Croatia Tours

• On the wedding day of a Croatian couple, the bride’s family may playfully try to stall the groom from arriving at the church with his intended, by putting up different obstacles in the couple’s path!
• Dalmatia is the coastal region of Croatia from the Kvarner Riviera in the north to Dubrovnik in the south.
• The Dalmatian dog, also known as the Dubrovnik hunter, is widely believed to have originated in Dalmatia.
• Hum, in Istria, is often described as one of the world's smallest towns and has a population of around 50 residents.
• Zagreb Cathedral is the tallest building in Croatia at 108 metres high.
• The island of Hvar on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast is one of the sunniest places in Europe, with more than 2,800 hours of sunshine annually.
• The television series Game of Thrones was filmed in several Croatian locations, including Dubrovnik and Split.
• 10% of Croatia is preserved, covered by 8 national parks, 11 nature parks and 2 nature reserves.

Australian passport holders travelling to Croatia do not need a visa at this time.

We require that your passport is valid for travel for at least six months from the date you are planning to return to Australia. Your passport must be valid to travel internationally and must be machine-readable. You also need to carry a valid return ticket on you.

Whether travelling on an Australian passport or the passport of another country, all travellers require visas for a number of countries, and it is your responsibility to secure what may be required before departing Australia. You can consult with your travel agent, but it is also recommended that you check the foreign embassy website for your respective destination as it can also provide you with useful information.

Australian Embassy in Croatia:

Centar Kaptol
Third Floor, Nova Ves 11
Zagreb 10000
Ph. +385 1 1489 1200
Fax. +385 1 489 1216

The official currency of Croatia is the Euro. Notes come in denominations of €200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5.

Advise your bank of your travel plans so that they can make a note of it, otherwise they may cancel your credit card as a safety measure due to the overseas transactions. Also make a note of the 24-hour emergency contact number of the bank or building society which issued your credit card in the unlikely event that your card is lost or stolen.

Whenever possible use ATMs when the banks are open (Mon – Fri) so that if a machine ‘eats’ your card you can then deal with it straight away. It is always advisable to carry a supply of cash in addition to your credit card.

If you don’t have Euros with you on arrival, we advise you to exchange some money into the local currency at the airport even if the exchange rate is not the best, this way you’ll have money to get a drink, snack or give a tip during those first few hours of arrival. Your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to exchange money.

Small change is also useful for paying for toilets while on tour which is customary in many places outside of Australia.

• The price of a cappuccino in Croatia is approximately €2-3.
• The price of an inexpensive lunch is approximately €15-20.
• The price dinner in a moderate restaurant is approximately €25-30.
• The price of a beer in a local pub is approximately €4-6.

Croatian cuisine includes seafood from the coastal waters and meat dishes such as cevapcici (sausage-shaped minced meat), raznijici (grilled meat on skewers), sarma (minced rice and meat rolled in cabbage leaves) and djuvec (stew). Bread and salad accompany most meals. Palacinke (pancakes) are a favourite dessert. Popular drinks are beer, wine, slivovica (plum brandy) and Turkish coffee.

Important: When dining at buffets (i.e. breakfast) please refrain from taking food away with you to ‘save’ for later! If you feel that you’ll need snacks between meals, pack some dried fruit, nuts, muesli bars etc.

If you have specific food allergies and/or preferences, we highly recommend you take every precaution before your tour, including carrying a small card with your food allergy listed in each language of every country you are travelling to show to table staff when ordering. Whilst we take all dietary requirements seriously, due to the serious nature of potential allergic reactions, it is your responsibility to be as prepared as possible.

The coastal region of Croatia enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers and mild winters (minimum winter temperatures are around 4°C and summers average around 26°C). Inland, a continental climate is predominant with hot summers and cold winters.

Want to get out and explore on your own?

Getting around cities in Croatia is relatively simple – taxis abound and the fares have been recently regulated to ensure consistency. However, walking is a wonderful way to see the city sights, and some city centres (like Split and Dubrovnik) have been declared ‘pedestrian only’ zones, so they are wonderfully car free!

When catching taxis, have small change on you and choose one with a meter, if it doesn’t have one then negotiate the price before getting in. Also, ask your guide or hotel staff the names of reputable taxi companies.

So, you’d love to bring home a special souvenir from Croatia…

Handicrafts are popular buys among visitors to Croatia, especially items such as ceramic bowls, painted tiles and picture frames. More popular still are paintings of Croatian scenes by local artists, which are sold alongside handicrafts in the country’s tourist spots. Lavender-based gifts, such as lavender oil, are popular on the islands. You don’t need to look far to find a wealth of lace goods, which make excellent (and light) presents to take home.

Smoking remains common in Croatia, however smoking restrictions apply in many indoor public spaces and hospitality venues. Travellers should observe local regulations.

If entering a church or mosque both sexes should cover shoulders and legs. In a mosque, women will most likely be asked to cover their hair with a scarf (usually provided).

Generally speaking, Croatians are willing enough to talk about the recent war and what has changed since then, however, we recommend listening without giving your political opinion.

Croatia has many events and festivals happening throughout the year, particularly during its summer months, including the Sea Star Festival, the Hideout Festival, Love International and the INmusic Festival.

Other national public holidays to be aware of include:

• New Year’s Day
• Epiphany (January 6^th)
• Easter Friday and Easter Monday
• Labour Day (May 1^st)
• Corpus Christi (June 11^th)
• Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (June 22^nd)
• Statehood Day (June 25^th)
• Victory Day (August 5^th)
• Assumption of Mary (August 15^th)
• Independence Day (October 8^th)
• All Saints Day (November 1^st)
• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day