Natural beauty
Croatia has eight national parks, 10 nature parks and two nature reserves, as well as almost 100 special reserves. From the region called Istria, located just across the bay from Venice, down to Cavtat, a quiet seaside town not far from the border with Montenegro, Croatia is a land of contrasts. They range all the way from KvarnerOpatija, an exclusive holiday resort and the centre of the Istrian Riviera, with modern villas, luxurious hotels and excellent tourist facilities, to Orebic, once known as the maritime centre of the southern Dalmatian peninsula of Peljesac, and now a tourist destination that is also famous for wines and wine growing.
And then there are the islands. One of the largest, Brac, is located just across from Split on the mainland. With its pine forests, superb beaches and pleasant coastal resorts, it is attracting a great deal of attention from those seeking a home in Croatia.
Cuisine
The cuisine of Istria and the Kvarner regions represents a special Croatian style of cooking, a blend of inland and coastal. These regions are rich in excellent fish and seafood, most notable among them being found in the northern Adriatic: scampi (prawns), calamari and shellfish from the Limski Kanal (Fiord). After an excellent prosciutto, and cheese and olives, many traditional wine cellars offer fish soup, fish stew, boiled prawns, black and white frutti di mare risotto, as well as other dishes typical of the central part of the Istrian peninsula - traditional wine soup, ragout (jota) similar to Italian minestrone (manistra, menestra, menestra), and also pasta and risotto dishes cooked with the famous truffles of the region - a self-sown precious mushroom species, unearthed by specially trained dogs and pigs; these fungi have the reputation of containing aphrodisiac properties.
National holidays
Most businesses, as well as shops and offices, are closed on Croatian national holidays, which, in addition to New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, are as follows: - Epiphany (6 January)
- Labour Day (1 May)
- Feast of Corpus Christi (10 June)
- Croatian Statehood Day (25 June)
- Croatian Victory Day (5 August)
- Feast of the Assumption (15 August)
- Croatian Independence Day (8 October)
- All Saints' Day (1 November)
Can foreign nationals buy property in Croatia ?
Yes, under `reciprocity` agreements, foreign nationals, can purchase one of many Croatian houses for sale, Croatian apartments for sale and other property for sale in Croatia and Istria (the most famous region in Croatia). However, consent must be granted by the Ministry of Justice in Zagreb and will typically take between 6 and 12 months. While waiting for the approval, you can move into your new house, carry out any internal refurbishment and / or let your property.
I know there was a war in Croatia. Is the country now stable ?
Yes ! The war ended in 1995 and, since then, Croatia has been working hard to encourage foreign investment and to strengthen trade and commercial relations with western countries. In 2000 Croatia joined the NATO Partnership for Peace Programme and also became a full member of the World Trade Organisation. In 2003 Croatia applied to join the EU and there are hopes this will happen in 2009.
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