Winter exploring of Dalmatian hinterland, hilltop fortress of Orlić and abandoned villages
Tag: bukovica
Benkovac Wine Tasting
Earlier this spring we had a pleasure to show our hospitality to several quite interesting guests from USA. Mr. Frank Dietrich, joined by his staff, wine writer Marcy Gordon and Zdravko and Marion Podolski of GoHvar blog all joined us at a very special little tasting in Benkovac.
Ancient oak tree[/caption]The hilltop fortress of Lišane
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…
The last oak forest of Dalmatia
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…
Winter wanderings – Nunic in Bukovica
Winter is not the best time for exploring and winter walks. The weather has been rainy and fairly cold (folks from Canada, please do not laugh at our cold) but that should not stop anyone from at least a stroll by the sea or an easy hike. I like to explore the Dalmatian hinterland. Without…
Underwater archaeology in Croatia (with Secret Dalmatia)
Over a year ago, I was talking to my good friend Mato Ilkić, an archaeologist with Zadar University and authority on antique coins and underwater archaeology, how there is so much to discover and not enough funds. With our economy in gutter, archaeology gets only peanuts… There are excavations of course, but very limited. It…
Buhač or amazing Dalmatian chrysanthemum
Now this is one amazing flower! Buhač is its the name in Croatian or, in English, Dalmatian chrysanthemum If you want to test a local on his/her knowledge on Dalmatia and looking for a good question, just ask them what Buhač is and if they an recognize it in the wild. So what is so special about…
Spring is coming – Zrmanja and Dobarnica rivers
We have been blessed with very warm winter this year with temperatures rarely (or never) dropping bellow 5 Celsius. We also had rain. A LOT of rain. Ans even that seems like an understatement … In fact, we had so much rain that most of the rivers and springs were at their all time maximum…
Karst, megaliths, mysteries…or not?
This mild winter, when it is not raining, is perfect for exploring the region and for hiking, walking and all sorts of activities outdoors. I have a list of places that I plan to visit – both historic and natural – that is ever-expanding as I keep discovering new spots. There are about 60 of…
Donkeys in Dalmatia
Yesterday we went mushroom picking in the woods of Bukovica and although the hunt for some edible mushrooms was not all that successful, we did get to enjoy wonderful walk in the woods on a sunny autumn afternoon. On our way back, a small group of donkeys got in our way on the road. They…
Spring of Zrmanja river
… continuing from previous post on Una River spring So after the picnic, we continued down the Gračac – Knin road to the village of Zrmanja Vrelo clearly indicating that spring of Zrmanja river is nearby. Since my “obsession” with visiting all the springs – and tasting water at the very spring – of all…
Best Restaurants of Croatia – Šopot
Looong overdue, here comes a post on one of the greatest places serving traditional food. “Šopot” restaurant, located in Šopot near Benkovac is one of the best traditional restaurants in the region. Well worth you turning right when coming off the highway and heading towards Biograd. It is easy to reach and your only worry…
Winter hiking in Dalmatia – (archaeology hike)
Sunny winter days are great for getting outside and enjoying nature and various historic sites. Basically, I am not interested in beautiful nature if there are no ruins. I love all sorts of historic sites and, luckily, there are more than plenty of them around where I live and many of them that I am…