Latest views on Croatia from the press and other groups.

Croatia, and particularly Istria, are being increasingly seen as hot spots for tourism and for property investment. To give you a flavor for what people are saying we have pulled together links to press articles.

Croatia has the taste of old Tuscany - The Sunday Times October 2005

"The architecture, landscape and truffles on every menu will remind you of Italy, but Istria has a brand of hospitality all of its own. "

"While their more southerly neighbours can be famously standoffish, the people of Istria are natural hosts. It’s a characteristic that is slowly beginning to bear fruit for the Istrian tourist industry. Croatia has made great progress since the war of the early 1990s, as seen last week when the country began EU membership talks. But while British tourists have started flocking back to Dubrovnik, Hvar and Split, so far they have been slow to rediscover the northern peninsula of Istria, even though it emerged from the war unscathed. Istria’s beach resorts are popular with Germans, Italians, Austrians and Scandinavians, but inland it is still possible to find towns and villages entirely free of foreigners.

The region doesn’t boast the breathtaking rockscapes and rugged views of Dubrovnik and the south; instead Istria’s charms are more subtle.

With its crumbling pastel buildings, rolling hills and vineyard-covered valleys, it is easy to see why Istria has earned the title of “Croatia’s Tuscany”, but it is much more than a poor man’s Italy."

Suprises at a Foodie frontier - The Times May 2005

A GOURMET food and wine tour in Croatia? It sounds as if someone is pulling my leg. After all, how much goulash, cabbage and potatoes can a girl eat? As a food destination, Croatia rates somewhere below Outer Mongolia. But this was not just Croatia, this was Istria, the little heart-shaped Adriatic peninsula that hangs nearest to Italy, and shares much of its beauty and charm. With 430 kilometres (267 miles) of coastline, gently rolling hills and fertile plains, it has long been a small but rich natural larder.

Croatia - Lonely Planet Staffers Top Destinations for 2005

" Croatia soared to the top of this year's poll after a fourth-place finish last year. Croatia's appeal was its unique combination of culture, history, cuisine, accessibility and affordability. As one staffer wrote, "This is Croatia's year. It appeals to a wide range of travellers with its rich diversity of attractions. And it has not yet been over-touristed, but it has developed an excellent tourism infrastructure -- so that it suits both adventurous travellers and those who need a degree of comfort in their planning." Other staffers lauded its "stunning beaches and islands," "magnificent food" and "wonderfully preserved towns such as Dubrovnik." Congratulations, Croatia!"

Croatia - International Residential property Review 2004/2005 ( Knight Frank)

" Residential property prices have recorded sustained double digit growth over several years and are approaching record levels. Demand is expected to remain robust although the supply of high -end properties is likely to remain limited. "

Croatia - A Star is Born ( Sunday Times Febuary 2005)

"Since much of Croatia is a long narrow strip of coast, it’s an obvious candidate for the classic sunny summer holiday. Having emerged from the bust-up of old Yugoslavia with the lion’s share of the shore, it offers almost 1,000 miles of seaside, reaching all the way from the Slovenian border to the Montenegrin one. And should you run out of mainland, there are still 1,185 islands to play on — many of them as easy to reach as the Isle of Wight from Hants."

Croatia - Where the Villa Living is easy (Times August 2004)

" The properties in Istria are a good metaphor for the region; spacious, beautiful, individual, of a far higher standard than you might expect. Istria as a whole is a surprise;"

Croatia - Pearl of the Adriatic ( A Place In the Sun September 2004)

" Croatia has risen , phoenix -like , out of conflict to regain her place as one of Europe's most beautiful best-kept secrets, with a dazzling coastline, historic old towns and more than a thousand islands. Little wonder holidaymakers are heading there - and property-hunters......"