Croatia: A Country for All Seasons
by Denise Mattia
Even after the bronzed sun worshipers have gone, the off-season is a glorious time to experience what Croatia has to offer. From Varazdin to Pula, hotels are less crowded and restaurant tables are readily available.
In Zagreb, Purgers (as Zagrebians call themselves) go about their lives, going to work in the bright blue citywide trams or stopping for a casual chat with vendors at the Dolac market. In Ban Jelacic Square some rendezvous in front of the notable governor’s 19th century statue. Popular fairs in the city’s centers will return with warmer weather. Open year round are Zagreb’s museums, like the Archaeological Museum where the famous mummy of a red-haired woman from Alexandria lies decorated with Etruscan text, and the Museum of Art and Craft, full of antique wall hangings, clocks, ceramics and furniture.
European influences can be seen throughout Croatia. The largest collection of old master paintings in the Balkans is found in the Strossmayer Gallery, and works by 17th and 18th century Croatian artists who blended their native traditions with the Italian style are located in the Renaissance Revival Vranyczany Palace.
Architecture Patrimoine
Neo-classical architecture is exemplified at the Regent Esplanade Hotel (www.regenthotels.com). Built in 1925, the hotel once hosted passengers disembarking from the Orient Express and has lost none of its glamour today. (When booking clients into Regent Hotels & Resorts, travel agents are invited to participate in the “look to book” program.)
At the beginning of Lent, Purgers flock to St. Mark’s church to celebrate mass. The powerful stonework, vaulting roofs and rich color of this 13th century church are typical of Romanesque architecture, a style that coalesced in Europe around 1,000 ACE with the expansion of the Christian world. Additions and renovations have been made over the centuries, including the striking roof tiles decorated with the coat of arms of the Triune Kingdom of Croatia.
Departing from traditional architecture and design is the Tito-era Hotel Westin, Zagreb (www.starwoodhotels.com). This hotel features large, comfortable rooms, Internet access, excellent services and special rates (offered through December 30, 2010). Postmodern architecture is underway south of the Sava River in New Zagreb. The Museum of Contemporary Art opened in 2009, ushering the avant-garde into Croatia. The stylish building contains an outstanding collection of works from around the world.
On the Gastronomic Route
The cuisine in Croatia is as creative as any work of art. Prepared fresh and expertly served, it differs from region to region, while maintaining a distinct Croatian/European style. At the fashionable Stara Vura Restaurant, roast meat is featured along with pastas, fish and fresh salads. Pod Grickim Topom Restaurant serves traditional-style dishes, including excellent shrimp risotto. Farther north in Varazdin—a town beloved by Maria Theresa of Austria—a visit to the Ivica I Marica Restaurant and Patisserie (www.ivicimarica.com) is like being in Vienna. The establishment is fashioned after a Viennese café, and the generous portions of desserts topped with heavy whipped cream are sumptuous. Varazdin was the administrative center of Croatia until the 18th century. Today it’s an important cultural and entomological center. (The largest known collection of preserved insects is located in the Herzer Palace.)
On the Riviera Opatija, the town of Lovran is known for elegant accommodations such as the family-operated Villa Astra, a luxury 19th century Gothic-style winter health resort (www.lovranske-vile.com/astra.asp); the Hotel Millennium and The Ambassador. In warm weather this area plays host to dignitaries from around the world.
A visual and gastronomic experience awaits guests at Plavi Podrum near the small fishing town of Volosko. The five-star restaurant (www.opatija-tourism.hr/en) serves superb dishes, which include cuttlefish with sea trout roe and tuna in a light truffle cream sauce accompanied by a fine selection of Croatian wines. The rustic restaurant Kukuriku (www.kukuriku.hr), farther west in Kastav, serves a spectacular tortellini stuffed with sea bass and garnished with aromatic herbs and a turbot in a pumpkin cream and coriander sauce with wines from Dalmatia.
