The esteemed world magazine CNN Traveler has recently made Istria as one of the popular tourist destinations among its 1 million readers from around sixty countries by writing an article about this beautiful place. The story of biggest Croatian peninsula under the article name “The flavors of Istria” starts of the cove of printed edition for November along with photo of Rovinj in reflection of beautiful sunset of autumn.

Rudolf Abraham is the awarded photographer and author, whose love to travel to far away destinations has taken him to distant locations like Patagonia and Central Asia and he also visits Croatia many times during the year. He has also visited the national parks this year. The Istrian landscape and its beauty have touched his heart deeply and are considered to be most memorable. He discovered a peninsula of ancient majestic beauty of coastal towns and charming inland with gothic towns on hilltops.

While looking for frescoes in concealed churches, he also enjoyed the wonderful taste of Istrian delicacies by sitting in fires of wine cellars or under mind blowing ambience of top restaurants in Croatia. He tried cheeses, gnocchi, and game, “fuzi” which is a variety of pasta, fruits of the sea, truffles, Istian malvazija and smoked ham.

After a truffle hunt which was very successful using the assistance of dogs that were specially trained, the remarkable truffle tasting experience was pursued by giant “fritaja” on Subotina fiesta in Buzet town. The captivating collection of Istrian flavors was completed with a gulp of traditional brandy of Istria called “biska” along with drops of honey to give a delightful taste.

The CNN Traveler magazine was launched during the year 1998 and is portion of the most popular brands – Time Warner Group and CNN International. It is very popular for disclosing the original and authentic from around the world and its quality content has made it very popular among readers around the world who have encouraged the magazine authors to discover new destinations across the globe. There are plenty of tourist attractions in Croatia and it is popular for numerous natural lakes and amazing landscape. The climate in Croatia is pleasant all the year round and it is also famous as a health resort. The Vransko Lake which stretches around 30 sq.km in Sibenik-Knin and Zadar County is the biggest natural lake. Holidays in Croatia can be pleasant and enjoyable along with your family.

Read more:

• Green Istria: More attractive for Visitors
• Istria – Something on offer for All Tastes
• Istria is a paradise for cyclers

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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:

1. Dubrovnik – The old city
2. Diocletian’s Palace in Split
3. Plitvice Lakes
4. Euphrasian Basilica in Porec
5. Trogir – The old city
6. St James Cathedral in Sibenik
7. Island Hvar Stari Grad plain

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

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

Read more:

• The Republic Of Croatia – UNESCO World Non-Material Cultural Heritage
• The fortification of Ston Walls took the longest in Europe’s history
• Dubrovnik Beach Banje has another feather in the cap

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Cycling Istria Croatia

The tourists in Istria have a great offer to cycle around and this has become a very famous recreational activity all over the world. Istria is one of the most central regions in Croatia. It has a lot of tourist attractions like 40 trails and 20 runs which are held annually. Istria has been a part of some very important and significant mountain bike trails of Europe like 13th marathon cycling race Istra MTB Tartufi Tour – Parenzana and the 50th edition of the international junior stage race Kroz Istra (Through Istria).

New trails are being made and the old ones are being improved constantly. The aim is that very soon all these trails will have same signs. In Pazin a bike park is being set up and will be complete by the end of the year. There are also plans to make standardized cycling maps and also make brochures which will present the cycling experience in Istria to all the cycling lovers. It will talk of all the cycling events at the fairs in Istria next year. In Istria there are 14 cycling guides who are licensed and there will be more as a course is expected to be conducted soon.
Recently a tour was organized by Sacred Rides which is a tourist agency in America and because of the growing popularity of cycling tourism ten recreational cyclists came from Canada and USA to Istria. The Pazin and Buzet cycling trails pass through extremely beautiful places in Istria and some recreational cyclists from Northern America are on a tour here. The Istrian cycling trails is very famous with recreational agencies of all over the world. Apart from cycling there is a lot for these cyclists to do in Istria. They have many options to stay in like boutique hotels and bike hotels. They can also enjoy the Wine Bike Marathon which is a great thing to experience.

