When the 7-time Emmy award winning TV show The Amazing Race put Dubrovnik on its itinerary in October 2007, it was confirmation that Croatia had arrived as a tourist destination. Most U.S. viewers tuned in to see competing couples using their ingenuity to negotiate obstacles and unfamiliar territory in a race against their opponents and time. But anyone who saw the show when it breezed through Dubrovnik also caught a glimpse of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. When AR couples were required to rappel down a steep stone wall, viewers saw the imposing Bokar Fortress, which plunges into the Adriatic. When the couples ran a gantlet through a warren of narrow streets in Dubrovnik's Old Town, viewers became aware of quaint shops and churches along the route. And when contestants were sent rowing around the wall's perimeter in tiny fishing boats, the city's 13th-century stone fortification was front and center. For many Americans, it was a rare chance to see a little bit of a country that has been terra incognita for years.
However, despite the TV spotlight and the tourism hoopla about Croatia in the last four years or so, and despite Croatia being voted the "hottest up-and-coming country for 2008" by the U.S. Tour Operators Association, U.S. travelers have been slow to discover this fascinating destination. According to the Croatian Statistics Board, Croatia saw a 7% increase in year-over-year tourist visits (11.2 million) in 2007, but Americans still accounted for less than 2% of the throng that ventured to this crescent-shaped country that year. American awareness of Croatia is growing thanks to TV exposure in shows like The Amazing Race, but it still remains a mostly European playground with a burgeoning tourism industry.
To accommodate the steadily increasing number of visitors, Americans included, Croatia's hoteliers, travel agents, and restaurateurs have been scrambling to expand facilities and tour options with new construction, renovations, airline routes and additional capacity on existing flights. The national and city tourism boards have become more proactive, too. Cities such as Zadar and Pula post multi-lingual signs and informational posters explaining the history and relevance of buildings and statues, and almost all cities of any size are staffed with tourist office personnel who can answer questions and give directions in several languages. On the downside, the number of moderately priced hotel rooms in Croatia still has not caught up to demand, especially in Dubrovnik and Split, and finding rooms during the summer on short notice or for fewer than seven days at a time can be challenging. However, many smaller boutique hotels popping up all over the country are beginning to fill the need for affordable and/or flexible accommodations for the independent traveler.
Croatia has a date to begin negotiations to become a European Union member. On March 22, 2008, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announced he is shooting for November 2009 to begin formal negotiations, and late 2010 or early 2011 for Croatia's admission to the EU as its 28th country. The Commission's pledge of a target date for the talks came immediately after the parliament in Zagreb voted to let European Union fishermen into a protected ecological and fisheries zone that reaches into the middle of the Adriatic Sea. There still are other obstacles to Croatia's EU member status, such as the restructuring of state-assisted shipyards and improved management of European Union financial assistance, but progress is being made.
Plannning Your Trip
The low cost German airline Germanwings (www.germanwings.com), has introduced flights from Cologne (Koln), Germany to Osijek- the capital of Slavonia. The first flights from Cologne to Osijek Airport (OSI) took off March 14, 2008 at an advertised price of €19 ($28.50) each way. Flights are scheduled twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. Germanwings also serves the Croatian cities of Dubrovnik, Split, and Zadar.
Good news from Jadrolinija (www.jadrolinija.hr), the Croatian ferry company. Jadrolinija's online booking engine has gone live, so travelers now can reserve passage online for ferries that run between Italy and Croatia and for the Croatia coastal ferry routes. There are other ferry companies that run between Italy and Croatia, but only Jadrolinija services the coastal ferry route, which includes passage from Rijeka via Split, Hvar, Korcula, and from Mljet to Dubrovnik. A new ferry line that connects the island towns of Lopar (Rab) and Valbiska (Krk) was inaugurated in January 2008. The ferry can accommodate 300 vehicles and 70 passengers and makes two round trips daily (6am and 1:15pm from Valibska and 7:45am and 3:15pm from Lopar.)
Boating enthusiasts will gravitate toward the new Marina Preko (www.marinapreko.com) on the island of Ugljan near Zadar. The facility opened in March 2008 with 87 secure berths and a full complement of services that include laundry facilities, Wi-fi access, water, electricity, refuse disposal, a modern shower block, a produce market, and several bars and restaurants.
Where to Stay
The Zadar area has dozens of hotels, but few of them are located in the city itself. The Hotel Bastion (www.hotel-bastion.hr/en), opening in May 2008, is a welcome addition because the 28-unit facility is in the city's historic core. Named after the historical bastion site where it was built, Hotel Bastion's location will allow guests to walk to Zadar's museums and attractions.
The newly renovated Hotel Frankopan (www.hotel-frankopan.hr) recently opened its doors in Ogulin, a town of fairy tales and mystery. This small hotel in the town center is housed in an 18th century building that was originally built for the local city administration. The building was converted to a hotel at the end of the 19th century and renovated again in the 21st. It overlooks the Dobra River valley and Mount Klek, the inspiration of many Croatian fairy tales and stories. Hotel Frankopan is the ideal base from which to enjoy Ogulin's fairy tale festival, which takes place during two days in June.
