IT IS GOOD TO KNOW ABOUT CROATIA

Croatia spreads from the foothills of Julian Alpes in the North East and the Pannonian Valley in the East, over the mountain range of Dinara in the central part, to the Adriatic Sea in the South.

Surface: 56 542 km2

Surface of the territorial waters: 31 067 km2

Length of the seashore: 5 835 km, out of which 4 058 km belongs to the coasts of islands, cliffs and reefs

Number of islands, cliffs and reefs: 1 185 – out of that, 67 are inhabited islands, and the largest are Krk, Cres and Brač.

Highest mountain: Dinara – 1 831 m/above sea level

Number of inhabitants: 4 437 460. Croats make the majority of population. National minorities are Serbs, Bosnians, Italians, Hungarians, Albanians, Slovenians, Czech, Slovakians and others.

Capital city: Zagreb, 779 145

Political system: Croatia is a parliamentary republic with many parties.

Religion: Roman Catholics (76.5% of the total population), Orthodox (11%), small percentage of Protestants, Jews and Muslims.

Official language: Croatian, written in the Latin alphabet.

CLIMATE

Croatia's coast is located in an area of a mild Mediterranean climate. In the summertime the temperatures reach up to 38 °C and the sea temperatures can reach up to 26°C. Winter on the coast is mild and usually without snow, and the temperatures range from 6°C to 12°C.
Our biggest tourist season is in June, July and August, with abundance of sun, warm seas with plenty of fun, while April and May, as well as September and October also offer much sun, enjoyable seas, and the accommodations are less expensive!

VISAS
If you are planning to stay in Croatia for a period not longer than 90 days, all you need is a valid passport - you will not need a visa if you are traveling from Europe, USA or Japan.

Children must have their own passports or must be signed in, in one of their parent's passport. Pets must have verification or document for regularly taken vaccines.

ARRIVAL BY CAR
If you are arriving to Croatia by car, all you need is a valid driver's licence and an insurance card. Gasoline is much cheaper in Croatia then in other western European countries. You can find unleaded gasoline in all of our gas stations.

RENT-A-CAR IN CROATIA
If you decide to rent a vehicle during your stay in Croatia, the driver will have to be older than 23 years of age and posses a valid driver's licence.

In case you need a car, our travel agency can make the necessary arrangements for you.

Just contact us:

Phone/fax: +385 21 394449
Mobile: +385 91 5240218
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

CUSTOMS
Customs regulations are in accordance with the EU standards. Foreign currency is allowed to enter and exit the country with one exception - the amount of local currency (KN) upon exit cannot exceed 2000,00 KN. Value added tax rate in Croatia is 22%. For any purchases over 500,00 KN you can fill out a tax refund form.

BANKS
The largest banks in Croatia are:
Zagrebačka banka, Privredna banka, Croatia banka, Splitska banka, Varaždinska banka, Karlovačka banka and Istarska banka.
Usual working hours are:
Monday - Friday from 8 to 19 h,
Saturday from 8 to 13 h, closed on Sundays.
ATM machines can be found in most cities and touristic places.

EXCHANGE OFFICES
Exchange offices are located in all major cities and most of the smaller towns. Almost every hotel has its own exchange office, but these might be charging a bigger commision than the exchange offices in the cities.
Exchange rates are published in daily newspapers and they are can be seen in visible places in thr exchange offices, post offices and local bank branches.

 
SHOPPING
The best possible souvenirs that you can buy are traditional handmade objects, clothes and other ornaments made from silver filigran jewellery or sea shells and corals, along with interesting handmade objects of wood and cheramics, that can be found along the coast.
If you go shopping for shoes or clothes, the prices in shops won't pleasantly surprise you. If you aren't interested in designers' clothing we recommend searching for small boutiques and local markets. The prices might be higher during the summer season, but the selection is rather wide.

CREDIT CARDS AND OTHER METHODS OF PAYMENT
Standard Credit Cards – Eurocard/Mastercard, Diners, American Express and Visa are among the usual methods of payment in Croatia. Stores, restaurants, agencies, hotels and other service providers accept credit cards which are usualy indicated by a visibly placed label with the logo of the credit card accepted.
You can use ATM machines to withdraw cash from your credit cards, using Mastercard and Diners you can withdraw money at regular post offices.
Travellers cheques and personal cheques issued by foreign banks can be cashed in in most of the banks and exchange offices – with a commision of around 2% of the amount. Eurocheque and other cheques by foreign banks can be cashed in in all exchange offices or banks.

TIPS OR GRATUITY
Neither tips nor gratuity are included in the price of meals or drinks. If you decide to tip please do so at your own discretion. Average tip amounts to the 10% of the price indicated on the bill.

DRINKING WATER
Tap water is very clean so we do recommend using it for drinking purposes; as locals do. If you decide to purchase still water you can do so at any local store/ market.

NUDISM AND TOPLESS SUNBATHING
Topless sunbathing is acceptable on all Adriatic beaches, but nudism is only allowed on designated beaches, which are clearly marked.

MEDICAL SERVICE:
There are hospitals and clinics in all larger cities, and first aid clinics and pharmacies can be found in all smaller places. Foreign tourists do not pay for medical services if the Health Care Convention was signed between Croatia and the country they come from. Expenses of health services provided to persons coming from the countries without the signed Health Care Convention, are charged directly to users according to the price list. For patients whose lives are in danger, there is an emergency transport by air (helicopter) or sea (speadboat).

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION:
Protection of the biological diversity is in concordance with the EU regulations currently in force. The water quality of the Croatian Adriatic Sea is of high quality for swimming and is in concordance with the EU criteria. In case of an accident or contamination of the sea, please contact the National Centre for Sea Search and Rescue on the number 9155 (free telephone), which is a part of international institutions of the same rank. In case of accidental environmental contamination on land, report it to the National Information Centre on the number 01/4814 911.

POST AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
Post offices in Croatia are easily spotted as they are marked with a yellow sign with
the lettering HP (standing for Hrvatske Pošte). Their services include pay phones, telegram, fax service and money exchange.
Post offices working hours are from 7 am until 7 pm, and in smaller towns from 7 am until 2 pm, sometimes reopening after a long lunch break at around 4 pm.
During the summer season post offices in bigger cities and tourist areas are open even on Saturday and Sunday, and as late as until 10 pm.
Postage stamps are sold in post offices and at newsstands.
Post boxes are yellow with HP sign and they can always be found in front of post offices and elsewhere around the cities and tourist areas.
Public telephones can be used only with phone cards that can be purchased in post offices and at the newsstands. You can dial directly abroad from any public pay phone.

RADIO NEWS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES DURING THE TOURIST SEASON:
On Program 2 of Croatian radio, along with the regular news in Croatian, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) will give traffic reports in English, German and Italian along with nautical news a number of times throughout the day.
Other than on Program 2 of Croatian radio, alternating news and traffic reports will be emitted every full hour from the following studios: Program 3 of Bavarian radio, Program 3 of Austrian radio, RAI Uno, British Virgin radio and Chezch radio. Throughout the day nautical news will be emitted in English and Croatian.

IMPORTANT TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
International number for Croatia: +385
Police: 92
Firefighters: 93
Ambulance: 94

Road aid: (+385 1) 987
Weather and road conditions: +385 1 46 40 800
Traffic conditions: +385 1 46 40 800
Croatian autoclub (HAK): +385 1 66 11 999
Information of local and longdistance phone numbers: 988
Information for international phone numbers: 902
General information: 981

Croatian angels - tourist information available in Croatian, English, German and Italian
from the 23.03.-15.10. on number: 062 999 999 (+385 62 999 999)