Vuglec Breg , a little village in Hrvatsko Zagorje now offers unconvenional de-stress program that includes looking after flock of sheep.

The program is aimed to people who wish to escape from the stresses of everyday life and spend few days on rural farm.

The three day program includes two overnight stays with accommodation in one of Zagorje`s traditional houses including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Along with looking after and feeding 25 sheep on a meadow on the southern slopes of Vuglec Breg, the program includes the feeding and grooming of ponies. Those who wish to look after the sheep will have a three legged stool, a shepherd`s stick and a sheep dog Riki , while those interested in additional activities, can join the owners in seasonal work in vineyards or orchards, chopping of wood, and other farm activities.

The de-stress program is available throughout the year.

Vuglec Breg is located about 40 kilometres from Zagreb in the heart of Hrvatsko Zagorje reagion, 4km from the thermal spa Krapinske Toplice.  The restored village is today made up of three original Zagorje houses, a restaurant, a wine cellar, a gazebo with a clay oven and barbeque. There are also some old wells that used to serve as water supplies, and an old Zagorje ‘klet’ , a traditional wooden hut.

There are many trails and paths on offer for lovers of refreshing long strolls or mountain bike rides in the fresh air, all of them surrounded by vineyards, orchards, forests and meadows.

• Pension Vuglec Breg
  Situated 7 km from Krapina and 60 km from Zagreb, Pansion Vuglec Breg offers modern rooms in 4 traditional north-Croatian cottages. The complex features free Wi-Fi and a tennis court. Prices from 53.00 – Number of rooms: 10 – Check Pension Vuglec Breg, Krapina availability

The value of the project is estimated at around 200 million euros and with its realization, the accommodation capacity should go up from the current 1000 to around 1600 beds.

The project predicts the reconstruction of existing accommodation units and the construction of a new medical hotel Jupiter, connected to the existing hotel complex Minerva, which would also be reconstructed, as well as the building of a new specialized hospital wing Junon.

After the reconstruction, the hotel Minerva would get a fourth star, and its pool facilities would be made over into a contemporary spa centre, which would be connected to the future hotel Jupiter. This hotel should be built across
an area of 33000 square metres and would hold 480 beds. A large number of rooms will contain a sauna and medicinal thermal water will be available in the bathrooms.

Varaždinske Toplice holds many advantages over other thermal centres in the surrounding areas - it is the unique thermal water with a rich source, over 300 years of medical tradition, a reputation as a leading specialized hospital for medical rehabilitation in Croatia with top experts, a central location, natural beauty and local organic food.

The town of Varaždinske Toplice is located in Hrvatsko Zagorje, about 45 min drive from Zagreb and a 10 min drive from Varaždin.

More info about Varaždinske Toplice at Tourist Board site  www.toplice-vz.hr + about Spa, Health and Wellness Tourism in Croatia

The cooperation of Ogulin and Berlin on fairy tale projects continues at mutual satisfaction, but mostly at the satisfaction of all those enjoying the world of fairy tales.

The main theme of Berlin fairy tale days was storytelling and imagined interpretations of fairy tales, but also the modern stories for children and adults performed by educate storytellers or famous writers.

Ogulin fairy tale festival, which was held for the third time in 2008 and which hosted the Berlin festival, was positively welcomed at the presentation in the German Centre for fairy tale culture. On that occasion, further cooperation between the two festivals on common projects was agreed upon, it was found out at the “Muze” studio for cultural management from Zagreb.

Ogulin fairy tale festival is a unique international project which, through celebration of fairy tales and creativity, makes and shows art and cultural production for kids, youth and adults.

It was inspired by the creativity of the famous Croatian children writer Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (1874-
1938) who was born in Ogulin.  Its goal is to promote art and cultural production meant for all the generations and the scenes are named after the characters from the tales of Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić – scenes, Regoč, Kosjenka, Potjeh, Stribor, etc.

In 2008, this manifestation takes place from June 1 to June 14, and on June 10, the pre-festival shows for kids and everyone else who enjoys the imaginative world of fairy tales are on.

It is interesting to mention that in 2010 in Ogulin there should be a multimedia centre “Ivana’s House of Fairy Tales,” whose goal will be multimedia informative programmes meant for affirmation of fairy tales and the writer Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić (www.ogfb.hr).

