Croatia

A Mediterranean escape in an emerging destination

Part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until World War I, Croatia is, after years of slumber, in vogue once again. Thousands of visitors from Western Europe and a scattering of U.S. and Canadian explorers travel here each year to see the emerging country’s pristine coastlines, low green mountains, and flat but rich agricultural plains.

There are 1,111 miles (1,778km) of beautiful coastline and an astonishing thousand islands, of which 66 are inhabited. As the country’s capital and transportation hub, Zagreb offers the best road, air, and train links to other countries and is usually the starting point for most travel. Medieval walled towns, most of which are remarkably preserved, add to the big town allure of such new hot spots as Split, and Dubrovnik. Beach-goers descend en masse from mid-May to late September, when the country’s beaches are ideal for swimming.

Though recognition of its independence came in 1992 from the European Union, for most of the 1990s Croatia lived in political isolation because of its conflict with its former Yugoslav neighbors. But peace has returned to this land, and Croatia is once again viewed as a safe and desirable travel destination, though a visit here is still something of an adventure.

For more information on Croatia contact the Croatia Tourist Board.

© 2009, Wiley Publishing, Inc.