Vir Island is not known for its nature and history. It is usually regarded as the place of the ugliest development on the Adriatic coast but I would say there are many more places that can compete for that title these days… Narrow streets, ugly buildings of all colors and shapes make Vir just a terrible example how NOT to build.
And once, it was a lovely island north of Zadar. Then came the idea of building a nuclear power plant on an island by the Yugoslav authorities back in 1980s. Someone came up with a counter-idea that the locals should sell their land cheap so many people build their summer homes on the island and make a pressure on the authorities not to build the nuclear power plant on the island.
If you ask me, nuclear power plant would look much, much better than the island looks right now and would be probably much better for people’s health than the waste their guests produce in the season…

Kastelina fortress in Vir

And the crowds and the mess are the reasons why I usually visit Vir only in the winter time. We always first visit the ruins of Kastelina fortress that was recently restored and preserved. It is an impressive fortress built in 1620s by the Venetian governor of Dalmatia who was always ruling from Zadar. This the coats of arms of those governors’ families: Molina and Pisanio. Below theirs is the coat of arms of the famous Zadar noble family of Grisogono.

Coats of arms

Kastelina is a bit strange in design. It is basically just a walled structure with two towers on a small rocky point. Not sure what the original purpose was as it looks just like a possible shelter from land only attack…

“Inside” the fortress

Venetian lion on north tower

Next to Kastelina fortress is one very interesting beach. It is not a regular rocky or sandy beach. It is geologically very different from any of the beaches we saw before in this region. It is a mix of clay and sand stone creating some surreal shapes but the beach itself is made of colorful pebbles while there is sand in the sea.

Kozjak Beach

At Kozjak beach

More strange shapes

Colorful pebbles

Abstract textures

Then we moved away from the town and went to see the beaches on the north side of the island: Biskupljača and Duboka Draga. While the island is pretty much ruined with aggressive construction, there is definitely a charming side to it and I see how it was probably a very beautiful destination before 1980s. Now, the devastation continues as we saw the asphalt road destroying the coast on the northern sides right to the sea. For no particular reason. It could have stayed a simple dirt road and the beaches could have stayed untouched.

Same pattern is now applied to the beach of Biskupljača where the local authorities are trying to make a parking space.

Biskupljača beach

All these beaches are open to Velebit mountain so bura wind is not light here. The beaches are sandy  and great places for families with small children no matter if you are getting there by car or by a boat.

Duboka draga

In general, Vir – always different but still always a pleasure. For winter walks and hikes, that is :)

Croatia tours

There is a saying that there are three strong bura wind storms in March (or 7 light ones…) and if we are to judge by this first one, on March 5th 2015, we will hardly make it… Last year we had almost no bura days and everyone was blaming global warming. This year, we are getting slammed as I write. The forecast was for strongest bura in decades – up to 240 Km/h (cc 150 Mph, 130 knots). To give you an idea how bad that is:
To be classified as a hurricane, a tropical cyclone must have maximum sustained winds of at least 74 mph (33 m/s; 64 kn; 119 km/h) (Category 1). The highest classification in the scale, Category 5, is reserved for storms with winds exceeding 156 mph (70 m/s; 136 kn; 251 km/h).
Here is a great article on bura and how it is formed: http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/wind/The-Bora.htm It is also called bora in English but we, in Croatia, always use the term bura.

Approaching Ražanac harbor

As the forecast was serious, I decided to go to one of the most picturesque places one can shoot great photos of the storm. The village of Ražanac, at the very coast of Velebit channel, is the place. And it always gets a proper slamming as the wind is formed up in the clouds over Velebit’s peks – just few miles across the channel.
This is what Ražanac beach and small harbor look in the summer:

Summer in Ražanac

And this is what it looked like yesterday…

Bura in Ražanac

The drive to Ražanac was scenic as always. Once I entered the village, not only the strong winds were slamming the car in the narrow streets, but there was sea water everywhere: in the air, on the streets, on the houses… The little harbor looked as if the hell broke loose…

Several locals were guarding their boats in fear that the chains and ropes will give in to the massive waves.

The news channel on the radio was telling that all the bridges were closed down for winds and that there were several turned over cars and trucks and people getting injured. Since I was close to Pag bridge, I decided to go there and just take few photos. If possible.

On the way there, the Ljubljana peninsula and it’s ruins of ancient Ljubljana town looked very impressive…

Peninsula Ljubljana

Sea spray all over…

The gusts were getting stronger and stronger and I was feeling my 2 ton car shaking like a toy… The idea of getting to Pag bridge did not look that cool any more…

Broken branches all over

Less than a mile away from the bridge, it became very clear that it is much better (and safer) to simply turn back. The big branches on the road made that decision definite. It was not worth getting in trouble for a photo of Pag bridge and I pulled in the first car wash to get all the salt off my car…
A windstorm to remember!

Kastela are not often part of my visits. Once a beautiful part of the coast (if not the most beautiful), now is simply a mess of modern construction, 50 years of socialist industrial “planning” and 25 years of not doing anything… or at least anything good. So, even the 7 lovely historic towns definitely deserve attention, it is just a narrow strip by the sea that is worth visiting. And for all the good reasons! History and architecture: typical Dalmatian coastal villages, wine: Bedalov cellar is right by the water and we offer a very unique “behind the closed doors” foodie experience in Sućurac at our friend’s beautifully restored place. So when a friend of mine, Mr. Ivan Šuta, director of Kaštela museums invited me for a short tour, I was more than happy to come along.

Kastilac fortress of Kastel Gomilica

All of Kastela got their names after castles that were built in each 7 of them and most of them are still standing. Today, Kastela are making up one large, 40 000 inhabitants big town but it was not like that in the past and each of them was a separate little town with its own history.

Arguably, Kastel Gomilica is the prettiest one. It was built in the first half of the 16th century by Benedictine nuns from Split who built it for protection of their servants from the Turks that were pillaging in the region. This patch of land was donated to them all the way back in 1078 by King Zvonimir of Croatia and there is still an ancient church nearby standing as a silent witness. They also erected Catholic Monastery on a small island, that became today’s Kaštilac.

Kastilac from the inside

Kastilac today is in a very poor shape. The local authorities have bought one ruined building right next to the entrance and they are starting the renovation of the main tower as well as a nunnery at the opposite end of a short street. Kaštilac is fairly quiet and very few people still live there. And cats…

Lazy Tuesday morning in Kastel Gomilica

But some folks are quite creative with elaborate seashell design :)

Seashells all over!

The Kastilac will have a very interesting appearance on the Game of Thrones in season 5 acting as a distant and mysterious Braavos! That will bring more visitors for sure and, hopefully, some funds for full restoration of this beautiful heritage site.

