EUROQUEST SideTracks

Croatian Tourism Authorities have been advertising with the slogan "The Mediterranean as it once was" - and featured on billboards and in commercials we usually find some sights from Dubrovnik, Korcula and...Hvar. As the fourth most popular destination for visitors in Croatia, the island of Hvar is undeniably beautiful and yet not overly exploited touristically, stretching with its green bushes from one side of blue sea to another with the blue sky in between. Jagged inlets mark the coastline, while in the center we find a central ridge featuring long grey lines of limestone heaps, built by farmers over many centuries in their efforts to gain arable land for cultivation. This landscape was declared a UNESCCO world heritage site in 2008 as among the best preserved ancient Greek landscape in the Mediterranean. Lavender used to be among the most popular crops until fire reduced its cultivation recently. Yet anything made from lavender, pouches of potpouri or bottles of lave...

Confidence in tourism to Croatia has been on the rebound since the devastating war on the Balkans in the 1990s. Tourist Authorities in Croatia have been trying hard to restore Croatia's image as a desireable tourist destination rather than a war zone, and the effects can increasingly be felt all along the Adriatic Coast. Visitor numbers are up, but with the exception of Dubrovnik and possibly Split, most of Croatia's spectacular Adriatic coastline remains as yet underrated and thus perfect as a treasure-off-the-beaten-track destination. This particularly holds true to the many islands along Croatia's Dalmatian coast - among the most beautiful of which ranks KORčULA, or Korkyra Melaina (Black Corfu), as it was called by the Greeks, the island's first settlers. See the full gallery on Posterous Arriving to Korčula by ship, guests are amazed at the scenic location of Korčula town on a small peninsula jutting out towards the blue Adriatic Sea. From afar we can...

A prelude to blogs to come over the next few weeks... Perast and Our Lady of the Rocks, Kotor Bay, Montenegro View over Kotor Bay from St. John's Fortress Sunset over Korcula, Croatia   More impressions coming up soon...please stand by...