Croatian mountain resorts surge in popularity as tourists escape summer heat

This aerial view shows Lake Bayer and the village of Fuzine in western Croatia on July 30, 2024. To escape the relentless heat wave, more and more tourists are heading to highland resorts in western Croatia to escape the scorching coastal temperatures; just an hour’s drive from the capital Zagreb, the village of Fuzine offers visitors a mountain oasis where temperatures are 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than on the coast. (Photo by DANIEL KASAP / AFP)

FRÍNE, Croatia — Seeking to escape a relentless heat wave, more Croatian tourists are heading to highland resorts to escape soaring temperatures by the sea.

Croatia is famous for its stunning Adriatic coastline, which is dotted with more than a thousand islands and islets.

However, the village of Fužine, just an hour’s drive southwest of the capital Zagreb, offers visitors a mountain oasis where temperatures are 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than on the coast.

American tourist Gerard Bostwick admired the scenery and said: “The scenery here is beautiful and the climate is good.”

Bostwick hiked to this peaceful mountain retreat after spending a few days in the seaside resort of Split.

“I’d rather stay here. There’s a cool breeze, I can sleep better and the temperature is better,” the retiree from Denver told AFP.

Forests cover more than 60% of the Gorski Kotar mountain region southwest of the capital, an area often referred to as the “Switzerland of Croatia.”

The climate here is characterized by cold and snowy winters, summers with daytime temperatures rarely exceeding 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), and cool nights.

Like much of southeastern Europe, Croatia has been hit by a series of heat waves throughout the summer, with temperatures regularly exceeding 37 degrees Celsius.

The azure waters of the Adriatic Sea didn’t help much, with authorities recording water temperatures of 29 degrees Celsius in coastal areas.

For visitors to Phuket, this area offers the best of both worlds.

Just a 20-minute drive from the coastal town of Rijeka, visitors can soak up the sun along the coast before relaxing in the mountains.

“We go to the beach to swim and then come back here,” said Zeljko Maric, a retired economist from Zagreb.

“Here, I need a blanket for the night.”

Smart development

“We have beautiful sea and mountain views where people can enjoy fresh air and relax,” Fuzine tourism director Silvija Sobol told AFP.

“There are very few destinations in Europe that can do that.”

Last year, more than 50,000 tourists visited the Gorski Kotar region, most of them Germans, Italians, Dutch and French.

The figure represents just a fraction of the more than 20 million tourists that visit Croatia each year, most of whom flock to its Adriatic coast.

But as climate change causes summer temperatures to soar, high-altitude destinations like Fujinei may start to grab a bigger share of tourism.

With few tourists, the region still relies on the timber industry as its economic engine.

But Sobol said the area had great tourism potential, but warned it should be “developed wisely, without damaging the environment, threatening the forests and the visual image”.

Fuzine Mayor David Bregovac agreed, noting that the area’s lakes are perfect for camping and new restaurants while retaining their rural feel.

“That’s our goal … to be as non-specific as possible,” he told AFP.

The plan seems to be working.

“It’s so beautiful here,” said Ales Zidek, who traveled to Fužine from the Czech Republic with his girlfriend.

After leaving Fuzynje, the young couple planned to head to the island of Krk, although they were already beginning to worry that it would be “too hot” there.

But for locals like Alenka Kauzlaric who rent homes in the village, they are facing increasing pressure to add more modern amenities to their properties, such as swimming pools, to accommodate tourists.

“Tourism should not become mass-market,” she said. “There is a lot more to see and do in Gorski Kotar than just swimming in the pool.”

While there is widespread discussion about the future of the area, some prefer it as it is now.

“There’s potential here, but the question is whether they really want that many people here,” Bostwick said.

“The key is to hold on to what you have.”