Valamar Blog

Holiday with accordion sounds

MORENA — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:06:01 +0000

As is tradition, the festival of accordionists playing triestine (the common name of the diatonic accordion made in Trieste since 1862) will take place in Roc on the second weekend of May (12 May – 13 May, 2012), with numerous performers from Croatia and abroad. Fans of this kind of music, but also all open-minded people, will surely find something to their taste. With the sounds of music coming from almost every house in our little town, visitors will able to attend art exhibitions, witness the promenade of a brass band from the town of Klis, listen to the accordion world champion perform, enjoy the culinary delights and, above all, have a good time.

Roc, for those of you who have never heard of it, is a small fortified town situated on a hill. It is located 10km east of the town of Buzet and mentioned as far back as 1064. It was founded as an Illyrian settlement which later became a Roman army camp. In the Middle Ages it was transformed into a fortified citadel with defence towers and Big and Small town gates. During the 15th and 16th centuries, Roc was the centre of Croatian literacy, publishing and printing based on the oldest Slavonic script, the Glagolitic alphabet. At the foot of Roc begins the Glagolitic Alley which is made up of 10 stone monuments dedicated to the Glagolitic script and the Glagolitic clergy. The first monument is the pillar of the Chakavian Council, erected in 1977. The monuments are placed along the road leading to Hum (the smallest town in the world), where the final monument, the town gates, is. On the way back from Hum, 2km away from the village Bernobici is the village of Kotli. Because of the beautiful scenery, Kotli is frequently visited by holidaymakers. Through the village runs the river Mirna, cascading over rocks and forming cauldron-like holes in the stone for which the village was named (kotli – cauldrons). If you are in the neighbourhood, be sure to stop by!

Rabac – a heavenly resort

MORENA — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:55:32 +0000

Rabac has had a reputation of a heavenly resort for a long time. This is further backed by this year’s project of the Tourist Board of Labin and Rabac called “Sentona”. It was named after the ancient goddess patron of travellers the traces of whose worship were found exclusively in the Labin area. The project helps creating the image of Rabac as a healthy life resort by means of encouraging people to create walking paths and offer wellness programmes and traditional cuisine based on medicinal herbs. The project mostly features the rich historical, ethnological and cultural heritage of the Labin area and uses contents and activities aimed at tourists to promote healthy life, art and environment protection.

To make our guests feel heavenly, our wellness offer now includes the new Sentona massages with herbal ingredients indigenous to the Labin area: olive oil, lavender essential oil, rosemary oil, laurel oil, sage oil and St. John’s wort oil. The wellness treatment is completed after the therapeutic energy balancing of your body’s vital centres, which renews both your body and soul.

Among many enchanting cocktails in our rich selection of food and drinks there is also the heavenly Sentona cocktail which gives you energy and improves your health.

The goddess Sentona and Valamar beckon you to discover all the charms of our region and our hotel and offer you the magnificent fruits of nature, as well as making you feel invigorated, pleased, relaxed and safe during your journey and vacation.

Home away from home

Jagoda Pintaric — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:44:20 +0000

When choosing accommodation, guests increasingly decide on mobile houses. It is quite obvious why they do so– you feel right at home in the beautifully furnished mobile houses with a wooden terrace, in the middle of a well-equipped campsite that makes you feel connected to nature and isolated from the tourist hustle and bustle. Being awakened by the birds’ singing, going for a refreshing morning swim in the sea a few steps away from your mobile home, dining on the terrace in the shade of a fragrant old pine tree… The ideal choice for all those who want to stay at a campsite, but also enjoy the additional comfort of mobile homes.

What is more, you can get all the groceries you need for the best family meal at the campsite itself, without driving to town. Take your car for a ride only when you feel the need to explore the whole island more closely, since you can reach the old town centre of Krk by foot, making it an ideal recreational activity after a delicious supper. Mobile houses are available at the Camping Jezevac and the Naturist Camping Politin. Come and enjoy your stay!

