Croatia should be on your must-visit list. After FIFA 2018, more so
Croatia offers a wide variety of attractions that travellers shouldn't miss, especially after the nail-biting FIFA World Cup 2018 final where the Croatian team won hearts all over the world.
Thanks to FIFA World Cup 2018, Croatia has gained more prominence as a nation in the past few days. The nation may not have bagged the trophy but has definitely won people's hearts with its remarkable performance during the tournament.
Football is not Croatia's only claim to fame. Popular Bollywood movie Fan, featuring Shah Rukh Khan, was the first Indian film to be shot in the destination. And in case you didn't know, the European country is also a fantastic destination to travel to.
If you haven't visited Croatia yet, here's why you should:
LANDSCAPE
From mountains to beaches, Croatia boasts of a diverse landscape which is not only picturesque but also opens up attractive avenues for travellers to explore. The country encompasses numerous islands, and has mountain peaks, national parks, clear waters and beaches.
Much of the coastal area is covered by the Dinaric Alps, which offer numerous hiking and biking trails, while one can also indulge in other adventurous activities in the water bodies.
VALUE FOR MONEY
Croatia's currency is kuna. One Croatian kuna is equivalent to Rs 10.84. This means one would be able to avail facilities in the city for less money, including dining and accommodation. The cost of meal for two in a mid-range restaurant is about 200 kn or Rs 2,166.
ARCHITECTURAL RUINS
The land of Croatia has been passed between competing kingdoms, making it home to a number of architectural wonders - from forts to churches.
With dwellings and palaces from the Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods, Croatia is an architectural treat.
Some of the country's best architectures include Diocletian's Palace in Split and the first-century Roman Amphitheatre in Pula. Some of the old towns, including Dubrovnik, Korcula, Trogir, Sibenik and Zadar, are also architecturally attractive.
NATIONAL PARKS
With eight national parks, Croatia is home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. Among these parks is Unesco-listed Plitvice Lakes and Krka, famous for their lakes and waterfalls with clear waters. Plitvice Lakes National Park is the largest of its kind in the country.
GAME OF THRONES
For fans of Game of Thrones, a visit to Croatia is a must. A lot of the country's locations feature in the television series. Among the attractions are capital city Dubrovnik that is the fictional King's Landing in the series, Trsteno Arboretum on the outskirts of the city, the Fortress of Klisa and St Domninic Monastery among other locations. So, if you want to relive scenes from Game of Thrones, Croatia is the place you should head to.
CUISINE
Every region of Croatia has its own culinary tradition. The mainland cuisine is more characterised by Slavic, Hungarian and Turkish cultures. The coastal region, on the other hand, bear influences of the Greek, Roman and Mediterranean cuisine.
Some of the must-try dishes of Croatia include Lamb on the Spit, Punjena Paprika (capsicums stuffed with meat and rice), octopus salad and Zagorski Strukli (traditional dish made of dough and some filling, usually cheese), among other delicacies.
HOW TO REACH CROATIA
One-stop flights are available from Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad to Zagreb airport. The cost of flight tickets from Delhi to Croatia, for instance, start at Rs 29,030.
ACCOMMODATION
The cost of stay in Croatia varies from season to season, except in Zagreb and some five-star hotels. The most expensive season is the period between mid-July and end-August. Zagreb and Dubrovnik are the most expensive destinations, followed by Istria, Kvarner and Dalmatia.
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