Croatia is not all about sun and sea. There are some adventorous turists who would like to discover this fascinating country but they want seomething else, something exciting.
Well, I have good news for them. Now it’s possible to stay in a prison while you’re in Croatia. Yes, that’s right. The notorious Lepoglava prison opens its gates to curious tourist who would like to spend some time in a prison which once was the “home” of Tito and Franjo Tudjman.
The prison itself has a very long history, once it was a monastery and owned by the Pauline fathers, then used as a prison during the time of the Astro-Hungarian Empire and now they want to transfer it to a tourist resort. It may sound weird but some people find this fascinating.
Ferries connect the Croatian coast with all its inhabited islands and its bigger ports with Italy.
Jadrolinija is the state-owned company that runs nearly all ferries in Croatia, helped by a few private ferry companies. Local Jadrolinija ferries connect all islands with the mainland and there is a summer coastal ferry from Rijeka to Dubrovnik too. Ferry services from one island to another are much spottier. Don’t assume that there “must be” a ferry from one island to another. Service is year-round on most routes although a few are summer only.
Passengers can always get on board but you have to reserve your ticket ahead if you’re bringing a car, especially in the busy summer season. Unfortunately you cannot reserve local ferries online; you must reserve most of them at a Jadrolinija point or at a local travel agency.
You should check the local ferry schedule carefully! Many routes from the coast to the islands are designed to bring islanders to coastal cities to work which means that they leave the island early in the morning and return late afternoon. That’s exactly the opposite of what tourists are looking for to make a day trip to an island.
Services on board Jadrolinija’s ferries vary wildly depending on the boat. The best idea is to plan ahead: bring something to eat and drink and maybe a good book or some gadgets for longer ferry rides. Car Rentals Croatia will help you get around after you reached the shores.
Visit Croatia during the summer months and you’ll find yourself in the whirlwind of its finest, but most crowded season.
The season reaches its peak between mid July and early August. If you can manage to go in June however, you’ll find Croatia less crowded and not yet in its mad-summer mode. Summer can be exciting because there’s a lot going on; Croatia’s nightlife along the coast is at its most frenzied – whether you’re a clubber or a concert-goer. Music festivals and sport programmes animate the streets of Dubrovnik and other coastal towns. Only Zagreb slumbers. Everyone’s heading to the coasts.
Croatia’s bigger cities on the coastline are no longer undiscovered destinations. The narrow streets of Dubrovnik or Hvar Town can be elbow-to-elbow with visitors licking ice cream cones and taking pictures. Taking a car onto a ferry means reserving in advance and then waiting in a long line, etcetera. For a more authentic and relaxing experience you might consider staying in one of the lesser-known destinations like Cres Island, Vis Island, Lastovo Island, Orebic or Ston on the Peljesac peninsula.
Car Rentals Croatia will get you there and around and help you find your most desired place to stay at.
May is almost here and you can visit this beautiful country at this time of the year because there are plenty to do and see. The weather is warm and there is plenty of sunshine so you can visit Dubrovnik or any other coastal towns but you can also travel to one of Croatia’s islands.
The good thing about May that there aren’t many tourists so it’s much more relaxed but don’t be afraid because the café life is in full swing so you won’t find closed doors.
As I mentioned before it’s not the early spring weather anymore, you can swim in the sea when you visit the southern islands. At the end of May you can find nice beach weather in Croatia. The temperatures are the following
Dubrovnik avg high 21C/70F; avg low 13C/57F Hvar avg high 21C/71F ; avg low 14C/58F Split avg high 21C/70F ; avg low 13C/57F Zagreb avg 16C/60C
Because it’s May you have to check whether the ferries operate between the Croatian islands, they’re tend to be a bit spottier at this time of the year. It’s also cheaper to fly to Croatia in May, prices can be quite high in June, July or in August, so check the flight prices in time. The same with accommodation, the high season means higher prices too. So book your accommodation in time as well.
What can you do in Croatia in May?
May 1: It’s Labor Day in Croatia but there are no distruptions in transport or in the tourism sector.
International Flower Festival in Split: it always takes place in the basement hall of the Diocletian’s Palace in Split.
Zagreb Flower Show: It takes place at the end of May which features 120 florists.
May 7: St Duje’s Day (also called St Domnius). He is the patron saint of Split. Competitions, games are taking place in Split.
Dubrovnik International Film Festival: it’s a really popular event. Once you’re there you can visit this beautiful city. You can go for a walk on the beach or visit one of Dubrovnik’s excellent cafés.
Don’t wait until the high season, visit Croatia in May because you can enjoy it better when it’s really hot and you only want to spend time on the beach.
Vis Island is located in central Dalmatia, its size is 90 km2. Bigger towns of the island are Vis and Komiza. Limestone hills, fertile valleys, sand dunes and vine are everywhere.
Despite of the size you can find quality accomodation – private apartments and hotels – on the island. The water is crystal clear and the beaches er great. The seafood is also very tasty and fresh in the small home restaurants, you can try lamb, weel, octopusy, lobsters, sheep, goat cheese, local wine or herbal spirits.
Vis Island has several Roman historical memories such as:
roman city of Issa with square, agora
a bronze head of Aphrodite
fortresses.
