(Photo: Private album)
By Hana Klain
For many visitors, a journey through Croatia ends with beautiful photographs and unforgettable landscapes. For others, it becomes something far more personal.
Through heritage tours, genealogy research and immersive experiences in the heart of Lika, Tamara Jurković helps visitors reconnect with family roots, discover forgotten stories and experience a destination in a way that reaches far beyond traditional sightseeing.
Many people travel to discover new places, yet you often say that travel can also help us discover ourselves. When did you first realise tourism could have that deeper dimension?
I first realised it when I discovered the concept of transformative tourism. In a world where everything is available at the click of a button and so much feels superficial, I find it incredibly meaningful that my work can help someone discover a new direction in life, heal emotional wounds, make an important personal or professional decision, or even find the courage to start over somewhere new.
For me, that’s both an exciting challenge and a great responsibility. Transformative tourism asks a very different question. Instead of simply asking, “Where did I go?”, it asks, “How did this journey change me?”
And judging by the feedback I receive from my guests, those changes are very real.
More and more Croatians living abroad are returning to the homeland of their ancestors, searching not only for places but for a sense of identity. What have you learned about people who embark on that journey?
The Croatian diaspora has become a very special group of guests for me.
Some important events in my own life encouraged me to look inward, to better understand the past and explore the stories that shaped us. Along the way, I learned to recognise the connections between people, places and generations, and to notice the patterns that repeat throughout family histories.
People who seek out their roots are usually thoughtful, curious and deeply aware of who they are. They’re proud of their heritage and want every member of their family tree to have their rightful place in the story.
Every journey begins with the information guests already have. From there, we start researching together. I contact registry offices, parish churches, state archives and local communities, slowly piecing together a family history that often stretches back nearly two centuries.
Zavižan (Photo: Private album)
We visit old cemeteries, study gravestones, trace family names and walk through the villages where their ancestors once lived. Sometimes elderly residents remember stories or details that have never been written down anywhere.
Little by little, these discoveries become far more than historical facts. They become deeply personal stories of belonging.
Your heritage tours often take guests to forgotten villages, cemeteries, archives and parish records. What’s it like to stand beside someone at the very moment they discover a piece of their family’s story after generations of searching?
I believe 2026 is a year of new beginnings, new opportunities, movement, communication and wisdom. That’s why I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my Heritage Tours were launched this year.
Helping people reconnect with their true identity is a privilege.
Some moments are incredibly emotional. I’ve seen guests embrace what appears to be an ordinary gravestone because, for them, it represents a long-lost connection with their family. Others discover a single historical record that suddenly brings generations of their story into focus.
Every cemetery tells countless stories about the people who once lived here. One memory has stayed with me in particular. A group of daughters chose not to commission a traditional monument for their mother. Instead, they turned an ordinary stone into her memorial because it had stood outside their family home for years, beside a puddle where rainwater collected, and it was the stone she would often lean against during her daily routine.
Those small, deeply personal details often reveal more than history books ever could.
There are always tears, but there is laughter too. No one begins a journey like this without emotion. And perhaps that’s exactly why these experiences stay with people for the rest of their lives.
Majerovo vrilo (Photo: Private album)
You recently said that we need to know where we belong in order to know where we’re going. What does belonging to a place or a family mean to you?
My connection to Lika, the Gacka Valley and my hometown of Otočac runs incredibly deep. People who know me well often say that, consciously and unconsciously, I spend every day promoting my entire region simply through the way I speak about it.
Every word I say reflects my love for the place I come from. This is a land of untamed beauty, not only because of its landscapes, but because of its people.
During my panoramic tours, I love sharing stories about what this region once looked like: why the village of Švica was once known as “Little Switzerland”, what our famous waterfalls looked like before they disappeared, and how the villages along the Gacka River used to thrive. Those stories help visitors see the landscape through a different lens.
Tamara Jurković (Photo: Renata Sedlar)
During your interpretive walk, ‘Gacka – The River That Holds a Story’, you ask guests about their lives, dreams and the people who shaped them. Why did you decide your tours should be so different from traditional sightseeing?
Each of us carries a lifetime of emotions, and every decision we make is shaped by our own experiences. Through these walks, I try to offer others something that once helped me as well: let go of the need to control everything and allow life to unfold.
No two walks are ever the same. I have a framework, of course, but the people who join me shape much of the experience. Together, we create moments that stay with us long afterwards.
