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Croatia

Croatia is a small country that offers its visitors a diverse range of landscapes: from vast farmlands of Slavonia adorned with sunflowers to mild hills of Zagorje close to its capital Zagreb, via mountainous region hiding gorgeous rivers and lakes, to the Adriatic coast and its 1244 islands and islets.

Seven UNESCO World Heritage sites: Old City of Dubrovnik, Stari Grad Plain on Hvar Island, historical complex of Split with Dioecletian’s Palace, historic City of Trogir, Cathedral of St Jacob in Sibenik, Plitvice Lakes National Park and episcopal complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the historic centre of Poreč; eight national parks: Brijuni, Plitvice Lakes, Risnjak, Kornati, Sjeverni Velebit (Northern Velebit), Paklenica, Krka and Mljet; and eleven nature parks: Kopacki Rit, Papuk, Lonjsko Polje, Medvednica, Zumberak, Ucka, Velebit, Telascica, Vransko Jezero, Biokovo and Lastovsko Otocje provide a lot of exploring to do. Varied cultural calendar, rich architectural and religious heritage will feed your mind and soul.

There are more opportunities to get to know the country and the people first hand on wine routes and grape harvesting, olive and tangerine picking, rural agrotourist businesses. More active types will find the incredible range of activities, from rafting, kayaking, diving and other watersports to hiking, biking and many more.

Discover the more relaxed life of the cities on the coast, such as Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, Sibenik or the hustle and bustle of the country’s capital, Zagreb.

National holidays

January 1  New Year’s Day
January 6 Epiphany
---  Easter
---  Easter Monday
May 1 International Workers' Day
---  Corpus Christi
June 22 Anti Fascist Resistance Day
June 25 Statehood Day
August 5 Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day
August 15 Feast of the Assumption
October 8 Independence Day
November 1 All Saints' Day
December 25 Christmas
December 26 Saint Stephen's Day

Basic facts

Electricity

The plug of choice is 220 Volts, AC, 50 Hz, two-pin socket supply.

Money

The Croatian currency is the kuna, established in 1993. One kuna is worth 100 lipa. Kuna banknotes come in 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20 and 10 denominations. Coins are delivered in 5, 2 and 1 kuna amounts and 50, 20, 10 and 5 lipa amounts.

Credit cards

MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, Diner’s Club and American Express cards can be utilized, too.

Religion

The country is almost entirely populated by Roman Catholics.

Safety

Croatian crime statistics ranks below most of Europe but the best advice may be to employ your common sense.

Smoking

Croatia is very much cafe culture which means that people socialize outdoors at eating and drinking properties, where smoking is allowed. Smoking is forbidden in enclosed restaurant spaces.

Visas

Croatia became a member of the European Union on July 1, 2013 and the Croatian visa policy became fully compliant with the European Union’s.

Croatia Highlights

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik, a city surrounded by walls built in the period from the 13th to the 17th century, is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean. With foundations in the maritime trade, in the Middle Ages it became the only city-state in the Adriatic, thus competing with Venice. Thanks to the extraordinary wealth and diplomacy, the city achieved a remarkable level of development during the 15th and 16th century. It was one of the centres of the of the development of the Croatian language and literature, home to many famous poets, playwrights, physicists, mathematicians, painters and other scholars. Today is the pride of Croatian tourism, an elite destination and the most beautiful city of the Mediterranean.

Split

The foundations of the city of Split lie in the palace that was built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian at the turn of the fourth century AD. The palace, with the entire historical centre of Split, is on the list of World Heritage by UNESCO since 1979. Throughout the whole structure there are visible historical layers of ancient Rome through the Middle Ages to today. Today, the city is crawling with numerous cultural events such as film and theatre festivals, exhibitions, world-class museums and concerts. The symbol of Split is Marjan, a hill which, with its forests, trails for running, hiking and cycling, but also archaic churches, is a source of peace and relaxation.

Trogir

Ancient Greek and Roman cultures and later the Venetians formed Trogir’s rich cultural heritage. It is the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complex not only in the Adriatic, but in all of Central Europe. The town is situated in the centre of Dalmatia on the Adriatic coast. It is characterized by the sculptural artistry on the stone, and almost every house has a coat of arms, inscription, or some other style mark. Surrounded by parks on one side and the sea on the other, it preserves many historical artefacts and monuments.

