Travelrific®
A blog for travel enthusiasts. Listen to our podcast at Travelrific® Radio, and visit our Wanderful Places® Travel Shop!Archive for croatia
Vampire Tales and Tourism
By Linda Tancs
Dracula is just so yesterday, as any adolescent movie goer today would likely tell you (think: ”Twilight” and “New Moon”). I wonder what they’d think of Grando, though. Legend has it that Jure Grando, a farmer in the tiny village of Kringa, Croatia, died in 1656 and came back to life in 1672 to wreak havoc on his former neighbors until a stake through the heart ended the bedlam. Over 300 years later, however, the vampire mystique remains in full throttle in this hamlet of 400 souls in the Istrian peninsula, a Tuscany-inspired vacation destination. In fact, there’s now a Caffe Bar Vampire in honor of its earlier inhabitant, one of the first bloodsuckers ever to be documented. Point of interest on the vampire tourism trail to be sure.
Brač and Bol
By Linda Tancs
The Croatian island of Brač is the largest island in Dalmatia and the third largest in the Adriatic. Site of the highest peak of all Croatian islands (Vidova Gora), it might be better known for its limestone and dolomite, used in early Roman times in the building of cities, amphitheaters, temples, palaces and graves all over Dalmatia. Oddly enough, it has no permanent water source except in Bol, the island’s southernmost and oldest town. Needless to say, this makes Bol the isle’s best bet as a tourism center. The magnificent winds for surfing, local and appealing gastronomy, sandy beaches and a dreamy Mediterranean villa feel amidst the ancient stone abodes don’t hurt, either.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it on sites such as StumbleUpon, vote for it, or bookmark it. Thanks for your support! Travelrific® was featured as Blog of the Day on NJ.com!
