil area that surrounded it have been given as present, conquered and sacked, destroyed, rebuilt and sub-leased many times.

The miraculous Pazin has since long ago attracted the attention of many who had a chance to see that unique work of natural forces. We can find it, together with the Castle of Pazin, in the works of many travel writers.
Jules Verne, a pioneer of science fiction, set a large part of the plot of his novel Mathias Sandorf from 1885 into Pazin. After the introductory part of the novel, which takes place in Trieste, a rebellious count Mathias Sandorf and his two friends are arrested and imprisoned in the Castle of Pazin.

Croatia-Zadar

Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea, with a population of 72,718 (2006). It is the fifth largest Croatian city. 93% of its citizens are ethnic Croats (2001 census).It is the centre of modern Croatia's Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Zadar is located opposite the islands of Ugljan and Pašman, from which it is separated by the narrow Zadar Strait.The promontory on which the old city stands used to be separated from the mainland by a deep moat which has since become a landfill. The harbor, to the north-east of the town, is safe and spacious.Zadar is the seat of a Roman Catholic archbishop.

In 1099, the Kingdom of Croatia was invaded and forced into a personal union with the Hungarian king Coloman. In 1105 Zadar recognized his rule.Zadar was repeatedly invaded by Venice between 1111 and 1154 and then once more between 1160 and 1183.In 1183 it finally rebelled, pleading to the Pope and to the Croato-Hungarian throne for protection, but it the year 1202 the Fourth Crusade began forming in Europe. The crusaders were, however, dependent upon Venice for transportation to Egypt. Ever the opportunist, Doge Enrico Dandolo instructed the crusader army that istead of paying they should lay siege to the troublesome Dalmatian capitol. Forced by their lack of money the Crusaders agreed and besieged Zadar. The overwhelmed city soon fell back under Venetian rule.