Annual fishing convention in Croatia hosted in Hvar

With the main tourist season all but over, Croatia's premier island turns its attention to an important fishing conference. Better known for its sunshine, parties, heritage and lavender, the island of Hvar continued another successful tourist season by welcoming hundreds of delegates to the Traditional 18th Meeting of Fishermen in Hvar Town, an event attended by Digital Journal on October 17, 2013. Organised once again by the Croatian Chamber of Commerce, the meeting is the most important annual congregation of the nation's fishing industry, with this year's gathering especially poignant, as it was the first such meeting since Croatia joined the EU on July 1 this year.

The theme of the EU loomed large on the agenda, and with European fishing policies causing friction with traditional fishing communities, the issue of Croatian fishing and the EU was expected to play a significant part in the two-day gathering. Delegates gathered at four-star Hotel Amfora, where they were welcomed with a cocktail and the fine voices of the famous Faroski Kantaduri, before enjoying a buffet dinner. The real business started the following morning and, after all delegates stood for the national anthem, master of ceremonies Danni Matijaca invited an impressive succession of attendees to make opening welcoming speeches, including president of the guild Vladan Bojić, President of the Split-Dalmatia Chamber of Commerce Marija Crmarić, Deputy President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Igor Vojinović, Hvar Mayor Rino Budrović, and President of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce Dragutin Rangajec. With more than one delegate commenting on the difficulty of doing business in such a stunning setting, the conference once again highlighted the embarrassment of riches which Croatia's premier island of Hvar possesses. Celebrating 145 years of organised tourism since the founding of the Hvar Health Society in 1868 (making the town the oldest organised tourism in Europe), Hvar has had another successful season, as visitors are drawn to one of the hottest destinations in the EU's newest member state, by a combination of sun, sea, celebrity, party and heritage tourism.
And while the fishing conference is taking place relatively late in the season, there is plenty more action to come on the island, with the national wine festival of Sabitini due to be hosted in the same location next week, followed by the third Peskafondo squid-fishing championship.

Text: digitaljournal.com

Oznake: hvar

Korčula - a Brief Guide

Island of Korčula it's one of the greenest islands in the Adriatic sea. It is also one of the most popular travel destinations in this part of Croatia. Like most of the Croatian islands, the Greeks, who gave it the name Korkyra Melaina or 'Black Corfu' for its dark and densely wooded appearance, first settled Korčula. The island itself is rich in art and culture, as well as beautiful nature such as numerous tiny and secluded beaches and bays, small and uninhabited islands and breathtaking views. The main town on the island is also named Korčula. Korčula Town is a typical medieval walled Dalmatian city, with its round defensive towers and cluster of red-roofed houses.

Marco Polo (1254 - 1324) the famous world-traveler and writer, as well as a Venetian merchant, is reputed to have been born in Korčula. In the old town of Korčula where his supposed house of birth is located. It will shortly be turned into a Museum of Marco Polo. Besides Marco Polo, Korčula has a long art and cultural tradition, including museums, galleries and festivals.

The sword dance Moreska, is world famous folk drama / dance, which used to be played all over Mediterranean. it is now only performed in Korčula. Korčula has a lot to offer to a visitor to see and learn - its art and history, its culture, traditional crafts and skills of stone masonry and shipbuilding, sword dances, music, writings as well as its most famous inhabitant – Marco Polo and his heritage, besides all the natural beauties, views and beaches. Korčula's nearest airport is Dubrovnik Airport. Korčula is fairly easily accessible from the Croatian mainland by various ferries.

Travel review: Sun, sea and shellfish on the shores of Zadar in Croatia

The Turks, Venetians and Austro-Hungarians have all had their say in shaping the beautiful city of Zadar. And with Croatia joining the EU in July, DAN KEEL recommends visiting now, before the masses descend. SIR Alfred Hitchcock knew a thing or two about scene-setting, so when he described Zadar's sunset as "the world’s most beautiful" he was taken very seriously. After a 45-minute afternoon bus journey from Zadar airport to Croatia’s fifth biggest city, you could do a lot worse than head straight to the town’s shore to see if you agree - I think you will.

It’s not just the drama of the golden glows gently settling behind some of Croatia’s 1,246 islands across the Adriatic sea which make this so stunning, but the fact the evening rays create a myriad of colours bouncing off the rock of Ujljan towards the Italian coast. As if this wasn’t enough, the waves play you music thanks to a beautifully crafted staircase leading down to the water’s edge featuring chiselled hollows. As the waves gently caress the pavement these hollows blow a soothing panpipe tone up through holes in the footpath.

However, if you are hungry after your two hour and 20 minute direct flight from London, you could do a lot worse than visit one of the town’s luxury fish eateries before the sunny sensory spectacular begins. Fosa Restaurant, buried neatly in the town’s natural harbour, offers seafood unrivalled in a town which prides itself on sea bream fillets, mussels and calamari. Dalmation prosciutto comes highly recommended as a starter and as for dessert, any ice cream in the Dalmation region will send the tastebuds into ecstasy (businesses have taken a tip or two from their Italian neighbours). Although beautifully peaceful now, Zadar has been invaded numerous times over the last 1,500 years starting with the Barbarians in the middle ages and ending with the Serbs in the 1990s - who never made it to the town centre.



But the bloodshed of the past has left behind a plethora of architecture and ruins attracting historians far and wide. The 13th century cathedral of St Stosija is among the best Romanesque architecture in Croatia while locals are very keen to highlight the spectacular 9th century church of St Donat. Once you have had your fill of sun, seafood and history - a trip to the Dalmatia's Paklenica National Park is a great way to spend a day. Here a short walk at dawn or dusk reaps huge rewards for wildlife lovers. Eurasian brown bears, hoopoes and short-toed eagles make regular appearances in and around the 14km-long canyons. But the main attraction for birdwatchers is the attractive and critically endangered rock partridge. This park, a one-hour car or mini-bus journey from Zadar, even caught the eye of former Yugoslav President Josip Tito. The Marshal admired the area so much he built a labyrinth of emergency bunkers within the rock.

Text: newsshopper.co.uk