Dubrovnik - Croatia >>> BLOG

According to the recent survey of the USTOA, the hottest new tourist destination for 2006 is Croatia! National Geographic Adventure also awarded Croatia as The Best Destination for this year.
Followed by the last year’s great success after it was proclaimed No. 1 destination by the Lonely Planet, this year should definitely bring new record numbers for the Croatian tourism.
2006 the Year of Croatian Inventors
One of Croatia’s most well-known and world-renowned scientist and inventor Nikola Tesla, was born on July 10, 1856 in Smiljan, a small village near Gospic, in the region of Lika.
Croatia will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth with numerous manifestations, scientific meetings, lectures and other festivities.
Slavoljub Penkala was holder of over 70 patents among which in 1906 he created the first mechanical pencil, which became known as ballpoint pen; 2006 is a 100 year anniversary of this invention.

City of Rijeka – January and February Reserved for the Carnival
Rijeka is all the more affirming itself as a city of culture, Carnivals and fun.
The 3rd biggest international Carnival in the world takes place every year in Rijeka with over 10,000 masqueraders and carnival groups. They all come to follow the Carnival events, characterized by a particular blend of Europe’s urban and rural carnival traditions. The jam packed program starts at the beginning of January and lasts up to the end of February.
Many hotel facilities in Rijeka, like completely renovated Hotel Jadran, await its guests. The hotel now offers 66 rooms and three suites with the vast majority of which have seafront views. The hotel is located directly adjacent to the sea, its foundations being in fact dug deep underwater and its view extends to the neighboring Kvarner Bay. Four star rating placed Hotel Jadran at the head of Rijeka’s hotels.
This is one of the oldest hotels in the city that opened back in 1914. Reconstructed façade and the walls look exactly the same as they did decades ago, so hotel again looks truly luxurious outside as well as inside.
For those who enjoy good maritime cuisine and appreciate a great view, Arca Fiumana ship anchored in Rijeka city harbor is the place to go.
This will in near future be Croatia’s first floating hotel. For now it features restaurant and a pub that became a guarantee of good time in Rijeka.
For more info visit www.tz-rijeka.hr

Newly Refurbished Westin Hotel in Zagreb
City of Zagreb welcomed 2006 with a newly renovated Westin Hotel.
This luxurious five star landmark hotel is a part of the world-renown Starwood Hotels & Resorts chain. Its 378 rooms are all equipped with legendary “Heavenly Beds and Showers” and a total of 13 congress halls in the city core will provide memorable experiences for both business and leisure travelers. For more info visit www.westin.com/zagreb

Small and Family Run Hotels
Over the past few years Croatia has seen especially intense growth in the Small and Family Hotels sector.
Some 150 of these hotels, most gathered under the umbrella of the Association of Family and Small Hotels of Croatia, offer an atmosphere, comfort and quality that reflects the local color and blends tradition with family setting. Given the dynamics of their growth over the past few years, estimates say their number in Croatia may grow by 50 to 100 small hotels a year. For more info visit www.omh.hr

Zagreb - Romance in the City of Hearts
The Regent Esplanade Zagreb brings back tradition spiced with contemporary luxury with its special “Romance in the City of Hearts” package.
The package consists of: Two-nights in a luxurious double room, breakfast served in the room, bottle of champagne, bouquet of roses, welcoming relaxing bubble bath, sightseeing tour of Zagreb by limousine and a romantic candlelit dinner. For more info visit www.regenthotels.com

Substantial Capital Investment in Cultural Heritage
Croatian Ministry of Culture announced large capital investments in order to increase the number of cultural facilities in the country.
Three new museums will open this year and another five will be constructed. Many of the existing museums, public libraries, theatres and castles will get capital investments that will improve the overall appearance of the Croatian cultural treasures. For more info visit www.min-kulture.hr

Moderna Galerija Zagreb
The Moderna Galerija Zagreb (Modern Gallery Zagreb) is open once more after the 11 year closing and its total reconstruction. It reopened on December 29, 2005 with the slogan “100 years of Modern Gallery, 200 years of Croatian Art”.
This slogan was chosen because up to now nowhere in Croatia was there an exhibit which covered 200 years of Croatian art.
The new exhibition celebrates the Croatian Art with 153 paintings, sculptures, photography and videos. It is a must see Gallery in Zagreb.

