Croatia bring beauty and heritage to European gap years

Gap year travellers spending time in Europe should take the time to visit historic Croatia, it has been claimed.

Much has changed in this part of southern Europe since the Yugoslav civil war of the early 1990s, and Croatia has become a highly popular destination for travellers.

Niko Bulic, director of the country's national tourist board, said the beautiful Dalmatian coast is a particular hit with visitors coming to the country.

"We have a long coastal area, stretching from Rijeka to Dalmatia and including many islands - 1,244," he explained.

"This is something that has a real atmosphere for tourists. It's part of the Mediterranean but also still has a sense of adventure."

Croatia is also blessed with 11 National Parks, where gap year adventurers can experience the wonders of the great outdoors.

The country also has a rich cultural heritage, which becomes clearly apparent when visitors enter any of the historic towns and cities - such as the majestic Split.

While the modern city dates back to AD 305 when the Diocletian's Palace was built, archaeologists believe Split was originally founded as a Greek colony in the 6th century BC.

Mr Bulic said it is possible to see where the Romans lived two thousand years ago, all the way through modern history to 21st century Croats.

"As we were isolated from one another, you can see that each part of Croatia is different from the other," he noted.

"On one island they will have different accents to somebody on another island. It's a rich world of diversity in such a small country – this is what makes Croatia different and interesting."

Gap year travellers and other tourists are sure to receive great value for money too, adding to the appeal of the country, he stated.

Mr Bulic said Croatia is focused on delivering a high quality experience to foreign visitors and this is helping to increase the number of people visiting this beautiful country.

See the different gap year destinations on offer.