Before You Go – Tips on travelling in Croatia

Before You Go – Tips on travelling in Croatia

Croatia truly is “Europe’s best kept secret”; defined by blue seas, gorgeous pebble beaches, rolling green hills, golden Renaissance cities and a delightful nature – still with better value and somewhat fewer crowds than most other European hot spots. With more then 1,700km of natural Adriatic coastline, hundreds of little islands and one of the sunniest climates in Europe, Croatia is a stunning place with a fascinating culture and friendly locals. Croatia has several spectacular National Parks, five National Reserves and mesmerising historical architecture including centuries-old castles and about sixty 1,000 year old stone churches. It has vineyards and wineries, olive groves, rolling hills of lavender and flowers, beaches and mountain ranges and restaurants offering traditional Croatian cuisine as well as the world’s best seafood.

Croatians are friendly people and most will be willing to help you out if you have a question. Google Translate is readily available on your phone, so please do make an effort to translate your question into Croatian so that you can more readily be understood.

If you are going on a Cruise on one of our Small Ship Croatia Island Hopping Cruises, please click here for more specific information: https://discovercroatia.com.au/croatia-cruise-faq/

See other Croatia Cruise Port Locations info page here: https://discovercroatia.com.au/croatia-cruise-port-info/

Please check the relevant information pages on entry to Croatia and Slovenia:

Entry to Croatia Requirements

Entry to Slovenia Requirements

Download the GeoSure app for up to date safety information https://geosure.ai/. ‘With a mobile phone or smart watch, you can gauge your personal level of safety at any moment, anywhere in the world.’

Phones / Travel SIM Cards
Travel SIM cards are a great idea so that if you have any questions from the moment you land at the airport, you have a way to call the emergency contact number/s on your Voucher without having to worry about large roaming costs. Alternatively, we’ve personally found that the Vodafone $5 a day roaming plan makes travelling really easy, especially if you’re intending on using mostly free wifi and just want something for emergencies. Regardless of which you choose, please arrange something before you leave home so that you’re not stranded at the airport looking for your transfer driver with no way to contact them.

We always add at least one mobile/cell number to your Voucher so that even if you can’t phone, you can always text someone to ask them to phone you or at least let them know where you are. Please add these numbers into your phone before you leave, in case you lose your printed out Voucher (if you print them to take with you) or don’t have wifi to access the digital copy.

We have WhatsApp as well for emergencies, which you can use to call us or message us for free using the internet. Please install this before you leave and send us a test message if you like.

Our WhatsApp number is the same as our office number: +612-9212-1507. You will see our Discover Croatia logo when you add us. Here’s our shortlink to do so: https://wa.me/61292121507

Visas
Citizens of Australia, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the UK, the USA and most continental European countries can enter Croatia for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. However visitors must hold a return/onward ticket, all documents required for next destination and sufficient funds.

IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT VISAS FOR ALL COUNTRIES VISITED ON YOUR HOLIDAY. WE DO NOT ISSUE VISAS.

Please check here to see if you need a Visa:  https://mvep.gov.hr/services-for-citizens/consular-information-22802/stay-of-foreigners/granting-stay-in-croatia/22839 or here:  Project Visa – Europe

Visitors from other countries may require a visa that must be arranged well in advance, which might take several weeks for each country you intend to visit so as soon as you have Confirmed your holiday, please arrange your visas immediately. Please check the MVEP website for more information.

Visas are the passenger’s responsibility. We do not issue Visas and you must double-check yourself if you need to apply for one prior to arrival. Your passport must have 6 months validity or more from your date of departure from Croatia.

Frequently asked questions

We have loads more cruise specific FAQ answered on our other page, check them out here:

Before Your Cruise (small ship Croatia cruises)

Click here to see how the booking process works: https://discovercroatia.com.au/booking-process-how-to-book/

Phone: +61 2 9212 1507 (Call from your regular phone, or call or message for free via WhatsApp)

How far in advance do I need to book?