With that centre, Ogulin will become a unique destination of cultural tourism in Croatia and the wider European region and it will improve the quality of the offer throughout the year.

Developmental project of cultural tourism “Ogulin – a place of fairy tales” was presented at the conference Creative Clusters in Glasgow. The main themes of last year’s conference, held from November 17-27 in Edinburgh and Glasgow, were creative economies in small countries, new technology and film, festival cultural policies and strategic guidance in the area of creative economy.

Development cultural-tourist project “Ogulin – a place of fairy tales,” based on the legacy of fairy tales and stories, was presented together with two successful projects from Scotland and Norway with the theme of storytelling, and numerous colleagues and the audience judged it as innovative and inspiring.

.. we handcrafted a holiday that offered all the elements they (teenagers) were after, albeit not in quite the same configuration. We would be providing them  with a foreign location (Croatia), sunshine (temperatures in the mid-30sC), an element of the urban (three independently organised days in Zagreb), plus plenty of own-age social opportunities in the form of a week-long families-with-teenagers activity holiday, run by the Adventure Company, at a little village in the beautiful Plitvice National Park…

Read the whole article here

The village tourist estate Srce prirode (The Heart of Nature) has been opened in Gorica Lipnicka, a village located on about twenty kilometers from the town of Karlovac in Central Croatia.

This family village estate spreads over 12 thousand square meters and contains three traditional renovated houses.

The accommodation part of the estate offers nine rooms (18 beds), and the guests can also use a restaurant seating 80 people, a wine tasting facility, a gazebo and a tavern seating 50 people. The family estate offers eco food such as different kinds of honey, juices, wines, cured meats, etc.

The meals in the restaurant are prepared according to old recipes. Two conference halls are equipped with modern technology.

In addition, visitors to the estate can engage in the following activities: paintball, Village Olympics, culinary workshop, speleo-adventure, football, archery, volleyball, badminton, boccie and berry picking.

The owner of the estate also owns the four star family hotel Korana in Karlovac, a historic and attractive town located around fifty kilometers from Zagreb, with the old town of Dubovac as its trademark.

The hotel is located on Korana River, one of the four rivers in Karlovac, offering 15 double rooms and 3 business suites, as well as gastro, recreation and other offers.

More info at Srce Prirode homepage

The Town of Ðurdevac will represent Croatia in the European Destination of Excellence competition to be held 18 and 19 September in Bordeaux, France.
Ðurdevac won the right to participate in a very tough competition of 27 candidates in Croatia, among which the Committee of Croatia National Tourist Board Head Office selected the national winner according to the criteria set for the project.

The European Destination of Excellence competition has been held since 2006, involving all European Union Member States. Although Croatia is not an EU member, it has been invited to join, so it has been involved in the action from the beginning.

This year it is organized on the subject of “Tourism and Local Intangible Heritage”.

Popular for its various cultural, sport and other attractive events such as Podravina From Summer to Summer, Mamas Baked Some Štrukli, Welcome Friends, and more,  Ðurdevac is particularly distinctive for its Legend of the Roosters (Picoki). The traditional cultural & entertainment event, which has been organized for forty years, illustrates the historical and traditional heritage of the region, and this attractive tourist product main tains the legend of the locals’ craftiness in this part of Koprivnica-Križevci County.

The Croatian Ministry of Culture has proclaimed the Legend of the Roosters intangible cultural domain. The legend is associated with an old story about a long siege of Ulama-Beg’s Ottoman army and his intention to force the people of Ðurdevac captured in the Old Town to surrender due to hunger. However, following the advice of an old lady, the defenders outwitted the Beg by firing their last rooster out of a cannon into the Ottoman camp, thus creating the impression they had food to waste. Believing they had plenty of food, Ulama-Beg retreated with his army and the people of Ðurdevac have been referred to as the Roosters ever since.
Numerous visitors to Ðurdevac do not come here just for the legend, but for various other facilities making the region popular because the area contains famous hunting grounds and the Naive Painting road passes here as this is the region where Naive Painting was conceived.
Ðurdevac has an art gallery containing paintings donated by the famous Croatian Naive painter Lackovic Croata, whose works have been exhibited in many galleries around the world, and the area also has 45 kilometers of bike tracks, very popular with visitors and local alike..

