Welcome to CroatiaCroatia UNESCO - 7 sites and 7 cultural traditions

Croatia UNESCO – 7 sites and 7 cultural traditions

Welcome to Croatia — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:24:40 +0000

Festa Sveti Vlaho Dubrovnik Croatia

CROATIA has 7 UNESCO protected world cultural heritage sites and 7 UNESCO protected world cultural heritage traditions, making it first in Europe and fourth in the world. UNESCO is the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The music in the video are traditional and unique Croatian “klapa” songs. First is “Vilo Moja” and second song is “Croatio iz duše te ljubim”.

Croatia UNESCO Sites:

Dubrovnik – The old city
Diocletian’s Palace in Split
Plitvice Lakes
Euphrasian Basilica in Porec
Trogir – The old city
St James Cathedral in Sibenik
Island Hvar Stari Grad plain

Croatian UNESCO Cultural traditions (intangible heritage) all from 2009:

Lace making in Croatia
Spring procession of Ljelje queens in Gorjani
Festival of St Blaise – patron of city of Dubrovnik
Annual carnival Bell Ringers from Kastav region
Traditional manufacturing of wooden toys in Zagorje
Two-part singing and paying in Istrian scale
Procession of the Kross on island Hvar (Holy Thursday)

Bol island Brac – Croatian Air Race 2010

Welcome to Croatia — Wed, 26 May 2010 09:01:54 +0000

Croatian Air Race

Aero Show “Croatian Air Race” at Airport Brač – the most interesting event on the island of Brač – will be held on 29 and 30 May 2010 in honor of a century of Croatian aviation.

Cro Air Race will gather 40-ish aircraft of various types, as well as attractive acrobatic aircraft and in that way will celebrate 100 years of Croatian aviation.
Except the central event, it will be held the race of general aviation aircraft and ultra-light aircraft, also there will be acrobatic flights, aircraft model flights, panoramic flights, aircraft visits, photography exhibition about the aviation in Croatia through history, as well as an exhibit of elementary schools children’s drawings.

Island Hvar – “Following the Cross”

Welcome to Croatia — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:24:30 +0000

Following the Cross on island Hvar

For more than 400 years on Hvar, parishioners from the central part of the island have participated in the great ‘Following the Cross’ procession. Beginning on Good Thursday, mass is simultaneously held in the six parishes of Jelsa, Pitve, Vrisnik, Svirče, Vrbanj and Vrboska. The procession then begins, following a 25-kilometer course into the early morning hours of Good Friday. Because each of the six groups starts from their respective churches and follows the course in a clockwise direction, the groups never meet. Each group is lead by a specially chosen cross-bearer who walks the course either barefoot or in socks. Other official members of the procession are dressed in white tunics.

The origins of this unique procession are linked to a period of peasant revolt against Venetian governance when, according to legend, a small cross began to bleed before a conflict. It is also interesting to note that in nearly five centuries of celebration, the tradition has never been interrupted. Even in 1944, when the procession was forbidden by the German authorities, refugees from the island Hvar conducted the procession between their tents in the refugee camp of El Shatt in Africa. This was the only time the annual procession was not conducted on the island.

Different Easter processions are also held in other places on the Island of Hvar. One of the more interesting examples is the procession held on the afternoon of Good Friday in the City of Hvar, called ‘Through God’s Graves’. Fraternities from St. Cross and St. Nicolas, one dressed in black tunics, the other in white, begin their procession in different churches. They later come together in the old Venetian square or Piazza to sing the ancient melody ‘Popule Meus’ in front the St. Stephens Cathedral.

