Lost in Croatia Trivia Quiz

Answer: Istria

The Istrian peninsula consists mainly of Croatia, with part of Slovenia extending into it and a very small part of Italy, including the city of Trieste. Pula is the largest city and is located at the southern end of the peninsula. It is a popular holiday destination not least because of its Roman remains which include a spectacular amphitheatre seen from above in the photograph I've chosen.

The other options are also peninsulas, but Sliema is in Malta, Beara in Ireland and Calabria in southern Italy.

I was hoping to visit Pula in 2020 but was thwarted by the pandemic. Maybe next year.

Answer: Lord Byron

Dubrovnik certainly lives up to its name, with the old town surrounded by walls dating back to the fifteenth and sixteenth century. During the break-up of Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik was bombarded by troops from Serbia and Montenegro. At the time, these two countries had formed a union, which was relatively short-lived. Dubrovnik was under siege from October 1991 until May 1992 and sustained extensive damage. Once the war ended, repairs were carried out to restore Dubrovnik to its original glory, although it is easy to spot the new roofs among the old. At least one church has been left unrepaired, with the damage caused by shelling left as a reminder of the siege.

Byron visited Dubrovnik as part of his 'Grand Tour' of Europe and is widely credited with giving it the nickname. I didn't do the 'Grand Tour' myself but have been to Dubrovnik several times and would certainly put it on any 'must see' list.

Answer: Korcula

The name is sometimes written as Melaina Korkyra, but either way it means 'black Korkyra' to distinguish it from Corfu, which is also called Korkyra or Kerkyra. The name given to Corfu is derived from that of a nymph kidnapped by Poseidon and early Greek settlers on the Croatian island transferred the name to their new abode. The addition of 'melaina' referenced the dark forests they found there. Korcula is located off the Dalmatian coast and is behind only Krk in terms of its population. It is linked to the mainland by several ferry services, which also call at other islands en route.

Of the options listed, only Krk is also Croatian - Kos and Kythnos are Greek islands.

Answer: Dinaric Alps

The Dinaric Alps follow the Adriatic coast from around Trieste, through Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and end in Albania, where the highest peak of the range is found. Their total distance is about 400 miles (645 kilometres). The highest mountain in Croatia lies on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and has two peaks - one called Dinara, in Croatia, and the other across the border, known as Troglav.

The Dolomites are in Italy, the Dangreks on the Cambodia/Thailand border and the Diablos are in the USA (California).

Answer: Plitvice

The Plitvice Lakes National Park, to give it its full name, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It consists of a long chain of lakes, initially fed by the Plitvica River, with many of them linked by waterfalls like the one in the photo. Many of the lakes have distinctive colours, ranging through grey to dark blues and green, with the shades varying according the the minerals and the direction from which the sun falls on the water.

In all, the park covers nearly 300 square kilometres, or over 70,000 acres.

Answer: Zagreb

Zagreb has by far the largest population which is unsurprising if you recognised it as Croatia's capital. It is situated inland in north western Croatia on the Sava River.

The photo shows the square in central Zagreb which was built only in 1923. It has borne various names in its existence, usually relating to the prevailing politics of the time. The 'Victims of Fascism' name was used from 1946-1990, post World War II, then it changed to Croatian Nobles Square for ten years, before reverting to the 1946 name in 1991. The building in the centre is the Mestrovic Pavilion, built in 1938 as an art gallery. Between 1941 and 1945 it was a mosque before becoming a museum. In 1990 it was handed over to the Croatian Association of Artists, so has gone full circle.

As I like the sea, and am not keen on cities in general, Zagreb has never been on my bucket list.

Answer: Chamberlain

Although it doesn't feel like it when you're in the town, Trogir is actually on an island. It's so close to the mainland that you only need to cross a bridge to reach it. As in most Croatians towns and cities, the architecture is Venetian, reflecting the time when Venice was the major power in the region. Kamerlengo Castle is located at the end of the main promenade bordering the Adriatic and can be seen on the left of the photo.

The castle itself has only its walls remaining, but there are good views from the top of the tower.

The name is derived from the Italian word 'camerlengo' and refers to an administrative official, or chamberlain - definitely not a nobleman.

Answer: Hvar

The Croatian language is harder than most, and Hvar is one of the more difficult names to get your tongue around. The Tvrdalj Castle is located in Stari Grad on Hvar's northern coast. It was built as a summer home for a Croatian poet named Petar Hektorovic in the sixteenth century and remains in good condition. Among the attractions is a well stocked fish pond, which I remember seeing during my visit.

Hvar is one of the larger islands. Jelsa (pronounced Yelsa) is a popular resort with a catamaran providing transport from Split. The main centre is Hvar town, on the southern coast, and the photo I've used shows the harbour there. Overlooking the town is a Spanish fortress from where the photo was taken. Although I didn't take the picture, I have seen this view in person.

Answer: The Dead Sea

For such a small island, Lokrum has several places of interest including the remains of a monastery, botanical gardens and a well. Lokrum's Dead Sea receives its name for the same reason as the better known one in the Middle East - its salinity. It's more of a lake than a sea and is believed to have been created when a cave collapsed. Lokrum is too small for a river and you'd probably have noticed a mountain in the picture if there was one.

I've never set foot on Lokrum although the boat I was on did stop at the jetty there to pick up passengers on the return journey from Dubrovnik. It didn't stop on the outward journey, as intended, as it was running late and did whatever is the nautical version of a ton to make up time.

Answer: Diocletian

The building dates from the end of the fourth century and takes up a large area of the old town of Split. It was used both for living quarters and as a garrison. Split itself has grown around, and sometimes inside, it so as you explore you will find homes and shops mingled in with the original building. The area is surrounded by walls with four main gates giving access to the interior. They are known, prosaically, as the North, South, East and West Gates but more romantically as the Golden Gate, Bronze Gate, Silver Gate and Iron Gate.

Split is one of the main transport hubs of Croatia, with road links, a railway terminus and ferry terminal - not to mention the airport, but it is well worth stopping to have a look at one of the biggest Roman palaces any of us is likely to see.