Croatian Summer Salsa Festival in ROVINJ

For the past eight years, Croatia has been home to one of the most popular and talked about dance festivals on the planet. The Croatian Summer Salsa Festival returns once again for its ninth year to the city of Rovinj for yet another week of sun-baked dance and celebration. The festival is open to people of all interest and skill levels and promises more this year than ever before.

Running from the 25th of June into early July, the festival pretty much takes over beautiful Rovinj, with party locations, dance classes and hotspots all over the city. A colourful dance and music festival, you can take it easy and enjoy the hot weather, beautiful surroundings and great food and drinks, or you can get stuck in to the action yourself. There are classes and seminars for learning all kinds of salsa styles, taught by both local Croatian instructors as well as world renowned dancers from all over the globe. Rovinj is a great place to stay any time of year, as it has a great deal of cheap, central places to stay, from simple rooms to private apartments. Check with sites like rovinjtravel.com for more details on specific dates.

Before the week officially kicks off, there are a number of workshops and tutorial events that get you prepared for the festival. For total beginners there are classes in basic salsa and other Cuban dances and for the more experienced there are advanced classes in forms such as Bachata and Rueda, where you`ll join perhaps up to 500 others in learning the newest techniques from the masters. It is advisable to get to Croatia for the week before the "official" start of the festival. Not only will you get the chance to join in some of the workshops, but you`ll also get to know the area a bit more, which will make things easier when the crowds arrive.

While the central theme is obviously the salsa dancing, there is plenty more going on than just that. Boat trips and pool parties are organised throughout the week, exploring the stunning coast of Croatia. The beaches become giant dance floors that go on throughout the night, allowing you to enjoy every minute that you are in the country.

The festival organisers have a number of great deals in place for making the most of the weekend. These range from "all-in" style passes that get you into everything, to a more "beginner" based pass where you`ll get to try your hand at a number of different things without getting out of your depth. Some of the passes also include boat trips and other organised adventures. These are a great way to make the most of your time there. As stated, cheap accommodation can be found pretty easily, so splashing out on one of the passes is a great and affordable way to see as much of the festival as you can.

Some of the acts you can both watch and learn from include the likes of Reynaldo Salazar, The Ansima Ballet Group, Jorge Ataca & Tanja La Alemana from the Island Touch Dance Academy and the world renowned Maykel Fonts perhaps the most in-demand Cuban dancer in the world. That is just a few of the dozens of acts performing, not to mention a huge range of international DJs that will be on hand to get the party going. Once the event kicks off, you are looking at seven days of non-stop partying, music and fun, all set to a sun bleacher background of clean beaches and clear blue skies.

I have managed to attend most of the last eight festivals and I will be at this year`s event for sure. If dance parties and hot weather are your thing, this really is one of the events of the year. I am half tempted to sell my timeshare and simply rent a cheap apartment once a year for this particular festival. Not that you`ll spend much time sleeping anyway!