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A few of our newsletter offers this week ‘Cruise
into Croatia’, so it seemed
an appropriate destination to talk about especially since our Winston is
travelling in Europe. I don’t think he will be visiting Croatia this trip, although he may have caught a
glimpse of its rocky shores as he flew to Rome.
Perhaps, like many of you, he can put it on his wish list for next destination
to explore – because it is truly worth a visit! 
Croatia boasts an extraordinarily beautiful coastline with close to 1800 km of rocky coves, pine fringed beaches and fishing ports. Yachts glide up and down the coast as the movie star set infringes from the French Riviera towns of Monte Carlo and Nice possibly considering a purchase of one of the many Croatian islands.
Dubrovnik is one of the main stopping ports for cruise ships. Named the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’ by Lord Byron, and one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, it is a magnificent walled city of ancient streets, stone palaces and Venetian style buildings. I strolled through the streets of Dubrovnik on my last trip to Europe and can truly say it as one of the most memorable towns I have ever visited.
The main street runs the length of the town and is lined with small shops and boutiques worthy of some serious browsing. The streets are cobbled, the squares marble paved, and tall houses, churches, palaces, fountains and museums, ornamented with finely carved stone, are reminiscent of an eventful history and vibrant artistic tradition. Just inland of the centre of town a small stone surrounded harbor hosts sailboats bobbing on the blue water and offers a view of the surrounding hillside residences. Many of these buildings have terra cotta style roofs and are the buildings that were severely damaged or destroyed during the war of 1991 – the city experienced amazing devastation and its recovery in such a short time is hard to believe.
Approximately 200 km north of Dubrovnik is the town of Split, another popular cruise ship port and the largest Croatian City on the Adriatic coast. Ferries sail back and forth to the many Dalmation Islands and the high coastal mountains set against the blue waters of the Adriatic form a striking picture as you sail in or out of the City. A visit to the Diocletian’s Palace (a World Heritage site) is a must, and within the ancient walls of the palace, you will find the centre of town with its majestic cathedral, businesses and shops to explore. To the west of the town is a vast, wooded mountain park with beaches below and pathways above. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll along the refurbished harbourside promenade lined with cafés and boutiques.
There are many other places in Croatia that we can talk about another time, but suffice it to say the this unique Country with its troubled history, beautiful scenery, mediterranean climate and one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe, is worth your time to explore and enjoy!
