Despite the hype, Croatia's treasures are more enduring than trendy. Down its thousand-mile coastline, a glistening sea winds around stony coves, lap at pine-fringed bays. Istrian ports buzz with fishermen while kids jump into the sparkling water. In Dalmatia, cities beat with nightlife amid ancient Roman ruins. So, it is time to plan for a 10-day Croatia vacation
Yachts glide up the shore movie stars discreetly make plans to buy one of Croatia's 1185 islands and no Mediterranean journey is complete without a stop in Dubrovnik. The interior scene is as enticing yet though less visited. Soak in a thermal health spa at Istarske Toplice in Istria. Hike through pristine forests watered by mountain streams in the west. Let the waterfalls of Plitvice moisten your face. And then there's the traditions. The people that endured Roman, Venetian, Italian and Austro-Hungarian reign has a distinctive and slightly odd individuality. You'll find a concentrated central European taste in the baroque structural design of Zagreb, and Italian attachment to the good life percolates up from the shore permeating Croatian cuisine and style. During holidays and festivals the country's Slavic soul emerges, as vividly costumed dancers twirl about to a traditional folk melody.
Croatians hold on to a strong connection to the land and customs that nurtured the vision of autonomy for so long.
