Dalmatia

Dalmatia - from the island of Rab in the north to the bay of Kotor in the south

The 330 km long coastal strip on the Adriatic in the Croatian south-west, on which you find both rugged mountains and gentle coasts - that is Dalmatia. To the north of it, on Croatian ground, are the Kvarner Bay and the Istrian peninsula; to the south Montenegro adjoins; in the east, behind the Velebit and Dinaric mountains, lies the Croatian hinterland; and in the east hundreds of little Adriatic islands are waiting to be explored. They account, after all, for 2,000 of Dalmatia's total 12,000 sq km. The total coastline length is correspondingly long, consisting for the most part of gravel beaches. But there are also reefs or mountain rocks dropping steeply into the sea. Dalmatia's interior is just as varied: marshland and fertile plains alternate with karst rock, canyons and lake landscapes. And since this natural diversity is to be preserved, a relatively large part of the Dalmatian landscape is under the protection of national or nature parks.

Dalmatia lies between the Adriatic and high mountain ridges. As a result the Mediterranean climate with its hot, dry summers, the fertile in-between seasons and the mild winters is complemented by special winds: the bora blows cold air from the mountains into the lower regions and can thus provide a few refreshing days in summer - but can also become very dangerous for sailors and motorcyclists if they are surprised by its irregular 180 km/h gusts. The maestral blows continuously from the sea in the main season. It is probably to its cool breeze that many people inexperienced with Croatia owe the fact that they do not notice at all how the sunburn is forming. And the jugo, which occurs only in spring and autumn, brings rain clouds with it - but fortunately takes them away again too! So in Dalmatia there is a holiday season for almost half a year: from the end of May to the beginning of October you can count on pleasantly warm air and water temperatures: in July, for example, the average daytime temperature rises to 28 degrees thanks to 11 hours of sunshine, and in May and October too it rarely falls below 20 degrees.

At the end of April, the beginning of May, when the first summer tourists show themselves in Croatia, the plant world too shows itself at its most beautiful: punctually at the end of the rainy season trees and shrubs, herbs and flowers blossom. During the high season, however, the dry climate has carried off the greater part of the splendour and only palms and other robust plants still provide a little green. But - as if to bid the visitors farewell and invite them straight back for the next year - early autumn is harvest time: the fruits hang richly on vines, bushes and trees, formerly withered shoots sprout again and new plants grow up. A special feature is the Dalmatian maquis. Since in the history of the region new houses and ships continually had to be built, for which wood in turn was needed, a large part of Dalmatia was permanently cleared over centuries. In these areas the maquis formed - a thicket of plants that are of no or of poor use for building. In summer, when the sun shines for days on the often leathery leaves of the bushes, they release their essential oils and let the bora carry the spicy scent as far as the distant coast. "Proper" trees are relatively few in Dalmatia. But through reforestation programmes one comes upon more and more oaks, beeches, stone pines, pines, laurel and carob trees. While the local plants were put to practical use, in the past great efforts were made to make foreign plants native. With success: the Arabian olives, figs and pomegranates, the Asian oranges and lemons and even Australian eucalyptus can today be seen in many gardens and almost every park. And the American plants introduced later, such as agave, oleander and tamarisk, feel so at home in the Croatian climate that today one can safely describe them as "typical of the country".

As in the flora, so in the fauna too Dalmatia's original heritage has become rare: tortoises and vultures, eagles and bears, lynxes and seals are now found only in isolated cases in the national parks and nature conservation areas, where the aim has been set of markedly increasing their numbers. By no means, however, is the Croatian fauna poor as a result: on the ground rabbits, martens, wild boar, ground squirrels and hares scurry about - unfortunately often directly in front of moving cars - and the air is enriched by butterflies in every pattern and colour, migratory birds such as nightingale, swallow and cuckoo, native birds such as larks, blackbirds, quails and tits, and at the sea of course gulls, while birds of prey circle above the mountains. These then swoop preferably on one of the many species of lizard warming themselves in the sun, or on one of the snakes that are completely harmless to humans. Prettier to look at - and blessed with a much more positive image - are the dolphins, which can be observed well on ferry crossings at their lively leaps into the air.

Not only because the great majority of Croats had to live through the last war directly will you meet in Croatia people highly educated in and interested in history, politics and their own country. The subject of “politics” is by no means left only to those who have to occupy themselves with it professionally, but is present in every market, at every hairdresser's and in every office. Perhaps it is through this watchful eye on the future that the all the more affectionate gaze upon traditions and customs arose. Not a few Croats — young ones too — still know the folk dances and folkloric songs and may even still have the beautiful costumes at home. In other respects too Croatia likes to rely on the tried and tested: the vegetables at the market, which look irregular and blotchy to the central European eye, taste better in many cases than what you find in the supermarket in Germany precisely because they were not modified and treated on such a large scale. With fish too the Croats tolerate no lesser quality — which in turn benefits all guests as well. Indeed Croatian cooking — even beyond ćevapčići — can be recommended with a clear conscience: the Mediterranean influences that determine the choice of dishes are complemented by Austrian tricks of preparation. You will be able to feed yourself the whole holiday, without difficulty and with variety, on “strudel” (savoury or sweet), “salati”, “tačkerli” (sweet dough pockets), “Schmarrn” and of course fish goulash, fish soup, fish as you wish it. And then you will not even have tried the sheep's cheese from Pag, the ham from Istria, the home-pressed wine of the konoba taverns and the fantastic cakes, which could not taste better in Vienna either. As you will experience for yourself, the portions in Croatia are as a rule generously measured. After all, a great many people here do physical work and need the energy. For because unemployment in Croatia stands at 20 %, in the coastal region of Dalmatia one can relatively easily help oneself, provided one owns a boat or a little land. So fishing and agriculture form important pillars of the Dalmatian economy — as does tourism. And while sadly many young people move abroad to make their fortune, those who travel here often find it precisely here.

The most obvious thing to do in Dalmatia is of course water sports. Sailing, diving, snorkelling and swimming you can do in almost every coastal place, and in between as well you will find deserted bays that invite you to bathe. But bear in mind that in Dalmatia there are almost only gravel beaches: inexperienced travellers to Croatia can often be recognised by the fact that they try to stalk down to the water without rubber sandals... Beyond that, however, the range of sports on land is varied and tempting too. On a hike or with cheaply hired bicycles you experience Dalmatia's impressive nature directly, and many hotel complexes rent out their tennis courts to non-guests by the hour as well. For the really adventure-hungry, rafting tours on several rivers are on offer. The local tourist information will tell you which offering is the nearest in each case - and which suits your resistance to dizziness!