Stretching for 2 000km from the Slovenian border near Trieste in the north to the border with Montenegro just south of Dubrovnik, the Croatian coastline is largely undeveloped and pristine. Some 1 200 islands lie off the coast – little havens where fishermen tend their nets, women toil in the fields, and you can escape and swim and sunbathe to your heart’s content. As you travel around the villages and quaint harbours you feel like you’re in a time warp – the fortified settlements, striking churches, rambling vineyards and old wooden boats take you back to the days of old.
Words and pics: Fiona McIntosh 

There were twice as many visitors before the war,’ insisted Nikolina to my remark about the number of tourists thronging the streets of Dubrovnik. ‘Planes were landing every five minutes. Dubrovnik was the “in” city, the Pearl of the Adriatic. But now she is struggling to recover from the wounds inflicted during the siege of Dubrovnik in 1991 [the end of the Croatian war of Independence that saw Croatia splitting from the Communist former republic of Yugoslavia]. About 70% of the buildings in the old town were destroyed. It was tragic.’

Wandering around the medieval city you can’t fail to be impressed by the massive surrounding walls – at 19 feet thick and 82 feet high, they were designed to protect the city, and to a large extent they did their job. But the shells came over, pummelling the churches and houses. You can still see some evidence of shell damage, but the most obvious sign of the destruction is the number of new red roof tiles – Dubrovnik, one of the finest fortified cities in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was rapidly rebuilt and restored to its former glory. Nikolina led us to our home for the next couple of days – one of her newly renovated apartments just inside the Pile Gate. The mood in the city is buoyant now. Restaurants and fancy shops line the narrow cobbled streets and revellers sit outside at the pavement cafés and bars. But it’s not hard to imagine what a terrifying rabbit warren it must have been during the onslaught.

Over the next couple of days we explored the area, kayaking out to nearby Lokrum Island and sailing out to the Elafiti Islands to sunbathe and swim in the crystal-clear waters, climbing the mountain overlooking the town for sunset and to learn about the siege at the summit museum, sitting outside the pale limestone walls with a drink or in a quayside restaurant dining on garlic mussels and fresh fish as soft floodlights lit up the city. Dubrovnik is unbelievably romantic, and though it’s by far the busiest destination in Croatia, it still manages to retain a charm that so many Mediterranean cities have lost. ‘Our mayor was a visionary,’ explains Nikolina. ‘He worked to make Dubrovnik a different kind of tourist destination -– a boutique version of antiquity and beach that is popular on a larger scale in the south of France, Spain, Italy and Greece.’  From what we’d seen travelling through Dalmatia this controlled, boutique-style development was succeeding, not just in Dubrovnik, but all the way along the coast.  Croatia is a relative newcomer to the list of global tourism hotspots, but if you’re planning a visit, go soon – I fear it won’t remain a well-kept secret for much longer. A glance at a map reveals it’s a strategic and easily accessible location, just across the Adriatic Sea from the ‘boot’ of Italy. Although small, Croatia is sandwiched between the ancient city states of Rome and Athens, so massive cruise boats ply its shores carrying visitors between the historical coastal sites and disgorging them in Dubrovnik for a few hours of sightseeing. Croatia is also where the Mediterranean and Central Europe meet, so it’s incredibly diverse both in terms of its landscapes and history. Much of the country is mountainous or forested and so is rarely visited by tourists,
but the natural splendour of the coastal strip has seen Croatia develop into one of Europe’s most intriguing playgrounds – particularly for lovers of sailing, diving and other watersports.   The country has a complex history – Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Slav, Venetian, Hapsburg, Yugoslav, Nazi, Communist – and this is reflected in the architecture and customs, so culture vultures will love the place. But so do all tourists, not least because it feels so safe. The Croatian people are fiercely proud of their new country and eager to put Croatia on the map, so are incredibly welcoming.

