Croatia is fast becoming the in vogue holiday destination. Stretching south along a beautiful scenic coast and stretching inland until it meets the Danube’s endless flow, this young country with its ancient past makes a magical place for a holiday boasting sun drenched beaches and lush pine forests. Major holiday regions in Croatia include Salzburg, Tirol, Porec, Baska Voda, Rovini, Sibenik, Plava Laguna, Kuvi Bay, Lone Bay and Cape Babo as well as others.

What was destroyed has been lovingly rebuilt or restored, and a new optimistic Croatia now welcomes over seven million visitors a year. Croatia has established itself as one of the most alluring holiday destinations in Europe and many people visit time and time again. It has an amazing 5,835km of coastline, 4,057km of which belongs to islands, cliffs and reefs. The climate is Mediterranean and with over 2,600 hours of sunlight on average a year making it it is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe.

Croatia also boasts some of the most beautiful beaches and bluest waters anywhere in the world. Curving along the Adriatic in the shape of a croissant, Croatia’s got plenty of Italian-style charm and with a generous garnish of sunshine, crystal clear waters and marvellous scenery, it is becoming a holiday hot spot,

Often overlooked in favour of the South of France and Spain, Croatia is the buzzword on the lips of today’s travel-savvy. With Dubrovnik labelled as the new St Tropez and Istria the new Tuscany, it’s easy to see why those in the know don’t want to share their secret. If there were ingredients to create the perfect holiday destination, they might well include hours of sunshine, a tapestry of landscapes, carefree relaxation, epochs of history, an accumulation of culture, plenty of activities, a warm welcome – and a touch of spice!

The tourist coastal regions of Croatia offer a typical Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild but wet winters. Temperatures in the peak summer months of July and August can be as high as 35 degrees centigrade. Winter temperatures in the coastal regions rarely fall below 8 degrees centigrade but inland climate conditions are different with colder winters and warm summers. Much of Croatia is mountainous with snow falling between the months of December and March.

Croatia’s capital, Zagreb , is a typical central-European metropolis, combining elegant nineteenth-century architecture with plenty of cultural diversions and a vibrant café life. At the northern end of the Adriatic coast, the peninsula of Istria contains many of the country’s most developed resorts, with old Venetian towns like Porec and Rovinj rubbing shoulders with the raffish port of Pula . Further south lies Dalmatia , a dramatic, mountain-fringed stretch of coastline studded with islands. Dalmatia’s main town is Split , an ancient Roman settlement and modern port which provides a jumping-off point to the most enchanting of Croatia’s islands, Brac , Hvar , Vis and Korcula , where you’ll find lively fishing villages and the best of the beaches. South of Split lies the walled medieval city of Dubrovnik , site of an important festival in the summer and a magical place to be whatever the season.

Much of Croatia’s traditional cuisine has a strong Italian flavour and pizzas, gnocchi and ravioli are common. If you want to experience traditional Croatian dishes you could try brodet (various types of fish, stewed with rice), sarma (minced meat and rice) or raznijici (grilled veal or pork) or burek, a layered pie made with meat or cheese. For drinks there is pelinkovac which is a herbal liqueur, the cherry flavoured sljivovica and travarica, which is a type of herbal brandy. Virtually every region produces its own varieties of wine. Recommended red wines include Dingac and Postup.