While Croatia may not have the reached the skiing capital of Europe status the likes of Switzerland and Austria have, this stunningly beautiful and mountainous country is rapidly becoming a popular ski destination for some serious fun on the slopes, after all Olympic gold medallist Croatian skier Janica Kostelic had to practise somewhere didn’t she?

We check out three of the top skiing resorts in Croatia, which could be an affordable alternative to many other European ski destinations.

Mount Sljeme

While the slopes may not be as high as those in the Alps, being positioned in a nature reserve on the outskirts of Zagreb, skiing on Mount Sljeme, provides an incredible vista whilst speeding down the piste. This unspoilt ski resort offers slopes for skiers of varying abilities and although the facilities here are somewhat modest – two ski lifts and four ski runs – if is peace, tranquil, value for money and surrounded by awe-inspiring views sounds like an appealing alternative to the hustle and bustle and extortionate prices many of the more well-known ski destinations are notorious for, you won’t be disappointed with Mount Sljeme.

Bjelolasica

Being the Croatian Olympic Centre, Bjelolasica is Croatia’s largest ski resort. With comprehensive facilities, including snowboarding, cross-country skiing and ski lessons, Bjelolasica caters for every level of snow sports enthusiast. Located close to the city of Karlovac in central Croatia, access to Bjelolasica is good by car, train or bus.

Prices for accommodation, facilities and other services here are reasonable, whereas the scenery at Bjelolasica can only be described as being outstanding.

Platak

26 kilometres to the north east of Rijeka the ski resort of Platak can be found. With seven ski runs and 10 kilometres of cross-country trails, Platak is a ski and snowboarders’ paradise, especially when you reach the highest point and stop to pause and take in the incredible views.

Given its popularity, the facilities and equipment at Platak have recently been modernised.

Maybe you would prefer Croatia a little warmer?! You should have a look at Vintage Travel’s wonderful selection of luxury holiday villas in Istria.

All despite its new found popularity as a top European travel destination; Croatia manages to retain its independence, rural tranquillity and a uniquely stunning beauty, an achievement that undoubtedly adds to its charm.

If you are thinking about taking a well-deserved break in Croatia in 2012 you may be pondering about where exactly in this both scenically and cultural diverse country to make it. That’s where Vintage Travel could help you out.

One of our luxury villas in Vizinada won ‘Best property in Croatia’ in the 2006 Bentley Property awards. It’s easy to see why – Maslina (pictured above) is built from the finest reclaimed Istrian stone, the property enjoys some impressive views. The 3 bedroom villa is furnished beatifully and is spacious and comfortable.

The village of Vizinada epitomises the beauty and essence of Croatia. Situated 17 kilometres to the northeast of Porec in the western region of Istria, the principle economy of the village is agriculture.

So if it’s flashy cars, pink champagne and top-notch wine bars you want from your European break, then perhaps Vizinada is not the place for you. If however you are after a tranquil cessation in the most breath-taking of surroundings, then Vizinada should definitely be on your shortlist.

Although despite Vizinada’s relative concealment from the tourist trail and the hands of wealthy capitalists out to add ‘glamour’ to its list of assets, the town of Vizinada has enjoys some degree of publicity.

In 1970 Vizinada was used in the filming of the legendary war film, Kelly’s Heroes. With a couple of restaurants, a bar and one general store, whilst it may sound like a cliché, time really has seemed to stand still in this blissfully peaceful Croatian town, and regardless of its albeit snippet of international movie notoriety, Vizinada’s seduction lies within its solitude.

Oh yes, and did we forget to mention the wine?

This effervescent city touches upon a little of everything – Chic apartments, a spectacular walled palace, pre-Christian sphinxes, cosy bars, pavement cafes, fashionable shops and lively markets, it’s no wonder tourists flock to split in the droves.

On top of it eclectic mix of attractions, shops, architecture and eateries, Split has a vibrant cultural events scene, with the Split Carnival, held in February each year, being one of the biggest and most energetic outdoor event taking place in this hypnotically addictive city.

On February 22, 2012, Split will become even more animated and buzzing than normal, as music, costumes, parades and shows will fill the streets. With exciting pyrotechnic shows and various themed events, the Split Carnival 2012 will be a party for all the family, and the Croatians certainly know how to throw a party!

The two-day event attracts a multi-cultured crowd of all ages as they flock to Split to participate in the merriments. The “Spli’ski Krnjeval” – Split Carnival – is organised by the “Hram” cultural association, which invites all of the residents of Split to attend the festival to drink wine, eat traditional Croatian “Fritule” – fritters – and dance the night away.

After dark, the music and dancing is accompanied by a spellbinding display of fireworks, which momentarily cast neon shades over the city’s ancient remnants built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who built the palace as a retirement home.

