Croatia Pictures

Fireplanes over Seget Vranjica

2012-01-16T17:44:00.002+01:00

It happens during the summer season, and this time there was a fire bihind the hills in the north of Seget Vranjica. Two fireplanes were flying over our apartment before they hit the surface west of Seget Vranjica.

In the harbour it was easy to hear the roaming from the engines each time the fireplanes returned from the mountains.

The planes hit the surface along the shoreline between Seget Vranjica and Poljica. We could not see where they dropped the water, but we could see smoke from the mountains in the north.

Ruins in Solin

2010-01-25T15:14:00.005+01:00

Last summer we took a trip to the old roman town of Solin a couple of kilometers north of Split.

It was a hot afternoon and fortunately we had brought some water in our bags. For an hour we walked among the ruins. Allthough the town was completely ruined long time ago, it is easy to be impressed by the remains revealed by archeologists. The picture above shows a part of the entrance to the roman amphitheatre from the 2nd-century. In the background we can see parts of Split.

Solin was once a proud roman town and the capital in this region of Croatia. In our imagination we can turn back the time and let us be amazed and impressed by the skills and effort that was needed in order to bulit a town like Solin. You will not regret spending an hour in Solin.

The red roofs of Dubrovnik

2009-12-28T15:22:00.006+01:00

Today I wanted to show a couple of pictures of the old town of Dubrovnik. This unique town is the most famous destination to tourists visiting Croatia. Surrounded with its walls and towers the dense collection of buildings with red roofs gives a special impression of the town seen from above.

See more pictures of Dubrovnik.

Fire-planes over Ciovo

2009-08-24T14:55:00.011+02:00

From my apartment in Seget Vranjica I can see the island Ciovo south of Trogir (see trogir on a map). One morning (26th of July) the noice of planes woke me up. From my balcony I could see four yellow planes.

I could also see smoke from several locations on Ciovo. Then I realized that the planes were water-dropping planes.

The picture above shows Okrug Gornji (in Ciovo) and the fire in the hills northeast of the settlement. After dropping the water the planes were filled up with more water from the bay between Seget Vranjica and Ciovo (seen on the picture below).

For hours the fire-planes flew back and forth in order to stop the fire - and they did. On the pictues below you can see fire-planes dropping water on the south-western part of Ciovo.

Fishing boats in Rogoznica

2009-08-13T16:34:00.006+02:00

Rogoznica in Croatia has a long tradition as a village for fishermen. Two weeks ago I visited Rogoznica which now is dominated by yachts and sailboats in the beautiful marina. Some fishing boats were still to be seen and below you can see one of them. In the bacground you can see the famous Marina Frapa (see Rogoznica on a map).

The next picture shows a traditional fishing boat and the beach in the background. Tourism has become more important than fishing, but at the restaurants you can enjoy fresh seafood caught by local fishermen.

A Croatian purse seiner

2009-07-18T19:37:00.005+02:00

I was looking at some of the pictures I took in Croatia in 2007 and found a nice shot taken from the western part of Tucepi. From a pier I saw the Adriatic Ocean while the sun dived into some skies in the west. A purce seiner was heading south - probably leaving Makarska.

I had seen some fishing boats in Makarska (picture below) the day before, and this purse seiner may be one of them.

A part of Seget Vranjica

2009-06-16T17:41:00.003+02:00

Just a few kilometers west of Trogir you will find Seget Vranjica. This village has its own harbour and beaches. The picture below is taken in the eastern part of the harbour and it gives a wiev to the western part and the beach (seen to the left).
Situated only a few kilometers from Trogir and Split airport this area is getting more and more popular for those who want to experience Croatian culture and still be close to the sea.

Tucepi by night

2009-06-01T12:26:00.006+02:00

Tucepi is found on the Makarska riviera and it is one of several small towns on this beautiful part of the Croatian coastline. The picture seen below was taken two weeks ago (in May).

At this time of the year the temperatures are comfortable but you may have days with cloudy weather and rain.

The picture shows the sunset in Tucepi with the pebbled beach and the pine trees in the foreground.

Fortification in Omis

2009-04-13T19:13:00.006+02:00

The infamous Croatian town of Omis is best known for its past as a base for pirates. All though this dramatic period was short and ended in the Middle Age we can still see remains of the fortifications used by pirates and others who controlled the town in the past.