The island has many famous vineyards, if you like light red wine then Opol is for you. If you go for the heavy read then try Visko Crno or if the white wine is for your taste then choose Vugava.
You can also go for walking here, you can follow the old donkey tracks. Car hire in Croatia >>
April is a great month to visit Croatia as the many flowering trees will be in full bloom. You might be able to sunbathe for a few hours along the coast and there’s a huge variety of cultural programmes. The average temperature at April varies between 11-13 °C.
Visiting Dubrovnik or Zagreb could be a good idea as the weather is mild and the walled towns are relatively empty of visitors (and full of cultural programmes). The hardier souls might want to venture into the water – by April, Croatia’s rivers are at their peak, to the delight of kayakers and rafters.
With the milder weather comes a variety of cultural and sports events. Here are some April festivals:
Biennial of Contemporary Music Zagreb
From 12-tonal to atonal, from sopranos to saxophones, ponder the newest sounds at this prestigious festival which takes place in odd-numbered years.
St. George’s Day Festival
Jurjevo at the last week of April marks the beginning of the growing season. St. George is the patron saint of harvests and fertility. The festival is a big deal in the country villages lying north of Zagreb where there are masses and festive bonfires.
Festival Sv. Marka (St Mark’s Festival)
This music festival highlights classical music and local folk music performed by national and international artists. Most concerts take place in Zagreb’s colourful St Mark’s church.
Days of Marulic – Croatian Theatre Festival
Held at the last week of April, this festival celebrates Split’s most renowned playwright, Marko Marulic who completed Judita, the first truly “Croatian” literary work in 1501. There are lots of plays from troupes around the country.
Croatia Boat Show
As the name suggests, everything nautical is on display in this major, international show.
Porec Vinistra
From the end of April to the beginning of May, Porec celebrates wine in all its glory.
Easter and the opening of the spring/summer season
Generally Easter gives the green light for Croatia’s spring/summer season. On the Easter holidays, those who seek a refreshing and sunny journey should aim for Croatia’s coast and islands for a little foretaste of summer (even if the sea’s too cold for a swim).
Dubrovnik, Pula and Hvar Islands are favourites among residents and European travellers for long weekends in March, April and May. While the bigger hotels in those places can get busy, private accommodation places and smaller hotels in most of the islands, especially in the northern Adriatic are remain closed. Yet early spring is generally the best season to visit Croatia’s spectacular national parks like Plitvice Lakes National Park – as the lakes and waterfalls are swollen with melting winter snow and there are fewer visitors.
As the days grow warmer and longer in late spring, the season becomes gentle enough to stay by the sea. By mid-May southern Dalmatia can be pleasantly warm. You may not be just by yourself, but it’s much less crowded before midsummer. Plus, by this time hotels haven’t yet jacked up their prices for the peak summer season.
The only real disadvantage of travelling within Croatia in the spring is that Jadrolinija does not launch its summer schedule until the last weekend in May. Until then, there are fewer ferries running from the mainland to the islands and among the islands. So, you won’t have as much flexibility in planning your schedule but Car Rentals Croatia will get you there and around.
The first month of the Croatian spring/summer season.
When the days are getting longer in March and the weather is warming up a bit, (the average temperature varies between 10 and 7°C on the Croatian coast line) the Croatian festival season upsurges.
Culture buffs will find the concert, theatre, dance and opera season in full swing in Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik. However because of its hard working inhabitants, Croatia’s nightlife is mostly confined to weekends with bars, music clubs and discos thriving from Friday to Sunday. Depending on the calendar, it may be time for Palm Sunday or Easter or you may be able to take part in Holy Week in Korcula when the streets of the Old Town are filled with processions by Korcula’s age-old brotherhoods.
As the winter snows are starting to melt in early March, it’s a great time to visit places with waterfalls such as Plitvice Lakes and Krka National Park. For those who seek adventure it’s a good time for vigorous activities such as hiking, cycling or rock climbing too.
I’ve just came across a great video on Croatia where you can discover the hidden beauties of this stunning country. Great beaches, amazing Croatian cities an many more. Check this out:
If you want to experience the real Croatia then visit this beautiful country during Easter. A week of celebrations begin in Croatia when people have to gather palm branches and then they festooned with ribbons and flowers and woven into wreaths or crosses. Unfortunately there are very few palm trees in Croatia so olive and rosemary branches are also acceptable. You don’t have to make them but you can buy them on the way to the church.
These little bouquets – also called poma – then blessed in the church. People take them come and they hang around the house to protect against bad spirits.
Easter food is also blessed in th church then people can take it home and eat it on Easter morning. The most typical Easter food is: ham with horseradish sauce, with spring onions and with radish. It is actually very tasty and filling. The highlight of the Easter meal is a special cake called pinca which is homemade. It’s fruit-studded and yeast-raised which can be braided or left round with the sign of the cross cut into it after it has raised.
Easter eggs are really popular in Croatia. Eggs are painted or dyed – they are usually red, brown or green. They used to pain them with red beet, oak and with green plants. They are really beautiful and they are safe to eat as well. Egg fight is a Croatian tradition when people throw eggs to each other knocking their egg into an opponent’s to see who comes out the winner (unbroken).
In central Croatia people also build bonfires which they call krijes, kres or vuzmenica. In other places they shoot from old fashioned pistols – called kubura.
