Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Photo of the Day: Spring comes to Croatia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/photo-of-the-day-spring-comes-to-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/photo-of-the-day-spring-comes-to-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/13/photo-of-the-day-spring-comes-to-croatia/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Around the world, signs of spring are starting to appear. You smell it in the soft scent of pollen. You feel it in the positive energy emanating from people who have spent the winter in hibernation. And you see it in the tiny flower buds sprouting everywhere you look. Flickr user Gordan Renic perfectly captured the first signs of spring in Zagreb, Croatia, with this Photo of the Day, aptly titled "a gentle takeover."

Do you have your own photos of spring's awakening? Upload your favorite shots to the Gadling Group Pool and your image could be selected as our Photo of the Day.

Photo of the Day: Spring comes to Croatia originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>croatiaflowersphotophoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayspringzagrebTue, 13 Mar 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day: Highlight of the show]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/10/photo-of-the-day-highlight-of-the-show/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/10/photo-of-the-day-highlight-of-the-show/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/10/photo-of-the-day-highlight-of-the-show/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Photo of the day

This Photo of the Day, called Highlight of the Show, comes from Gadling Flickr Pool member mmusnjak. Captured using a Nikon D90, the photo is described as a "winter sunset near Zavižan hut in North Velebit, Croatia. The sunset was worth the three hour hike through the snow."

North Velebit National Park is a UNESCO biosphere reserve in Croatia known for its geomorphological phenomena - the pits. There are more than 150 pits discovered, out of which the most famous is Luke's pit, discovered in 1992.

Upload your best shots to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. Several times a week we choose our favorite images from the pool as Photos of the Day.

Photo of the Day: Highlight of the show originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Croatiageomorphological phenomenaGeomorphologicalPhenomenaLukes pitLukesPitMan and the Biosphere ProgrammeNikon D90Photo of the DayPhotoOfTheDaySat, 10 Mar 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day: Croatian winter sunset]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/02/photo-of-the-day-croatian-winter-sunset/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/02/photo-of-the-day-croatian-winter-sunset/http://www.gadling.com/2012/03/02/photo-of-the-day-croatian-winter-sunset/#commentsFiled under: , ,

croatian winter sunset

Wow. Wintertime is awesome, even if not every Croatian winter sunset can be quite as breathtaking as this one. Flickr user mmusnjak captured this sunset in Croatia's Northern Velebit National Park in February. In his photo notes on Flickr he mentions casually that he hiked for three hours through snow to reach this point.

Let's see more winter photos on Gadling before the season yields to spring. Upload your snowy fields, your icy rivers and your frostbitten fingers to the Gadling Group Pool on Flickr. (Ok, not your frostbitten fingers! Avoid frostbite!) We choose our favorites from the pool to be Photos of the Day. Let's finish winter right!

Photo of the day: Croatian winter sunset originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 02 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>croatiacroatian winter sunsetCroatianWinterSunsetphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDayFri, 02 Mar 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Souvenirs: Anatomy of a prized possession from the road]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/19/souvenirs-anatomy-of-a-prized-possession-from-the-road/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/19/souvenirs-anatomy-of-a-prized-possession-from-the-road/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/19/souvenirs-anatomy-of-a-prized-possession-from-the-road/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

souvenirsSouvenirs are difficult for travel writers. We travel too often to be slapdash with souvenir selection, for one. Some frequent travelers focus on a particular thing: snow globes, pens, local magazines, liqueur, rugs, candy.

Others ignore the self entirely and redirect the impulse, choosing to make souvenir purchases for their friends, family, and neighbors.

Me? I like beach towels. I'm picky, mind you. Few make it into my collection. Those that do, however, are true prized possessions.

As souvenirs go, beach towels are extremely useful. They can do service as standard towels when bath towels are not available. They are great for beach runs in the position of reserve towel. (Who wants to dry off with a sandy towel?) And they can be washed and dried quickly and used over and over again.

I've got some doozies. There's the grotesque print of the Titanic movie poster on a beach towel I bought in Croatia in 1998. It's held up remarkably well, despite the thinness of its material. The likenesses of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio are barely recognizable, their skin tones inaccurately flan-like in a loveably inarguable instance of copyright infringement. And now, almost 15 years after Titanic hit theaters, it's also got an undeniable near-retro cache. Bonus.

There's another beach towel in my collection from the Balkans, purchased several years later, an enormous beach towel patterned with a replica of the €500 bill in all of its pink and purple glory. I've never held a €500 bill in my hands, but I can relax upon a blown-up version of it, even if a French friend once pronounced it "kitsch" with a sniff.