Getting ready for the summer

Next door, the boats are getting painted for the season… Just a picture perfect Dalmatian scene!
Then we ventured into the town itself. Mr. Šuta warned of several Roman monuments that, over the centuries, became parts of the the local house walls and facades.

One of the walls is even holding Aesculapius head! This gem of late antiquity is now in a fairly risky spot next to cables and wires and there are discussions of its removal.

Aesculapius and a Roman monument at one of the houses.

So, Kastel Gomilica holds many secrets but it is still a mess. This is not a place you enjoy just as a typical tourist destination although it can be such a lovely seaside town attracting flocks of people just for an easy stroll or some nice sightseeing.

Old doors

For now, the doors will remain closed and we can only hope that a better times are coming.

Travel to Croatia
Croatia Tours

In Croatia, although small, there are hundreds of really cool spots that I still have to visit. One, visited recently, easily makes the top 10 list of the strangest and coolest places I have seen in a while! It is nothing particularly exceptional, it is not something breathtakingly beautiful but it is just a very cool and unusual place. It is a mysterious exhibition in an abandoned military tunnel on the island of Šolta.

Magical coast of Šolta

I have stumbled upon the information on one local forum and ever since wanted to visit personally. It took me several months to finally find time to go to Šolta and once there, we drove to the small inlet on the western side of the island where the remains of a former Yugoslav military base can still be seen.

Remains of a former military base

One can also see where former canons were placed. Now gone, I am not sure if they were taken down by our military after the war or by the scrap metal collectors operating (devastating) numerous places on the coast.

Former canon outposts

Military tunnels are no mystery to me as we have visited several over the years and one this past summer on Vis Island: https://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2014/11/29/military-tunnels-of-vis-island/

But this one is different. Completely!

Instead of holding the remains of former army life, traces of the times that passed by, this particular tunnel on Šolta someone turned into a gallery….

Entering….

Someone has made large prints of photos of famous people from the mid 20th century and placed them on the walls of several rooms inside the tunnels.

Che Guevara

Dr. Albert Schweitzer

There are also some giant fuzzy spiders hanging from the ceilings!

Spiders! (from Mars?)

The main “gallery room” is the most impressive although I could not recognize several faces…

Main room

And there is also a guest in one of the rooms that could not find his way out :)

Left behind

I could not find any details on this tunnel. No details who created this, what is the message behind this “installation”… Maybe to remind us of that crazy part of the 20th century (60s and 70s) when these tunnels were built?

But the place is just great and well worth visiting! And preserving the exhibition as is! Please note that abandoned military tunnels are not 100% safe so do not visit unless with a local.

There is one exit to a small cove. Although there is plenty of air in the tunnels, fresh sea breeze coming from this exit seemed to bring all the famous rosemary and myrtle scents of Šolta.

The light at the end of the tunnel

Visiting these tunnels was a very different experience. One does not expect something this unique and different to be found in a completely abandoned place. Just faces of once important people in tunnels long abandoned. And that eternal scented breeze of Šolta finding its way through the darkness.

Last week we were in Istria exploring possibilities for some new tours due to increase in bookings we have for this truly magical part of the country. One of the places I wanted to visit was the Brijuni National Park. Last time I was there was in elementary school some 30 years ago :) Many things have changed since and Brijuni are even no longer in the same country, so it was time to visit.

There are few ways to get to the NP but guests usually come by the big boat from Fažana. The picturesque seaside town is just perfect place to start the visit with its cafes and restaurant lined along the main promenade. The office of the NP is just across from the big pier and that’s where you get the tickets.

From Fažana to Brijuni

The boat is quite spacious and it is a smooth ride to the main harbor of the National Park.

Brijuni Main Harbor

The story of Brijuni is fascinating! One can literally make a movie about these beautiful islands:

The Brijuni Islands had been used for their quarries up to the late 19th century. The islands belonged to Venice from the Middle Ages, and stone from the islands was used to build the palaces and bridges of the city. Parts of quarries can be seen now in the main harbor area.

Since 1815, the islands became part of the Austrian Empire, which later became Austria-Hungary and they have built a impressive Fort Tegetthoff as well as several other fortresses on other islands of the archipelago.

The Austro-Hungarian Navy abandoned the fortress in 1893 and the Viennese business magnate Paul Kupelwieser bought the whole archipelago and created an exclusive resort. First class hotels, restaurants, beach resorts, a casino and a yacht harbor …made Brijuni a very popular destination of the most important people of Austro-Hungarian empire as well as aristocracy of the entire continent.

In 1918 after World War I Brijuni became part of the state of Italy. Karl Kupelwieser, the son of the founder of the estate tried to maintain the former splendor, but after the economic crisis following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, the estate went bankrupt and Karl committed suicide.

After World War II, Brijuni became part of Yugoslavia and President Josip Broz Tito made the Brijuni Islands the State Summer Residence of Yugoslavia. Almost 100 foreign heads of state visited Tito on his islands, along with film stars including Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Carlo Ponti, and Gina Lollobrigida. Tito died in 1980, and by 1983 the islands were declared a National Park of Yugoslavia.

Today, we can just image all this splendor…

Our vehicle of choice

So after a short boat ride, we got to the main harbor and went to rent a golf cart to drive around the island of Veliki Brijun. This is the only part of the park officially open to public and it holds most of the interesting spots for general visitors.
Golf cart was much better option for the three of us then renting a bike but that is a great alternative as the flat roads are asphalted and with lots of signs.

Mali Brijun island in the distance.

First stop – Safari Park

Safari park

Push the button and the doors open. I still remember all those animals seeing as a school kid. It was quite impressive back then as most of the wild animals we saw for the first time.

African ostrich

Brijuni Safari Park is home to a variety of exotic animals which were given to the park by the diplomatic partners of Tito. The Nilgai, Zebu and Asian Elephant were donated as a gift from Indira Ghandi, Plains Zebra and Mountain Zebra were given by Ahmed Sékou Touré from Guinea, Waterbuck came from Ethiopia… We did not get to see Lanka, the only elephant remaining after Sony died 5 years ago, but we saw plenty of other animals peacefully enjoying their pastures.

Peaceful coexistence on Brijuni

Next stop was a very impressive Byzantine castrum.

Byzantine castrum

Dating back to 5th century, this is not a typical castrum (a military fortress) but it is a mix of civilian buildings and military barracks and walls. The settlement was abandoned probably in the 8th century.

The gates of castrum

Driving through the pine forests, Brijuni kept revealing an amazing wealth of sites for such a small island. Some historic, some recent, this place is just a treasure trove of both historic and natural wonders.

Ruins of a huge Roman villa

Mediterranean garden

One of the must see animals of the park is a 60 years old kakadu parrot Koki who was not so cooperative when we visited.

