Celebrating the fact that Croatia finally has entered the European
Union, I've prepared a list of some of my favorite attractions -- a few are well known but most are under the radar -- in
this country that's most well known for its picturesque Dalmatian coast. Bordered
by the Adriatic Sea, Croatia that consists of more than 1,000
islands is most visited by cruise ship or ferry. But the landscape is also
dotted with dense woodlands as well as Medieval hilltop villages and
national parks, including several that are UNESCO World Heritage
sites. And, of course, you don't want to miss the vibrant capital,
Zagreb.
1.
Dubrovnik’s
old synagogue dates from the 15th century. It’s now a museum
but it’s also a functional synagogue, though services are
infrequent. It’s still an unexpected venue on a side street and
worth checking out. They’ve got a lot of interesting religious
artifacts, including a 13th century Torah.
2. Art aficionados in Zagreb shouldn’t miss the
Modern
Gallery that displays contemporary art as well as the expansive
Strossmayer
Gallery of Old Masters with the works of European masters dating
from the 14th century.
3. In Varazdin, the Herzer Palace houses an
Entomological
Museum with a fascinating display of insects big and small from
tiny ants to giant beetles and also some rare species.
4. Visit the hilltop town of
Groznjan,
an arts & music center, in the summer — there are almost daily
music concerts — and plan to spend the day strolling the car-free
cobbled lanes and browsing in the many stone dwellings that are now
home to a wide array of art galleries and studios displaying
everything from textile work to hand-painted silk scarves.
5. Alpine-like
Samobor,
a mere 15 minutes from Zagreb, is a small old town sliced by a trout
stream and nestled against the forested mountainous slopes. Most
people stop here to sample their famous
samoborska
kremsnita, a vanilla custard cake in phyllo dough. Even if that’s
the sole reason for a visit, don’t miss the steep, short hike to
the 13th century fortress ruins
6.
Plitvice
Lakes National Park, once occupied by Serbs during the war in the
1990s, is a magical land of tumbling waterfalls and placid turquoise
lakes. To fully appreciate this UNESCO World Heritage Site, plan on
spending at least four hours strolling the boardwalks that traverse
the cascading waters
.
7. In
Rovinj,
don’t miss the small
Batana
House Museum that’s dedicated to this 18-foot-long wooden
flat-bottom boat that’s long been rowed on the op
8.
Kastav
is a hilltop town that’s so quiet, when I visited I was the only
one walking the streets one afternoon. The ruins of the unfinished
18th century Jesuit Church is transformed every summer into an open
air theater and concert venue. This is the venue for the annual
Guitar Festival and the
Kastav
Summer of Culture with its theater productions. July and August
is also the time to see multiple art exhibits.
9. Visitors who flock to
Makarska
do so for its long pebble beach backed by pines and adjacent to a
wide promenade. For a more off-the-beaten-track activity, drive a few
minutes from the town to the ancient village of Kotisina where you’ll
find a curious and very informal botanical garden set on a steep
terraced slope. The wild array of plants, native to this arid region,
includes pear, rosemary and asparagus. Towering above this area is
the mountainous Biokovo Nature Park that’s noted for its rigorous
hiking trails.
10. In Opatija, the seven-mile, tree-shaded promenade referred to as
the Lungomare sees plenty of foot traffic. But few walk in either
direction to the end of the road to either Lovran to the south or the
fishing village of Voloska to the north. Along the way are Belle
Époque mansions and villas, pebbly beaches and rocky boulders to lay
a beach towel.
11. In Hvar, the old town of
Stari
Grad sits on a horseshoe-shaped bay where no waves penetrate.
Here, you can spend the afternoon wandering placid streets and
checking out the summer palace of noted Croatian poet, Peter
Hektorovic.
12. On
Mljet
Island, you’ll pedal past fig trees and into the national park
that makes up a large part of this wooded island. The isle’s
signature are the two interconnected saltwater lakes encircled by
pines. Sitting in the middle of the larger of the two is an islet
that’s home to a 12th century monastery.
13. The farthest of the Adriatic islands,
Vis, is home to U. Stiniva,
a beach protected in a narrow cove and one that’s said to be one of
the prettiest places in Croatia. Also Vinoteka where the family has
been making wine for 200 years. Their restaurant set in a
centuries-old building serves sheep cheese, anchovies and prosciutto
either inside or in the courtyard that’s shaded by an old mulberry
tree. From the courtyard, we saw them pressing Trebiano grapes and
cooking octopus in an old cast iron crock-type pot
14.
Krka
National Park is lush and wet with waterfalls aplenty. Water
gushes and tumbles through a canyon. There are many ways to view this
watery paradise, but it’s best seen by walking the trails and
boardwalks through forests dense with pine, juniper and ash. It’s
easy to spend the day swimming just below one of the seven major
cascades, exploring the historic artifacts, including an 18th century
church made unusually of dripstone, a museum displaying a typical
one-room stone house, and an old laundry building that uses the
rushing river waters. There are also numerous excursions to an islet
that’s home to a Franciscan monastery or go farther up the canyon
to additional waterfalls.
15. Take a ferry to
Uglijan
Island that’s referred to as the “Garden of Zadar” for good
reason. As you wander about, you’ll see that lush gardens producing
an array of fruits and vegetables, from citrus and olive trees to
tomatoes and grapes. The paved promenade is perfect for a stroll
along the waterfront to swimming spots or to the Miramar Lounge where
you can sit in a sofa swing by the seaside and sip kiwi martinis.
16. In Motovun, visit in the fall and you’ll be treated to the
annual Truffle Days, a festival where you can attend a truffle
auction, a feast of white truffles and sparkling wine, a truffle
exhibition and agricultural fairs where, of course, truffles are
sold. In the late summer, it’s the
Film
Festival.
17. The
Brijuni
National Park, Tito’s summer residence, consists of 14 lush
islands, though the largest, Veli Brijuni, is the main tourist focus.
It presents an unusual opportunity where you can rent a bicycle and
peddle a car-free island. You’ll have the place mostly to yourself
since the majority of tourists take a tourist train to the
prerequisite sights. Pedal along allees of cedar, oak and cypress and
then walk through the seaside ruins of a Roman villa and a Byzantine
fortress.
18. Porec’s hallmark feature is the
Euphrasias
Basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Elaborate wall mosaics,
an ornate Bishop’s Palace and remnants of what may have been a
secret Christian sanctuary are all on display. You can climb a
115-foot-tall bell tower with its huge bells to get panoramic views
of the town.
19. Once the haven for Dubrovnik’s rich, unspoiled Sipan Island is
covered by thick pine and cypress forests. The island’s coves and
woods also hide old chapels, a pre-Romanesque church, and fortresses.
One bay is where Pompey’s fleet is said to have battled with Julius
Cesar’s ships.
20. In Dubrovnik, the
Museum
of Modern Art is outside the city walls and located in a
Renaissance-style villa. During my visit, three series of Picasso’s
graphics (Suite Vollard, La Tauromaquia and Suite 156) hung on the
walls. And the only other visitors were a small school group.
