Brijuni Archipelago

From Habsburg hotels to exotic animals, the landscape of Veliki Brijuni tells the unusual story of the island. From a malarial swamp, Paul Kupelwieser transformed Brijuni into a luxury tourist resort at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The archipelago was an elite destination until World War II, then became the summer residence of Josip Broz Tito during the socialist Yugoslavia. In this national park, one of the most beautiful in Croatia, today you can meet deer and zebras, ostriches and parrots, and even an elephant. Some visitors come to play golf, others relax on the islands without cars. Photos and text: Giovanni Vale