Experiences in Croatia
Beaches beyond
your wildest dreams
Whether city beaches like Banje in Dubrovnik or off the beaten track like those of Korčula Island, Lastovo or pebble beaches like Brela, or even relaxing like Vis Island, lively like the island of Pag or surf beaches like Brač, Croatia has spectacular beaches, ranging from family friendly to nudist and unspoiled.
Some of them are even considered among the most beautiful locations in the world, as for example Brač Island made of fine white pebbles, sandy beach Sakarun on the Dugi Otok island or Paradise Beach in the Lopar Bay on the Island of Rab.
Croatia has a wealth of different beaches, and the majority has blue-flag status, guaranteeing water quality, safety and services. Actually 97.96% of 884 sampled where qualified excellent for bathing. Whether you want some adventures in the wild sailing in search of romantic hidden beaches or you want to relax under the sun with your family it’s time to choose your paradise to help you hit the reset button!
Nautical
A sea of opportunities
The Adriatic Sea, one of the most peaceful and transparent of the Mediterranean, is the very place for sailing under full sail, for a motorboat cruise ships or for simply enjoying the recreational fishing by boat. Through 6278 km Croatia’s coastline offers an exciting challenge of 1244 islands, islets, rocks and reefs with thousands of wet and dry berths available all year, modern marinas with yatchs to hire and professional sailing courses to attend.
Hop from island to island in the Kornati archipelago mooring in bays or natural shelters, enjoy the underwater fishing in Pakleni Otoci, visit the famous lighthouse of Palagruza, the most remote Croatian island and moor at the amazing Elaphiti Islands.
Camping
A natural break
Recognized both by experts and enthusiasts as one of the best places to camp in Europe, Croatia is a country with a long tradition of camping and ecotourism that has over 526 camping sites, from family friendly mini-campsites to fully-equipped apartments and mobile home facilities.
When camping in Croatia you will feel close to a fascinating wilderness, with eight national parks, numerous protected areas and natures reserves. Enjoy the mild and pleasant climate, both inside the country and along its Mediterranean coast, with small islands, reefs, bays and romantic beaches. Sleep tight under the stars and wake up your wild side.
Health & Wellness – Full of well-being
Croatia, a country of a special energy and healthy living!
Croatia is already quite well known as a country of special beauty, a moderate climate, a rich and interesting past which stretches back to ancient times, of tasty and healthy food and intriguing wines.
The wonderful blend of the blue sea with its more than a thousand islands and islets, as well as the green interior from where ancient and mediaeval walls and picturesque castles and manor houses emerge, win over many visitors at the first glance. In every corner many civilisations and cultures intertwine creating a wonderful harmony and a spirit of timelessness with the heritage which they have left behind. All of this together also gives Croatia a new dimension – a dimension of a country of a distinctive energy and a healthy life.
Nature itself has already opened the way, particularly in the coastal area, with natural aromatherapies whose beneficial effect is felt during a walk along the trails of medicinal plants, of which the scents of lavender and rosemary often dominate, or beneath cypress trees in a stimulating blend of Mediterranean vegetation, extraordinary clean air and mild climate.
One can enjoy Croatia in the sea, coast and interesting interior with its rich forests and untouched regions swimming, sailing, hiking, walking, running, cycling, as well as by spiritually and mentally relaxing at thermal springs which quality-wise are amongst the best on Europe.
The long tradition in the field of medical science is opening up the way for the solving more demanding health problems.
In short, Croatia is a unique oasis of healthy living where one lives, breathes, eats and sleeps healthily!
Gastronomy & Enology – Full of flavours
Croatian Specialties
Explore the diversity of Croatian cuisine and discover its wonderful specialties. Aperitifs such as the world famous Maraschino of Zadar, starters such as cheese from Pag, ham and kulenova seka of Slavonia, oysters and mussels from Ston, delicious grilled fish, salted anchovies, delicacies such as eels and frogs from the Neretva Valley, turkey with mlinci, pašticada from Split, and desserts like puddings, Kotonjata, kroštule or fritule are among the many dishes in an unforgettable menu that will conquer your senses.
Gastronomy Regions
From north to south and from east to west, from the shores of the Adriatic in Dalmatia to the valleys of Slavonia, each region of Croatia has its own special culinary personality that will surprise you. From proto-Slavic essences mixed with Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish influences in the meats, desserts and vegetable dishes of the continental regions, to the Greek, Roman and Illyrian Mediterranean flavors of the fish delicacies and wines of the coastal region… Let your taste travel across centuries of tradition and relish every moment.
Rural tourism
Rural tourism in Croatia has a very diverse and attractive natural and cultural-historical structure, which is why it draws curious tourists! What distinguishes rural tourism from other tourism products is the desire to provide guests with a close personal contact with man and nature, and to allow them to participate in the activities, traditions, and lives of the local community.
