Croatia

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Cathedral of Saint Jacob in Šibenik
Location
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Flag
Image:Hr-flag.png
Quick Facts
Capital Zagreb
Government parliamentary democracy
Currency kuna (HRK)
Area 56,542 sq km
Population 4,493,312 (July 2007 est.)
Language Croatian 96%, other 4% (including [[Serbian], [Italian]], Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and German)
Religion Roman Catholic 87.8%, Orthodox 4.4%, Muslim 1.3%, other Christian 0.4%, others and unknown 6.1%
Electricity 230V/50Hz (European plug)
Calling Code +385
Internet TLD .hr
Time Zone UTC +1

Croatia [1] (Croatian: Hrvatska) is a country in Southern Europe on the east side of the Adriatic Sea, to the east of Italy. It is surrounded by Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the north, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the east, Serbia in the northeast and Montenegro in the south east.

[edit] Regions

Map of Croatia
Map of Croatia

[edit] Cities

[edit] Other destinations

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has included the following Croatian sites on its World Heritage List:

[edit] Understand

[edit] Climate

Northern Croatia has a temperate continental climate whereas central, semi-mountainous and mountainous regions have a mountainous climate. The entire Adriatic coast has a pleasant Mediterranean climate. Spring and autumn are mild along the coast, while winter is cold and snowy in central and northern regions. The average temperature in the inland in January ranges from 0 to 2°C, August 19 to 23°C. The average temperature at the seaside is higher: January 6 to 11°C, August 21 to 27°C.

[edit] Terrain

Geographically diverse; flat plains along Hungarian border, low mountains and highlands near Adriatic coastline and islands. There are 1,185 islands; the largest ones are Krk and Cres. The highest point is Dinara, at 1,830 m.

[edit] History

Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb
Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb

The Croats settled in the Balkans in the early 7th century and formed two principalities: Dalmatia and Pannonia. The establishment of the Trpimirović dynasty ca 850 brought strengthening to the Dalmatian Croat Duchy, which together with the Pannonian principality became a Kingdom in 925 under King Tomislav. In 1102, Croatia entered into a personal union with the Hungarian Kingdom. After the 1526 Battle of Mohács the "reliquiae reliquiarum" (remnants of the remnants) of Croatia became a part of the Habsburg Monarchy in 1527. Croatian lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until the latter's dissolution at the end of World War I. In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia became an independent communist state under the strong hand of Marshal Tito. Although Croatia seceded from Yugoslavia amidst political turmoil in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, this resulted in a sporadic but bloody civil war before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision the last Serb-held enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.

Visitors now to Croatia's more popular towns would see little physical evidence of this violence. Croatia's coastal areas are especially stunning, and have the hybrid charm of Eastern European and the Mediterranean.

[edit] Get in

North Americans, Australians and many other nationals can enter Croatia with a valid passport and without a visa. Citizens of EU member countries and Bosnia and Herzegovina can even enter the country with a valid identity card. The document of identity must be valid at least three months longer than you plan to stay in Croatia.

[edit] By plane

  • Additionally you can use airports in neighbouring countries which are within few hours of reach from Zagreb and Rijeka (apart from some of the listed options in Italy):
    • Ljubljana (for EasyJet flights to London Stansted or other Adria Airways flights)
    • Graz and Klagenfurt (for Ryanair flights from London Stansted)
    • Trieste (for Ryanair flights from London Stansted). You can also use Venice Marco Polo (for British Airways flights from the UK) or Venice Treviso (Ryanair from Stanstead). Ancona is also an option (Ryanair from Stanstead) for those who want to take ferry [2] or hydrofoil [3] to Zadar and Split. Ryanair also flies to Pescara which is a short drive away from Ancona.
    • Some may decide to use Tivat Airport (in Montenegro) which is within easy reach from Dubrovnik.

[edit] By train

The rail network connects all major Croatian cities, except Dubrovnik. There are direct lines from Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Greece. There are indirect lines from almost all other European countries.

Tourists coming from or going to neighbouring countries should note the following EuroCity and InterCity railway lines:

[edit] By car

To enter Croatia, a driver's licence, an automobile registration card and vehicle insurance documents (including Green Card) are required. If you need road assistance, you should dial 987. The following speeds are permitted:

  • 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

When driving in the rain, you should adjust speed to conditions on wet roads. 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 ml! Use of seat belts is obligatory.

