In this article, we have analysed how natural features influenced the emergence of maritime pilgrimages in the Eastern Adriatic (three sites in Croatia and one in Montenegro). All researched locations are insular and dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Madonna). We applied a diverse methodology, including flying a drone and completing fieldwork and archival work studying old maps and documents. We believe that the geography of pilgrimages in these sites reflects the relational interaction between the religious practices of the local communities, mostly fisherman, and their lived environment. We argue that all four locations of the churches and sites of pilgrimage were, at least partially, determined by natural features of their environment, i.e. a safe harbour and a site protected from winds, located within fisherman communities living space, etc. Because of these environmental determinants, the local communities created their pilgrimage geography with ritualistic and religious pilgrimage practices and folklore.

The paper examines factors influencing the development and spatial distribution of rural tourism in Croatia according to the EU classifications of municipalities as urban, rural and proper rural areas. The tourist traffic figures for selected years were computed and the association of socio-economic variables and tourism development index (dependent variable) within these three areas were considered. Semi-structured interviews with stakeholders in Ravni Kotari, a rural region in Littoral Croatia, supplemented the quantitative analysis. The findings indicate that proximity to the coast and overall economic development emerge as the primary factors associated with rural tourism development. The interviews reveal a trend in rural tourism development, specifically in the form of luxury holiday homes, while highlighting the lack of other tourist facilities.

The focus of this paper is forest cover change during the second half of the 19th century in the Ravni Kotari Region. The starting point for the research was data on forests and wooded pastures from 1849, based on Ravni Kotari cadastral...

Many ancient and historic Mediterranean cities have undergone periods of rapid urban expansion during the past few centuries, often involving the replacement of agricultural landscapes that once surrounded them with industrial, commercial and residential landcover. Despite this transformation, legacies of green heritage—or the traditional agricultural landscapes that supported them—can still be detected within contemporary cityscapes. Here, the authors identify examples of green heritage within the 3000-year-old city of Zadar on Croatia’s Adriatic coast. Their documentation serves as a valuable archive of information about the city’s millennia-long past while also promoting an often-overlooked aspect of its distinctive local character.