And then there's the crowning glory of my beach towel collection, a yellow and red number with the slogan "Wipe out in Guam" in a Flintstones-like font above a figure of a hapless purple-skinned surfer sailing through the air.

The thing is, I've never been to Guam.

I bought the towel on Anegada in the British Virgin Islands, an island I visited with my high school friend Mike. We stayed in a cheap motel without beach towels. Finding ourselves on a perfect beach island without beach towels, we promptly headed to the nearest store to rectify the situation. Sorting through a stack of BVI-specific towels, we found a handful of specimens clearly supposed to have been included in a shipment to Guam. We both snapped one up, to the marked surprise of the shop owner.

The material of the towel is thin but wiry, almost viscous. Structurally speaking, it's not a great towel. But it's got a back story and an in-built hilarity. What more does a souvenir need?

Souvenirs: Anatomy of a prized possession from the road originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 19 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anegadaBalkansbeach towelsBeachTowelsbritish virgin islandsBritishVirginIslandscaribbeancroatiaguamsouvenirsouvenirstitanicSun, 19 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Busójárás: Hungary's version of Whacking Day]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/busojaras-hungarys-version-of-whacking-day/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/busojaras-hungarys-version-of-whacking-day/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/08/busojaras-hungarys-version-of-whacking-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,
























The blow nearly knocked me off my feet. I was crouching down to take a photo and WHACK! I felt and heard some blunt instrument smack me right on the top of my head. I was momentarily dazed by the force of the blow and by the time I gathered myself, my assailant, a boy of about 12 dressed up in a wooly suit and wooden mask, was already halfway down the block.

"What the hell just happened?" I asked an amused group of bystanders.

"It's Busójárás, so the young little devils like to run around and whack people," said a young man who spoke English.

Welcome to Busójárás, Hungary's version of Whacking Day. I'd heard about the colorful pre-Lenten carnival held in Mohacs each year but no one had warned me about the devlish little busós who run around whacking people.

Busójárás (pronounced Boo-show-yar-us) is a six-day festival that runs from February 16-21 this year. On the final day, always the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, locals burn a coffin in the town square to symbolize the death of winter. The festival's highlight, however, occurs on Sunday when the carnival march of the busós starts. Busós are the scary, wooly-cloaked men with wooden masks you see in the accompanying photos, who arrive in a convoy of rowboats on the Danube River.

Gallery: Busójárás

Bus

The busós march all around the town in their home-made vehicles, while they attempt to frighten onlookers with cow-bells, clappers, and sticks, all the while courting women with symbolic erotic play and offering the audience wine, pálinka (a spirit) and doughnuts.

The festival was first celebrated about 300 years ago by the local Croatian Sokác minority. Depending on which version of history you subscribe to, the busós were originally supposed to scare off either the Turks or winter itself. These days, the occasion is celebrated by a broad spectrum of the local population, not just ethnic Croats. According to UNESCO, which recognized the carnival as a part of the region's cultural heritage which was in "urgent need of safeguarding" in 2009, some 500-600 busós from about 20 different organized groups participate each year.

Continue reading Busójárás: Hungary's version of Whacking Day

Busójárás: Hungary's version of Whacking Day originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>busobusojarasbusojaras festivalBusojarasFestivalfestivalsHungarymohacsWed, 08 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Video of the Day: Snow on the beach in Split, Croatia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/video-of-the-day-snow-on-the-beach-in-split-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/video-of-the-day-snow-on-the-beach-in-split-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/06/video-of-the-day-snow-on-the-beach-in-split-croatia/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Extreme cold and snow have gripped parts of Europe in ways that the continent has not experienced in years. The images of people struggling to cope with the elements are chilling (no pun intended). Even in Split, Croatia, a coastal town on the Adriatic Sea, snow has blanketed the beaches as temperatures have plunged nearly 30 degrees below average for this time of year. Seeing people walk along the palm tree-lined shore as snow falls unrelentingly is almost too incongruous to process.

Video of the Day: Snow on the beach in Split, Croatia originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>beachcoldcroatiaphoto of the dayPhotoOfTheDaysnowsplitvideo of the dayVideoOfTheDayweatherwinterMon, 06 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Island of adventure: Brac, Croatia]]>http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/02/island-of-adventure-brac-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/02/island-of-adventure-brac-croatia/http://www.gadling.com/2012/01/02/island-of-adventure-brac-croatia/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

brac croatia We're almost into a new year, so what better time to start planning for some new trips? While there are some great adventure destinations out there that have proven to be well-worth the journey, there are still some lesser known regions that have a lot to offer. One of these is the Island of Brac in Croatia, a region full of outdoor and adrenaline-pumping activities.

