And yet the Mediterranean is not at all a dusty history textbook. It is the ghostliness and transparency of everything above and below, it is the old twisted olive trees and the prickly cactus cakes, it is the blue, the azure, the aquamarine green — the color of eternity, muted by healthy optimism. Thousand-year-old shepherds tending sheep, it is cheese, wine, and olive oil, and fish on the grill grate, and woven lobster traps, and spaghetti marinara, of course, and octopuses drying on lines like kitchen towels. In short, the Mediterranean is life. Especially in September. So, let us open the velvet season!
CROATIA – THE LAND OF A THOUSAND ISLANDS
If vacation means a combination of landscapes, water, weather, food, drink, hotel service, the pleasantness of resort towns, cleanliness, and cost, then a vacation in Croatia will be among the leaders. The water here is as clear as in Sardinia, the food as tasty as in Versilia, the landscapes as stunning as in Liguria. Historic cities like Dubrovnik and Split are packed with interesting monuments like a jewelry box, and the islands beckon lovers of sails, lobsters, and unspoiled nature.
Croatia got the blue Adriatic with a coastline indented by fjords and a thousand islands to boot. It is a thoroughly European country with a rich culture and centuries-old traditions. It has black wine, sheep cheese, moonfish, palm-lined promenades, and oyster farms — everything a person needs to be happy.
About Resorts
Croatia is divided into the mainland and the islands. Its coastal part consists of Dalmatia, Lika, and the Istrian peninsula, which can be recognized as neighbors but not relatives — they are that different.
Dalmatia is luxurious: it sits between the sea, mountains, and sky. Thousands of small bays, coves, and fjords take care of the beauty of the landscapes; small cozy beaches hide between the rocks, under pines and agaves. Due to the high content of mountains, sand is not everywhere; mostly it is fine pebbles or round, sea-worn stones.
The best landscapes and best beaches are on the completely pine-covered Makarska Riviera, which lies at the foot of the Biokovo mountain range, between Split and Dubrovnik. Its advantage is the opportunity to see both cities. Vacationing in Split itself is problematic — it is a large port center — but there are nice spots in its vicinity. In Dubrovnik, it is better to stay right in the city to stroll through its medieval but very lively part.
The Istrian peninsula is less mountainous but no less picturesque. It begins with the Kvarner Riviera, settled and developed back in the Austro-Hungarian era. The oldest, classically European, not glamorous but respectable resort is Opatija. At the tip of the cape lies Pula, a sailing and windsurfing paradise. This city is three thousand years old; it even has its own Colosseum — a large and almost entirely intact Roman amphitheater.
The most beautiful old towns on the peninsula are Rovinj and Poreč. They have preserved their medieval appearance from the time of the Venetian Republic, to which they once belonged. The towns stand on peninsulas, and houses rise straight out of the sea. Sandy beaches on Istria are small, mostly artificial. They are located near hotels. In other places, the shores are rocky. This is not very convenient for beach holidays, but thanks to the absence of sand, the waters off the coast of Croatia are unusually clean and clear.
Lika lies between Istria and Dalmatia; on its territory, the mountains gradually subside. One of the main tourist centers on the coast is the city of Zadar, famous for its ancient cathedral and huge port for yachts. Around it are several natural parks, such as Krka with waterfalls on the Krka River.
About Islands
The Adriatic has given Croatia more than a thousand islands. To be precise — 1,185. Among them are quite large and very small, green and rocky, with ancient cathedrals and with nightlife.
The island of Hvar is the center of nightlife. People even come from Split for discos and theater performances: by evening ferry there, by morning ferry back to Split. The theater of the city of Hvar is considered the oldest in Europe.
The island of Mljet is the most wooded and quiet; it is a national park. Old Odysseus used to visit there — he stayed with the nymph Calypso. On Mljet there is a lake, in the middle of the lake an island, and on it a 12th-century Franciscan monastery — an amazingly beautiful place! Nearby is the cave of the nymph Calypso, described by Homer, and the hotel "Odysseus" in the depths of a picturesque bay.
People go to the island of Brač to swim. Its calling card is the "Golden Horn" beach in Bol. This sandy spit changes its shape depending on the wind direction. Mostly young people gather here — windsurfing enthusiasts, nudists, just fun groups; dances and parties are held on the beach. The discos in Bol do not quiet down until morning.
The mystical island of Pag is known for producing the famous and expensive Pag cheese. It is made from the milk of sheep and goats that graze on salty grass.
