Welcome to Croatia! Dubro dosli u Hrvatoku!

WELCOME TO CROATIA DUBRO DOSLI U HRVATOKU

I was pleased to find that the former Yugoslavia is still as beautiful as it used to be, and tourism is its biggest draw.

With a flight available from Gatwick with Croatia Airlines, you can fly direct into Split in just over two-and-a-half hours, or Dubrovnik in three hours. Croatia is only one hour ahead of GMT, making it a comfortable journey and no jet lag! Hydrofoils operate regularly along the coast and visit all the major islands in the Adriatic Sea.

With temperatures as high as 85'F in the peak season months of June, July and August, the weather is perfect if you are looking for a beach holiday, but at the same time, being near the coast, you will find a refreshing breeze.

As I toured through Croatia, I visited a lot of hotels along the way. I found they were of a very good standard with private facilities and often a balcony or terrace. All the buildings throughout Croatia are made of stone with marble floors, keeping it cool during the summer months'although as an added luxury some of the hotels have air conditioning, and these rooms get snapped up first.

The Croatian people are a beautiful population, always with a smile. They love the English and are very welcoming to tourists, helping you to fit in and have one of the best holidays possible.

Hiring a car is an excellent way to see Croatia, with views out to the Adriatic Sea and the Dalmatian Islands with mountains forming backdrops. The turquoise waters are crystal clear, perfect for snorkelling. There are a lot of activities concentrated on their beautiful waters. These range from hiring a pedalo, diving and sailing.

Croatia has some of the best beaches in the world. Jelly shoes are a good idea when going into the water as the beaches tend to be shingle, with the most famous exception to this being the Golden Horn beach of Bol.

Croatia has a very Greek feel to it with its whitewashed houses and red roofs, the big difference being that it is not overpopulated with tourists.

Eating out is a fun part of the holiday. The restaurants are good value, and you'll be pleased to know that it is cheaper than in the UK. Ice cream is very popular with the children (and the adults!), and you can find every flavour'look out for the white chocolate flavour, I sampled it regularly!

Many of the bars have live bands performing on their terraces throughout the summer. For those who prefer a livelier nightlife, entrance to most nightclubs is free, and tend to get busier later on in the evening. A lot of the music played is the same as in the UK, so you can dance!

My journey ended in Dubrovnik, which is a spectacular city. An ancient stone wall surrounds this historic city, with its churches, monasteries and palaces, for everyone to marvel over. The cobbled streets lead you through a selection of shops and bars perfect for relaxing with a glass of wine!

If you’d like to know more email me: charmaine@hallmarktravel.com

Meet me in the Gallery!