Split
Croatia's second largest city is Split, which lies lazily by the Adriatic Sea. At its heart is the UNESCO-protected Diocletian's Palace.
Islands
Dotted along Croatian's Mediterranean coast lie over a thousand small islands. Some of the best to visit are listed below.
· Brač is famous for its precious white stone, which have been used in famous buildings like Diocletian's Palace and the White House in Washington, D.C.
· Hvar offers beautiful beaches, lush vineyards, historic towns, a vibrant nightlife as well as a selection of activities from sea-kayaking to rock climbing.
· Krk is the largest island in the Adriatic Sea and the most populated. It is readily accessed thanks to a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
· Korčula is claimed as the birthplace of Marco Polo. It is the second most populous island.
· Lošinj
· Mljet
· Pag is famous for sheep's cheese, lace and the party town of Novalja.
National Parks
Croatia has 8 national parks.
Plitvice Lakes National Park
The Plitvice Lakes (Croatian: Plitvička Jezera) are one of the natural highlights of Croatia. They are located in the Dinaric Alps in the central part of the country near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Plitvice Lakes National Park is placed on the Unesco World Heritage List and consists of 16 stunning turquoise lakes connected by numerous waterfalls. Fore more information, have a look at the official Plitvice Lakes National Parkwebsite.
· Risnjak National Park covers an area of 63.5 square kilometres in the heavily forested and mountainous region of Gorski kotar, about 15 kilometres inland from the Adriatic Sea.
· Brijuni National Park comprises twelve small islands in the northern Adriatic Sea.
· Sjeverni Velebit National Park, in the northern part of the Velebit mountain range, is Croatia's newest national park.
· Paklenica National Park is a river canyon in Starigrad, northern Dalmatia and a popular rock-climbing spot.
· Krka National Park is located in central Dalmatia and is popular for its numerous lakes and waterfalls.
· Kornati National Park covers the southern part of the Kornati archipelago, the densest archipelago in the Mediterranean.
· Mljet National Park covers the western half of the island of Mljet. Its main highlights are 2 inland salt water lakes.
Plitvice national park.
Weather
Croatia in general has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and relatively mild winters when most of the rain falls. Temperatures throughout Croatia are normally around 30 °C in the whole country from June to early September, although temperatures can rise above 40 °C. Usually, it stays dry in this period, with occasional showers.
Winters along the coast are normally around 10 °C during the day and around 5 °C at night. Further inland, places like Zagreb have colder winters with temperatures in December and January below 0 °C at night.
The best times to travel around Croatia are from April to early June and late September and October, when temperatures are normally around 20 °C - 25 °C during the day and crowds on the roads and beaches are absent.
Money
See also: Money Matters
The official currency is Croatian Kuna (HRK). One Kuna is divided into 100 lipa. Banknotes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 kn. Coins are in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 lipa; and 1, 2, 5 and 25 kn. As of August 2010, the kuna has an exchange rate of €1 Euro to 7.21 kn.
Euros are widely accepted, even in restaurants late in the night, but you have to ask at which rate it is converted. There are some exchange machines operating 24/7 in bigger towns. Banks usually work from 8:00am till 7:00pm, exchange offices in some places until 10:00pm You have no street exchangers, except many locals will do the service for you even in late hours.
|
| | 1 Croatian kuna = 0.134138404 Euros 1 Euro = 7.45498659 Croatian kune |
Language
The official language is Croatian. English is widely spoken throughout the country and Italian is spoken a lot in the Istrian peninsula and in Dalmatia.
In popular tourist areas Russian, German, Spanish, Czech and French are also spoken.
Eat
When former Croatian president Tudjman asked the specialists to make one national menu for Croatia, they came back with the only dish originally made by Croatians: Zagorski strukli. Everything else is a mixture of Austrian, Hungarian, Turkish, Italian and Macedonian cuisine.
Croatian cuisine consists of Mediterranean and Balkanese flavours, and meat is a dominant part of the national diet.
Since much food consists of local produce, prices can be sometimes quite high. Cheese, for example, can cost over €100 per kilo , but in Croatia almost all the food you eat is organic and self produced. Bread has a special significance for Croatians, and is considered a gift from God. Never toss a piece of bread anywhere in Croatia, since this is likely to offend the locals.
Drink
Non-alcoholic drinks:
Croatia has a few distinctive local drinks. One of the most famous is Cedevita, which is a vitamin drink made from powder. Another is Traubisoda, a bubbly grape drink. Some beverages are prepared with aspartame and other artificial sweeteners, so be aware that these contain harmful chemicals.
Tap water is drinkable throughout Croatia.
Croats are keen coffee drinkers. Crna kava is a strong, black Turkish coffee taken with or without of sugar. In Croatian, "tea" can mean any drink of boiled water with plant extract in it. It is rare to take milk with tea, but common to have lemon with it. If you want to get a little crazy, you can even have rum with your tea.