The islands are home to the most beautiful old towns: Rab on Rab, Hvar on Hvar, Komiža on Vis, and Korčula on Korčula, from where Marco Polo set off on his circumnavigation. And some medieval towns stand on small islets right off the mainland: Trogir, Primošten, the castle-town of Gomilica.
One of the most interesting is Trogir. Locals call it "little Venice": the city lies on three islands. Everywhere you see Romanesque towers, gates, chapels, palms, and pointed windows. The city is more than two thousand years old; under the Romans it was called Tragurium. The main monument is considered the cathedral, built in 1240. It is guarded by stone lions.
You can get to the islands not only on your own yacht: ferries and hydrofoils run between them.
SPAIN – THE LAND OF FUN
The Mediterranean Sea in its pure form – that's what Spain is. Its coastline gently runs from northeast to southwest, and the coast is carefully sheltered by mountains – so there's no draft. All Spanish resorts come with lovely old towns, charming landscapes and a warm sea.
Spain is like a mosaic. The white towns of Andalusia and the stone villages in the Pyrenees, the endless reddish plains of La Mancha and the coastal hills of emerald, pine-scented Catalonia inwardly resist their kinship and unity. The country's inhabitants also resist, and not only inwardly. They speak four languages and seven dialects, constantly defend their independence and demonstrate separateness. But that does not prevent them from equally noisily and directly enjoying life. They speak of their country in the plural - "Las Españas", that is, "the Spains".
Several Spains are created especially for tourists. Not only do they occupy the shore of the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, but even the mountains are positioned to protect the beaches from the wind! And no design flaws - they protect, create a microclimate, ensure good weather. And in Spain there grows, swims and runs a lot of delicious food, which makes a holiday in this country even more fulfilling and rich.
Spending a vacation in Spain means giving yourself a whole bag of impressions that you can examine, sniff and sort out until next summer. And a supply of vital energy for a whole winter. The tourist season ends here in October, when the rainy season begins in the north.
About resorts
If you look from the south, Spain begins with Andalusia. There the sun shines 3,000 hours a year, and rains leave only 30 cm of precipitation, there stand Seville with its barbers and Granada with the Generalife gardens, the muddy Guadalquivir flows, and the night zephyr continuously streams ether. Here the Moors held out the longest, and this is felt in the architecture and faces of Andalusians. Andalusia is the birthplace and haven of flamingo.
From south to north, the coasts alternate: Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, Almería and Costa Cálida. The best known among domestic tourists is the first one - partly due to the international airport in Malaga. This coast is very much loved by its former owners - the English, so you can get by in English here. The English are not exactly disliked, but passionately hated in only one Andalusian town – it is called La Línea de la Concepción and lies on the border with Gibraltar. It's better to speak Swahili there than English – otherwise they won't even give you a glass of water!
The most luxurious hotels and the most expensive holidays are in the vicinity of the resort of Marbella; around Malaga prices are quite affordable. Towns with sonorous names like Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola scramble up the coastal mountains, admiring their own reflection.
Relaxing on the Costa del Sol is very pleasant: the tourist service has a nice English touch, the architecture has a vibrant Moorish patina, and the warm sea is set off by romantic landscapes. From the coast it is easy to reach the main attractions of Seville and Granada - day trips suffice for that. To visit Gibraltar, a British visa is required.
Almería is a very peculiar province. There are yacht ports, national parks, luxury hotels, ancient fortresses and cave houses where people still live. One town is actually called Cuevas de Almanzora. The airport is located in the city of Almería.
Further north lies the Costa Blanca coast, famous for its paella and the lively city of Benidorm. Paella is a national symbol of the provinces of the Valencian Community: they grow a hundred varieties of rice there, and make a thousand versions of paella from them. In the city of Valencia there is plenty to see, and in its surroundings there are places to sunbathe. The name Costa Blanca means "White Coast" and was given for the white coastal cliffs, weathered and covered with pines. This coast was developed earlier than others by modern tourism, so there are many hotels and few fishing villages. However, every resort town carefully preserves its inhabited historic part with narrow cobblestone streets, Roman ruins and old churches.
There are still quiet old towns on the coast - for example, Villajoyosa, also known as La Vila. Here a pristine atmosphere reigns: rocky coves with white sandy beaches, colorful fishermen's houses, Roman towers and Gothic churches. Very picturesque.
