Page 112 - slovenia

By 1892, after a flurry of visits and studies, a national ordinance de- What I found in abundance was crystal-clear air, gorgeous scenery,
clared the destination the official health resort of the realm. Within storied history and culture, exquisite food and wines, 5-star ac-
a few years, Viennese aristocracy built villas and holiday homes commodations, luxurious spa treatments – and warm, welcoming
here – retreats for themselves and their families, others for their locals eager to share the bounty of their island with visitors.
mistresses. Many of these structures remain – serving today as
5-star inns and restaurants for the mostly European tourist trade. Croatia claims at least 1,185 islands, islets and reefs in the Adri-
atic; just 47 are inhabited. Losinj (pronounced low-sheen) sits
During a week on Losinj this spring, the only Americans I found in the Northern Adriatic’s Kvarner Gulf, embraced by the Istrian
were the friends I’d traveled with. Peninsula to the northwest and the Croatian mainland on the

112 WDT MAGAZINE SPRING 2017