As a member of the European Union, Croatia is easily accessible (you only need an ID card) and, above all, increasingly popular. Its beaches, national parks, and islands are a dream for many. Many people view this country as the ideal, affordable destination for a great time. To avoid being disappointed when you arrive, we’ve compiled some essential and useful information (we hope!) about this country. We’re talking culture, practices, road networks, the environment, and more. The goal is for everything to go smoothly once you're there. We hope this will help you prepare for the adventure.
Contrary to what one might think, Croatia is not a "cheap" country. During the high season, prices are exorbitant. Businesses and tourist sites take advantage of the fact that their country is a tourist hotspot to raise prices without hesitation. This really bothered us... Because paying to visit places is normal, but here, it’s on another level! Furthermore, absolutely everything is paid for... like visiting a national park...
For example, to visit Plitvice National Park and its beautiful waterfalls, you'll have to pay no less than €40 per person, not to mention the parking fee, which is obviously not included in the ticket. We go into more detail about this in the article: Everything You Need to Know About Plitvice National Park.
However, the "good news" is that prices are lower in the low season. So the best way to enjoy this country without breaking the bank is to come during the off-season (before June or after August)! And as a bonus, there will be fewer crowds around you (because in summer, it’s really crowded everywhere). So, you win on all fronts.
UPDATE 2023: Croatia adopted the euro on January 1, 2023!
When we visited in 2022, Croatia was part of the European Union but not yet in the eurozone.
They still had their own currency: the Croatian kuna. Its symbol is HRK, and the exchange rate was 1€ = 0.70 HRK.
However, the kuna won't be around for much longer as Croatia is switching to the euro on January 1, 2023.
Until that happens, if you're going to Croatia before 2023 and want to get kunas, you’ll need to either buy them in France, exchange money on-site, or withdraw cash directly from an ATM.
For our experience, we started our visit in Dubrovnik, and all the ATMs in the city had huge withdrawal fees (over €5)... The cheapest option we found was exchanging money at a small shop on the main street that sold random items (we don’t even remember what) and also did currency exchange.
So, the moral of the story is, compare carefully before withdrawing or exchanging your money to find the lowest fees!
In reality, in Croatia, credit cards are accepted pretty much everywhere, so you don’t necessarily need cash, but we had parked at one of the few places that didn’t take cards...
To avoid high fees (in addition to local bank charges), we strongly recommend you bring a card with no foreign transaction fees. We personally use the Visa Ultim from BoursoBank: free, it has no withdrawal or payment fees abroad.
And the good news is that if you open an account using the link below or by entering our referral code LEGA1596 when you open your account, you’ll receive a bonus of between €80 and €220 (depending on the current offer and conditions met).
Yes, Croatia has this particularity. In addition to its many islands, the country is not a single block on the mainland. It is divided into two parts, unevenly, in the south, by a small section of Bosnia and Herzegovina (specifically the city of Neum). The majority of the country and its capital, Zagreb, are located in the northern part of this division, while the famous city of Dubrovnik is located in the isolated southern part.
This is something interesting to know in advance, especially when planning your trip, because to travel from the southern part to the northern part (and vice versa), you’ll inevitably have to cross a border into Bosnia and Herzegovina (we discuss this country more in the article: The 10 Things to Know Before Traveling to Bosnia and Herzegovina)
In Croatia, although they don’t speak French at all, you’ll have no problem communicating in English.
However, if you address elderly people, they’ll likely understand Italian or German better than English.
But overall, you don’t have to worry about this.
Croatia is all about sun, beaches, nature, and paradise islands.
Yes, we completely agree, there’s not much to say against it (except for the prices, which might darken the picture, but we’ve already discussed that above).
More precisely, Croatia is:
You can understand that there’s plenty to see in this country!
Yes, much less glamorous than its landscapes, Croatia is also the country of ties and lace.
We’re mentioning this because, before going to Croatia, we didn’t know this at all. Here’s a little culture moment, and hey, it could make for some nice souvenirs to bring back 😅.
Basically, Croatia is said to be the origin of the ties we wear today. Croatian mercenaries recruited by the King of France in the 1600s used to wear a small cloth around their necks. Louis XIV liked the idea and adopted it. The tie was then introduced at Louis XIV’s court in 1650 and later spread across Europe.
As for lace, the most famous is the Pag lace. It was inscribed in 2009 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. Made with a needle, it is known for its geometric spider web-like patterns. But it’s not the only lace in Croatia. There’s also Lepoglava lace (made with braided thread wrapped around spools) in the north and Hvar lace (made only by Benedictine sisters with aloe thread) on the island of the same name.
In Croatian cafes, bars, and restaurants, it’s common practice to round up the bill when paying in cash. For example, if you owe 18 HRK with a 20 HRK note, don’t expect to get back the 2 HRK. The bill will automatically be rounded up to 20 HRK.
Beyond that, tipping is not common because service is included in the bill, but you can still leave a few coins if you wish.
There are plenty of free Wi-Fi zones in Croatia. Thanks to an initiative by the Ministry of Tourism, there are now more than 200 free Wi-Fi hotspots throughout the country. Connecting to the internet should not be a problem. In addition to these public hotspots, there are of course those at hotels, restaurants, cafes, etc., where you can just ask for the password when you make a purchase (or sometimes it may be written on the bill).
The Croatian road network is in great condition and offers amazing views. The roads are beautiful and pleasant, but don’t be misled by the number of kilometers to cover… It can easily take you 4 hours to drive 200 km. So plan ahead and trust your GPS, because what it indicates is probably accurate—it's not a glitch.
Additionally, Croatia has a few highways that work similarly to France, with a toll system where you pay based on the distance traveled and the type of vehicle.
Finally, remember to drive with your headlights on 24/7 to avoid a fine!
And for renting a car, you can use DiscoverCars. The platform compares hundreds of offers to provide the best prices and conditions (like unlimited mileage, partial coverage, and theft protection), all without hidden fees.
Croatia is great for spontaneous trips. You can even come to the country without booking accommodations in advance because many families own apartments along the coast and rent them to tourists when needed.
So, if you're looking for a place to stay, don’t hesitate to ask locals if they can accommodate you or if they know someone who can.
These accommodations, usually quite affordable, are good alternatives to hotels, especially for families or large groups, as they tend to have large spaces and are usually equipped with a kitchen, so you can cook your own meals without constantly going out to restaurants.
You can find some of these accommodations on Booking:
have it, we’ve shared our 10 key pieces of information about Croatia. We hope you’ve learned something and that it’ll be helpful for preparing your trip and once you’re there 😊.
If this article made you want to fly to Croatia right away, you can book your flight here:
Feel free to share your experiences and tips in the comments for other travelers.
1. Know that when you meet locals in Croatia, they don't kiss, but rather shake hands!
2. Avoid talking about the war. Croatia, like all the countries of the former Yugoslavia, has suffered greatly, and the war is a period that is not that distant, as the conflict ended in 1995. It’s still a sensitive topic. If you find yourself in a conversation about it, don't take sides. It's better to let them talk and listen rather than offering your opinion and risking offending the locals.
How about we chat?