Christmas time is always a very special time of the year. It is celebrated in both Western and the Eastern world as a joyful event symbolizing the birth of a new light. In nature we can see this as the first day of Winter when days grow longer in length, and in religious sense it is represented by the birth of Jesus. This puts the entire month of December in a special atmosphere, where people tend to be in a gentle and more caring mood, as in the rest of the world, so too in Croatia.

Because Croatia is predominantly Catholic country, a lot of emphasis is put on celebration of Christmas. For decades both public and private places are decorated with trees, joyful glittering lights, and the tranquil song of the carols, which during Christmas time one hears in many places across the country. In her ancient past, Croatia shared religion with other Slavic nations, and one of the larger celebrations of the year was for the Winter solstice, where the coming of the new light and consequent rebirth of nature was ascribed to higher forces. Because of that, in some places in the country the traditional Chrismas celebration is combined with ancient traditions that have their roots in pre-Christian era.

The month of December, the time of Christmas and the New Year, is highly esteemed by majority of Croats. Especially in bigger cities a lot of emphasis is put on decoration of the public places and to setting up of appropriate events. Zagreb being the capital and by far the largest city in Croatia, the Tourism Association and the city of Zagreb have done a great job of turning the historical part of the city into a traditional Adventic space where people of all age and various nattionalities come to relax, have fun, and in a modern way feel the sacredness of this time of the year.

Do you sometimes have enough of chaotic and rushed environment of many places that, albeit beautiful, are crowded with tourists? I know exactly how you feel. This is the reason why so many people search for a place which is of equal beauty, but not as touristy, or almost completely (or even fully) secluded. Even though Croatia is a small country, you will always be able to find vast amount of peaceful places to spend an hour or two, a few days, or even a week. As a matter of fact, it is not uncommon that European tourists who come to Croatia with their cars, see a beautiful environment, mostly as they travel to their holiday destination on the coast, and decide to stop there. Once there and look more into it, they recognize its beauty and calm, and change their primary destination to the one which they have just discovered. One of such example is a Swedish family who was fascinated by the Mreznica river close to Karlovac, and have decided to spend their holiday there.

But there are many more hidden places in nature where you can relax, reflect, and recuperate your strength. In fact, every region of Croatia has certain natural characteristics that add to the overall beauty of the country: thick mountain forests and mountain meadows, flat and gentle sloped grass covered hills, hundreds of Mediterranean islands with their pine trees scent and the sea that dissolves any worry. Then there is a region coved with hills where the Alps start, with little towns that sits on top of many of them. And finally there are Dinaric Alps, the Velebit villages that remind of some far distant time that can evoke both perfect relaxation away from society,  as well as sharpen the faculties of the mind.

In short, there are many of such hidden spots in Croatia – beautiful gems that only locals can take you to, where you would feel fully recharged and inspired. These are the places where I like to go to.

Croatia is a very diverse country, both culturally and geographically. At the moment it is one of the top tourist countries in the world, especially cities such as Dubrovnik, Split, islands Brač and Hvar, and national parks like Plitvice Lakes and Krka. These are probably the top destinations, but there are many more hidden gems both on the coast and in the inland of the country.

Firstly, Croatia is one of the countries situated on the 45th parallel north, which is the halfway point between the North Pole and the Equator. It is said that this position would give it a “perfect” climate, where all four seasons are experienced every year. Speaking of climate in Croatia, spring comes in March or April, which is followed by summer starting in June. Summer weather then lasts until the end of September. October gets colder, and sometimes in that month the rainy season already hits Croatian, but that would happen more commonly in November. The rains generally stop in December when the weather gets significantly colder, which is then followed by snow and winter that lasts for several months, up until March. This is a typical continental climate that we experience in the inland. The coast of Croatia, particularly Southern part, on the other hand, enjoys Mediterranean climate, which gives nice weather year round, without snow.

Secondly, history in Croatia goes back far back into the past, starting from over 100 000 years ago when Neandhertals lived in the area of Northern Croatia, remnants of which can be seen in museums such as in Krapina town. The latter also hosts the Museum of Evolution, a high tech museum depicting development of the Universe and humans, based on a theory of evolution.

The video I included in this post shows a glimpse on what you can expect while at Plitvice lakes. The Lakes have over seven kilometers of pathways and trails, and this video shows the heart of the lakes, perhaps its most attractive spots. The National Park consists of sixteen lakes, all of which are interconnected with many waterfalls and cascades. The water is brought to the lakes by Black and White river, and by the nearby streams and brooks. At the lake you will be able to enjoy beautiful and pristine nature, which is kept in its untouched condition since the National park was formed in 1949. You will also have opportunity to see different birds and insects, and if you are lucky, even some larger animal. But don’t be afraid – the largest occupants of the Plitvice lakes never actually come down to the heart of the Lakes when people are there.

Many people marvel at the intense colors of the water, and how clean and clear it is. The color is sometime turquoise green, and at another time azul blue, which primarily depends on the organisms in the water, as well as the angle and intensity of the sun. It is so clean that it is even possible to drink from it, although I would personally not do it 🙂 Nevertheless, this whole park is about water and nature, and the ions that are generated from the waterfalls will surely put you in a very positive mood.

Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, is definitely a city that stands out due to its uniqueness and all that is to see there. Often time when I guide visitors, they are stunned by its beauty. In a surprised manner they are telling me: “We have not expected this at all!”. Certainly there is a special feel to the city, and the layout of its historical center, the pedestrian zones, the calmness and cleanliness, all of that leave a deep impression on visitors. I am not surprised anymore when they tell me, “we will definitely come back!”.

I like to guide walking tours (as well as by using public transport) of both downtown Zagreb and its wider area, so to bring visitors closer to the core of the city, to its history, culture, art, and the everyday living of the people of Zagreb. By doing this, visitors start to feel Zagreb in themselves, rather than just quickly passing through its streets.

There is much to see in the area of historical center of Zagreb. Normally we start our tour from the Josip Jelacic square, which is also the main square of Zagreb, or even better, from King Tomislav square, situated next to the railway station. As we start our walk Northwards we go back in time, to the 19th century, when Lower Town was being built and when dozens of palaces arose, ornamenting the city with its beautiful shapes and facades, that tell us so much about the culture of the time. As we pass by some important buildings in the area we travel further back in time, discovering more about the history of Croatia and how the culture was shaped into what it is today. We observe the life flowing, and people going about their everyday bussiness. We see the past merged with the present.