In Croatian, the region is called DALMACIJA.
Croatian Dalmatia is currently composed of four counties, the capital cities of which are Zadar, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik. The population of the coastal region of Dalmatia and the islands since time immemorial have been involved in seamanship, ship-building, fishing, wine-making and olive-cultivating.
Dalmatia includes several national parks, that are tourist attractions in their own right: Paklenica karst river, Kornati archipelago, Krka river rapids and Mljet island within island.
Also, Dalmatia can be proud of it`s 4 cultural, historical and natural sights registered in the UNESCO's registry of world monument heritage. These are: Diocletian's Palace in Split, the old town square in Trogir, the Sibenik cathedral and the beautiful old town of Dubrovnik.
Dalmatian wines, known since ancient times, are produced from autochthonous varieties of grapes. The first vineyards in the area were first established by the ancient Greeks. The wine from their colony of Issa ( on the island of Vis ) was considered the best wine of the ancient world. The wine cultivated in the Croatian coastal region, as well as on the whole Mediterranean, is a product which demands hard-work, knowledge and respect.
For centuries, olives have not only been a considered as food in Croatia, but as a sign of life as well as medicine. The beautiful and long-lasting olive trees are still planted and irrigated with love so that our descendants can enjoy its fruits, whether eating them fresh or pickled, marinated in oil, and enjoy the delicacies which, without olive oil, would not be what they are.
In the sea, other than fish, mussels, squid and urchins, it is possible to find, thanks to the warm and clean Croatian waters – sponge and coral. Sponge – growing has for generations been a profession of the islanders from Krapanj. The islanders of Zlarin extract and process the deep-red Adriatic coral.
From the clean seas the people still collect salt through a drying process and in ancient times it was the object of exchange for other goods. The oldest salt works are in Ston ( dating from the 13th century ). Today Croatia's sea salt is also supplied from the island of Pag.
In the Dubrovnik area, Konavle is famous for its preserved silk works which are the pride of every household. The women of Konavle breed their own silk worms, feeding them, cooking the cocoons, spinning out the silk thread and colouring it in yellow, red and black.
Lace is the speciality of the island of Pag, where the women's involvement in threading lace is such an old tradition that it virtually takes on mythical undertones. Today this lace is equally precious, although not as precious as in previous times.
Fragrant scents of the Mediterranean are suspended over Hvar's wonderful fields of lavender, whose sheaths, essential oils, aromatic creams and soaps may be purchased everywhere on the coast to take home either as a gift or simply to enjoy.