Hike up, or mountain bike down, the tallest peak in the Adriatic Islands

Standing at about 2,553 feet high is Vidova Gora, also known as Vitus Mount. From the top, you will be able to have an unobstructed view of beaches, mountain slopes, and some of the Dalmatia Islands. The trek consists of various terrain; at one point it may be rocky and steep while at other times the trail is low and sandy. The most popular hike on the island is from Vidova Gore to Blaca Hermitage.

It is also popular to mountain bike down the peak, which offers a thrilling way to see the scenery. Moreover, the island of Brac itself has a extensively developed network of white roads and single tracks for mountain biking. The paths have virtually no traffic, and the natural scenery of pine woods, olive fields, and secluded beaches combined with the mix of easy and challenging terrain makes this one picturesque adventure. For guided hikes and bike rides, contact Aldura Sport.

Continue reading Island of adventure: Brac, Croatia

Island of adventure: Brac, Croatia originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure sportsadventure travelAdventureSportsAdventureTravelbrac islandBracIslandcroatiahikingisland+of+adventure+bracisland+of+adventure+brac+croatiaislandofadventurebracislandofadventurebraccroatiaislandsjessica+festa+bracjessica+festa+island+of+adventurejessicafestabracjessicafestaislandofadventureMon, 02 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the day - Winter branches]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/30/photo-of-the-day-winter-branches/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/30/photo-of-the-day-winter-branches/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/30/photo-of-the-day-winter-branches/#commentsFiled under: , ,

winter branches

Today's Photo of the Day captures a mess of winter branches spread across a gray sky like competing capillary systems. Winter officially began in the Northern Hemisphere on December 22. There's no nice way to say it. Winter is here, and the leaves have been gone for some time.

Unlike most Photos of the Day, this one was uploaded without any information provided as to the shot's location. Its photographer, Flickr user femme_fm, lives in Zagreb, so we'll imagine that this image was snapped in the Croatian capital, where it is, no surprise, currently freezing.

Upload your favorite seasonal images to the Gadling Group Pool over at Flickr. We're always looking for season-attuned photographs to be featured as future Photos of the Day.

Photo of the day - Winter branches originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>photo of the dayPhotoOfTheDaywinter branchesWinterBranchesFri, 30 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Discovering the king of baristas in Croatia's caffeinated capital, Zagreb]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/19/discovering-the-king-of-baristas-in-croatia-s-caffeinated-capita/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/19/discovering-the-king-of-baristas-in-croatia-s-caffeinated-capita/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/19/discovering-the-king-of-baristas-in-croatia-s-caffeinated-capita/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Coffee is an obsession in Croatia, and in its capital, Zagreb, the coffee culture is as strong and prevalent as the locally prepared žižule grappa. And the coffee itself? It would knock the non-fat foam off a Starbucks latte any day.

But it's not just about the flavor. Here, having coffee is as much of a social ritual as an essential kick-start to the day, and hours and hours are spent over a cup and saucer. It's not surprising that locals have eschewed the "to-go" cardboard coffee cup and sleeve trend, opting instead to revere coffee as a destination in itself.

To understand this, you need only spend Saturday morning at the intersection of Bogoviceva and Gajeva Streets, near Zagreb's Flower Square. The outdoor cafés stack up on these pedestrian-only passageways, and the well- and high-heeled patrons sit elbow to diamond earring and watch the world, and each other, catwalk by. The most coveted spot is a perch at Charlie (Gajeva, 4), once owned by the late footballer Mirku Bruan, who used his nickname as the bar's moniker. Celebrities, models, actors, singers and femme fatales descend on this area of central Zagreb to see and be seen, and presumably drink coffee, in a phenomenon known locally as Spica. I've heard many translations for this word - pinnacle, point, and striker (the soccer/football position) among them -- but ask a Zagreber and you'll be told that Spica means only one thing: Saturday morning coffee.

In search of something a little more down to earth, and with lower heels, for my own Spica, I strolled along Ilica Street, Zagreb's main thoroughfare. A few cafés appeared but none appealed to me -- too smoky; too over-lit; too many laptops. Dodging an endless hustle of bikers and walkers, I stopped to lick the windows (as my French friends say) of pastry shops like the family-run Vincek, whose cakes and cookies looked too perfect to eat. Then one of the always-stuffed blue trams of Zagreb whirred down Ilica Street and startled me, and as I was recovering I noticed a crowd gathered beneath an awning printed with the words "simply luxury coffee."