The picture above shows the Romanesque fortress, built above the town in 13th century. It was named Mirabela (or Peovica) and was a hideout for the Omis pirates. When the pirates returned to Omis after an attack they used to escape by sailing upwards the river Cetina which is protected by steep mountains where fortifications were built (see map of Omis). Below you can see an other picture of the fortress.

St. Mark's church in Makarska

2009-03-16T17:41:00.005+01:00

In Makarska in Croatia there are several churches, and the one shown in this post is found in the Main Square.

The tower of St. Mark's church can be seen from the harbour and it is found next to the fruit market in the town.

To the right on the picture above you see a statue in front of the church. This is one of the main attractions in Makarska. The statue of the friar Andrija Kačić Miošić is made by the famous Croatian sculptor Ivan Rendić. The church - also referred to as a cathedral - was built in the 17th century.

Tucepi harbour

2009-03-06T16:35:00.008+01:00

The small town Tucepi in Croatia is situated on the Makarska Riviera not far from Makarska. All though the towns on the Riviera is best known for their long beaches, most of them have a harbour. The pictures below show the harbour in Tucepi which is found in the southeastern part of the bay (see a map of Tucepi)

Most boats are used for recreational fishing but there are also a couple of purse seiners in the harbour.

Most of the boats are small and used by the locals. Most of them are equipped with lights used to attract squid (calamari) when fishing in the evening/night. If you are visiting Croatia in late summer or fall you will see the lights from the boats on the sea.

See more Tucepi pictures.

Video from Krka National Park

2009-03-02T17:38:00.006+01:00

I seached youtube for videos from Krka National Park in Croatia. On my last post I showed some pictures, but a video gives another impression. A lot of films of Krka are found on youtube, but I found one I liked better than the rest.

This video does not only show the waterfalls but also what the river traditionally ment for the locals. In addition we also get cuts showing fish swimming in the river. It seams that a snake is trying to catch small fish (?) but with no luck.

The waterfall near Skradin and the island with the monastery are also on the video. Here are more Krka pictures.

Waterfall in Krka National Park

2009-03-01T17:31:00.005+01:00

Here are a couple of pictures from a waterfall in Krka National Park in Croatia. The park - named by the river Krka - is best known for waterfalls like Rosky Slap and Skradinski Buk. The pictures in this post shows Skradinski Buk which is found near the town Skradin (see on map of Krka)

On a hot day in Croatia it is great to get an opportunity to walk into the refreshing river and get a closer look at the waterfall. The Krka National Park was founded in 1985 and it has become a popular attraction for tourists.

St. Nicolas in Baska Voda

2009-02-26T11:05:00.009+01:00

In the idyllic town Baska Voda in Croatia a statue is placed on the mole protecting the boats in the harbour. With the pebble beach and the churches to the east and the boats in the harbour to the west, the stature is looking to the south, watching the Adriatic ocean (see map of Baska Voda)

The statue of St. Nicolas holds up his right hand like he is telling the see to be kind. Saints have always played an important role withing Catholicism and the statue in Baska Voda is a strong symbol of the power and protection expected by the saints. If you believe or not - the statue on the mole gives a feeling of peace and safety.

A view over Trogir

2009-02-25T17:48:00.006+01:00

The old town of Trogir is found on a small island between the mainland and the island Ciovo (See Trogir on a map). On the picture below you can see the town from the tower of the Kamerlengo Fortress.

The fortress and the unique collection of old bulidings on the small island have placed Trogir on UNESCO 's World Heritage List.

Among the churches seen on this picture we can see the grey roof on the tower of the Church of St. Dominic and further north you can see the tower of the Cathedral of St. Lovro. The third church is the Church of St. Michael.

The pebble beach in Tucepi

2009-02-14T18:26:00.009+01:00

One of the best things about Tucepi is the long pebble beach. It is said to be more than 3 kilometers long starting in the harbour and ending up at the western part of the bay near the hotels of Tamaris and Neptun. At first I was a bit worried about the pebbles but after a couple of hours on the beach both adults and children were convinced that the pebbles could compete with sand.

The pebbles make the beach bright and clean. I even dared to bring my camera without beeing afraid of small grains of sand that could damage the camera. Walking along the beach was OK, but I preferred sandals as a longer walk gave an impression of "too much" foot massage.

Between the beach and the promenade there are an alley of pine trees which made spots of shadows where you could redraw if you have had enough of the sun. The children loved this area where they also did some climbing in the trees. Near the centre of Tucepi restaurants are found along the promenade and we could enjoy our meals while the children hurried back to the trees and the beach just a few meters away.
The pebble beach is found in almost every town along this part of the coast. Long pebble beaches is also found in the nearest towns; Podgora and Makarska.

