Croatia - Shining Example of Eastern European Charm

Croatia is one of the more developed countries in the Balkan region of Eastern Europe. This is partly due to its highly desirable location with the eastern coast alongside the Adriatic Sea, and remaining borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Montenegro.

Because Croatia is bordered by so many diverse countries, it has developed a rather rich culture itself. This is evident by visiting the many historical cities and towns throughout the country.

Perhaps the most impressive sites in Croatia are located along the Adriatic Coast. There are a myriad of quaint villages and fishing towns and each have their own history and culture that one could spend a month traveling between and still not see everything.The most visited of these is Dubrovnik on the Southeast coast.

Dubrovnik has an amazing Old Town, which became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. The city walls and cobblestone streets offer an amazing glimpse of the old world in modern times. In addition to that, Dubrovnik is a great gateway to the several islands off the coast of Croatia. Mljet is one of the more famous of those as it is considered to be one of the gateways that Odysseus passed through in Homer's famous work The Iliad.

Not far inland from the coast is Kryka National Park that is filled with amazing wildlife and waterfalls flowing from the Kryka river.

If nature and the slower, laid back villages are not your thing, but you still appreciate old school charm, the capital city of Zagreb(which is most likely where you will enter the country) has all the modern amenities of any other major city in Europe where you can dine and stay in 5 star hotels/restaurants and go to a plethora of clubs and bars with their diverse nightlife.

Another great quality that Croatia has due to its location is that the cuisine is highly diverse. One thing that can be said about Croatian cuisine is that they take a great pride in the preparation of their food. In fact other than the obligatory McDonalds, there is almost no fast food restaurants in Croatia. With the ocean providing amazing seafood and the fertile land and climate providing an amazing amount of vegetables from truffles to olives, everything is made fresh throughout the day at the many bakeries and restaurants they have to offer. Jota, is considered one of the national dishes of Croatia that I have actually put together a recipe for that you can find HERE.

Strangely enough, Croatia was the first country in Europe to develop the concept of commercial nudist resorts, and it is estimated that over 1 million people visit the country each year to visit one of the many resorts and beaches located throughout the country.

Another unique opportunity that Croatia offers is that along the Adriatic border there are 11 different lighthouses that one can rent to stay in as a weekend vacation house. While this is not for everyone, it certainly is an opportunity that is not available most places in the world.

Whether you are looking for a a relaxing, countryside vacation or a high paced trip with all the luxuries of Paris or London, Croatia is sure to please the most discerning tourist. Hope you enjoy your trip!