Ðurdevac Tourist Board : www.tz-djurdjevac.hr

Vukovar–Srijem County is the easternmost region in Croatia, situated  along the fertile banks of Danube and full of spacious green plains. The area is abundant in cultural heritage, historical buildings, interesting traditional customs, preserved nature and distinctive landscapes. This is also an area of rich gastronomy, and the typical rural image present in most of the region is supplemented with the interesting story of Slavonia urban centers – the towns of Vukovar, Vinkovci and Županja, as well as other smaller urban centers.

The county offers numerous options for excursion tourism, weekend recreation, or longer stays both in urban areas and in Slavonia where visitors can enjoy homemade specialties such as wine, brandy, cured meat products – kulen, kulenova seka, cracklings and homemade sausages – as well as various Slavonian sweets.

The most popular Slavonian wine varieties like Graševina, Traminac, Pinot and Chardonnay are predominantly produced in the area around Vukovar and Ilok, where the famous Ilok Wine Cellars are located.

The area is also known for its cultural wealth, the story of the Vucedol Dove being the most popular feature within it. The area around the town of Vukovar, which has become known as the Hero Town in contemporary history following the Homeland War, contains archeological sites with exceptionally valuable localities from the Vucedol culture era.

Vukovar-Srijem County also has two important historical castles: the Eltz family’s castle in Vukovar and the Odeschalchi family’s castle in Ilok. Both castles house Town Museums open to visitors despite the current reconstruction. The Cardak castle in Županja houses the Stjepan Gruber Native Museum, including the permanent Ethnological Exhibition.

Visitors will also be interested to know about the numerous traditional Slavonian events held in the county throughout the year : Ethno Weekend in the Ethno Town, Actor Festival, Ilok Grape Harvest, Brandy Exhibition, White Horses, Youth and Beauty of Slavonia, Otok Spring, Šokac Village, Tourist Forum, and Vinkovci Autumns as a highlight attracting numerous visitors to Vinkovci for over 40 years.

To put it in a nutshell, this is a region that has plenty to offer in terms of tourism because the Slavonian customs, tradition and local heritage combined with modern features such as excursion & recreation destinations and rich hunting and fishing areas make this destination very attractive to tourists. The accommodation infrastructure is also developing – construction of a high-category, five-star hotel has recently begun. In addition to the existing 12 facilities located in Vinkovci, Vukovar, Županja, Ilok and Spacva, Hotel Diamant is being built in Nuštar, which will include in its offer a large wellness center, a national restaurant, a casino, and a congress center seating around 700 people.

If we add the important Danube waterway where more and more large river cruisers can be seen, we only have one thing to say – come and experience Slavonia because it is unique and thus incomparable with anything!

Vukovar-Srijem County Tourist Board : www.tzvsz.hr

Last week at Brussels, Hrvatske autoceste – the Croatian Motorways Company was awarded for the tunnel Brinje of motorway Zagreb – Split (A1), as one of the safest European tunnels in 2007.

To come to this conclusion, EuroTAP  – European Tunnel Assessment Programme inspected 51 tunnels important for European road traffic located in 13 countries across Europe including Croatia with tunnels Ucka, Tuhobic, Plasina, Javorova Kosa, Gric and Mala Kapela.

Accoring to European Tunnel Assessment Programme, every fifth tunnel in Europe does not satisfy minimal safety standards. The most common shortcomings refer to a deficiency in fire protection and lacking escape and rescue routes.

Brinje tunnel is 1540 meters long. It was opened for traffic in the 2004 as part of Zagreb-Split Motorway.

More about roads in Croatia

This process of inclusion in the list can take up to few years.

The proposed entry will be titled as ’The Nature Park of Lonjsko Polje – a living landscape and lowlands flood ecosystem of the Central Sava River Basin’ (Park prirode Lonjsko polje – živući krajobraz i nizinski poplavni ekosustav Srednje Posavine).

It will be submited to UNESCO in the category of sites selected by both cultural and natural criteria.

Croatia has six sites that are already listed in UNESCO’s World Heritage lists – Dubrovnik (Old Town) , Split (Diocletian Palace and old town), Trogir, Porec (Eufrazijeva bazilika) , Sibenik ( Cathedral Sveti Jakov) and National Park Plitvicka Jezera.

It is also expected that Starigrad Field at Island of Hvar will be listed by next summer.