Cruises: For our weekly small ship cruises with guaranteed departures we suggest you book as soon as your plans are finalised. All cruises are extremely popular especially during peak season, which is June and September and these dates can be booked out up to a year in advance, especially September. One-way cruises are particularly sought-after and tend to sell out first, so please speak to us first to ensure your cruise choice is available before booking any flight arrangements.

Escorted Tours: Escorted Group Tours with guaranteed departures are also best booked as early as possible to ensure your place on the tour, as spaces are limited to a set number of passengers. Once the tour is full that departure is closed for new bookings.

What do the different ship categories mean?

Please see our Ship Descriptions page here, for all the information on Ship Categories, Deck and Cabin Descriptions

 

What is half-board? What meals are included?

Half-board (HB): This means that 2 meals a day are usually provided, mostly it will be breakfast and lunch on cruises, and breakfast and dinner on escorted tours. Each cruise or tour will have meals listed on the daily itinerary, so that you will know exactly which meals are included. Some lunches or dinners are swapped occasionally, so that you may enjoy a wonderful gourmet experience with your fellow travellers, such as a Captain’s Dinner on a cruise, or a wine-tasting and lunch on an escorted tour. For the remainder of your meals you will be able to dine anywhere you choose and you will be responsible for the cost of those meals. Your Cruise or Tour Director will be happy to recommend a good value and trusted eatery nearby at every location, or you can explore on your own.

Bed and Breakfast (BB): This means that only breakfast is included in your holiday. Most of our Independent Tours include breakfast only, so that you are not beholden to going back to your hotel for lunch or dinner as you are going to be exploring on your own. We think that flexibility with lunch and dinner gives you the best option for exploring Croatia and experiencing the local culture and cuisine.

Full-board (FB) is occasionally offered on cruises as an optional extra, but we do not recommend you take the full-board option unless you are really sure about it. A lot of the joy of the cruise and tour experiences is to dine in local restaurants, ‘konobas’ (traditional pubs) and bars, so that you can meet the people who live and work there. Why come all the way to Croatia only to eat on-board for every meal? There are so many fabulous (and even some famous!) eateries. Get out there and taste them!

How fit do I need to be for my holiday?

Relaxation/cultural cruises and tours: On-board your cruise ship, you will need to be able to negotiate gangways and stairs and be able to step from ship to ship as the cruise ships are moored next to each other sideways and sometimes you need to step across to the next ship. You will be walking mostly on the cobblestone streets through the iconic cities and towns of the region. The excursions are best-suited to those who are capable of walking on uneven surfaces as many old cities and towns have limited totally flat surfaces that can accommodate wheelchairs or walking-frames. Please contact us to ask about your specific circumstances, as we are happy to help plan for your needs as best we can. Assistance will be provided on cruise ships to help you navigate getting on and off, but there are a few limitations. Please ask.

Cycling cruises: Although almost completely flat this cycle cruise is graded easy to moderate as the daily distance ranges between approximately 15-50 km. You will be biking mostly on the dedicated cycle paths through the iconic cities and towns of the region. This tour is well-suited to those who have never taken a cycling holiday before as it is mostly flat and predominantly traffic-free. E-bikes make all the difference! Plus, you always have the option of skipping a day cycling and relaxing onboard.

What happens if I can’t attend an excursion?

It is possible to relax at your hotel, on the tour bus or on the boat at any time.

What happens if I can’t cycle or hike a stage on an active holiday?

For cycling cruises: If you don’t want to cycle it is possible to relax on the boat as it moves to the next port of call.

For cycling and hiking tours: If you don’t want to (or can’t due to illness or injury) cycle, hike or walk a stage, then we will make arrangements to have you transferred to the next stop on your itinerary so that you can continue with your holiday. Prices for transfers vary widely, so pricing will be provided on an ‘as needed’ basis only.

What equipment do I need?