At the roundabout in the town of Livade, what looks like a giant brain is actually a sculpture of a white truffle, erected to commemorate the largest fungus found to date (about 2.88 pounds). The precious truffle and its discoverer, John Carlo Zigante, are listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. The menu in Restaurant Zagante (www.zigantetartufi.com) is inspired by the delicate flavor of the black or white truffle, which is used in everything edible including ice cream.
Records indicate that Croatia’s coastline was colonized by the Celts, the Greeks and later by the Romans, although remains dating to the Neolithic and Iron Ages can be found in the Archaeological Museum in Pula. Also located here is the sixth largest Roman amphitheatre in the world, which dates from the first century . The ruins of a Roman forum and two temples from the same age are located in Porec. The Euphrasian Basilica’s central nave and intersecting aisles of the sixth century are early Christian in design; however, its marble supporting walls and apse mosaics follow Italo-Byzantine elements, which were introduced to Ravenna in Italy around the fifth century.
From the seventh to the 18th centuries, the charming port of Rovinj was one of the most important towns of Istria under the Republic of Venice. Two rows of walls with three gates defining the town remain, a testament to its significance as a stronghold. Today, from May to September, Rovinj is a favorite tourist destination, with restaurants such as the Puntalina located in the town’s center.
There are no direct flights to Croatia. Lufthanza, Delta and Air France fly from JFK to Germany or Paris respectively with a connecting flight to Zagreb. For more information, visit Croatia National Tourist Board, www.croatia.hr.
Sailing Croatia’s Adriatic Coast
By Maria Lisella and Gil Fagiani
At dawn, the sun dapples across the harbor in lemon-drop shapes of light, your berth barely shifts yet you can’t be sure if you’re still dreaming or the low hum of voices is the M/S Skarda’s chef Mladen Kondric, bargaining for the day’s catch with local fishermen on the traffic-free Elafiti island of Sipan. Local cats stalk the freshly caught fish, fishermen air their nets on the walls facing the rising sun and your lunch will likely be a platter piled high with the local catch, grilled bronzino or other salpe, served with white wine from the Peljesac Peninsula, a stop on your itinerary and the vineyards that spawned the popular red Zinfandel wine.
The M/S Skarda was designed as a working man’s vessel, not a modern yacht to ferry travelers from gorgeous island to another. But after being retrofit to accommodate 20 passengers, this small-ship will do just that, transporting clients to captivating islands and towns like Trogir, Korcula, Stari Grad on Hvar, Bol on Brac, Makarska on the mainland and Sipan and Mljet—paying visits to a number of UNESCO sites along the way.
On a small ship like the Skarda, simple pleasures like diving off the side of the ship between ports of call add up to a total sense of disencumbered relaxation. Breakfasts and lunches are taken on board while the Skarda makes port calls and sometimes more spontaneous stops, like drifting into a cove for a swim. By around 3 p.m. the ship makes port and passengers eat dinner on land. Time spent at sea is short but for a passage of perhaps three hours’ time. Dress is casual and dining under a canopy in the open air allows for spectacular vistas while doing the most ordinary things. Clients who charter the entire ship can create their own itineraries with the help of the crew.
The Sea is the Star
After the Dead Sea in the Middle East, the Adriatic is one of the world’s saltiest and most pristine bodies of water. Part of the Mediterranean Sea, the Adriatic’s eastern side is very clean, clear and profoundly blue. Its healthy waters host a proliferation of spiny sea urchins living on the seabed so swimmers should watch their step and purchase rubber sea shoes to navigate. Lagoons and coves are shaded by pine trees and huddle between large expanses of sea, many of which passengers can dive into, or sit beside.
The Croatian Adriatic coast has over 2,000 islands—almost as many as those found in Norway and Greece. The largest of these are Korcula, Hvar, Brac, Vis, Mljet, Krk, Cres, Losinj, Pag and Rab—some of which Skarda passengers are sure to see firsthand.