About Lonjsko Polje: The Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is situated in the alluvial plain of the Sava River in the central Sava River basin region, between the cities of Sisak and Stara Gradiška and represents a unique landscape and ecological systems of flooded river plain of the Danubian basin. The Sava River begins to meander in this area creating typical wet areas that greatly determine its flow and the appearance of the surrounding region. With a total surface of 50 650 ha, the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is one of the largest wetland area in the entire basin. The most significant ecological element in the Lonjsko Polje Nature Park is flooding which can appear any time of the year, because of the extraordinary constellation of the Sava River and its tributaries.

The first draft of 2007 figures are following:

• Croatia had a total of 10.8 million visits (6% increase compared to 2006), resulting in just over 57 million overnight stays.
• Istria had a total of 2.75 million visits. (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 18 million overnight stays.
• Kvarner had a total of 2.45 million visits (5% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 12.6 million ovenight stays.
• Dalmacija had a total of 4.5 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in 24.5 million overnight stays.
• Croatian Adriatic Coast had a total of just under 10 million visits (7% increase compared with 2006), resulting in just over 55 million overnight stays.
• Continental Croatia (Slavonija and Central Croatia), had 400 thousand total visits (6% increase compared with 2006), with 850 thousands overnight stays.
• Zagreb had a total of 606 thousand visits (13% increase compard with 2006), resulting in 1.1 million overnight stays.

Most visitors to Croatia came from Germany, Slovenia and Austria, followed by resident of other European coutries.

From today onwards, the Bjelolasica and Tintilinić ski resorts will be opened daily from 9 am to 4pm.

The prices for ski day pass are 80 kuna (Children – 30 kuna)

About Bjelolasica Ski Resort:

Bjelolasica is the highest mountain in the Velika Kapela massif, and indeed in the whole of Gorski kotar.

It extends in the form of a simple ridge, 5-6 km in length, with very steep slopes sweeping down from the wide forested plateau between Mrkopaljsko polje and Jasenacko polje.

The steep slopes are covered in forests interspaced with meadows, each more beautiful than the last.

The Croatian Olympic Center, situated at 620m above sea level, offers 7 groomed ski runs.

For more information: www.bjelolasica.hr + Skiing and Snowboarding in Croatia

The castle Veliki Tabor, located in the Hrvatsko zagorje region, is numbered among the most attractive and best-preserved monuments of medieval fortification architecture in Croatia.

Veliki Tabor is one of Castles of Croatia  – a fortified medieval aristocratic hilltop burg situated in the northwestern part of the Hrvatsko zagorje in the municipality of Desinic.

More than two years of work on its reconstruction and protection has seen the renovation of the portico, gallery and the five-cornered tower.

The oldest sections of this top-category cultural monument date from the 12th century, while its current appearance dates from the 19th century. The castle was owned by many prominent Croatian families, such as the Counts Celjski, and it was after their possession that the unhappy legend of Veronika Desinicka emerged.

The castle covers over 3,000 square metres of floor space and its interior contains, among other things, galleries adorned with circular columns, a court chapel, a wine cellar with a large winepress, a large well and the most attractive part of Veliki Tabor – the grand rustic hall.

The castle houses many collections, such as those featuring old vehicles and pottery, and a well stocked ethnographic collection. A visual arts gallery, a presentation of the first medications factory, presentations of fencing, musketeers and the armour of the “wretched knight” are only a few of the fascinating exhibits in this engrossing museum and excursion grounds in the Hrvatsko zagorje.

More info : Large Photo of Veliki Tabor Castle + Castles of Croatia +  Guide to Hrvatsko Zagorje + Municipality of Desinic web : www.desinic.hr + Krapina-Zagorje County Tourist Board web : www.tz-zagorje.hr & Krapinske Toplice Hotels

Germanwings , the low cost airline from Germany, is introducing flights from Cologne (Koln) in Germany to Osijek - the economic and cultural centre of Slavonia.

The first flight from Cologne (Koln) in Germany to Osijek Airport (OSI) ( http://www.osijek-airport.hr/) will start on 14th of March 2008.

The flights are scheduled twice a week – on Thursdays and Sundays.

Osijek – Cologne flights are advertised as 19 Euro one way.

Due to good location of Osijek and its airport, and its vicinity of Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia, it is expected these flights are going to be pretty popular.

However, if you hurry up with booking, there are some pretty good prices available at the moment – check Germanwings booking pages: http://www.germanwings.com/skysales/Search.aspx?culture=en-GB

When speaking of Ilok, Croatia’s easternmost city, for most people the first thing that comes to mind is good wine. This is, however a city also known for its wealth of cultural heritage.