Relaxation/excursion cruises and tours: You will need comfortable walking shoes, clothes for relaxing, your swimming costume, and a sunhat. Most cruises are fairly relaxed and casual clothing is fine for all meals, though you may want to take one nice outfit depending on where you wish to dine onshore.

Cycling cruises and tours: You will need comfortable sports shoes, comfortable clothes for cycling, waterproof jacket and trousers, a helmet and a sunhat. We supply a detailed packing list with your information pack.

Please don’t hesitate to ask us about any other questions you have.

Call us or WhatsApp: +61 2 9212 1507
Email us: [email protected]

 

Currency (Croatian Euros, Slovenian Euros, Bosnian Marks)
The Croatian currency is the EURO from 1 January 2023. We suggest you travel with Euros cash, or you can withdraw cash in the local currency from ATMs with your credit or debit card if you have a PIN.

Euros cash may be obtained on arrival at exchange offices, banks or from ATMs. Credit cards are widely accepted in restaurants and hotels, though some smaller stores may only take cash.

Major credit cards are accepted in some of the bigger outlets, but shops and restaurants generally require a minimum purchase amount when using them (so they are not appropriate for incidentals such as ice cream, snacks, etc.). You might consider bringing more than one card, as some outlets may not accept all types. Due to increasing credit card fraud worldwide, be prepared to show identification (i.e. your passport) when making a transaction with your credit card.

ATM cards: For the best available exchange rate, you will find ATM cards indispensable. We recommend you are very careful when using an ATM, as elsewhere. Avoid making withdrawals at night or in the dark areas, always protect your PIN from view, and always refuse any help offered without request from any strangers. Lost or blocked card should be reported to your bank via its 24-hour emergency number for immediate cancellation/replacement.

Credit cards have limited use on cruises and tour buses, although almost all shops will accept those. Euro bills and US Dollars, if used, should be in good condition (not stained or torn), and recently printed; as banks and exchange offices are very particular. Traveller’s cheques are not practical and we recommend other forms of currency in all your travels.

Slovenia uses the EURO like the rest of Europe, so cash Euros and credit cards are widely accepted. You can withdraw cash Euros from ATMs in Slovenia.

Bosnia uses the Bosnian Mark, you can exchange euros notes in the banks, or withdraw Marks from the ATMs or use your credit card to pay for purchases while in Bosnia.

Tipping Guidelines: Tips for Tour or Cruise leaders, drivers and crew can be given at the end of the tour or cruise. Appropriate amount per passenger (tipping is not compulsory):

Cruise Manager (cruise coordinator): EUR 4-6 per day Example: EUR 5 per day at the end of an 8-day tour amounts to EUR 40 per passenger for your Cruise Manager.

Cruise Ship crew: EUR 4-6 per passenger per day. Example: EUR 5 per day at the end of an 8-day cruise amounts to 40 EUR per passenger and is distributed to all the crew.

Tour Leader (tour coordinator; may or may not act as a guide): EUR 4-6  daily; for example: EUR 5 daily, at the end of a 8-day tour amounts to EUR 40  per passenger for your Tour Leader

Tour Bus driver (provides chauffeur services and limited assistance with luggage): EUR 2-4 per day

Local guide (offers in-depth information at specific locations; there may be many guides along a tour program): EUR 1-2 per person per half day of sightseeing

Restaurants & Cafes: Restaurants, if not included, tip 10%-15% of the bill, depending on the quality of service (Restaurants in Europe generally include a service charge, but it is customary to give a tip). Cafes you can generally just round up (eg 18 euros, round up to 20 euros), though it is acceptable to pay the exact amount if you wish.