Hrvatski Auto Klub is the Croatian Automobile Club dedicated to promoting greater traffic security. Its site offers minute-by-minute updates, status of national traffic, weather, numerous maps and webcams located all over Croatia. Content is available in Croatian, English, German and Italian.

[edit] By bus

Very good network of buses once in the country - cheap and regular.

If you are coming from Italy there are two buses daily from Venice leaving at 11am and 1:45pm going to Istria, with a final stop in Pula. There are opperated by two different bus companies, but you can by tickets for both buses at the A.T.V.O bus office at the Venice bus station. The office is in the bus station, but located outside on the ground level across form where all the buses park. Both buses pick up at spot b15. It is roughly a 5 hour bus ride, with spots in Trieste and Rovinj. You can also pick up the bus at the bus station in Mestre, fifteen minutes after the scheduled bus leaves Venice. Coming in from Trieste, Italy is popular among Europeans, for Trieste is a Ryanair destination. You cross the Italian-Slovenian border first, followed by the Slovenian-Croatian border, but they are very close to one another. Border officers will board the bus to see passports, but you do not have to exit the bus.

Dubrovnik and Split are the main destinations of international buses from Bosnia and Hercegovina or Montenegro, with daily buses traveling to cities such as Sarajevo, Mostar and Kotor (some lines such as Split-Mostar operate every few hours). Seasonal lines also extend through to Skopje from Dubrovnik. Border formalities on the buses are extremely efficient, and do not involve leaving the bus (previous services from Dubrovnik to Kotor involved changing buses at the Croatian border).

Osijek is a very big bus hub for international travel to Hungary, Serbia and Bosnia in addition to its local buses, and the station is located conveniently next to the railway station. Many buses heading from Zagreb north into Hungary or Austria will pass through Varaždin.

[edit] By boat

Ferries are cheap and go regularly between various places by the coast. Although they are not fast they are probably the best way to see the beautiful Croatian islands of the Adriatic Sea.

Jadrolinija is the main Croatian passenger shipping line that maintains the largest number of regular international and domestic ferry and shipping lines. The following international lines are serviced by car ferries:

Blue Line International also covers the international line:

[edit] Get around

[edit] By plane

National airline company Croatia Airlines [4] connects major cities in Croatia to each other and foreign destinations. Due to the comparatively short distances and relatively high hassle of air travel - especially when you travel with luggage - domestic air travel is used mostly for getting to end points - e.g., Zagreb to Dubrovnik (see map) and vice-versa.

Another flight which is popular (available in the summer months only) is between Split and Osijek, saving a long trip back through Croatia, or alternatively through the middle of Bosnia.

[edit] By train

Train travel is definitely improving in Croatia, with money being spent on updating the ageing infrastructure and vehicles. Trains are clean and mostly on time.

Croatia's rail network connects all major Croatian cities, except Dubrovnik. If you want to visit Dubrovnik, you will have to travel by train to Split, and then go on the bus for Dubrovnik. Trains to Pula are actually connected via Slovenia due to historical accident, though there are designated connecting buses from Rijeka.

Rail is still the cheapest connection beetween inland and coast, though not the most frequent. As of 2004, the new 160kph "tilting trains" that connect Zagreb with Split and other major cities in Croatia such as Rijeka and Osijek have been progressively introduced, resulting in higher levels of comfort and significantly faster journeys between cities (Zagreb-Split is now 5.5hrs from 9, Osijek is now 3 when other trains take around 4.5hrs). If you make a reservation early enough you can get a substantial discount, or if you are a holder of an ISIC card etc.

Information for the trains can be found on the Hrvatske željeznice - Croatian Railways [5] site in Croatian, German and English has timetable and prices.

Tickets are not usually sold on-board, except if you happen to get on the train on one of the few stations/stops without ticket sales. However, only local trains stop on such stations. In all other cases, the ticket you will buy from the conductor will cost considerably more than the one bought outside the train.

[edit] By bus

A very comprehensive coach network connects all parts of the country. Bus service between major cities (intercity lines) is quite frequent, as well as regional services. The most frequent bus terminal in Croatia is Bus Terminal Zagreb (in Croatian "Autobusni kolodvor Zagreb").