National Park Plitvice Lakes

National Park Plitvice Lakes is a woody mountainous region with a string of 16 smaller and larger lakes of a crystal blue and green colour. They are supplied by water from numerous small rivers and streams and are interconnected with foamy cascades and forest falls. In the oldest Croatian national park are registered 1,267 plant species, 321 species of butterflies, 157 species of birds... The park also includes the highest waterfall in Croatia, Veliki slap that is 78 meters high. Aside from the height, it differs from other falls in its occurrence. It forms out of collapsing of the Plitvica stream down a steep cliff, while others are formed out of a lake.

National Park Krka

National Park Krka is named after Krka River that runs through the park. The national park is located in Central Dalmatia, only a few kilometers northeast of the Sibenik. It covers mostly unchanged area and multiple natural ecosystems. One of the liveliest parts of the park is Roski fall which dives in Lake Visovac from a height of 22.5 meters. There is also a mill complex, a valuable ethnographic heritage. Catering facilities are located alongside the waterfall, and offer visitors a real taste and aroma of this region.

Medvednica Nature Park

Medvednica Nature Park with the Veternica Cave and the forest reserve covers the mountainous region around Zagreb. The highest peak of Medvednica is Sljeme, with height of 1033 meters. It is known for its ski slopes on which the race Snow Queen is held. With unspoiled nature, there are two towers, Medvedgrad and Susedgrad, built in the 13th century. Also, Castle Oršić near Gornja Stubica was built in 1756. on the foundations of a fortress built in the 13th century. Today, the castle is renovated and converted into a Museum of Peasants’ Revolt.

Velebit Nature Park

Velebit Nature Park is the largest protected area in Croatia that includes most of the Velebit mountain range, and is also on the UNESCO’s list of international biosphere reserves. It is the most significant endemic centre of flora and mainland fauna in Croatia. Inside of the park are situated two national parks, the National Park and Northern Velebit National Park. ''Kuda's Bridge'', the oldest preserved crossing over the river, overlooks the magnificent waterfalls and travertine cascades of Krupa. With numerous remains of cultural monuments, the complex includes three caves with a total of 4 km of explored canals.

Lighthouses stay

Lighthouses situated along the Adriatic coast from Istria to Dubrovnik, in an oasis of romance, peace and tranquillity, guarantee a unique and uninterrupted summer holiday. They were built in the early 19th century and quickly became the largest and most important facilities of maritime signalling. With lighting devices, lighthouses also include a living space for lighthouse keepers and their families. Our lighthouse keeper will present the joy of life in a lighthouse and tell you their history, human destiny and legends.

Slavonija

Eastern Croatia – Slavonia is an ideal destination for tourists who want to spend their holidays in peace and quiet, away from everyday stress and traffic jams. It is surrounded by three rivers: Sava, Drava and Danube, and they form a space crowned by forests, meadows and hills. Slavonia is famous by sunflower fields, festivals, Dunav river cruises, special ham sausage Kulen and wines - The Ilok Winery (Ilok is a Croatian town on the Danube river) can boast that in 1954 Great Britain ordered 11,000 bottles of wine for the official ceremony of coronation of the British Queen Elisabeth II.

National park Mljet

Deep bay created by higher sea level in post-glacial period that used to be a karst gorge that filled with sea through the system of karst cracks as well as through the narrow passage connecting it to the open sea through Soline Channel. The two lakes are connected by a channel 30 m long and 0.5 m deep. The richness of underwater life contains some rare and endemic species as well. One of the specific life forms of the lakes are numerous species of shellfish, like scallops, pen shells, date shells and many others, that find this environment favourable for their growth.

Korčula

Korčula is the city on an island bearing the same name and is known as the birthplace of the famous explorer – Marco Polo. Encompassed by the city walls it has the red roofs that resemble the ones in Dubrovnik. Meet the centuries’ long work of stonemasons whose straightforward urban planning has turned architectural designs into real works of art. The island has been inhabited since prehistoric times, and traces of ancient life were discovered in many places. The oldest among them are the stone knives from the Neolithic period on the islet Badija near the town of Korcula. However, the best explored Neolithic site is Vela Cave in Vela Luka.