Croatia a Growing Destination for Cruise Ships
The appeal of Croatia as a tourist destination has found further confirmation in the growing number of cruise ships making stops here.
There were more than 450 ships in 2005, which is up around 11% over figures from the last year. Total of around 500,000 passengers sailed on these ships.
Top destinations was Dubrovnik, followed by Korcula, Hvar, Split and Sibenik.

British Airways - Top Recognition for Dubrovnik Airport
British Airways has recently awarded Dubrovnik Airport a special recognition for top results in flight and passenger arrival and departure services. Out of 65 international airports to which British Airways flies, Dubrovnik Airport got top marks.
The airport was monitored over an 18 month period during which time Dubrovnik Airport recorded top marks deservedly winning the recognition. For more info visit www.visitdubrovnik.hr

Sljeme for Skiers and Hikers
Sljeme, the highest peak on Zagreb’s Medvednica highlands will this coming February see the re-opening of the Old Scouts House now completely redesigned and converted into a four star apartment facility that will operate under the name of Snjezna kraljica (The Snow Queen).
It will feature one eight-bed and 16 four-bed suites catering to skiers and hikers. Besides its lodgings the building will have a large restaurant featuring traditional local cuisine, as well as small wellness center with sauna and whirlpool.
With the runs outfitted with snow canons, ski season on Sljeme lasts at least to the end of March. For more info visit www.sljeme.hr

Posted by Tomi at 12:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Around 625 a tribe known as the White Croats makes its way south from present-day Poland. The treacherous exodus takes over a century... Then in the 9th Century European King Carlo Magno (796 - 803) lords over the two groups of Croatian people, the Panonski Hrvati and Dalmatian Hrvati. His reign brings with it a profound awakening with the first real attention given to art, architecture and music.
On a religious front, the Church of the Holy Cross of Nin is inscribed with the Latin ‘Here the weak man is brought to light’ because of Prince Viseslav’s Christian conversion (800). This Venetian alliance is of particular interest because of the wealth of Johns, Pauls, Gregorys and Innocents who can’t keep their hands out of the Croatian cookie-jar at various points during the second millennium.
During his reign (879 - 892) Prince Branimir starts the initial movement for political and religious independence in Dalmatia.
By the end of the century (880) Croatia is recognized as an independent state.

10th Century Croatia reaches arguably its greatest height under the rule of Tomislav (910 - 929) who brings the Panonska and Dalmatian Hrvatska together to make a single and unified state. Granted papal permission, he rules much of present-day Croatia, Bosnia and parts of the Montenegrin Coast.
He commands a very impressive army, putting Croatia in a position of power.
Hungarian forces attack and are repelled by Tomislav (924) and in 925 the Pope crowns him king, thus making Croatia a kingdom for the first time.

11th Century The tricky game of Christianity tug-of-war is irreversibly concluded when King Petar Kresimir firmly locks his eyes upon the Roman Catholicism practiced in the West (1058 - 1074).
This serves to stabilize the country, and it enjoys a period of cultural renaissance.
This religious determination serves to place Croatia more firmly in the heart of conflict and dispute, their geographic position an increasingly dangerous intersection of contrary ideologies.
Ladislav I of Hungary establishes a bishopric order in the north of Croatia (1094), and the name Zagreb is first employed to the land behind Medvedgrad Mountain.

12th Century A ‘personal union’ is entered into with Hungary (1102) and thus begins the Arpadovici Dynasty.
The two countries share kings for the next 400 years but essentially retain their attributes as separate states, both in their cultural manifestations and legal philosophies.