Koki relaxing in the back

And Brijuni are the home of 1600 years old olive tree. One of the oldest in the Mediterranean!

Brijuni olive tree

Like so many places in Croatia, Brijuni National Park is another “potential” nowhere near used to it’s maximum.  I am glad that there are no longer big cats cramped in small cages and that’s all I care about. Brijuni are a pleasure to visit for families, historians, nature lovers, couples, golfers… One can spend days staying in the hotels there and explore each site in detail or, one can do a quick 2-3 hour visit just to enjoy a unique atmosphere of this amazing archipelago. And then plan the second visit!

Tours in Croatia

Peljesac peninsula is one of those regions that is considered to be  one of the “wine countries” of Croatia just like it is Istria or Plješivica… Famous for it’s rich bodied plavac from Dingač and Postup appellations, this region is simply a must for any serious wine lover. In 1961 Dingač became Croatia’s first recognized appellation with “Protected Geographical Origin”. It was followed in 1967 by a neighboring area, Postup.
The wines coming from the peninsula had their ups and downs and the quality is not exactly consistent. However, there are several great producers but also several new stories developing in the region.

One of the latest great enterprises is definitely magical Vinaria of Saints Hills.

Vinaria from the air

Founded by Mr. Ernest Tolj, the Saints Hills winery produces some unique wines from a number of different localities. Some of their most popular wines include Nevina, a blend of Malvazija and Chardonnay that originates from Saints Hills’ vineyards at Radovani in Istria. Saints Hills’ quite interesting Dingač is aged in barrels for 18-24 months while their Sveti Roko plavac is made with grapes from vineyards at Komarna. Mr. Tolj wanted to get the best out of his wines so he formed a special oenological team led by World known French specialist Michel Rolland.

Entering the cellar

The property at Oskorušno is nothing short of impressive. The traditional old house was transformed to state-of-the-art cellar and tasting facility. From the moment one sees the property from the road, it is already clear that there is some serious love (and money) invested. No expense was spared in making this at par with similar properties around the world. From the equipment of the cellar to the design, Vinaria is simply breathtaking!

French oak barrels

And the architecture of the typical Peljesac property has been respected to the maximum without any silly, tasteless interventions.

Behind the main building

The main building

There are few apartments for guests to stay over as well.

The apartment at Vinaria

And then there is the main tasting room.

Tasting room

Besides great wines, Saints hills offers a superb tasting menu as well! The young chef masterfully prepares some Dalmatian classics mixed with various influences. Of course, all the dishes are perfectly paired with Saints Hills wines.

When on Peljesac… Ston oysters with lemon granita

Escargot a la Peljesac

Shrimp risotto with edible 24 karat gold

The five course tasting menu ends with one of the best chocolate souffles I’ve ever had!

Chocolate souffle

In general, Saints Hills Vinaria is one of the finest properties on the coast. Offering the highest standards in both food and wine, it is a perfect getaway for any foodie! And there was something that took me right away when I got there: it is a product of love. You can clearly see that this belongs to a person (family) that lives with their wines and wants only the best for both their wines and guests. Highly recommended stop if in the region.

The forecast for last weekend was almost summer like and it was no time to stay at home. I had some places  to see on Pag Island for business so we decided to go there for a day trip. Our friends joined us and the first stop was the interesting and picturesque fortica tower on the very tip of Pag island: just across from Pag bridge.

Fortica – Pag island

I wrote about it a while back: https://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/fortica-at-pag-bridge/ This time we visited as my friend, who is an architect, is in charge of the current restoration works. He gave us a brief overview of what is being done but also of some curiosities they encountered. The fortress will not be restored in full, of course, but it will be quite  presentable once done. We took some aerial shots and then it was time to move on.

To Veliko Blato ornithological reserve.

Some basic details: where to buy a ticket

Not sure why buying a ticket for something like this but I do expect a service when I pay for something. Not a guide or ranger in sight, cafe, parking… So we just took a walk on our own.

Velebit in the distance

And it is a great place to test my new telephoto lens: Canons 70-200 mm f4 IS USM – all the goodies for taking some great photos of wildlife! We did not get  there in the best time for bird-watching. And it was fairly hot in the sun. But, the place was still quite alive from the moment we got there.

Egret in flight

We also got to see a very rare black winged stilt (vlastelica in Croatian). There are only 50 pairs nesting in Croatia so it is important no to disturb.

Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus)

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) – Siva čaplja

We also saw a lovely flock of Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos) or Mala prutka in Croatian. This is quite common bird in our marshes.

Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)

Overall, a pleasant surprise and quite impressive number of birds. I am planning a separate trip one early morning to get the most of it. It was time to continue and we decided to visit tiny Povljana nearby.

On the road to Povljana. Typical motives of Pag island

Povljana is tiny. Actually, it was before the 90s when it got completely overrun by apartment buildings. I skip that part of the visit as it is usually either making me sad or completely angry. Or both. Croatians don’t need enemies. We will ruin our coast better than anyone. What better evidence for that then this:

???

Are there words to describe what kind of a loser you have to be to build something like this??? What kind of a special idiot you have to be to actually give permit for something like this to be built??  What about the “architect” who planned these atrocities? Is he/she f*** blind??? I will stop here as these low lives don’t deserve any other words…

There is also a church of St Nikola right on the beach. It was built from 9-11th century and later restored in the 15th century. The church is built on the earlier Roman villa rustica.

Sv Nikola – Povljana

There is a beautiful sandy beach in front of the church!

Sandy beach of Povljana

Then it was time to continue to Pag town – the best example how TO build a town.
Medieval Pag was erected near the salt plantations where the abandoned Old Town used to be. According to historical documents, the name Pag was mentioned for the first time in the 10th century. In 1443 the new town was built according to new principles of town-planning. The plans were developed in Venice which ruled the region at the time. The longitudinal and the transversal streets, intersect at a right angle. Something Croatians have not been able to replicate even in 2015…

Street of Pag

On the main square, Church of the Assumption of Mary is located. It is quite impressive and it is still the heart and soul of this quite lovely town.

Church of the Assumption of Mary

Pag town is known for the great tradition of lace making and that has been implemented in the very rosette on the main church.

The lace of Pag

The whole town is filled with nice historic details and especially impressive was Skrivanat Tower. The only existing of nine towers that defended the town back in the day. It was built in the 15th century and has been preserved in its original form.

Skrivanat Tower

Pag town offers quite a few interesting details:

—and few strange travelers :)

Holding tight!