From the moment I entered the minuscule Eli's Caffé, I knew this was not going to be an ordinary coffee experience, and that owner Nik Orosi was not going to be an ordinary barista.

Continue reading Discovering the king of baristas in Croatia's caffeinated capital, Zagreb

Discovering the king of baristas in Croatia's caffeinated capital, Zagreb originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure-travelcafecoffeecroatiadrinkfoodzagrebMon, 19 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/10-reasons-to-travel-to-ljubljana/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/10-reasons-to-travel-to-ljubljana/http://www.gadling.com/2011/12/13/10-reasons-to-travel-to-ljubljana/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Ljubljana travel
When I found cheap airfare from Istanbul to Ljubljana, I didn't find many other travelers who'd been there or even say for sure which country it's in. The tiny of country of Slovenia is slightly smaller than New Jersey and its capital city isn't known for much other than being difficult to spell and pronounce (say "lyoob-lyAH-nah"). After spending a few days there last month, I quickly fell madly in love with the city, and recommend to everyone to add to their travel list.

Gallery: 10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana

Ljubljana's main squareTriple BridgeTivoli ParkCoffee al fresco at Cafe LolitaDragon bridge


Here are some reasons to love Ljubljana:

1. It's Prague without the tourists - Ljubljana has been called the next Prague for at least the last 10 years, but the comparison is still apt. Architect Jože Plečnik is known for his work at Prague Castle, but he was born in Ljubljana and is responsible for much of the architecture in the old downtown and the Triple Bridge that practically defines the city. While Prague is a lovely place to visit, it's overrun in summer with backpackers and tourists. In Ljubljana, the only English I heard was spoken with a Slovenian accent, and there were no lines at any of the city's attractions.

2. Affordable Europe - While not as cheap as say, Bulgaria, Ljubljana is a lot easier on the wallet than other European capital cities and cheaper than most of its neighbors. I stayed in a perfect room above the cafe Macek in an ideal location for 65 euro a night. A huge three-course dinner for one with drinks at Lunch cafe was 20 euro, and a liter of local wine in the supermarket is around 3-4 euro. I paid 6 euro for entrance into 4 art museums for the Biennial, and the same for all of the castle, including the excellent Slovene history museum, and the funicular ride there and back.

Continue reading 10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana

10 reasons to travel to Ljubljana originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>affordableairportAlfrescoalpsbeachbledboutiquebuscapitalchocolateconnectionsCroatiadealsdesigndesignerduty freeDutyFreeeastern europeEasternEuropeeasyjetenglisheuroeuropeanfacebookfishfoodforeign languageforeign+languageForeignLanguagefunicularhelpinternationalIstanbulKranjlake bledLakeBledlanguageljuljubljanaLjubljana travelLjubljanaTravellondonluggagemeatmuseumsoutdoorsparispastapizzaplanningpraguePrague Castleseaseasideshoesshoppingshuttleskiskiersskiingsloveniasocial mediaSocialMediaspaspa resortSpaResorttourism boardTourismBoardtouriststraintwittervenicevineyardwestern europeWesternEuropewifiwineWorldzagrebTue, 13 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Istria and the Unintentional Search of the Next Tuscany]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/29/istria-and-the-unintentional-search-of-the-next-tuscany/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/29/istria-and-the-unintentional-search-of-the-next-tuscany/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/29/istria-and-the-unintentional-search-of-the-next-tuscany/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Istria and the Unintentional Search of the Next TuscanyIn a way it's no surprise that Istria, a heart-shaped peninsula in northwestern Croatia, is regularly called "the Next Tuscany."

Long under the rule of the Venetian Republic and, more recently, occupied by Mussolini's Italy, the Adriatic's largest peninsula has a decidedly Italian feel. In addition to the 11% Italian minority, nearly all Istrians-especially along the coast-are fluent Italian speakers. New York chef/restaurateur and Italian cuisine promoter, Lidia Bastianich, hails form just outside of Pula, a town on the southern tip of the peninsula.

In the last decade, though, there's been an invasion of foreign homebuyers as well as journalists focusing on the region's many foodie signifiers: the white truffles! The wild seasonal ingredients! Hence "the next Tuscany." But is it? Or is this label just a lazy travel writing cliché? Maybe now that Croatia has recently been invited to join the European Union, travelers will start disassociate it with that over-romanticized region in central Italy. I set out to find the answer.

