Picture taking a stroll through a traditional Dalmatian village. You’re coming down a small rocky hill, your sandals gently smacking against the cobbles. You can even imagine some folk music playing in the background, or just the sound of a battalion of crickets. It’s late in the afternoon, but the air is still shimmering with heat in the distance. There is no one about, and even the local sheepdog is snoozing in the shade.

As you turn from the main street, the walkway shrinks to barely a couple of meters. You can see the houses are made of white stone, the courtyard walls are unmortared and inside you glance an old-fashioned well. You can tell the winch would creak as you wind it. The red-tiled roofs you were admiring from the hilltop are not steep. The few small windows are blocked by quaint pine shutters.

As you descend to the marina, you can’t help but notice that it lies in a secluded cove where the boats are protected, even if the high tide does not rise more than a couple of feet. You untie your dinghy and push out into the sea just in time to catch the sunset.

Traditional Dalmatian architecture revolves around the Mediterranean weather patterns. The narrow streets make for thick shade and shelter from the wind in winter. The thick walls provide insulation against extreme heat. The roofs don’t need a steep incline as snow is practically unknown, and the shutters rattle prettily in gusty weather. The Adriatic is a calm sea, but sudden gales may be too formidable for inexperienced navigators and small vessels.

Starigrad Paklenica retains some of the hallmarks of Dalmatian architecture, but enhances the experience for visitors with sprawling terraces and restful rows of pine and spruce trees. These help transform a living space into a zone of relaxation. There are also the recreational areas, hiking and cycling trails leading away from the village, and a long beach where crowding is not an issue.

Dalmatian pršut – courtesy of Starigrad Paklenica weather

The local Starigrad Paklenica weather is distinguished by its position at foot of the coastal Velebit mountain and the nearness of the sea. The sea smooths the transition between seasons acting as a huge reservoir of heat and tempering summer heat and winter frost. Velebit is a natural barrier to the weather patterns in the interior.

If you’ve ever searched for images of the Croatian coastline, you were probably overwhelmed with pictures of sunny beaches, sunlit panoramas, and villages basking in the sun. Now, this is hardly unusual for any summer destination, but it is also true to life. With an average of over 2500 hours of sunshine every year, Dalmatia is one of the most inviting places in Europe with regard to weather. The wide variety of outdoor activities available in the neighborhood of Starigrad Paklenica takes advantage of this fact. I mean, have you tried mountain biking in a downpour? I presume bird watching does not improve either. Still, even a rain of fire and brimstone could not deter partygoers from hitting their stride on Zrce beach.

From November to March the weather takes a turn for the worse as gales create traffic difficulties, bringing intense showers and sleet. The sea in the Velebit channel turns choppy and is hard to navigate in this part of the year. The northern Bora (bura) wind in particular lives on in folk infamy, and even a synonym for stormy weather (burno) is derived from it. Bura is a cold wind that significantly lowers air temperature. This is what makes it indispensable in the production of a local delicacy.

Pršut is a native Dalmatian cousin of Italian prosciutto. Having been cleaned and salted, high-grade ham is smoked for over two months before starting the drying process. Bura is instrumental in the initial phase, keeping the product cool and drying it consistently. This contributes to the recognizable taste of pršut produced in the Velebit region, where bura hits hardest.

When you visit Starigrad, you will undoubtedly be treated to pršut from a reputable local producer, courtesy of bura and Starigrad Paklenica weather.

The post Is It Spring Already? – Starigrad Paklenica Weather first appeared on Argyruntum Apartments.

One day excursions from Starigrad-Paklenica

So, you’re here and you would like to take your family or friends to one day excursions from Starigrad-Paklenica (you just want them to be as near as possible). Hopefully, as we mentioned earlier, and what we like to brag about, Starigrad is right there in the middle of everything cool there is to see on Croatian coast. But first, let’s start with mountains. Mountain Velebit to be exact.

