Dalmatia

Dalmatia is a geographical region on the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea and is considered a southern region in Croatia. It has borders with three countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina (the longest border on the East), Montenegro on the South and a maritime border with Italy on the West.

The name Dalmatia comes from an ancient Illyrian nation the Delmas who inhabited this area before the Roman colonization.

Dalmatia has a continuous and rich history. After the Roman colonization which left us amazing monuments, it served as a capital for several kings during the Croatian Kingdom.

For centuries after the Kingdom, Dalmatia was under the reign of several forces back in the past. Venice, Ottoman Empire, Napoleon Bonaparte, Austro-Hungarian monarchy, Italy, Yugoslavia and finally – Croatia, where it always belonged demographically, culturally and emotionally.

Besides tourism, beautiful beaches, and clean aquamarine sea, Dalmatia also has some other treasures. On the very South of the region grow incredibly delicious and sweet oranges and tangerines as well as other citrus fruit sorts. Dalmatia has a lot of olive groves, and it’s not rare that an average family owns an olive grove for personal purposes. But a lot of families produce their own olive oil, and Croatian oils have won numerous international awards for their quality. Dalmatian cheese, prosciutto, and salt are world-known delicatessens in the gastronomic area. When a region is settled by the sea, the popular products are definitely are the fruits of the sea – fish, shells and other seafood. It’s well known how loaded seafood is with healthy ingredients and how many variations exist to prepare it.

Dalmatian attractions

Zadar is a beautiful city full of sights from ancient times situated in the Adriatic Sea and due to its great position as well place easy to reach. You can see some of the most beautiful Roman ruins from Croatia such as the Church of St. Donatus named after the bishop St. Donatus who built it in the 9th century, making Zadar most recognizable in “Travel guide books”.

The city of Šibenik is well known for its fortresses and St. Jacobs Cathedral. Built during the Middle Ages on a hill in the middle of the town, fortresses provide a breathtaking view of Šibenik and its surroundings. Also this unique monument of sacral construction is a part of UNESCO’s register. St. Michaels fortress serves as the most prestigious open-air stage in the Mediterranean through shows, concerts, and other evening events.

The Krka National Park is a vast and primarily unaltered area of exceptional natural value, including one or more preserved or insignificantly altered ecosystems. The park is primarily designed for science, culture, education, and recreation, while tourism activities have also been introduced for its visitors.

Due to its unique natural features, magnificent forests and extraordinary geomorphologic structures, the area of Velika and Mala Paklenica has been a national park since 1949. The main reason for this area becoming a national park is the protection of the largest and best-preserved forest complex in the territory of Dalmatia from overexploitation.

The Paklenica National Park includes the two highest peaks of the Velebit Mountain – Vaganski vrh (1752 m) and Sveto brdo (1753 m).

Well known by Diocletian’s palace, the biggest city of Central Dalmatia is Split. Diocletian’s palace is one of the monumental historical sightings not only of Split but of Croatian historical and architectural treasure in general. The built-in transition from 3rdto 4thcentury AD, it served as a place where Roman emperor Diocletian retired and spent most of his free time when on duty. The interesting fact about this particular site is that since the earliest recorded times people have always lived in Diocletian’s Palace and they still do.

The city of Dubrovnik, located in the south of Croatia, annually arouses more interest among the tourists. The city is certainly one of the most visited holiday destinations in the Mediterranean and there are many reasons why numbers of satisfied visitors are constantly growing. It has a great cultural heritage and many attractions bring us closer to the long and rich history of this magical city. Some of the sites you definitely have to visit are historical core of the city and Stradun, Rector’s palace, St Blasius Church who is the patron saint of Dubrovnik, beautiful Sponza Palace which is a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance style, Orlando’s Column and many other interesting sites such as cathedrals, churches and city streets.