Croatia

More information about visa exemptions and the visa application procedure is available at the website of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs .

By plane

Croatia has international airports in (descending in importance):

Prices are around 10% to 20% lower than most other EU countries. Tourist destinations and articles are much more expensive. Value added tax (PDV) is 25% with reduced rates for certain items, as of 2024.

National airline company Croatia Airlines 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.

The main language is Croatian, a Slavic language similar to Serbian and Bosnian, all of which were called Serbo-Croatian until the breakup of Yugoslavia. Most younger Croats who grew up after the fall of Yugoslavia can speak English proficiently (especially in urban areas), but German and Italian are also very popular (largely because of historical reasons). People who grew up in Yugoslavia rarely speak English, although they may be able to converse in German or Italian. Some people might also s…

Croatia is extremely safe by international standards in most crime categories. In case of an emergency, dial 112 for fire brigade, police, ambulance or mountain rescue. Police can search anyone at any time in public spaces and while they should have a reason there is in reality no recourse against it. Everyone is required to carry an ID or passport.

No vaccinations are required when going to 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.

Croatia uses the GSM 900/1800 system for mobile phones. There are three providers, Hrvatski Telekom (formerly T-Mobile; also operates the Bonbon prepaid brand), A1 (formerly Vipnet; also operates the Tomato prepaid brand) and Telemach. Over 98% of the country's area is covered, including most islands. Since 2006 UMTS (3G) is available as well, and as of 2013 also HSDPA and LTE. 5G has also been available since 2022 with A1, Telemach, and Hrvatski Telekom deploying 5G networks in the country. If…

Croatia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and the 1990s were marked by ethnic conflict and the bloody and brutal war in Croatia is still a painful subject, but generally there should be no problem if you approach that topic with respect. Croatia has seen a heap of invaders through history; Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Yugoslav, etc. Proudly independent today, calling Croatia Yugoslavia or calling Croats Yugoslav, would almost be considered an insult. Also don’t call the Croatian language Serbo-Croatian, as you could easily come across a person sensitive about the issue.…