Children’s Activities
Croatia caters well to its younger visitors with a good selection of activities, entertainments and attractions suitable for children of all ages. The beach is of course the fail-safe for all families visiting the country as it provides sand and sea fun for the kids and opportunities for relaxation for parents. An impressive selection of zoos makes for some good family days out also.
 Beaches
Croatia’s beaches are the ideal place to take the kids for endless days of sand and sea fun. Adults can relax with a good book or some audio entertainment, while the little ones set to making sandcastles, digging holes, playing Frisbee etc. There are countless good beaches along the country’s southwestern coast, with some of the best family destinations including Copacabana and Lapad beaches at Dubrovnik, Jelsa beach and Soline beach at Hvar island, Paradise beach at Rab island, Katoro and Polynesia beaches at Umag and Zaton Beach at Zadar.
 Dubrovnik Aquarium and Maritime Museum
Housed inside St John’s Fortress in the city of Dubrovnik, this popular attraction is sure to bring smiles to the faces of young visitors and keep the attentions of older ones for a few hours too. The aquarium features 27 separate tanks, inside of which a large selection of fish and marine species swim uninhibited. Many of the specimens are creatures that are indigenous to the seas around the country and include stingrays, conger eels, spotted dogfish and scorpion fish. The water in the tanks is pumped in from the sea so the environment for its residents is as close to the real thing as possible. The Maritime Museum is perhaps less appealing to children and more of interest to the parents accompanying them. Phone: +385 21 427 937.
 Museums
Croatia has its fair share of museums, which are the ideal places to take kids on days when adverse weather conditions suggest being inside is better than out. Zagreb has one of the best selections in the country, with something to appeal to all tastes. Venues on offer here include: the Croatian History Museum, the Croatian Natural History Museum, the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of the City of Zagreb, the Croatian School Museum and the Technical Museum.
Zoos
Croatia has a good selection of zoos, each with its own unique mix of animal residents collected from across the globe. Kids will thrill at the antics of the monkeys, be in awe of the big cats and look on in fascination at the more unusual specimens on offer. Zagreb Zoo (phone: +385 1 2302198) is among the best in the country. Others available include the Bizik family Zoo (phone: +385 31 699 258) in Našice, the Milec family Zoo in Ruscica and the Osijek Zoo and Aquarium on the coast of Drava. Website: www.zoo.hr
Cultural Activities
Ahead perhaps of its gorgeous coastline, the country’s cultural attractions are its greatest tourist appeal. Magnificent old churches, historic buildings and striking landmarks make for some excelling sightseeing opportunities and give a great insight into Croatia’s rich and fascinating cultural heritage.
Archbishop’s Palace
This magnificent Baroque building can be found in Zagreb and its oldest sections (the bishop and archbishop’s quarters) date back as far as the 10th century, while the main part of the structure was erected in the beginning of the 18th century. Within the palace grounds, the 28 canons, known as the Curiae of Zagreb, are especially notable.
 Cathedral of the Assumption
Set in the same complex as the Archbishop’s Palace, the Cathedral of the Assumption is the best-known landmark in the city of Zagreb. The original building that stood on the site suffered the ravages of both the Tatar invasion in the mid-13th century and a subsequent earthquake. Notable features of this Gothic masterpiece include the two bell towers standing at heights of 104 and 105 meters respectively. The church interior is typically splendid and illustrates the influences of Baroque, Gothic, Renaissance and neo-Gothic designers.
 Church of St Catherine
This 17th century structure in Zagreb was the work of Jesuit priests and is popularly hailed as the city’s most beautiful Baroque church. The magnificent exterior gives way to a simple but elegant interior featuring a single nave, several six-sided chapels, some attractive wooden altars and a splendid marble altar.
Church of St Mark
Zagreb’s Church of St Mark is a Gothic structure that easily vies for the top spot in the city’s list of fine churches. Notable features include intricate interior carvings, the portals and the magnificent vaults. The oldest parts of the church date back to the 14th century, while the principal structural elements were mostly rebuilt in the 19th century. In front of the church is a large square that is frequently used for outdoor concerts and festivals.
 Franciscan Monastery
Situated in the Old City portion of Dubrovnik, this Franciscan church dates back to the 14th century and still retains many of its original features. Of interest to visitors is the attractive reading room with its collection of ancient manuscripts as well as the equally beautiful library, which boasts a few famous scholars and academics among its users over the years. A museum housed within the monastery is dedicated to providing information about the old pharmacy that was a feature of the monastery as far back as 1317.
 Kamenita Vrata Gate
Zagreb’s famous Stone Gate was once the chief point of entry to its Upper Town district and has been a feature of the city since the Middle Ages (although the current structure was rebuilt in 1760). This is the last remaining gate of its kind in Zagreb and it’s considered a monument to the past and one of the most important landmarks in the city.
 Lotrscak Tower
Commanding a watchful position over St Catherine’s Church, Lotrascak Tower in Zagreb is a splendid 14th century building that once served as an integral part of the city’s defences. It’s pleasing enough to stand and view it from the outside but if you make the effort to ascend to its limits, there are some magnificent views available of the Kaptol district of the city and destinations beyond.
