Property Plus Points
Very undeveloped with low prices
Culture, Nature

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7) Bjelovar and Bilogora (Bjelovarsko-bilogorska)

Description
In the heart of Croatia, with a surface of 2,638 km2, bordered by wooded hillsides of Bilogora in the north, Moslavacka gora in the south and Papuk in the south-east.
On their way to the river of Sava, mountain creeks of Bilogora turn into lazy rivers of Cesma and Ilova, feeding a series of lakes on their way.
The Bjelovar and Bilogora county is a low-lying area with none of the hills higher than 500 metres above sea level.

History
In the past the area was known as the venue of many battles, against Mongolians, Tartars and Turks. In the Vojna krajina era there were many clashes between the local military and commanders and after the military uprising of 1755, the ruler Maria Therese decided for strategic reasons to start developing the city of Bjelovar, the centre of today's county. The city developed alongside the defence against the Turks. Following calls made out by the military authorities, craftsmen from Austria and the Czech Republic arrived organising fairs and their associations. Bjelovar was made a free royal city, as one of the youngest cities in 1874.

Amenities
The town of Daruvar is well known for its spas that have been used since Roman times, this is supported by the archaeological findings and its ancient name of Aquae Balissae. With the arrival of the Croats at the end of the 6th century, the Probatica settlement was founded, later renamed to Podborje. Daruvar was given its current name in 1765 after the title and the castle of nobleman Antun Jankovic, responsible for the fast economic development of the town.

Property Plus Points
Very undeveloped with low prices
Relative closeness to Zagreb airport
Spas, Culture

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8) Rijeka (Primorsko-goranska)

Description
Primorsko-Goranska County is in the northern part of the Croatian Adriatic. Its importance lies in its geographical position in that the County is on the crossroads of Central European and Adriatic - Mediterranean transport routes. This region also connects two most important Croatian centres: Zagreb, the capital city, and Rijeka, a major port.There is also an airport on the island of Krk.
Primorsko-Goranska occupies an area of 8,000 sq km (more than half of this area is covered by sea) and has a population of323,000 living in 582 settlements. The largest town is Rijeka (164,000 inhabitants) which is an administrative, business, economic, cultural and sports centre of the County. The other bigger settlements are Opatija (9,000 inhabitants), Mali Losinj, Crikvenica, Bakar.

The biggest islands in the County are Krk, Cres, Rab and Losinj.

There are several types of climate in the County. The island and coastal regions have a Mediterranean climate, while the hinterland region has a continental climate.

History
The earliest inhabitants known in this area were the Liburnians, an Illyrian tribe, who were later joined by the Celts. They founded Tar, which was later a Roman settlement Tarsatica situated on the hill, above the mouth of the Aeneus river (today's Rjecina).
Many people have occupied the County, the Frankopans, Croatian dukes, the counts from Devin and the feudal family Walsee. Later the city was occupied several times by the Venetians who, between the years 1508 and 1511, burned it down two times. Finally from 1466 to 1918., the city was possessed by the Habsburgs.
After the collapse of the Austro- Hungarian Empire in 1918, Rijeka returned to Croatia, but unfortunately for only a short time; that same year Rijeka was occupied by the Italian forces. Gabriele D'Anunnzio, a poet and soldier, with his legionaries established his power, "reggenza", which lasted from 1919 to January 1921. The Free and Independent State of Rijeka under Riccardo Zanella, survived only to 18th Sep 1923 when Rijeka was again occupied by Italy. In September 1943 the German forces occupied Rijeka. After a heavy fight of Croatian and Italian anti-fascists (April - May 1945), the eastern (Susak) and western part of the city was again united with Croatia, as a republic of the former Yugoslavia.

Amenities
The mountainous region (Gorski kotar) has a temperate continental to mountainous climate with rich forest and water resources; it is an area renowned for the excellent quality of air and water and therefore has a rich plant and animal life. In the western part of Gorski kotar the highest mountain peaks are Risnjak (1528m) and Snjeznik (1506m), while in the eastern part Bjelolasica (1534m) and Visevica (1428m).
15kms from Rijeka is Mount Platak, which is a ski resort.

