Croatia

History

The origins of the Croatian state date back to the Middle Ages. For most of their history, the Croats have been under the rule of other nations, but have always fought for recognition of their own independence.

Slavic peoples settled in the Balkans and off the coasts of Dalmatia in the 6th century AD. As a result of the ethnic assimilation of local tribes, groups of settlements of the Southern Slavs were formed. Until the 9th century AD, they remained fragmented tribes without any signs of national identity.

The Kingdom of Croatia began to take shape only in the 10th century. The Hungarian occupation of 1102th forced the Croats to submit to the Hungarian king on condition of maintaining their government and governor. Two centuries later, Croatia came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, whose rule lasted for almost 100 years. Then the Croatian delegation turned to the Austrians for help in the fight against the Ottoman government.

The royal Habsburg dynasty established a buffer zone between Croatia and Austria, and the Ottomans were displaced to the south. Austria dominated Croatia until the beginning of the XIX century.

The Croatian National Party was organized in 1840. After the WWI, Croatia became part of Yugoslavia. The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Kingdom of Yugoslavia) was created as a result of the Treaty of Versailles.

In 1928, the Ustashe (Ustaše) party was formed, the purpose of which was independence. This terrorist movement has gained support in Italy and Germany. In 1941, the Ustashe party began to rule the Independent State of Croatia. In fascist Croatia, there was a genocide of Serbs, Jews and Albanian Gypsies.

During the WWII in Yugoslavia, there was a war between the internal territories. The leader of the partisan movement was Josip Broz (Tito), a native of Croatia. A large-scale nationalist movement led by Tito was suppressed in 1970. Croatia also continued to insist on its independence, clashing with its neighbors in the Balkans and inside the country.

The first free elections in Croatia were held in 1990. Former communist and nationalist Franjo Tuđman came to power with the formation of the Croatian Democratic Union.

In the late 1980s, relations between Croats and Serbs became strained. In February 1991, militant incidents against Serbs were recorded. The country declared independence from Yugoslavia and started a war with the Yugoslav People's Army. By the end of 1991, large-scale military operations were launched in Croatia. Serbs from the Republic of Serbia and Croats from the proclaimed independent Croatia fought among themselves.

Franjo Tuđman, who became the first president of democratic Croatia, died in 1999. His departure marked the beginning of the end of the era of endless crises and wars in the Balkans.

Geography

The state of Croatia is located in the south of central Europe and partly in the west of the Balkan peninsula. Croatia borders Slovenia to the Northwest, Hungary and Serbia to the Northeast, and Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro to the south and East. In the West, the republic is washed by the Adriatic Sea and has a maritime border with Italy.

Capital

The capital and largest city of Croatia is Zagreb. The city is located on the Sava River, a tributary of the Danube at an altitude of 104 m above sea level next to the Medvednitsa mountain range. The city of Zagreb with its suburbs has the status of a separate municipality within Croatia, the city is headed by a mayor elected by the City Assembly of Zagreb.

Zagreb is a fairly compact city by European standards. Medieval architecture has been preserved in its historical center. Ancient castles and cathedrals, green squares, narrow cobbled streets. Zagreb is interesting from any point of view.

Currency

On January 1, 2023, Croatia joined the Schengen and the Eurozone — this happened almost 10 years after Croatia joined the European Union. The country said goodbye to the local currency kuna and became the twentieth member of the eurozone. This makes Euro the official currency on the territory of Croatia.

National symbols

The flag of Croatia consists of three horizontal stripes — the upper one is red, the middle one is white, and the lower one is blue. The Croatian coat of arms is located in the middle. The colors of the Croatian flag are inherited from the coloring of the country's military coat of arms.

There is an unofficial interpretation where red represents the blood of the Croatian martyrs, white symbolizes peacetime in Croatia and nature, and blue represents the devotion of the Croatian people to God. There are other unofficial interpretations of the meanings and symbols of the colors of the flag.

The coat of arms shows a chessboard consisting of 13 red and 12 white squares. It is a symbol of the kings of Croatia since the 10th century. On top of the chess board is a crown of five links that represent the historically formed regions of the country.

National language

Croatian is spoken and written in Croatia. It is the official language of Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (along with Bosnian and Serbian) and one of the official languages of the Vojvodina Autonomy within Serbia.