  • Autobusni kolodvor Zagreb - Bus Terminal Zagreb, timetable information, content in Croatian, English is under construction.
  • CroatiaBus - bus company - timetable informaton, prices, content in Croatian and English.
  • Autotrans Rijeka - bus company - timetable informaton, prices, content in Croatian and English.
  • Autobusni promet Varazdin - bus company - timetable informaton, prices, content in Croatian, English and German.
  • Contus - bus company - timetable informaton, prices, content in Croatian and English.
  • Libertas Dubrovnik - bus terminal and company information in Dubrovnik, with international and domestic information. Content mostly in Croatian.

[edit] By boat

Croatia is blessed with a beautiful coastline which is best explored by ferry to access the hundreds of islands.

In many instances, the only way to get to the islands is by ferry or catamaran. If you plan on using either you should check these web sites because they have the regular ferry and catamaran information.

  • Split Tours - a local ferry/catamaran company, but also a travel agency.
  • Jadrolinja - Jadrolinija is the Croatian National ferry company, and as well as routes operating from the major cities to the islands, operate a ferry along the Adriatic Coast from Rijeka to Dubrovnik (and then across to Bari, Italy) calling at Zadar, Split, and Korcula. Check timetables as seasonable variances occur. The boats are large and comfortable, you can save a night's accommodation if travelling along the coast though you miss some of the scenery.
  • SEM Marina another Croatian ferry company, based in Split.
  • Windward Islands - Windward Islands, one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to crewed in Kornati, Split, Dubrovnik. Operating from 8 international offices (USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Monaco).

[edit] By thumb

Hitchhiking is generally good. If you can get to a highway toll stop simply ask people to take you with them as they open their windows to pay the toll. The toll collectors usually won't mind. The tricky part, of course, is to get to the toll stop. If you are in Zagreb and you are, like most people, heading south, take the bus 111 from the Savski most station in Zagreb and ask the bus driver where to get off to get to the toll stop. Next best place to ask people to pick you up are tank stations. And finally, just using the good old thumb will work too if everything else fails. It is generally not a good idea to walk across the border crossings in Croatia.

[edit] Talk

See Croatian phrasebook

Many Croatians speak English as their second language, but Italian and German are very popular too (largely because of the large annual influx of Italian and German tourists). People in the tourist industry most often speak quite good English, as does the younger generation, especially in the tourist areas of Istria, along the coast down to Dubrovnik, and in the capital, Zagreb. Elder people will rarely speak English, but you shouldn't have any problems if you switch to German or Russian, the latter will be most helpful as it is also a Slavic language

Croatianis not an easy "language" to learn, but the people like when foreign travellers use it for basic things such as greeting and thanking.

[edit] Buy

Croatia's official currency is the kuna. In many touristy places prices are also given in Euro and some business owners even accept Euros, though they are officially not allowed to take foreign currency. So do not expect that you can pay in Euros everywhere.

[edit] ATMs

ATMs (in Croatian bankomat) are readily available throughout Croatia. They will accept various European bank cards, credit cards (Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, American Express etc.) and Croatian debit cards (Cirrus, Maestro, Visa electron etc.). Read the labels/notices on the machine before using.

[edit] Tax-free shopping

If you buy goods worth more than 500 kuna you are entitled to a PDV (VAT) tax return when leaving the country. Note that this applies to all goods except petroleum products. At point of purchase ask the sales person for a PDV-P form. Fill it out and have it stamped on the spot. On leaving Croatia the receipt will be verified by the Croatian Customs service. A PDV refund in Kunas can be obtained within six months, either at the same shop where you bought the goods (in that case the tax will be refunded to you immediately), or by posting the verified receipt back to the shop, together with the account number into which the refund should be paid. In this case the refund is dealt with within 15 days of receipt of the claim. There is another, much easier way to receive the refund. Buy your goods in shops with a "CROATIA TAX-FREE SHOPPING" label. This label is displayed on the shop's entrance, usually next to the labels of credit and debit cards this particular shop accepts. Using an international coupon, refund is possible in all countries-members of the TAX-FREE international chain. In this case the service charge is deducted from the tax refund amount.

