Tourist free Information EN with Road Map of Croatia www.croatia.hr 9 1 2 7 3 4 3 8 10 Croatia. 1. ISTRIA. 6 4. DALMATIA. ŠIBENIK. 24 8. CENTRAL CROATIA. 48 ROADS OF THE THE ROUTES OF TRAILS OF THE FAIRIES. SMALLEST TOWNS IN CROATIAN RULERS. THE WORLD. 8. CENTRAL CROATIA. 54 5. DALMATIA. SPLIT. 30 THE TRAILS OF ROUTES OF SUBTERRANEAN SECRETS. 2. KVARNER. 12 ANCIENT CULTURES. ROUTES OF FRAGRANT 6. DALMATIA. DUBROVNIK. 9. CITY OF ZAGREB. 60 RIVIERAS AND ISLANDS. 36 A TOWN TAILORED ROUTES OF OLD TO THE HUMAN SCALE. SEA CAPTAINS. 3. DALMATIA. ZADAR. 18 7. LIKA - KARLOVAC. 42 10. SLAVONIA. 64 THE ROUTES OF ROUTES OF THE TRAILS OF THE CROATIAN RULERS. SOURCES OF NATURE. PANNONIAN SEA. 5 6 4 bays, lakes and mystical mountain peaks, clean rivers and drinking i Welcome water, fantastic cuisine and prized wines and spirits, along with the to Croatia! world-renowned cultural and natural heritage, are the most important resources of Croatia, attractive to all. Fertile Croatian plains from which you can taste freshly-picked fruit, visit castles, museums and parks, river ports and family farms, wineries, freshly-baked bread whose aroma tempts one to try it over and over again, it is the unexplored hinter- land of Croatia, a place of mystique Unique in so many ways, Croatia has and secrets , dream and reality, the roots extending from ancient times Croatia of feelings and senses. and a great cultural wealth telling of its turbulent history extending from Yes, Croatia is all that and so much the Roman era, through the Renais- more. It is the home of the necktie, sance, the Baroque period and the the parachute, the torpedo, the Ottoman conquests right up to the propelling pencil, the fi lament light present day which are exceptionally bulb, the world’s fastest electric car, appealing to all who visit the coun- the Dalmatian dog, Marco Polo, one try. If we then add to this rich cultural of the oldest cities and parliaments in heritage the amazing natural beauty Europe, the second longest stretch of which attracts visitors at all seasons defensive walls in Europe, the small- of the year, the 8 national parks, 11 est cathedral, the oldest arboretum nature reserves and the numerous and the oldest fi lm festival in the heritage sites under UNESCO’s pro- world and the birthplace of great tection, Croatia truly is a country of athletes. It is a country of exceptional incredible magnetic attraction. strategic signifi cance, a criss-cross of Over fi fty music and fi lm festivals roads that connect the east and west that inspire even the most resistant, of Europe, a beating artery, a country many of them at the locations that with beautiful sea, green mountains, date back to ancient times, when beautiful plains, rich fi elds and oil Roman soldiers and emperors were deposits. walking these trails and routes, Otto- And last but by no means less signifi - man pashas conquering the territory, cant than all this – the Croats them- the world’s greatest writers creating selves! The Croatian people and their their masterworks, kings and duke- kindness are a magnet which keep sarriving for their holidays. drawing tourists back. Sometimes the hospitality of the locals will make you Beautiful beaches, one of the wonder whether you are in your own cleanest seas in the world, secluded home or simply – on holiday in Croatia! i GENERAL INFORMATION 5 Length of the coastline General 6,278 km, of which 4,398 km consists of information island coastlines, solitary rocks and reefs. Geographic position Number of islands, islets, Croatia occupies the largest part solitary rocks and reefs of the eastern coast of the Adriatic 1,244. The largest islands are Krk and Sea which, as a part of the Mediter- Cres. There are 50 inhabited islands. ranean, penetrates deepest into European soil. Croatia’s shoreline Highest peak and numerous islands make up the Dinara 1,831m above sea level. majority of the Adriatic coastline. The narrow Dinara Mountain Range Climate separates the country’s Mediter- There are three climate zones in Croatia: ranean region from its Central in the country’s continental interior the European continental part, which prevailing climate zone is moderately stretches from the easterly foothills continental, with a mountain climate at of the Alps in the north-west to the 1,200m above sea level. The areas along shores of the Danube in the east, the Adriatic coast have a pleasantly encompassing the southern part mild Mediterranean climate with a large of the fertile Pannonian lowlands. number of sunny days; summers are hot and dry and winters are mild and Surface area wet. The average temperatures in the Croatia’s mainland covers an area continental interior are: January -2°C to 0°C, with somewhat lower tempera- of 56,594 km2 and its coastal waters tures in the mountains; July tempera- cover a surface area of 31,479 km2. tures reach 20°C to 22°C, and around 13°C in the highlands. The average Population temperatures on the coast are: January Croatia has 4,284,889 inhabitants. 