Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for January, 2010

Croatia’s national ferry company, Jadrolinija, confirmed today that the January schedule of local ferries is now valid through February. Usually the winter schedule is valid from October through May but this year is different. According to a Jadrolinija spokesperson, the company is awaiting government approval for one or more new ferry lines. Should the lines be approved, the new routes will be on the official spring schedule. And when will the new schedule be published? Hopefully by mid-February.

If you’re planning a trip to Croatia this spring, you can download the February schedule with the confidence that the current timetables will not change but that there may be an additional route or routes. You can receive email notification of timetable changes and new routes if you subscribe to Croatia Ferries News.

See more about Croatia ferries.

At least for certain Croatia ferries, summer holiday planning has become easier. Summer and fall 2010 ferry schedules are now available for:

• the coastal ferry connecting Rijeka-Split-Hvar-Korcula-Mljet-Dubrovnik
• Split-Ancona ferries
• Ancona-Zadar ferries
• Ancona-Hvar ferries
• Bari-Dubrovnik ferries

Around the beginning of next month other ferry schedules should be online. Stay tuned!

See more on ferries to Croatia and ferries in Croatia.

As I’ve previously posted, there was once a ferry linking Dubrovnik to Greece and–fingers crossed-there will be one again. Soon. At least that’s what the Dubrovnik Tourist Board has just reported. Greek ferry operator, Minoan Lines, “will introduce a fast ferry route soon between Patras – Igoumenitsa – Crete – Dubrovnik – Venice”. Apparently, Minoan Lines already runs ferries linking Venice and Greece so a small detour to Dubrovnik is easy to implement. When will this delightful event occur? Soon. Stay tuned.

See more about Ferries to Dubrovnik.

At the end of a suspenseful presidential campaign the results are in: the next President of Croatia will be Ivo Josipovic of the center-left Social Democratic Party. With 60.29 percent of the vote, Josipovic handily beat former Zagreb mayor, Milan Bandic who only received 39.71 percent. Mr. Josipovic carried all Croatia’s counties except historically right-leaning Lika-Senj. The Croatian diaspora can vote in Presidential elections and, true to form, voted for the more right-wing candidate.

The largest issue in the campaign was corruption. Mr Bandic was perceived as tainted while Mr Josipovic promised to restore confidence in the government, police and court system. A successful battle against corruption will smooth the way towards Croatia’s eventual accession to the EU.

See more facts about Croatia.

The brilliant new coffee-table book, “Croatia Aspects of Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage” is the first of its kind in English to seriously and comprehensively tackle Croatia’s extraordinarily rich artistic and architectural heritage. Published late in 2009 by Frances Lincoln Limited, this handsome and gorgeously photographed edition boasts a stellar line-up of experts, each of whom contributes an in-depth article covering an aspect of Croatian art. The result is a work that highlights Croatia’s artistic achievements within the context of Western European culture as at rose from the ancient Greeks through the Italian renaissance to this day.

The introduction by John Julius Norwich provides a brief overview of Croatia as a country whose geography foretold a turbulent history that Stjepan Cosic expands upon in the following “Survey of Croatian History” chapter.

Next up is a study of “Ancient Greeks in Croatia” by Branko Kirigin. Where did those ancient Greeks leave traces? On tiny Palagruza Island, Korcula Island, Hvar Island and Vis Island.

“Roman Art in Croatian Dalmatia First to Third Centuries AD” by J.J. Wilkes covers Roman sculpture, stele, and reliefs many of which are on display in Zadar, Split and Salona archaeological museums.

“The Palace of Diocletian at Split” merits its own chapter and Sheila McNally handles it intently, with an in-depth and illustrated analysis of all that is known, not-known and imagined about this splendid site.

“Illuminated Manuscripts in Croatia” by Christopher de Hamel has beautiful photographs of  manuscripts that are otherwise inaccessible to the public and an explication of Croatia’s unique “Glagolitic” script.

The Franciscans and Dominicans had a huge impact and “Gothic Art & The Friars in Late Medieval Croatia” by Donal Cooper is an essential guide to their convents in monasteries that stretch from Pula to Rab, Zadar, Trogir, Split and Dubrovnik.

And then there’s an entire chapter devoted to one single chapel in Trogir’s St Lawrence (Sv Lovro) cathedral. David Ekserdjian goes out on a limb in “The Renaissance in Croatia & Italy: The Chapel of the Blessed Giovanni Orsini” by calling it “an ensemble whose sheer artistic quality and virtual completeness make it one of the most remarkable sculptural decorations of the entire Renaissance”. He then explains.

Josko Belamaric expounds upon the painter “Nikola Bozidarevic” whose few surviving works are one of the many artistic treasures of Dubrovnik.

The history of Dalmatia is closely entwined with that of Italy which naturally gave rise to much creative comingling. “Italy & Dalmatia: Architecture, Sculpture, Painting & the Decorative Arts” by Timothy Clifford explores the interaction between the two locations pointing out highlights in Split, Trogir, Sibenik, Hvar, Korcula, Peljesac and Zadar.

And what would a Croatian art book be without a discussion of Dubrovnik? A book with a big hole. “Dubrovnik: Italian Art” by Timothy Clifford is essential reading for anyone who wants an in-depth look at the artistic treasures in Dubrovnik’s monasteries and museums.

The castles of Zagorje are too often overlooked by visitors to Croatia. “Castles & Manor Houses of Croatia” by Marcus Binney will hopefully inspire visitors to hop in a car and take a tour of the fairy tale castles and stately manors north of Zagreb.

And speaking of Zagreb, I’m embarrassed to admit that I have often recommended the Mimara Museum in Zagreb. No more. Brian Sewell issued a withering condemnation of the Mimara collection in “Museums of Zagreb”. The visitor is “dumbfounded” by the number of  “questionable attributions and with problems of wear, abuse and restoration”.  The author fervently hopes the museum will be closed and the “few fine paintings” transferred to the more prestigious Strossmayer Gallery of Old Masters.

Although Croatia Aspects of Art, Architecture and Cultural Heritage is way too bulky to drag along on your holiday, perusing it before your trip will vastly enrich your Croatian experience and returning to it afterwards will flavour the memories of your visits.

You can order the book directly from the publisher’s website.