Description

The republic of Croatia is located on the east coast of the Adriatic Sea. It starts from the slopes of the Alps in the north-west to the Panonian plain in the east. There are about 1185 islands, islets and reefs, of which 47 islands are inhabited. Croatia as a part of the triune kingdom of Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia, and today also includes Istria and the territory of Dubrovnik. Croatia has been a hit tourist destination in the Mediterranean. The best value for money for accommodation in Croatia is a private apartment or room, often attached to an owner’s home, which is cheaper than a hotel and the domestic food is much better. Some of the major destinations in Croatia are Dubrovnik, Split, Rabac, Porec, Lovran and Slano.

Shopping

Tourists in Dubrovnik should buy hand-made hats which will make a perfect gift or souvenir. Ronchi hat factory is very famous and uses ancient technology to give modern touch for hats. There are good shops presenting genuine antiques like dishes, vases, glasses, paintings, tablecloths, jewelry etc. Art Studio Renaissance situated at the Old Town displays and sells paintings made on canvas, wood and glass. Split’s daily market is a sight worth seeing for visitors, as this busy market opens daily from 7am to 1pm and is frequented by locals. One can find the best deals on fruit, vegetables, olive oil, local brandies and other edibles. This market is also full of odd things like tools, utensils, clothes, boot, electronics and others. Split's fish market in the heart of Diocletian's Palace, where the local fishermen proudly display the night's catch is also worth visiting. In the basement halls of Diocletian's Palace there are stalls displaying jewelry and crafts of local artisans. This is a good place for tourists to pick up the special souvenirs that could only come from Split.

Restaurants

Dubrovnik has ample number of restaurants and cafes that satisfies one and all. Well-know and luxurious eateries are found along the Preko and Siroka Ulica Street, in the Dubrovnik old town. Almost all restaurants serve similar dishes which include local specialties like rizot, menestra aka, buzara, grilled meat and other fish delicacies. Some suggested restaurants include Konoba for traditional dishes, Domino Stake House for mouth-watering global and local cuisines, Komin- Babin Kuk for fresh seafood dishes, Dundo Maroje and much more. Grilled fresh fish, stewed meat, homemade pasta and fluffy pizza are the comfort foods that are found on most menus. Even though restaurants in Split may lack a lot of variety, the quality and prices are good. Some of the best Split restaurants are located in or near the town centre. Nostromo Restaurant is famous for fish and sea food. Sperun is a well known restaurant for tuna, seafood and pasta. At Marco Vega, tourists can enjoy vegetarian food. Tourists should not miss trying the local fisherman’s food called ‘Pasticada’ which is a meaty stew, served at a restaurant called ‘Buffet Fife’. For authentic Croatian cuisine like Istrian truffles and Dalmatian grilled fish and meat tourists should visit ‘Restoran Boban’. Pizzaria Galija, Konoba Varos and Restaurant Sumica are other restaurants which are worth visiting.

Night Life

Split locals party hard at the two chief hotspots called Diocletian's Palace and the Bacvice complex a couple of kilometers east of town. Some of the best places to drink in the Palace are Po Bota, which is a hangout for sipping coffee or a beer, Ghetto Club, Cafe Song & Cafe Shook, and Red Room which has a DJ playing hot new music. At the Bacvice, tourists can chill and dance at the Tropic Club Ecuador which a Latin style club with chic crowd serving fruity cocktails. O'Hara Klub is an open-air beachside venue throbs with a full program of live rock and jazz on summer nights. In the outskirts of town, is Tribu, which is an ultra-hip disco which has international party girls and boys who stopover on their nightlife tour. Tourists should try many different kinds of wines. Also worth trying is rakija, a type of brandy which can be made of plum, grapes, figs and many other types of fruit and aromatic herbs. Pelinkovac is bitter herbal liquor popular in Central Croatia which is non-alcoholic. The two most popular beers are "Karlovaèko" and "Ožujsko", but "Velebitsko pivo" which is served only in some places in Zagreb and Croatia.

Activities

A number of organizations run activity holidays in Croatia like Adriatic Adventures which offer activities such as hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, exploring the medieval cities of Dubrovnik and Split, the idyllic islands of Brac, Hvar, Vis and Korcula and the Krka, Paklenica and Plitvice Lakes National Parks. There are other holiday tour operators like Neilson Active Holidays who offer windsurfing, dinghy sailing, and mountain biking and yachting.

Communications

The international code to dial into Croatia is +385. To make calls to other countries from Croatia, 00 has to be dialed followed by the relevant country code. There are national long distance codes for different cities and the city code for Zagreb is (0)1 and for Dubrovnik it is (0)20. Public phones can be operated using phone cards, which can be bought in post offices and hotels. Most GSM operators have roaming agreements with other international networks. Internet cafes are available in the larger towns and cities.

Contacts

Croatian National Tourist Board, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 469 9333 or www.croatia.hr
Embassy of Croatia, Washington DC, United States: +1 202 588 5899.
Embassy of Croatia, London, United Kingdom: +44 (0)20 7387 2022.
Embassy of Croatia, Ottawa, Canada: +1 613 562 7820.
Embassy of Croatia, Canberra, Australia: +61 (0)2 6286 6988.
Embassy of Croatia, Pretoria, South Africa: +27 (0)12 342 1206.
Embassy of Croatia, Dublin, Ireland: +353 (0)1 476 7181.
Consulate-General of Croatia, Auckland, New Zealand: +64 (0)9 836 5581.
United States Embassy, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 661 2200.
British Embassy, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 600 9100.
Canadian Embassy, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 488 1211.
Australian Embassy, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 489 1200.
South African Honorary Consulate, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 489 4111.
Honorary Consul of Ireland, Zagreb: +385 (0)1 631 0025.
New Zealand Embassy, Rome, Italy (also responsible for Croatia): +39 (0)6 441 7171.
Emergencies: 92 (Police); 94 (Ambulance)

Currency

HRK

Attractions

Croatia has eight national parks, four of which are located in the mountain region. They are Paklenica, Plitvice Lakes, Risnjak and Northern Velebit, and four at the coastal region Brijuni, Kornati, Krka and Mljet. Besides these, there are reserves, natural monuments and natural parks which are natural heritages. They have all contributed to Croatia's being considered one of the most beautiful gardens of Europe.

Language

Croat

Language Description

The official language of the country is Croat. English and German are widely spoken throughout the country for business purposes.

Tipping

If the service is appreciated, the general practice with most services is to add a small tip and round up the bill. In tourist and up-market restaurants a tip of 10% is expected. This is necessary only if a service charge has not already been added into the bill. Tour guides expect to be tipped liberally.