Croatia extends from the furthest eastern edges of the Alps in the north-west to the Pannonian lowlands and the banks of the Danube in the east; its central region is covered by the Dinara mountain range, and its southern parts extend to the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

5,835.3 km, of which 4,058 km comprise the coastlines of islands, solitary rocks and reefs. Number of islands, solitary rocks and reefs: 1,185; the largest islands are Cres and Krk; there are 47 inhabited islands.

In Croatia, where the Mediterranean, the mountains and the Pannonian plains come together in a unique harmony of natural beauty, within just a little more than a hundred kilometres, you can come across excitingly different landscapes.

kuna (1 kuna = 100 lipa). Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices, travel agencies, hotels, camps, marinas; cheques can be cashed in banks.

DALMATIA Located in the southern part of Croatia, the region includes hundreds of Croatian islands as well as mountains of Velebit, Biokovo and Sveti Ilija on the Peljesac peninsula. The main cities of the area are: Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, Sibenik and Zadar

Vis Island Located in central Dalmatia, the USP of the island are good accommodation in hotels or private apartments, unpolluted environment with the crystal clear sea and marine scenery as well as seafood.

Peljesac Peninsula has neat architecture as well as pleasurable scenery. It is well known for red wines Postup and Dingac

Brijuni (Brioni) Islands The island of Veli Brijun was one of the favourite destinations of the elite of Austrian, Hungarian and German aristocracy when Istria was part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. Brijuni was also the residence of late President Tito of Yugoslavia and almost every major statesman has visited the islands.

Pula located on southern tip of the Istrian peninsula, is something in between a busy working port, an industrial centre and an active Istrian Riviera town. Pula was once an Austro-Hungarian Empire major naval base.

Temple of Augustus The temple is located on the northwest side of the forum. It is made up of a larger closed cellar and a smaller vestibule open towards the square and flanked with four columns with Corinthian capitals on the front side and with one column on each lateral. Longitudinal walls of the cellar end with fluted semi-columns in the vestibule.

Opatija is one of the most popular resorts in Croatia and has the longest tradition of catering to tourists on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. The town, a popular summer and climatic resort, is located at the foot of Mt Ucka, situated at the eastern coast of Istria in the Rijeka Bay. Mt Ucka protects the coastal region of Opatija, which is primarily made of limestone, from the north and northwest. The mountain holds the moist air and clouds driven by the westerly winds.

Dubrovnik a UNESCO designated heritage city, was built in the 13th century and remains almost untouched to the present day. The city is located at the southern end of Croatia and because of its favorable geographical position it is popular among tourists from other European countries.

Zagreb - is a vivacious new European metropolis that has well preserved its Central European charm, the capital city of Croatia and the country's political, economic, intellectual and cultural centre

Rovinj - is also a famous resort, with many historical sacral buildings and Renaissance and Baroque palaces. The old nucleus is situated on a peninsula, previously an island connected to the shore in 1763.

Pula - is an ancient city on the southern tip of Istria, known for its 2,000 year old amphitheatre, one of the world's best preserved buildings of the kind, and other cultural monuments. . Pula, the largest city and port in Istria, a communication economic and administrative center, is an attractive place to spend a holiday for many tourists, with some 2,350 hours of sunshine a year.

Split - is the second largest city in Croatia, and the regional capital of Dalmatia, built inside and around the historical Diocletian's Palace from the third century, included in the UNESCO world heritage list. The people of Split, who are particularly attached to their city and the hill called Marjan overlooking it, will proudly boast that there is no other place in the world like Split.

Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous and is therefore known as the cuisine of regions, since every region has its own distinct culinary traditions. Its modern roots date back to ancient periods and the differences in the selection of foodstuffs and forms of cooking are most notable between those on the mainland and those in coastal regions. Mainland cuisine is more characterized by the earlier Slavic and the more recent contacts with the more famous gastronomic orders of today - Hungarian, Viennese and Turkish - while the coastal region bears the influences of the Greek, Roman and Illyrian, as well as of the later Mediterranean cuisine - Italian and French.

Croatian cuisine can, roughly summarized, be divided into some few regions which all have their specific cooking traditions, characteristic for the area and not necessarily well-known in other parts of Croatia. Meanwhile, however, most dishes can be found all across the country. This is also why the varied cuisine of Croatia is called "cuisine of the regions".

If you are a gourmet and a connoisseur of fine food, or simply like tasty and healthy food, you will certainly more than enjoy Croatia. Another attraction certainly worth exploring are Croatia's wine cellars. Red wines are best along the coast - Teran, Cabernet and Merlot in Istria and Opolo, Plavac, Dingac and Postup in Dalmatia. In the coastal area, some quality white wines are also produced, such as Pinot, Malvazija, Kujundzusa and White Muskat, while continental Croatia produces Traminac, Burgundac, Graševina and Kraljevina.

Croatia has three climate zones; the prevailing climate in the country’s interior is moderately rainy; on the highest peaks, a forest climate with snow falls, while the areas along the Adriatic coast have a pleasantly mild Mediterranean climate with a large number of sunny days; summers are dry and hot, winters mild and wet with significant precipitations. Average temperatures in the interior:

January -2 to 0o C, somewhat lower at the highest altitudes; August - about 20 oC and about 12 oC on the highest peaks. Average temperature in the littoral: January - 5 to 9 oC, August - 22 to 25 oC; sea temperature in winter: 2 oC; in summer, about 25 oC