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On the 8th of Juli Stari Grad Plain was added to UNESCO’s list of world cultural herritage

The Stari Grad Plain on the Adriatic island of Hvar is a cultural landscape that has remained practically intact since it was first colonized by Ionian Greeks from Paros in the 4th century BC. For 2400 years this area has been used for Wine and Olive growing, The landscape features ancient stone walls and trims, or small stone shelters, and bears testimony to the ancient geometrical system of land division used by the ancient Greeks.

With the adding of Stari Grad Plain, Croatia now holds 7 UNESCO sites:

6 of the Croatian UNESCO site is on the list for world Cultural herritage

• The Cathedral of St James in Šibenik

• Historic city of Trogir

• Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Porec: 

• Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian

• Old City of Dubrovnik

• Stari Grad Plain

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The last site is on UNESCO list for world Natural herritage

• The Plitvice Lakes National Park

In addision to these 7 sites, Croatia has several sites on the Tentative list

• Zadar - Episcopal complex (2005)
• Historical-town planning ensemble of Ston with Mali Ston, connecting walls, the Mali Ston Bay nature reserve, Stonsko Polje and the salt pans (2005)
• Historical-Town Planning Ensemble Tvrda (Fort) in Osijek (2005)
• Varazdin - Historic Nucleus and Old Town (the Castle) (2005)
• Burg - Castle of Veliki Tabor (2005)
• Lonjsko Polje Nature Park (2005)
• Velebit Mountain (2005)
• Frontiers of the Roman Empire Croatian Limes (2005)
• Lubenice (2005)
• Primošten Vineyards (2007)
• Hermitage Blaca (2007)
• City of Motovun (2007)
• The historic town of Korčula (2007)
• Kornati National Park and Telašćica Nature Park (2007)

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Traveling to Croatia

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There’s Island and two lakes extraordinary connected …name of that Island is Mljet.

Mljet is rich with forests because of that, he is known as the "Green Island". Fauna is so rich ,the sea is crystal and the sandy and gravel beaches are very attractive for tourist destination. Because extreme natural beauty 1960 he was declared like National Park.

In National Park you will see two lakes located there .It is amazing to see very exotic. Both lakes has only tour boats for turist sightseeings saling around, Private wessels are not allowed.

Walking trails leads you around the lakes. The salt lakes are a unique geological and oceanographic phenomenon of worldwide importance. They originated approximately 10,000 years ago and, until the Christian era, they were freshwater lakes.

Island is really something to sea nobody can stay impassive after only couple hours there.

MORE PHOTOS FROM MLJET !!!

Here is some option how to get on Mljet

Airports:

- Dubrovnik, Split

Ferry Jadrolinija:

- from Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Hvar, … to Sobra (Mljet) 
- everyday from Dubrovnik to Sobr
- everyday from place Prapratno (peninsula Pelješac) to Sobra (Mljet)

By Car:

- Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik - Sobra (ferry)
- Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Ston, Prapratno - Sobra (ferry)
- Zagreb, Plitvice (National Park), (Zadar), Split, Dubrovnik-Sobra (ferry)
- Zagreb, Plitvice, (Zadar), Split, Ston, Prapratno - Sobra (ferry)

Lastovo one of the farthest islands is protected park of nature since 2006. It is ideal place for vacation, untouched nature, so quietly and beautiful landscape… ideal for peaceful summer holiday. Most attractive are excursions by boats to Lastovo archipelago, islands and islets, where you can swims near beautiful landscape and have fish picnic.

Lastovo is very attractive Island and there is lot of thinks what you can do there during the summer from scuba diving, fishing and underwater fishing, and many other active things…hiking, trekking, biking.

You can reach Lastovo by ferryboat or catamaran from Split (Split – Vela luka – Lastovo). It is possible also to come to Lastovo via Korčula – with the ferryboat in Vela Luka.

From Split:

• If you arrive by car, then ferryboat is your choice (the journey takes less than 5 hours).
• By high-speed boat, the journey takes 2 hr. 45 min.

What to do this summer at lastovo:

• Music Festival  Lastovo – the Music Island 2008 will be July 24th - 27th. All concerts will be at the ‘Bašta’ - next to the Lastovo Church, and a camping place will be next to the Football playground. This festival we call Dalmatian Woodstock because over the years the most popular rock attractions have been included in the Festival.

