Croatia Holidays: Why is it so good

Despite the hype, Croatia's treasures are more eternal than trendy. down its thousand-mile shoreline a glistening sea winds around rocky coves, reach at pine-fringed beaches. Istrian ports bustle with fishermen while kids dive into the spotless water. In Dalmatia, cities throb with nightlife amid prehistoric Roman ruins. So, it is time you planned for a long Croatia vacation

Yachts fly up the coast, movie stars cautiously make plans to buy one of Croatia's 1185 islands and no Mediterranean cruise is complete without a stop in Dubrovnik. The interior landscape is as mesmerizing even though less visited. Soak in a thermal health spa at Istarske Toplice in Istria. Hike through unspoiled forests watered by mountain brooks in the west. Let the waterfalls of Plitvice dampen your face. And then there's the customs. The people that endured Roman, Venetian, Italian and Austro-Hungarian rule has a exceptional and slightly odd individuality. You'll find a dazzling central European taste in the ornate structural design of Zagreb, and Italian attachment to the good life percolates up from the coast, permeating Croatian cuisine and style. During holidays and festivals the country's Slavic character surfaces as vividly costumed dancers whirl about to a traditional folk tune.

Croatians keep a strong attachment to the land and habits that nourished the dream of independence for so long.