Children are also at the heart of the Split Carnival 2012, and a few days before the event begins, there is a children’s carnival, whereby the little ones don their own costumes and masks and head their own procession.

The Split Carnival really is a joyous and memorable occasion, and one which makes February perhaps the most perfect time to embark on your magical journey to Croatia.

Unlike Bordeaux in France or Rioja in Spain, when one thinks of Istria in Croatia wine does not immediately spring to mind. Instead thoughts of the most beautiful beaches in world set against a backdrop of lush, dynamic and verdurous landscapes, dominate the images building up in one’s mind.

Wine in Istria is, however, gaining prominence throughout the world, with the four main wine producing regions in Istria – Buje, Porec, Rovinj and Pazin – producing some top-notch wine to rival any full-bodied red created in Rioja or crisp and light Sauvignon Blanc made in Bordeaux.

To celebrate Croatia’s growing eminence in the wine industry, the Croatian Wine Fair 2011 was held on 8 September this year at the Delfina Event Centre in London.  Attending the event was British wine writer and broadcaster Oz Clarke, one of the world’s most formidable, best-loved and knowledgeable wine experts, whose ‘no-nonsense’ approach has elevated him to a celebrity-like status.

Amongst the wine in Istria being tasted at the fair, imported and exhibited by many of the Croatia’s leading winemakers, whose aim is to introduce the diverse range of wines Croatia has to offer, was Croatian Fine Wines Limited, a Swansea based company, who has its wine imported from Croatia.

Talking about how Oz Clarke devoured every wine Croatian Fine Wines Ltd had on its table, James Waddell, the company’s managing director said:

“This was our first trade event. We had already done tastings during the day for many wines buyers, including two major supermarkets, and journalists and were starting to pack up when Oz Clarke came over and wanted to taste all the wines on the table.”

“Oz was very friendly. He particularly liked the Cabernet Franc 2007, Malvazija 2010 and Teran 2008 from the Franc Arman estate and the Chardonnay 2010, Pinot Bijeli (white) 2010 and Sauvignon Blanc 2010 from the Pilato estate in Western Istria,” continued Mr Waddell.

The Croatian Wine Fair 2011 and particularly the enthusiasm Oz Clarke showed towards the wine Croatian Fine Wines Ltd had on offer, produced mostly in Istria, as he eagerly consumed every last drop, will surely help give wine in Istria the reputation it deserves.

Having been cited as being “The best four days of bass music in Europe, if not the world” and with previous Outlook Festival attendees describing the event as , “Without a doubt the most unique festival I have ever experienced, and quite possibly the best,” Europe’s largest bass music and soundsystem culture festival, really is something to experience.

Part of the Outlook Festival’s unique charm, asides from its sensational music, is its setting.

Held in an abandoned 18^th century fort in the town of Pula in the beautiful and culturally inspiring region of Istria, surrounded by the ocean, the festival’s location is the perfect spot for soaking up some sun-drenched bass music partying.

The Outlook Festival is growing in popularity and worldwide prominence each year, attracting an international and cosmopolitan bunch of visitors. Now in its fourth year, the Outlook Festival 2011 looks set to rock Fort Punta Christa like never before with a truly tremendous line-up.

174 artists from the Drum & Bass, Garage & Techno, Dub & Reggae, Hip Hop & Grime and the Electronica & Beats genres, will adorn a more than receptive crowd, dancing and basking in the Croatian sun.

These artists include Barrington Levy. Distance, Kode9, Pharoache Monch, Benga, Rockwell, Skream, Shy FX, Scuba, and many, many more.

The Outlook Festival 2011 is just one of a string of music and film festivals being held in Croatia this summer and autumn. From August 27 until September 8, the Julian Rachlin & friend’s festival of chamber music, which features many celebrated musicians from around the world and is led by Australian violinist Julian Rachlin, will take place in Dubrovnik.

Whilst from September 10 – 17, the Split Film Festival is taking place in Split, showcasing new films from around the world.

In mid-October Zagreb will play host to the Zagreb International Chamber Music Festival whereby various classical concerts take place in the city.

In November the seventh VIP Zagreb Jazz Festival is due to take place with various top international jazz artists showcasing their talents at the Zagreb Youth Theatre.

Although if you do happen to be travelling to Istria with the kids in tow this summer, there are more children-orientated activities happening in the region than first perceived, the trick is knowing about them.

To help make your holiday in Istria as fun for the kids as it will be for you, we’ve tracked down several things to do in in Istria with children.

The Butterfly Garden in the Ecological Centre of Eia

Generally speaking children are fascinated by butterflies and their unique beauty. Surrounded by the magic fairy wood, which includes an ancient oak tree named Nano, the Butterfly Garden at the Ecological Centre of Eia, never fails to mesmerise and fascinate children, and adults too for that matter. The garden comprises of one huge flower bed laden with many exotic flowers and plants designed for attracting butterflies to their nectar. There are more than 50 species of butterflies living in this extraordinary garden including a very rare species known as the Swallowtail.

