Embassies And Consulates. All foreign embassies in Croatia are located in Zagreb . Embassies abroad include: Australia, 14 Jindalee Crescent, O’Malley ACT 2606, Canberra (☎262 866 988; croemb@dynamite.com.au); Canada , 229 Chapel Street, Ottawa, ON K1N 7Y6 (☎613-562-7820; www.croatiaemb.net); Ireland, Adelaide Chambers, Peter St., Dublin 8 (☎01 476 7181; http://ie.mfa.hr); New Zealand, 291 Lincoln Rd., Henderson (☎9 836 5581; cro-consulate@xtra.co.nz), mail to: P.O. Box 83-200, Edmonton, Auckland; UK, 21 Conway Street, London, W1P 5HL. (☎020 7387 2022; http://croatia.embassyhomepage.com); US, 2343 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20008 (☎202-588-5899; http://www.croatiaemb.org).
Visa And Entry Information. Citizens of Australia, Canada, the EU, New Zealand, and the US do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days. Visas cost US$26 (single-entry), US$33 (double-entry), and US$52 (multiple-entry). Apply for a visa at your nearest Croatian embassy or consulate at least one month before planned arrival. All visitors must register with the police within 48hr. of arrival—hotels, campsites, and accommodation agencies should automatically register you, but those staying with friends or in private rooms must do so themselves to avoid fines or expulsion. To register, go to room 103 on the 2nd floor of the central police station at Petrinjska 30, Zagreb. (☎456 3623, after hours 456 3111. Bring your passport and use form #14. Open M-F 8am-4pm.) Police may check foreigners’ passports at any time and place. There is no entry fee. The easiest way of entering or exiting Croatia is by bus or train between Zagreb and a neighboring capital.
Tourist Offices. Even the small towns have a branch of the resourceful state-run tourist board (turistička zajednica). Their staff speak English and give out maps and booklets. Private agencies (turistička or putnička agencija), such as Atlas, handle private accommodations. Local outfits are cheaper.
Money. The Croatian unit of currency is the kuna (kn), plural kunas. One kuna is equal to 100 lipa. Inflation hovers around 2.22%, so prices should stay relatively constant in the near future. Croatia became an official candidate for European Union membership in 2004, with admission projected for the end of the decade; travelers may occasionally find prices listed in euro (€), especially in heavily touristed areas like the Istrian Peninsula. Most tourist offices, hostels, and transportation stations exchange currency and traveler’s checks; banks have the best rates. Some establishments charge a 1.5% commission to exchange traveler’s checks. Most banks give MasterCard and Visa cash advances, and credit cards (namely American Express, MasterCard, and Visa) are widely accepted. Common banks include Zagrebačka Banka, Privredna Banka, and Splitska Banka. ATMs are everywhere. Currency exchange rate:
Tipping Bargaining
Medical facilities Pharmacies (prezervativi). Tap water crime rate Slavonia Krajina unexploded landmines, Women hate crime minority Disabled homosexuality
By Plane And Train. Croatia Airlines flies to and from many cities, including Frankfurt, London, Paris, Zagreb, Dubrovnik, and Split. Budget airlines like Ryanair fly to Zadar and Pula. Trains (www.hznet.hr) are slow everywhere and nonexistent south of Split. Trains run to Zagreb from Budapest, HUN; Ljubljana, SLV; Venice, ITA; and Vienna, AUT; and continue on to other Croatian destinations. Odlazak means departures, 0dolazak means arrivals.
By Bus. Buses run faster and farther than trains at comparable or slightly higher prices and are the easiest way to get to many destinations, especially south of Split. Major companies include Croatiabus (www.croatiabus.hr), Autotrans Croatia (www.autotrans.hr), and Austobusni Promet Varaždin (www.ap.hr). The website of the main bus terminal in Zagreb (Austobusni Kolodvor Zagreb; www.akz.hr) provides info on timetables, although not in English.