From Split, we first called on Hvar’s Stari Grad, a series of old towns called Pharos in ancient times. Stari Grad Plain is Croatia’s newest UNESCO site. A 10-minute walk takes visitors to the fortified Dominican Monastery of St. Peter the Martyr where Tintoretto’s The Mourning of Christ hangs in the chapel. It has remained practically intact since Greek times and the landscape features stone walls, trim and small stone shelters. Visitors can sip local wines in konobas, which are used as storage cellars for wine, olive oil and fishing nets by day and informal bars by night, which lends a feeling of doing what the natives do.
By the end of the trip, we would visit the lively side of Hvar (Hvar Town) with its intricately carved Venetian details, its 400-year-old theater, its promenade with nightlife like no other island, and a fabulous hike to the fortress above the town. Because Hvar is hot, visited by celebrities and yachties, it is one of the more expensive destinations on this itinerary.
The city of Trogir’s street plan dates back to the Hellenistic period, although successive rulers embellished it with fortifications, Romanesque churches, Renaissance and Baroque buildings from the Venetian period. Trogir has been a UNESCO World Heritage since 1997 when Radoslav Buzancic, now the director of the Institute in Trogir for Monument Protection, and a group of like-minded colleagues initiated the designation. He is now in an effort to gain recognition for Klis and Salona on the mainland above the city of Split (See full story in JAX FAX, Sept., 2009).
The island of Brac is well-known for its beautiful Adriatic beaches, the most famous of which is “Zlatni Rat,” which stretches into the open sea in the shape of a tongue with its tip changing form depending on the winds and tides. If it looks familiar, it is because it is often featured in tourist brochures. The Makarska Riviera, which is “squeezed” between the Biokovo mountains and the sea, ranks among the clearest in the entire Mediterranean and boasts well-maintained trails above the sea that offer hikers panoramic views of this phenomenal perch. The island of Mljet has its own natural phenomenon—the newly designated National Park—with a refuge for a monastery set on its own little island in the middle of the lake. Among the most popular islands, Korcula is best known as the birthplace of Marco Polo, the world traveler, explorer and adventurer. Not only is his home open to the public, there is good pizza to be found there as well.
The Inside Passage or “door” to Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep is a very tight canal just north of Dubrovnik that offers great photo opportunities. Just one hour from big-city Dubrovnik, the small islands of Lopud and Sipan are unexpected delights and beloved by those who summer here each year, particularly European families who find the placid beaches perfect for time away. Believe it or not, this small corner of the world has a karaoke bar that stays open until about 2 a.m. Lopud is an engaging town set on the shore at the Uvala (lagoon) Lopud. The small beach is right in town, so you can step out of a cafe, dive in, jump out and set yourself under a tree for a long, cool drink.
Starting in Split
The Skarda sets sail on many portions of the Adriatic from north to south but on this leg, it set sail from Split. For those booking this trip for their clients, advise them to arrive a day or two early and not shortchange their visit to Split. Long known as the gateway to the Dalmatian coast, Split (Spalato as the Romans called it), is not only an ideal base from which to visit nearby islands, but Diocletian’s Palace gives visitors clues to Croatia’s long history. Excursions to Klis and Salona give more insight into the incredibly complex history of what we now know as Croatia.
Diocletian’s Palace was originally built at the turn of the 4th century, not as a fortress but as a place for the Roman Emperor Diocletian to retire to. The site was abandoned by the Romans and came to be inhabitated by nearby residents seeking refuge in the 7th century. This remarkably preserved complex is thought to have housed over 9,000 people at times, and homes and businesses can still be found within its walls even today.
Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, the palace complex is still alive with industry, theater productions and merchants selling crafts, local and exotic. One wall faces the bustling Riva or promenade and a pedestrian mall that further protects the walls abutting the shops and cafes below. In the evenings, you are just as likely to see a regional or countrywide boce (bocce) match as you are to attend a classical music concert inside the palace walls.
The Café Luxor, set at the door of the St. Dominus Cathedral and the entrance to the halls below, provides red velvet pillows to place your bottom on the polished white stone. There, waiters will provide tiny trays to keep your coffee from spilling as you watch young men dressed in Roman Centurion costumes smoking and flirting with tourists.