The Ecological Centre of Eia is located in an area of untouched beauty and nature between the towns of Bale and Krmede. The centre itself is an enjoyable and educational experience for all the family with numerous interesting ecological projects running, including an earthen kitchen, Indian sauna and house made of straw.

For more information visit eia.hr.

Squirrel Park

Istria is renowned for its thriving nature and wildlife scene and none more so than being a haven for the humble squirrel. Watching the cute red squirrels at the Istria Squirrel Park proves to be a great day out for all the family. Istria Squirrel Park is located at the Hotel Sol Coral in Katoro. For more information email: sol.coral@istraturist.hr

Aquarium Pula

Between the walls of the Austro-Hungarian fortress of Verudela, which was built in 1886 just several kilometres from the centre of the city of Pula, the Aquarium Pula can be found. Since 2002, Verudela’s fortress has been transformed into an aquarium boasting approximately 60 tanks of tropical marine and freshwater fish which are representative of European rivers and lakes.

The view from the roof of this ancient fort is simply stunning of the city of Pula below where visitors can enjoy food and drinks in the rooftop restaurant – definitely a winner for all the family!

According to the country’s latest National Happiness Index, the people of Croatia are real optimists who believe that life in this beautiful country will be significantly improved during the next two years.

The survey was conducted by the insurance company Allianz, agency Hendal and the magazine Banka, and revealed that out of Croatia the regions of Primorje, Gorski Kotar and Istria remain the happiest areas, closely followed by Zagreb. For the past several years Croatia has been ranked as one of the top quality of life countries in the world.

In 2007 the International Living Magazine ranked Croatia’s quality of life as being 18^th in the world, out of 193 countries officially recognised as having high quality of life assets.

So what constitutes to the ranking of high life quality? And why do Croatians optimistically believe their quality of life is going to be improved in Croatia? The factors considered when evaluating each countries quality of life include, the environment, health, economy, freedom, leisure and culture, cost of living, safety and risk, climate and infrastructure.

With a tourist industry that is booming and a high income market economy at present, Croatia’s economy is performing well. Being located on the crossroads of the Pannionian Plane and the Mediterranean Ocean, Croatia is not only geographically diverse and scenically stunning, but also boasts an enviable climate of hot and dry summers and relatively mild winters, particularly in the Mediterranean regions.

The cost of living in Croatia is typically 10% – 20% less than what you expect to pay in western European countries. The cost of food and drink, utility bills, rented accommodation and transportation is reportedly significantly cheaper than Western Europe.

Since the country suffered significant damage caused by war in the years between 1991 and 1995, its roads, railways, water supply network, electricity and air traffic control has undergone drastic improvements mostly from loans received from the World Bank and the European Bank for reconstruction and development. Consequently, compared to Eastern European standards, Croatia has a developed infrastructure.

If relocating to Croatia isn’t on your agenda, then you could try reaping all the high quality of life by going on holiday there this summer. The best Villa Croatia has on offer is likely to be one of Vintage Travel’s stunning collection, including the historically important Villa Cecilia (pictured).

Croatia is blessed with a profound amount of beautiful beaches, which cater for everyone’s individual beach desires.

With such a prolific amount of high-quality and top-notch beaches on offer, choosing the best beaches in Croatia would be like finding a needle in a haystack.

So instead we have complied five of the best beaches in Croatia.

Drazica Beach, Biograd

Just a ten minute walk from the historical town of Biograd lies the beautiful pebbled shores of Drazica Beach, which has been awarded with a Blue Flag. Fertile vegetation and the vibrant colours of beautiful flowers line the promenade at the beach., which because of its more than ample facilities, including changing cabins, showers and disabled facilities, its large aquarium and comprehensive water sport centre, remains a popular beach, particularly in the summer months.

Plat, Dubrovnik

The area of Plat is located close to Dubrovnik and, if seclusion and tranquillity is what you sought, you have come to the right place. With a shoreline hugged by cypress and pine trees, the beach at Plat provides some refreshing shade in the summer. These cosy pebbled coves are individualised by large rock formations and are just crying out to be explored.

Lone Bay, Ravinji

Situated on Croatia’s western coast, the ancient settlement of Ravinj, with its steep, narrow and cobbled streets is definitely worthy of a visit. If you have children Lone Bay at Ravinj, with its shallow water, amusement centre, hive of water sport activity and ample number of bars, restaurants and facilities, is a fantastic beach for all the family.

Saldun Bay, Ciovo

If gently dozing off on a soft sandy beach listening to the waves lapping on the shore sounds like heaven then a trip to Saldun Bay might be imperative. Located near to the UNESCO protected town of Trogir, Saldun Bay overlooks the beautiful marina here, and its facilities are exceptional.