The Vransko Lake on the island of Cres, with its surface 13m above sea level, is a unique hydrographic phenomenon in the Adriatic. It has the area of 5.5 km2 and is 74m deep (the deepest part of the lake is 60m below sea level) and contains 200 mil. m3 of exceptionally clear water which supplies the settlements on the islands of Cres and Losinj.

Property Plus Points
An up and coming area benefiting from its closeness to Istria and airport on Krk As with Istria a fast growing area in terms of real estate. Greatly influenced by the German market has experienced a 30% increase in 2003.
Benefits from having a computerised land registry
Seaside location
Ski resort

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9) Lika and Senj (Licko-senjska)

Description
The geography is dramatic and diversified and consists of three elements. The Velebit mountain chain stretches 100 km through the county and is 1757 m high. The other part is composed of western Lika basin, located between Velebit, Kapela and Lika hills. The third element is the island of Pag, in the clearest part of the Adriatic maritime zone, with its ornithological reserves of Povljansko and Kolansko blato.

History
Senj has always been the most important town in Podgorje. It connects the islands of Kvarner Bay with the west-Panonian area. Because of its position, Senj became an important centre of national culture as early as the Middle Ages.
Its golden age lasted from the end of the 1770s, when Josephine's Road (Karlovac-Senj) was built, until the 1870s, when the first railway line was laid down connecting the inland areas with the northern Adriatic. Because of its importance in the past, present-day Senj is a kind of municipal museum for the whole of Podgorje. Its town centre has a characteristic Mediterranean appearance with narrow streets, lovely squares and many religious and secular cultural and historical monuments. The Nehaj fortress from the l6th century (1558) dominates the town.

Amenities
This county has an area of 5,350 km2 and is very rich in fauna and flora including rare protected species such as wolf, lynx, wood grouse, short-toed snake-eagle and horned owl.
Paklenica National Park is one of the most attractive natural phenomena in Croatia and has become a worldwide mountaineering attraction. It is situated in the south-eastern part of the Velebit littoral slope, close to Starigrad. The National Park comprises one of the largest forests in the Mediterranean and two picturesque canyons; Velika and Mala Paklenica. The slopes of Velika Paklenica are up to 400m high. The canyon is wider at the point called Anica Kuk (714m); there is also a large meadow, one of the favourite destinations of mountaineers. On the opposite side of the valley is Maniti Zub, a protruding peak of karst formation,which is also where the entrance into the best known cave of the region is situated, called Manita Pec.
Podgorje is the name of the part of Mount Velebit, which slopes down and meets the sea between Senj and Zrmanja. Velebit is rich with caves; recently two new caves were discovered: Lukina jama in Hajducki kukovi and Slovakia (Mali kuk, - 1301 m) in Rozanski kukovi. Slovakian speleologists discovered Lukina jama in 1992. It is positioned in the North - Eastern Slopes of Hajducki kukovi at the height of 1438 m. and is characterized by its vertical walls and the great depth (-1392m).
Patkov Gust is a cave discovered in 1997, with the second highest vertical in the world (-553 m).
The island of Pag is about 60 kilometres long and between two and 9.25 kilometres wide. It has the longest coastline of all the Adriatic islands. The 84 kilometres of coastline mainly consists of coves with pebbles and sandy beaches. The beach of Zrca on the northwest side of Pag Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Adriatic coast. Seaside tourism is helped by the climate; there is a long dry hot season and the mean monthly temperature from May to September is 20 degrees Centigrade.

Property Plus Points
An up and coming area benefiting from its closeness to Istria and the airport on Krk
Seaside, Yachting, Scuba diving, Ornithology, Mountaineering, Caving, Nature, Culture

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10) Virovitica and Podravina (Virovitcko-podravska)

Description
The town of Virovitica is the centre of the county with an area of 2,021 km2.
In the north, there is the river Drava, which spreads along the whole of the northern border, and in the south are the slopes of Bilogora and Papuk, rich in beautiful forests, lakes and rivers.

