Europe: Croatia and Slovenia - Venture Magazine Issue #3 Pages 14-15

Adriatic Attractions - Kumuka’s Croatia and Slovenia

Until the late-1980s, these nations were jewels in the crown of Mediterranean travel. When Yugoslavia crumbled, tourists turned their backs, leaving attractions vacant. With peace and security long since restored, Richard Trillo revisits a region that promises to become a drawcard on Kumuka’s already-popular European tours.

Croatia
From the Italian border, the Adriatic highway twists down the Dalmatian coast to the medieval town of Split, taking in a constantly changing scene of creeks, islands and beaches. It’s a memorable journey, traditionally broken up by stops at various kavana (cafés) or roadside restaurants along the way, for cold beers, a bowl of spicy Croatian soup and a flaky cheese-filled burek pastry or, if you’re hungry, spit-roast lamb.

You can happily pass by the big port of Rijeka, in the north, without fear of missing anything, but en route south, try to stop in the flourishing port of Zadar, which has a particularly enjoyable café culture – sip the local maroschino cherry liqueur. Another tempting sight, or a short trip out from Split, is the town of Trogir, its ancient and much photographed UNESCO World Heritage Site, founded by Greeks in the 3rd century BC, poised on a tiny island bridged from the mainland.

Wherever else you go in Croatia, don’t miss the beautiful Istrian peninsula, jutting out into the Adriatic. Its mountainous, forest-covered interior, dotted with historic villages and cut by deep, fertile valleys, is great to explore, while the Italian-style coastal towns (Istria was formally under Venetian rule) retain a unique atmosphere and special local cuisine, uniting Adriatic seafood, pasta and hearty central European fare. Don’t miss the opportunity to try supa – red wine, sugar, olive oil and pepper heated and served in a terracotta pitcher. Sounds iffy, but tastes delicious on toast dipped in the approved manner.

The main town of Istria is Pula, famous for its colossal amphitheatre. The arena, which can hold 22,000 spectators, was built in the Roman town when it possessed only 500 inhabitants. Good news, though, for modern Pula and its visitors, as it serves as an ideal venue for numerous summer shows and festivals.

For a 360 degree view of Pula, climb any of the old town streets to reach the Venetian citadel. And where to eat? If you want fairly smart, go to Vela Nera, overlooking the marina, which isn’t super-expensive and has great local wines. For a more down-to-earth experience, Bunarina, by the port itself, has reliably tasty fare.

Split, the bustling and slightly chaotic capital of Dalmatia, is a Croatian highlight and the town where you’ll spend the longest time with Kumuka. Don’t be alarmed by the ranks of apartment blocks on the outskirts – the centre is bursting with character. The old city is dominated by the site of the Palace of Diocletian, a grandiose white limestone retirement villa for the 3rd century AD Roman emperor. These days, the palace, roughly the size of four football pitches, is an integral part of the old city, where Roman ruins (some restored) mix with narrow streets and squares, and modern shops and cafés emerge from tottering medieval houses. The Cathedral, for example, was originally Diocletian’s mausoleum and his temple of Jupiter is now a baptistry. It all makes for a memorable area to wander for a few hours.

If you’re in Split for a day or two, be sure to check out the hilly and wooded Marjan Peninsula, which rises immediately west of the old city and is traced by footpaths. Not only do the fragrant, piney heights give you some real peace and quiet from the hubbub of downtown Split, but the southern shores of the peninsula have decent beaches.

Split after dark is excellent, with everyone starting the evening along the Riva, the landscaped waterfront by the old city. For dinner, check out Konoba kod Joze for the town’s best seafood, Buffet Fife for local home cooking, or Boban for a classier treat. Summertime, there’s always a lot happening on the entertainment front, with festivals and open-air live music. The complex by the town beach at Bacvice is the place to gravitate.

Slovenia
Slovenia feels like Europe in miniature, with its short Adriatic coastline and dramatic Julian Alps, the mix of Latin and Slav culture and the country’s tolerant attitudes. Slovenia’s separation from the rest of Yugoslavia was quick and relatively painless and today it’s a full EU member and part of the Euro currency zone.

All of which makes travel here a delight – straightforward, affordable and fun. The country is famously green, half of it forested, and has a rich biodiversity, which includes the distinctive eroded limestone karst scenery between Ljubljana and the coast.

The capital is, like Slovenia itself, built on a small scale, barely 3km across, with woods, hills and fields reaching close to the city centre, where the winding Ljubljanica River twists through the cobbled historical quarters. Make the most of your time in the city by grabbing a free map from one of the friendly tourist offices and exploring the tiny and very accessible old town, which has good shopping, as well as galleries and pavement cafés. Top attraction is Castle Hill, for its views, while simply hanging out in the squares and on the riverbank is an easy runner-up. Ljubljana’s open market is highly recommended, too.

The city has a big student population and nightlife in abundance if you want to see a gig or go clubbing. Or, if having a few drinks and people-watching is more your thing, then head to Macek, Plocnik or Dvorni. The latter features dozens of Slovenia’s excellent wines and sometimes has free tastings.

If you get the chance to travel further afield, make a bee-line for the extraordinary Postojna and Skocjan caves, an hour or two southwest of Ljubljana. These huge cave systems include a 10,000 capacity underground concert hall with awesome acoustics at Postojna and are also home to a mysterious troglodyte salamander, the proteus, which lives only in this part of the world. Not far away, at the village of Lipica (or Lipizza), is the stud farm for Vienna’s white Lipizzaner horses.

Another major attraction is the fantastically picturesque Lake Bled, north of Ljubljana on the Austrian border. Walk along the spectacular shore, call in at cliff-edge Bled castle, and climb the Osojnica viewpoint. If you’re feeling weary, do the whole circuit by tourist-train, which would leave more time for a boat trip to the impossibly cute Bled island, with its postcard-perfect church.

Kumuka’s Europe
Slovenia and Croatia are just two of the remarkable European nations that we cover in our growing array of tours. We round up personable travellers like you, plunk them in a comfy coach and set off to enjoy the best attractions the continent has to offer. Besides our experienced driver/leader teams giving you the inside track on the destinations, they also sort out all the logistics (including 3-star, or better, hotels for you to sleep in each night), which means you’ll have free time left to explore.

WHY NOT TRY:

EASTERN DELIGHT 9 DAYS
Vienna, Ljubljana (Slovenia), Split, Istrian Peninsula (Croatia), Venice, Rome (Italy)

EASTERN EXPLORER 10 DAYS
Rome, Venice (Italy), Istrian Peninsula, Split (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Vienna (Austria)

MEDITERRANEAN MAGIC 21 DAYS
Vienna (Austria), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Split, Istrian peninsula (Croatia), Venice, Rome, Florence, Pisa (Italy), Nice, Avignon (France), Barcelona, Granada, Madrid (Spain)

MEDITERRANEAN JEWEL 21 DAYS
Madrid, Granada, Barcelona (Spain), Avignon, Nice (France), Pisa, Florence, Rome, Venice (Italy), Istrian Peninsula, Split (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), Vienna (Austria)

FLIGHTCHECK:
For flights to connect to all our European tours, contact your local Kumuka office.