Developing Rural Tourism

Welcome to Croatia — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 07:38:07 +0000

Hvar on Island Hvar

There has been a conscious decision taken by the inhabitants of Island of Hvar to develop the towns of the district and the ethno-eco villages to promote rural tourism. Help to develop will be given to all the towns and villages who have decided to be a part of the project. There has been a suggestion by the country of Split-Dalmatia that the project should be financed within the European IPA program which is run by the Adriatic cross-border cooperation. There is also a program of renewing the villages of old stone so that they can be combined into a different and beautiful tourist offer for the people visiting the country. This project has the involvement of Sucuraj. Velo and Malo Grablje, Brusje and Zorace, Stari Grad, are also being renewed by the town of Hvar. Jelsa and Mala Rudina are also being renewed by Stari Grad and this has shown the best progress in the area of Humac. In 2007 the Island of Hvar hosted the first National Conference on Rural Tourism. During this conference a proposal by the country of Split-Dalmatia and a declaration which had a clause on the renewal of the ethno-eco villages was accepted. This declaration was then signed by 16 countries of Croatia. Everybody involved is also accepting that this proposal and declaration will also be accepted by the Parliament of Croatia. This effort by all will surely help the tourism to grow in the country and attract more visitors every day.

Brac – hundred years of the beach Banj

Welcome to Croatia — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:08:47 +0000

Banj Beach Supetar island Brac Croatia

The remarkable feature of the bathing area is that it is quite a big area and the entire area is sheltered by the leaves of Tamarix trees. The road that leads to the bathing area is equally beautiful. A total of 150 people could take bath at a time, with a separate enclosure for both, men and women.

Supetar is situated on the island of Brac, and is considered as the third largest Adriatic island. The entire area is so scenic that you would love to visit again.

Not only does the area wrapped with Mediterranean beauty, but it also boasts of having some of the most precious stones of the world, the white stone and the Glagolithic stone.

Grape and wine festival – days of the Varenik 2009

Welcome to Croatia — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:15:14 +0000

Grapes Mali Plavac

During the start of October, a traditional autumn event takes place in Supetar, on the island of Brac. The event is called “grape and Wine festival”, and is considered as the most important festival to be held on the island of Brac.

The remarkable feature of “grape and wine festival” is the preparation of traditional cuisine called ‘Varenik’. The cuisine is made from fresh wine. The festival is a week long celebration in which the locals involve themselves in preparation of traditional cuisine from the fresh wine of the area.

The specialty of the festival is the preparation of foods in which ‘Varenik’ is used as a condiment. The wine makes the local Dalmatian food more savory than ever.

Even during ancient times, the Greeks and the Romans were very fond of the drink, as they considered the drink to have nutritional value. They used to take it as an energy drink.

The drink is special as it has a very high content of natural sugar, and is sometimes used as a sweetener.

Though, few Croatians still make the traditional drink, but they are not very as devoted as those who stay in Brac. Brac wants to revive the drink and bring it back on the tourist list. They want to make it as the favorite condiment to make Mediterranean recipes.

‘Varenik’ had been used for centuries on the island of Brac and the surrounding areas. They make Varenik out of red grapes. Varenik is also very useful for digestion.

It holds a special importance in the lives of the Croatians. You would find the restaurants in Brac selling the traditional drink at a very low price to promote the drink, during the course of the festival.

Stari Grad on Island Hvar

Welcome to Croatia — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:46:12 +0000

Stari grad on island Hvar

The island of Hvar had witnessed a tremendous rise in tourists from across the world, not just from the well to do jet travelers, but also tourists from nearby places.
Hvar perhaps, is a very popular destination in Adriatic, it offers various form of entertainment, and caters to top class facilities and hospitality to tourists. Hvar also has a rich tradition and has a huge historical significance attached to it.
Stari grad had always been a centre of attraction for the historians; recent findings suggest that Stari grad possibly had a presence of civilization long before what it is assumed now. The archaeological excavation at Remete, on the east Stari grad plains has an entirely different story to reveal about Stari grad.
On the contrary, to what it was believed, that the earliest settlement on the island were from Greece, who came during 385 B.C. and were called Faros, the excavations suggest that the civilization existed three centuries before that.
The remarkable feature of Stari grad plains had been the Greek foundations from 4th century B.C. which has been put on the world heritage list by UNESCO as the cultural monument. The plains which had been listed in the world heritage site starts from Stari grad to Jelsa and Vrboska.
It’s very important to note that the plains have the same agricultural products over a period of 24 centuries.
The recent archaeological sites would now be converted into public institutions, which would be in charge of the protected area.
The Stari grad plains also have a museum which is expected to keep things from the recent archaeological sites. It would display Ilirian Liburnian bronze needles and hooks, rough black ceramics and ceramics from Greece.
The recent archaeological excavations had made Hvar the most sought after place for the cultural enthusiasts. It also adds to the fact that Hvar is perhaps, very rich in cultural treasures. The Stari grad plain is now competing as the place which had the oldest civilization in the Adriatic region.