Read more:

• Istria – Something on offer for All Tastes
• Istria – Dinosaurs in Funtana
• Green Istria: More attractive for Visitors

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Making of Olive Oil

You may have heard enough about the Various Mediterranean diets and how it is cooked. You perhaps never took pains to understand the process of producing olive oil which is again a very important ingredient in cooking Mediterranean diets.

If you look forward to gain knowledge and understanding of how olive oils are produced, then Brijuni islands would be the best destination for you.

There are around 400 olive trees in Brijuni islands and you need 600 kilograms of harvested oils to produce 60 liters of olive oil. You would love the process of how olive oils are made.

Pack your bags and head straight to Brijuni islands during the month of November, to take part in an extensive olive oil making process. Apart from learning the process, you would be handed a souvenir which is a proof of your participation.

A bottle of olive oil as a souvenir, which you have made yourself by your own hands, does that sounds interesting?

There are around 14 Brijuni islands and they all lie to the west of Pula. You would find the parks of island Veliki Brijuni rich in cultural heritage. It also has an attractive underwater life, which was why it began to be known as a national park during the year 1983.

The Brijuni islands have a somewhat strange tourism history. It all began when the Austrian industrialist, Paul Kuperweiser, took charge of the entire area and converted the islands into a tourist destination, during the start of the 19th century. He built all kinds of Hotels, villas, pools and made it a tourist hub.

You would be enthralled to tour the islands on electro mobiles, carriages and panoramic trains. You could also peek around safari park, ornithological reserve to watch birds and many other historical buildings, if you wish to.

Here you can see making of olive oil in photos!

Read more:

• National Parks
• TV Spot of HTZ – Croatian National Tourist Board
• Lonjsko Polje Nature Park – A Unique Bird Reserve

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Pula Arena

One of the popular publishing houses had come out with its own advice on the select tourist destinations on its guide for tourists.

DK eyewitness travel says that a visit to Pula Arena is more advisable that going all the way to Rome to have a glimpse of Rome coliseum. You can feel the same excitement in Pula, and the atmosphere would be more enchanting, as Pula would be free of crowds in comparison to Rome coliseum.

Pula, which was built during the 1st century A.D., in Istria, during the rule of Emperor Vespasian has a lot of advantages and has gained popularity over the last few years.

Its amphitheater is lively and it is a perfect place to hold concerts. The amphitheater is 130 meters long and 100 meters wide with a seating capacity of 20,000 spectators.

Pula Arena is now widely used for film festivals and concerts. You could also visit the exhibitions ‘Olive growing and viticulture’ that are held in ancient Istria and learn about the appliances used to produce oil.

There are visibly more attractions that exist in and around Istria. One of attractions being the oldest Roman monument, Hercules’s door, apart from Augusta’s temple, Diana temple and the city hall which are present in Istria.

Read more:

• Green Istria: More attractive for Visitors
• Istria – Something on offer for All Tastes
• Istria – Dinosaurs in Funtana

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Porec Croatia Hotel Riviera

The tourist destination of Porec has many hotels, and to add to the list, the old Hotel Riviera has reopened. The hotel is now called Pallazio and is located in the city centre of the famous tourist place. It has reopened after reconstruction of two and a half years and apart from the new name it has new activities and new facilities. The hotel has been renovated in line with the architecture of the time in which it was built. In the past the hotel attracted both vacationers and business people. Now it is expected to attract more as it has a business conference facilities for 120 people and an accommodation capacity of 70 people. It will remain open all year round. Due to the rich accommodation, sports, hospitality, recreational and entertainment facilities, apart from the Basilica of Euphrasius which is on the UNESCO world heritage list, the city of Porec is a favourite tourist destination of many.