Taxis: Tip up to 10% of the fare (We recommend you book taxis via your hotel reception and pre-negotiate taxi fares to avoid unpleasant surprises at the end of the journey)

Tips are also given to hairdressers, beauticians and other places of service

Read here for further info on tipping in Croatia

Currency Exchange

You can withdraw cash from ATMs all over Europe (Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Bosnia, Serbia etc). Please remember that cash in non-EU countries will be in the local currency, not in Euros. It is advisable to travel with some Euros in cash if you cannot arrange some local currency before you arrive, or you cannot reach an ATM on arrival. Please take your usual safety precautions when using ATMs. If necessary, the best place to exchange foreign currency cash is at a commercial bank or official foreign exchange office.

The approximate conversion between the Euro and the Australian dollar or numerous other currencies can be found at your local bank or www.xe.com. Usually your bank’s rate probably will be slightly less advantageous than the official interbank exchange rate advertised on xe.com.

 

Internet / Wi-Fi
Most cruises and hotels will have free Wi-Fi available. Wi-Fi is freely available in most businesses in Croatia and Slovenia and surrounding countries.

If you are travelling to remote areas, or you need something more reliable, you can pre-book Croatian mobile Wi-Fi and get free delivery to your hotel, apartment or cruise ship: https://roamfree.ninja/n/DisCroHols/. RoamFree Ninja is a pocket sized mobile Wi-Fi hotspot (router) that connects your devices to internet. You can carry it around and connect to internet anywhere in Croatia. No setup required. Get it delivered at any hotel, camp, AirBnB rental address, a post office or even some of Croatia’s airports. When you are done, use their prepaid envelope to drop it off at your hotel or a post office.

Here is a useful website for gaining access to SIM cards and internet in all countries.
https://prepaidwithdata.wikia.com/wiki/Pay_as_you_go_sim_with_data_Wiki

We have also used the Bon Bon local service. You can buy a SIM card from any of the stores listed.
https://www.bonbon.hr/ponuda/na-bonove/internet-sim-paketi

For your own personal safety, we recommend you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) on all your devices when you travel, especially if you are using free Wi-Fi. You can purchase any VPN service or even use a free one. Just search ‘buy VPN’ or ‘free VPN’.

Food & Drink

There are plenty of restaurants, konobas (Croatian pubs), cafes and bars in every town in Croatia. Your Tour or Cruise Director are happy to make recommendations, but you are also free to wander around and find somewhere by yourself. Many restaurants have their menus on stands outside, so you can look at a few and decide  before committing to anything. Many restaurants have outside dining areas.

Smoking is still permitted in most outside (and some inside, but mostly inside is smoke-free) dining areas in Croatia, so please be aware and ask your concierge to seat you somewhere smoke-free if this is a problem.

Croatian cuisine is known as “the cuisine of regions” so wherever you go ask for the local delicacies.

Fresh seafood is a particular specialty all along the Croatian coastline. Fish, squid, shrimp, mussels, oysters are all readily available.  Like in many European countries pizza, pasta and meat dishes are common in restaurants everywhere. Try cevapi for the Croatian variation of the humble sausage. Desserts are also something to try… check for the local version of ‘creme caramel’.

Croatian beers (pivo) are of a high quality. Try Zagreb’s Ožujsko, Laško or Karlovačko (our personal favourite, but harder to find than the others).

For the wine lovers, virtually every region produces its own exquisite varieties of wine. Croatian food and produce is what we would consider as organic food, being mainly home grown and farm fresh.

Tap water is also clean and drinkable, though some cruise ships will recommend you drink bottled water. Please check your cruise info for specific details for your ship, or check with the Cruise Director.

The average cost of a meal out is around $8-15, whilst beer is around $3-5. If you budget for the equivalent of Australian prices, then you should be well covered.

Timeout has a great list of Croatian restaurants to start you off: https://www.timeout.com/croatia/restaurants

Vegan / Vegetarian/ Gluten-free / Allergies etc: See below for more information on food in Croatia, with a list of restaurants and shops for those with food intolerances or who are vegan/vegetarian.

