Croatia

[ssdtsaks]

Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatska, officially the Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska listen, is a southern Central European country at the crossroads between the Pannonian Plain and the Mediterranean Sea. Its capital is Zagreb. Croatia borders with Slovenia and Hungary to the north, Serbia to the northeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east, and Montenegro to the far southeast. Its southern and western flanks border the Adriatic Sea, and it also shares a sea border with Italy in the Gulf of Trieste.

Croatia is a member of the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the Council of Europe. The country is also a candidate for membership of the European Union and received a NATO membership invitation on April 3, 2008. NATO member nations signed accession protocols for Croatia on July 9, 2008, bringing it into the final stretch of its quest for membership. Croatia is expected to formally join the 26-nation pact in April 2009 on NATO's 60th birthday, making it the second former Yugoslav nation to join NATO following Slovenia which entered in 2004. On October 17, 2007 Croatia became a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the 2008-2009 term. Additionally, Croatia is also a founding member of the Mediterranean Union upon its establishment on July 13, 2008.

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[ssdtsaks]

The city is best known for its many surviving ancient Roman buildings, the most famous of which is its first century amphitheatre, sixth largest in the world and locally known as the Arena. This is one of the best preserved amphitheatres from antiquity and is still in use today during summer film festivals. During the World War II Italian fascist administration, there were attempts to disassemble the arena and move it to mainland Italy, which were quickly abandoned due to the costs involved.

Two other notable and well-preserved ancient Roman structures are the 1st century AD triumphal arch, the Arch of the Sergii and the co-eval temple of Rome and Augustus, built in the 1st century AD built on the forum during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus.

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[ssdtsaks]

The prosperity of the city of Dubrovnik has always been based on maritime trade. In the Middle Ages, as the Republic of Ragusa, it became the only eastern Adriatic city-state to rival Venice. Supported by its wealth and skilled diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries. Ragusa was one of the centres of the development of primarily the Croatian language and literature, home to many notable poets, playwrights, painters, mathematicians, physicists and other scholars.

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[Prawn_86]

Saw a travel show on fox last night about a guy who was drinking his way through Croatia. Spent most of his time in Dubrovnik.

[pinkopalino]

Plitvička Jezera (Plitvice Lakes, in English) is a municipality (općina) in central Croatia, in the eastern part of the Lika-Senj county. It is crossed by the Zagreb–Split main road. Its total area is 539.08 km². The main town and seat of the municipality is Korenica. Other smaller towns and villages are Bjelopolje, Jezerce, Gornji Vaganac, Ličko Petrovo Selo, Plitvice and Smoljanac.

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[Prawn_86]

Two of my work colleauges have both recently done a cruise through Croatia and they said it was amazing. Both of them went at seperate times and both came back saying Croatia was their favourite country in Europe

[Nothing But Adventure]

I did a sail cruise around the Islands of Craotia... and it is also my favouritte travel destination... not just in Europe but anywhere that I've been.

I especially enjoyed the islands Korcula, H'Var & Dubrovnik. I definitely recommend Croatia.

[Traveljunkie]

Hello everybody,

I had a chance to visit Croatia's continental part and Adriatic coast. Croatia is my favourite place at the moment. I was in Dalmacia this summer in Primošten on my honeymoon. What a beauty and clear sea water, it was the clearest destination I ve ever been to. There is old core connected with stone bridge and I had amazing sight on it from rented apartment. Lovely view. Split, Šibenik are very close to Primošten if you like going shoping. Got to try, if anybody needs more info let me know.

I also went to North-west part of Croatia near hungarian and slovenian border. I was in town called Čakovec. Great wine road hik!?hik!?, many old historic landmarks and Castle of Zrinski. Got to see!

[EvansJasmine]

I can also recommend Croatia, Dubrovnik is a magical place, too bad I have only been there because I have heard the whole country is amazing. You really can see how Dubrovnik was rival to Venice, it is a marvelous place! For couples, for singles, for families!:)

[Sailing Vladimir]

This is something you have to do, to see Croatia from the sailing boat. Spectacular.