By Boat. The Jadrolinija ferry company (www.jadrolinija.hr) sails the Rijeka-Split-Dubrovnik route, stopping at islands on the way. Ferries also go to Ancona, ITA from Split and Zadar and to Bari, ITA from Split and Dubrovnik. Though slower than buses and trains, ferries are more comfortable. A basic ticket grants only a place on the deck. Buy tickets in advance.
By Bike And By Thumb. Moped and bike rentals are an option in resort or urban areas. Hitchhiking is not recommended by Let’s Go.
Email And Internet. Most towns, no matter how small, have at least one Internet cafe. Connections on the islands are slower and less reliable than those on the mainland. Internet usage typically costs 20kn per hour.
Telephone. Post offices usually have public phones; pay after you talk. All phones on the street require a country-specific phone card (telekarta), sold at newsstands and post offices for 15-100kn. A Global Card allows calls for as cheap as 0.99kn per minute and provides the best international rates. For the international operator, dial ☎901. Croatia has two mobile phone networks, T-Mobile and VIP. If you bring or buy a phone compatible with the GSM 900/1800 network, SIM cards are widely available. Pressing the “L” button will cause the phone instructions to switch into English.
Mail. The Croatian Postal Service is reliable. Mail from the US arrives within a week. Post office workers are generally helpful to foreigners. A postcard or letter to the US typically costs 3.50kn. Avionski and zrakoplovom both mean “airmail.” Mail addressed to Poste Restante will be held for up to 30 days at the receiving post office. Address envelopes: First name LAST NAME, POSTE RESTANTE, Pt. Republike 28, post office address, Postal Code, city, CROATIA.
Language. Croats speak Croatian, a South Slavic language written in Latin script. The language has fairly recently become differentiated from Serbo-Croatian. Only a few expressions differ from Serbian, but be careful not to use the Serbian phrases in Croatia—you’ll make few friends. German and Italian are common second languages among the adult population. Most Croatians under 30 will speak and understand some English.
Accommodations And Camping
For info on Croatia’s youth hostels (in Krk, Pula, Punat, Veli Losinj, Zadar, and Zagreb), contact the Croatian Youth Hostel Association, Savska 5/1, 10000 Zagreb (☎1 482 9294; www.hfhs.hr/home.php?lang=en). Hotels in Croatia can be expensive. If you opt for a hotel, call a few days ahead, especially in the summer along the coast. Those looking to stay in either hostels or hotels in the July-August tourist season should book early, as rooms fill up quickly. Apart from hostels, private rooms are the major budget option for accommodations. Look for signs, especially near transportation stations. English is rarely spoken by room owners. All accommodations are subject to a tourist tax of 5-10kn (one reason the police require foreigners to register). Croatia is also one of the top camping destinations in Europe—33% of travelers stay in campgrounds. Facilities are usually comfortable, and prices are among the cheapest along the Mediterranean. Camping outside of designated areas is illegal. For more info, contact the Croatian Camping Union, 8. Marta 1, P.O. Box 143, HR-52440 Poreč (☎52 45 13 24; www.camping.hr).
Croatian cuisine is defined by the country’s varied geography. In continental Croatia in and to the east of Zagreb, heavy meals featuring meat and creamy sauces dominate. Purica s mlincima (turkey with pasta) is the regional dish near Zagreb. Also popular are burek, a layered pie made with meat or cheese, and the spicy Slavonian kulen, considered one of the world’s best sausages. Paticada (slow-cooked meat) is also excellent. On the coast, textures and flavors change with the presence of seafood and Italian influence. Don’t miss out on lignje (squid) or Dalmatinski prut (Dalmatian smoked ham). The oysters from Ston Bay have received a number of awards at international competitions. If your budget does not allow for such treats, slane sardele (salted sardines) are a tasty substitute. Vegetarian and kosher eating options can be diffcult to find in Croatia, albeit not impossible. In both cases, pizza and bakeries are safe and ubiquitous options. Mix red wine with tap water to make the popular bevanda, and white wine with carbonated water to get gemišt . Karlovačko and Ožujsko are the two most popular beers.
 |
 |
 |
 |
For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube
Foursquare
Newsletter
RSS Feed
Overview