If you have food requirements such as gluten-free, vegan etc, please inform your Cruise or Tour Director the moment you join the cruise or tour and check that your information has been passed on correctly. You need to take some responsibility and ensure that it doesn’t get forgotten in these busy environments.

Food Intolerances in Croatia

Croatia Cruise and Tour menus

Croatia is quite modern with their knowledge of food requirements and quite willing to adjust their menus to suit everyone. Chefs on our Croatia cruises and in Croatian restaurants are happy to provide menu items adjusted to your specific needs if at all possible. There are many vegan and vegetarian restaurants around and health food shops with a wide variety of options. We’ve listed some of those below to get your started.

With all our cruises and tours we ask you to fill in our Passenger Info Form well before your arrival. Please let us know any specific food requirements and we will let the cruise and tour companies know so that they can cater for any necessary meal changes for you. We really need to know at least 60 days in advance so that they can prepare for your holiday. Thank you.

Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut allergies, seafood allergies, vegetarian, vegan and almost anything else can be catered for. Please remember that once out to sea a cruise ship only has to hand what is already on board, so forward notice and planning is essential. Thank you. The more specific information you give us about what you can eat, the better.

For vegans, we suggest that you take some kind of protein powder with you as this can be the hardest part of a vegan diet to source whilst on your holiday and the part that most vegans seem to be fairly particular about.  If you are starting a cruise in Split or Dubrovnik please make time to visit a supermarket, fresh market or health food store to stock up on your favourite vegan snacks for while you are on your cruise. As almost all cruises are half-board only, then there is one meal a day where you can select anywhere to eat and help fulfil your dietary requirements. Please read the websites/blogs below and plan your on-shore meals accordingly.

Shops

• Bio & Bio are a chain of shops that cater for gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian and natural products (including food, nut and rice milks, toiletries such as sunscreen, shampoo etc). You can use Google maps to find the nearest store (search ‘bio & bio croatia’), they have a couple of stores in most major cities and towns in Croatia.
• You can search ‘health food store’ or ‘supermarket’ on google maps in Split and Dubrovnik if you need to pick up any items yourself before or after your cruise.
• Split Health food stores: https://google.com/maps/search/health+food+store/split
• Dubrovnik Health food stores: https://google.com/maps/search/health+food+store/dubrovnik

Websites and Apps

Some of our clients have asked for suggestions on how to find more specific requirements for their way of eating. Here are some suggestions and a few websites that might be helpful to you.

• • • • Vegan Travel has some great blog posts where you can read about Croatian vegan options
      • The Croatian Society for Coeliac Disease has a useful page for tourists, including (brief) information on restaurants for gluten-free meals and where to buy products, and some lists and letters to print out to take with you to restaurants
      • Delivery options for eating healthy in Split https://wolt.com/en/hrv/split/category/healthy

Vegan and Vegetarian Restaurants in Croatia

• Silk Street Food in Korcula Town has some fresh food options
• Up Cafe is a organic cafe in Split serving up light meals and desserts
• Art of Raw Food is a vegan restaurant in Zagreb
• Vegehop is a vegetarian restaurant in Zagreb
• Prijatelji Zivotina (Animal Friends) has a very useful list of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Croatia

