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Croatia is located in the heart of Europe on the beautiful Adriatic coast bordering Italy, Slovenia and Hungary.
Croatia is a country of more than 1,185 islands, islets and reefs, most uninhabited and preserved, perfect for eco-tourism. In 1999, Croatia won three international awards for the cleanest waters in the Mediterranean. Major cruise lines include Croatia in their itineraries. Among them are Costa, Cunard, Crystal, Hapagg Lloyd, Peter Deilmann, Princess, Radisson, Seabourn, Silversea, Swan Hellenic and Windstar.
Some of the best-known resort towns along the Dalmatian coast are Dubrovnik, Split, Porec and Trogir, all of them listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Northern Adriatic resort of Opatija, known for its long tradition in hospitality, was a popular destination among European nobility. The Millennium, a 5-star hotel, was recently opened there. Almost 10 percent of the country is protected as part of a national park or preserve. The best known National Park in Croatia, Plitvice Lakes, is listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Beyond its natural beauty, Croatia has been a center of culture for thousands of years. Zagreb is the capital and a center of arts and culture with its numerous museums and galleries hosting world-renowned exhibits and festivals. The "Successful Meetings Magazine" listed Zagreb as one of the Top 10 international destinations for conventions and meetings, and Conde Nast Traveler also listed Zagreb as one of Europe's 10 "reborn cities". Besides its history and culture, Zagreb offers meeting and convention venues and accommodations in world-class hotels like the Sheraton, Opera, Esplanade, the Arcotel Allegra (set to open in June 2003) and others.
Getting to Croatia is simple, whether you travel by air, train, ship or car. All major US and European carriers connect with Croatia Airlines through European gateways. The Croatian ferry system connects the Adriatic islands to the mainland as well as to Italy. English is widely spoken. Numerous first-class and deluxe hotels as well as quaint bed and breakfast type accommodations are available. Some of the best places to stay are the new chic and exclusive "boutique" hotels opening up throughout Croatia. Various programs to Croatia include escorted tours, religious pilgrimages, eco-tourism packages, city and hotel packages, special-interest tours and adventure programs (hiking, biking, canoeing, ballooning, fishing, swimming).
Croatia is an ideal destination for lovers of sea and sunshine who want to avoid the crowds.
"Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik and see Dubrovnik"
- Bernard Shaw -
Diaries at the ready ...
July - Croatia: movies in Motovun
Relax in cobbled squares and watch the films projected on to the walls of this sumptuous 15th-century Croatian hill town (think Cinema Paradiso). Now in its ninth year, the festival (motovunfilmfestival.com) is a cross between Glastonbury and Sundance, attracting 50,000 visitors each year. After a few days watching films, you can hit the Istrian beaches 12 miles away. Ryanair flies Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday to Pula from Stansted. Festivalgoers can camp under the stars, for free, at the Motovun Eco-Camp...
Guardian Unlimited, Saturday January 6 2007 Compiled by Tim Bryan
Never heard of Istria? Well, you will! If you're traveling from Italy, be sure to stop in this bordering Croatian gem
Driving south from Trieste, Italy, the first corner of Croatia you encounter is the triangular peninsula called Istria. On my last trip, I never made it any farther. Now being touted as the “new Tuscany,” Istria has in fact long been noted for its beautiful Adriatic coast, lush forests, olive groves, vineyards and offshore islands. By Charles Leocha, Travel columnist, Aug. 3, 2006
Instant weekend: Zagreb
The crowds haven’t invaded Croatia’s quirky capital yet — but it can only be a matter of time, says Richard Green
Why should I go? Because it’s a terrific little capital, with quirky sights, good food and a great outoorsy vibe. It feels like Budapest or Cracow did after they’d been spruced up, but before they were overrun by western brands and mass tourism. The crowds will surely come soon — direct flights have made it temptingly accessible — but go this year and you’ll have it to yourself"... The Sunday Times July 23, 2006
..."So if you missed the golden age of the French Riviera, you've got a second chance. The Croatian Riviera has arrived, complete with four-figure hotel rooms and the stars who stay in them. Instead of quaint fishing boats, Dubrovnik's marina now fills ups with yachts of the my-helicopter-is-bigger-than-yours variety"... by Evan Rail published: July 9, 2006, New York Times
The well-known American magazine National Geographic Adventure conducted a survey among its journalists and editors and proclaimed Croatia top destination in the world for 2006. On the list of destinations that "must be visited in the next year", the editors and journalists of the magazine voted Croatia and Kornati Archipelago in first place, in front of Patagonia in Argentina and the Gobi Desert in Mongolia.