 It makes for a superb place to visit. Most visitors concentrate on the area between Split and Dubrovnik, taking in some of the wonderful islands such as Hvar, Korcula and Vis en route. Travel between the islands and the mainland is easy thanks to an extensive and efficient network of car ferries and hydrofoils, and outside the summer peak season you rarely have to book in advance – simply turn up and drive on. Yacht sailing – either bareboat charter or sailing as part of a flotilla – is extremely popular and allows you to escape the crowds by day and enjoy some of the quaint harbours and smaller island marinas at night. And with its sunny Mediterranean climate, crystal-clear aquamarine waters and rich marine life, Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is one of the best European destinations for divers. Liveaboard dive trips are a fabulous way of exploring the area, and most of the major hotels have dive centres. And though there are some 150 diving clubs along the coast you will rarely find two boats on one site – hardly surprising when you consider that there are literally hundreds of little bays and easily accessible islands with a variety of wrecks, caves and shallow reefs to suit all levels of experience and interest.  The clarity of the water is amazing – if you look down from the jetty or boat or stroll out from the beach you’ll inevitably see the limestone pebbles of the seabed, so you don’t even need to dive to appreciate the marine life. I’ve dived quite a bit in Europe and haven’t been over-impressed by the Med, but the Adriatic coast seems to have much greater numbers, and a much greater variety of fish, crustaceans and nudibranchs – and even cute little sea horses – than you see in the more established European holiday destinations.  Central Dalmatia is home to several of southern Europe’s most beautiful medieval coastal towns, and with the exception of the large port of Split, tourist development is low-key and tasteful. Even Split is pretty cool by the standards of most big cities, and is dominated by one of Croatia’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian. Generally the hotels are not ugly modern monstrosities, but rather old properties that have been restored, and new developments have been sensitive to the unspoilt natural environment. Tourists are offered plenty of choice when it comes to low-cost accommodation too,
with rooms for rent in family houses, plenty of self-catering accommodation and, in the popular stretches, campsites.

There are some fancy restaurants, but generally, as in South Africa, dining is a relaxed, informal affair that won’t break the bank. At the end of each day we dined al fresco on fresh fruits of the sea washed down with local beer and wine.
Two weeks sped by quickly. There was still so much to explore, but Croatia is somewhere I’ll definitely return to. If you want a taste of classical Europe combined with sun and sea, then it’s hard to beat. But be warned – most of the coastal strip is rocky. If you’re after a beach holiday, you’ll be disappointed. Rather stick to Mauritius. 

 ‘Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik.’ – George Bernard Shaw  Contacts Organising a trip Bergarmo Travel is the South African representative for the Croatian-based company Pasko T&T (www.paskott.com). As a specialist tour operator to Croatia it offers
a range of customised fly-in holidays from South Africa, self-drives staying in unusual and good-value accommodation, boat charter/cruises, coach tours and incentive/group travel as well as more adventurous packages such as cycling holidays. Phone 011-463-5525, e-mail admin@bergarmo.co.za, or visit www.bergarmo.co.za   Red tape South African passport holders require visas to visit Croatia. These can be organised through Bergarmo Travel or through the Croatian Consulate at 1160 Church Street, 0083 Colbyn, Pretoria. Write to PO Box 11335, 0028, Hatfield, Pretoria or phone 012-342-1206. Allow 15 days for delivery.   Accommodation Hotel Podstine, Hvar This three-star hotel was our favourite accommodation in Croatia. It’s perched on the cliffs of a little cove a short walk from the beautiful old town of Hvar and has its own dive school and rocky ‘beach’, as well as a big outdoor pool, spa/wellness centre and top-notch restaurant.  A short boatride from the harbour are the pine-covered Pakleni Islands, which include the naturist island of Jerolim (naturism is very popular in Croatia), and the  beautiful island of Veliki Otok, home to the much-acclaimed Bay of Palmizana.

A trip to Palmizana is really worthwhile – either by one of the regular water taxis or in a hired motor boat – not least because of its sandy beaches, but also because of its superb cuisine, art gallery and botanical gardens. The gardens are the creation of the botanist Eugen Meneghello, whose descendants now run the Pansion Meneghello – a rather arty gastronomic retreat. The main cove gets very crowded, but the island is big enough to wander around through the sweet-smelling forest or shrubs of rosemary and aloes until you find your own private bit of rock to chill out on, while the sheltered bays make for superb snorkelling.  Hvar itself is also exquisitely beautiful, with lovely old ports and villages, lots of opportunities for wine-tasting, and a high mountain range forming its spine from which plunge steep slopes covered with lavender, olives and vines. www.podstine.com  Villa DePolo, Korcula This family-run guesthouse in the centre of Korcula is right on the water’s edge, so you simply cross the road for your early-morning swim! Korcula is one of the largest and most popular islands in the Adriatic, and the old fortified town is a wonderful place to explore. There are sandy beaches at nearby Lumbarda, while day trips to Mljet and other islands, wine-tasting and fresh seafood in the many waterside restaurants make it difficult to move on.  Apartmani Deranja, Dubrovnik Staying within the city walls is the best way to get a feel for Dubrovnik, where every building seems to ooze history and culture. Apartmani Deranja consists of newly renovated apartments within the old town – the perfect base for exploring the sites.