Croatia Holidays: What places to visit

Croatia's pleasures are more enduring than trendy. Along its thousand-mile coast a glistening sea winds around pebbly coves, lap at pine-fringed beaches. Istrian ports bustle with fishermen while kids jump into the shiny water. In Dalmatia, cities vibrate with nightlife amid prehistoric Roman ruins. So, it is time  togo for a long holiday in Hvar

Yachts fly up the coast, movie stars discreetly arrange to buy one of Croatia's 1185 islands and no Mediterranean journey is complete without a stop in Dubrovnik. The inner landscape is as captivating even though less visited. bathe in a thermal health spa at Istarske Toplice in Istria. trek through unspoiled forests watered by mountain rivers in the west. Let the waterfalls of Plitvice dampen your face. And then there's the traditions. The country that endured Roman, Venetian, Italian and Austro-Hungarian rule has a exceptional and slightly odd character. You'll find a strong central European flavour in the elaborate structural design of Zagreb, and Italian dedication to the good life percolates up from the coast, permeating Croatian cuisine and style. During holidays and festivals the country's Slavic soul emerges, as flamboyantly costumed dancers spin about to a traditional folk tune.

Croatians hold on to a strong attachment to the land and habits that nurtured the wish of sovereignty for so long.