Croatia is a country of many beautiful places, and while some of these places, like Dubrovnik, are internationally famous, others are still obscure. That’s a shame, since these are unique sites which are definitely worth a visit. Here is my pick of the country’s hidden gems.
Blue Cave, Biševo – Biševo is an islet southwest of the island of Vis. In the past, there were several settlements on the island, but now it’s almost uninhabited, with around 50 inhabitants. But Biševo is special because it’s hiding one of the most beautiful secret of the Adriatic: the Blue Cave. It’s a sea cave accessible only though a man-made opening. Sun rays enter the cave through an underwater opening and reflect on its sandy bottom.
This creates a spectacular visual effect – the entire cave is illuminated in a shade of blue, and all objects in the water appear silver. An interesting geomorphological site, the Blue Cave became a destination for diving excursions. The dive itself is not demanding and even beginner amateur divers can enjoy the beauty of the cave. The best time to visit it is the high noon. That’s when the sun is high in the sky and the angle of sunlight is perfect for creating the so called Blue Cave effect.
Galešnjak – Galešnjak is an islet near the island of Pašman; unpopulated, with little vegetation, and without any obvious natural beauties, Galešnjak became famous overnight when Google Earth recorded its unique shape – the island is shaped like a heart. This made it a romantic getaway destination for couples, earning him nicknames such as “The Island of love”. Many come to Galešnjak to spend their honeymoon, to celebrate anniversaries, or even to propose. It’s far away from the tourist crowds of summertime Croatia; surrounded by the emerald-blue Adriatic Sea, it’s perfect for those who wish to (re)ignite the flame of love.
There are no ferry lines to Galešnjak, or accommodation of any sort. This meant that you could only reach it if you had a boat or a yacht, but in the last years some local tourist agencies started offering one day excursions to the island. People who wish to stay overnight usually camp or sleep on their boats. Even the Croatian National Tourist Board recognized the island as unique and valuable, and a variety of foreign media did reports on it.
Krk – The country’s largest island is connected to the mainland with a toll bridge. With a landscape ranging from thick forests in the west to ridges on the east, Krk is known for its preserved nature (with a unique ecological garbage disposal system, the most efficient one in Croatia) and great pebble beaches. The bridge made it easily reachable from the mainland, and it can be reached from the nearby Rijeka in half an hour (with plenty of rent-a-car options available). Even Rijeka Airport is on the island, in its northernmost tip.
The waters of Krk are great for diving, and there are more than 10 diving centers operating on the island. Even if you don’t have any previous diving experience, most of the sites are suitable for beginners; some of them feature shipwrecks, while others are places of exceptionally rich underwater life.
The center of the island is Krk Town. One of the oldest towns in the Adriatic, it has been inhabited since Roman times, and some Roman structures, such as the ruins in the city walls, or a thermal, are still standing. The people of Krk Town mostly live off of tourism nowadays, and the town – much like the other settlements on the island – has been adapted to tourist requirements, with several hotels, and dozens of café bars and family-owned restaurants, and is especially popular with families and the elderly.
Stiniva Cove – Located in the southern tip of the island of Vis, Stiniva is one of the most isolated places on the Adriatic. Surrounded from the sea by two steep rock cliffs which make it almost enclosed, it’s a hidden oasis few people know about. From the interior of the island, it can’t be reached by car, as there is no road. It can only be reached on foot if you follow an old pathway.
It can be approached by boat, but only smaller vessels can come through inside the bay – the entrance is five meters wide. The cove features a sandy beach (a rare thing in the Adriatic) This unique cove probably came to be when a sea cave collapsed thousands of years ago. The best time to visit is early morning so you can enjoy the sparkling sea and the majestic white cliffs surrounding the cove. Recently a small bar was built on its beach, offering refreshments to those who manage to find the cove. Probably one of the best preserved and pristine places on the entire Croatian coastline, Stiniva was declared a law protected monument of nature in 1967.
Šipan – Seventeen kilometers southwest of Dubrovnik, Šipan is the largest island of the Elaphite archipelago. But that doesn’t mean it’s big. With an area of sixteen square kilometers and about five hundred inhabitants, it’s a place of peace and tranquility. The island is crisscrossed with paths and roads perfect for long walks, there’s plenty of vegetation, several clean beaches, and quite an impressive cultural heritage.
There are forty two summer houses and forty three churches on the island, because Šipan was once a favorite holiday destination for the Dubrovnik aristocracy. Some structures date from the Middle Ages, such as the remains of the Church of St. Peter at Velji Point (dating from the 11th century) or the Church of St Michael, built in a pre-Romantic style, and even some Roman ruins were discovered near the settlement of Šipanska Luka. There are two hotels on the island, and a couple of ferry lines to Dubrovnik. However, it is mostly unknown to foreign tourists who visit Croatia. That’s a shame, because the island’s quite bays, cypress trees, orange groves, its forested slopes and ancient buildings are definitely worth a visit.
About the Author:-
Alexa Dragas is a young guy looking to become a full time travel blogger in the future. He enjoy meeting new people, eating foreign food and listening to great music and Check his blog travelingpride.com .
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