MAPA OF LASTOVO

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Its special feeling to come in centre of Split city at fish market or Peskarija as it is called here. To me like to the most of people from Dalmatians it’s a ritual. We take a short way around tables full of fresh fish and exchange couple words with fish seller about from where and how fresh fish is. After a while when my eye’s get tired from all kind fishes and prices I do as almost every citizens here, I went to the table with small sort fish.

Around 12 a clock they reduced price on almost half so its very cheep to buy a good and quality fish. People buy most picarels, sprats, mackerels, sardines and anchovies.

After that we bought fish for lunch we take opportunity to take a cup of coffee in café bar near. What I can offer you its old traditional fish recipe called “Sardine in marinade”. So here comes an ingrediens

1 kg  fresh sardine

1 middle big garlic

1,5 dcl oliv oil

4 spoons vinegar

1 twig rosemary

3 spoons threaded parsley

Salt and pepper

It only takes 5 min to prepare it.

wash sardines and remove their intestine but not heads, we sponge them with clout. Straw with salt and pepper and put some drops of oil on. Put sardine on heat grill or In 250 degree warm oven without any oil. When they are ready we put them in no metal base so the one fish head is next to others arrears. In the pan on oliv oil we put threaded garlic on low heat an we add parsley and about 20small blades of rosemary and vinegar. When all of this boild up we throw it ower sardins and cover base. Then we put them in the frige untill tomorrow.They could stay in this marinade for couple days without any problems and they are best test after some days. We can also  use tuna fish instead for sardines. Sardines is blue fish, rich on insatable acids, Omega-3 and Omega 6 wich are very important for blood system structure. To hunt sardines, the best period is May when the big fishing period starts. Boats went out from hourbors and with speciall nets called “plivarica”they hunt sardines.

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Yesterday was first sunny day since we moved to Rijeka. I cleaned dust from camera and we went to first look around:-)

We choose to go and see Trsat, which is a peaceful hill above Rijeka, with one of the oldest Croatian sanctuaries dedicated to the Virgin Mary, as we felt a need to thank for safe trip, movement, job etc.

The sanctuary is actually an old settlement and fortress that still treasures numerous artefacts, churches and other monuments. In the centre of Trsat, stands the Church of Our Lady of Trsat. In front is huge monument in memory of Pope’s visit. Alongside the church is situated Franciscan monastery. The inside of both is full with beautiful works of art. Part of monastery that really affected us is Chapel of Votive Gifts. Walls are full of pictures, hand made works, words of gratitude, some of them are older than 150 years. Reading them we felt amazing, like getting our own strength for new "battles".

Few steps from church are the Trsat Hill-Fort placed. Its history dates from prehistorically times, and is a witness of great history and gives beautiful view to town and river Rječina. During the summer, the hill-fort is the cultural and artistic centre of Rijeka - the site of many art exhibitions, concerts, theatrical performances and other types of entertainment.

Here you can refresh your self with drink on the terrace and shoot unforgettable photos:-)

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Today we went to see the cave in Vranjaca, which impressed us a lot.The cave is situated only 24 km from Split, although we have lived here for 4 years we actually never hear about it; witch’s is a shame as it is a very special nature experience.

When we arrived to the cave around noon, we were welcome by Mr. Punda, who is the grandson of Stipe Punda, who discovered the cave in 1903. As we were the only guest, Mr. Punda was so kind to give us a guided tour in the caves.

The cave is 65 meter deep, and separated in more champers, in the upper part, evidence has been found that people where living here several thousand years ago. The cave is about 65-70 million years old, and it was created by an underground river. Today parts of the river Jadro are running about 10 meters below the lower parts of the cave.

If you bring a little fantasy, you will especially in the lower part of the cave be able to see stalactite and stalagmites formations, looking like people, animals or building. The dripstones contain different kind of minerals like aluminium, cobber and crystal.

The cave is open every day the whole year from 9 am to 20 pm. In the summer you will have the opportunity every Wednesday and Thursday to see mystics of bright starry night with authentic folklore and sounds of folk traditional songs in the cave. After the show you will be able to enjoy some of the traditional domestic cuisine of this beautiful area, like cheese and smoked ham (prsut).

As we were very fond of the place/cave, we arranged with Mr. Punda to sell tickets to those evenings in our internet café in split – so do not miss out on this nature phenomenon.

