A Journey on the New Stretch of Motorway Through Central Dalmatia

The latest stretch of the motorway planned from Zagreb to Dubrovnik opened recently, finally linking Dalmatia with the coast at Ploce. It was time to explore the unknown in what was bound to show some new aspects of Central Dalmatia.

And so it proved in what was quite an interesting journey.

As one would expect on a new motorway early on a Sunday morning in January, the road was both pristine and totally empty. There were hardly any other vehicles in either direction, giving me a chance to stop and take some pictures. It was an odd contrast, driving through deserted parts of the hinterland, with the most modern of roads taking me along that journey.

Careful consideration has been given to the wildlife, with lots of signs pointing out the 'Green Bridges' - paths for the wild animals of the region to cross. A reminder that inland Dalmatia is one of the country's prime hunting destinations, and perhaps giving an unfair advantage to the hunters...

It was exciting to see the towns of Inland Dalmatia come into view - here is Vrgorac for example. Once off the beaten track, now totally accessible. The signage was good - the turn to Imotski also had signs for the must-see attractions of the Blue and Red Lakes.

And after a little consideration, I concluded that this must be the stretch of motorway that Volvo used when filming that incredible promo video near Vrgorac. Check it out here. 

With the lack of traffic, there was plenty of time to admire the stunning mountain scenery. The journey was instructive, a sign of how much inland Dalmatia is now accessible. All that remains is to tell people about what they can find there!

But for people travelling from Zagreb to Peljesac, for example, this new stretch is fantastic news - less than 500 kilometres to the ferry at Ploce and then to Trpanj. I turned off for Metkovic, 48 kuna poorer but a little wiser and a lot more relaxed that I would otherwise have been. And as I turned, I saw some gleaming motorway signs for Mostar and Sarajevo off in the distance. A taster of what could be... And how many more fabulous hidden gems would then be available for exploring? 

Central Dalmatia Features Heavily in New Daily Telegraph Guide to Croatia

Choose from the beaches from Split to Makarska; the wines from Hvar and Vis; the sailing on the Adriatic waters; adventure tourism in the mountains and rivers of inland Dalmatia; the heritage of Split; the history of the Stari Grad Plain; Dalmatian cooking classes.

They all have two things in common: they are all in Central Dalmatia, and they all feature in a new guide to Croatia for summer 2014 from the influential Daily Telegraph in the UK. A nice overall selection of the quality and diversity of the tourism offer in this fabulous region.

With more than 400,000 Brits in Croatia last year, a 25% rise on 2012, Croatia is becoming a hot destination for British visitors. Find out more about the recommended places in Central Dalmatia elsewhere in the article in the Telegraph. 

The Shortest Day is Over: Countdown to Dalmatia Beach Heaven 2014

Secret island beach, by Dalmatia Explorer

With all this gorgeous weather, it is hard to imagine that we are really in the midst of winter, but with December 21 behind us, the days are now getting longer. And longer days can only mean one thing - the summer season is approaching.

We are very grateful for all your fan photos throughout the year. Here are a few beach shots submitted by our fans to remind you of what awaits when you visit Central Dalmatia in 2014. Beach heaven!

Pakomina -byMakarska Riviera Beaches

Mimice - Deni Ulic

Brela - Makarska Riviera Beaches

Cvitacka by Makarska Riviera Beaches

Zarace, Hvar - Nenad Medak

Hvar in Fodor's List of 25 Places Not to Miss in 2014

Last year it was the New York Time featuring Hvar in its list of top 46 places to visit.

This year, the press release is also from New York. This time it is Fodor's Travel, one of the leading named in tourism, and the message is the same - Hvar!

"Need inspiration for your travels in 2014? The Fodor’s Travel 2014 Go List—announced today—highlights 25 can’t-miss places that should be on everyone’s travel radar for the coming year. Curated by a team of Fodor’s Travel experts, the list incorporates everything from emerging destinations and new hot spots to noteworthy events and great values around the world.

"Hvar, Croatia: Forget the French Riviera; this sunny island on Croatia's Dalmatian coast is the new hot spot for beach lovers and yachting revelers. Located along the route of Croatia's trendy Yacht Week--a 7-day tour of coastal locales in a fleet packed with young travelers from around the world—Hvar has cemented its status as a partier's paradise."

Dalmacija Wine Expo 2014, in Split and Makarska

2013 has been a good year for the wines of Dalmatia, with grape varieties such as plavac mali, posip and bogdanusa becoming more recognisable on the world stage, and exports from California to China.