After the war, tourism in Croatia started to develop intensively, said National Geographic Adventure. Centuries old cities such as Hvar, Korcula and Dubrovnik are packed with young and rich people, earning Croatia the right to be called the new Riviera. The famous American actor Tom Cruise visited Dubrovnik last year on his yacht. The Croatians are already used to celebrities visiting Croatia, such as the British Prince William and the American actor of Croatian origin John Malkovich. Nevertherless, Croatia offers much more than just sun and sea. "With Croatia back on the tourism map, a whole new range of travel options has sprung up, from cultural and culinary tours among the walled cities of the coast to climbing adventures on limestone sea cliffs, to specialized, clothing-free "naturist" excursions", emphasized Adventure. National Geographic Adventure: Croatia - Destination of the Year 2006
Croatia is awash with minute, barely populated islands but Lopud, one of the Elafiti islands, with its handful of bars, shops and restaurants and a couple of hotels, is one of the most charming. There are no cars on the island, hand-pulled wooden carts being the preferred form of transportation. Unusually for Croatia, Lopud has sandy beaches, the largest of which is Sunj,reached by boat or forest path. From The Observer, 19th February 2006
Take a dash of Dubrovnik, a bit of Bled, a smidgeon of Split and an ounce of Opatija, and you have the pearl of the Adriatic -- Croatia. We've rounded up the latest deals to Europe's current "It" spot.
Croatia is hottest place in 2005: Lonely Planet, the travel book publisher, has picked Croatia as the hottest destination for 2005. Each year Lonely Planet employees around the world are asked to vote for the hot, as in ‘have to go there!,’ travel destinations. Croatia soared to the top of this year’s poll after a fourth-place finish last year. The Lonely Planet says the country’s appeal is its unique combination of culture, history, cuisine, accessibility and affordability. As one staffer wrote, “This is Croatia’s year. It appeals to a wide range of travelers with its rich diversity of attractions. It has not yet been over-touristed, but it has developed an excellent tourism infrastructure – so that it suits both adventurous travelers and those who need a degree of comfort in their planning.”
Lonely Planet declares Croatia as destination No. 1 in world.
Slavic Croatian tribes settled in the area in the early 7th century (arriving from present day Poland), accepting Christianity in around 800 A.D., and soon establishing their own state ruled by princes or dukes. In 925, Croatia became a kingdom under the rule of King Tomislav. In 1102 the country formed a union with Hungary which lasted until 1918. After the end of the First World War, Croatia joined Serbia, and Yugoslavia (the land of South Slavs) was formed, until its demise in 1991. The first Yugoslavia (1918-1941) was ruled by the Serbian royal family, Karadjordjevic, which naturally favoured the Serbs and caused enormous resentment in Croatia. The country was invaded by Nazi Germany in April 1941, which gave Croatia independence under the fascist dictator Ante Pavelic. This regime was known for its harsh rule and for committing numerous atrocities, and therefore many Croats (over 200,000) actively joined the resistance movement under Tito which liberated the country in May 1945. (Winston Churchill was so impressed with the Croatian resistance that in 1944 he sent his son Randolph and the writer Evelyn Waugh to Croatia as his personal emissaries.) Croatia became one of the Yugoslav republics ruled by the communist government until 1991 when Croatia declared its independence, prompting Serbian invasion. Almost all Croats rose to defend their country under the leadership of its first president, the late Franjo Tudjman (who died in December 1999), and after five years the country was liberated.
