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Welcome to Croatia
Situated along the eastern Adriatic Sea, Croatia is a real
European gem. It is full of natural and cultural treasures,
which once drew more than 10 million visitors a year into
the country. With its push for independence in 1991 Croatia
broke off from Yugoslavia and the following three-year long
civil war stopped the booming tourism industry. But despite
the terrors of the war, the country is still magical and
most of the tourism areas have been rebuilt.
Whether you are a naturist, watersports fan or love culture
and the arts - you will have a blast here. Croatia boasts
an amazing 1,103 miles (1,778 km) of coastline, 3,590 miles
(5790 km) if you include its many offshore islands, which
hug the highly indented coast. There are thousands of bays,
inlets, secluded coves and natural harbors, which make it
a paradise for beachgoers, kayakers, divers and yachties.
Most of Croatia's beaches are rocky rather than sandy and
the water is amazingly clear. Venture out to the outer islands,
explore the fabulous underwater world, including shipwrecks
and caves, or visit a quaint fishing village.
Hikers can choose among seven national parks, all of which
are quite unique. Plitvice Lakes National Park, for example,
is home to bears, deer and wolves and Paklenica National
Park harbors reptiles, birds and the endangered griffon
vulture. There are also plenty of rock climbing opportunities.
Croatia is full of medieval spirit. A real treasure is the
Museum Mimara in the capital of Zagreb. It's one of the
finest art galleries in Europe and houses outstanding European
and Asian art. Dubrovnik is famous for its old city center
of Stari Grad with its steep cobblestone streets, churches,
palaces and museums, all built from the same light-colored
stone. But the highlight of your visit to Dubrovnik will
probably be the imposing city walls and your walk on top
of them. The view from these 82-foot high (25 m) walls,
which were built between the 13th and 16th centuries, is
truly awe-inspiring. The country is also home to many Roman
ruins, including the huge palace of Diocletian in Split.
Security
There are still some unexploded landmines in Croatia's remote
areas, especially in the Danube region and in Krajina. It
is recommended to avoid going into abandoned-looking fields
or villages. |
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