Special Dietary Requirements in Croatia – Useful Phrases

• vegetarian (as in food, not person!) – vegetarijanski (ve-geh-tarry-yan-skee – with a hard g sound)
• vegan – vegan (veh-gan)
• coeliac – celijakija (seh-lee-ya-kee-ya)
• gluten free – bez glutena (bez glue-ten-ya)
• gluten free – ne sadrži gluten (ne sad-zri glue-ten)
• Male: I am vegetarian… – Ja sam vegetarijanac (Ya sam ve-ge-tarry-ya-nats – with a hard g sound)
• Female: I am vegetarian – Ja sam vegetarijanka (Ya sam ve-ge-tarry-yan-kah – with a hard g sound)
• Male: I am vegan – Ja sam vegan (Ya sam veh-gan – with a hard g sound)
• Female: I am vegan – Ja sam veganka (Ya sam ve-gan-kah – with a hard g sound)
• Male: I am allergic to… – Ja sam alergican na… (Ya sam a-lerr-gee-chan – with a hard g sound)
• Female: I am allergic to… – Ja sam alergicna na… (Ya sam a-lerr-gich-na – with a hard g sound)
• I do not eat… – Ja ne jedem… (Ya ne yeah-dem)
• I do not drink… – Ja ne pijem… (Ya ne pee-yem)
• …eggs – jaja (ya-ya)
• …meat – meso (meh-so)
• …fish – ribu (ree-bu)
• …milk – mlijeko (mlee-yeah-koh)
• …dairy products – mlijecne proizvode (mlee-yech-ne pro-eez-vo-deh)
• …peanuts – kikiriki (kee-kee-ree-kee)

If you find any extra information that you think is useful, please do let us know so we can add it to our website for future customers. Thank you!

Culture
Croatia is indeed unique, not only for its crystal clear blue sea, but also for more than a thousand years of heritage. All around are elements of the country’s inheritance. Some cities maintain their medieval charm and the buildings still exude charisma of old European living.

Croatia is also a land of art. Twentieth century sculptor Ivan Mestrovic is the pride and joy of Croatia. His work can be seen in town squares throughout the country. He has also designed several imposing buildings, including the Croatian History Museum in Zagreb.

Croatian folk music is a hotchpotch of styles. The kolo, a lively Slavic round dance, is accompanied by Roma-style violinists and players of the tambura, a Croatian mandolin. While Dalmatia’s gentle guitar and accordion bands have a distinctly Italian flavour.

Smoking

Whilst most of Croatia (like the rest of Europe) still allows smoking in almost all outdoor areas (including restaurants), the cruise ships have allocated certain areas as ‘smoking areas’ and smoking is not permitted in cabins, the restaurant, the outdoor salon or usually on the sundeck. The smoking section is usually at the back of the ship on the Main Deck near the swimming platform. We do ask that clients refrain from smoking here whilst other guests are using the swimming platform out of courtesy.  Some ships have more than one smoking area, please check with the crew.

If you’re particularly sensitive, you can take a mask such as a VogMask or something similar to help. There are loads of brands out there.

When to Go
April to September are the best months to visit Croatia weather-wise. The high season, July and August, is the hottest part of the year. In April, May and October the hotel prices decrease a little and the crowds thin out. In April and October it may be too cool for camping, but the weather is usually fine along the coast. You can swim in the sea from mid-June to late September, or at other times if you don’t mind a little cold water.

Climate
Along the coast line the climate is Mediterranean, meaning warm dry summers and mild winters, with 2,600 hours of sunlight on average yearly making it one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe! In the centre of the country, the climate is continental with hot summers and cold, snowy winters.

Environment
Croatia’s main tourist attraction has always been its beaches. The country has an incredible 1778km of coastline; 5790km if you count the islands. The country’s islands are amongst the most beautiful in the world with over 1100 of them uninhabited.

Croatia has several excellent national parks. Brijuni, near Pula, is the most carefully cultivated, with well-preserved Mediterranean Holm oak forests. Mountainous Risnjak National Park is home to lynx, while the dense forest of Paklenica National Park harbours insects, reptiles and birds. At Plitvice Lakes National Park bears, wolves and deer live among the 16 terraced lakes.

Events
From 21 March to 4 April, Zagreb snaps its fingers and nods to the groovy tunes of Spring Time Jazz Fever. If you like rhythm, try Zagreb’s International Days of Jazz in mid-October. For something a little slower it’s worth checking out Zagreb’s Summer Festival, from early July to mid-August, where you can hear classical works by Croatian composers. Alternatively experience pop Dalmatian-style at the Split Summer Festival, which goes from mid-July to mid-August. Dubrovnik’s Summer Festival, held in July and August, showcases the country’s dramatic and classical music stars. In July and August, Omis puts on a festival of Acapella vocal music. The Ultra Music Festival is on in Split around the second week of July, so it’s a busy time in Split and Hvar around this time. Please plan carefully.