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This Sunday we together with our Australian friends went to see the National park Krka to see the waterfalls, although we have been here several times, this was our first trip in the winter season. We went to Skradin, which is the southern entrance for the park, he we actually had plan to have lunch in a winery which friends of ours from Split had recommended, unfortunately the place was closed.

From Skradin you can in the summer season go with boats to the lower end of the waterfalls, at this time a year options are by foot or car, so we headed for the blue bridge just outside of Skradin, from where a road leads to the lower end of the waterfalls, the young man at the gate was so kind to inform us that it was actually easier to go to the entrance in Lozovac (7 Km from Skradin).

In Lozovac, you would normally have to park you car app. 1 Km from the waterfalls and take the bus or walk down to the small village inside the park, but during winter you can go by own car, so after paying the 25 Kuna entrance we did so.

From the village, which actually in the summer works as a museum with blacksmith, weavery etc which you can visit. We took at walk on the beautiful laid out walking paths, compared to our last visit this summer you could clearly see the difference in the amount of water going down the falls, which made everything looks much more wild. Judge your self!

Summer visit to Krka Waterfalls

Winter visit to Krka Waterfalls

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Last Sunday we went on a trip with our Australian friend to see the Nature phenomenon the Imotski lakes, which is a red and a blue sinkhole lake.

Imotski is situated in the mountain land of Dalmatia close to the Bosnian border, a 100 km drive from

Split. It took us around 1 hours and 15 minutes to get there.

Both lakes has some impressive dimentions which actually makes them some of the largest sinkhole lakes in the world, the blue lake has cliffs sides up to 900 meters high, the red lake has almost vertical Cliffside which make it a bit scary for people like me with height problems to look down the whole.

Too the bottom of the blue lake there is a walking path, so you can actually walk all the way down, so in the summer the local people swim in the see. And special phenomenon whit the blue lake is that it actually dry out from time to time, when this happen the local people play soccer at the bottom of the lake.

The red lake can only be seen from the small viewing platform next to the road. Numerous divers have tried to find the bottom of the red lake, until now the have only succeeded to determine that the red lake continues into a cave 280 meter below the surface. A funny think about the red lake is that is almost impossible to throw a stone into the water, Shain and I tried numerous times with out any luck so if plan to make holiday in Croatia and are close to Imotski, maybe you should give a try (-:

Here you can see all photos from our trip to Imotski

Here you can all our pictures from our trips in Croatia

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After visiting the archaeological museum, we headed on to the ruins of the roman city Salona, which is situated in the suburbs of Split on the way to Trogir.

 

What few people know is that Salona actually was one of the major cities in the Roman Empire with a peak time population of almost 60.000, which is 3 times as much as e.g. Pompeii had.

 

 

 

Unfortunately lager part of the Salona city has been covered by industrial factories, which mainly was established when Croatia was part of the former Yugoslavia republic.

 

 

 

Despite of this the, area which today can be visited is still quite big, so we definitely would recommend you to plan at least half a day for the visit, if you want to see all of it. As you can see on our pictures, bring you own launch is also, not a bad idea. What you definitely should remember is appropriate shoes.

 

 

 

Salona is open whole year to visitors’ and the entrance fee is only 20 Kuna, so if you are close to Split this summer you should plan a visit.

 

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Saturday morning we went with our Australian friends to see the Archaeological museum in Split. Although we have been living here for 3 years we have to admit this was our first visit (-:

Actually the museum is one of the oldest archaeological museums in eastern Europe, dated back to then beginning of the 19^th century, The museums is mainly based on founds from Split and Salona, but in total more than 50 archaeological finding areas has supplied the museum with the valuable objects.

The first think which surprised us about the museum, was the beautiful building, we actually passed by hundreds of times by car, not noticing it because large trees along the outside wall. But when you first get inside there is a beautiful garden, and alone the surrounding wall you find an exhibition of large findings mainly from Diocletian’s Palace and the old roman city Salona.

Inside of the building there is exhibition of smaller items, like pottery, glass, coins, and armour, some of it date back to year 10.000 BC.

We spend a couple of hours at the museum, both for adults as well as the kids, there was plenty of inspiration for there imagination, so we definitely would recommend a visit to the Archaeological museum, you can visit the homepage of the museum here to find more information.

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