Read more:

• Hotel Villa Radin Opens its Doors in Vodice
• Hotel Istra – All suite hotel on the Red Island
• Hotel Regent Esplanade does it again

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Pula Arena Panorama

For the tourists, who love to take a vacation by staying close to nature and enjoy the peace achieved in original Istrian houses, has increased the popularity of Istrian interior. The houses here are an amazing blend of tradition and contemporary facilities, perfect for the modern visitor. Green Istria is also an ideal destination for excursions to the medieval city castles which are situated on the hills. These castles have a very mystic atmosphere which will be enjoyed by all visitors.

To get an insight into the history, the tourists can walk around ‘acropolic’ towns, Motovun, Labin, Groznjan, Vodnjan, Oprtalj and Hum and take a trip to the castles. There are many cultural events in Istria which are famous for their ambience and the content and thus, attract many visitors. Motovun is an old city and is the best maintained urban core on the edge of the river Mirna valley. The city is surrounded by tall walls and has three layers of defence walls. From here all four sides of the world can be seen.

The city looks like a museum and every house a monument. The city also hosts the annual Motovun Film Festival which also is an added attraction for the visitors. The other cities of Oprtalj and Groznjan are also found very attractive by the visitors. The sounds of many musical instruments and visitors have revived the town of Groznjan. Vodnjan has many monuments and palaces and is located in the southern part of Istria and it because of its bug parochial church of St Blaise and a 65 metre tall bell tower attracts many visitors. The church can accommodate 5,000 people. The church has many amazing mummies of saints.
Labin is host to the autumn Mediterranean Stone Sculptors’ Symposium and is located on the top of a hill. Beneath this hill, there is a park in Dubrova where sculptors are invited every year. Labin also has a museum which has archaeological and ethnological collection, memorial of Matija Vlacic IIirick, an associate of Martin Luther and a philosopher and protestant. The city is home to many painters and sculptors. The Mediterranean Sculptors’ Symposium is being held for the last 30 years in the month of August. Sculptors here make sculptures in stone and these are kept in the park. A unique sculpting project called ‘White Road’ has been worked on for the last couple of years. Hum, is the world’s smallest city. It is small in size and has very less population but still all the city institutions are functional here which is highly commendable.
Istrian interior is also famous for excellent wines and olive oil. Both have received many awards in the world. It is also well known for its culinary offering specially truffles. Truffles are a delicacy found in the forests of Istria and are prepared in the local restaurants.

Read more:

• Istria – Dinosaurs in Funtana
• Istria – Something on offer for All Tastes
• One Hundred Years of the Stone masonry School – An Educational Institution Attractive for Tourists

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Dinosaurs Park in Funtana

Funtana is an Istrian tourist and fishing town and now it is attracting tourists because of another reason. The town is now allowing the visitors to spend time with the huge dinosaurs in its Dinosaur Park Funtana. The park has planned special activities to enable both adults and children to get close to the enormous creatures who move around waiting for visitors. The park has eight dinosaurs which have come from Germany, Korea, Great Britain and Australia, and they make special sounds which add on to the effect of the park. The number of dinosaurs is expected to increase soon. Apart from the dinosaurs, the tourists are also entertained by magicians and other entertainers.
The first Croatian and second European dinosaur park is huge and is spread over 40,000 square metres. An investment of 1.2 million EUR has been made by one Croatian and two German companies. Dinosaur Park Funtana attracted many visitors in summers. It is expected to be open all year round and thus many visits by children and tourists are expected. The tourist and fishing town of Funtana is located on western coast of Istria, between Vrsar and Porec, two famous tourist destinations.

Read more:

• Istria – Something on offer for All Tastes
• Panoramic Sightseeing Buses
• The Varazdin “Sea” Now Adjusted for Persons with Special Needs

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Crveni Island - Rovinj Istria

With an investment of over 4 million Euros, Croatian first all suit hotel opened its doors for the tourists recently. It’s situated on the Crveni Island which is just fifteen minutes away from the tourist’s favorite destination Rovinj in Istria. This hotel is fully equipped with the best of the features and services. The designs and the standards of this hotel are completely fascinating and excellent. Apart from the comfortable and lavish stay inside the hotel, this hotel is blessed with the mesmerizing view of the exceptionally stunning Rovinj archipelago.

