Frequently asked questions and answers about Croatia!

   Each week we’ll list the 10 most interesting new questions!

What’s the best time to come to Croatia?
A.J, Sydney Australia

While most people come between June and September, the late Fall and early Spring are glorious times to be here. It’s less hot and less expensive. And, less people means you can enjoy a more in-depth experience.



Is Croatia safe to drive—should we rent a car?
B.A., Albany, NY

Croatia has one of the best highway systems in Europe. New, fast, uncrowded! Why don’t more people use them? Because the best are all toll roads and local people simply take the long way to save money. But the tolls are reasonable and you can zip up and down the coast quickly and safely. Just check who has the best rates, go for a small compact to save money and enjoy!

Can you ferry all the way down the coast?
L.L, Randolph, Mass.

Absolutely. Jadrolinja is the state operated ferry service. It’s a huge system running dozens of boats up and down the coast….from 45 minutes to overnight. Just go to www.jadrolinja.hr and plan your trip!

I’m a vegetarian, can I enjoy the food here?
A.C, London, UK

Croatia is veggie heaven most of the year. The local fruits and vegetables are terrific and most are grown without pesticides. It’s easy to be vegan if you shop at the open air green markets in almost every village or city. Harder to find restaurants that are vegan, but blitva (like spinach) and potatoes are a common dish, the cheese here is spectacular, plenty of yogurt and of course, more pizza than Italy!

What about Croatian currency—Euro, Dollar??
B.F., Prague, Czech Republic

Croatia is looking to get into the EU and a lot of things are priced in Euro, like hotels and apartments. But the official currency is still the kuna, about 7.2 to the Euro and 5.3 to the dollar. It has been a spectacularly stable currency during the global crisis, so when you come, change your money into kuna and relax.

What’s the best place to stay in Split
A.K, Toronto, Can.

It really depends on two things—budget and where you want to be and do. Split is pretty spread out, although the old town core is very compact. Google Split and find the Palace and then around the Palace for a kilometer. The most expensive places are in the Palace, apartments for $100 and up. Just outside they drop to $80 and then the further out you go, $60 or so. Hotels in the Palace are great, from $90-300 and all include breakfast.

What’s the best island—Hvar, Brac, Vis or Solta?
R.A., Brussels, Bel.

Wow, lots of arguments for each. Hvar is chic, full of history, gorgeous. Brac more laid back, rural, that amazing Bol Beach. Solta is dreamy, unspoiled, a sailors heaven. Vis, remote, great swimming and peaceful. Sorry, we choose all three….so make sure you spend enough time to see them all!

I hear Croatian wine is great..are there any wine tours?
B.T., Sausalito, CA,

You hear right! The wine in Croatia has been thrilling people here for 2000 years. www.secretdalmatia.com has some terrific tours and Alan Mandic, the director, is a good friend so we recommend his programs highly. The real decision you have to make is where you want to go—north to Istria, the islands, Dalmatia, Peljesac? Each region has its unique wine. So write to Alan tell him what you like and then enjoy!




We like adventure travel—trekking, kayaking, etc. does Croatia offer
S.A., New York, NY

Croatia’s national parks system is terrific. There are parks on islands as well as in the interior. Some are rugged, others are easy, and all are gorgeous. And then there are cliffs and sheer rock faces and other more “adventure” sites. A good place to start is on our home page, click on the national parks site. www.lifejacketadventures.com , run by our friend Shane Braddock, is another great site with wonderful kayaking programs.

I have some health issues…can I get good health care in Croatia if something happens?
F.R, Athens, Gr.

Croatians have had their own unique social medicine system for decades, so there are lots of well-equipped clinics and hospitals as well as good array of private practitioners. What’s re-assuring is that most people speak English, so whatever your situation someone should be able to understand. Most larger cities like Split, Zagreb, and Dubrovnik also have 24 hour pharmacies, too. We’d suggest Googling your particular condition to find a clinic or physician in the Croatian city you will be visiting that can be a resource if something happens or ask your doctor to do this for you.



What are the highlights for 8 days of travel.  Starting in Dubrovnik and ending in Zagreb?

We suggest a day 2 days in Dubrovnik, l for walking around the Old Town and the other to go to Cavtat or the island of Korkula to swim and enjoy or a day trip to Kotor in Montenegro for some spectacular sightseeing.  The, up the coast to Split for 2 days to experience the 1,700 year old Diocletian Palace, swim at Bacvice beach, one of the few all sand beaches on this part of the coast--and the next day on the island of Solta, Hvar or Brac.  All an easy trip by ferry from Split's busy harbor.  The second half of your trip can either continue up the coast to Istria, stopping at Sibenik to see the Cathedral and then Zadar for the night before reaching Pula and then driving up into the beautiful hill country. Or move off the coast from Split and go inland to see Plitvice Lakes and then onto Zagreb for several days to enjoy the city and some interesting surrounding towns.  We think heading to Istria is the better choice.  To maximize your time here, check out Croatia Airlines flights inside Croatia.  Around $50 each way, it's inexpensive to fly from Pula to Zagreb for example, rather than drive...



Is tap water safe to drink in Croatia?
A.K. Lake Worth, FL Absolutely!

Croatians are very conscious about their health and safety. Even the quality of their beaches is a source of pride--which is the reason so many of them earn Blue Flags for cleanliness and water quality. Unfortunately we hear that many tour companies bring lots of bottled water on their buses and sell it to their guests as "safer than local water". Forget it, fill your water bottle at any public fountain or tap and drink up!




What's the best way to travel in Croatia?
E.S. Ramsey, Isle of Man


Croatia Airlines connects a lot of cities like Pula, Dubrovnik, Split, etc. through Zagreb. The prices for these less than an hour jumps is around $50 one way. Not bad! Best to book online at their site. The next best, but slow way, is the very integrated bus system. Air conditioned, modern, fast. And reasonable. You can connect up and down the coast as well as to the interior. Ferries are slow, but hey, you're on the water! Jadrolinja is the state ferry system. Renting a car can be as little as $40 day and the highway system here is pretty phenomenal....new and excellently maintained. But so few people use it because of the tolls. Not that they are high, just that locals prefer saving a kuna when they can and take the slower by-roads. Last but not least is the rail system. Internationally everything flows through Zagreb. But out of Zagreb, the lines are poor, the trains are plain vanilla and slow and the service is not that frequent. By rail, Split is as far south as you can get. .