Euro Exim Bank

2013 Awards


Best Destination – Croatia

Anyone who’s familiar with Italian cuisine will find the food here strangely familiar – there’s pasta, prosciutto, olive oil, rosemary in abundance, and straightforward adherence to seasonality. You could almost be in Italy.

Croatia’s province of Istria is the new Tuscany – is as much a part of the Mediterranean’s Olive Oil Belt as Tuscany, Andalucía, or Provence. It’s just that most people don’t realise it.

Istria is a land that inspired James Joyce and Jules Verne, and National Geographic Traveller has also taken note and added to the collective consciousness of Croatia’s cool by listing listed Istria in their 20 Top Destinations. The list includes cities, countries and natural landmarks which according to National Geographic, deserve the title of the most wanted places on the planet.

Meanwhile, another part of Croatia that’s basking in the warm glow of media praise – namely the island of Hvar, an increasingly popular destination for tourists, which makes Conde Nast Traveller’s lists of top 10 islands.

Croatia still offers excellent value for money when compared to other Mediterranean destinations. And with fabulous new hotels like Radisson Blu in Split and Hotel Lone in Istria Croatia offers superb opportunities for business travellers and bona fide tourists alike.