The tourist will not only enjoy the comfortable stay in the Hotel but will also have the access to enjoy all the facilities available for the tourist on the Island also. Hotel Istra which was renovated in the year 2006 is one of the best offerings among the many facilities offered here. This hotel Istra turned the Crveni Island in to an exceptional tourist resort. Tourists can enrich the facilities like a luxury wellness centre, restaurants of top quality, number of sports activities and numerous conference halls.

Crveni Island is not a single Island but two Islands bounded by a mound. These two Islands are Sv. Andrija and Maskin. These Islands in size are around 233 thousand square meters. This Island was home to numerous people even in the pre historic times. You will find numerous monuments on this island which showcases the preservation, damage and restoration. The Crveni Island can be easily reached through the boat services which is available throughout the day and night from the Rovinj. Rovinj is the most popular tourist destination of Croatia. It is also regarded to be the most romantic place in the entire Croatia by many people.

In the months of August and September tourists can enjoy numerous recreational, cultural, culinary and sports events on this Island. All these events add to the attraction of tourists for this place.

Read more:

• Malinska Island Krk – New Croatian Riu Hotel
• The new face of the symbol of the Rab Hotel Industry
• Hotel Vespera has become a family hotel

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This year, Istria, the most northern tourist region of the Croatian Adriatic, will once again welcome its visitors with numerous novelties and facilities. Closest to the Slovenian, Italian and Austrian markets, and a frequent destination for visitors from Germany, France, Great Britain and Scandinavia, as well as many European countries and others from all over the world, this region offers a variety of programs, attracting visitors of all tastes and affinities.
Those working in the Istrian tourist industry have realized for a long time that year-round tourism can not only be based on sunshine and the sea. Therefore, visitors can now enjoy an extremely rich culinary offer, 2,500 kilometers of bicycle trails, wine trails and the increasingly popular olive-oil trails. Once dominated by accommodation in coastal destinations, what is on offer in Istria is now enriched with accommodation in the inland. Each year, the number of villas, vacation houses, bed&breakfast’s and other forms of accommodation is on the rise. Particularly attractive are agro-tourist accommodation facilities, where agriculture is the host’s primary activity and tourism a supplementary activity. An increasing number of tourists have chosen to vacation in the peace and quiet of the Istrian inland, thus combining two pleasures – a stay in a picturesque rural environment in close proximity to the sea and the atmosphere of Istrian littoral towns such as Umag, Rovinj, Poreč, Pula, Vrsar. It should also be noted that the National Park Brijuni (Brioni) is located in Istria, which is made up of a group of islands that are famous for having hosted a number of prominent heads of
State from the entire world. They also offer breathtaking natural surroundings and archaeological sites, and are ideal for a relaxing vacation.
Istria is an attractive destination for all lovers of native cuisine, excellent wine and olive oil. Istrian olive oil producers have received a number of eminent international awards and recognitions. The rich culinary offer frequently attracts visitors throughout the year, especially from neighbouring countries.
This year, what is on offer in Istria has been greatly enriched by the newly-built Monte Mulini hotel in Rovinj, which asides from Hotel Sol Koralj in Umag is the only hotel of such a high category in Istria. There are numerous other four and three-star hotels, which are attracting an increasing number of new visitors due their quality of accommodation and service and their versatile offer. Thanks to the Domus Bonus project, that sets out to boost the quality of private accommodation in the local community, this type of accommodation has reached an impressive level and offers visitors a vacation in closer affinity with the way of life of the local population.
For years, those working in the Istrian tourist industry have been developing the promotion of Istrian tourism beyond the bounds of traditional promotional activities, offering on-line promotion and reservations. In addition
to on-line booking options for companies in the region, an info and sales tourist service will commence its activities at the beginning of the summer, enabling visitors to obtain information or make bookings via phone for the entire Istrian region.
It should also be added that a great number of cultural and traditional events add to the richness of what these Istrian destinations offer, making the visitors’ stay even more interesting and enjoyable.

Read more:

• Dubrovnik region: New hotels and facilities

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