[edit] Eat

Croatian cuisine is quite diverse so it is hard to say which meal would be "typically Croatian". In the eastern continental regions (Slavonija and Baranja) spicy sausages kulen and kulenova seka is a must-try. Čobanac ('shepherd's stew') is a mixture of several different kinds of meat with a lot of red spicy paprika. In Hrvatsko Zagorje and Central Croatia pasta filled with cheese called štrukli is a famous delicacy (it is said that the best štrukli in Croatia are served in the Esplanade Hotel restaurant in Zagreb), as is purica s mlincima (baked turkey with a special kind of pastry). Sir i vrhnje (sour cream with cottage cheese) can be bought fresh on the Zagreb main market Dolac. Croats love a bit of oil and you will find plenty of it in piroška. In mountainous regions of Lika and Gorski kotar meals made of mushrooms, wild berries and wild meat are very popular. One of typical dishes in Lika is police (oven-baked potatoes covered with bacon) and several kinds of cheese (smoked cheese and škripavac). Coastal region is well known for truffle delicacies and soup maneštra od bobić (Istria), Dalmatian pršut and paški sir (Pag-island cheese). Dishes made of fresh fish and other products of the sea (calamari, octopus, crabs, scampi) shouldn't be given a miss!

Croatian cuisine has yet to come up with a Croatian fast food representative. The market is dominated by globally ubiquitous hamburgers and pizzas but you will also find "burek" and "ćevapčići" imported from the medieval Ottoman empire which stretched from Turkey to neighbouring Bosnia. The latter two dishes are widely popular in the entire South and Eastern Europe. Burek is a type of cheese-pastry whereas ćevapčići are seasoned minced meat shaped in finger-size portions served in bread and often covered with onions. Although definitely not a fast meal (takes several hours to prepare) also foreign in origin is the so-called sarma or sauerkraut rolls filled with minced meat and rice.

Desserts: What it lacks in the fast food department Croatia makes up with a myriad of desserts. Probably the most famous is its delicious creamy cake called kremšnite but different kinds of gibanica, štrudla and pita (similar to strudel and pie) such as orehnjača (walnut), makovnjača (poppy) or bučnica (pumpkin and cheese) are also highly recommended. Dubrovačka torta od skorupa is delicious but hard to find. Paprenjaci (pepper cookies) are said to reflect the Croatian tumultuous history because they combine the harshness of the war periods (pepper) with the natural beauties (honey). They can be bought in most souvenir shops though fresh-made are always a better choice. Rapska torta (The Rab island cake) is made with almonds and locally famous cherry liker Maraschino. It should be noted that this is hardly an exhaustive list and even a casual glimpse in any Croatian cookbook is likely to be worth the effort. Chocolate candy "Bajadera" is available throughout shops in the country and along with "Griotte" is one of the most famous products of the Croatian chocolate industry.

Unavoidable ingredient in many meals prepared in Croatia is "Vegeta". It is a spice produced by "Podravka".

[edit] Drink

Alcoholic: Try many different kinds of wines. Also worth trying is rakija,a trype of brandy which can be made of plum (šljivovica), grapes (loza), figs (smokovača) and many other types of fruit and aromatic herbs. Pelinkovac is a bitter herbal liquor popular in Central Croatia, but is said to resemble in flavour to cough-medicine. Non-alcoholic: Sometimes although very rarely you may find "sok od bazge" (elderflower juice) in the continental region. Worth trying!

On a more general note, Croatia produces a broad palette of high quality wines (up to 700 wines with protected geographic origin) and brandies, fruit juices, beers and mineral water. On the coast people usually serve "bevanda" with meals. Bevanda is heavy, richly flavored red wine mixed with plain water. Its counter-part in northern parts of Croatia is "gemisht". This term designates dry, flavored wines mixed with mineral water.

Two most popular beers are "Karlovačko" and "Ožujsko", but "Velebitsko pivo" has received a semi-cult status in the recent years. It is served only in some places in Zagreb and Croatia.

[edit] Sleep

Camping

Private accommodation is the right choice for independent traveler or holiday maker. Apartment-style accommodation offers a flexible alternative to hotels while private rooms are great option for shorter stays.

