| Stretching from Zadar in the north to the
Montenegrin border in the south, the region of Dalmatia (Dalmacija)
possesses one of Europe's most dramatic shorelines, the sheer wall of
Croatia's mountain ranges sweeping down to the sea from stark, grey
heights, scattering islands in their path. For centuries, the region was
ruled by Venice, spawning towns, churches and an architecture that
wouldn't look out of place on the other side of the water. All along,
well-preserved medieval towns sit on tiny islands or just above the sea
on slim peninsulas, beneath a grizzled karst landscape that drops
precipitously into some of the clearest - and cleanest - water anywhere.
The main centres to aim for are in southern Dalmatia: the provincial
capital Split is served by buses and trains from Zagreb and provides
onward bus connections with the walled city of Dubrovnik . Ferry
connections with the best of the islands - Brac , Hvar , Vis and Korcula
- are also made from Split.
A large peninsula jutting into the northern Adriatic,
Istria ( Istra ) is Croatian tourism at its most developed. Many of the
towns here were tourist resorts back in the last century, and in recent
years their proximity to northern Europe has ensured an annual influx of
sun-seekers from Germany, Austria and the Netherlands. Yet the growth of
modern hotel complexes, sprawling campsites and (mainly concrete)
beaches has done little to detract from the essential charm of the
region. This stretch of the coast was under Venetian rule for 400 years
and there's still a fair-sized Italian community, with Italian very much
the second language. Regular trains and buses from Zagreb (and the
Slovene capital Ljubljana, another good gateway to the region) arrive at
Istria's largest centre, the port city of Pula . With its Roman
amphitheatre and other relics of Roman occupation, it's a rewarding
place to spend a couple of days - rooms are relatively easy to come by
and most of Istria's interesting spots are only a bus ride away. On the
western side of the Istrian peninsula, resort towns like Porec and
Rovinj , with their cobbled piazzas and shuttered houses, are almost
overwhelmingly pretty.
Capital of an independent state since 1991, ZAGREB
has served as the cultural and political focus of the nation since the
Middle Ages. The city grew out of two medieval communities, Kaptol , to
the east, and Gradec , to the west, each sited on a hill and divided by
a river long since dried up but nowadays marked by a street known as
Tkalciceva. Kaptol (meaning "Cathedral Chapter") was a religious centre
and the seat of an archbishop; Gradec was ruled by a group of Croatian
nobles. The two communities became bitter rivals, and remained so until
the sixteenth century, when the threat of Turkish invasion caused them
to unite against the common enemy; they took the name Zagreb, which
means, literally, "behind the hill". Zagreb grew rapidly in the
nineteenth century, and the majority of its buildings are relatively
well-preserved, grand, peach-coloured monuments to the self-esteem of
the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Nowadays, with a population topping one
million, Zagreb is the boisterous capital of a newly self-confident
nation. A handful of good museums and a vibrant nightlife ensure that a
few days here will be well spent.
The City
Modern Zagreb splits neatly into three parts. Donji Grad or "Lower Town",
which extends north from the train station to the main square (Trg bana
Jelacica), is the bustling centre of the modern city. Uphill from here,
to the northeast and the northwest, are the older quarters of Kaptol (the
"Cathedral Chapter") and Gradec (the "Upper Town"), both peaceful
districts of ancient mansions, quiet squares and leafy parks.
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from $113.00
USD