Croatia Today
The country is now a parliamentary democracy. The last general elections were held in November 2003, in which the ruling socialist SPD (and its coalition partners) lost, forcing Prime Minister Ivica Racan to resign. HDZ (the Croatian Democratic Union), under the leadership of Ivo Sanader, polled most of the votes of the electorate although they did not get an overall majority. They joined in coalition with some smaller parties and formed a government.
The initial reaction in Croatia to the new government's first moves was positive: many like Sanader's assertive action in getting Croatia into NATO and the EU as soon as possible. Croatia will start negotiations to join the EU on March 17th 2005, and most experts predict that it will join in 2008.
In January 2005, presidential elections were held. The incumbent, President Stipe Mesic, was re-elected to another five year term. Presidential powers in Croatia are limited, but he is still influential in making domestic and foreign policy issues.
Geographical position:
Croatia extends from the foothills of the Julian Alps in the north-west and the Pannonian Plain in the east, over the Dinara mountain range in its central region, to the Adriatic coast in the south.
Area of Croatia is 56,542 km2, with an additional 31,067 km2 of territorial waters.
Population in Croatia is 4.5 million.
Capital of Croatia is Zagreb (780 thousand inhabitants) - the administrative, cultural, academic and communication centre of the country).
Croatian coast has length of 5,835 km - including 4,058 km of island, islet and reef coastline. There is 1,185 islands in Croatia. The largest islands are Krk and Cres. There are 67 inhabited islands.
Climate in Croatia: Northern Croatia has a continental climate; Central Croatia has a semi-highland and highland climate, while the Croatian coast has a Mediterranean climate. Winter temperatures range from -1 to 30°C in the continental region, -5 to 0°C in the mountain region and 5 to 10°C in the coastal region. Summer temperatures range from 22 to 26°C in the continental region, 15 to 20°C in the mountain region and 26 to 30°C in the coastal region.
Population of Croatia - The majority of the population are Croats. National minorities include Serbs, Moslems, Slovenes, Italians, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, and others.
Official language in Croatia is Croatian language and Latin alphabet.
Religions in Croatia - The majority of the population are Roman Catholics, and in addition there are a number of those of Orthodox faith, as well as Muslims,and Christians of other denominations.
Currency in Croatia is Kuna (1 Kuna = 100 Lipa). There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Lipa coins, 1, 2, 5 and 25 Kuna coins and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 Kuna banknotes.
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices, post offices and at most tourist agencies, hotels and camping grounds. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the larger cities some banks are also open on Sundays.
Electricity in Croatia : Voltage of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
Water: Tap water is drinkable throughout Croatia.
The telephone code for Croatia is +385.
Time zone: GMT plus one hour in winter and GMT plus two in summer.
Travel documentation : Passport or some other internationally recognized identification document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to three months.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.mvp.hr/mvprh-www-eng/index.html
Customs regulations of the Republic of Croatia are in line with the standards of European Union countries. Foreign currency is freely brought in and taken out of the country (up to a value of 3.000 euros); up to a value of 15.000 kn for domestic currency. More expensive professional and technical equipment should be registered at the border. Dogs and cats, accompanied by their owner, need to have an International certificate from a registered veterinarian stating that at least 15 days and not more than six months have passed since their vaccination against rabies. Tax refund for goods purchased in Croatia over 500 kuna in value with a validated "Tax check" at departure from the country. Information: Republic of Croatia Customs Administration (tel 01 6102 333);
Web page for Croatia Custom office : www.carina.hr
Medical service:
There are hospitals and clinics in all larger cities and first aid clinics and pharmacies in all places. Foreign tourists do not pay for medical services if the Health Care Convention was signed between Croatia and the country they come from. Expenses of health services provided to persons coming from the countries with which the Health Care Convention was not signed are charged directly to users according to the price list. For patients whose lives are in danger, there is emergency transport by air(helicopter) or sea (speedboat).