 Onofrio's Fountains
Situated inside of Dubrovnik’s Pile Gate are Onofrio’s fountains, two striking landmarks that were introduced to the city back in 1438. Architect Pietro di Martino was responsible for the design of the fountains, while Italian hydro-engineer Onofrio della Cava, brought that design into being. The purpose of the fountains was for those entering the city to wash off any plague bacteria they may have picked up beyond its limits. An earthquake in 1667 destroyed some of the stone ornaments inside of the fountain; 16 of the original figures still stand.
Popov Tower
Popov Tower can be found in the Upper Town area of Zagreb, specifically in the Gradec district and is an interesting 13th century construction that was built as a means of fortifying the city in the wake of attacks by the Tatars. The tower has remained in good shape despite the passing of seven or so centuries and has even been modified inside to include a top-level observatory, from which views of the city are amazing.
 House of Marin Drzic
Dubrovnik provides the location for the former residence of one of the country’s most famous writers. Marin Drzic passed away in 1567 but works such as Novela od Stanca, Dundo Maroje and Pomet are still highly celebrated today. In tribute to the life of the author, his old house now serves as a museum containing a variety of objects, documents and artefacts with connection to his life. Visitors can also enjoy a 40-minute video presentation about Drzic’s life and work.
Dining & Shopping
Regional differences in culinary traditions in Croatia are significant and it’s not altogether accurate to talk about a national cuisine. The dishes specific to each region can, however, be found across the country so the visitor need only stay in a single city to sample the full range of regional dishes. Slavonia is known for its meat and game dishes and food that is highly spiced and incorporates Hungarian influences.
 The cuisine of Middle Croatia, meanwhile, features Turkish influences and is reliant on roasting as a cooking method. In Istria, the food is light and flavoured with herbs, while in Dalmatia it’s similarly light and features Italian and Mediterranean influences as well as the inclusion of plenty of fish and seafood.
Popular culinary creations to consider trying include janjetina, a dish of lamb cooked with Mediterranean herbs; cevapcici, a spicy pork or beef meatball (similar to a hamburger); raznjici, a chargrilled meat creation similar to a shish kebab and palacinke, a light crepe style pancake filled with chocolate and nuts and best eaten with ice cream.
 Croatians eat four meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a mid-morning affair known as marenda in coastal regions and gablec everywhere else. Gablec can be something fairly substantial such as goulash but is never as big as lunch, which for Croatians, is the main meal of the day. Dinner is eaten around 20:00 and is usually something light.
The country’s big cities are naturally home to the largest selection of retail outlets with a mix of traditional markets and small retailers with chain stores and large shopping centres. Zagreb, the country’s capital city is where you’ll find the most diverse range of outlets, while smaller locations are the places to go to find shops selling unique and unusual products that would make good gifts or souvenirs.
 Zagreb’s main shopping street is Tkalciceva and it’s here that you’ll find Kaptol Centar, a large mall that’s home to big names such as Benetton, Mango, Sisley and Miss Sixty. The city also has the Importanne Centar and the Importanne Galleria malls, the latter being the smaller relation of the former. A fourth mall called King Cross can be found at Jankomir in west Zagreb.
 Among the traditional local products to look out for crystal and ceramic goods are notable, while if it’s edible items you are interested in, Croatian cheese, wine and pasta are all invariably of a high standard. Ties were allegedly invented in Croatia with the name cravat, said to be a derivative of the word ‘Croat’. If you like something classy to wear around your neck, then you’ll certainly be spoilt for choice in Croatia.
Outdoor Activities
A varied range of landscape, terrain, geographical characteristics and climatic conditions present visitors with a good selection of outdoor activity possibilities. The summer season is the time to be enjoying water sports down at the beach, while winter visitors can enjoy some excellent snow sport conditions at resorts close to the city of Zagreb.
 Fishing
For the avid angler, Croatia presents a wealth of opportunities with numerous destinations along the Adriatic coast where a wide variety of seawater species can be caught. For freshwater fishing, the country has a large selection of lakes and rivers. Licenses are required for anyone wishing to fish and can be obtained from travel agents and some hotels.
 Horseback Riding
Croatia has a long tradition of using horses as a means of transportation and more recently for leisure purposes, with the valleys of the Sava, Drava and Danube rivers among the destinations with the strongest equestrian connections. Visitors will find horse riding schools and centres scattered across the country but for specific details should contact the local tourist office of the destination they are staying in.
 Rock Climbing
Croatia’s mountainous areas feature plenty of karst rock faces that are ideal for the pursuit of rock climbing. Paklenica near the town of Zadar is the best-known climbing destination in the country, while Vela Draga, Rovinj and Pula are also considered notable.
Sailing
Sailing is a hugely popular way to enjoy Croatia’s Adriatic islands, with Split being to most common departure point. Many sailing tour companies are available, as are crewed charter boats. Sailing is also possible on some of Croatia’s rivers and lakes.
 Snow Sports
There are ski resorts in the mountains located north of Croatia’s capital city, where, by January, the weather has generally afforded some pretty good conditions for skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and other winter sports. February 2009 will see Zagreb’s Sljeme Ski Resort host the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, an event that will certainly raise the status of the city’s snow sport scene.
Water Sports
Croatia’s popular beach resorts cater well to water sport enthusiasts with ideal conditions for the pursuit of activities such as sea kayaking, sailing, water skiing, jet skiing and scuba diving. The most popular beaches have local companies providing equipment and the know-how to assist holidaymakers.
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