Croatia

Quick Facts

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Local name

Hrvatska

Capital

Zagreb

Government

Presidential / Parliamentary Democracy

Nationality

Croatian

Population

4 442 000^[1]

Languages

Croatian, and some minority languages: Italian, Slovak, Slovene

Religions

Christianity (Catholic, Orthodox)

Currency

Croatian Kuna (HRK)

Calling Code

+385

Time Zone

CET (UTC+1)

Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

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Introduction

Dubrovnik Cliff

© All Rights Reserved Nate99

Though ravaged by war in the 1990s, in which it sought and gained independence, Croatia has quickly recovered and re-emerged as a popular crowd-drawer. Blessed with a coastal location alongside the Adriatic Sea, Croatia attracts visitors from Europe and the world looking for sun-kissed beaches and historic cities. And luckily, they can enjoy the best of both worlds in Dubrovnik and Split, where history and natural beauty meet with waves of tourists each year.

Brief History

The forefathers of Croatia's current Slav population settled in the region in the 7th century. Previously, the Illyrians, Celts and Greeks had inhabited the land. The Croats split the land between the Pannonian duchy in the north and the Dalmatian duchy in the south. In 925, Tomislav of the Trpimirovic dynasty became the first King of Croatia and united the two duchies and created a state. However, after a decisive battle between Hungary and Croatia in 1097, in which the last king of Croatia was killed, King Coloman of Hungary became the country's new ruler. It would be over eight centuries before Croatia regained independence.

Over the next centuries, Croatia experienced the rise and fall of empires. The Ottoman Empire encroached from the east; Hungary's rule collapsed after their king was killed in a battle with the Turks; subsequently, the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy gained control in 1526. Strains of nationalism began to appear in the middle of the 19th century. Towards the end of World War I, Croatia parted company with Austria just as the latter faced imminent defeat by the Allies. Together with Slavonia and Serbia, Croatia formed the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs, which would become the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. After a four year Axis occupation during World War II, Yugoslavia was re-established as a Communist state under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito.

Under Tito's tight fisted rule, the nationalism of the individual republics was suppressed, but when he died in 1980, the union started to unravel. Tensions between Serbs, Croats and Slovenes grew increasingly sharp, especially after the emergence of Slobodan Milošević, who became the new Yugoslav president in 1986 - to the dismay of Slovenians and Croats. Eventually in 1990, Croatia declared itself independent, sparking a war with Serbia which was eventually won by the Croats in 1995.

Croatia experienced dramatic change after 1999, when Franjo Tudman, the country's first president, died. Since 2000, Croatia has been on a democratic road of development and seeks to become a member of the European Union.

Geography

Croatia is situated between Bosnia Herzegovina and Slovenia, in southeastern Europe. It boasts nearly 6,000 kilometres of coastline, due in large part to its many islands. Along the Hungarian border, the terrain is fairly flat, but it takes on a more dramatic shape near Slovenia, where the Dinaric Alps pass through the country.

Croatia shares international borders with Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Regions

• Central Croatia
• Dalmatia
• Istria
• Kvarner
• Slavonia

Cities

Zagreb

Zagreb is Croatia's capital as well as its cultural, scientific and economic heart.

Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik roof tops

© All Rights Reserved Peter

Croatia's major tourist attraction is Dubrovnik, a southern city pushed up against the Adriatic Sea. Boasting a long and proud history, Dubrovnik attracts thousands of visitors each year, who generally have a wonderful time meandering through the cobbled streets of Old Town Dubrovnik.

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.

Other cities

• Makarska
• Poreč]
• Pula
• Rijeka
• Šibenik
• Varaždin
• Vukovar
• Zadar is a port town

Sights and Activities

Medieval cities such as Zagreb retain much of their pre-war architectural heritage, making for picturesque glimpses into the Middle Ages. For those interested in the more recent past, the memory of war is still fresh in the mind of many Croatians and its ruins can still be observed.

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. It is readily accessed thanks to a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
• Korčula is the most populated 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

© All Rights Reserved Peter

• Plitvice Lakes National Park consists of 16 stunning turquoise lakes connected by numerous waterfalls.
• Risnjak National Park covers an area of 63,5 square kilometers in the heavily forested and mountainous region of Gorski kotar, about 15 km 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.

Landmarks

• Diocletian's Palace is one of the finest Roman ruins in Europe.
• Euphrasius' Basilica in Porec dates back to Byzantine times in the first half of the 6th century.
• Cathedral of Saint James in Sibenik

Events and Festivals

• Zagreb Spring Jazz Review (24-29 April)
• Zagreb's International Days of Jazz (late October)
• Split Summer Festival (July-August)
• Zagreb Summer Festival (June-July)
• Dubrovnik Summer Festival (July-August)
• Dubrovnik International Film Festival
• International Festival of Animation in Zagreb
• International Folklore Festival in Zagreb
• EUROKAZ is a theatre festival held in Zagreb.

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.

Getting There

By Plane

The main gateway to the country is Zagreb Airport (IATA: ZAG, ICAO: LDZA), located 10 km from the central station in the capital Zagreb. Croatia Airlines, the national airline, is based there and has destinations to many major cities in Europe.

There are also airports in Split and Dubrovnik. In summer, these airports are used to receive charter flights from the UK and other destinations such as Ireland, Norway, Portugal and Spain.