Pag is a great little town! Very charming. Lots to offer to a traveler looking for culture and history but also surrounded by very memorable landscapes fro those interested in outdoors activities. The island is famous for its cheese, salt and lamb but we decided to move back to the mainland to have something special for lunch. In our next post…

Croatia Travel

I was there only once, back in the winter of 2009. Nothing has changed: it is still one of the finest seafood places one can visit on the Adriatic coast!

The stunning view of Vinjerac from the terrace

It is located in Vinjerac, one of the most picturesque little towns in the country but also quite off the beaten path as this is not the main tourist area despite all the wonders of Paklenica National Park, Krka being only an hour away as well as Plitvice. Close to everything but still pretty much unknown. Little has been written about Pece in the past years but the quality is still there.

No need for this

The basic idea is still here: serve the best what owner has caught that day or was able to get from his partners. Pece (as that is the nickname of the owner) is from Zadar but now lives his dream running this small tavern in the middle of nowhere. As a passionate cook, his idea was to break away from the standards of Dalmatian taverns: simply grilled fish, swiss chard on the side, often bad home made wine… His idea was to implement all the best ideas he gathered over the years sailing the world and combine them with the ultimate seafood found in Croatia.

And, as in every similar establishment, there is no need for the menu. Just ask what they recommend and take their advice!

Just something to start with…

As we were a fairly big group with 4 kids, we decided to order several dishes to get the best of everything.

Honey fried shrimp

Fish soup

Stuffed baby cuttlefish

Shrimp in mustard sauce

Home made tri-colori gnocchi with spider-crab sauce

I am not sure if I got all these names right but Pece definitely got all the tastes right! Everything was really superb. One can also notice that Pece pays attention to the plates and serving dishes so each dish comes in a very different plate. No matter if classical or rustic, Pece has them all.

“Drunken” figs

Now there are few rules to remember:
– Pece opens at 4 PM every day, year round
– despite being away from the main routes, this place is popular with the locals and one should definitely make the reservation
– try to discuss the menu with the chef when making the reservation. He likes challenges.

For every seafood lover, this should be a mandatory stop when traveling from Zagreb to Dalmatian coast as it is only about 10 minutes away from Posedarje exit on the A1 highway.  Of course, if in Zadar area, it is just a short ride to a place that will, probably, serve one of the best meals of your holiday!

Vinjerac is often overlooked. Just like most smaller places of North Dalmatia and most of small villages that are not close to main centers. In a way it is the blessing and a curse at the same time: more and more people are leaving as there are no jobs but the places remain relatively intact. In 1991, Vinjerac had only 273 inhabitants.

Vinjerac and Velebit mountain in the background

So after a great meal at Pece’s we decided to take a walk through the village and see what it looks like. It looks almost intact compared to other, now devastated places along the coast. With mighty Velebit in the background and amazing Paklenica gorges, Vinjerac is very pretty. It was also of strategic importance in the past so the area was settled in pre-history with nearby Lergina Gradina as one of the most dominant Liburnian settlements before the arrival of Romans.  Today’s Vinjerac has probably been formed in early Middle Ages but it was a place of fierce battles between Venice and the Turkish empire as it was one of the control points between Turkish held Lika and Venetian Zadar. The battles were so fierce that Venice destroyed Vinjerac in 1570 so it does not fall in Turkish hands…

Paklenica gorges seen from Vinjerac

The village, as today, was formed in mid 19th century when the locals had a fairly big  fleet of over 30 different, large boats for trading along the coast. The prosperity did not last long after the steam boats first came and many houses in Vinjerac are just reminding us of it’s interesting past.

Old villa by the sea

It is always good to see what treasures local churches hold.

St Anthony

The construction of the church has been started in the beginning of 20th century and the bell tower  finished only in 1983. It has a curious motif of deer above the entrance.

Interesting deer under the palm trees

Getting ready for the mass

The rest of the village is in fairly poor condition… Many historic ruins are in the very center. The strong bura wind that blows in this area brings salty air that definitely does not help preserving the buildings.

No one at home

Interesting touch

The harbor looks lovely and there were works on the boats while we were there.

The harbor

Getting ready

Spring sunset

Vinjerac is fairly interesting when it comes to it’s center but the outskirts have been experiencing a small construction boom with houses and apartment buildings. Fortunately, nothing compared to other places so it is still a lovely place to visit. Combined with fine food of Pece tavern, it makes a great trip!

I get to cross a lot of territory when traveling. It still amazes me how there are still so many beautiful places to see and things to discover in this little country of ours. Yesterday, I was doing an inspection in Tugare: a tiny village in the hillside of Omiš best known for Tugarke cherries. The entire region is known as Poljica: an autonomous community which existed in the late Middle Ages and the early modern period. It was organized as a “peasants’ republic”, and it’s best known because of the Poljica Statute first written in 1440. Today, the region is slowly getting abandoned as people moved to the coastal towns and work mostly in tourism,

Overlooking Srednja Poljica and peaks of Očur in the distance

First we met with locals in a tiny hamlet of Truša. Very colorful Điđi is the soul of the place and a walking encyclopedia of everything related to the region as he was born and grew up here.

 Điđi!

Our goal was very scenic view point of Stomorica with an ancient church and a stunning panorama of the region and Brač Island. But, along the way, I have noticed something strange in the woods.

Dolmen?

The structure has all the features of a dolmen and definitely looks like one. This is on Wikipedia on dolmens:
A dolmen, also known as a cromlech, portal tomb, portal grave or quoit, is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright stones supporting a large flat horizontal capstone (table), although there are also more complex variants. Most date from the early Neolithic period (4000 to 3000 BCE). Dolmens were typically covered with earth or smaller stones to form a barrow. In many instances, that covering has weathered away, leaving only the stone “skeleton” of the burial mound intact.

Or read more on the actual page

However, this is not something encountered in Croatia!

Dolmens are characteristic for most of Europe and Asia but almost none have been discovered in Croatia. There is only one on Cres Island: http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=15452 and it does not really look anything elaborate like this one in Truše. Here are more images:

From above

There are several structures nearby that need proper inspection.

Structure

It is quite unlikely that no one ever wrote about this as it is on a very popular route. However, I have not encountered a single word on this particular structure. It is particularly strange as Mons. Ante Škobalj (a local priest) was born here and actually wrote a well known book on ceremonial mounds, customs and traditions. It is almost impossible that he was not familiar with this place!

Obredne gomile

In any case, this should be inspected soon. I am sure there were lots of dolmens in Croatia in the past but all were destroyed for all sorts of reasons. Is this the last one standing?

And that is not the only mystery these woods hide…

Some 50 meters from the road, is a set of strange, megalithic ruins. Called “Muratov dvor” (Murat’s home), it is a set of ancient buildings built of large rocks. Very large rocks…

The walls with windows

No one really builds houses this way…

Entrance to ground floor?