13th Century Four separate Venetian crusades are led to convert and overwhelm the numerous non-Christian people of the Dalmatian coast.
Zadar (1202) is the sight of the bloodiest of the battles. Terribly out-manned, villagers hang white crosses on the city walls to signify their surrender. The crusaders ignore this and massacre the entire village.
In 1204, crusaders occupying Zadar are given a fleet of warships by the Pope, which helps them to maintain control of the region. The year 1273 sees the first Slavonski Parliamentary meeting in Croatia.

14th Century Pope Clement V attacks Zadar (1312) and Venice becomes the ruler of a large part of the Dalmatian coast, including both of the cities Split and Nin. By the year 1358, Dubrovnik begins to exist as a separate republic.

15th Century Italian King Ladislav (of Napoli) sells enormous tracts of the Dalmatian coast to Venice (1409). The second half of the century sees the invasion of the Ottoman Turks.
In 1493 the most notable battle takes place (Krbavska Bitka) and nearly all of the Croatian aristocracy are killed, thus begins the Ottoman presence in the country. They will get close to Zagreb, but never capture it.

16th Century Croatia is termed Antemurale Christianitatis (Perimeter Bulwark) by Pope Leo X (1519) as it struggles to survive the wrath of the Ottomans.
In 1526 Ludovik II, the last king of Croatia, is killed in Battle of Mohac and Croatia offers the crown to Austrian Duke Ferdinand to protect themsleves from the Turks.
In 1573 villager’s revolt against the Christian aristocracy and all the villagers are slaughtered.
Their leader, Matija Gubec, is forced to wear a red-hot iron crown and then he is drawn-and-quartered. In the year 1593, the town of Sisak is liberated from the Ottomans.

17th Century Relationships between the nobility of Austria and Croatia become progressively worse because of the continued Ottoman presence in the latter (1668).
Counts Zrinski and Frankopanski, two leaders of powerful Croatian families, make desperate attempts to spurn an uprising in the people of their country and completely fails.
They are hunted down by the Austrian Emperor and beheaded for their attempt in 1671. By 1685, central Croatia is essentially sovereign of the Turkish armies.

18th Century By 1718 the town of Poţareva is freed of the Ottomans, who are now completely purged from the country. Maria Theresa becomes the empress (1750) and the first female ruler of Austria - Croatia.
Her son Joseph II inherits the throne. After his death (1790) Hungary attempts to Hungarianise the Croats, which manifests in an attempted force of cultural, linguistic and social conventions.

19th Century The Napoleonic French find Dubrovnik very much to their liking, and they take it away from Russian and Montenegrin forces who are already fighting for it (1808).
Though the Napoleonic occupation proves to be very short (ending in 1813), French forces come mere kilometres from Zagreb before being turned away. Supremely important to modern day Croats, the Illyrian movement is spurned on by Ljudevit Gaj (1834), which serves to meld the many languages and dialects of the country into one.
It also creates a renewed sense of nationalism and by 1847 Croatia has an official language.
The year 1848 brings revolution all over Europe and in Croatia ban Josip Jelaèic suppresses a Hungarian rebellion, branding him a national hero. In 1868 Hungary and Croatia agree to ally and share a king.

Early 20th Century In 1914 Austrian Duke Ferdinand is assassinated by Bosnian Gavrilo Princip, and thus begins World War I. Austria attacks Serbia.
Croatian sentiments are divided. The Austro-Hungarian monarchy is ultimately destroyed (1918), and a new alliance is brought about called the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. In 1915, the Yugoslav Committee is established, and by 1918 Croatia joins countries Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Macedonia as a single monarchical Yugoslavia.
The union is a tense one however, the balance of power clearly held by Serbia who outnumbers the other members in their representation. This tension manifests violently in a session of parliament in 1928.
Croatian leader Stjepan Radic is shot for his independent posturing by Punisa Racic, a Serbian extremist that wishes to hear none of the anti-Kingdom sentiment that is finding an increasingly loud voice. Four of Radic’s colleagues are also shot and killed; he dies from his wounds a couple of months later. In the year 1937, a young Croat known only by the single name of Tito is named leader of the Communistic Party of Yugoslavia.