Beyond Cape Nao begins the Costa de Valencia coast, no less white-rocky. Under one of these prominent cliffs lies the town of Jávea. The water here is very clear and there are excellent conditions for diving. Closer to Valencia (65 km from it) is the resort of Gandía: white beaches from horizon to horizon, luxurious hotels, an elegant port filled with yachts from all over the world. Where orange groves start right at the edge of the beach, rising out of the sea, you feel like a little angel in paradise. And driving a few kilometers inland, you find yourself quite the opposite - on the edge of a Hellish abyss.
North of Valencia begins the Costa del Azahar - "Coast of Orange Blossoms". In the midst of the orange kingdom lies the town of Peñíscola, a resort popular with Spaniards. Its calling card is a huge cliff in the sea, on which stands a fortress built by the Knights Templar during the Reconquista. Behind the thick walls hide the swallow's nests of the old town, from the foot of the cliff to the horizon stretch very clean white beaches and very new clean hotels.
And then lies Catalonia, as mosaic as Spain itself. It divides into three elements: water is the Mediterranean coast, sky is the majestic Pyrenees, and earth is what lies between them. The heart of Catalonia, its capital and pride is the exquisite beauty Barcelona. A sleepless, hundred-tongued cosmopolitan city, a dreamer and a reveler, reflecting the whimsy and willfulness of its streets in the windows of its countless cafés.
There are other cities in Catalonia quite worthy of wearing out seven pairs of shoes on their pavements. Tarragona with its Roman walls, aqueducts and amphitheater, Girona with its narrow streets of the Jewish quarter and Gothic cathedrals, balancing at the crossroads of four rivers, provincial Figueres, touchingly proud of the Dalí Theatre-Museum (by the way, this is one of the most visited museums in Spain). In the very center of Catalonia, near Barcelona, the inaccessible mountain of Montserrat with a Benedictine monastery at the top cuts through the clouds. This is a kingdom of bizarre rocks, dizzying abysses and quiet prayers. Here is the Catalan shrine - the Black Virgin La Moreneta, gazing with sad eyes at the bustle and vanity of earthly life.
From the valley of the Ebro River to Tarragona lies the Costa Dorada coast, a favorite place for family vacations. Here the warm shallow sea and many hotels and apartments are complemented by amusement parks. From Barcelona to France stretches the 'Fruit Coast' of Costa del Maresme and the very beautiful Costa Brava, which means 'Brave Coast'. There the mountains descend to the sea, and the sea cuts into the shore with narrow bays. Between the rocks overgrown with pines, hidden small beaches lie by the transparent green water. Snow-white elegant resorts alternate with ancient fishing villages, where nets dry on the embankments and colorful boats sunbathe on the beaches.
Tossa de Mar is a dream of romantics and poets: on a picturesque rugged and rocky shore, the 12th-century fortress city of Vila Vella climbs up the mountain. Yellow stones, pink bougainvillea, narrow streets-stairs - and all this is permeated with endless Mediterranean blue.
One of the most pleasant resorts on the coast is Blanes. The old and new parts of the city are separated by a large rock that cuts into the sea right in the middle of the bay. Blanes has two botanical gardens, one of which is laid out on the mountain: it's a kingdom of coolness and exotic plants (three thousand species). And nearby, in the town of Palafolls, there is the 'Marineland' park with many attractions, with trained dolphins and seals performing in shows, with performances of colorful parrots and a parade of birds of prey.
About Fun
In Spain, there are many noisy youth resorts where fun never stops day or night. True, in September they become quieter, but they finally quiet down only in October. A classic of the genre is the island of Ibiza, which is also located in the Mediterranean Sea. On neighboring Mallorca, the city of Magaluf is known for its hectic round-the-clock fun.
On the mainland there are also fun places. For example, the city of Benidorm on the Costa Blanca coast. It is even called the Spanish Las Vegas. Compared to the low-rise Spanish settlements, it seems like a city of skyscrapers blazing with colorful lights of super-hotels, super-restaurants, super-discotheques (however, there is also a medieval castle). This is a real tourist Mecca: for 70,000 inhabitants there are 34,000 hotel beds and another 200,000 in apartments. More than a million tourists come here a year. Winters in these parts are very mild and warm, so the season continues indefinitely. Recently, the city of Lloret de Mar in Catalonia has held the palm in terms of fun. There is an incredible number of bars and discos, its own casino and the 'Water World' water park. In Lloret, a lovely old town remains, and separately from it along the line of beaches stretches a cheerful city of hotels, restaurants and shops, in its own way beautiful and attractive, noisy and sleepless.