Читать книгу The Islands of Croatia. 30 walks on 14 Adriatic islands онлайн

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Along with the rest of the country, the islands are incredibly rich in history, having witnessed the rise and fall of cultures, kingdoms and empires across well over two and a half millennia – from Bronze and Iron Age hill tribes and Greek colonists to imperial Rome and mercantile Venice, Croatia’s medieval kings and the Dual Monarchy of Austria–Hungary. There is a wealth of architecture to be seen here – medieval walled cities, Roman ruins, Venetian palaces, Romanesque churches and opulent Austrian villas – and colourful festivals are spread throughout the year, several of them inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, preserving local tradition and culture. Croatia’s islands are also home to a staggering array of wildlife and plants – from birds of prey to butterflies to bottlenose dolphins, including numerous species that are rare or endemic.

The islands are covered by a network of superb hiking trails. Paths are almost uniformly clear and well marked, and the views are frequently spectacular. Yet remarkably, despite many of the paths being almost no distance from busy tourist hot-spots, most see hardly any walkers at all.