Communism & Beyond In 1941 World War II begins, scattering Yugoslavian military and ideological allegiance three ways: Tito’s Partizani army resists the Nazi regime, and fight them on German and Italian occupied fronts, including areas of Croatia and Serbia.
Ante Pavelic of the Ustasa faction actively supports Hitler, and commands forces to fight on the side of the Nazi’s. Finally, the Serbian-homed Cetnici seek to retain Yugoslavia’s monarchical ways and blurrily move between axis and allied sentiments.
A new German-controlled territory is created in the over-taken central Croatia region, and it’s referred to as the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). Eastern Croatia remains Yugoslavian.

1943 The Anti-Fascist National Liberation Council of Yugoslavia meets and sets up their first parliament. AVNOJ is led by Tito and serves two purposes: it is a pronouncement re-affirming continued resistance to Hitler, and it expresses Partizani intent to control Yugoslavia after the war.

1948 Joseph Stalin fails in his attempt to persuade Tito to ally himself with the more staunch version of communism in Russia.
The move creates great tension between the two powers and is not wholly supported by the people, some of whom are swayed by an indisputable Russian military strength.

1961 Tito formulates a notion of Nesvrstani (Non-Allied Countries) as a reaction to the recent NATO and Warsaw pacts.
This formulation is a non-military proclamation Yugoslavia as an independent entity allied with neither the East or West.

1967 - 1971 A Serbo-Croat dictionary is published, seeming to make Serbian the standard language and Croatian a subordinate to it.
The Declaration Concerning the Name and Position of the Croatian Language is published immediately there-after, demanding the recognized equality of all four Yugoslavian state languages.
A ripple of Croatian nationalism begins to be felt, ideologically referred to as Croatian Spring, or Hrvatsko Proljece.
Tito briefly aligns himself with the Croatian Spring, though soon after he changes his opinion, rather wishing the Yugoslavians see themselves as a unified people. His rallying cry becomes bratstvo i jedinstvo (brotherhood and unity).

1980 - 1988 Tito dies on May 4th, thus signalling the beginning of the end of Yugoslavia. The decade is a turbulent one for the Croatian people, many wishing to retain the politics and ideologies of Tito, and a great many others wishing to express their independence and a more democratic vision.
The economies of both Yugoslavia and Croatia begin a steady decay, greatly heightening political tensions.

1989 The uprising of the people becomes great enough to demand the first democratic vote, and an intensely nationalistic ex-Partizani general by the name of Franjo Tudman of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) wins the election.
Though he wins the popular vote, he faces a terribly segregated state. The Serbian military presence (JNA - Yugoslav People’s Army) and police influence commands a supremely powerful faction within the newly independent state of Croatia, creating an electrifying current of tension.

1990 Yugoslavia is officially abolished. The first Croatian constitution is written, professing Croatia a democratic state. 1991 Croatian Parliament (Sabor) declares Croatian independence in 1991. The first flare-ups between Croats and Serbs begin occurring.
Violence seems an unavoidable eventuality and then manifests as Serbs fire rockets on Franjo Tudman’s office in Gradec. He is safely away from it when they hit.

1992 - 1995 Fighting breaks out between the Serbs and the Croats.
The town of Vukovar near the border of the two countries sustains the most horrific damage, left devastated by incessant land and air barrage.
In 1995 liberation of parts of Croatia still under Serbian control (referred to as Krajina) is brought about with the successful Lightning (Bljesak) and Storm (Oluja) military manoeuvres. Great numbers of Serbians flee their previous home of Croatia. East Slavonia remains occupied by the Serbians.

1996 Radio 101, an outspoken and popular Zagreb radio station is denied their license to broadcast by the Croatian Telecommunications Council.
120,000 enraged citizens protest the attempted silence of the station on Trg bana Josipa Jelacica. The station is soon granted a renewal of their franchise.