There is a network of veterinary clinics and centre in Croatia.
Information: www.veterinarstvo.hr, e-mail: veterinarstvo@zg.tel.hr
Working hours:
Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or to 3 p.m. A smaller number of stores close between noon and 4 p.m. Many stores are also open on Sundays, especially in the summer, and a smaller number in the larger cities are open 24 hours a day. Public services and companies usually work from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Post and Telecommunications:
Post Offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays until 1 p.m. There are Post Offices in the larger cities which are open until 10 p.m. in the summer. Postage stamps are sold in Post Offices and at newsstands.
Public telephones can be used only with phone cards, which can be purchased in Post Offices and at newsstands, in hotels and tourist complexes.
Fire prevention:
Ensure that you have done everything to prevent a fire!
Do not throw lit or flammable objects into the environment!
If you see a fire, please inform others in your proximity; report it immediately on the telephone number - 93; try to extinguish the fire till the fire-fighters arrive and in such a manner so as not to endanger yourself or others!
Take notice of signs forbidding the lighting of fires!
Take care that your parked vehicle does not obstruct accesses to the fire or roads!
Important telephone numbers:
International dialing prefix for Croatia: 385
Ambulance 94
Fire-service 93
Police 92
Assistance on the roads 987; 987@hak.hr
(If you are calling from outside of Croatia or using a mobile phone dial +3851 987)
General information 981
Information about local and district telephone numbers 988
Information about International telephone numbers 902
Weather forecast and road conditions 060 520 520
Croatia's auto club (HAK) 01 4640 800; www.hak.hr
Radio news in foreign languages during the tourist season:
On Program 2 of Croatian radio, along with the regular news in Croatian, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) will give traffic reports in English, German and Italian along with nautical news a number of times throughout the day.
Other than on Program 2 of Croatian radio, alternating news and traffic reports will be emitted every full hour from the following studios: Program 3 of Bavarian radio, Program 3 of Austrian radio, RAI Uno, British Virgin radio and Chezch radio. Throughout the day nautical news will be emitted in English and Croatian.
Entering Croatia
Most visitors to Croatia are usually from the neighbouring countries of Austria, Slovenia, Italy, Germany and so on, so they usually travel by car. From northern Europe, the easiest way to get to Croatia would be to drive to Munich and then enter Austria, down to Graz, cross into Slovenia, and then head for Croatia which is signposted as soon as you leave Maribor.
BY CAR
Documents
When arriving in Croatia by car it is requested that you carry a valid driver's license, car registration card and your Green Card (proof of car insurance)
Speed and alcohol limits
Speed limit in settlements is 50 km/h and 80 km/h in out of settlements (unless stated differently). On highways a speed limit is 130 km/h.
The maximum permitted level of alcohol in the blood is 0‰.
Bridge and tunnel tolls
You have to pay tolls also on these roads: Ostrovica-Kupjak, Ucka Tunnel and Krk Bridge.
MAP OF MOTORWAYS
Petrol stations
Petrol stations are open from 7 am to 7 pm or 8 pm every day and during the summer until 10 pm
there are also petrol stations that are opened round the clock in the larger towns and on main international routes. All petrol stations sell: Eurosuper 95, Super 98, Normal and Euro Diesel
Taxi service
This service is available in all cities and tourist places
Rent-a-Car
This service is available in all cities, tourist resorts and airports
Foreign visitors do not normally require visas to enter Croatia - to check if you require a visa, visit the Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' webpage. If you do need one, please contact the Croatian Embassy in your country for more information on how to obtain a visa.
BY PLANE
International airports
Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar and Osijek. Only smaller planes can land at the Brac and Losinj airports.
