Croatia 2008: holiday planning guide

Where Croatia's coastal mountain range tumbles into the sea the drowned foothills have created ribbon islands covered with pine woods, flower-rich maquis and fields of vines and lavender.

Hvar
Hvar, with its sophisticated bars and clubs, is the most fashionable place on the Dalmatian coast

There are few good sandy beaches, but the sea is crystal-clear and there are often ladders or steps cut into the rock leading to the water.

It's a great place for a seaside holiday.

Some of the monolithic concrete hotels built during the Communist era have scrubbed up well (though others remain eyesores) and Croatia is seeing the rise of the boutique hotel in its lovely Venetian-built ports and cities.

In rural villages deserted buildings are being converted into guesthouses and rental cottages.

Island-hopping using the efficient ferry service is particularly rewarding and, outside July and August, one can always find somewhere to stay on the day.

The Dalmatian coast has four tourist areas: the Istrian peninsula in the north; the Kvarner region, which includes Zadar and the islands of Cres and Rab; Split and the Makarska riviera in central Dalmatia; and, in the south, the historic port of Dubrovnik and its riviera.

Inland, national parks are being developed as multi-activity destinations, especially for trekking, rafting and canoeing.

Here are 10 good reasons to visit Croatia this year:

# It is probably the cheapest country in the Mediterranean for holidaymakers.

A bottle of beer costs £1, a coffee 50p, and a pizza £2.50.

The quality of food and wine has also improved greatly, especially on islands popular with Italians, who won't put up with bad food.

There is now a good choice of local wines on menus for about £4 a bottle.

# The bucolic Istrian countryside is opening up to tourism.

Thanks to government grants, locals have been busy renovating their country properties to rent to tourists and there are some agritourism enterprises, such as the Strakovcic family farm in Gorica, which opened in October.

Most tour operators have a clutch of handsome stone villas with pools on their books, many near the medieval hill towns of Motovun and Groznjan, which provide a focus for arts events and evenings in family-run restaurants.

# The first five-star hotel in Istria, the Kempinski Hotel Adriatic, opens on June 1 on a private beach a few miles north of Umag, which is only a two-hour boat ride from Venice.

It will have a sophisticated spa, gym, golf course, heated outdoor pools and a professionally run children's club with its own villa and pool.

Special opening rates are now available; a deluxe seaview room costs £150 a night in June through www.kempinski.com.

# For eco-warriors over the age of 16, there is a volunteering programme, the Caput Insulae Eco-centre, at Beli on the island of Cres.

Volunteers can stay for a week or three months and work in the mornings repairing dry-stone walls, helping local shepherds, maintaining forest eco-trails and rescuing and caring for the endangered Eurasian griffon vultures.

For more information, see www.supovi.hr. Steve Holland arranges placements at the eco-centre and also runs Essential Croatia (07970 201035, www.essentialcroatia.com), which arranges guided walks and accommodation for others who wish to discover this tranquil island.

# Hoteliers on the island of Krk have spent the winter renovating hotels and apartments and building new places to stay in anticipation of a tourist boom this summer thanks to direct flights from Britain to Rijeka (the airport is actually on Krk) and Zadar.

This is a lovely island, known for its olive oil and wine, and among the new projects are Apartments Baska and Villa Adria, which have kitchenettes but also link into the facilities of a four-star hotel.

# The town of Hvar, on the island of the same name, has become the most fashionable place on the Dalmatian coast to stay and be seen (though there can be too many flashy Italians in August).

Cocktail bars have replaced cheap pizza joints on its Venetian town square and the renovated Riva Hotel is the only place in Croatia to be accepted as a member of the Small Luxury Hotels brand.

# The outlying island of Vis, off-limits to foreigners for nearly 50 years (it was used as a Yugoslav naval base), is Dalmatia away from the day-trippers.

The three-star Paula Hotel has been renovated over the winter and restoration work has finished on cottages in the hamlet or Talez, both ideal bases from which to explore this green hilly island known for its gastronomy and local wines.

There are also boat trips to even more remote islands.

# The newly opened Split-Zagreb and Split-Rijeka motorways are opening up the country's interior. The 235-mile journey from Split to Zagreb, the capital, now takes just three hours.

The motorway has also made it much easier to reach Croatia's mountains and the Plitvice Lakes national park, where 16 lakes connected by rapids and waterfalls are set in beech and fir woods.

Deer, bears and even wolves are said to roam here. There is also excellent rafting and kayaking near Karlovac, south-west of Zagreb.

# The best way to enjoy Croatia's many offshore islands is by boat.

Dalmatian Destinations (020 7730 8007, www.dalmatiandestinations.com) has added eight luxury gulets and sailing schooners to its portfolio, sleeping between eight and 14 people.

Itineraries are tailor-made and boats are fully crewed with a chef and often an owner-captain. New Venice-to-Split sailing weeks have been introduced this summer.

# Dubrovnik has become one of the most stylish cities on the Mediterranean, with a vibrant café society and arts scene.

Most of the big waterfront resorts and boutique hotels have undergone renovation, including the Hotel Excelsior, which reopens in June.

New hotels include the five-star Hotel More on the Lapad peninsula. The city is a good jumping-off point for the southern Dalmatian islands and forays into neighbouring Montenegro and the beautiful Gulf of Kotor.

The Summer Festival runs from July 10 to August 25 and the programme is posted on www.dubrovnik-festival.hr.

There are 20 stages, most of them open-air, for more than 80 productions of drama, music, film and dance.


Waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park
Naturally beautiful: waterfalls in Plitvice Lakes National Park

Expect to pay

The following are rough guides to prices for a week’s holiday in June:

Three-bedroom villa with pool in Istria: £750 rental only

One-bedroom apartment in Dubrovnik old town: £400 rental only

Four-star resort hotel: £650 half board per person including flights

Coach tour of Istria: £650 half board per person including flights

Dalmatian islands cruise: £700 half board per person including flights

Group walking holiday: £700 half board per person including flights