While Croatia has a seemingly neverending list of exciting experiences for visitors, there is something special about getting to the roots of the country. There’s nothing quite like an authentic Croatian experience, and anyone interested in such a thing should head to Viškovo, a small municipality less than 10km from Rijeka.
Photo by Creative Media, Viškovo tourist board archive
Viškovo may be small, but it is mighty in culture, with four intangible cultural assets found on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Not bad for a municipality of fewer than 20,000 people.
The assets in question are the Annual Carnival Bell-Ringer’s Pageant from the Kastav Region (held every January), the art, knowledge, and techniques of dry stone walling, the Mediterranean diet, and two-part singing and playing in narrow intervals. This impressive range of culture says a lot about the authentic experience in Viškovo. This is a place to let life take control of you, to fill your lungs and heart with fresh air and new joys.
It also happens to be an aesthetically stunning part of the country. What better way to explore the spectacular landscapes than by getting out into the open on the delightful walking and hiking trails? These routes take walkers along ancient paths that display the dry stone walling while allowing explorers to enjoy woodlands, valleys, and all the rest. If you prefer two wheels to two legs, cycling trails are also available.
And then there’s the food. Good? Try great. The “Mediterranean Diet” means a lot of things to a lot of people, but in Viškovo, it means traditional ingredients celebrated with love, knowledge, and time. There are many restaurants in the area that do a fabulous job of marrying traditional recipes with modern trends, and the results are delicious. You won’t go hungry in Viškovo, that’s for sure. Get ready for your appetite (physical, mental, cultural) to be sufficiently sated.
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