1998 The United Nations re-integrates Vukovar into Croatia.

1999 Franjo Tudman dies.

2000 The Socialist Democratic Party (SDP) comes into power, lead by Prime Minister Ivica Racan and President Stjepan Mesic.

2001 On June 22, Croats celebrate 10 years of independence. Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic is put on trial for war crimes by HAAG in July....

Posted by Tomi at 09:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The well known American magazine National Geographic Adventure listed Croatia as the best international destination for 2006.
This is the first time that a poll was conducted among the editors, journalists and other associates of this prestige magazine in order to compile and publish a list of international destinations "that you absolutely must visit next year". Croatia is number one on this list with special attention paid to the Kornati islands.

After traveling by kayak 644 kilometers from Zadar to Dubrovnik, adventure journalist Jon Bowermaster recommended the Kornati archipelago as a unique place that must be visited.
"The beauty out here on the islands is ragged and rough, cultivated but untamed" says the author of the article who took up 10 pages of the magazine and enhanced it by beautiful photographs of the Kornati islands, the island of Mljet and other attractions of the Croatian coast and its islands.

Centuries-old cities such as Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik are crawling with the young and the rich, calling Croatia the new Riviera or the new Capri.
Tom Cruise, the famous American actor, visited Dubrovnik last year on his yacht. Croatia is already used to famous people such as Prince William or American actor of Croatian background John Malkovich.

Posted by Tomi at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The new hot spot: Dubrovnik, Croatia. Indeed, crowds are once again flocking to this wondrous city on the southernmost stretch of Croatia’s coast, as enchanted by its beauty today as the Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who once proclaimed, "If you want to see heaven on earth, come to Dubrovnik"... While you may have first heard of this UNESCO World Heritage Site in the early 1990s, when images of a city under fire flashed across TV screens during the break-up of Yugoslavia, that episode of the city's history now seems a distant memory.
The city has been magnificently restored to its former glory to emerge as one of the most fashionable vacation spots in all of Europe.

Dubrovnik's resurgent popularity should come as no surprise, however – this “jewel of the Adriatic,” as the coastal resort town is often referred to in tourist brochures, is breathtakingly beautiful.
The city's fortified old town overlooks the dazzling Adriatic from a shelter of limestone cliffs and its marble-paved streets are lined with marvelously preserved churches, stately palaces, squares, and terracotta-roofed townhouses.
Meanwhile, down below, along the seaside coast, fine beaches beckon – as do a slew of offshore islands – making Dubrovnik uniquely appealing to history buffs and sun worshippers alike.
With all that it has to offer, you could easily fill an entire week exploring Dubrovnik's historical relics and beachside pursuits. With its compact old town, a whirlwind tour of the major sights can be handily accomplished in two to three days; add in some beach time and out-of-town excursions, and you've got seven days of vacation.

EXPLORING THE CITY
Dubrovnik's wonderfully scenic old town is a joy to explore on foot. While the area can definitely be discovered independently, we do recommend taking at least one guided walking tour to gain insight into its fascinating history, which dates from the 7th century.
Tours typically run about three-hours long and include strolls past (but not into) most of the attractions covered here. The local Atlas Travel Agency runs excellent city tours that cost about $30/person.

Any visit to Dubrovnik should start with a walk along the city’s main claim to fame, its 25m-high fortifications (daily: May–Sept 9am–7pm & Oct–April 9am–3pm; $2.50; Gunduliceva Poljana 2, to the left after you’ve entered the old town from the northernmost Pile Gate).
The 2km circuit will take you along the impressively preserved ramparts, parts of which date from the 10th century (most of the construction actually took place in the 13th); the stroll provides a terrific introduction to the city, with marvelous views of old town rooftops, domes, and church spires glimpsed along the way – just don’t attempt this one-hour walk in the middle of a summer day, as there’s no shade from the harsh sun.

