The Alternative Guide to… Croatia
Croatia at a Glance
Capital city: Zagreb
Population: 4.43m
Local currency: Croatian kuna (£1 = 10 kuna)
Famous face: Goran Ivanisevic, the only person to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon as a wildcard
5 things you never knew about Croatia
Croatia has 1,244 islands and islets off the shores of its coast, including one distinctly heart-shaped one (main pic, above). Known as Lover’s Island (or Galesnjak to locals), it has been inundated with requests by loved-up couples to stay.
If you like a good sunset, head to Zadar on the Dalmatian coast. According to legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock, "Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world, more beautiful than the one in Key West, in Florida".
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Hate wearing a tie to work? You have Croatia to thank for that. The necktie was invented in Croatia in the 17th century, spreading to Europe when Croatian mercenaries in the military inspired the French with their small, knotted neckerchiefs.
The people of Croatia used to buy and sell in ferrets and tea. Well, not really, but their currency, the kuna, is named after a small ferret-like mammal (a marten). The fur was so valuable that people used to exchange it for other goods as payment. Each kuna is made up of 100 lipa, named after the linden tree, which was also a once-valuable commodity.
Croatia has only been part of the European Union for three years. It became the 28th country to join back in July, 2013.
National dish
Zagorski strukli - a pastry dish composed of eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream.
If you see one thing in Croatia, make sure it’s…
... the Pula Arena. Built in the 1st century AD, this is one of the largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world. It’s a tourist hot spot by day, but transforms at night to hold concerts.