12 Things to Know About Traveling to Croatia

1. Their credit card machines do not allow them to adjust the total amount to add tip, so bring cash for tips!

2. The currency is the Kuna, which are about 7 Kuna to the dollar. Croatia is moving to the Euro next year, though! 

3. For services, from taxi to nail salon, make sure to get the price first. I ended up paying $90 for a pedicure over this mistake. And for taxi’s, probably simpler to use Uber or Bolt.

4. The coastal towns and islands, especially Dubrovnik, are notoriously overrun with tourists in the summer. Do yourself a favor and visit in the shoulder season of April-May or October.

Train Station in Zagreb

5. Trains are not great here. We took a 6-hr train from Zagreb to Split, when it’s only a 3:30 drive. If you can, rent a car, otherwise be prepared for a long ride (with no wifi or food car!)

6. Ferry whenever you can, for amazing views and quick transport (quicker than a train at least!). Ferryhopper is a great site for booking ferries and checking schedules. We rode Jadrolinija from Split to Hvar and Kapetan Luka from Hvar to Dubrovnik. Both services were equivalent and tickets can be purchased at the pier. However, even in April our first boat was PACKED so reserving in advance is recommended.

7. In Dubrovnik, we recommend buying the city pass. It’s only a few dollars more than the ticket needed to walk the city walls. So if you plan to walk the walls, spend a few more dollars and get access to over 7 other museums and sights, and 20% off your tickets to Lokrum Island.

8. And yes- you need a ticket to walk the city walls! It takes 45m to and hour and can be strenuous on a hot day. There are cafes up there if you need to stop for a drink and a breather.

9. In Split and Dubrovnik, it is NOT necessary to stay within the old town, just be sure to stay within walking distance. For Hvar, Start Grad or Hvar Town are your best bets. And for Plitvice Lakes, you don’t need to stay within the park. There are several options just outside.

10. Do I Need a Car? Split, Dubrovnik - no. Hvar - a scooter or car will help you explore more of the island but its not necessary. Plitvice - yes, unless you are traveling with a group excursion.

11. While you can do a day trip there-and-back to Plitvice, it would be a grueling day so we definitely recommend spending the night if you can. We spend two so that we could dedicate a full day to the park and while we were done by 4pm, it was nice to not have to drive back after a full day of hiking.

12. Guest Houses are common here, so don’t just look at hotels and AirBnBs. Most are listed on Booking.com.