Some of the low-cost airlines flying to Croatia include Germanwings, Ryanair and Wizz Air.

By Train

Trains are regular and well connected with all major European cities, though most routes are indirect, requiring change overs in Austria or Mestre. There are regular eastward services, running through Belgrade onto Bulgaria, Romania, or Greece.

By Car

To enter Croatia, a driver's license, an automobile registration card and vehicle insurance documents (including Green Card) are required.

See Getting Around section for more information about driving in Croatia.

By Bus

By Boat

There are numerous possibilities for entering Croatia by ferry from Italy, with ferries crossing to and from Venice, Ancona, Bari, Termoli and Pescara:

• Crossings from Venice arrive in Mali Losinj, Porec, Pula, Rovinj and Rabac, check the Venezialines websites for details. Note that some crossings are only made during high season, meaning July and August.
• From Ancona, there are crossing to Split, Zadar, Hvar and Vis. Check the Jadrolinija website for details.
• From Pescara, crossings by ferry arrive in Split and Hvar, but only during the summer months of June to September. Check Jadrolinija or SNAV for details.
• From Termoli, Larivera has ferries in the summer months of June to September to the Croatian towns of Korcula and Lastovo.
• From Bari, Azzurraline (summer) and Jadrolinija (all year) have crossings to Dubrovnik

Getting Around

By Plane

Although distances aren't that big, some convenient domestic flights are available between Zagreb and the coastal cities of Dubrovnik or Split. Also, Rijeka, Zadar and Pula are served by the national carrier Croatia Airlines.

By Train

The most important connection is between Split and Zagreb and takes roughly six hours. Prices are cheap by European standards. The train network in Croatia is not as extensive as the bus network and for many destinations within the country, buses are a faster and more convenient option.

By Car

Excellent new highway connects Zagreb with the Adriatic coast, with exits for Zadar, Sibenik and Split. Exits are also available for many smaller towns along the route.

You also have a semi-highway Zagreb - Rijeka, which is now being built to highway profile. Also, there is a highway from Zagreb to Slavonia area (Osijek), and further to the borderline with Serbia. Highway is being constructed to Slovenia, Macelj crossing, in direction of Austria, and also for Dubrovnik region.

Permitted speeds:

• 50 km/h - within built-up areas
• 90 km/h - outside built-up areas
• 110 km/h - on major motor routes
• 130 km/h - on motorways
• 80 km/h - for motor vehicles with a caravan trailer
• 80 km/h - for buses and buses with a light trailer

Other rules:

• Driving with headlights is obligatory during both day and night.
• Use of mobile phones while driving is not permitted
• Maximum permitted amount of alcohol in blood: 0.0 per mill!!!! (Zero tolerance for now!)
• Use of seat belts is obligatory.

Petrol stations:
Open from 7 a.m. until 7 or 8 p.m. every day; in the summer season, until 10 p.m. On-duty petrol stations in the larger cities and on main international routes are open 24 hours a day. All petrol stations sell Eurosuper 95, Super 95, Super 98, Super plus 98, Normal and Euro Diesel fuel. For information on prices of petrol and on the list of centres selling gas: http://www.ina.hr, http://www.omv.hr, http://www.hak.hr.

National Autoclub of Republic of Croatia:
24 hour technical assistance, provision of information regarding travel on Croatia's roads and traffic conditions. Dial 987 for road assistance.

By Bus

Bus service in Croatia is very frequent. It connects all towns, especially in tourist regions. It's the cheapest way to travel around Croatia, although sometimes not the most comfortable and you should opt for an alternative mode of travel (e.g. bus ride from Zagreb to Dubrovnik is approx 12h as the motorway goes only to Split, after that the road- Jadranska magistrala- runs along the coast; it's a beautiful ride but extremely slow, especially in high season).

Shuttle buses are available from all major airports.

By Boat

Jadrolinija is the main ferry company with connections between its many islands and coastal towns throughout Dalmatia, Istria and other areas. Other companies are Split tours for the area around Split (Hvar and Vis), Miatours for the area around Zadar and Medplov for connections between Orebic and Korcula.

Red Tape

Money

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 1000 kn. Coins are in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 25 and 50 lipa; and 1, 2, 5 and 25 kn. As of May 2008, the kuna has an exchange rate of 1 Euro to 7.30 kn.

Euros are widely accepted, even in restaurants late in the night, but you have to ask at which rate it is converted. The situation is the same with USD. GBP can only be converted in the banks and exchange offices. Other currencies have to be changed in the bank as well. There are some exchange machines 0-24 in bigger towns. Banks usually work from 8 a.m. till 7 p.m., exchange offices in some places until 10 p.m. You have no street exchangers, except many locals will do the service for you even in late hours.

Work

Study

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 quite high. Cheese, for example, can cost over 100 Euros per kilo.

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.

Sleep

Besides hotels, the most widespread type of accommodation in Croatia is the "private accommodation". It consists of self catering apartments or rooms in private houses. Owners are mostly local families and the units they rent are part of their house. By choosing private accommodation in Croatia, you can get great value for money.

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, ravarica, 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.

Health

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 each year several tourists are killed on the road and at sea.

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 over the speed limit. But some serious measures are currently being undertaken, like speed traps by radar or cars. At sea, most deaths occurs 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 travelling 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 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

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