Mountain Velebit and Paklenica national park

We won’t go in too much detail because we have a whole blogpost dedicated to it. But, Velebit and Paklenica must be mentioned in this article. Almost everyone who come to Starigrad are obliged to visit this national park – some of them come for hiking, some of them for climbing, and some of them just want to experience its beauties and maybe take a picture or two. But everyone is amazed by the nature and wildlife with promises that they’ll return here as soon as possible.

Kornati national park

Yes, it’s true. Starigrad is right there in the middle of three great Croatian national parks, with Kornati and Plitvice lakes being the other two. There is a saying that when God created the world he used the remaining stones and land (which he couldn’t use elsewhere) and scattered them in the Adriatic sea. Thus, Kornati archipelago emerged with its simply breathtaking blue waters and white islands. If you come here in Starigrad, make sure you book a one day boat trip to Kornati. You’ll never forget it, we promise.

Modrič cave

This one is for our adventure lovers. Modrič cave is a prime example of untouched nature: found only two decades ago it is almost intact by men. To keep this beautiful cave in shape for further generations you can only visit it in small groups so make sure you book your visit in time.

Krka national park

Krka river, located just 100 km from Starigrad (situated near the old town of Šibenik) is a nice place to take your family and friends on a one day trip. Its clear blue and green waters offer great scenery for taking pictures and there’s also a place inside the park where people come to bathe and swim. So, after you return home, you’ll have a story of how you swam in a river that’s also a national park.

Plitvice lakes national park

There are two things Croatia is known for abroad: Dubrovnik and Plitvice lakes. You’ve probably seen it in nature and wildlife magazines or TV shows about our country. And what’s the greatest thing – everything they said it’s true. And even more. More than one million people every year come here to see the most beautiful 16 lakes arranged in cascades in the world. Founded in 1949 it is the oldest national park in Southeast Europe and the largest national park in Croatia. Plitvice lakes national park is located just 135 km from Starigrad-Paklenica or just a two hour drive from here.

Historic towns – Zadar, Nin, Šibenik

If you’re up for some culture and history then these three towns offer a treat. Travelling from Starigrad you could visit them all in one day. First on your route should be Nin, just 50 km from Argyruntum Apartments. It’s a place blooming with history and culture, one of the first towns Croatians founded upon arriving to Dalmatia. Later on in 10^th century Nin was famous for being sort-of-a-capital of Dalmatia with first Croatian bishop presiding here. Next stop for you should be Zadar, the largest city in central Dalmatia, and a place where all the cultural findings of this area are kept. We recommend you visit the Church of St. Donatus, built in 9^th century this is the largest pre-romanesque building in Croatia. Also, while here, go and see (and hear) the ‘Sea organ’ – musical instrument played by the sea waves. Next stop, of course, is Šibenik, located just 50 km south from Zadar. Here you’ll find the Cathedral of St. James, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list as well as four fortresses located near the sea that are built in the 16^th century by Venice.

Island of Pag and Zrće beach

Most internationally famous thing about Pag is its Zrće beach. The beach is a well-known Croatian summer destination for partygoers, with several all-hours discotheques and beach bars operating during summer months. It regularly features gigs by internationally known house and trance DJs (Armin van Buuren to tell you just one name) at the peak of the Croatian summer season in July and August. Zrće is particularly popular among young club goers, while other pebble and sand beaches on the island are more family-oriented. If you’re young and up for some partying, we highly recommend you visiting Zrće – it’s just an hour and a half drive from Starigrad.

Zrmanja river

Zrmanja river is probably one of the most beautiful rivers in all of Europe. It is famous for rafting trips that take place in spring and autumn, and also kayak and canoe trips that are used during low water level period of July and August. Also its canyon and estuary was used as a set for many movies, with Karl May’s ‘Apache Gold’ about Native American hero Winnetou being the most famous. If you fancy these films you should definitely come here and book a visit to places where most of the scenes in it were taken.

So, here you go. As we promised, there’s something for everyone. If you need any more information please send us an e-mail (argyruntum@yahoo.com) or leave a comment below this post. We would be most happy to respond. Also, if you liked this post, please share it on social networks – let the world know about Croatia and its beauties. Thank you in advance.

The post One Day Excursions From Starigrad-Paklenica first appeared on Argyruntum Apartments.