Amenities
There are 32 hunting grounds in the area of the Viroviticko-podravska County, which are managed by 35 hunting associations. All these grounds are set in virgin forest, near clean rivers and lakes and are among the richest hunting grounds in Croatia, for big game such as wild boar, deer, and roe-buck, and small game like pheasant and hare. The hunting grounds of the valleys follow the flow of the river Drava, while the mountain hunting grounds are situated on the slopes of Papuk and Bilogora.
Only 15 km from the city of Virovitica flows the Drava river which almost every sort of freshwater fish, such as European catfish, carp, pike, pike-perch, amur, sterlet, burbot, asp, barbell, chiton, bream, chub, tench, eel, and other types of white-fleshed fish. The smaller flowing waters - tributaries of the river Drava are: Odzenica, Lendava, Breznica, Cadavica, Dabrovica, Brana, the County channel, Mantec channel, and Ilova. All these still waters are rich in freshwater fish mentioned above, and also in fish of high-altitude waters, such as brown and rainbow trout, perch, eel, loach, bullhead, crucian carp and goldfish.

Wine growing is the other important feature in Viroviticko-podravska County. Many winegrowers have achieved high levels of wine quality. The most frequent are the varieties of Riesling and black or white Pinot, and in smaller areas Chardonnay, Bouvier, Sauvignon, and many other quality table wines. The total area used for viticulture is 1,839 ha, while the total production of quality wines is 85,000 hl.

Property Plus Points
Low prices and immature market.
Relatively close to Osijek airport
Hunting, Fishing, wine tourism

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11) Pozega and Slavonia (Pozesko-slavonska)

Description
The County of Pozega and Slavonia is situated in eastern middle part of Croatia

History
The Pozega and Slavonia county is one of the oldest counties recorded as early as the 13th century. The county's central region, the Pozega Vallis aureu or the Golden Valley as it was called by the Romans, is surrounded by Psunj, Papuk, Krndija, Dilj and the Pozega range. The town of Pozega is the county's centre. It was built on the Roman settlement of Incerum on the right bank of the Orljava. In medieval times it became the county centre and during Turkish occupation the centre of the Sanjak, which covered the whole of eastern Slavonia (1533-1687). After Turkish rule, the Jesuits founded a school in 1699, which included the Academica Posegana and the study of philosophy and theology (in 1999 Pozega celebrated three centuries of its existence). The town has had a reading-room since 1845 and in 1863 the first Croatian novel "The Pupil from Pozega" by M. Kraljevic was published.
The town of Pozega and the county were the first to introduce the Croatian language into public life in 1847. It also gave Croatia leading figures in culture and technology: the writer M. Kraljevic, the painter M. Kraljevic, D. Cesaric, J. E. Tomic, M. Peic and D. J. Buzimski. The Kutjevo vineyards are the oldest in Croatia and were mentioned as early as the 13th century. Even today, the good quality wines of Kutjevo are kept in old cellars where the largest wooden casket in the world is still in use. It can take 56,000 litres.

Amenities
In Velika, pools have been built on the site of thermal springs and only five kilometres away is the Jezerce ski slope, a winter resort for Slavonian skiers. Alongside this Slavonia offers hunting, gastronomic specialities and interesting folklore - the Golden String of Slavonia, The One-minute Film Festival, the International Horse Tournament in Kutjevo, the Kuleniade.

Pakrac and Lipik suffered great damage during the recent war but are being restored.

Property Plus Points
Very undeveloped with low prices
Relative closeness to Osijek airport
Culture, Spas, Ski Resort, Wine tourism

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12) Slavonski Brod and Posavina (Brodsko-posavska)

Description
The Brod-Posavina County is located in the south part of the Pannonian plain in the eastern part of Croatia called Slavonia, covering an area of 2,027 km2. It is bordered on the north by the mountain of Psunj, hills of Pozega and Dilj, and on the south by the Sava River, which is also the 165 km long border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Counties average height above sea-level is 90 m, the lowest point is 83 m in the area of Gundinci, while the highest peak is Brezovo polje at Psunj at 985 m above sea-level.
Travellers in former conflict areas, including the Danube region (Eastern Slavonia) and the former Krajina, should exercise caution and not stray from known safe roads and areas. Mine clearance work may lead to the closure of major roads.

History
Slavonski Brod, the most industrialised town, is also the administrative centre of the county. As an organised settlement, it is recorded as early as Roman times under the name of Marsonia. The name Brod appeared for the first time in the 13th century.

