Croatia Holidays - Event

Dating back to 1715, when 700 Croats defeated 60,000 Turkish soldiers at the Battle of Sinj, the three-day Alka festival (also known as the Tilters Tournament) takes over the tiny town every August.

Derived from the Turkish halka, meaning metal ring, alka refers to a round metal stirrup plundered from the Turks by Croatian soldiers.

The historic victory is celebrated with a jousting contest. The competitors, dressed in 18th-century garb, are awarded points for hitting the ring, suspended 12ft above the ground on a rope, while hurtling towards it at 45mph on horseback. The Alka takes place on the Sunday and is the crowning event of the festival.

Despite the Alka itself being a ticketed event, Friday's bara and Saturday's coja contests are free. After the contests, everyone takes to the streets for music, dancing and feasting until dawn.