An increasingly important platform to present the wines of the region is Dalmacija Wine Expo, now in its fourth year, and hosted every year until now in Makarska.

Next year's event will be expanded and take place in both Split and Makarska, with the main event at the Radisson Blu in Split on April 24 and 25.

While the main event will be moving from its home of four years, Makarska, it will also be holding a two-day event in Makarska - Wine and Fun Days - on May 1-2. 

Traditional Dalmatian Food at Christmas: Bakalar

With much of Dalmatia now focused on the festive holidays, it is time to think of food, and Christmas means one thing for most households in the region - bakalar. Given the region's richness of fresh seafood, it is perhaps a little curious that the main fish dish for the Christmas season is based on dried cod... from Norway.

It's hard to say why people around the Mediterranean, including Dalmatia, accepted codfish so eagerly, knowing that it usually comes as a dried fish, looking more as a wooden board than a seafood delicacy. And why anyone who is used to all the fresh treats coming from the warm southern sea would love to eat something so ugly and smelly when cooked? The answer might be hidden in some great journeys of the past.

Old chronicles report that cod was brought to the Mediterranean by Venetian nobleman and merchant Pietro Querini in the first half of 15th century. As described in The Northern Light Route, a project conducted on University of Tromsø, Norway, Querini set sail in early summer 1431 set from Cretan Iraklion to Bruges, in Flanders, with three ships loaded with wine and spices. Caught in a terrible storm, vessels with 68 men sank and the crew had to move to their lifeboats. Many drowned or died of starvation and fatigue while the boats drifted across the North Sea. The same source claims that just after the new year 1432 survivors stranded on an island near Røst, in Lofoten. They were found by local fishermen, and after three months of recovery sailed on small cargo boats loaded with stockfish to Trondheim. The result? Signor Querini became the first exporter of Nordic stockfish, especially cod dried on sun and wind, to southern Europe.

Still, the connection between cod and Christmas was yet to be established. It happened in 1561, when The Council of Trent sharply condemned greed, vanity, blasphemy and any kind of body pleasures. Fasting was reevaluated as a mean to purity, loyalty and gratitude to God. On the other hand, rich Europeans just didn't want to get rid of their culinary habits, enriched with food from newly discovered lands. Chefs of the time got a new assignment: how to cook by strict religious norms, and still enjoy. About six thousand scholars participating in Council tasted top dishes of "adjusted" cuisine, and the almost unanimous verdict discovered something Scandinavians already knew for centuries; cod is the perfect fasting meal. Hundreds of recipes were published in cookbooks of the time, and the biggest popularity was gained on the Mediterranean, an area so filled with fresh, tasty fish.

Sometime during the 1800s codfish settled in Dalmatia, as an Italian import. Narrow streets of Dalmatian cities were swept by the not so pleasant odour during the holiday season. Just everyone was cooking cod. After the World War Two, when communist came to power in former Yugoslavia, including Croatia, cod even turned into an ideology "weapon". Visiting churches in a socialist country was often considered inappropriate, so preparing cod and other traditional Christmas specialties became even some kind of resistance. Only the dilemma mentioned in the beginning - which of two the most popular recipes to prepare for Christmas eve dinner - remained the same, all the way to our times. Every family has its own variation, some will even make adventurous move to some other way of preparing, but here are basic recipes for basic codfish meal. Learn how to do it on time, it's an important ingredient of being accepted in the local community. How and where to buy codfish? You won't miss it, it usually comes on the shelves at the same time as Christmas decorations. If you are not an undiscovered cooking genius, don't worry. Any restaurant will prepare it, and almost all most communities have publicly cooked cod meals on December 24.

Start 2014 on a High: Parachuting School in Sinj

Why not start 2014 in style, high about the skies of Central Dalmatia, surely one of the most beautiful views on Earth. 

Central Dalmatia has beaches and islands galore, but the wealth of adventure tourism opportunities in the Dalmatian hinterland are often overlooked by visiting tourists. 

How about a learning to parachute for example? The town of Sinj, just half an hour north of Split, has an excellent sports' airfield, and the local aeroclub is organising a parachuting school next month.

The application deadline is January 11, 2014, and on the same day the presentation of the course will take place. Classes will be organised over weekends, with three-hour lectures. After that all students will take a test, and then will have to pass a medical exam. The first dives for those who qualify will happen in April 2014.

Eligible candidates are those who are older than 18, able to attend the classes, pay for the medical exam and participate in practical training costs. All additional information are available on mobile phone number 095 907 8507 or via their website.