Amenities
The vast space of Jelas fields is well known as a hunting area rich in big and small game. It is world famous for individual and group hunting of stag, boar, deer, hare, pheasant, wild ducks black heath hen, partridge and other game birds.
East of Slavonski Brod, down by the Sava river lies 1500 ha of flooded lowlands. Marsh Dvorina near Donja Bebrina has the status of an ornithological nature reserve (600 ha), and few kilometres downstream there is Gajna, a marshland in the vicinity of the villages Oprisavci and Poljanci. The initiative of Brod Ecological Association (BEA), the proposal of the republic Institute for Protection of Nature, and the decree of the Assembly of the Municipality of Slavonski Brod from September 1990 have resulted in preservation of Gajna natural park.

Property Plus Points
Very undeveloped with low prices
Relative closeness to Osijek airport
Hunting, Ornithology

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13) Zadar (Zadarska)

Description
Zadar is the administrative, tourist and cultural centre of the region; it includes four national parks and 1200 km of beautiful coast with 300 small and large islands, peaceful and untouched bays and about fifty attractive tourist destinations.

History
Zadar, as an Illyrian settlement, dates back to the 9th century BC. Several layers of city walls, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque monuments and a preserved collection of church silver and gold witness the city's tumultuous past.
Zadar, the old historical town, used to be the capital of Dalmatia. The town has preserved its antique structure and includes a Roman forum from the 1st century AD. The symbol of the town is a pre-Romanesque Church of St. Donatus (9th century), while the most beautiful and preserved examples of the Romanesque style in Croatia are St. Anastasia (13th century), the Church of St. Chrysogonous (12th century) and bell-tower of St. Mary from 1105. Zadar is known worldwide by its permanent exhibition of sacred arts and its traditional musical evenings in St. Donatus.
Nin is the oldest Croatian royal town containing small, isolated churches dating back to the oldest Croatian culture from the 10th and 11th centuries.

Amenities
The Krka National Park has seven impressive waterfalls, out of which Skradinski Buk is the most magnificent.
The Kornati National Park is spread out over an area of 300 sq. km, with about 140 large and small islands and a total land area of 69 sq. km. The Kornati island group is unique in the whole Mediterranean. Peasant and fishing huts are scattered along gentle and well-protected bays of the surrounding islands (Zut, Ist, Kornat, etc.).
The Paklenica National Park (which Zadar shares with Lika and Senj) is a unique geographical and climatic region. This is where the mild Mediterranean and harsh mountain climates meet.
Finally, probably Croatia's most famous national park is the Plitvice lakes. The 19.5 hectares of wooded hills enclose 16 turquoise lakes, which are linked by a series of spectacular waterfalls and cascades. The park was declared a World heritage site in 1979.

Property Plus Points
An area already experiencing fast growth - cheap charters started to Zadar airport in 2003 and rumours continue about more coming in.
Seaside, Culture, National Parks, Scuba diving, Marine, Yachting

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14) Osijek and Baranja (Osjecko-baranjska)

Description
Osijek-Baranja County is predominantly a plains region used for agriculture. Located in the northeastern part of the Republic of Croatia in the Pannonian region, extending over the area of 4,152 km2, this county encompasses the localities surrounding the lower flow of the Drava River prior to its confluence into the Danube.
The territory of the county is crisscrossed by more than 1,700 km of roads and 180 km of railroad tracks. The Danube and the Drava (the latter being navigable up to Donji Miholjac and being an international waterway up to Osijek) also connect the area with the European river network. The airport of Osijek connects the County with the Croatian airport network. Within the Trans-European Motorway (TEM) project, the construction of the Trans-European Budapest - Osijek - Sarajevo - Ploce Highway is being prepared.

Some of the infrastructure was badly damaged in the recent war but this is being restored

Amenities
The periodically flooded Danube River area has created the Kopacki rit (Kopacevo Wetlands), a world-famous refuge for numerous bird species; it is a protected Nature Reserve.

