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May be for some people the name Croatia or Republic of Croatia doesn’t sound familiar but actually this ex-Yogoslavian country progressively gains a popularity as one of most beautiful and romantic destinations in Europe.Croatia is young country with incredible nature and mild Mediterranean climate. It is situated in South Europe, on the west coast of the Balkan Peninsula at the Adriatic sea.
Croatia has very disjointed coast line with many bays, peninsulas and islands that in combination with the disjointed shore and warm climate make the country paradise for the tourists.
The country has stunning 1,185 islands lying offshore and only 66 of them are presently inhabited.The coast line of Croatia is incredible long especially in comparison with its small territory. It’s total lenght is more than 5 800 km. -this is approximately the distance between New York and Madrid. This is because of the great number of inlets and peninsulas in the country.
Croatia has warm Mediterranean climate. The summer is long and hot. The winter is short and mild. The temperatures are around 10 °C in January and February. In March and April the temperatures are between 15 and 20 °C, summer time tempetures are between 25 and 28 °C.
The capital of country is Zagreb and it is situated in the northwest of the country with population of about 1.1 million. This is the biggest city in the country. It is home to ¼ of the Croatian population. It has good infrastructure, wide squares, beautiful fountains, green parks, cathedrals, modern buildings. This is a typical European city.The most famous and interesting city is Dubrovnik located in the southern part of country. Dubrovnik is rich with culture and history ans is listed in UNESCO World Heritage List.
Dubrovnik old city was built in 13th century and remains almost untouched to the present day. It has been comparable only to Venice. The streets of Dubrovnik are narrow and the history can be felt in the air. The houses are made of stone, the roofs are covered by red tiles. Many visitors enjoy people-watching whilst sipping coffee in one of the numerous cosy cafes.
Another famous city is Split- home of tennis superstars Goran Ivanisevic and Mario Ancic. Split is the one of the largest cites in Croatia and it was first settled when, at the end of the third century AD, the Roman Emperor Diocletian built his palace on the site of today’s Split. The Diocletian Palace is well preserved Roman palace located now in the very heart of Split and is major tourist attraction. It has been since 1979 on the UNESCO World Heritage list. 
Croatian beaches are oftenthe main attraction which is no surprise that when summer time comes around, beaches are jammed everywhere.
Croatia is world famous with its clean nature and many National Parks. This country is one of the less affected of the pollution in the world.
It is not secret that the Balkan nature is one of the wildest and most beautiful not only in Europe, but in the world. Stunning, beautiful forests cover the biggest part of the country. But the most famous part of the Croatian nature is Dalmatia (or Dalmatian coast).
Hundreds of beautiful green island, some of them unpopulated, dotted the coast of Croatia.
The Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of Croatia’s biggest tourists attractions and the most visited national park. It lies roughly halfway between Zagreb and Zadar in an ancient and the enchanted woodland known as the ‘Devil’s Garden’ -scattered with lakes, streams, natural dams, waterfalls, caves, and meadows.The park is home to brown bears, wolves, wild cats and many rare birds, as well as wide variety of Alpine and Mediterranean plants.
Another great thing that should be mentioned about Croatia is the country’s amazing cuisine.Croatian food is normally simple peasant food, which is easy to prepare but delicious nonetheless. People from the Croatian Adriatic eat food that is very similar to Italian cuisine. It includes plenty of fish, olive oil, vegetables and self-sown herbs found near the sea is why this cuisine is considered to be very healthy.
Those who enjoy the taste of exquisitely prepared lobster, octopus, shrimp, oyster, date shells and high quality white fish, complemented with excellent wine, will have their senses uplifted in this part of the world.Croatian wines, olive oil and salted olives, have been highly esteemed since ancient times. Famous wines include Dingac and Postup, Babic from Primosten; Vugava and Plancic from the island of Hvar, Malmsey from Dubrovnik, etc., and also Prosecco (a sweet dessert wine), and liqueurs (Maraschino, Vlahov). Grgich Hill winery from Napa Valley in California is owned by american born croatian Mike Grgich who has been called “The King of Chardonnay”- http://www.grgich.com/
Though everyone knows it’s best to avoid France, Spain and Italy during peak season, the all-year round low cost of visiting Croatia means you can take in the country’s delights in mid-summer without penny-pinching.
Celebrities who have spent a romantic getaway in Croatia:
1. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn – http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1287435/Goldie-Hawn-Kurt-Russell-prove-25-year-romance-going-strong-holiday-Croatia.html
2. Eva Longoria and tony Parker -http://www.hellomagazine.com/celebrities/201007073823/eva-longoria/parker/croatia-anniversary/1/
