THE “NEW TUSCANY”

The secret's out about Croatia's spectacular Dalmatian coastline, but Istria—the peninsula bordering Sloveniaand a quick hop from Italy's Trieste—is starting to lure American travelers to its Adriatic beaches and verdant interior that's been christened the "new Tuscany." The vibe here is decidedly Italian. You'll find lots of prosciutto and local wines on the menu, and Italian is the second language. In fact, the ancient Romans were so besotted with Istria that they called it the "terra magica." But a big difference from the Italian boot: the tourist crowds and prices. Hilltop villages are yours for the strolling, truffles, yours for the foraging.

For tours to Croatia, consider booking an itinerary with Kompas US. Since the 1980s when Kompas was the official tour operator to the former Yugoslavia, the company has evolved into a multi-country supplier of escorted tours and group tours to Central and Southern Europe. Its core business is selling Croatia to U.S. tour operators and travel agencies.

Nick Jaksic, vice president sales and marketing at Kompas in Fort Lauderdale, says that Kompas "offers a number of impressive four- and five-star hotels for its groups in Istria like the Kempinski Umag, Sole Garden Istria in Umag, Monte Mulini Rovinj, and the Molindrio Laguna Hotel Porec." Tiana Maretic, an Istria native who works with Kompas France, likes the Valsabbion Hotel in Pula "because of its high quality food—the best-rated restaurant in Croatia according to GaultMillau." She lists three "must-visit" places in central Istria, where wine routes and olive oil factories delight foodies: "Hum, the smallest town in the world, Motovun famous for its film festival, and Roc for its music festival.

article from:

Emerging Destinations in Europe, Part Two

September 27, 2011By: Mary Winston Nicklinhttp://www.travelagentcentral.com/croatia/emerging-destinations-europe-part-two-31086