The interior

Tugare… small village with some serious mysteries.

I am not the biggest fan of Vodice and their vision of “tourism”. It used to be a great place some 25 – 30 years back but it is just a big mess now and I avoid it as much as I can. I also tell all my clients to stay away as there is nothing to see or do there. Until this year, I was only going there to eat at Santa Maria which is still at the same level as when it opened some 20 years ago (great meat and interior).

Vodice harbor

But this year, a foodie bloggers community started buzzing about a new place. Some girls opened a food bar and named it Bash Bash. I had to go and give it a try.
One August afternoon, we decided to stop there for late lunch and it took us a bit to find it as traffic in Vodice is horrible and I was not sure where the place was. It is located on the main promenade, near the old school and behind the great monument to all the fallen anti-fascists of Vodice. Actually, quite easy to find.

Bash Bash

Vodice are filled with bad touristy restaurants that have not changed their menu from the mid 70s. And then something like this opens… Simply a great idea!

It would have been even a better idea if they served food all day but the kitchen opens for dinner at 5 PM and we got there about 4:30 PM. Couple of cold ones helped me while waiting.

Love the design!

The menu is just great! Nothing pretentious, nothing crazy but just a selection of great classics -prepared with a creative twist – combined with some interesting touches, creative salads and cool bites. It was hard to make a choice and definitely was creative enough to make us want to return to taste more.

BashBash menu

The food was great as expected! We ordered quite a bit and enjoyed everything!

Green peas soup…

Colors of BashBash

And we especially loved the desserts!

Loved it!

All in all: a great place!

We enjoyed the modern cuisine, interpretation of classic and superb value for money. The service was also great and the waiter from Slavonia was especially kind and accommodation.

I hope they are having a great season and will maybe stay open through (at least) October and come back next May.

Finally a great place to recommend in Vodice. And we will be back!

It’s not often that one comes across a 115 years old photo album of Dalmatia. I am sure that there are few still forgotten in some attics, old family houses… and I hope someone will recognize the beauty and value of those fading images.

Recently, I stumbled upon a beautiful photo album dating back to 1900.

The album

The spread

The beauty of classical details

It was a private album of Marasovic family that once owned most of Skradin region. The images were taken by Jerolim Marasović who was a son of a major of Skradin back then. Most of the images have been already seen and published in a 2009 book: Marasović – fotografska zbirka published by Joško and Nataša Zaninović by Krka National Park. The collection is now in Zadar’s Znanstvena knjižnica or Research Library of Zadar.

I have not seen the book so I was quite surprised when I got my hands on the album!

Here are just a few from the album that contains 28 images of Skradin and Skradin region.

Visovac monastery

Not the best of quality but again, this was a local amateur photographer.

Roski slap waterfalls

Orthodox church in Kistanje

I did not play with colors or filters and wanted to keep the authentic feel I have seen on the images in the album.

Hanging out with the locals

Sailing in style

Streets of Kistanje

Interior of Serbian Orthodox church in Kistanje (?)

Skradin 1900… no marina, no bridge, no trees

Skradin from the water

And my favorite image:

Visiting the ruins of Roman military camp at Burnum

The images are simply fantastic and give instant goose bumps to everyone interested in our heritage and tradition!

I was looking forward to flying with seaplanes ever since they announced the service. I did not even care where to fly to as all our islands and Adriatic in general are amazing from the air. However, being busy, it was not easy to plan such a trip in season.

The first opportunity came up last week when I had some people to see on Hvar. Flying from downtown Split to Jelsa was the best and the most convenient option. I booked online via their web site http://www.ec-air.eu/hr/ and you can learn more on Total Hvar blog http://www.total-hvar.com/index.php/getting-here-2/item/seaplane-timetable-and-prices-for-summer-2015

Their seaport in Split is very conveniently located some 10 min walk from the Diocletian’s Palace. Right near the ferry dock for Solta and Brac. It has a small and stylish office and a waterfront cafe/waiting area where one can enjoy a view of large ships and see the airplane approaching.

Coming in

The flight to Jelsa is only 11 minutes long and it takes longer to taxi out of the harbor and taxi in to Jelsa harbor.

Just about to take of

There were not too many passengers on board.

On board.

That made the flight comfortable but I do want to see more passengers flying as it is simply fabulous!
I took some photos of Brac and Hvar island from the air. It is great to see all these places from a different perspective! Last time I flew over Brac was back in 2012 – https://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/panoramic-flight-over-split-and-brac/

Abandoned monastery in the hillside of Brac

Barren hillside of Brac

Blaca monastery

A small beach near Bol

Monastery in Bol

Zlatni rat beach from the air

Rocky beach near Jelsa

…and this is definitely great for spotting great beaches on Brac island and near Jelsa on Hvar!

In general, the experience is very memorable and runs smoothly. The crew is very professional and everything is well organized.  The cost for a round trip is about 70 Euros but it is well worth it. Besides, if that is more than you want to spend, just get a one way trip to Jelsa and then take the  two hour ferry from Stari Grad back (or a fast ferry from Jelsa via Bol). Then you will learn how to appreciate flying even more :)

Great experience and really looking forward to my next flight. Split to Mali Lošinj – here we come!

When one thinks of Dalmatia, oak forest is probably not the first association. One can think of rocky landscapes, low bushes and shrubs or lush pine tree forests. Typical Mediterranean vegetation. However, Dalmatian coast looked very differently  in the past. The first photographs show a very barren landscape with almost no trees. Mostly because everything was cut down centuries before no matter if they needed wood to burn in their stoves or just cleared land for defense purposes. Clearing for wine yards and olive groves during the late 19th century, Dalmatian landscape stripped of nearly all trees or bushes. And then came the more eco-friendly vision of planting pine trees as they looked pretty and were growing quite fast. Original, black pine (pinus nigra var. dalmatica) can now bee seen very rarely and most beautiful forest of this pine tree is near the highest peak of Brač island. Crnika or česmina (Quercus ilex) used to be the most common of all oak tree varieties on our coast but now is limited to only few proper forests on Rab and northern islands.

The fields of Dobra Voda near Stankovci

Pristeg forest from the air

However, from the records and evidences, it is clear that most of Dalmatia was under some real oak forests. Mostly downy oak (Quercus pubescens). The last of the true oak forests still stays tall between the tiny villages of Pristeg and Dobra voda near Stankovci.

By the road

The forest is just a remain of a proper, big forest that covered the region and it is basically just a lovely patch in the landscape. The woods are now intersected by wine yards and fields at the edges but one can still get a good sense of what a proper forest looked like.