Continue reading Istria and the Unintentional Search of the Next Tuscany

Istria and the Unintentional Search of the Next Tuscany originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 29 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[War and Travel: the Dubrovnik Gallery You Can't Afford to Miss]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/26/war-and-travel-the-dubrovnik-gallery-you-cant-afford-to-miss/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/26/war-and-travel-the-dubrovnik-gallery-you-cant-afford-to-miss/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/26/war-and-travel-the-dubrovnik-gallery-you-cant-afford-to-miss/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

War and Travel: the Dubrovnik Gallery You Can't Afford to MissA Muslim man, on his knees, his hands up, his face creased with fear, kneels on the street, as firearm-brandishing Serb militiamen approach from behind. He has no idea what's in store for him. And for the viewer of this arresting photograph, we never know the outcome of the event, though we might be able to guess.

Most people don't go to Dubrovnik for reminders of the conflict that took place in the Balkans in the 1990s, or to remember the 1991 shelling of this walled gem of a southern Dalmatian town (the town has been so spruced up since then, only a keen eye might be able to spot scars of the conflict). In fact, the last time I was in this seaside Croatian town, the streets were filled with happy tourists, many of whom had just stumbled off cruise ships (much to the annoyance of the business-owning locals who claim cruisers never spend any money there).

But Wade Goddard, former war correspondent, has been on a mission to get tourists to think about the nature of war and what makes, as he put it, a guy pick up a gun and go shoot his neighbor. Goddard is the director and co-founder of the riveting War Photo Limited, a photo gallery in the center of Dubrovnik dedicated to war photography. It was in this space where I saw the photo described above and it (along with the entire permanent exhibition) changed the way I thought of travel a little. This is war and travel, the gallery you can't afford to miss.

Continue reading War and Travel: the Dubrovnik Gallery You Can't Afford to Miss

War and Travel: the Dubrovnik Gallery You Can't Afford to Miss originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The perfect Croatian island village: Okuklje, Mljet]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-perfect-croatian-island-village-okuklje-mljet/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-perfect-croatian-island-village-okuklje-mljet/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/12/the-perfect-croatian-island-village-okuklje-mljet/#commentsFiled under: ,

croatian island village mljet

Croatia's Adriatic islands are desperately beautiful. They span a significant geographic range, from Krk in the north right by Rijeka to the tiny Elaphiti islands in the south, just off Dubrovnik.

While every island has its charms, Mljet, an hour or so by catamaran from Dubrovnik, is extra special. It's heavily forested, with well over eighty percent of the island covered by beautiful trees. The island is long and skinny, with a length of almost 25 miles and an average width of about two miles. The population is small, at just over one thousand, spread across a number of small villages. The largest of these, the inland village of Babino Polje, has fewer than 400 residents according to the most recent population statistics. There is only one bona fide hotel on Mljet. Tourists tend to stay in private accommodations across the island or at campsites.

The glory of Mljet is the national park that occupies its western end, in particular St Mary Island, which sits on an inland lake within the park and hosts a church and monastery.

But if you are driven by solitude and out-of-the-way pockets of beauty, you won't want to linger at the national park. Those drawn to relaxed seaside villages will do well to head to the tiny settlement of Okuklje on the northern coast. Over a mile from Mljet's main artery up and then down a very steep twister of a road, Okuklje gathers around a winding protected bay. It's beautiful and quiet. There are no beaches, but there are plenty of ways to enter the bay effortlessly. (The only sandy beaches of note on Mljet, by the way, can be found at the island's eastern tip, near Saplunara, where the waters are exquisitely beautiful but the strands are a mite crowded in July.)

A few dozen stone houses cluster around Okuklje's winding bay. There are a handful of restaurants and plenty of private houses and individual rooms for rent. There is a regular stream of overnighting sailors. More importantly, there is plenty of shade along the tiny ribbon of street along the bay and the tourists keep to themselves. And the water, slightly warmer than that of the unsheltered Adriatic, is as smooth as silk.

There are lots of reasons to visit Croatia's Adriatic coast. But if you are after peace and quiet, you could do far worse than to pick a sleepy village on the sleepiest of Croatia's larger Adriatic islands.