Visible monuments have remained of every historic epoch that vividly recall former rulers and it is because of their characteristics that Ilok today offers an interesting tale for tourists. It offers attractions like traditional fishing and walks along the Danube River from which a view shoots out to river islets on the Danube and to neighbouring Serbia.

There is a train ride organised for tourists that meanders through the city and its fertile vineyards, uncovering all the while other beauties of the landscape and the many cultural monuments.

More info: Slavonija + Croatian Food and Wine + City of Ilok Tourist Board web: www.tzvsz.hr/ilok.php +  Ilok Cellars web: http://www.ilocki-podrumi.hr/

Almost 90% of the population of Lipnicka Gorica and other settlements  in this passive region in the western corner of Karlovac County  have moved away over the past 50 years, which has almost resulted in their disappearance from geographic maps.

Ivan Srakovcic, owner of the Korana, one of the best family-operated hotels in Croatia, cites the natural beauty of the Ribnjak region, from which he draws his own roots, as one of the reasons he has  jumped on board the rural tourism bandwagon.

Srakovcic is a pioneer in national development programs, who  used a favourable loan to launch his small family hotel, and it is  little wonder that his new project has received the backing of the  Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Tourism, Transport and Development, which is assisting him in the construction effort, and of the Ministry of Agriculture, which is helping to implement the program.

More than a milion kuna have been invested to date in the renovation of the family estate and the construction of a brewery, a seminar hall and bowers for a restaurant, and 2 million more have been earmarked  for further investment as Srakovcic wants to base his offer  on twenty rooms in four authentic wooden cottages, with a wine  cellar that would double as a reception area.

Special Offer:  NEW YEARS EVE AT ” HOTEL KORANA SRAKOVČIĆ”

Have a special New Year`s Eve in a beautiful atmosphere of our hotel located in the middle of the 100 years old park on the river Korana , and enjoy at the winter idillic of Karlovac`s park. Taste the magic of Croatian delicacy and taste the best sort of wine. Price for New Year`s Eve = 490,00 Kn For special accommodation prices contact us : 0038547 609 090: Hotel Korana Srakovcic - Perivoj Josipa Vrbanića 8, 47000 Karlovac, Hrvatska – tel: +385/ 047/ 60 90 90, tel : +385/ 047/ 60 90 91, hotelkorana.hr

The branding of Moslavina is a part of the 1.6 million kuna project titled “Activating local potentials and resources of Southern Moslavina and the Lonjsko polje Nature Park”.

The branding project was launched by the city of Kutina and the municipalities of Lipovljani, Popovaca and Velika Ladina with the European Union providing assistance with 80% grants.

Four areas have been selected as part of the region’s brand:

• Wine – the indigenous type known as “škrlet”,
• Carp barbequed on a forked branch,
• Cycling with over 250 km of trails,
• Walks in pristine nature and cultural heritage (late baroque period churches and Roman-period excavations.)

The project started with quality research – focus groups in which there were pensioners, families with children, youth and tourist professionals from three counties in the region. Most of those surveyed opted for the development of rural, active and cultural tourism. The habits and needs of tourists were subsequently researched.

Among the most attractive destinations in Moslavina, in their opinion were Lonjsko polje, the Moslavacka gora highlands,  the churches of Moslavina and the Roman-period excavations.

More info about Central Croatia + Lonjsko Polje + Kutina Tourist Board http://www.turizam-kutina.hr/

Besides the reconstruction of the palace itself, Zaprešic, as of recently the proprietor of the entire estate, plans over the coming five years, in collaboration with the Croatian Ministry of Culture, to renovate the other 17 buildings in the complex and adapt it entirely for tourism.

The first phase of the renovation is the complete reconstruction of the palace itself – the facade, roofs and the building’s foundations will be renovated. The eastern wing of the palace will feature a memorial room dedicated to Ban Josip Jelacic, while the palace’s basement will feature a luxuriously appointed wine cellar and multimedia facilities.

The central and largest hall in the palace has been conceived as an area in which formal occasions and receptions would be organised.

Besides the diverse culinary offer and sports facilities that will make up a part of the future Novi dvori, a part of the rooms in the complex will be set aside for suite-type accommodations.