The wine yard

The young trees

The forest is not under protection so the trees are, occasionally, cut down. Even though it is illegal. Since the number of people in the nearby Pristeg and Dobra Voda is shrinking, as young men and women are leaving for cities, the future of the forest looks promising and will probably be expanding to now abandoned fields nearby. Oak forests are recovering in many other areas of Dalmatia as people are leaving villages for the cities.

The beautiful trunk

The forest is also a great home for many bird species and nearby plane is a home to Montagu’s harrier – Eja livadarka (Circus pygargus) but there are quite a few interesting mushrooms growing in the shade of the beautiful trees like these highly valued Caesar’s mushroom.

Blagva or Caesar’s mushroom (Amanita caesarea)

The perfect green color of the forest

This beautiful forest is just one of those special, hidden gems off the beaten path. Great for late summer walks and mushroom hunting in the Fall!

Travel in Croatia

Škopljanci is a tiny hamlet, part of  Radošić village in the Dalmatian hinterland known as Zagora. Just about an hour north of Split, I usually take a scenic drive over Malačka panorama point that makes this drive extra special. Getting to Škopljanci is easy. The hamlet is well marked with signs for traditional Bikijada: a festival of village Olympics combined with bull fighting. To get a better picture of what is happening there on that day (last weekend of May, usually) this is from their web site:

Bull horns in the tavern

So, when we were invited for a tour and talks about possible cooperation, I was really looking forward to learn more. Also, Škopljanci usually wins every list for a great and authentic experience.

Stone houses preserved

Family Škopljanac has been protecting and renovating their family’s heritage for years now. The 12 old stone houses have been renovated with special care and they are now housing tasting room, smokehouse, large dining room, ethnographic museum, museum of bull…

Škopljanac family preparing a light tasting of their super, home made goodies

So we took a walk around the estate. Visiting the entire property takes time as it is fairly big and there is plenty to see.

Zog za buće or Zog for buće in English (bocce ball court)

Part of the collection at their museum

Traditional costumes of the region

Some sort of a ZOO…

There are some treasures to be found!

A classic!

The place still needs work in making everything more “polished” but, in general, their offer is of high quality as they offer a very good experience and great food.
A bit too oriented to larger groups coming by coach, I still find this place to offer a pretty authentic experience and be sure to visit at the time of the (in)famous bull fights.

More information (and lovely photos) on their website:
http://www.radosic.com/o-nama/?lang=en

As the season ended, I got back to the list of places I still had to visit. Despite being small, Dalmatia hides many riches and amazing places, unexpected views, historic and natural heritage. One of the places I had in mind for a while was the canyon on the northern shore of Vransko jezero.

Vransko jezero is is the largest natural lake in Croatia ( 30.7 sq km / 11.9 sq mi ) and it is one of the most unique places in all of the country both for its nature and history. It is one of the last marshes in the region and home to numerous bird species. In the winter, over 100 000 birds come here from all over Europe. Fortunately, this winter is mild. So far. Nothing like this although there is plenty of time for snow:
https://secretdalmatia.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/snow-in-dalmatia-vransko-jezero-lake/

So, it is good time to enjoy the great outdoors!
We jumped in our Hilux and went exploring. I knew that my regular SUV is not the best choice for the narrow dirt roads so never attempted to drive this road before. Neither should you.

On the road

The offroad part starts just half a mile after the turn to Kamenjak view point. It is clearly marked as Mednjača canyon and the folks from the park did a great job fixing it and clearing it. It is also the main communication for people from nearby Banjevci to their fields and olive orchards by the lake. They either walked this or used their tractors. Or they drove old cars that they did not care much about.

First part is easy

The road is filled with dramatic turns and great views once you get deep inside the canyon!

Inside the canyon

The rocks and cliffs

Wonderful forms

Almost out of canyon

This particular canyon is also known for owls nesting in these high cliffs. But, as we will soon see, there are other birds nearby.

The smaller hill is a hilltop fortress and Venetian observation point from 1400s. Right at the end of the canyon.

The drive is about 10 – 15 minutes long and the we got almost to the shores of the lake but, since it is a marsh, there is reed and easy to get in the water. By the lake, few of the locals built small huts where they keep the tools for their fields and olive groves. The views of the fields and groves, with reeds and lake in the distance are gorgeous!

Olive grove and reed in the distance

A small harbor

Reed is also important as that is where majority of the birds hide and nest. And there is always someone watching…

Watcher on the tree

The area was very quiet apart from the reeds moving and making that characteristic, light and pleasant sound. And then there were the shrieks of a common buzzard. This is our most common bird of pray and it can be seen perched on a tree or post. It feeds mainly on small mammals but it adapts well to a varied diet of birds, rabbit or other small mammals to medium mammals, snakes and lizards. It can also be seen walking over recently ploughed fields looking for worms and insects.
But this time we had a pleasure to see a couple flying not so high above us.

Beautiful couple

Shrieking

Showing off

There are two ways to get to the main road and we decided to visit small harbor of Prosika instead of driving back to Vrana village. Prosika is where, back in 1770., a canal was dug out by the owners of Vrana feud, the Borelli family  in order to start commercially exploiting the region.

The lake was covering a 10 times larger area before that event and afterwards, most of the former marsh became a fertile soil. This also helped eradicate malaria which was quite common in this area (and all over the coast)

The southern shores of the lake

Prosika harbor restored

We thought that we were alone but a large gray heron was hunting in the very canal. I managed to got only a nice photo of it sitting on a pine tree.

Gray heron

The entire area of Prosika is a lovely place to stop at any time of the year. It has been nicely restored and one can get information on the history of the place and the entire endavour from the signs along the trail.

A recently built bridge connecting biking and walking trails

Very good info board (in Croatian and English). One of several.

Venetian watch tower from the 1500s

Winter sunsets come early…

The last section of the dirt road is a bit narrow (just before reaching Prosika)

The narrow section of the dirt road

In few hours we enjoyed  a great off road experience, gorgeous birds, lots of history, beautiful nature, fresh air… A very special part of the world.

Winter is beautiful part of the year

Winter is time for exploring and enjoying this amazing December weather we keep having year after year.

Travel in Croatia

This winter continues with beautiful weather. Perfect for hikes and exploring the sites I never visited before. It is simply amazing how many of those still are! And I keep finding new ones…

After few years I knew about it, I finally got the time to get to the Lišanska gradina (Lišane hilltop fortress). It is not easily accessible and, on foot – from the main road – it would take one over an hour or so to reach it. This was again time for my Hilux and solid off road experience through the bushes and rocky, narrow paths…

On a satellite image, the fortress looks interesting but I knew it is not going to be easy to reach it. The terrain surrounding it looks quite rough even online…
We stopped after a while as it was impossible to drive through the very rocky terrain and we immediately noticed ancient road in front of us. It has all the characteristics of a typical Roman road with groves made by wheels for centuries.