It is never easy to leave Split, but before you do, be sure to attend one or more live performances either in the churches, outdoors or just above town opposite the Mestrovic Gallery. Across the road you will find the Kastelet, once the summer home that belonged to the prominent Kavanjin-Copogrosso family from the 17th century. Mestrovic renovated it to exhibit a cycle of religious art he had been working on for 40 years, a cycle that gives more insight into his soul perhaps than any other collection.
For those who plan well, suggest a three-day stay at the Villa Varos Apartments in the heart of town just outside the walls of the Diocletian Palace. At the rate of 68 Euros or about $90 a night, this deal cannot be beat in one of Europe’s most popular cities. For bookings, contact Joanne Donlic at Joanne.d.o.o@st.t-com.hr. For great local specialties and friendly service dine at Sperun, a block away on Sperun Street,
The other marquee attraction on this itinerary is Dubrovnik, the white, walled city that has been reborn as an enchanting open-air museum, alive with shops, cafes, dining spots and museums and theaters in ancient buildings that were once just bare relics. This summer Dubrovnik is celebrating the 61st edition of the International Summer Festival with non-stop entertainment. Thankfully, the citizens of Dubrovnik took care of the roof damages that resulted from the civil conflict, yet mortar shells still remain in walls of the San Franciscan Monastery just inside Pile Gate as a reminder of recent history.
The tiny M/S Skarda usually drops anchor in Dubrovnik’s main port of Gruz, just out of the range of the mega vessels that demand a deep harbor. A 10-minute bus ride takes you right to the Pile Gate, a perfect start to visit the Old Town of Dubrovnik behind its crenellated white limestone walls. Exit from the bus, walk to the edge of the outlook for a breathtaking view that will convince even the most well-traveled why this place was a valuable and striking fortress in the 7th century and remains one of the great travel icons of modern Europe.
Booking and Getting There
Nothing is as enchanting as the approaches to Hvar, Korcula, Dubrovnik or Split. The most efficient way to sell trips on this yacht is to target small groups to charter the entire vessel. Because the vessel is about 100 feet, it is well suited for affinity groups like family reunions, girl and guy getaways, small price-sensitive incentive trips or just friends wanting to spend time together in many spectacular places.
Skarda owner Marinko Kolanovic charges $3,000 per cabin for two. Children under 6 travel free and children 7-12 pay half the adult rate. Agents are paid a 10% commission on individual bookings Those who charter the entire boat or fill nine cabins for $30,000 (which includes fuel charges) will be paid a 15% commission or $4,500. Call 917-217-4647; email cruise@skardacruise.com; visit www.skardacruise.com
Many European carriers connect with Croatia Airways through their respective hubs. Some, like Air France, British Airways, Lufthansa and Swiss Air Lines have close connections making the transitions smooth. Traveling through Zurich Airport has definite advantages: the airport is manageable, you take a quick train between terminals and there are great chocolates at the Sprungli outlet that must be consumed quickly since their products are not filled with preservatives. Thus the dilemma of whether or not to indulge is prevented from weighing on one’s conscience.
For more information, contact Croatian National Tourist Office at 800-829-4416 or visit www.croatia.hr
Where to Go in 2010? Croatia, Says Today Show
By Maria Lisella
Bridal Guide called Croatia the New Riviera. The Today Show cited it as a “Where to go Next in 2010” destination. WealthTV’s YouTube page features Croatia as a WOW! destination. Despite a reported drop in visitor arrivals in 2009, Croatia is clearly still ahead in the popularity contest. JAX FAX recently met with Croatian National Tourist Office Director Nena Komarica (right), whose own high profile ranking in trade organizations such as the European Travel Commission, American Tourism Society, the U.S. Tour Operators Association and international SKAL has helped to keep Croatia firmly in the spotlight.
JF: Is there a particular marketing line the country will employ for 2010?