Alcoholic drinks:
Croatians like their alcohol, and you can count on being offered alcoholic beverages by the locals. People may drink to your arrival or departure, or to a happy or sad occasion. Liquor is often served as an appetiser before a meal.
Croatia is an excellent destination for beer lovers. While you can find most common beers in Croatia, the country does boast a few of its own brands, including Velebitsko, Karlovacko, Osijecko and Pan. Some of the main breweries are found in Karlovac, Zagreb, Osijek, Split, Daruvar and Koprivnica. There is also a brewery in Buzet, Istria.
Wine making is a growing trade in Croatia. Popular Croatian wines include gemišt or špricer, which is a white wine mixed with mineral water. Bevanda is a black wine mixed with water. Prošek is a popular desert wine.
Croatia also produces its share of domestic liquors, made from plumbs, pears or grapes. Rakija is a common term used for various brandies made from plums and other fruits. Some of the most notable brandies are loza, travarica,pelinkovac, šljivovica and vilijamovka. One particularly notable drink to check out is medovina, which is a wine made from honey and is claimed to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world's history.
Phone
The country calling code to Croatia is: 00385.
Safety
Croatia is generally a safe country. Each year it is visited by 11 million tourists and other visitors. Few people will have problems in Croatia, but be aware anyway of pickpockets.
Theft:
There is some petty theft in Zagreb and along the coast, mostly in touristy areas. Although mugging do occur, they are rare, just be careful and take normal precautions like you would do anywhere else. Car theft is not a big issue here, but there is a problem of the “highway bandits”. Those people approach you with the fake story that their car is broken, and ask for help. During your conversation with one person, the other approaches your vehicle, and steals things from the inside. This does not happen often.
Traffic:
There is general danger in traffic, since Croats drive too fast, and well over the speed limit. But some serious measures are currently being undertaken, like speed traps by radar or cars. At sea, most deaths occur by drownings and careless jumping into the water. Take note that, although small, the Adriatic Sea is known for local storms and sudden outbursts of strong wind called "bura". Local media has news in English, German and Italian language, and provide informations about those circumstances.
Landmines:
Landmines are a problem in the mainland, and not in the coastal parts of the country, or islands. All landmine fields are well signed and known by the local people. When in doubt, ask the locals for advice, but there is not any tourist area that is contaminated with landmines. If you are into mountaineering, only one part of Velebit around Tulove grede is still dangerous due to landmines.
Natural hazards:
Croatia has only one species of snake that is lethal - the local name is "poskok". Basically, this snake is more scared of people than people are of the snake, so chances are very low that you will get bitten. Also, there is one kind of poisonous spider - the Black Widow - which is often found in Dalmatia and some parts of Lika. It resides in rocky areas, although it can be found in some grassy places. Best way to avoid the bite of both species is to have good footwear when trekking and hiking. Local hospitals are familiar with the problem and have sufficient doses of antidotes, so they are prepared to react. You can easily identify the Black Widow for its red spots.
Bush fires:
Another problem in Croatia, mainly along the coastline during summer, are bush fires. Firemen take care of them, and never answer the panic calls from some locals to participate in actions to extinguish the wildfires. If you find yourself in a place endangered by the fire, leave the area and let the professionals know where it is so they can do their job and help preserve Croatian forests.
Adventure travel:
Croatia's coast is rocky and has a lot of mountains. Some visitors are tempted to climb in remote areas and although most times nothing happens, people do get killed every year while underestimating the configuration and their abilities. Also, dehydration may cause problems so take enough water with you and protect yourself from the sun. The safest way to do adventurous travel is to take a guide who knows where to go and what (not) to do.
Healthcare:
Pharmacies in Croatia are marked with a green cross and you can easily find them. In all tourist areas you can find emergency medical service. Tourists are advised to arrange special travel-related medical insurance at home before travelling to Croatia.
Police:
Visitors from some European countries can find policemen from their country on service in Croatia, thanks to an agreement between the Croatian government and the governments of countries like France, Great Britain, Germany,Hungary, Czech Republic and Slovakia. They take service in places visited by most of their countryman, and each year this cooperation is wider. They have their own uniforms, and are accompanied by the Croatian policemen. Recently, there have been reports of beatings of tourists in nightclubs. If in trouble or verbal conflict with locals, immediately call the police or local security people that are on duty there.
Emergency numbers:
There are some emergency services in Croatia that will rapidly react upon your call. The important numbers, free of charge, are:
· 92 - Police.
· 93 or 112 - Fire department.
· 94 or 112 - Medical emergency.
· 112 - General emergency service.
· 9155 - Rescue at sea.