The rural tourism regions – from the easternmost part of Croatia (Slavonia and Baranja), to central and western Croatia (Lika, Gorski Kotar, Istria, and Kvarner), Dalmatia (including the interiors of the Adriatic islands and on family farms in the Dalmatian hinterland) – provide tourists with that special feeling of a pleasant vacation that can include relaxing to the sounds of nature, various types of outdoor recreational and physical activities, socializing with the family, meeting new people and their customs, and enjoying authentic local delicacies!
Cultural sights, the small towns and traditional villages, sacral objects, castles, museums and galleries, and the many celebrations are among the great cultural riches of rural tourism.
Village tourism provides the traveler complete rest. The fresh air, family farming, the many vacation houses, unspoiled nature, and the lack of crowds, and of course, the local cuisine, are the primary reasons to come and enjoy rural tourism in Croatia. But, there is no end to the pleasures because there is also the opportunity to enjoy special activities and other forms of tourism, such as ecotourism, adventure tourism, bicycling tourism, health tourism, walking, climbing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, and different types of educational activities.
We can say with pride that Croatia is rich in natural resources. The thermal springs and resorts are part of the excellent offer for health tourism in continental Croatia. Of course, we should single out the spas located in the northwestern part of the Istrian peninsula.
Thanks to its unique geographic location, Croatia enjoys bio-geographic influences from the Pannonian plain, the Dinaric Alps, the Mediterranean, and the pre-Alpine area, which contribute to a remarkable landscape and biodiversity in a relatively small area. You can visit some of the eight national parks and 12 nature parks, seven of which are in the mountains: Velebit, Biokovo, Medvednica, Papuk, Učka, Dinara and Žumberak. The nature parks on two islands, Telašćica and Lastovsko are also a must, while Kopački rit and Lonjsko polje are examples of the biological richness of the lowland areas.
Come and enjoy Croatia and the harmonious whole of its diversity. The coastal and continental elements of many tourist offers complement each other and make the country a very tempting tourist destination for your vacation pleasures all year round!
Meetings and events – Full of opportunities
The MICE industry in Croatia
Innovative, creative, stimulating
Croatia has made a major contribution to the development of modern civilization and has left a lasting imprint on its foundations.
The great inventor Nikola Tesla was born in Croatia. Without him modern civilization would look substantially different than it does today. And it was from Croatia that two symbols of the business world, the fountain pen and the tie, were presented to the world.
It was as if these things put Croatia on the road to developing its meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions (MICE) industry, for which there are many other compelling arguments. Scientists, innovators, and artists from this country have made major contributions to modern society, and either independently or as part of a team, they have explored the possibilities for further progress, united in their desire to make the world a better place.
Croatian athletes have also been successful in team and individual sports, and by winning medals have pushed boundaries and contributed to the development of the sporting spirit and world sport.
With ten sites under the protection of UNESCO, eight national parks, 12 nature parks, and many other examples of an outstanding cultural and natural heritage, Croatia is in the eyes of many people the most beautiful European garden. It is readily accessible by plane, modern highways, and by sea. The country is also investing heavily in security, which is another of its great advantages.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the country is the choice of many congress organizers, for business meetings and team-building and incentive programs because here they will have all of the conditions for success. At the same time, there is also a stimulating environment here for strengthening unity and cooperation, and an atmosphere that promotes ecological awareness and sustainable development.
Three beautiful cities are the leaders of the MICE industry in Croatia: the capital city Zagreb with its unique atmosphere; one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Dubrovnik; and Opatija, once a trendy Austro-Hungarian health resort. These three cities also have congress offices, organized by their respective tourist boards, whose purpose is to be the link between offers and demands, to organize inspection trips, to publicize and promote offers, and in general to improve and guarantee the quality of the offer for conferences.
In addition to these three leaders of the MICE industry, we should mention the Istrian cities of Rovinj, Poreč, Umag and Pula; the Dalmatian cities of Zadar, Šibenik, Vodice, Split, and Makarska; and in the continental portion of the country Osijek and many others that are making rapid strides in the market for congresses. This commitment is evident in the number of new or newly-renovated hotels that they have, which include very well-equipped conference halls for large, plenary sessions and for smaller meetings.
Of course, great attention is also devoted to specialization, as well as education. Thus, they will organize business meetings and will help you find specialized and professional conference organizers (PCOs) and an entire team of people devoted to the success of every event, but who will also ensure that you feel comfortable in their surroundings and enjoy their advantages. The creative teams are special. They know the local customs, but they are also well acquainted with the most out of the way locales, and they are devoted to creating an incentive offer that will exceed your wildest dreams and expectations.
The syntagm of pleasure, the connection of business and pleasant leisure, as if it originated right here, describing success in organizing meetings but also the satisfaction and ease of social networking in a stimulating environment, are the ways in which Croatia is making a major important contribution to the global MICE industry.