Spring on wheels in Krk

Jagoda Pintaric — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 08:25:56 +0000

From 18 to 20 March, The Valamar Koralj hotel is organising biking days in cooperation with the City of Krk Tourist Board! Enjoy some recreational activities with three organised guided tours intended for amateur as well as professional bikers. Aside from exercising, you will also enjoy exploring the island of Krk, with its beautiful greenery, olive groves, scents of the Mediterranean vegetation and view of the crystal-blue sea. But that is not all! We have also prepared an interesting accompanying programme exclusively for our biking lovers, ranging from pleasant refreshment during tours and a visit to an ethnographic museum to bike parties in the tavern of the Valamar Koralj hotel and on the beautiful waterfront of the old town of Krk. All participants of the “Spring on Wheels” programme will have free access to the wellness facility of the Valamar Koralj hotel.

You can participate by buying a package at the www.valamar.com website or by on-site advance payment (HRK 50 per person).

Programme:
18 May (Friday)
3:00 p.m. Bikers gather in front of the Valamar Koralj hotel, registration
4:00 p.m. Start of the recreational cycling manifestation in the direction of Kornic, length: 20 km (14 miles)
5:00 p.m. Visit to the Kornic Ethnographic Museum, riding through olive groves and the theme trail “Via the Golden Drops of Krk’s Treasure”

7:00 p.m. Return to Krk
7:00 p.m. BIKE PARTY – entertainment programme in the Koralj Tavern, food and drinks for the participants

19 May (Saturday)
11:00 a.m. Bikers gather on the Krk waterfront, registration
12:00 a.m. Low speed race. The first five to finish the race receive gift packages from Valamar Koralj as well as a free lunch during the cycling manifestation

1:00 p.m. Start of the recreational cycling tour, length: 25 km (15 miles), bikers ride through Krk, Kaštel, Vrh, Bajcic and Sv. Juraj, refreshment in Bajcici and at the country farm of Stancia BonMartin
1:00 p.m. Start of the professional cycling tour, length: 45 km (28 miles), refreshment in Bajcici and at the country farm of Stancia BonMartin
1:00 p.m. Start of the guided quad tour
6:00 p.m. Bikers return to the Krk waterfront
6:30 p.m. BIKE PARTY – entertainment programme on the Krk waterfront, food and drinks for the participants

20 May (Sunday)
10:00 a.m. Relax cycling manifestation – gathering and departure in front of the Valamar Koralj hotel, ride along the Prniba peninsula, tour length: 15 km (9 miles)
12:00 a.m. Return to the hotel

We look forward to you arrival

Asparagus

Jagoda Pintaric — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:32:28 +0000

Dear readers, we would just like to take a bit of your time to inform you that you can now join in picking asparagus, the plant we all know and love. Come to Krk and enjoy the taste of this plant famous for its healing properties. The only thing better than picking asparagus in the beautiful nature of the island surrounded by the Adriatic Sea is enjoying a delicious asparagus meal. So here are a few suggestions for preparing one:
asparagus salad with boiled eggs, asparagus with scrambled eggs or pasta with a tasty cream and asparagus sauce.

Enjoy!

Long Walk Day

MORENA — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:52:16 +0000

Due to our fast way of life and increasing dependence on vehicles, we have almost forgotten to take healthy, relaxing walks. Walking is the easiest and most natural way of moving, which will keep your whole body healthy and has many positive effects on our physical and mental health. Walking is a recreational activity that can be done anywhere and anytime, without expensive additional equipment or gyms. The only things you need are time and willingness. Taking regular walks improves our psychophysical condition and strengthens every muscle in our body without putting it under additional pressure in the process.

This year, all hikers and other fans of walking and nature are once again invited to joint us for the ninth “Long Walk Day” manifestation, which will take place on Saturday, 21 April, to mark the Earth Day. The Labin hiking trail stretches from Sisol (with access from Brsec) to Skitaca (the endpoint being Crna Punta) over some 40 km (25 miles), requiring 12 hours of walking at the most. The walk is scheduled to start at 6 a.m. in Brsec, with the goal being Skitaca from 4 p.m. onwards.

The nature will make you feel free and the fresh air will help you get over some stressful and tense moments, which are, unfortunately, part of our everyday lives.

Istrian souvenirs

MORENA — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:24:53 +0000

Istrian souvenirs represent the autochthonous life in Istria, as well as its culture and tradition, back from distant past up to the present day. Original Istrian souvenirs are objects that, despite its plainness, represent the combination of traditional and contemporary culture, and tell us a lot about Istria and its inhabitants.