Ancient road carved in rock

The road to gradina is easy and quite clear. We noticed that road has been cleared and thought that it were the hunters that sometimes hunt in these areas. But then we noticed olive trees.

The colors of Autumn

Olive trees in the fields

Continuing towards the hilltop fortress, we noticed a proper and fenced olive orchard. It is fascinating not only that it is in the middle of nowhere and still looks stunning, but it is probably in the same location the ancient inhabitants of the fortress had their own olive orchard. Few thousand years ago…

Ancient olive grove?

Continuing to the fortress, we noticed the Ostrovica rock in the distance. One of the most fascinating and mystical places in all of Dalmatia!

Ostrovica in the distance

Lišanska gradina has not been properly explored and there are very few mentions of it in the specialized literature. It is well off any beaten paths but, obviously, it was located on a popular route as the ancient road we walked has been in use for many centuries. It has a great control of the neighboring area with sweeping views all the way to the sea (on a clear day).

Views from gradina

The gradina itself is in a typical shape – main dry rock walls have fallen down many centuries ago and they are now just a pile of rocks surrounding the slope of the hill. The other part of the fortress is easily defended as it sits on a high cliff.

View to the sea

The area within the walls is now just an empty, deserted plain with bushes and rocks all over. One cannot make too much sense of it without a proper excavation…

Former living quarters

The slopes have some indication of gates but, again, it will need a professional eye to look at this.

The entrance?

As the entire area, there is lots of evidence of wild boar in the area.

Wild boar was here

As the sun sets early in these winter months, we had to head out to the car. We took the different route to admire the high southern cliff of Lišanska gradina. It is over 10 meters high in some places and looks quite impressive.

Another beautiful place we leave behind. To enjoy the silence and bask in the winter sunset. Abandoned for eternity…

Dolac market is always on my list of places to visit when in Zagreb. Last month we had some stuff to do in the city so we went one morning to check the offer and to buy some local delicacies (home made cream, butter…) before heading south.
Zagreb is usually quite “gray” in the winter months with fog covering the entire city. Here, it started to clear and only the tall bell towers of Zagreb cathedral are still in the mist.

Zagreb cathedral on a foggy morning.

No mater what direction you take, all roads take you to Dolac. Many people do their shopping at Dolac as the best and finest produce from all over Croatia can be found there.
It is also a very popular tourist attraction.

Dolac is waking up…

There are several sections of the market and most popular is the colorful, outdoor part where all the vegetables and fruit stands are. It is the hart of Dolac and a typical, lovely green market full of people, noise, smiles…

From leek to lemons

More greens

Catching up on latest news

Potatoes from Zadar region

Cauliflowers of all sorts

With cathedral in the background

Love the color of radish

Cabbage

Greens for soup

Doing some  serious business

Wheat

Besides vegetables and fruit, there are several stands that sell traditional wicker baskets and other traditional objects that are now mainly serving as souvenirs.

Wicker baskets stands

And then we went to a lower section of the market. Most of the shops and stands below are selling more perishable stuff. There are some unique little stores that sell their own pasta, butchers selling meat, imported fruits…

Foreign fruits

Small market

But the real treasure is in a cool hall that sells mostly local home made cream, cheese, butter… This is something Zagreb folks (and all of us Croatians) are very proud of and

All home made goodies!

But the most interesting person in all of the market is the granny

Traditional corn flour bread!

Sampling

Poplar are also the flower stands just between the main square and Dolac. A great variety of flowers is available and, in December, lots of Christmas flower decorations are on offer.

Flower baskets

Zagreb is a very fun place all year round. Christmas time is especially popular and lots of people are flocking to Zagreb to enjoy the city. It’s been voted best Christmas destination in all of Europe in 2015!

Monument of Ban Jelačić

While the nights are lit by all those lovely decorations and Christmas lights, days are, typically for this part of year, gray.  But, at this time of year, it is still fun and there are lots of people on the streets: shopping, drinking mulled wine, sipping coffee outdoors or inside many bars…

Manduševac decorated for Christmas.

Zagreb is a great place to visit. Any time of year!

Often not considered by travelers, both Pašman and Ugljan are actually one of the best kept secrets of Dalmatia. The islands used to be one big island back in the distant past but, with the rise of sea level, they got separated in, where is today, Ždrelac village. The canal to enable safe sailing between the islands was dug out in 1883. and  bridge was erected in 1979. The bridge was reconstructed in 20010 due to heavy traffic from nearby marinas to Kornati Islands National Park.

The forecast was great and sunny for January Sunday so we hopped in our Hilux and headed to Biograd ferry harbor for a short, 20 minute crossing to town of Tkon on Pašman island.

The view of Čokovac monastery and the Pašman channel

The idea was to drive the coastal route all the way to the end of Ugljan, Muline village, find a place for grill and lunch before heading back the scenic but offroad route of the “other” coast of Pašman island starting from Ždrelac.

Of course, there were stops along the route and the first one was Čokovac monastery overlooking the most beautiful channel of Dalmatian coast – Pašman channel with its 12 islands and rocks. Snow-capped Velebit mountain was shining in the distance.

The walls of Čokovac

The history of Čokovac Benedictine Monastery is quite a turbulent one. Back in 1125. Biograd was completely destroyed by the Venetians. They also destroyed, once famous, Benedictine monastery of St. John the Evangelist in very Biograd after which the monks first took shelter in Šibenik, and later came back to the island of Pašman. The Chapel of St. Cosmas and Damian was already on the hill of Čokovac, so the monks built a Romanic church and a fortified monastery. The Venetians destroyed it in 1345 and imprisoned the monks. The mosnatery was reconstructed only in 1418. For its exceptional contribution (which is a bit vague), the monastery gained some sort of autonomy confirmed by several popes. It is believed that the monks accepted the invitation of the Czech King Charles IV to preach Glagolitic and Slavic language. Also, there are assumptions that the monastery was in possesion of the first form of Glagolitic scripts in liturgical texts, as numerous old Glagolitic scripts from the 13th century have been preserved. Today, the monastery church holdsa large Gothic style crucifix dating back to the 15th century attributed to a Venetian painter Menegelo. Besides the crucifix, the monastery also holds a precious portrait of the Virgin Mary. These are the only exhibits of this sort conserved after the French government closed the monastery in 1808. Over 150 years later, during socialist Yugoslavia, the Monastery was reopened in 1961. This is the only active Benedictine monastery in Croatia and definitely an important part of our heritage well worth preserving and visiting.

The monastery church

The monastery  is available to visitors from June 1st to October 31st between 4.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m. or by appointment.

