The Croatian way of life
Geographically speaking, Croatia is located on a very interesting area, at the very spot where the Mediterranean cuts into the “cold” part of Europe and its mountain ranges, greatly influencing the way its inhabitants live their lives. Being at the heart of abundant nature, vegetation and mild climate bathed in sun, the population has become one with the soil it was living of from the early beginnings. On the other hand, the architecture was adapted to match the nature and man. Stone, as a symbol of existence, has been the symbol of construction and development since the ancient times.
From Istria all the way down to Dalmatia, people have built small stone houses, wooden boats and docks with their bare hands, adapting the landscape to match their needs and habits. However, in terms of architecture, the regions of Slavonija and Zagorje are quite different from the coastline, yet they also adapted to the nature surrounding them. Wooden houses with high roof tops are the basic construction motif of that part of Croatia. The ancestors have left us with a heritage of folk songs, dances and music as well. All this constitutes a man living here, a man who is the crucial part of tradition and culture. Singing and dancing have always been the way to fight off the every day problems.
Gastronomy is also one of the best known features of this area. The housewives used to prepare dishes which are still part of the national culture. And if you set off on a journey along the coast, but towards the hinterland as well, you will come across numerous taverns and restaurants offering a wide selection of homemade dishes prepared in a traditional way, from fresh, locally-grown food.
Since fishing used to be one of the main economic branches, its tradition has been kept in most of the towns along the coast and on the islands to this day. People living in the hinterland worked on the fields and in the forests creating yet another selection of dishes you can try in the taverns and restaurants across the continental part of Croatia.
