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Of all the Adriatic islands, Mljet may be the most seductive. Over 72% of the island is covered by forest and the rest is dotted by fields, vineyards and small villages. Mljet National Park occupies the island's western third and includes gentle coves and a pair of saltwater lakes. Most people visit this tranquil island oasis on excursions from Dubrovnik or Korčula.
The highlights of the island are Malo Jezero and Veliko Jezero, the two lakes on the island's western end connected by a channel. Veliko Jezero is connected with the sea by the Soline Canal, which makes the lakes subject to tidal flows.
In the middle of Veliko Jezero is an islet with a Benedictine monastery; it was originally built in the 12th century but has been rebuilt several times, adding Renaissance and baroque features to the Romanesque structure.
The island is also ideal for cycling, and there are a few bike rental operators. Divers will not want to miss the opportunity to explore the old Roman wreck and the German torpedo boat offshore.
(Mljetski Channel)
tel info 020 744 186
ferry from Dubrovnik to Sobra
The extraordinarily beautiful pocket of wooded hills in this World Heritage site enclose 16 turquoise lakes that are connected by waterfalls and cascades. The mineral-rich waters carve through the rock, depositing tufa in continually changing formations. Wooden footbridges follow the rumbling water for an exhilaratingly damp 18km (11mi).
Animal life flourishes in the unspoiled conditions. The stars of the park are bears and wolves, but there are also deer, boar, rabbits, foxes and badgers. There are over 120 different species of bird such as hawks, owls, cuckoos, thrushes, starlings, kingfishers, wild ducks and herons. You might also occasionally see black storks and ospreys. Flocks of butterflies flutter throughout the park.
www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr tel info 053 751 015
bus any travelling Zagreb-Zadar route
The ruins of the ancient city of Salona (now known as Solin), among the vineyards northeast of Split, are the most archaeologically important in Croatia. Salona was the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia from the time of Julius Caesar until AD 614, when it was levelled by the Slavs and the Avars.
At the western end of Salona is the huge 2nd-century amphitheatre, destroyed by the Venetians in the 17th century so that Turkish raiders wouldn't use it as a refuge.
Hwy E65
tel info 021 211 538
bus 1 from Split
Dubrovnik's best bit is the old town of Stari Grad, with its marble-paved squares, steep cobbled streets, tall houses, convents, churches, palaces, fountains and museums, all cut from the same light-coloured stone. Although heavily shelled in 1991 and '92, the city has been largely restored.
Dubrovnik's city walls were built between the 13th and 16th centuries, and are still intact today. Arguably the finest city walls in the world, they are 25m (82ft) high, with 16 towers. You can't beat the view, and a walk along the walls will probably be the highlight of your visit to Dubrovnik.
The tourism industry, which declined precipitously in the early 1990s, is now booming, especially in the summer months when cruise ships deposit thousands of passengers at the city gates. Now Dubrovnik faces another challenge: how to retain a sense of itself as a living community and avoid becoming an Adriatic theme park. With centuries of experience protecting its commercial and political interests, Dubrovnik has so far managed to welcome tourists and maintain its unique cultural and spiritual heritage.
Zagreb, Croatia's capital since 1557, is finally coming into its own as an intriguing combination of Eastern and Western Europe. The sober Austro-Hungarian architecture in the town centre houses newly opened boutiques displaying the latest fashions from France and Italy.
Bohemian cafés and sleek cocktail bars enliven the medieval streets of the old Kaptol and Gradec neighbourhoods. The Croatian appreciation of food is divided between its traditional hearty meat-and-potatoes restaurants and a new smattering of more worldly flavours.
Spreading up from the Sava River, Zagreb sits on the southern slopes of Mt Medvednica and throbs with the energy you would expect from a capital city, but the bustle of business life is interrupted by the long, refreshing stretch of park that bisects the town centre. With simmering nightlife and a wealth of outdoor cafes, packed from the first hint of mild weather, there's no shortage of diversions. Plus there's an assortment of museums and galleries to explore and a regular concert schedule for the culturally minded.
