Croatia’s Hidden Secrets

NATIONAL PARKS

There are no less than eight gorgeous national parks in Croatia which range from tranquil groups of islands to mountainous landscapes to famous lakes and waterfalls. You may think that Croatia is all about beaches and historic towns, but there is actually a lot more that this versatile country has to offer, including beautiful landscapes, geological and natural wonders, and a diverse flora and fauna.

The Plitvice National Park and Krka National Park are the best known out of the National Parks in Croatia. Plitvice is deep in the forest of Lika, where 16 hidden lakes on different heights flow into each other, creating the most beautiful cascades and waterfalls in a variety of colours that change all the time. Krka National park was formed over thousands of years by the water of the Krka river cutting a deep canyon through the mountains of Sibenik’s hinterland. The barriers that were created along the way have turned the river into a waterfall wonderland. Visitors can admire this force of nature from both sides of the river as well as swimming in front of the largest and most famous waterfall, Skradinski Buk.

The most accessible National Parks by yacht are undoubtably the Mljet National Park, the Kornati National Park and the Brijuni National Park. All are islands or archipelagos offering varied scenery and landscapes. Mljet National Park is a beautiful island park, located on Mljet island in the Dubrovnik archipelago. In the park you will find the most pristine forests, two unique saltwater lakes and numerous cliffs, coves and tiny islands. A visit to the island is perfect for those who wish to relax, swim, sunbathe or do something active, such as cycling, hiking or kayaking.

The Kornati archipelago in Northern Dalmatia is a collection of almost 150 uninhabited and unspoiled island and islets. It is a true sailor’s paradise and those of you who are planning to sail along the Dalmatian coast must surely visit this natural beauty.

Along the Istrian coast, not far from Pula, the Brijuni National Park is a group of 14 islands. The largest island, Veli Brijuni, is the only one that can be visited and this beautiful island has lots to offer to visitors of all ages. Over 200 genuine dinosaur footprints can be found around the island, as well as many ruins from Roman times.

CROATIAN WINE

Unbeknown to many, Croatia produces some of the finest wines in Europe, and has done for many years. Croatian wines frequently sweep the boards at leading, internationally-recognised wine competitions and trade fairs, competing against reputable winemaking nations such as France and Italy. Although the quality of wines Croatia produces is excellent, the country does not produce enough to be significantly exported, and most of the best wines are consumed within the country. When visiting Croatia be sure to experience the wines as they can often not be easily found outside the country. There are terrific specialist wine stores in Croatia where, if you know what you’re looking for, you can pick up the very best Croatian wines and it can be a pleasure to experience the diversity of wine produced.

The wine regions of Croatia can be divided into two; maritime and continental. These divisions are solely due to the different climate zones that affect the variety, quality and production of the final product thereby making the Croatian wine production so rich and so different from all others. It is a real rarity to encounter in such a small space so many diverse varieties of grape and types of wine, and a suitable pairing can be found for any meal consumed onboard.