More about Novi Dvori at Zaprešic Tourist Board web site: http://www.tzzz.hr/engleski/zapresic/zapresiczanimljivosti.htm

The Gacka River has long been known around the world as one of the most beautiful rivers in which trout spawn, although now it also draws the attention of those visitors for whom fishing is not on the vacation list of priorities.

Many of the facilities on the Gacka River have been renovated over the past years, the most significant and most attractive of these certainly being the mills at Majerovo vrilo (Majer’s Spring) – a complex unique to Croatia.

As late as in the past century some 60 mills were in operation milling grain on the Gacka River and its tributaries.

Three of them have now been reconstructed and made operational. They too are a true treasure trove of traditional heritage. There is an info point in the first of the renovated mills with a well-stocked exhibition and sale collection.

The second mill is a closed type, while the third demonstrates to visitors how grain is milled with the possibility of purchasing three types of home made flour.

An electric power generator will be installed in the fourth mill, where renovation works are still ongoing, that will supply the entire complex with electrical energy.

Not far from Majerovo vrilo is Klanac vrilo where the milling and treading of grain can be viewed at Štimcev’s Mill.

The last in the series is Tonkovic vrilo where visitors can enjoy a well-appointed summer residence featuring a spacious wooden terrace above the waters. A few steps away is the Vrila Gacke, a restaurant offering Lika region and river specialities.

More info on Lika and Central Croatia + Otocac Tourist Board http://www.tz-otocac.hr/ + Lika County Tourist Board http://www.lickosenjska.com/

Hotel-winery Zdjelarević is situated in Brodski Stupnik in the very heart of Croatia’s well-known wine region, Slavonia.

The hotel opened its doors couple years ago, emerging from the foundations of Slavonia’s renowned Zdjelarevic winery and the restaurant that offers a wide array of Slavonian specialities and selected quality wines.

The entire hotel is fashioned in the traditional Slavonian style, and is located in the very heart of a old vineyard.

The hotel currently offers fifteen rooms.  For its guests, off-road tours of the vineyards , guided cycling and walking tours, paintball, hunting and romantic moments such as a ride in peasant’s carriage or a romantic candlelight dinner are also on offer.

The hotel is suited to business guests, as it features several conference rooms, outfitted with the latest equipment, and the hotel staff often organises interesting team-building programs and excursions in the nearby wine producing areas.

Wine Hotel Zdjelarevic is located on 1.5 hours drive from Zagreb and on about 15 minutes away from Slavonski Brod. More info and Booking:

Hotel Vinarija Zdjelarevic ★★★☆☆

“This enchanting hotel and winery is located in the picturesque wine-growing village of Brodski Stupnik in the very heart of Slavonia, Croatia’s famous wine-growing region.” Prices from €63 – Number of rooms: 15 – Check Hotel Vinarija Zdjelarevic, Brodski Stupnik availability

 Gorski kotar, a highland region located North of Kvarner coast of Croatia, is attractive tourist resort for winter sport enthusiasts.

As we are approaching winter breaks, Gorski Kotar, with its growing number of highland ski trails, is an ideal place for skiing holiday in Croatia.

Petehovac ski resort, located near Delnice, features Alpine and Nordic skiing trails, ski tows and a small ski jump. There are three ski resorts on offer in the area of the small town of Mrkopalj, allowing skiers to enjoy the terrain of Begovo Razdolje, situated at about 1100 metres above sea level. Celimbaše grounds, with some three kilometres of maintained ski trials and four kilometre long trail of the Zagmajna Biathlon Centre are also in near vicinity.

In the village of Tršce, home of the Rudnik ski resort, skiers can ski on two trails and on cross-country skiing trails.

Similar trails are maintained in the area surrounding Ravna Gora, where there are other grounds available suited for sledding, children’s activities on the snow. Trails have been set up there for recreational skiing and night skiing.

Skiers can try their hand at the Platak ski resort’s trails where some nine kilometres of trails are maintained with five ski lifts, a children’s ski lift and a cable car. The resort offers guests ski and snowboard lessons and cross-country skiing and hiking.

Under the highest peak in Gorski kotar on the southeastern part of Mount Bjelolasica (1534 m) is the largest winter sports centre in Croatia, the Bjelolasica Olympic Centre, with trails for all types of skiers – from beginners to top-trained recreational skiers.

More info Gorski Kotar and more links to various resorts - Gorski Kotar Travel Directory + Skiing in Croatia into page.