5°C to 9°C and July 23°C to 26°C. Winter sea temperature is about 12°C reaching Demographics approximately 25°C in the summer. The majority of the population are Croats, with the largest minorities be- Currency ing Serbs, Bosnians, Italians, Albanians, The offi cial currency in Croatia is the Roma, Hungarians, Slovenes and kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa). Czechs. Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offi ces, post System of government offi ces and in the majority of tour- Croatia is a multi-party parliamentary ist information offi ces, hotels and republic. campsites. Credit cards (Eurocard / Mastercard, Capital Visa, American Express and Diners) With 790,017 inhabitants, Zagreb is are accepted in almost all hotels, the economic, transport, cultural and marinas, restaurants, shops and cash academic centre of the country. machines. 6 ROADS OF 1 THE SMALLEST TOWNS IN THE WORLD THE ISTRIAN ROAD 1 ISTRIA. 7 Many civilisations and cultures have come and gone in Umag Grožnjan Buzet Istria, all of them leaving much 1a more than mere episodes of 1b 2 Opatija Motovun history. In this small area you will PAZIN RIJEKA come upon seaside, fi shing, an- Poreč 6 cient and fortifi ed medieval small towns that captured almost every Brestova Labin Porozina little hill in the Istrian hinterland; Rovinj 5 3 Rabac each has its own characteristic Valbiska streets, square, church and town hall. Discover why Hum is called Cres M the smallest town in the world and 4b 4a Lubenice what inspired the French writer Ju- Pula les Verne to locate the plot of one of his novels in Pazin. Find out why the th 17 century town of Dvigrad simply Osor disappeared from the face of the earth - and much more! You should not miss them , whether you set off Ma into the Istrian interior or journey along the coast. Whether travelling by car, cycling or walking, take a de- tour and do visit those small, historic communities. Allow yourself to enjoy the hospitality of their inhabitants, who will gladly recommend where you can savour the best local cuisine, or buy locally produced olive oil, wine and honey. The gates of these tiny towns have been opened for hun- dreds of years; they have beckoned many a visitor down the years. Today, they are beckoning you... Welcome! Rovinj 5 1 8 Nature Film Festival (July), Motovun Film National Park Brijuni, a special ornitho- Festival (July), The Night of St. 1 logical reserve of Palud (Rovinj), Donji Lawrence in Rovinj (August), Giosra- Kamenjak and Medulin archipelago Poreč History Festival (September), protected area, park-woods: Motovun Parenzana Bike Marathon (Sep- Wood, Kontija (Vrsar), Golden cape tember), Days of Truffl es in Istria (Rovinj) and Šijani Wood (Pula), Učka (September - November), Umag, Park of Nature, Plomin Mountain, Novigrad, Brtonigla and Buje Food Baredine Cave (Poreč), Lim Fjord and Winter rhapsody (October -March). Romulad Cave, Mramorinca Cave (Brto- nigla), Pazin Cave (Pazin) and Feštinsko Medical resorts: Istrian Spa. Kraljevstvo Cave (Žminj). Cycling trails: Parenzana, St Pelegrin’s Trail (Umag), St Mauro’s Architectural sights Trail (Poreč), Casanova’s Trail (Vrsar), examples of architecture of Antiquity Rubin’s Trail (Rovinj), Curisitas His- (Pula, Brijuni National Park, Poreč), triae Trail (Pula/Medulin), Teran Trail medieval fortifi ed small towns on the (Rabac), Star Trail (inland). hilltops (the most important are Buje, Hiking trails: Parenzana, St. Zenon Grožnjan, Oprtalj, Motovun, Buzet, (Brtonigla), Poreč, Pula, Labin trails, Hum, Beram, Žminj and Labin), and St. Simon Trail (Gračišće), Mathias Istrian kažun – an example of the Sandorf Trail (Pazin), Buje–Buzet– traditional folk architecture (area of Žbevnica Trail, Brgudac–Korita Trail. Vodnjan). Sports climbing: Golden Cape (Zlatni rt) (Rovinj), Lim Fjord, Dvi- Gastronomy grad, Istrian Spa, Raspadalica (Buzet), Fish specialties prepared under a Vranjska Draga Canyon (Učka), Pazin, “peka”, omelette (fritaja) with aspara- Vintijan (Pula). gus, maneštra with bobići (thick soup Parachuting/paragliding: Kaštelir, with sweet corn), homemade pasta Raspadalica (Buzet), Brgud (Učka), (fuži) with game goulash, truffl es, Lanišće, Žbevnica and the peak of home-brewed brandy ‘biska’, soup Učka. made of red wine, Wine roads, Olive Souvenirs: ISTRIAN KAŽUN, oil Roads, Istrian Honey Points. (Istrian stone hut), wind instrument ‘roženice’. Events Barban – equestrian event ‘Trka na prstenac’ - ring-tilting race (August), Umag – ATP Croatia Open (July), NP Brijuni – The Ulysses Theatre Season (July/August), Poreč - Vinistra (May), Days of Wine (May), Days of Hello Istria Antiquity Pula Superiorum (June), Istrian County Tourist Board Vrsar - Casanovafest (June), Istria Pionirska 1, 52440 Poreč Inspirit (July’August), Svetvinčenat Tel: +385 (0)52 88 00 88 - Dance and Non-Verbal Theatre E-mail: [email protected] Festival San Vincenti (July), Pula www.istra.com 1 ISTRIA.