Sailing Lessons on the Island of Cres

Welcome to Croatia — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 08:24:36 +0000

Sailing Lessons island Cres

The people who wish to take their business partners sailing, can now avail services of a company in Croatia which has expertise in organizing sailing lessons or regattas all around the year. The ACI Sailing Center Cres on the Island of Cres offers the possibility to the visitors to master the skills of sports or recreational sailing to sea and wind enthusiasts. Tourists can also enjoy the beauties of Cres aquatorium along with the unique insular climate. There are 20 programmes for all age groups to choose from, like the school of sailing for teenagers, the sea biology program and the adventure program. Experts at the ACI Sailing Center operate under the ACI marina system. They plan to introduce team building programs, where sailing is combined with other activities. The desires of individual customers can be incorporated by the sailing centre. The programs have interesting titles like Sunset, Full Moon, and Sunrise Sailing and they all include a part of sailing and other activities like touring the Cres-Losinj archipelago in order to know its rich heritage and history.
The ACI Sailing Center is located in the building of ACI marina Cres which is one of the most beautiful and developed on the Adriatic. It has 8 modern suites. All the programs at the ACI Sailing center are conducted on 12 regatta yachts on which the world’s top yachtsmen like Dean Barker, Russell Coutts, Paolo Cian, Chris Dickson and Bertrand Pace and others have sailed during the ACI Match Race Cup. The ACI Sailing centre with all the professional regattas will awaken the competitive spirit of taming the wind in everyone who likes challenges.

Korcula – Renovation of Vela Luka Hotel Korkyra

Welcome to Croatia — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 09:15:30 +0000

Vela Luka island Korcula

The Hotel Korkyra is being revamped after 12 years of not functioning. For all these years the hotel was waiting for a renovation and new owners. This news is welcomed by all the tourists for whom the south Dalmatian island of Korcula especially the city of Vela Luka on island Korcula is their most preferred tourist destination. Before the next tourist season start, the doors of the four star hotel will be opened. It will have a capacity of 59 rooms and 120 beds. The other features are an inside pool of 80 square metres besides the other facilities. The hotel is planned to be open for most part of the year. The city of Vela Luka is situated on the western coast of the Island of Korcula. The city forms the subject matter of one of the most beautiful traditional songs of Croatia. The city attracts many because of the peace. Mild climate and medicinal mud, which is courtesy the health tourism being developed here, all attract many visitors every year.

A new web portal on Croatia Naturism

Welcome to Croatia — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 10:16:24 +0000

Politin Naturism FKK Beach

Recently a new web portal was launched, ‘Naturism on the Adriatic’. The portal is sponsored by Valamar Tourist Group and the camping web portal, ‘Camping on the Adriatic’. Keeping the long tradition of Croatia of the naturist movement and a great camping offering planned for the naturist visitors, this portal was launched.
Information with respect to naturist capacities, culture of the body and also the cultural and entertainment events in the Adriatic can be found on the portal. In addition, it also has a blog for people to share their naturist experiences in Croatia. The content is published in Croatian, English, Italian, German and Slovenian. There are many hidden spots here to swim naked.
The tradition of naturism is very long and can be traced to 1936 when King Edward VIII and Lady Wallis Simpsons came to the Island of Rab and swam without clothes.