The perfect Croatian island village: Okuklje, Mljet originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>croatiacroatian island village mljetCroatianIslandVillageMljetMljetTue, 12 Jul 2011 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[European low-cost airlines fail to enforce charges and fees]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/european-low-cost-airlines-fail-to-enforce-charges-and-fees/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/european-low-cost-airlines-fail-to-enforce-charges-and-fees/http://www.gadling.com/2011/07/07/european-low-cost-airlines-fail-to-enforce-charges-and-fees/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

european low cost airlines fees

Flying around Europe on low-cost airlines over the last few months has taught me a few things. Among the most useful lessons I've picked up: Baggage and check-in fees and charges are enforced quite unevenly.

European low-cost carriers present their customers with a frightening thicket of charges and fees. These charges, which serve as a revenue stream for the airlines, are less readily enforced by contract agents who are not direct employees of the airlines in question, though bona fide airline employees also appear to enforce them inconsistently.

Some anecdotes from the last few months follow.

In Tel Aviv in March I tried to inform the easyJet check-in agent--clearly not an employee of easyJet--that, having failed to pay to check a bag online, I would need to cough up some shekels to do so. Not only did she refuse to take money to check my duffel bag but she clearly had no idea that I was supposed to be charged to check by bag in the first place.

Flying airBaltic between London and Finland last month, I was made to weigh my carry-on en route to Finland by an airBaltic agent. Returning, the contract employee in Oulu didn't ask me to weigh my bag, which, at 9 kilos, was right at the weight limit.

Three events, arguably, serve as a representative sample. I flew WizzAir last week to and from the Balkans. WizzAir demands that its customers' carry-on bags not exceed ten kilos, but neither the agent at Luton nor the at Dubrovnik on my return weighed my bag to see if it had exceeded the limit. In both cases I was very likely just over the baggage weight limit.

This is a case not so much of lessons learned than of a pattern observed. Contract check-in agents don't appear to have been taught about the intricacies of their employers' rules and regulations, first off. Secondly, and just possibly, if your carry-on bag looks diminutive, you may be able to get away with a few extra kilos.

That said, this is not an official Gadling recommendation to start to think of these charges and fees as inconsequential. They're imposed to make money and they succeed in doing so for their airlines. To some degree, I'm sure I was simply lucky in these instances. But clearly the fees and charges are not being enforced as fully as they were designed to be.

[Image: Flickr | jenny-bee]

Continue reading European low-cost airlines fail to enforce charges and fees

European low-cost airlines fail to enforce charges and fees originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AirBalticcroatiadubrovnikeasyjeteuropean low cost airlines feesEuropeanLowCostAirlinesFeesfinlandIsraellondonmacedoniaouluSkopjetel avivTelAvivWizzAirThu, 07 Jul 2011 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[European Travel Commission launches Facebook contest]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/20/european-travel-commission-launches-facebook-contest/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/20/european-travel-commission-launches-facebook-contest/http://www.gadling.com/2011/06/20/european-travel-commission-launches-facebook-contest/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Facebook contestThe European Travel Commission (ETC) today announced the launch of their new social media Facebook contest entitled I Wish I Were There. Hosted on the ETC's official Facebook page, the contest will encourage fans to photoshop images of themselves in their dream European destination and then post the new photos to the ETC Facebook page to be automatically entered to win a Grand Prize trip for two to Europe.

Choosing to vacation in Austria, Croatia or Poland, the Grand Prize winning photo will be picked from the top five photos that got the greatest number of "Likes" obtained by Visit Europe Facebook fans. The national tourism organizations of Austria, Croatia or Poland are sponsoring the prize which includes hotel stays, ground transportation and cultural activities for the winner and one guest.

Continue reading European Travel Commission launches Facebook contest

European Travel Commission launches Facebook contest originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Europe Facebook contestEuropeFacebookContestFacebook ContestFacebookContestfree travel contestFreeTravelContesttravel contestTravelContestMon, 20 Jun 2011 08:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Lost travel friends]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/05/lost-travel-friends/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/05/lost-travel-friends/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/05/lost-travel-friends/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

lost travel friendsBefore Facebook--hell, before mobile telephones and email--it wasn't all that easy to keep in touch with people you might meet on the road.

You could exchange addresses and telephone numbers, of course, but by the time you were in a position to make a call or scribble a letter, the immediacy of the connection you'd shared while staying up all night on that Sardinian beach would probably be gone. Just like that, your travel friends would become lost travel friends.

In some instances, the fact that connections were more difficult to establish was a positive thing. Only connections of consequence would outlast the original encounter. The rest would fade away in a pleasant swirl of nostalgia, and you'd never be confronted by vile comments on your Facebook wall from that faint blast from the past who doesn't belong in your future.