Baska Voda in October

2009-02-10T15:14:00.006+01:00

Baska Voda is one of the most popular towns on the Makarska Riviera. Two years ago I was in Tucepi on a holiday and we wanted to see more of this beautiful coastline in Croatia. First we went by bus to Makarska where we saw the harbour and the beach in the wester part of the town. A friend of us then recommended us to visit Baska Voda, and so we did.

15-20 minutes on a bus led us to the harbour in Baska Voda. We had heard about this popular and busy town but in October the town was quiet and peaceful. We went for a walk along the beach found in the centre of the harbor. At the end of the bay a new bay and a new beach started. We passed several hotels in the eastern part of the bay but we were the only ones who used the beach.

Back in the harbour we saw the statue of St. Nicolas. From the pier we could see the beach we had been walking on and the churches in the town. That view can be seen on the picture below.

Like the rest of the riviera Baska Voda also has those beautiful grey mountains as a background.

Sv. Juraj - A chapel in Tucepi

2009-02-08T18:07:00.007+01:00

In Croatia chapels can be found in many locations, and in Tucepi there is a small chapel between two of the hotels in the western part of the bay. The old Sv. Juray church dates back to the 13th century and it looks even smaller than it is when found next to Hotel Tamaris.

Surrounded by high standard hotels (Neptun and Tamaris) the sight of the chapel makes you wonder how Tucepi looked like hundreds of years ago. Sv. Jura in more than just an old building; it makes you feel safe and it unerlines the peaceful atmosphere.
When walking in Tucepi and other small towns you will see many capels like this. In the nearby mountains (hills) there are small churches close to every small village along the tracks. Yes, they are small, but still they is an important part of the identity of this part of the coast.

Pismo Ćali - A beautiful version of the song

2009-02-06T17:27:00.008+01:00

My favorite Croatian song is (beyond doubt) Pismo Ćali, also known as "Ćale moj". This song is about a young man writing a letter (= pismo) to his father (ćale). The lyric tells a story about a boy who misses his father and wants him to come home - in spite of things that had happened in the past. In the refrain the boy almost cries out; "My dad"(ćale moj).

A new version of this beautiful song is now to be found on youtube. In an "evergreen-program" we can see Đani Stipanićev sing his version of the song (after an introduction of the song and its history = 1 minute)

Norwegians love Tucepi

2009-02-04T17:05:00.008+01:00

Norwegian travel agencies were recently asked about their most popular destinations/hotels. One of them declared aparthotel Tamaris in Tucepi as their third most popular hotel. Tamaris is a 4-star aparthotel with 40 apartments and 5 double room. The hotel is built close to an old chapel and only a few meters from the promenade and the beach.

Yes, I have been a guest at Hotel Tamaris and I it was easy to like the hotel, the people who worked there and the location. From our balcony we had a beautiful view.

In the evenings we could see the sun set and the last sunbeams being reflected by the Adriatic Sea.
It is hard not to love such a place. See more pictures of Tucepi.

The bridges to Trogir

2009-02-03T00:18:00.007+01:00

The old city of Trogir is situated on a small islet only a few meters from the main land. When you walk around in Trogir you will probably cross one of the bridges shown in this post. Below you can see some photos of the bridges and the canal separating Trogir and the main land.

Some people says that Italy has got Venezia and Croatia has got Trogir. Water is all around.

The beach of Podgora

2009-02-03T00:02:00.005+01:00

Podgora is a small and beautiful town on the Makarska Riviera. In this post I would like to show some pictures of the beach. The Croatian beaches are bright and clean, and so is the water. The pictures were taken in October when most of the tourists are gone.

If you visit Podgora in October you will have a lot of space and you don't have to spend time finding a free spot on the beach.

Makarska from a distance

2009-02-02T20:07:00.007+01:00

This is the first post on this blog, and I would like to start with some pictures of one of my favourite areas; the Makarska Riviera. The center, and the biggest town, on the Riviera is (as the name says) Makarska. The pictures shown here is taken from a distance and they show how this beautiful town appear in the landscape.

The picture above is taken from the sea from a small boat we hired in Podgora.
Above we see Makarska bay as it appear from the southwest. Below we see the part of the harbour from where tourists can enjoy a trip on the Adriatic Sea and discover the beautiful towns along the Makarska Riviera. I could have cropped the pictures, but I love the grey mountains in this part of Croatia.