The survey was made by the French touroperator Camping Cheque and included about 600 capsites from all around the Europe.

This is what Camp Slapic says about themselves: “On a sunny river bank, in the middle of an untouched nature, with many little islands and waterfalls, you can enjoy in complete relaxation and piece. You can experience warm summer nights with romantic walks on the river shore, listening a silent water flow, because life can be beautiful for everbody, but you have to know how to live it, and keep it in your memory“  – http://www.inet.hr/~autocamp/

Koprivnica – A Town With A Heart, is the title of the new tourist guidebook, published along with a detailed geographic and tourist map of the entire Koprivnica-Križevci County and a map of the town itself.

The 60-page guidebook, which features numerous and attractive photos, presents the rich history of the town and focuses on spotlighting all of the key events and, of course, brings a description of all of the town’s cultural points of interest and monuments.

There is also a contemporary depiction of the town, the galleries of Koprivnica and the natural points of interest, while great attention has been paid to the descriptions of events and happenings staged in the town throughout the year. Prominent among the numerous events are: the Podravina Motifs – an event traditionally staged in early July when the town becomes one big gallery of naive art. There is aslo an attractive Renaissance festival based on the history of Koprivnica, the antique automobile race and many other events.

About Koprivnica: Koprivnica is the central settlement in the Podravina region in Croatia  (region located around Drava river) , that won the status of a royal free town as far back as in the year 1356. The old panorama of the town, still discernable to this day, emerged in the 16th century after the Turkish incursions into the area, when a strong earthwork fortress was built around the settlement with four bastions and four towers. The predominantly wooden construction of the period saw the fortress gradually deteriorate, so that only its southeastern bastion and the moats around it are now visible. Baroque period buildings are prominent and of greatest interest among the older cultural monuments, edifices such as the St Anthony of Padua church complex with its Franciscan monastery and beautiful annex in the form of the Salvatore chapel and the Oružane building from 1714. Expanding outside of the area within the town walls, now the town core with a square adjacent to a spacious park featuring a late 19th century music pavilion, it gets its final form in the early 20th century.

More info on Koprivnica Tourist Board http://www.koprivnicatourism.com/ and Koprivnica-Križevci County Tourist Board http://www.tz-koprivnicko-krizevacka.hr/

It was as a result of the great similarity in customs, lifestyle and image in general that a joint tourism zone called along River Sutla and Žumberak was created that combines these areas and their tourism offer.

The area is predominantly rural, with villages scattered between green hills, plains and rivers dotted with numerous vineyards.

Each village has a special feature of its own but the tourism offer is quite similar overall through the region as it is predominantly linked to rural tourist guest houses, tours of the area and attractive content.

Heading out from Zagreb northbound, there are several various itineraries – one of these is the area of the town of Zaprešic – an area that stands out by its rich history. Zaprešic’s palace route, as one of the tourist attractions, brings six palaces together, and there are many sacral monuments, churches and chapels, natural beauties and an ornithological reserve.

If you head out towards Samobor, the tourist story is equally interesting considering that it is a town whose architecture and overall offer has for years now drawn the attention of many tourists.  Anyone entering deep into the Hrvatsko Zagorje region will discover what it means to enjoy attractive natural surroundings.

Add to this the many cultural, historical and sacral points of interest to this, along with contemporary attractions and accommodation facilities in typical rural settings.

Describing the complete offer is difficult as it is not an area that can be toured in a single day and it offers many various attractions. Regardless of your affinity there are numerous points of interest and attractive destinations here.

Kumrovec , the village in which former political leader Josip Broz Tito was born and which now houses a museum dedicated to his memory .

Klanjec – a place known for the many famous persons it nurtured. One of these is Antun Mihanovic, the man who wrote the Croatian national anthem.

This is also the area the great painter Oton Ivekovic was born, as was Antun Augustincic, a world-renowned sculptor whose artistic legacy is housed in a gallery dedicated to his work situated in the very heart of the settlement of Klanjec.

More info at Hrvatsko Zagorje Travel Guide , Zagreb County Tourist Board http://www.tzzz.hr/ and  Krapina-Zagorje County Tourist Board http://www.tz-zagorje.h/

Opatija has the oldest tradition of tourism, dating back to the year 1844 when Rijeka aristocrat Ignacio Skarpa built a
summer residence frequented by numerous guests. That was followed by the construction of the many hotels of Opatija, the oldest of which is the Kvarner, built in 1884, the first modern hotel on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.

