Long Island or Dugi Otok – Island made for relaxation and enjoyment

Long Island or Dugi Otok

Long Island or “Dugi Otok” belongs to the Zadar group of North Dalmatian islands. Its area is 113.3 km, and it is 44.5 km long. It is an island made for relaxation and enjoyment.

One of the greatest treasures of this island are the beaches. Everywhere you go there is a clear sea that enchants you with its blue colour. The most famous is Sakarun Beach. The beauty of this beach satisfies all those who want the crystal sea and white sand.
Telasica Nature Park extends to the southeast of the island. There are several natural phenomena, and the most famous is the salt lake Mir, about 10 meters deep and there you can find excellent, healing mud. On the south side of the island are magnificent cliffs. The best way to visit it is by boat.

From those who like adventures, they can choose diving in the rich underwater world and cycle along the well-maintained trails throughout the island, enjoying the beautiful view of the Zadar waters.

The island is rich in cultural heritage so that you can take part in many events during the summer months. The most important part of the cultural heritage is the “saljska Tovareća mužika”, which attracts visitors from all over the world. The festivities on Long Island are known as great live music, and excellent food and the most famous is “Saljske užance”.

This beautiful island – on the one hand, a peaceful oasis and on the other an island of good fun, will surely enchant every visitor and make him fall in love.

Story by ruralica.com
Photo by Tim Ertl

Large villas in Croatia

Large family villas in Croatia

Are you planning your grand vacation in Croatia? Or you are just looking for the perfect place for your destination wedding? Well, guess what? Here is your ideal place.

Find the best luxury villas in Croatia right here. Some of the large villas of Croatia include villa Emma Pag, villa Del Mar and villa Hedonist. All three villas are equipped with private pools and the best facilities.
Villa Emma Pag is located in town Pag with its amazing views and breathtaking sunsets. It is perfect for a trip with friends or a vacation with your love. It has a fully equipped kitchen luxurious bedrooms with fabulous bathrooms and dining area. Plus a holiday villa in Croatia with a private pool? What is better than that? The villa has a Finnish Sauna. There is a place established for table tennis, and a barbeque area is set up for outdoor dining.

Another one is Villa del Mar, which is the perfect place to take a break from life. It is located in village Mandre on Island Pag. It has luxurious bedrooms, three-unit construction, all the modern facilities along with Wi-Fi, amazing terraces and a grand pool! Classy! Eh? The pool can be considered on rainy days as it is fully indoor. It also has sunbeds to enjoy your summers fully.

The Villa Hedonist is located above town Trogir. It has an epic sea view with a family beach nearby, ideal for family vacations. This has an extra perk, a separate heated outdoor swimming pool! It has spacious and sunlit rooms separately equipped with bathrooms, LED TV and air conditioners. It has an already set kitchen, a dining area and a fireplace to keep the place cosy. It has a Jacuzzi outside with a playground and trampoline for children, again ideal for family vacations.

If you want to know more about the prices and booking click onto this website and see the beauty yourself: ruralica.com

Adventure tourism in Croatia

Adventure tourism in Croatia

A pleasant climate in Croatia, moderate continental and the gentle Mediterranean offers the opportunity for various activities throughout the year. Although the potential is not fully exploited, Croatia quickly gains the image of an adventure destination. Whether you want to ride a bike, hike, skate with a parachute, dive, and so on, you will certainly not be disappointed. Croatia is among the top five destinations for sea kayaking. If you are in love with cycling, you will enjoy a beautiful environment, numerous natural and animal species, birds singing and the richness of the sea and the river. Cycling is accessible in all parts of Croatia, small country roads, forests or through national parks. One of the most beautiful cycling trails is it through the National Park Plitvice Lakes.

The green hills, the mountain paths, the blue sea and the beauty of the island will surely leave you speechless. Rafting is also very popular and sought after, and is most represented on Cetina, Korana, Dobra, Kupa, Mrežnica and Una. Hiking is available on Velebit, Biokovo, Dinara, Medvednica, Papuk, Samobor and Žumberak Mountains. A significant increase was recorded in diving tourism, mostly due to the wealth of underwater and numerous shipwrecks.