You can find ads for apartments and holiday homes online. These are often more expensive than those you could get directly, but they are generally much nicer and more comfortable than what you will usually get on the spot from the people at the ferry or bus terminal when you arrive. Use local agencies or check the property before you accept the deal. In High Season reservation is highly recommended.

[edit] Hotels

In Croatia there are 3 major types of hotel accommodation:

  • Small private hotels
  • Two- and three-star hotel resorts, for typical mass tourism
  • Five-star luxury hotels

[edit] Do

[edit] Sailing

Sailing is a good way to see the coastal islands and networks of small archipelagos. Most charters leave from Split or the surrounding area on the North or the South circuit, each offering its own pros and cons. A good way is to book a package with a company at home, but many Croatian companies also offer both bareboat and crewed charters:

  • Yacht in croatia[6]
  • Yacht Charter Orvas[7]
  • Adriatic-YachtCharter - Plavetnilo [8] - boat charter and number of charter related services. Operating in bases throughout Croatian coast.
  • Blue Magic Yachting [9] offering bareboat and crewed yacht charter in Croatia. Sailing boat charters, motor yachts charter, luxury megayachts and gulet charter in Croatia.
  • Croatia24's Yacht Center [10]
  • Croatia Blue Yacht Charter [11] - Unique holiday experience cruising the Adriatic internationally acclaimed Sunseeker yachts
  • Croatia Yachting [12] - offers bareboat and crewed yacht charter in Croatia. Wide range of sailing charters, motor yacht charter, luxury megayachts and gulets cruising in Croatia.
  • Dalmacija.net - Croatia Yacht Charter [13] - Unique sailing experience. Moorings and Waypoint Partner. Offering bareboat and skippered sailing boats, motor boats in Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, Zadar, Pula, Rovinj - Croatia - Adriatic Sea
  • Generalturist Sailing [14] - Find the yacht you need, with or without skipper. Bénéteau sailboats and Marx motorboats.
  • Gulet Croatia [15], one of the leading providers of Gulet charters, cruising and sailing holidays in Croatia.
  • Master Charter [16] - gulet, sailing boat, motor boat, catamaran and luxury yacht charter offering good prices and customer service.
  • Navis Yacht Charter [17] - Croatia registered company offering selection of sailing yachts, catamarans and motor boats and luxury yachts.
  • Sundance Yacht Charter [18]
  • Waypoint [19] offers bareboat yacht charter in Croatia.
  • Windward Islands [20], one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to crewed in Croatia. Operating from 8 international offices (USA, UK, Germany, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Monaco).
  • Yacht Charter Croatia [21] - Croatian charter company that offers megayachts, motor yachts, sailing boats, cruising vessels (Gulets) - bareboat or crewed - on a very good website on over 10 languages and details for each and every yacht in the offer. You can also find yachting tips and yachting guide on their page.

[edit] Adventure holidays

A number of organisations run adventure holidays in Croatia:

  • Croatia Adventures offers custom designed group travel programs & itineraries in the most attractive destinations for business and leisure trips. As a part of a wide range of destination management services, they provide various activities such as 4x4 offroad, sailing, cultural tours, scuba diving, horseback riding, canyoning, etc.
  • Adriatic Adventures offer activities such as hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, exploring the medieval cities of Dubrovnik and Split, the idyllic islands of Brac, Hvar, Vis and Korčula and the Krka, Paklenica and Plitvice Lakes National Parks.
  • Neilson Active Holidays have a beachclub and yacht base at Lumbarda, on Korcula. They offer windsurfing, dinghy sailing, mountain biking and yachting. Their prices usually include accommodation and flights from the UK, though it is possible to arrange a stay without inclusive flights.
  • Pedal and Sea Adventures offers a bike tour through Southern Dalmatia, including the island of Korcula, the vineyards of Peljesac, and the towns Split, Hvar, Stari Grad and Korculal. Each night is spent aboard a private boat, enroute to the next destination's ride. It's a great way to find the heart and soul of this poetic country.

[edit] Spas

The country is home to some great natural spas, often located as part of a health resort with accommodation and other theraputic offers such as massage or pools.