In addition, Croatian is the official language in part of the municipalities of the Austrian federal state of Burgenland and is one of the 24 languages of the European Union. The Croatian language belongs to the Slavic group of the Indo-European language family. The writing system is based on the Latin alphabet.

Religion

The most widespread religion in Croatia is Catholicism. Religious minorities include Orthodox (ethnic Serbs), Muslims, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Jews. The number of atheists and agnostics is about 5%.

The Croatian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion. The Catholic Church in the country does not have the status of a state church, although it de facto receives state funding and enjoys a number of privileges. There are religious instruction classes in public schools, but they are not required to attend.

Climate and weather

The continental climate prevails in Northern Croatia, mountainous and semi-mountainous in Central Croatia, and Mediterranean off the coast.

Winter air temperatures in the continental part average -10°C, in mountainous areas about -5°C - +5°C, and in coastal areas rarely exceed +10°C, often 0°C. In summer, the air temperature is warm.

On the coast, it is about +25°C, sometimes it is more than +30°C, but rarely, in resort areas located on peninsulas, the average is +30°C. The temperature in the mountains usually does not exceed +20°C, mostly around +15°C, and on the continent about +25°C. The least precipitation falls on the islands.

Attractions

The numerous empires and cultures that have dominated these places throughout history have left traces of their presence in the architectural heritage of Croatia.

The coastal cities built in the Middle Ages:

These monuments are the largest ones of ancient culture on the Croatian coast.

The Euphrasian Basilica or the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption of Mary in the city of Poreč (Porech) is under UNESCO protection – a perfectly preserved monument of early Byzantine mosaics.

Romanesque monuments in the cities of Krk, Rab and Trogir deserve special attention. The old town of Trogir, surrounded by fortress walls, includes castles, towers, buildings and palaces of the Romanesque and Gothic periods, as well as Renaissance and Baroque times. The Cathedral in Trogir with a portal from 1240 is a masterpiece of Dalmatian stone carving.

Renaissance monuments represent cities such as Osor, Šibenik, Hvar, Korčula and Dubrovnik.

What to see in Croatia

Tourism and recreation

Uniquely picturesque Croatia offers tourists the cleanest beaches in the crystal waters of the Adriatic, surrounded by green rocks, delicious local cuisine and wellness at mineral springs.

The conditional division of Croatia into three resort areas gives the country the opportunity to provide the tourism sector in the most logical way. The Istrian peninsula is known for its unique views of the Adriatic and its close proximity to Italy.

Lovers of the Middle Ages will like Rovinj, Pula and the island of Krk, young people will like Medulin (one of the few places where sandy beaches meet), lovers of relaxing holidays, families and the elderly will be glad to Lovran. You can do health improvement in Opatija.

Croatia offers active sports recreation — ski resorts Sljeme on Mount Medvednica, Platak, Begovo Razdolje, Chelimbasa — Mrkopalj, Tršce Rudnik (Rudnik Trsce) and Olympic ski center Bjelolasica in Gorski Kotar, as well as Mukinje — Plitvice Lakes in The season welcomes guests from all over the world.

Beaches of Croatia

There are practically no traditional fine sandy beaches in the country. And the beaches, which are conventionally called sandy, actually consist of small pebbles or dense coarse-grained sand. Several sandy beaches can be found on the islands. Most beaches are small insets of land between the rocks. The length of such a beach is about 100-200 meters.

In Croatia, the entire coastline and beaches are municipal. This has been approved at the legislative level. Tourists can get to any beach of any hotel. There are no private or closed beaches here.

The most famous Croatian beach is Zlatni Rat or Golden Horn on the island of Brac. One of the southernmost beaches, Kupari, is located 10 km from Dubrovnik. There are also Banje, Shulic, Belva, Uvala Lapad and Copacabana beaches near Dubrovnik. The disadvantages of Dubrovnik's beaches are a small space and a large number of vacationers.

Makarska Riviera is one of the typical resorts in Croatia. There are small settlements along the entire 30-kilometer coastline. All of them are tourist and have small beaches. Most beaches are marked with the Blue Flag emblem.