Property Plus Points
An area beginning to grow with rumours surrounding cheap charters coming to the airport.
Ornithology

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15) Sibenik and Knin (Sibensko-kninska)

Description
The Sibenik and Knin county is primarily a rugged area stretching along the river Krka, which contains waterfalls, lakes and picturesque canyons, and includes the town of Sibenik.
The county incorporates the 240 islets and crags which make up the Kornati archipelago together with the Sibenik archipelago, which includes the islands of Zirje, Kakan, Kaprije, Zmajan, Prvic, Zlarin, and the miniature island of Krapanj.

History
Sibenik, which alongside Drnis and Knin, is one of the economic, cultural and administrative centres of the county, developed on what was once a settlement mentioned as far back as 1066 in connection with King Petar Kresimir IV. This is why Sibenik is also known as Kresimir's Town. In the 13th century Sibenik was ruled by the Subici Bribirski family and it belonged to the Bosnian state, then to Venice and Austria until its fall in 1918. Alongside numerous monuments, it has the St. Jacob's Cathedral, which is the work of Juraj Dalmatinac. The foundation stone was laid in 1431 for the theatre building and monument of culture in 1870.

Amenities
Since 1958 Sibenik had prided itself on its Children's Festival and it has excellent acapella ensembles, as well as brass bands. Drnis, first mentioned in 1494, is the centre of the coastal region located on the western side of Petrovo polje in the Drniska vrata.
Knin, the ancient Croatian centre, connects the coast of Croatia to continental Croatia, was once the seat of Croatia's high dignitaries and it was a diocese until the early 19th century.

Property Plus Points
Has the potential to do very well -it is between Split and Zadar airports with a low starting base.
Culture, Marine, Scuba diving, Yachting, Nature

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16) Vukovar and Srijem (Vukovarsko-srijemska)

Description
The Vukovar and Srijem county is located in the eastern most part of Croatia in the fertile plains of eastern Slavonia and Srijem, between the Danube and the Sava. In recent times this county was affected badly by the recent war during which 42.2. % of the territory was occupied by Serbs and 110,898 Croatian citizens were forced into exile.

History
The county has an excellent economic and geo-political situation, which made it a borderland of the Roman Empire almost two thousand years ago. Remains of settlements, graves, tools and ceramics were found at Vucedol near the Danube, the famous Vucedol Dove is only one of the finds. Vukovar became a feudal centre belonging to Count Eltz, whose presence greatly influenced the historic and urban layout of the city core.

Amenities
Despite the war and destruction, Vukovar kept its cultural life - festivals such as "Vinkovacke jeseni", "Sokacko sijelo" in Zupanja, an "Actor's Festival" and "Days of Josip and Ivan Kozarac" in Vinkovci, the "Wine Harvest" in Ilok and "Konji bijelci" in Babina Greda.

Property Plus Points
Close to Osijek airport
Low prices and immature market.
History and culture

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17) Split and Dalmatia (Splitsko-dalmatinska)

Description
Split is the centre of the Split and Dalmatia County and is the second largest city in Croatia, as well as the largest one on the coast. Sea and karst define this region; in the Dalmatian hinterland are mountainous regions with fertile fields and valleys (around Sinj and Imostki) and the central region is marked by the Cetina river (105 km) and valley. Then there are the islands, notably Hvar. They are invaluable to the county offering an abundance of pine, cypress, macchia and medicinal herbs.

History
During the Roman Empire Salona was the capital, evidenced by archaeological remains. In the vicinity of Salona, the Roman Emperor Diocletian built a magnificent palace, which was to outlive the old metropolis and to become the historic centre of contemporary Split.
The people of Split fought long against Venetian rule and then even longer against the Turks. The Klis fortress dates from this period. This famous fortress in Sinj is also famous for the Alka, an event run in Sinj every year in August by the Sinj Knights to commemorate victory over the Turks

Amenities
Diocletian`s Palace is a unique architectural structure with a magnificent mausoleum, which was turned into a cathedral with an elaborate peristyle, extensive cellars, thick walls and entrance gates in the 7th century. Today it is a cultural monument under the protection of UNESCO
Trogir is 30 kilometres north of Split and is 10 minutes from the airport. This medieval town is a protected UNESCO monument and a magnet for the yachting community.

