Croatia’s Picture Perfect Villages

A story from Adventurous Kate’s travel blog prompted us toe investigate the most picturesque villages in all Croatia. Meet Pučišća: The Most Beautiful Village in Croatia made us wonder?

Pučišća is indeed a fantastically beautiful little village on the Island of Brač in the Split-Dalmatia county, way down the Croatian coastline toward Montenegro. We decided to look for the most beautiful villages in Croatia in another way, digitally through events and people online. The image of this village below is from The International Summer Music School Pucisca – Island of Brac Facebook profile.

For the first time visitor to this part of Croatia, not only is Pučišća marvelous as a picturesque destination, the whole Island of Brač offers more than any tourist can take in paradise wise, in a short time at least. From the touristy shopping and people watching of the capital Supetar, to that secluded white beach you dreamed of, this part of Dalmatia is extraordinary in every way.

Is Pučišća the most picturesque place in all Croatia though? We ventured further afield to discover Cigoc for one. Far inland, near the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina, Cigoc is commonly known as the “Stork Place” due to the birds frequenting the village rooftops. Nature is all around here, and in a misty and secretive sort of Croatian way.

Why all the storks? Cigoc is situated in the middle of Lonjsko Polje Nature Park, the largest protected wetland area in all the Danube basin. A massive landscape of wetland wonder, marshes, wildlife, waterfowl of every description, this little village is the respite any bird-watching traveler would seek. And as you can tell by the image above, picturesque is all about the eye of the beholder too. Turn of the century cottages amid a natural forested paradise, Cigoc has its charm too. Tradicije-Čigoč is a lodging experience you won’t soon forget, just as the surrounding wetlands and Croatia’s best asset, her people (image below) are a discovery one.

Up in the North of Croatia, near the border with Slovenia, lies a town called Štrigova. Another bit of Croatian wilderness, this Croatian village is claimed by some to be the birthplace of St. Jerome. A church bearing his name sits in the middle of the quaint village as a reminder. A place of some mystery and lore, Štrigova has been an important place for Pilgrims and commerce for centuries. The vineyards and country lifestyle surrounding, well known for unique Croatian produce, wines, and crafts.

Besides the people, countryside, even the unique and delicately palatable bottle of local wine a visitor may enjoy here, Štrigova’s greatest treasure may be a work of art by the famous Ivan Ranger (Ivana Rangera). The fresco housed in the Church of St. Jerome is a priceless work, but more impressively for us tucked away within the walls of a fabulous church in the Croatian countryside.

The oldest native Croatian town on the Adriatic, Šibenik sits midway down the Dalmatia coastline an historic city that has fallen under the control of Venice, Byzantium, Hungary and the Kingdom of Bosnia, and later Italy in between the World Wars. Where pictures go, there are frankly few places on the Mediterranean more beautiful. The place where the river Krka flows into the sea (below) offers natural and man made beauties.

Šibenik’s outskirts, the beaches and towns nearby, these are the gems in the crown of Croatia. It is actually hard to imagine any places in the world more beautiful. The image below, of the town of Skradin, just upriver, demonstrates what I mean here. Looking at this and other places, one has to wonder if Croatia itself, is not the most beautiful country on Earth.

The region surrounding Šibenik is the very heart of what makes Croatia and Croatians so special. The land of the Illyrians is also about the mysty forested lands in the interior, but it is the sea that resonates with the laughter of these lively and fascinating people. From the International Children’s Festival, image below, anyone can take away a bit of the warmth that is Croatian.

To try and paint this place with more words, is simply futile. Of all the places I have researched these last few years, the imagery of this region of Dalmatia has sold me. Our next vacation will be here. I leave the reader with the fantastic imagery from the people who shared via Facebook their place on Earth, http://www.sibenikregion.com/. Many thanks to The Tourist Board of the Region Šibenik-Knin.

Photo Credits: Krka River – courtesy © Alaska-Tom & Fotolia