Vrulja, Brela

If your Croatian holiday has romantic inclinations attached to it, then a visit to the romantic cove of Vrulja, where the water is crystal clear, the sunsets are divine and the whole bay is secluded by cliffs and pine trees, must be high on your holiday itinerary.

Now you know about the beaches, why not investigate some of the best villas Croatia has to offer?

“Film illuminates the world”, and for 13 consecutive years, the medieval town of Motovun in the heart of stunning Croatia, stages its own film festival, aimed at exploring and presenting new trends in the world of contemporary cinema whilst developing contacts between international and Croatian filmmakers.

In its fourteenth year, the Motovun Film Festival is being held between 25 July 2011 and 29 July 2011 and is inviting visitors to come and discover some of the most exciting cinematic experiences the world has to offer.

This year’s film festival is still calling for entries, the only stipulations being that the films must have been produced in the last 18 months  prior to the date of the festival, and that they have not been publically screened in Croatia before.

A series of awards are awarded at the Motovun Film Festival 2011 in various categories. “The Propeller” is the main award of the festival, which is given to the “best film”, decided by an international panel of judges.

Since 2003, the “FromAtoA” award has been implemented, which aims to bring awareness and to break through national boundaries to help stimulate the distribution of films made in the region from Albania to Austria.

One of the oldest and most prestigious associations of film critics, the Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographique, also gives an award at the Motovun Film Festival.

The Fipresci award is yet more evidence of how prominent and internationally recognised the Motovun Fil Festival has become, and it is little wonder the award has gained exceptional popularity amongst filmmakers.

Visitors to the festival are also encouraged to actively become involved in the festival’s award ceremony with the “Audience Award”. Guests can rate films via text and the film with the highest number of votes wins.

In order to raise both awareness and money over issues related to human rights, in 2002 the Amnesty International Film Festival inaugurated presenting the Amnesty International Human Rights Award on other festivals.

The award is now presented at the Motovun Film Festival in association with Amnesty International Croatia.

Visiting the picturesque, ancient and quirky town of Motovun, surrounded by rivers, vineyards and undulating hills, in central Istria is fantastic, but it is in July when visitors can relax in the cobbled squares watching some of the most inspirational films from all over the world projected onto the walls of this beautiful 15^th century hillside town, when a visit to Motovun is particularly magical and memorable.

Click HERE for more information on the Motovun Film festival.

Unlike Copenhagen, where the what some might refer to as ‘disastrous’ climate change summit took place in 2009, Croatia is a more ‘unlikely’ destination for a leading European renewable energy conference.

It is in this ‘unlikeliest’ of places, which is to be the location for Sustainable Energy Finance and Investment Summit 2011, placing Croatia firmly on the business and commerce map.

Cavtat Harbour in Croatia

Legend has it that the name of the Croatian city of Cavtat derives from the old Croatian verb ‘captiti’ – ‘to blossom’, in reference to the surplus of yellow juniper which rampantly ‘blossoms’ throughout the town, spreading its sweet aroma and sunny aura with it.

Perhaps it is this fascinating Cavtat charm, which made the European Environment Agency (EEA) decide to hold the Sustainable Energy Finance and Investment Summit in Cavtat in Croatia this year, backed up by the town’s harmonious architecture and rich cultural heritage, born out of its Roman colony.

Nonetheless, delegates of this important climate change summit, which will take place on October 19 of this year, will be arriving at a truly beautiful town, steeped in history, culture and with a growing sense of commerce.

Europe has committed to obtaining 20% of its energy from sustainable sources by the year 2020. The aim of the Cavtat summit is to identify ways of financing renewable energy projects so that Europe will be more on target to achieve its goals.

The conference will involve a number of invited speakers highlighting the importance of investment and regional co-operation to promote more efficient forms of energy that are much kinder to the planet, with a key focus on reducing energy costs. There will also be two workshops put on during the conference, the first being ‘The keys to making sure your sustainable energy project will be financeable’ and the second is titled, ‘A project Financing for Public Authorities – Capacity Building Workshop’.

Croatia, with its vast, varied and rural landscape, has great natural potentials and possibilities for the use of renewable energy sources. The importance of implementing renewable energy projects was recognized as early as the 1970s and 80s in Croatia, when programs promoting wind, solar and geothermal technologies established and supported with financial and legislative measures.

Latterly, Croatia has harmonized the general concept of the energy industry reforms with the legal EU requirements. It is within these realms that make Croatia the perfect location for Sustainable Energy Finance and Investment Summit 2011, and those lucky enough to be attending the critical climate change conference, will have the pleasure of exploring the beautiful town of Cavtat and its charismatic bay.