Why does Croatia make so many appearances throughout history?
Sail Croatia and its islands, made of "God's tears, stars and breath",
wrote George Bernard Shaw.
God's tears, stars and breath
May 26, 2005 - Volume XIII, Issue 21
It was in the Croatian sea that the Argonauts searched for the Golden Fleece and on the island of Mljet that Calipso imprisoned Ulysses for seven years.
Gustav Mahler reorchestrated several movements of his 4th Symphony in Opatija, and James Joyce wrote while teaching English in Pula. Why does Croatia make so many appearances throughout history? Perhaps Shaw was right. Croatia won the Lonely Planet award for the world's top destination for 2005, and, with 1,186 islands, is one of the best sailing destinations in the Mediterranean. Clean sea, unspoiled nature and a rugged coastline, well equipped marinas, mild climate and fair winds are some of the reasons why Croatia is a favorite for boaters. The Croatian coastline, from north to south, consists of Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia. Here is a brief survey of some of the most well-known sailing destinations.
The Brijuni archipelago of 14 islands off the western coast of Istria holds unparalleled beauty and was the preferred destination of rulers. It was the choice of the Austro-Hungarian aristocracy and the location for Tito's summer residence. In 1984 Brijuni became a national park and boasts a safari park and a golf course. With so many islands to choose from, sailing itineraries are plentiful and offer something new from one year to the next. If you hanker for the historical, consider departing Opatija for the island of Cres, visit the ancient town of Lubenice, standing atop a 378 meter high cliff, and the Croatian St. Tropez, Le Figaro. From Cres continue on to Mali Losinj and visit the Ilovik Island, called "The Island of Flowers".
Try the squid there - the taste is unlike anywhere else on the Adriatic. A completely different Kvarnerian itinerary could be: Porer - Unije - Susak.
Porer is a tiny island occupied only by a lighthouse (available for summer rental).
Just 70 meters wide and without vegetation, Porer appears like a white pearl floating on the blue sea surface.
Unije, alternately, will amaze you with high vertical cliffs, while Susak is a sandy island of scrub, no higher then half a meter, famous for unique traditional ladies costumes: hectic-colored skirts are above the knees - something rare in conservative Croatia.
The 140 islands of Kornati national park in Northern Dalmatia are one of the most celebrated sailing destinations in the Adriatiac. The park offers 69 species of butterflies alone. Sailing routes here are so numerous that recommending any would be unfair to the others, but some locations stand out: Taljuric island has a surprising oval shape and is so low that it is often submerged by the sea; Anica Bay, on the island of Lavernaka, is considered to be the most beautiful bay in Kornati; while Stiniva boasts an impressive cave.
From Split, the capital of Central Dalmatia, setting your course for Lastovo, making your first stop on the island of Solta, famous for its olives. Continue on to Brac, where the stone used for building the White House was quarried, then turn toward Hvar, the island of lavender and wine. Palmizana should be your next stop: it offers an excellent marina and restaurant. Set sail then for the island of Korcula, visit the island of Proizd for a swim, visit Vela Luka, then sail on to Lastovo.
Southern Dalmatia has two world-famous attractions: the city of Dubrovnik and Mljet National Park. Both are tame in comparison to the sailing route we recommend for the adventurous.
The starting point is Dubrovnik and the final destination is the Ostra (translated as "sharp") Horn. Vertical cliffs over 100 meters in height dominate the landscape of this itinerary punctuated by beautiful Croatian resorts like Srebreno (translated as "The Silver"), Mlini and Cavtat, along the Azurna Obala.
Your itinerary includes the deserted islands of Mrkan and Bobara, the seagall kingdom, ideal for sports fishing. Strma is found beyond the Cavtat shore, where, on the cliffs tops, you can try horseback riding.
_ Sail through Croatia with the help of www.adriatica.net, the online travel agency.
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