Property Plus Points
An area that is experiencing rapid growth the mainland towns of Split Trogir, Makarska and Omis as well as enormous interest in the islands of Solta, Brac and of course Hvar.
Benefits from its proximity to Split airport and harbour.
Culture, Marine, Scuba diving, Windsurfing (Bol), Yachting, Nature

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18) Istria (Istarska)

Description
The natural features of Istria, the largest peninsula on the Adriatic coast are manyfold, and include Ucka Mountain, Brijuni Archipelago and the Limski Channel. The Brijuni Archipelago consists of fourteen islands, whose coastline is exceptionally rugged and they are covered with evergreen vegetation. They have been inhabited since Roman times.

Amenities
The culture of Istria reflects the historical heritage of many small towns and a mixture of various cultural traditions. It shows a strong interaction of land and sea cultures, which is evidenced by the abundance of folk customs and gastronomical variety. The more populous towns in the interior of Istria are Buzet, Pazin, Motovun, Zminj and Buje and on the coast Porec, Rovinj and Pula.

Property Plus Points
Probably the most mature county in terms of real estate. Greatly influenced by the German market and has experienced a 30% increase in 2003.
Culture, Marine, Seaside, Yachting

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19) Dubrovnik and Neretva (Dubrovacko-neretvanska)

Description
Located at the narrowest end of Croatia, with the Peljesac peninsula and the islands of Korcula, Lastovo and Mljet, Dubrovnik-Neretva County, this covers an area of 1,782 km2, is the southernmost Croatian county.

History
The town of Dubrovnik, the county capital, was originally built on a small rocky island of Laus, inhabited by Roman population, under the name of Ragusa (in early 7th century). With time, it merged with the Croatian settlement called Dubrovnik (probably because of the forest of Mediterranean oak - dubrava). Mentioned for the first time in documents of Bosnian ban Kulin in 1189, the town became completely Croat by the 14th century. In that century, the municipality of Dubrovnik (Communitas Ragusina) became the Republic of Dubrovnik (Republica Ragusina), and developed throughout the following centuries into a powerful trade and maritime centre.

With its preserved fortification cover, beautiful towers (Minceta, Lovrijenac), the Prince's Palace, Orlando's column at Stradun, main square, Dubrovnik is classified in the world's list of cultural heritage.
Near the mouth of the Neretva River lies Stone Field, where there is the small old Croatian church of St. Michael which represents the beginning of Christian spirituality in the area. Its wall paintings are the only preserved examples of early Romanesque painting in Dalmatia. The towns Mali Ston and Veliki Ston, founded by the Dubrovnik Republic in the 14th century, guard the entrance to the Peljesac peninsula.
The nearby island of Korcula takes pride in its strong astringent wines as well as in its dense coniferous forest, to which, according to the legend, the island owes its name. The beginning of the town of Korcula goes back to the 4th c. BC. The nearby island of Mljet is full of history. Its landscape evokes the legend that Ulysses visited Mljet on his wanderings in the Mediterranean. On the island numerous Illyrian ruins and mediaeval churches can be found and its biggest attraction is a 12th century Benedictine Monastery in the middle of the Vransko Lake. From Peljesac to Dubrovnik stretch the small Elafiti islands.

Amenities
Cultural monuments alternate with protected natural beauties - Roman Epidaurus (Cavtat) and Arboretum in Konavle, protected architecture of Ston and Mljet National Park or delta of Neretva.
There is the fifty-year-old tradition of the Dubrovnik Summer Festival.
Peljesac is famous for its wines Postup and Dingac, as well as the sandy beaches in Orebic.

Property Plus Points
Booming area with Dubrovnik town growing at 30% in 2003,together with the up and coming Peljesac region.
Dubrovnik Airport
Culture, Seaside, Yachting, Scuba diving, Wind surfing (Viganj), Wine Tourism, Ornithology in the Neretva River

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20) Medjimurje (Medimurska)

Description
Medjimurje County is located in the north of Croatia, between the Drava and Mura rivers. It is the smallest county in Croatia with a surface area of 730 km2

History
Cakovec has a well-preserved castle and park.

Amenities
The beauty of the landscape, hospitality of local population, famous quality wines from rich vineyards and gastronomic local specialities are the basis for development of this county's tourism.
Wild duck hunting is a popular pursuit in the Drava basin.

Property Plus Points
Very undeveloped with low prices
Food, Wine, and Hunting

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