Nonetheless, there's a little bit of sadness associated with all those lost travel buddies. The kinds of connections forged on the road are quite special--immediate, often effortless, involving snap decisions to trust, share, and engage.

Here's my own hall of fame of fascinating people met on my travels over the years with whom I either immediately lost touch or failed to remain in contact.

Elke. I think that was the name of the soft-spoken anarchist who alighted from my Berlin-bound train at the final pre-border station in West Germany in the summer of 1989. We'd talked for hours and shared each other's food. I think she wanted to write children's books. She was deeply alienated by consumerism and dressed quite shabbily, yet she seemed cautiously happy. I remember that she waved goodbye as she left the train.

The countess. She had a von in her name and lived in a super rich suburb of Munich, on a lake. I was 17. We took the overnight train from Paris to Munich and stayed up the entire time talking and smoking a million cigarettes. Where are you now, countess? Living with your five children and count husband in a Bavarian castle? Doing drugs with your Romanian bodybuilder boyfriend in Mallorca?

The French couple who drove me and my father from Rijeka to Ljubljana in their miniscule car. We met on the Jadrolinija ferry from Dubrovnik. He was portly; she was tiny. They spoke very little English and our French was execrable but we laughed the entire way.

The East German man. Lars? It was 1992. I was stuck at a hostel in Oostende for a few days waiting for a ferry to England. He was a mad traveler, driving off every few weeks to explore another corner of Europe until recently forbidden to him. He told me how much he wanted to visit Iceland, and several months later I received a postcard from him from Reykjavik. I wonder sometimes if this fellow now works in the travel industry.

Carol Ann, the American nun. She shared a regular train compartment with me and my sister, which we tried to turn into a makeshift couchette by drawing the shades and pretending to be asleep. Whenever someone would open the door looking for a place to sit, my sister, 14 at the time, would sit up in a fake stupor and ask them to be quiet so that we could remain sleeping. Sister Carol Ann giggled each time this happened.

[Image: Flickr | fazen]

Lost travel friends originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 05 May 2011 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bavariabelgiumcroatiaenglandfrancegermanyIcelandlost travel friendsLostTravelFriendssloveniatravel buddiestravel buddytravel friendsTravelBuddiesTravelBuddyTravelFriendsunited kingdomUnitedKingdomYugoslaviaThu, 05 May 2011 13:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Dubrovnik in a day]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/04/dubrovnik-in-a-day/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/04/dubrovnik-in-a-day/http://www.gadling.com/2011/05/04/dubrovnik-in-a-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Dubrovnik in a dayWe had just a few hours in Dubrovnik, Croatia and wanted to make the best of it. Arriving via cruise ship, time was limited. This was the first port of call on a 9-night Mediterranean cruise which looked to be a good sampling of the area. The plan is to hit each destination hard, see some highlights and capture enough information to decide if a return trip might be in the cards for future travel. It made sense, sampling these places we had never been to before, but right off the bat we had a problem: we fell in love with Dubrovnik.

What we call our "sampling of the Med" tour started in Venice, Italy and will end nine days later in Barcelona. In between we will also visit Sicily, Naples, Rome and Livorno, Italy as well as a stop in Monaco. That makes eight destinations in nine days. To prepare for Dubrovnik we started with a Google search for Dubrovnik and gathered background information. VisitCroatia.com was helpful as well as a host of other websites for the basic information we would need for entry requirements, infrastructure in place, etc. As far as what to do and see, we relied on a number of sources including Gadling and AOLTravel for specific recommendations.

Continue reading Dubrovnik in a day

Dubrovnik in a day originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 04 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carnival cruiseCarnival Cruise LinesCarnival MagicCarnivalCruiseCarnivalCruiseLinesCarnivalMagicCroatiacruisecruise vacationcruisesCruiseVacationDubrovnikDubrovnik in a dayDubrovnikInADayWed, 04 May 2011 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Summer travel: European beach destinations]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/summer-travel-european-beach-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/summer-travel-european-beach-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/21/summer-travel-european-beach-destinations/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

With the summer holiday season just around the corner, it's never too early to start planning your escape to the beach. For many Americans, this means balmy Floridian shores, the sun-kissed Californian coast, far-flung Hawaiian islands or hedonistic Caribbean resorts.

But if you're looking for a slice of culture alongside your generous helpings of sea and sand, then consider escaping to one (or several) European beach destinations. A quick jaunt across the pond is all that separates you from basking in glorious Mediterranean climes.

The French Riviera is arguably the most glamorous destination on the continent, but the surprising diversity of European beaches easily caters to travelers of all budget levels. Therein lies the real appeal as you can seek out whatever wave-lapped strip of land that happens to take your fancy.