Flying with a parachute, a dragon or a balloon over different landscapes attracts more and more tourists. There are numerous locations for such adventures: Učka, Gorski Kotar, Velebit, Dalmatian Zagora, Biokovo and Peljesac. In Croatia, there are often organized adventurous races of a different character, mountain bike races, climbing competitions, marathons, triathlon and other outdoor events.

We do not doubt that everyone will find something for themselves, and comfortable accommodation, we will take care of our beautiful villas located in the whole of Croatia, in an ideal place for adventure tourism.

National Park – Krka

National Park – Krka

In the Šibenik-Knin County, the National park Krka is located on the surface area of 109 km2. It has been declared a National park in 1985 and has been named after the river Krka, which is also part of this park. Well-known for the plethora of lakes and waterfalls, its beauties are best explored during the spring or summer when you can swim there as well. River Krka has seven waterfalls, and the most visited one is Skradinski Buk. Apart from being the most popular one, it’s also the highest waterfall and is available for sightseeing throughout the whole year. The mills converted into the souvenir shops, or exhibition spaces are especially appealing. There are also numerous pathways and bridges that provide comfortable and safe walks. From the Skradinski Buk, you can go on a day trip to the Visovac island, which is considered as one of Croatia’s most important natural and cultural values. The Visovac monastery and church are located on this island, both of which have an essential archeological collection, a collection of pottery and an extensive library.

The educational trail, filled with educational content is located within the park. It’s 8,5 km long, and it’s open throughout the year and its an excellent addition for all nature lovers.

Within this trail, the cave Oziđana is located. The cave that contains the archeological collection. This is the place of an exceptional natural, cultural and historical value. Also, the Roški waterfall is worth visiting for its vast waterfall basin, consisting of 22,5 m high waterfalls, this is the place of unspoiled, beautiful nature.

Krka monastery is a spiritual center for Orthodox Christians located on the river Krka itself. Apart from the monastery, there’s also a church and catacombs open for visitors. The monastery can be visited through organized ship transportation from the Roški waterfall. The highest, and according to many – the most beautiful waterfall on the river Krka is Manojlovački waterfall, with small fields and grasslands located around it. During the high tides, waterfalls in rainbow colors. Visitors can also enjoy ethnic monuments and get accustomed to the customs of this area. The presented traditions include grain grinding, washing, and weaving of the bags, floor mats, forging the horseshoes, sowing, plowing and cooking. For everyone who wants to bring the small part of this beauty with him/her, there’s a souvenir shop where you can buy various souvenirs. National park Krka is abundant with numerous natural attractions that’ll take your breath away, so we strongly recommend you to come here and visit the park. The possibilities are endless, and we can guarantee you a perfect vacation in our villas

Ivan, Josip, and Nar.

Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice Lakes

Plitvice Lakes is the oldest and the most visited national park in Croatia. It’s located in the mountain region of Croatia, between the Mala Kapela on the west and the Plješevica (of Lika) on the southeast. It’s packed with breathtaking views, which are rightfully a part of UNESCO’s World Heritage List. It consists of 16 lakes, which are split on 12 upper and four lower lakes. High lakes are faster and more indented, while lower ones are drilled into the tight, steep slopes canyon.

These lakes end with impressive waterfalls, where the Korana river starts. During the sunny days, lakes boast with surreal turquoise scenery, lots of water and waterfalls, while being distinctively impressive in a different way during the winter – spectacular frozen waterfalls and lakes and the white cover will leave everyone breathless.
The national park is open during the whole year, and it offers numerous tours, bicycling, mountaineering, skiing, and sledding. Considering Lika being famous for its excellent cuisine, there are numerous restaurants where you can taste local Lika specialties within the Park.

Near and within the park, there are numerous accommodation options available – hotels, camps, and apartments, but also households that offer accommodation near the Lika’s forests.
Although it’s hard to describe the beauty of this national park accurately, it’s one of the most beautiful natural riches in the world. Therefore, we would recommend visiting it at any time of the year.

Why Visit Island Pag ?

Island Pag

Pag is an island located in the northern Adriatic Sea. It’s the 5th largest island in Croatia, but it was the most developed one in terms of the length of its coast and packed with bays, coombs, capes, and beaches. Administratively, the Island is divided into two counties: Lika-Senj County and Zadar County. The Island has a specific, rocky archipelago, almost without any trees, covered with blossoming aromatic herbs. The reasons to visit this new island are numerous.

The largest settlement on the island is the town of Pag, the city of the sea salt, which is extracted in the age-old process of draining salt basins. Also, the town of Pag is well-known for its unique Pag lacework. Visitors can enjoy in numerous cultural and entertainment events throughout the year. The town of Novalja is a world-famous tourist destination, filled with beautiful beaches and small sunbathed bays and its crystal-clear sea. One of the most famous beaches is Zrće, a beach that has many day and night events. It became a global synonym for summertime fun. Zrće nightclubs are Aquarius, Papaya, Noa and Calypso with world’s famous DJs providing the great music.

Povljana is located on the southern part of the island. It’s traditionally an agricultural area that is growing increasingly nowadays, becoming a real tourist center. It has beautiful beaches, and one that needs a special mention is the cove of old Povljana, an abundant clam area. This area is also an archaeological site, with several valuable cultural monuments.

One should also visit Lun, a small settlement on the northwestern part of the island – an area abundant with thousand years old olive trees. This place provides restorative peace and tranquility. In terms of gastronomy, Pag is famous on a global scale, namely for its lamb and cheese. Page lamb has particularly soft and tasty meat because of the ambient in which the sheep are feed, and hardly anyone could resist it.

Just mentioning the Pag cheese will take the breath away. This world-famous cheese of a distinctive firmness and consistency is permeated with amazing aromas, as well as essential and aromatic oil flavors. One of the most sought-after honey varieties is Pag sage honey because sage contains more essential oils than any other honey-making herb. Baskotin – highly regarded hard baking, tasty and aromatic, has a long-lasting tradition and carries „Authentic Croatian“ label – is also one of Pag’s trademarks.

Salt, along with the Pag lacework, is the second white gold of the Pag island. Based on the thousand-year-old production tradition, Pag salt is one of the highest quality salts in Europe and the world. When it comes to accommodation, Pag offers myriad of possibilities: apartments, rooms, hotels, hostels, camps, holiday homes and villas. We’d recommend villa „Old Olive“ in Lun, and villa „Emma,“ which will leave you breathless and provide you with the peace and tranquility you only dreamt of.

Dalmatian Zagora or Dalmatian Inland – Newly Discovered Croatian Beauty

Dalmatian Zagora

Although it has been in the shadows from the coast, Dalmatian Zagora is no doubt an ever growing attraction. It has many natural beauties, cultural heritage, and overwhelming gastronomy.

Unexplored and mysterious at the very beginning. Dalmatian Zagora just started to make a stand in modern Croatian tourism.

The year round offer makes it interesting for tourists. Tourists that are looking for peace and relaxation. Those who want active tourism, clean air, and beautiful nature, Dalmatian Zagora might be the perfect place for their next holiday. This affordable and easily accessible destination offers a rich past that reminds us of cultural events and local manifestations. Also, it is known for its wines and good local food, traditional specialties, and cheerful and friendly hosts.

Nearby is Split airport; beautiful beaches are half an hour drive by car. Plenty of other tourist attractions that depend only on guests taste are also near. Dalmatian Zagora is also close to Bosnia and Herzegovina with Medjugorje and city Mostar.

Check out our holiday homes in Dalmatian Zagora

Villa Estera, Villa Glorija, Villa Katuni