CNTO: Croatia follows global trends in tourism: sustainable tourism, preservation of wildlife, nature, eco villages, organic food, preserving traditions and skills and handmade artisanal products that are popular as they preserve cultural heritage. This year, we will participate in a marketing plan with the Central European trio [Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia] that will include road shows throughout the U.S., workshops and press trips for journalists. Further, the Croatian National Tourism Board is organizing a “Buy Croatia” marketing program, to familiarize tour operators and agents with various regions. This year the trend is spa and wellness tourism, and our “Buy Croatia” trip will promote that segment.
JF: Croatia continues to be covered across the U.S. in major consumer publications, online and on TV. How effective has this coverage been?
CNTO: There is a big spike in calls and queries in our office each time Croatia is covered either in a publication or on TV, as well as other online vehicles. Every TV appearance is crucial to promoting Croatia in North America, since the coverage is national. People see the images and react almost immediately.
JF: Croatia counts seven UNESCO sites, but also has a number of sites that have been designated under the new banner of Intangible Cultural Elements. Can you explain?
CNTO: Intangible Cultural Elements are defined as cultural traditions passed on from generation to generation, which are characteristic, unique and indigenous. This designation can include oral tradition, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge of nature and the universe or skills to produce traditional crafts.
These elements provide a sense of identity to a culture and need to be safeguarded so that they can continuously be given to the next generation. UNESCO has placed 7 such elements on their list from Croatia: lace making in Pag, Lepoglava and Hvar; two-part singing and playing the Istrian scale; traditional manufacturing of children’s wooden toys in Hrvatsko Zagorje; Spring procession in Ljelje/Kraljice from Gorjani; procession Za Krizen [following the cross] from Hvar; St. Blaise, patron of Dubrovnik, and the annual carnival bell ringers from the Kastav area.
JF: Are there any long-running events that agents and their clients should plan ahead for? What is the best way to book events for the Dubrovnik International Summer Festival?
CNTO: This year marks the 61st Dubrovnik Summer Festival, scheduled to take place July 10-August 25th (www.dubrovnik-festival.hr). The 49th edition of the St. Donat Music Evenings, which featured Jose Carreras last year, takes place in July in Zadar (www.donat-festival.com).
JF: Any new attractions to report on?
CNTO: A new museum called the Museum of Krapina Neanderthals is one of the most modern museum projects in Croatia and Europe. It illustrates the story of life and culture of prehistoric man with interactive displays and multimedia that give an encapsulated history of life on Earth and the evolution of man.
JF: As Croatia is not a “mass tourism” destination, have special interest programs grown over the past few years? If so, what sorts of specialties are they?
CNTO: Croatia is considered a boutique destination, and it offers special interest programs such as art history, architecture and castle tours. Gastronomy is very popular worldwide and we also have culinary tours. For adventure lovers we have scuba diving, white water rafting, hiking, biking and canoeing.
JF: Can we get an update on tour operators and cruise calls?
CNTO: The list of tour operators that feature Croatia has grown to more than 120 agencies. Among the new North American additions are Ritz Tours in the U.S., Summa and Canadian Travel Abroad in Canada.
Cruises are the most stable segment of the industry for us. Last year, we counted about 857,000 passengers who arrived on 645 cruise calls, representing a 2 percent increase over 2008 and placing Dubrovnik as the third most popular port of call in the Mediterranean and fifth in the world. For 2010, we are expecting more than a million passenger arrivals with 658 calls for an increase of about seven percent over 2009.
JF: Any new hotel inventory?
CNTO: The Radisson Blu Resort and Spa Dubrovnik Sun Gardens opened last summer. Other properties that have come online are the Hotel Bastion in Zadar; the Falkensteiner Family Hotel Diadora in Punta Skala, near Zadar; Kempinski’s Hotel Adriatic in Savudrija is the first five-star seaside resort on the northwestern coast of Istria [five hours’ drive from Milan, Munich and Vienna] and the Tuheljske Toplice wellness center sits beside the thermal springs not far from Zagreb.
To contact the Croatian National Tourist Office, call 800-829-4416 or visit www.croatia.hr.