Zlatni Rat

The southern coast of Brač Island hides an unusual and beautiful beach called Zlatni Rat, one of the most recognizable symbols of the Adriatic. Surrounded by clear azure sea, the pebbly horn protrudes for a kilometre into the sea. The beach is unique since, depending on the direction of the wind, it changes its shape and position. The same winds make the beach a very popular destination for windsurfing.

Ston City Walls

After the Dubrovnik Republic had acquired the territory of Pelješac Peninsula in 1333, they started building the defensive system whose original length amounted to 7000 metres and was in use till the beginning of the 19th century. The medieval city of Ston itself followed a carefully designed plan respecting the orthogonally aligned raster under the decision of the government of the Republic, which has made it one of the ideally planned cities in Europe.

Pula

Pula’s thousand years old rich past can be seen at every turn of a corner in the old town. The most well-known and most significant monument dates back to the 1st century B.C., once used for gladiator fights, the Roman Amphitheatre Arena stands side by side with the Roman Colosseum. Roman architecture dominates the city’s centre with the Arch of the Sergii, the Gate of Hercules, the Twin Gates, the Temple of Augustus and favourite gathering place, dating back to the time of Emperor Augustus and now the main town square – the Forum, can be seen.

Motovun

Situated above the river Mirna valley, developed out of an ancient city on a 277 metre hill, the medieval town Motovun is one of Istria’s hinterland symbols. A gothic belfry, 27 m high and built in the 13th century as a watchtower, dominates the entire landscape. Fortified with high city walls, Motovun preserves its rich historical and cultural heritage. The Motovun forest, extending along the river Mirna valley, is a popular habitat of prized white truffle, an underground fungus known for its aphrodisiac properties. Motovun is also considered a source of positive energy as three ley lines crisscross for the purpose of distributing positive energy through the ground.

Opatija

Opatija developed at the foothill of the Učka mountain near the Benedictine Monastery of St. Jacob in 1453, while her charm was discovered by the Rijeka patrician, Iginio Scarpa in 1844 where he built his summerhouse, today’s Villa Angiolina. The first hotel on the Adriatic opened in Opatija in 1884 and named the Hotel Quarnero – present day Hotel Kvarner. Opatija was fondly visited by kings, tsars, emperors, literati, writers, musicians – of whom should be mentioned Emperor Franz Joseph I, Sisi (Empress Elisabeth); writers - Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, James Joyce and musicians – Gustav Mahler and Giacomo Puccini. Even today, Opatija is recognised for its amazing architecture, luxurious villas and summerhouses, carefully tended parks and waterfront promenade “Lungomare” of 12 kilometres.

Krk

The town of Krk is one of the oldest urban settlements in Croatia. Its founders were the Illyrians from the Liburnian tribe Curicta. The town rates third in Croatia for its fortification walls after Ston and Dubrovnik. The wall dates back to Illyrian (Pre-Rome) era. In ancient times, the Kvarner islands were called Apsyrtidian or Electridian (Amber Islands) via which amber trading was conducted from the Baltics to the Mediterranean region. Entering the town is accomplished through four doors while, dominating the town, is the Krk Cathedral on an uplift overlooking the entire bay. The three churches built on the remains of Roman thermae in the 5th century, Franciscan and Benedictine monasteries with churches from the 12th and 13th centuries, is a treat for history lovers.

Zagreb

Visit this old Mid European city with 900 years of history. Feel its charming past and contemporary hustling present. The rich calendar of various events and the city's landmarks have placed Zagreb on the list of the popular European metropolises. Today, thanks to its history, Zagreb is full of monuments and captivating architecture. Upper Town (Gradec) is the historical centre of Zagreb with a main square of Saint Mark that was once a place of trade, and today is the political headquarters. Aside from the square, Upper Town has a number of museums and galleries. Capitol, another historical part of Zagreb, was formed around the Cathedral, which is considered to be the tallest structure in Croatia.

Zadar

Centuries’ old cultural heritage of Zadar makes it a must-visit place to meet Croatian tradition and its influences. In more recent times, Zadar has become a hip destination for the young and their innovative artistic installations and music festivals. This popular Croatian tourist destination London Times proclaimed to be the ''entertainment centre on the Adriatic'', and Guardian ''the new Croatian capital of cool''.