The walls of Čokovac

This is the only active Benedictine monastery in Croatia and definitely an important part of our heritage well worth preserving and visiting.

The view of the mainland through the cypress trees

And then it was time to continue. Next stop: coffee at Deloro in Pašman tow. It is just sad to see all the newly built apartment buildings all over the island. The island has been loosing population rapidly (as most of our islands have) and the islanders have always been supporting the idea of construction of a bridge to the mainland.

The view of the mainland over Pašman

We passed all the small villages en route without really going into the historic centers: Kraj, Pašman, Barotul, Neviđane, Banj, Dobropoljana… all tiny villages by the sea. Crossing the bridge we were on Ugljan and what is the visit to Ugljan without stopping at Kali! Kali is a primarily fishermen town and the town with the largest fleet on our coast. For years,they were fishing in the Pacific ocean. Little is known even today that Croats invented pretty much everything worth inventing in fishing in World  20th century: from the power block (Puretich) that was found on EVERY fishing boat in the World to factory boats and even tuna farming.

Winter morning in Kali

Ante Dundov Kongo from Kali was one of the most important fishermen of the 20th century and he was primarily bringing men from Kali to fish tuna in the Pacific. The story goes that he was once talking to a Japanese fisherman from Osaka who was wondering how many people are in his town and Kongo said 700. The Japanese fisherman could not believe saying that almost every boat in the Pacific he meets was operated by the folks from Kali!

But those days are now gone and Kali is more of a sleepy village remembering its glorious past.

There is also a story that Kongo’s old mother said to  him that he was taking all the men away and there will be no one to bury her. He was deeply moved by her words and started bringing locals on three month contracts only so they could return and invest money back home.

We passed other tiny villages like Sutomišćica where I have to go back to eat at their well known Olive Bay restaurant. The next stop was the sleepy village of Muline at the very Northern tip of Ugljan.

The Adriatic does not get more clear than this!

The village is very sleepy and almost no one on the streets and in the harbor. Just nets drying…

We also saw sea quite a few sea urchins. All female! All decorated for ball!

We took the side, dirt road to reach the asylum on the western shore of Ugljan but it was not possible to get there even with our Hilux. So we got back on the main road and drove to the asylum. Just to the left is a narrow dirt road that leads to a very lovely beach.

The beach is actually very busy in peak season and a place to avoid but, out of July and August, it is quite nice and, in the winter months, simply perfect!

There is a narrow trail leading through the bushes to another beach (even more secluded) and it goes through the abandoned asylum cemetery.

The asylum cemetary

Most people have been buried here before the 1970…

The second beach is also cute and with a small island connected by a narrow strip. The island is full of seagulls. And the water is very clear with few rare inhabitants like this noble pen shell.

Lunch was quick and it was time for a short rest and a second part of the day: an offroad ride along the Pašman’s western coast. It is, basically, a dirt road carved through the bushes to enable firefighters to deal with potential fires that are common here.

However,  many used the opportunity to build small “Robinson style” huts on these virgin shores. Mostly illegal and mostly ugly. There are few really charming and special but most are just simple devastation. There is nothing “Robinson” about them now as there are dozens of them in each cove…

The views are just stunning. On both sides of t Pašman!

Kornati in the distance

Looking back at the bridge of Ždrelac

And we reached the highest point, Veliki Bokolj with little effort (not for regular cars!)

Photo-shoot at the top

The view point has been built by the donation of the Norwegian government.

The view of Mrljane and Barotul with Vransko jezero lake in the distance

The entire route we crossed is about 20 km long and it was one of the prettiest off road routes on the coast with plenty of great spots to see and a possibility to go all the way to the sea for swimming in the warmer months.

Straža view point.

The roads near Tkon go to several directions but we decided to go back on a 4:20 PM ferry so this will be explored next time. With only 3100 inhabitants and over 60 km2 surface area, Pašman is one of the larger and least inhabited of Croatian islands. Combined with Ugljan, it makes one very special part of the Adriatic that deserves more attention and better future.

Winter is always the best time to explore. The weather, when sunny, is ideal for hikes and walks.

And there is always something cool and new to see.
Recently I found out about a fortress in Sonković village near Skradin. It is only a short drive away and just about 10 minutes off the highway. The fortress looked interesting in Google Earth but checking it for real is what it is all about.

Sonkovic Fortress from air

The fortress is located on a sharp rock overlooking a stream that never goes dry. This stream was one of the reasons why this area was settled long ago in the antiquity. The area was inhabited long ago but the very village of Sonkovic originates probably from the Middle ages when the fortress was also built. Sonkovic was the last name of the noble Croatian family Sonković who owned these lands and, eventually, gave the name to the village.

Olive trees

Sonković is now typical village of Northern Dalmatia located on the foothills overlooking the fertile land. I am still upset when I see people building houses right in the fertile fields as that was never our custom. There are numerous olive groves along the roads and, while most trees are old, there are quite a few younger groves. The life continues… Despite the occupation in the Homeland war. Sonković was liberated again only in 1995.

Overlooking the fields

Not too many people returned now so the census of 2004 notes less than 300 inhabitants (both Croats and Serbs). The most common last names of this part of Skradin hinterland are: Matić,  Palinić (Čulin), Kartelo, Roško, Lovrić, Sladić, Guberina, Babić, Jurić, Keran, Vranić  and Vuković.

We entered Guberine hamlet looking for the fortress.

Guberine

Only barking of few dogs were heard…

And soon we reached the fortress.

Sonković Fortress

It is a typical medieval fortress of the region: round tower with construction of the larger building surrounding. Till today, just half of the tower still stands and some remains of the main buildings are visible.

Part of the wall

The tower was probably in service well into the times of Turkish occupation (started in 1528) and abandoned after the region was liberated in the late 1600s.

The tower

The location was perfect for defense and the fortress is even now a bit hard to reach let alone in the time of guards, crossbows and swords. The rocks are sharp and some parts are inaccessible but, in general, it can be reached and seen easily. The stones from the main building were probably “recycled” by the locals when the fortress was abandoned but what is left of the tower gives an insight in the structure.

Interior of the tower

The stream below is especially active in the winter months while, in the summer, the spring always gives fresh water but not enough to keep the stream alive all the way to Guduča river nearby.

Sonković stream

The canyon where the stream flows is quite pretty and we wanted to explore some more but then we saw the mine field danger signs… And we did not go any further. We also could not see any locals to give us more details as some of these signs are put at generous distances from real threat. We did not want to risk anything so we returned to the car.

It is a pity that such a gorgeous location is out of reach but I hope the region will be truly liberated soon.

In the sunset…

The winter night was falling quickly and the air got cooler. We did a bit of off roading through vineyards and fields and left the tower and the village to dream of some better and more lively times…