March 30, 2019 - Putting Croatian adventure tourism on the map, with the biggest welcome in the world. Day 3 of this incredible 2011 adrenaline trip covering 2,500 km along the Croatian coast.
The World's Biggest Welcome, an ambitious adventure tourism project in 2011 in Croatia enters Day 3 of this 2019 appreciation of one of the finest tourism promotion projects ever in Croatia.
The plan? To showcase the diversity and fabulous offer of adventure tourism in Croatia by following a GPS route the length of the Croatian coast in the shape of the word 'Welcome' - thereby creating the biggest welcome in the world from a hospitable tourism country.
Having started on the Slovenian border in Savudrija, Daniel Lacko spent the first two days kayaking 80 km along the Istrian coastline to Brijuni. Another early start on Day 3.
In order to work on forming the first letter 'W', Lacko headed north and inland, combining his kayaking with cycling and speleo-alpinism.
He was not the only man up early that morning. The timeless Adriatic.
The first part of a busy day was a 25 km kayak paddle from Brijuni to Pula, passing Verudela.
Time to head north at the southernmost part of the Istrian Peninsula, Cape Kamenjak.
After more than 100 km of sea kayaking, the journey hit dry land for the first time, with the kayak exchanged for a bicycle. Destination Pazin, some 60 km away.
One of the most impressive and important tourist attractions in all Croatia had to be visited along the way. The outstanding Pula Area, the sixth largest Roman amphitheatre in the world.
Did you know that this ancient treasure has been used for some of the most innovative modern-day tourism projects, including an ice-hockey match, gladiator fights and concert venue for the likes of Sting and Leonard Cohen?
Cycling the green hills of Istria with its idyllic historic mountain villages is an increasingly popular attraction, and no wonder with beauty like this. A quick stop at St. Vincent.
Final stop Pazin, but there was no time to rest just yet. One more kilometre to go, with a little speleo-alpinism at Pazin Pit, quite a change from paddling the calm waters of the Adriatic.
A key part of the project was promoting tourism, and the official website has details of the key places visited during the day. Brijuni.
Pula and Pazin.
You can see the entire project on the Welcome website, as well as much more of Luka Tambaca's stunning photography on the Welcome Facebook page.
Tune in tomorrow for Day 4, as Lacko moves from Pazin to Labin by bike and kayak.
To follow the whole project from the start, follow the dedicated TCN page.