The family-owned Berkeley Hotel (www.berkeleyhotel.hr) near Gruz Harbor in Dubrovnik opened in 2007, and since then the 20-unit hotel has been an economical choice for couples and families visiting Dubrovnik -- suites and apartments start at €210 ($315) per day and include breakfast. The Berkeley units have kitchens and balconies overlooking the sea. Bus routes and ferries are just a stroll from the Berkeley's front door.
Andrea and Zoran Ipsa of Baranja in Slavonia have launched an agri-tourism business on their 90-year-old farm 20km (12mi) from Osijek. Guests who stay in the renovated double and triple bedrooms can explore the surrounding forests and meadows on horseback with a riding instructor who is a member of the Croatian Equestrian Federation. Hunting expeditions through game rich Baranja is also an option for Ipsa farm guests. For more information, visit www.find-croatia.com/blog/horseback-riding-in-baranja.
After a multi-year facelift, Opatija's Ambassador Hotel (tel. 051/272-222) has been unveiled as a year-round luxury destination. A complete renovation of the Ambassador's public spaces and 180 units has added in-room internet ports, posh bathroom fixtures, and expanded services. But the centerpiece of the hotel's reinvention is its Five Elements Spa, a two-story relaxation zone that includes a heated seawater pool, hot tub, massage room and "the cocoon," a room outfitted with waterbeds.
The spiffy Hotel Miral (www.hotelmiral.com) located near Zagreb's airport and fairgrounds is a good place to spend the night if you have an early flight because the hotel can arrange shuttle service to the airport. If you have your own car, the hotel parking garage is free of charge but double rooms start at 800kn ($170) per night.
Construction delays, protests, and politics were largely responsible for several delays in the debut of the much-anticipated Hotel Rixos Libertas in Dubrovnik (www.rixos.com). But it looks like the controversial Libertas finally is up and running. Stays at the luxury property are pricey -- doubles start at €290 $435 per night for rooms and €750 ($1,125) for suites, but with 3 restaurants, 5 bars, a spa, a casino, and a plethora of in-room amenities that include plasma TVs, you get what you pay for.
Prelog is a picturesque town in Meimurje region, northernmost part of Croatia. Meimurje is becoming a new tourist destination in continental Croatia, and the 12-unit Hotel Prelog (www.hotel-prelog.com) opened in February 2008 in a renovated 200-year-old building across from St. Jacob church in the town center. These affordable rooms (doubles from 540kn/$100 with breakfast) are equipped with air-conditioning, satellite TV, internet connections, and a mini-bar.
What to See & Do
Zadar's ingenious Sea Organ has produced music generated by the movement of the sea since 2005. In 2008, Sea Organ architect Nikola Basic unveiled his latest creation, a Monument to the Sun that harnesses rays from what Zadar advertises as "the world's most beautiful sunset." The two unique installations were designed to work in tandem and together they produce nightly light and sound shows on Zadar's waterfront. The new sun sculpture consists of three hundred multi-layered glass plates with photo active cells placed in a 66-foot diameter circle on the same level with the stone-paved waterfront. The Sun Monument's photo-sensitive cells store the sun's energy during the day and release it at night while the Sea Organ produces haunting melodies as long as the Adriatic is in motion.
Medveja Beach is located in the bay of Medveja, a small fishermen's village at the foot of Ucka Nature Park, in the hills above Lovran and Opatija on the Opatija Riviera. The Opatija-based Hemingway Bar (www.hemingway.hr) has been granted a 10-year concession for this pebble beach, and plans are afoot to make it the best-equipped beach in the Adriatic. As early as summer 2008, Hemingway plans to divide Medveja Beach into sectors that will include a public beach and a children's beach. Another area will be reserved for onshore and offshore sporting options. Hemingway's plans also include overnight accommodations, a restaurant, and internet access and laptops available for use on the beach. The renovation should be finished by the summer of 2009, when beach will employ about 100 people.
Beyond Boundaries Travel (www.beyondboundariestravel.com) has created two customized tours of Croatia that will give travelers the opportunity to explore a number of Dalmatian islands including Brac, Korcula, Hvar, Mljet and Sipan. Tours begin in Split and conclude in Dubrovnik or the reverse, but both stop in Trogir. Transportation is on the "Kapetan Jure," an 88-foot wooden motor yacht built in 2000 in a traditional Croatian sailing ship style. The ship has 15 passenger cabins with private baths.
Bond Tours (www.bondtours.com) out of London offers one of the most comprehensive selections of Croatia tours we've seen anywhere. Choose from Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb, even tiny Cavtat and Brela, or pick a multi-city itinerary.
Going on a cruise usually evokes visions of indulgent meals, non-stop eating and drinking, and elaborate dessert buffets. However, the MacroCruise (www.macrocruise.com) cruise company out of Novigrad in Croatia's Istria region has created a program that allows health conscious tourists to cruise and keep to their diets, too. Vegetarian and macrobiotic meals are served exclusively on MacroCruises and they are prepared with organic ingredients. In addition, all drinks on the sailboat are certified organic non-alcoholic beverages and wines. In keeping with the green theme, the ships' cosmetics and cleaning products are organic as well.
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