The next major landmark to visit is the Rector’s Palace (daily: June–Sept 9am–7pm & Oct–May Mon–Sat 9am–1pm; $2.50; Pred Dvorom 3), which will give you a taste of Dubrovnik's 15th-century heyday, when it rivaled Venice as the most important trade center in the south Adriatic and was known instead as Ragusa.
This Gothic-Renaissance building once served as the seat of the Ragusan government (interestingly, city rectors couldn’t leave the premises during their month-long terms, so the palace was a de facto prison!); today it houses the City Museum (same hours) with a smallish but informative collection of paintings, period furniture, and other historical tidbits, as well as a striking atrium used for classical concerts in the summer months.

Dubrovnik also boasts several important religious centers worth seeing. You’ll find a couple of impressive monasteries: the Dominican Monastery (daily: summer 9am–6pm and winter 9am–3pm; $1.70; Sv Domina 4), home to an orange tree–filled Gothic cloister and museum showcasing religious paintings from the Golden Age; and the Franciscan Monastery (daily: summer 9am–3pm; sporadic opening hours in winter; $1; Placa 2), site of the city’s oldest pharmacy (allegedly also the oldest in all of Europe) and a curious collection of ancient medical books and laboratory equipment in its treasury.
The next point of interest not to be missed – literally! – is Dubrovnik’s grand cathedral (daily: 9am–noon & 3–7pm; $1.70; Poljana Marina Držica) with its remarkable Baroque architecture; head to the treasury to find a multi-paneled altar painting by Titian, the famed Renaissance master, and a relic skull of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik’s patron saint.
For a point of contrast, also be sure to visit the the city’s 15th-century synagogue (weekdays 9am–1pm; free; Žudioska 5), said to be the third oldest in all of Europe.

To round out your visit, head to Luža Square, anchored by the free-standing Orlando’s Column, which dates from 1418.
Here you’ll also find the architecturally eclectic Sponza Palace; it dates from 1522 and once served as a mint and custom house but today does duty as a summer venue for art exhibits and concerts.
Had enough history? There’s an aquarium inside St. John’s fortress (summer daily 10am–6pm; winter Mon–Sat 9am–3pm; $2.50; Damjana Jude 2) and a Museum of Modern Art (Tues–Sun 10am–5pm; $1.70; Put Frana Supila 23) that features works by contemporary Croatian artists.

HITTING THE BEACH
While you can spend days on end exploring Dubrovnik’s ancient monuments, not all is history-heavy in this sunny Adriatic city.
Dubrovnik’s coastal setting lends itself well to beach and poolside activities, too.
Several hotels have pools overlooking the old town; our favorite of these, the four-star Villa Argentina, is reviewed below. Even if you don’t book yourself into a hotel with a pool, there are still plenty of beach options within easy reach.
You can catch some rays on the city beach, just east of the old town, below the 16th-century Lazareti complex that once quarantined city visitors for 40 days; the sand here gets pretty crowded in summer months. Another good spot is the recently renovated East West Beach Club on an excellent strip of sand close to the old town Ploce gate; you'll find beach chairs and food on hand.
The best bet of all, however, is across the bay from the beach club: the forested (and supposedly haunted) island of Lokrum, a mere 15-minute ferry ride away from the old town port and trimmed with a succession of pretty coves and rocky beaches; you'll also find a derelict 11th-century Benedictine monastery and a lush botanical garden to explore here when you need a break from tanning.

DAY TRIPS FROM DUBROVNIK
If you have the time, we also recommend making a couple of excursions outside Dubrovnik. The Trsteno Arboretum, a 16th-century clifftop villa estate with a spectacularly landscaped garden planted with oleander, rosemary, lavender, pomegranate and cypress trees (daily: summer 8am–6pm & winter 8am–4pm; $2), is just 45 minutes north along the coast.
Most buses heading north of town will stop here, so it’s easy to visit independently, but you can also join a half-day guided tour for about $35.

More useful info about Dubrovnik: http://www.dubrovnik-apartments.com/uslinks.htm

Posted by Tomi at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)