We follow the natural course of the Gacka River, share stories about the people who have lived here, learn from one another, and finish the journey at a beautiful country estate surrounded by a fragrant themed garden and memorable local flavours.
OPG Bronzi Bee (Photo: Private album)
Rather than focusing on dates and historical facts, you prefer telling stories about everyday life and local people. Do those stories stay with visitors far longer than facts they could easily find online?
People come here for experiences, not information. I come from the region where Nikola Tesla was born, and I always try to connect with the people who join my tours.
Every tour is tailored to the group. Speaking to primary school children is very different from guiding war veterans or retirees. What guests remember isn’t a list of historical facts, they remember how they felt.
I begin by asking a simple question: would you like more rivers, mountains or the sea? Their answer shapes the journey. It may include the Kuterevo Bear Sanctuary, Nikola Tesla’s birthplace in Smiljan or the sunken WWII ship in the stunning Zavratnica Cove. Whatever their interests, we do our best to create an experience they’ll never forget.
Krasno (Photo: Private album)
Your apartment has been designed according to feng shui principles, using natural materials, organic scents and a calming atmosphere. Sustainability is a popular topic today, but you’ve gone a step further by focusing on how people actually feel in a space. How is that different from a traditional holiday rental?
Rest is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. We’re already seeing doctors in countries such as Sweden prescribing time in nature and travel as part of recovery and healing. I genuinely believe that nature has the power to restore us, and that’s exactly why we created Apartment Lika, a place where nature meets comfort.
Our goal was to create a peaceful natural retreat right in the centre of town. Behind an ordinary front door, guests step into an entirely different world. Perhaps our philosophy is best captured by our slogan: “Breathe deeper. Live slower.”
Today’s travellers aren’t simply looking for somewhere to sleep. They’re looking for a place where they can truly switch off, recharge and reconnect with themselves. That’s why we designed a space that offers peace, balance and a close connection with nature.
The difference isn’t just in the furniture or the décor. It’s in the experience. We want every guest to leave feeling calmer, happier and carrying that sense of wellbeing long after they’ve returned home.
You’ve even created your own essential oil blend inspired by the Gacka River and the forests of Lika so guests can take part of the experience home with them. Why do you believe scent preserves travel memories better than almost anything else?
Through years of reading and learning, I discovered that our sense of smell is one of the strongest emotional anchors we have.
I wanted the fragrance of our apartments to become part of every guest’s welcome, creating a first impression unlike any other. Later, they can take that feeling home by purchasing the scent as a souvenir – allowing the holiday to continue even after everyday life begins again.
We captured the spirit of the Velebit forests in Tiana, our signature organic blend of essential oils, complemented by handmade natural potpourri. It evokes the tranquillity of the forest, the freshness of the Gacka River and the peaceful landscapes of Lika.
The original concept was mine, but two remarkable women helped bring it to life. Aromatherapist Anamarija Pažin Morović, founder of the Holistička ljepota community, developed the fragrance itself, while Radojka Macan, founder of Bioeterica, produces every bottle. Together, we’ve created a scent that captures the fresh air, woodland notes and quiet strength of Lika’s nature.
Zavižan (Photo: Private album)
You often say that tourism is something you create together with the local community, from family farms and artisans to restaurateurs and parish priests. Is that sense of connection Lika’s greatest strength?
I once heard someone say that just as Croatians seem to have a natural gift for sport, the people of Otočac and the Gacka Valley have a natural gift for creativity. I’d add one more quality: the ability to improvise.
I collaborate with everyone who shares the same enthusiasm for showcasing this region. I live in the rhythm of a town I truly love, always paying attention to the opportunities that can enrich my guests’ experience.
My work extends across several areas of tourism, from hospitality to our family farm, where we breed purebred Arabian horses. And honestly, I still haven’t brought every idea I have to life. Together with my family, I’m slowly building something unique—one step at a time.
If you could recommend just one unforgettable Croatian experience to someone visiting the country for the very first time, what would you hope they would experience with you?
I would simply invite them to place their trust in my travel agency and allow me to introduce them to the very best of Lika-Senj County.
The flavours, aromas and experiences of Lika offer Croatia in miniature, from spectacular national parks and crystal-clear rivers to rich cultural heritage and the Adriatic coast, all within easy reach.
Tončin bridge (Photo: Private album)
You’re always welcome in Lika, and I’d be delighted to share its stories with you.
