Croatian Island Holidays

Not just the country that knocked England out of Euro 2008, Croatia is a charming island that’s well-worth visiting in the summer. It sits next to the Alps and along the Adriatic Sea, and offers the traveller a mixed countryside, with over 1000 islands and reefs.  It’s a great destination for those who want something a little different than the usual Mediterranean trip. Here are three Croatian islands worth a look.

 

Sipan

 

Sipan is a down the road form Dubrovnik, a prominent tourist seaport and is made of two cities: Sipanska Luka, and Sudural. In the 15th  century this was a swanky destination for the very rich of and you can see why – its climate has helped it grow a scenic landscape of palm trees and it is a fertile ground for orange, lemon and fig plantations. This is very much an island for chilling and bathing in a little luxurious climate, The Hotel Sipian is probably the best place to stay. A converted olive oil factory, it is a grand building that looks out to a calm bay.

 

Sveti Klement

 

This is a very green island, with contrasting white-pebbled beaches that are definitely the reason to get to this island. On one of these beaches there is a specially built arboretum and an array of villas all available to rent. You can water-ski, swim and windsurf, which makes it a handy destination if you and your pals are having an adventure. You can get a ferry there from Hvar, one of the prominent Dalmatian islands in Croatia and also an appealing place to visit - which should take just under half an hour.

 

Lastovo

 

This island is slightly more remote than the others. Most of it is covered in pine forest, and has up to 46 smaller neighbouring islands around it.  There’s a collection of 15th and 16th century architecture that make this island stand out from the rest and many churches that qualify the Roman Catholic influence.  Check out the Poklade carnival, when locals dress in traditional folk costumes to celebrate a historic battle with Catalan pirates. During the summers, expect some folky fiestas where the traditional Lastovo's Pokladari is performed.

 

Food-wise, expect the cuisine to be regional and rustic. Mainland food is pretty Slavic, but there should be a variety of outside influences too, like Hungarian and Turkish.  On the coast it’ll be closer to its Mediterranean neighbours and you’ll spot a little Greek influence in the dishes.

 

To get to Croatia, have a look at the Cheapflights.co.uk website. You’ll find all the latest deals on cheap flights grouped together on one site, it’s also worth checking Travelzoo for bargain holidays – at the time of writing you could pick up 7 nights bin Croatia for as little as £149. And don’t forget travel insurance, you can pick it up cheaply and easily online from the likes of AA Travel and Directline.