On that note, we're proud to kick off our summer travel round-ups by highlighting five European beach destinations that we can't stop thinking about. Although this list is by no means exhaustive, we're hoping that it inspires you to dig out the swimsuits from your closet's nether regions.

Continue reading Summer travel: European beach destinations

Summer travel: European beach destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 21 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>croatiaeuropefrancegreecespainThu, 21 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Croatia set to offer "world's biggest welcome"]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/08/croatia-set-to-offer-worlds-biggest-welcome/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/08/croatia-set-to-offer-worlds-biggest-welcome/http://www.gadling.com/2011/04/08/croatia-set-to-offer-worlds-biggest-welcome/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Croatia will soon issue the world's biggest welcomeCroatia is about to extend the "world's biggest welcome," thanks to an industrious outdoor enthusiast and a bit of ingenious use of technology.

Earlier this week, adventurer Daniel Lacko set out on a pre-designed course that will see him traveling by foot, kayak, and bike along the Croatian coastline. The 1550+ mile long route will take him through remote backcountry, across open water, and up towering mountains. All the while he'll be using a GPS device to track his progress, and record his path, which will spell out the word "Welcome" across the map of Croatia when he finished.

Daniel's planned route will pass through some of the most stunning landscapes in his home country, including eight national parks, three nature preserves, and several other protected areas. He'll also climb ten mountains and kayak or swim through 370 miles of water along the sea and six different rivers. In order for this project to succeed, he'll need to strictly adhere to the prescribed path, no matter where it might take him

If all goes as planned, Lacko hopes to complete the journey and arrive in Dubrovnik by June 5th, which is World Environment Day. If he is successful, he'll also be issuing one giant "welcome" to the rest of the world. Follow his progress on the World's Biggest Welcome website and on the project's Facebook page.

Croatia is quite the destination for adventure travelers. The fantastic landscapes offer plenty of great hiking and climbing opportunities and its numerous rivers, not to mention great coastline, make it popular for paddlers as well. it was because of all those things that we put it on our recent list of five great European adventure destinations.


Croatia set to offer "world's biggest welcome" originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelClimbingcroatia worlds biggest welcomeCroatiaWorldsBiggestWelcomecyclingGPSgps trackingGpsTrackingHikingTrailskayakingpaddlingsea kayakingSeaKayakingworld environment dayWorldEnvironmentDayworlds best welcomeWorldsBestWelcomeFri, 08 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[5 European adventure destinations]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/16/5-european-adventure-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/16/5-european-adventure-destinations/http://www.gadling.com/2011/03/16/5-european-adventure-destinations/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

5 great European adventure destinationsWith its old world styling and modern luxuries, Europe isn't typically the first place that comes to mind when adventure travelers are searching for their next destination. But there are plenty of adventures to be had on the European continent as well, and here are five fantastic places to do just that.

Chamonix, France
One of the top mountain destinations not only in Europe, but the entire world, is Chamonix. Located in eastern France, the town sits at the base of Mount Blanc, the tallest peak in Western Europe, and is a mecca for skiers and snowboarders in the winter. Chamonix is also a popular spot for climbers year round as well, and there are numerous rock and ice climbing routes throughout the area. Alpine mountaineers are drawn to the region thanks to the many snow capped peaks to conquer and with hundreds of miles of single track in the area, mountain bikers have found plenty to enjoy as well. Chamonix is also one of the starting points for the famous Haute Route, a 110-mile long trek through the Alps that is amongst the most spectacular hiking routes in the entire world.

Zermatt, Switzerland
The mountain village on the other end of the Haute Route is Zermatt, Switzerland, another destination that is popular with the skiing and mountaineering crowd. Zermatt sits in the shadow of one of Europe's most well known peaks, the Matterhorn, which cuts a distinctive profile in the skies overhead. Climbers come to challenge that peak as well, but less adventurous visitors can take a train to the summit to experience the breathtaking views too. There are miles of hiking trails throughout the region as well, and thanks to the high altitude (Zermatt sits at 5315 feet above sea level) skiing is an option year round.

Continue reading 5 European adventure destinations

5 European adventure destinations originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelalpschamonixclimbingdolomiteseuropeaneuropean adventure destinationseuropean adventure travelEuropeanAdventureDestinationsEuropeanAdventureTravelhikingkayakingmountaineeringpaddlingskiingSpitzbergentrekkingVia FerrataViaFerratazermattWed, 16 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST