Meet the German Who Has Holidayed 45-Years in a Row in Croatia

To say that German Karl Heinz Meurer likes the Croatian coastal town of Vodice is a undersatement. For the last 45 years in a row Meurer and his wife have spent their summer holidays in the popular Dalmatian tourist town..

Meurer, who was presented with a commendation and painting for his loyalty to the town by the local council this week, has been coming to Vodice since the 1970s. Meurer has not missed a summer since, even coming during the war years in the early 1990s.

Karl Heinz presented with a commendation and painting

“The place or the beaches are not over crowded. Everyone can find something for themselves, that is why I have been coming to Vodice for the last 45 years in the row. I was not afraid to come during the war years either,” Meurer told HRT.

Meurer says that he has picked up a bit of the standard Croatian language in the four decades holidaying there, but that he has no clue when it comes to the local Vodice dialect still.

“I am getting old now so its more and more difficult to learn things,” he says.

Out on his ritual morning walk around the town

Meurer, who says he prefered Vodice 40 years ago as it was ‘smaller’ and more ‘intimate’, has stuck to a simple routine on his holidays over the years – a walk around the town followed by an afternoon at the beach.

The Meurers are well liked by the locals.

“They are not frugal, they like to go around, eat at the restaurants. If only all the tourists were like them,” local Željko Vukičević says.

Vodice hopes that the Meurers keep returning for a few more decades yet.

(photos: screenshot HRT)