National cuisine and drinks

The national cuisine of Croatia, without exaggeration, is a paradise for gastronourism. Croatia's culinary traditions have been influenced by all its historical moments, from the Romans to the Ottomans. The European influence can be traced quite clearly, and therefore Croatia will be understandable gastronomically to a wide range of travelers.

Almost all Croatian food is high—calorie and satisfying, the portions are large, and almost no dish is complete without meat or fish. Being in Croatia, you should definitely try brodet soup, a stew of several types of white fish cooked with red wine, chorba, a traditional soup in the Balkans, manestra bean soup, as well as local cabbage rolls — sarma, przholica, Dalmatian pastitsada, chobanac and meat on a spit.

Numerous wines, tinctures and liqueurs will delight lovers of tastings. The main wines of Croatia are Prosek, Malvasia, Gryazevica, Gemist. The local herb raki is Herbaria, plum — plum, tincture on cherry — cherry, respectively raspberry, apricot, apple, and so on.

Culture and traditions

The population of the coast and islands of Croatia has long been engaged in navigation, fishing, shipbuilding, winemaking and olive oil. The world—famous navigator Marco Polo is a native of the Croatian island of Korcula. Dubrovnik is the birthplace of shipbuilders, there are several shipyards in the city, one of which is located on the island of Rab.

Salt is still evaporated from seawater here. The ancient salt mines are located in Stona, and Croatian salt from Pag can still be bought today. And the Croatian winemaking tradition is known all over the world: Mr. Grzic from the island of Brac is considered the most famous winemaker in New Zealand, and many Croatian winemakers are also known in California.

The inhabitants of the island of Krapn are engaged in the cultivation of sea sponge, and the inhabitants of the island of Zlarin extract and process Adriatic corals. Some areas are engaged in fishing.

Croatia is very original and freedom-loving. Regular territorial disputes have shaped national identity and pride in their own independence.

One of the main sources of income here is tourism. Locals run boarding houses and private hotels, they are polite to foreigners. In Croatia, it is customary to bargain in markets and even in shops and cafes, especially on the coast.

Women in Croatia have a strong influence in society, especially compared to other republics of the former Yugoslavia. An excellent example is one of the former representatives of the government, Mrs. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovich.

Croatian folklore has no equal! It contains elements of the cultures of Serbs, Gypsies, and Europeans. The tambour is a type of mandolin, a well–known folk musical instrument. Despite the fact that national clothes stopped being worn back in the 19th century, Croats dress up in beautiful ethnic costumes on holidays, paying homage to history. Croats are very proud of their national identity and observe national holidays and rituals.

Holidays in Croatia

April 9 — Easter

April 10 — Easter Monday

May 1 — Labor Day

May 30 — Statehood Day

June 8 — Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

June 22 — Anti-Fascist Struggle Day

August 5 — Memorial Day of the victims of the Patriotic War

August 15 — Ascension of the Virgin Mary

November 1 — All Saints' Day

November 18 — Memorial Day of the victims of the Patriotic War

December 25 — Christmas

December 26 — St. Stephen's Day

How to get to

By airplane

You can get flights through Vienna, Frankfurt, Prague, Milan and other European cities it is worth remembering about obtaining a transit Schengen visa. Charters will be convenient if you plan to visit the coast, the final destinations are Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula, Split, Rijeka. You can get to Croatian resorts from Montenegro (Tivat).

By train

There are trains to Croatia from most European cities (Milan, Venice, Vienna and Munich, Budapest, Belgrade)

By bus and car

Croatia has a well-developed bus service. The main domestic carrier is the Promet Makarska bus company. An automobile tourist will need international rights, a Green Card and transit visas.

Those traveling from central Croatia to Dubrovnik need to have with them all the documents (bus tickets, hotel voucher, passport with a Croatian stamp) confirming that you are traveling in transit, since there is a ten-kilometer section of the territory of Bosnia on the way, and local border guards are very sensitive to their work.

By ferryboat

Regular ferry service during the Croatian season connects the resorts and the surrounding countries. In particular, from the Italian cities of Ancona, Venice, Rimini and Bari, ferries go to Dubrovnik, Split, Stari Grad, Zadar, Opatija, Porec and Pula. You can also take a ferry to Croatia from Montenegro.