Facts for the Traveller
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +1 (Central European Time)
Official Language: Croatian/Hrvatski. English and German are also widely spoken
Population: 4.2 Million
Dialling Code: 385 (remember to add the + when dialling from a mobile… eg +385-xx-xxx-xxxx.)
Electricity: 220- 240V, 50Hz and uses the standard European 2 point round pin plugs.
Weights and Measures: Metric

Shopping Centres
Croatia tends to favour smaller local shops over giant shopping malls in the towns, though you can find some major shopping malls in the bigger cities.

Check out TripAdvisor and Wiki (search ‘shopping malls in Croatia’).

Getting Around
Car
This is the most common option that travellers take to get around Croatia. This gives you the freedom of seeing all the places you want to see and allows you to enjoy the magic of Croatia as you drive.
Croatia is rapidly improving its road infrastructure. There is a superb motorway from Zagreb to Split, with connections to Zadar and Sibenik. Another major road being built will connect Croatia to the Italian motorway system. If you need road assistance, the Croatian Auto Club Emergency Service will help you. Their telephone number is 987.

We always recommend you get your International Driving Permit for all foreign driving in case you have an accident. The NRMA allows you to get it online if you have 2 weeks to get it posted to you. You will need to give them your current licence details and upload or provide a passport photo for them to stick on the licence and pay a small fee. You will need to take your Australian licence and your International Permit with you on your travels if you are renting a vehicle.

TravelMath or Rome2Rio can help you to work out driving time or distance between cities.

Bus/Coach
The bus service is generally reliable and even the smallest villages have some sort of bus connection. There are express buses which cover longer distances and are very comfortable.

Train
This is another popular mode of transport in Croatia. There are several trains a day between the major towns and in comparison with Western Europe, tickets are inexpensive. From Zagreb and in the north down to Split there are trains, though from Split to Dubrovnik there are no longer any trains (you can use ferries or buses instead). Train is a great option between Ljubljana and Zagreb (Glavni Kolodvor station) or Ljubljana and Rijeka, it takes around 2.5hrs.

Ship (Ferry – International and Domestic)
If you can get where you’re going by ferry, then do it!Cruising among the islands of the Adriatic certainly is anamazing experience. In the tourist season, boats and ferries sail the Adriatic connecting all major ports. The most scenic sailings are the ferries that connect Rijeka and Dubrovnik stopping off at Rab, Split, Hvar and Korcula on the way. There are restaurants aboard many ships and you can either travel on deck, reserve a reclining seat or book your own private cabin.

Air
Croatia also now has regular flights from Rome, Venice, Athens, Vienna, Frankfurt, Paris, London and other European cities, to Zagreb, Split and Dubrovnik. There are also regular flights between Zagreb and Dubrovnik, Split, Pula, Rijeka (the airport is on the island of Krk) and Sarajevo in Bosnia. In the summer, there is also a service to the island of Brac.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance….. just get it! Yes, you need it! Everyone needs it! We don’t sell it, but we have some general info for you on that page.

Public Holidays
* 1 January – New Year’s Day
* 6 January – Epiphany
* variable date – Easter
* 1st Monday after Easter – Easter Monday
* 1 May – Labour Day
* 60 days after Easter – Corpus Christi
* 22 June – Anti-fascist struggle day
* 25 June – Statehood Day
* 5 August – Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian defenders
* 15 August – Assumption of Mary
* 8 October – Independence Day
* 1 November – All Saint’s Day
* 25 December – Christmas
* 26 December – Saint Stephen

Please don’t hesitate to ask us about any other questions you have.

Call us or WhatsApp: +61 2 9212 1507
Email us: [email protected]