3 different climates, 10 nature parks, 8 national parks, countless beaches, excellent food & wine, and 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites - where are you? Croatia!

Croatia is an easily accessible country on the Adriatic Sea. Full of nature, history, and incredible culture, it's one of Europe's hidden gems. You can explore to your heart's content, or book all inclusive holidays and stay put for a while, and relax. 

Wine

Did someone say wine? Rosie Carbo, one of our editors, is a wine aficionado who was VERY pleased to learn about Croatian wines. She notes, "The Greeks influenced wine cultivation and culture in Croatia well before the Romans arrived in 9 AD. Situated on the Adriatic Sea, Croatia is bordered by Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro. The history of this nation of nearly 4.5 million includes wars, invasions, and being part of the Ottoman Empire.

As a result, Croatia shares a history, culture, language, and customs with some of its bordering neighbors. Yet despite calamities, natural or man-made, viticulture traditions have survived. So much so that Croatia now has a burgeoning, modern wine industry. In 2002, a team from University of California at Davis concluded that DNA testing had revealed that the origin of California’s Zinfandel and Italy’s Primitivo grapes was Croatia’s indigenous grape, Crljenak Kastelanski." She delves deep into Croatian wines here - it'll make you thirsty!

Can't wait to get to a vineyard in Croatia? There's a secret cave - with a perfectly cooled natural wine cellar - under the runway at Dubrovnik airport! 

Photo: Cliff Rames, Wines of Croatia

Waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls

There are many incredibly beautiful landscapes throughout Croatia. One that is worth seeing is Plitvice Lakes, a national park and world heritage site. Explore 16 terraced lakes, and walk through, over, and around waterfalls. Read one of our student's accounts of her time there (and then long to see such green and blues yourself).

Photo: Izabel Antle 

Hear a sea organ and see a nature-powered night-time light show

In Zadar, along the Adriatic Coast, there is one of the most unusual instruments you will ever hear - a Sea Organ. Created in 2005 by architect Nikola Bašić, it's an interesting musical instrument, played by waves! Then, when the sun goes down, an art installation, powered by the energy of the waves and sun collected during the day, lights up! Called A Salute to the Sun, it's beautiful.

Eat well!

Of course, along the sea. But you might be surprised at the quality of the food, the availability of alternative eats (our vegetarian Sweden editor loved it there! ), and the reasonable prices. There's a wide range of influences that will make your tastebuds SING.

Oliva Pizzeria, Dubrovnik, by Talia Adamsson

Game of Thrones

Need I say more? Here's a map to all the filming locations of this popular show.

The staircase in Rector's Palace in Dubrovnik, Croatia where the Spice King refuses ships to Daenerys in Game of Thrones. Wikimedia Commons: Kigsz

History

Of course, you will want to walk Dubrovnik's famous (and historic - 1,000 year old!) walls. 

But you can also find history around just about any corner. Explore Diocletian’s Palace, Split - the Roman emperor's home here, built around 4th century AD.

Catch a concert at Pula Arena, a lovely remant of time from Imperial Rome. Constructed in 27BC-68AD, it is one of the 6 largest surviving Roman arenas in the world. Check out this aerial view!

Beaches

Sand beaches, stone beaches - Croatia is well-known for incredibly beautiful beaches. One of my friends, Rita DeMichiel, notes, "If you were to nail me down to name only one place – I would have to say that Zlatni Rat in Croatia would have to be my favorite! Beautiful beaches, sparkling water, friendly people, and the slow-paced atmosphere make it one of my favorite spots on earth!" 

Photo: Rita DeMichiel

Note: if you love beaches AND lighthouses, there are over 46 lighthouses along the coast, not counting towers, lights, or beacons.

Oštri Rat Lighthouse, Zadar. Wikimedia Commons: Böhringer Friedrich

Coffee culture

Dig into any travel guide to Croatia, and you'll read about all the GREAT coffee. But there's more to Croatian coffee than just coffee, of course - it's all about culture. 

A post shared by Cogito Coffee (@cogitocoffeeroasters) on Oct 22, 2016 at 4:42am PDT

Have you been? What did you love most?

All photos creative commons, except where noted