Montenegro is a sovereign state in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea. Its capital and largest city is Podgorica, while Cetinje is designated as the Prijestonica, meaning the former Royal Capital City. Montenegro is a candidate to join the European Union and NATO. The country has a population of 625,000. It’s one of the smaller European countries. read more…
Mljet is the most southerly and easterly of the larger Adriatic islands of the Dalmatia region of Croatia. The National Park includes the western part of the island, Veliko jezero, Malo jezero, Soline Bay and a sea belt 500 m wide from the most prominent cape of Mljet covering an area of 54 km2. The central parts of the park are Veliko jezero with the Isle of St. Mary, Malo jezero and the villages of Goveđari, Polače and Pomena. read more…
Opatija is a town in western Croatia, just southwest of Rijeka on the Adriatic coast. The town proper has a population of 8,000, with the municipality having a total of 13,000 inhabitants. Opatija is situated in the Gulf of Kvarner in a sheltered position at the foot of Učka mountain, with Vojak peak at 1401 m. Opatija is located 90 km from Trieste by rail and 82 km from Pula by road. The city is geographically on the Istrian peninsula, though it is not in Istria county, but Primorje-Gorski Kotar county. read more…
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy’s border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city. Trieste is located at the head of the Gulf of Trieste and throughout history it has been influenced by its location at the crossroads of Germanic, Latin, Austro-Hungarian and Slavic cultures. In 2009, it had a population of about 205,000 and it is the capital of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trieste province. Trieste was one of the oldest parts of the Habsburg Monarchy from 1382 until 1918. In the 19th century, it was the most important port of one of the Great Powers of Europe. As a prosperous seaport in the Mediterranean region, Trieste became the fourth largest city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (after Vienna, Budapest, and Prague). In the fin-de-siecle period, it emerged as an important hub for literature and music. However, the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Trieste’s union to Italy after World War I led to some decline of its “Mittel-European” cultural and commercial importance. Enjoying an economic revival during the 1930s and throughout the Cold War, Trieste was an important spot in the struggle between the Eastern and Western blocs. Today, the city is in one of the richest regions of Italy, and has been a great centre for shipping, through its port (Port of Trieste), shipbuilding and financial services. read more…
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third-largest city in Croatia (after Zagreb and Split). It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 129,000 inhabitants. Rijeka is the center of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. The city’s economy largely depends on shipbuilding (shipyards “3. Maj” and “Viktor Lenac Shipyard“) and maritime transport. Rijeka hosts the Croatian National Theatre “Ivan pl. Zajc“, first built in 1765, as well as the University of Rijeka, founded in 1973 but with roots dating back to 1632. Apart from Croatian, the population also uses its own unique version of the Venetian language (Fiumano), with an estimated 20,000 speakers among the autochtone Croats and various minorities. Historically it served as a Lingua Franca for the many ethnicities inhabiting the multicultural port-town. read more…
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of 1 January 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,000 residents, approximately 450,000 including the surrounding metropolitan area. Located on the Adriatic coast at the mouth of the Aterno-Pescara River, the present-day municipality was formed in 1927 joining the municipalities of Pescara, the part of the city to the south of the river, and Castellamare Adriatico, the part of the city to the north of the river. The surrounding area was formed into the province of Pescara. The poet Gabriele D’Annunzio, a native of Pescara, was a major sponsor for the creation of the new city. read more…
Piran is a town in the Municipality of Piran in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. The town has much medieval architecture, with narrow streets and compact houses. Piran is the administrative centre of the local area and one of Slovenia’s major tourist attractions. Until the mid-twentieth-century Italian was the dominant language, but was replaced by Slovene as populations moved. read more…
Motovun is a village in central Istria. The population of the village itself is 500, with a total of 1,000 residents in the municipality. The Parenzana was a narrow gauge railroad that ran from Trieste to Poreč between 1902-1935, passed valley below the town. Motovun is a medieval town that grew up on the site of an ancient city called Kastelijer. It is situated on a hill 270 metres (886 feet) above sea level with houses scattered all over the hill. On the inner walls are several coats-of-arms of different Motovun ruling families and two gravestones of Roman inhabitants (dating from the 1st century). read more…
Umag is a coastal city in Istria. The city hosts a yearly ATP tennis tournament on clay courts. It is the westernmost city of Croatia, and the municipality includes Savudrija, the westernmost point of Croatia. In 1993 with the establishment of the new local rule Umag became an independent municipality (općina), and in 1997 was awarded the status of town or city (grad). read more…