Istria
Istria - a large peninsula in the northern Adriatic Sea, near Italy and Slovenia, only 240 kilometers from Zagreb. From Ukraine - a little further, which causes the West European contingent of tourists. Of some cities very easy to get to Italy, for example, a water rocket. A few hours and you're in Venice. These day trips are offered in several coastal towns. In the end, do not even have to go to Italy - here it is felt everywhere. In Istria County, as officially called the region of low, but extremely picturesque mountains, hid the real diamonds - small and very small towns. Some of them belong to the era of the Roman Empire, part of - are based at the time of the Venetian Republic. And in each of these towns feel the spirit of those times. And each of them - known by its attractive.
Seaside Rowen its many waterfront resembles Venice. There's even pleasure boats look like Venetian gondolas! The town of Porec - the former Roman colony, its old center is located on the peninsula are classical and is built by the Roman and Venetian Gothic buildings, palaces. Pula - the city founded by the Argonauts, who, having lost the golden fleece, failed to return to Colchis and have stayed in the town of loss, that is, in today's Pula. In the same town is a forum - the area that you mentioned in Dante's "Divine Comedy". Hum - the smallest city in the world. Here lives of 4 family, in the year it was 23. Motovun - crafts center, a famous gallery of modern art and popular film festival and Motovvinsky forest Croats call the place where the best truffles grow in the world.
If we remember the kitchen, but it is worth mentioning, do not take the day - the second, to pay a visit to local wineries that conduct tasting a year. We were lucky enough to get into vinarnyu Kabola, more similar to the ancient Roman villa. An interesting point - we tried a variety of wine, maturing in three different containers: glass, classic, drums and ... Guess what was the most delicious? The fact that been stored in the Georgian amphorae - local to buy it in Georgia, because nowhere else do such.
Well, of course, olive oil, the taste is just enjoying the local dipping a piece of bread and fish, classically roasted on a lattice in the restaurant fireplace. Vkusnotischa and beauty is such that it is worth spending at least Istria week of his life.
Opatija
The last time watching the soothing silhouette Krka, moving to the northwest. Crowds of tourists caught the warm spring sun. Bask in the wicker chairs of cafes, scattered around the beach, shops at the pier and the boats that are not yet on the water and on mobile platforms. Prepare Shipping to descend into the sea. Most of the tourists - the Italians. Still - the resort is 3 hours drive from Milan and from Rome for 4.
Opatija - a Carlsbad Yalta and at the same time. Of course, Yalta's not that one square meter of the beach - hundreds of tourists. quite the contrary. It's like you come to Yalta in October and enjoy the silence, filled with sea salt. Plus the mountain. And yet - the microclimate. The city is surrounded on three sides by mountains, so even the average winter temperature - 20 degrees.
This city is known as the center of Opatija Riviera, the resort he was still 166 years ago. During this time, it is coveted European kings and presidents, including - the Austrian Empire. And the Austrians feel at home here - here there prevails the Austrian school of architecture. The elegant old villas even in anticipation of winter, bathed in green, elegant ladies progulvayutsya gourmet shop with clothes, but no less elegant seagull stealing from the restaurant table, delicious fish dishes.
New Vinodolski
We stop for a few days in a luxury hotel in the seaside resort New Vinodolski - Croatia hotels always been famous for its chic. The ancient little town will accept only their own views on the island of Krk and Zatoka, which closes its outline is almost the entire horizon from the sea.
However, its name is not given a gift of town - having left him little more than a few kilometers in the direction of the mountain range, you can find vineyards and the binding sites of the wine factory, always open to tourists. Worth a visit for some wine tastings, as soon as the sky becomes clearer and warmer than the sea.
In our case, the wines were good aperitif, we immediately set off for lunch at a local Canobie. Interestingly, the group was accompanied by local guide and a businessman who spent a tour in the Croatian language and in English a little ...
It is worth recalling that few of my colleagues could relate a few words in English or Serbo-Croatian, all addressed to me. And as soon as nadegustirovalis and sat down to dinner ... All languages loosened, came up with the enlightenment, then it seemed that everyone speaks the same language.