[edit] Naturist resorts

Croatia was the first country in Europe to start with the concept of commercial naturist resorts. According to some estimates about 15% of all tourists that visit the country are naturists or nudists (more than one million each year). There are more than 20 official naturist resorts as well as a very large number of the so-called free beaches which are unofficial naturist beaches, sometimes controlled and maintained by local tourist authorities. In fact, you are likely to find nudists on any beach outside of town centres. Naturist beaches in Croatia are marked as "FKK". Most popular nudist destinations are Pula, Hvar and island Rab.

[edit] Health tourism

Increasingly Croatia is becoming a popular place for health tourism. A number of dental surgeries have experience in treating short term visitors to Croatia.

[edit] Luxury travel

The high increase of Croatia's popularity in the world over the last few years brought optimism and large investments, into top-notch and exclusive accommodation facilities, as well as into top-quality services and other offers. Hotel groups throughout Croatian coast offer hotel facilities of highest category – 5 stars. Over 15 hotels have 5 stars, of which 9 in Dubrovnik alone. Some of the finest hotels in Croatia are: Hotel Dubrovnik Palace in Dubrovnik, Le Méridien Lav in Split, Sheraton Hotel in Zagreb, Hilton Imperial in Dubrovnik.

Croatia also has a high offer of luxury villas and holiday homes. Many old village farms (particularly in Istria) have been transformed into luxury exclusive villas. Such houses are run by expert staff offering top-notch service, and the houses are also equipped with spacious pools and large, beautifully tended gardens, with a high level of privacy, which makes them very popular among diplomats, businessmen and celebrities, who go there with their families and friends. Some of the most exclusive villas in Croatiaare: Villa Sheherezade in Dubrovnik, Villa Elita in Dubrovnik, Villa Rosemarine on island Brač, Stancija MENEGHETTI in Istria.

In addition to highest-level accommodation, Croatia also offers all other accompanying services, such as exclusive restaurants and best catering services, best conference halls, rental of luxury planes and yachts, and luxury car and limo rental. Furthermore, almost every town has the best beauty salons, wellness and spa centres, exclusive shops, nightclubs etc. Some of the best restaurants in Croatia are: Restaurant Marcellino in Zagreb, Restaurant ATLAS CLUB NAUTIKA in Dubrovnik, Restaurant Le Mandrać in Volovsko.

The most elite destination and the proudest feather in Croatia's tourist cap is Dubrovnik.

[edit] Learn

[edit] Work

[edit] Stay safe

There are still many landmine fields left throughout the country. If one sticks to well-trodden trails in the west and also urban areas there is no need to worry, but poking around in the bush is strongly discouraged.

During summer make sure you use adequate SPF to protect yourself from sunburn. There are no ozone holes over Croatia but it's fairly easy to burn in the sun. If this happens make sure you get out of the sun, drink plenty of fluids and rehydrate your skin. The locals will often advise covering the burnt spot with cold yoghurt bought from the supermarket.

In case of an emergency you can dial 112 - responsible for dispatching all emergency services such as fire departments, police, emergency medical assistance and mountain rescue.

[edit] Stay healthy

There are no vaccination required to enter Croatia.

If you're going camping or hiking in continental Croatia during summer, you should be aware of ticks and tick-carrying diseases such as encephalitis and lyme-disease. Approximately 3 ticks in 1000 carry the virus.

In Eastern Slavonia (particularly around the Kopacki Rit near Osijek), wear long sleeves and take insect repellent.

Croatia is one of the few countries in Europe where you can drink the tap water as a tourist in both city and rural areas.

[edit] Respect

Remember Croatia was part of the Yugoslav civil war in the 1990s. One should not start debates about the war or politics, unless you are certain that the Croats are interested. But if one asks politely about the history of the region-- even about the Ustasha and Jasenovac--, the Croats will gladly respond. Socially, displays of affection among the younger generation are the same as Western European standards, but the older generation (over 65) still are quite conservative.

When driving on rural roads, particularly where a driver has to pull in to allow you to pass, it is customary to wave a thanks to the other driver, by raising your hand from the steering wheel.

Most Croats will respond to "thank you" with something along the lines of "It was nothing" or "not at all". This does not mean that they didn't try hard to please, but rather it is meant to suggest "I was happy to do it for you, so it was not any great difficulty" (even though it may have been!).

[edit] Contact

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