Croatia

About country

Sightseeing

See fine examples of early Croatian religious art at the Museum of Croatian Archaeological Monuments in Split. Appreciate more of Meštrović's 20th-century sculptures in the city's Meštrović Gallery. Slavonia's Kopački Rit Nature Park is a vast expanse of wetland frequented by myriad migrating birds and well away from the tourist crowds. Brijuni National Park is an archipelago of 14 unspoilt islands located off the west coast of Istria. Stay overnight on the largest island, Veli Brijun, home to a golf course and a safari park. A top cycling spot is in Mljet National Park, located on the green and unspoiled island of the same name. The park boasts dense forests, two interconnected saltwater lakes and, in the centre of the larger lake, the exquisite St Mary's Island and Benedictine Monastery. Velebit is Croatia’s most extensive mountain range and the best area for hiking lies just inland from the coast between Senj and Starigrad-Paklenica, and contains two national parks, Sjeverni Velebit in the north and Paklenica in the south.

Traditions

Croatia is a country with many different holiday traditions. Visitors will hear different carols, eat different foods and see different decorations in different regions. In many parts of the country, Christmas celebrations begin on December 13 with St. Lucy's day when families plant wheat seeds in a plate of shallow water. They grow to be eight inches tall by Christmas Eve and are tied together with a red, blue and white ribbon called trobojnica. In some areas candles are lit and placed in the middle of the straw. The glow that shines through the wheat represents the soul within every person.

Cuisine