The other Rivieras of the Kvarner area also boast a long tradition – the island of Cres has a legacy of 162 years of tourism, the Novi Vinodolski Riviera boasts 129 years of tradition, the island of Lošinj 122 years, the Crikvenica Riviera 119 years, while on the mainland Gorski kotar has a 133 year old tradition in tourism.

Primorje-Gorski Kotar County currently offers tourists 150,000 accommodation units, which is about 20 percent of the total tourism capacity of Croatia.

Of that number 30,000 beds are offered in the about 80 hotels and hotel resorts. The area also features some 50 camps, 12 thousand guest houses offering lodging and the like. The Kvarner area is exceptionally attractive for sailors – 19 nautical tourism ports attest to this fact, including 8 modern and well-equipped marinas with almost 3,000 sea berths and 2,000 berths on land.

The Kvarner area s a favoured destination for many tourists –that this region accounts for about a quarter of the total tourism turnover in the country bears witness to this fact. Alongside vacation tourism – still the most frequent motive for tourist arrivals– a growing number of visitors are following tourism tradition and coming outside of the peak summer period. The wide range of offers and content related to the customs, the natural surroundings and recreation, is drawing tourists throughout the year.

In Opatija, for example, a well-known congress destination, the infrastructure, quality of services and additional facilities of the hotels makes them ideal hosts for numerous international and national-level congresses, many of which have been held there for many years running. Healthcare tourism has also been developed here, thanks to the favourable climate and to tradition – more and more often a reason to come to the Opatija and Crikvenica Rivieras and to Lošinj, where expert staff has joined forces with the advantageous climatic conditions.

Most of the hotels in the area also feature high quality wellness facilities and the option of a therapy particular to the area – long walks in the fresh air on well-maintained promenades. Opatija’s Lungomare, for example, is 12 kilometres long.

Besides a wealth of possibilities for excursions and active vacation options, there are a number of fascinating events held throughout the year in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. After the autumn Marunada chestnut festival in Lovran and the Olive Days in Punta, November features wellness programs, while December will be marked by winter fun in Gorski Kotar and by Christmas concerts and exhibitions in many townships and settlements…

An invitation to bring in the New Year in the sun – which numerous tourists have accepted for years now – is joined by the New Year’s World Cup in underwater fishing held in Mali Lošinj.

February is traditionally remembered by the exceptionally attractive Rijeka Carnival which will run from January 17th to February 3rd in 2008, and much more, while the coming months will feature the always popular seaside promenades or hikes in Gorski Kotar, the Asparagus Days in Lovran, bicycle tours of Kvarner, the Chivalric Games of Rab, fisher’s festivals, organised excursions, music events and more.

In short, there is plenty of fascinating content year-round that at tracts visitors to this diverse, fascinating and beautiful area.

More detailed info at Kvarner Travel Guide and Gorski Kotar Travel Guide as well as at Primorje-Gorski Kotar Tourist Board http://www.kvarner.hr/

The motel is situated just off of the petrolstation at Zir near Lovinac. It offers 35 rooms, as well as the large restaurant.

The facility is certainly a welcome one, not only as a motorway facility, but also as yet another accommodation facility in the around Lovinac, which is increasingly developing its tourism offer.

About Lovinac: Lovinac is located to the southeast of the largest Karst field in Croatia – Licko polje (Lika Field) – in Lika-Senj County (Lika Tourist Board).

There are some archaeological finds in the Lovinac that indicate that the area was settled during the Roman era. Lovinac features a geomorphology based on limestone and dolomite, which imparts a special beauty to the area – the entire expanse is bordered by high mountain ridges and valleys, which makes it ideal for climbers and hikers. Mount Resnik is 1178 metre high ridge. Trnovrh is the highest peak at 1234 metres, followed by Risovac at 1112 metres. Besides mountains the area has variety of springs at Obsenice, Krušnice, Crvenih potoka, Lišcanih bunara and Holjevac.

Lovinac is also situated in the vicinity of other attractive Lika region locations – Plitvice Lakes National Park, Velebit National Park, the settlement of Krasno with its attractive bear sanctuary and the village of Smiljan where a museum dedicated to the world famous and deserving inventor Nikola Tesla is located.