The producers of these souvenirs, trying to find a way to express the Istrian peculiarity in the most authentic way possible, mostly turned to their traditional heritage: kazuni, folk costumes, clay pitchers known as bukaleta, small houses, woodwind instrument called sopele, various kinds of tools, goats and Istrian ox boskarin are only some of the numerous motives that moved from fields, taverns and chests to fairs and stands in form of souvenirs in order to become available to everyone.

Once upon a time, kazuni, made of stone in a drystone wall, served as shelters from rain and sun, and as storerooms for tools. Today they are one of the best known Istrian symbols that can often be found in the yards of family houses and restaurants.

Rozenice (also known as sopele or sopile) are a traditional Istrian instrument that can be found across the Croatian coast and islands. They belong to the group of aerophones, with a piercing sound, and they are built in pairs.

Istrian ox boskarin also served as an inspiration to our souvenir makers. This typical even-tempered working animal was used for ploughing and pulling. This ox was widespread in Istria until the middle of the XX century, and today there are only a few hundreds of specimens of this species.

Visit Istria and Rabac and see for yourself how beautiful our souvenirs and our heritage are.

Sunny spring in Rabac

MORENA — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 09:09:31 +0000

Spring, for many the favourite time of the year, has finally come. The weather is beautiful and sunny, nature is in its full bloom and it is time to enjoy life. In Rabac, spring finds expression in the sun, sea, fragrances, pleasant walks, having coffee with your friends on the terrace, having lunch in the sun…

Aside from the Rabac promenades, you simply must visit the Sculpture Park in Dubrova, near Labin. The park contains some 90 sculptures of Croatian, American, European and Asian sculptors. But enjoying the sculptures in nature is not the only thing this park has to offer, there is also the legendary “White Road” of stunning beauty. Once an old, dusty stone road, today it is a unique work of art with a series of author signatures of Croatian painters and sculptors. The realisation of the “White Road” renovation plan started in 1997, with 15 “stages” having received a new look so far. While each 25 metre stage was created by one artist, all of them are mutually connected and follow the changes in nature, including reflections, light and shadow, which change the appearance of the road depending on the Sun’s position during the day. In case you are too preoccupied with wellness and various hotel’s gastronomical offers and do not get the opportunity to see the Dubrova park, another one will present itself in August and September, when the Mediterranean Sculptors’ Symposium is held. Each year, this event provides a fine addition to the already rich collection of Istrian stone sculptures.

Spring aromas and flavours on Krk

Jagoda Pintaric — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 08:49:54 +0000

Spring is approaching, anxiously awaited by all after such a harsh winter.

Krk is the ideal location to enjoy this beautiful season because it offers a variety of options - visiting the famous sights with which the island abounds, riding bicycles on marked trails or tasting the famous Vrbnicka Žlahtina in the autochthonous ambiance of its wineries. Bon vivants can get into their element in taverns offering famous mouth-watering specialities, most notable being the Krk lamb dishes and surlice (traditional pasta), additionally seasoned with the scents and views of the beautiful Krk nature. As we approach, what is considered by many to be, the most beautiful season of the year, we are also approaching the asparagus picking season. On Krk you can enjoy numerous delicious recipes which include this healthy and nutritious plant. Krk is also planning many events - from the Olive Day to the new program “Spring on Wheels on Krk”. For the first time the latter is being organised by Valamar Koralj, in cooperation with the local tourist board. Stay tuned for more details on this interesting event.

Gathering of car enthusiasts

MORENA — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:58:31 +0000

Regardless of whether you prefer calm and relaxing walks or cycling, you absolutely must come to Rabac. This time, the town that awakens all the senses and satisfies all the tastes will thrill car enthusiasts.

On 15 April at 10:30 am, the Rabac waterfront will host the 3rd international JDM Honda meeting. So, take your beloved car out of the garage and rush to Rabac. All fans of good cars will be able to enjoy good music, excellent food, interesting and fun games and unforgettable company.

If your partner wishes to spend Sunday morning or afternoon in peace, away from the noisy cars, you don’t have to worry, because after only a few metres along the waterfront you will enter an oasis of complete peace. The wellness centre of the Valamar Sanfior hotel with an indoor pool and a view of the sea is the perfect choice for a complete relaxation and release from everyday stress and the regeneration of body and mind.