BASIC CROATIAN PHRASES (link)

EATING & DRINKING (link)

GENERAL INFO (link)

Visas, Money, Credit Cards, Health & Medical, Shops & Offices Open Hours, Telephone, Important Telephone Numbers, Voltage, Local Time, National Holidays

TRAVELLING FROM ITALY TO CROATIA (link)

(This above is visit-croatia.co.uk website, so don't forget to return here for more info)

TRAVEL INSURANCE (link)

TRAVELLER'S TIPS (link)

TRAVELLING BY AIR (link)

TRAVELLING BY BUS (link)

TRAVELLING BY ROAD (link)

TRAVELLING BY TRAINS (link)

TRAVELLING BY SEA (link)

WHEN TO GO (link)

Visas
A full passport is required to visit Croatia. Holders of UK, EC countries, USA, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand passports require no visa to visit Croatia for stay up to 3 months. Holders of other countries, please check with the Croatian Embassy for up to date requirements. Here is address:

Croatian Embassy

21 Conway Street

Fitzroy Square

LONDON

W1T 6BN

Phone: 020 7387 2022

Addresses of foreign embassies in Croatia:

British: Vlaska 121/III, 10000 ZAGREB, Phone: 00385 1455-5310
USA: Andrije Hebranga 2-4, 10000 ZAGREB, Phone: 00385 1455-5500
Australia: Hotel "Intercontinental" Isidora Krsnjavoga 1, 10000 ZAGREB, Phone: 00385 1489-1200
Canada: Prilaz Gjure Dezelica 4, 1000 ZAGREB, Phone: 00385 1488-1200

Money
Croatian currency is KUNA (KN). Kuna is divided into 100 lipa. Presently the exchange rate is just over 11 Kuna to £ 1.00.You can exchange Sterling (both cash and travelers cheques) into KUNA at exchange offices, banks, post offices, travel agencies, hotels, camps, marinas and at airports. Most larger cities and resorts offer ATM (cash dispenser ) facilities. Croatian currency is not available in Britain.

Credit Cards: All major credit cards are accepted in hotels, larger shops and many restaurants. Foreign currency can be freely brought in and out of the country but there is a limit for Kuna (presently maximum 2,000)

Health and Medical
There are no special requirements for inoculations to visit Croatia. For up to date information contact the Department of Health or free phone 0800 555-777.In general the standard of public health and hospital services is good, although some of the more expensive Western drugs are sometimes in short supply. Tap water is drinkable in all parts of Croatia. Presently, hospital treatment is free to citizens of most EU countries, including the UK and Irish nationals. Citizens of other countries should check the position with health care in Croatia. For minor health complaints help can be obtained from a pharmacy (ljekarna). All cities and major resorts will have at least one pharmacy open at night time, holidays and weekends.

Shops and Offices - opening hours
Shops are open from 08.00 to 20.00 hours.
Public services and offices works from 08.00 - 16.00 hours from Monday to Friday.
Post offices are open from 07.00 to 19.00 hours. Saturdays and Sundays.
Post offices in major cities and in larger tourist resorts are open from 07.00 until 22.00 hours.

Telephone
Direct dial code from the UK to Croatia: 00385 followed by the local city code (omitting zero) and subscribers number and from Croatia to the UK: 0044 followed by the number.

In Croatia all public telephones accept phone cards only. These can be purchased from post offices and in newspaper kiosks.

Important telephone numbers

Ambulance service: 94 

Fire brigade: 93 

Police: 92

If you are taking your mobile telephone check with your service provider for network coverage and don't forget to take the charger with continental adapter. By the way, my Orange phone is working fine and Orange has the cheapest international call charges, BUT you might choose (as I've done from this summer of 2007) to buy just Global Sim Card from GoSim company that offers the best value for money. You will save a lot of money by doing this !!!

Voltage
220 - 240 (continental adapters may be necessary to use your appliances wired for British standard)

Local time
Croatia is one hour ahead of British Summer Time.

National holidays
Easter Monday

1st May - Labour Day

9th May - Ascension Day

22nd June - Antifascism Day

25th June National Day

5th August - National Thanksgiving Day

15th August - The Assumption

8th October - Independence Day

Info about Croatia - www.hr 

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To enter Croatia drivers must be in possession of valid driving license, vehicle registration document and green card (evidence of insurance.) Apart from several stretches of motorways connecting major inland cities, roads are single carriageway and in satisfactory condition. During the summer peak months the roads are clogged with holiday traffic, especially the Adriatic coastal road (Jadranska Magistrala). This and many other busy roads become slippery when wet, during and after rainfall, tends to become extremely slippery. Please take extra care, remember to cut your speed and avoid overtaking.

The permitted speed within residential areas is 50 km per hour, other roads 80 km per hour and on motorways 130 km per hour. Petrol stations are opened from 07.00 - 22.00 hours in summer. Petrol stations in major cities and along major international roads are open 24 hours.

MAP OF MOTORWAYS

(courtesy of Croatia Tourist Centre)

Available petrol includes non-leaded Eurosuper 95, Super 98, Normal and Euro Diesel fuel. Permitted quantity of alcohol in blood: 0.5 per ml. Use of safety belts is obligatory for the driver and co-driver, as well as the back seats if the belts are fitted.

Road assistance:

Automobile breakdown service phone: 987

Croatia AA club phone: 01 4554 433

Weather forecast and road conditions phone: 060 520 520

Accident procedure: Place the triangle sign behind the vehicle/s involved in accident, advise the police (tel. 92) and wait for their arrival. For any damage to vehicle it is obligatory to obtain from police a certificate listing the damage and circumstances.

Association of Croatian Travel Agencies - www.uhpa.hr

Collection of maps of Croatian cities and regions - www.geo-gauss.hr/id18.htm

Croatian Auto Club - www.hak.hr

Croatian Camping Association - www.camping.hr

Croatian National Tourist Board - www.htz.hr

Click here for additional info including Tolls for Highways and road distances in Croatia.

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Croatian Bus System is far more developed than the train system. For moving from one place to another I would recommend the public bus service which is a good standard, cheap and usually frequent. The services are run by a array of competing companies, but well integrated and organized. The buses (autobus) are in most cases modern comfortable coaches. Tickets must be purchased before departure, usually from bus station ticket windows. It is advisable to buy a ticket in advance particularly in summer for journeys from Zagreb to the coast.

Examples of Intercity coach service timetables from ZAGREB to

Korcula:  check here
Rijeka: departure every two hours. Journey time 3 hours / cost £ 6.00
Pula: departure every two hours. Journey time 4 hours / cost £7.00
Split: departure every hour. Journey time 6-7 hours / cost £ 9.00
Dubrovnik: 4 departures daily. Journey time 11 hours / cost £ 12.00
Osjek: 4 departures daily. Journey time up to 10 hours/ cost £7.00
Plitvice Lakes: departure every two hours. Journey time 3 hours / cost £ 6.00
Sarajevo: 4-5 departures daily. Journey time 5 hours/cost £7.00
Ljubljana: 3-4 departures daily. Journey time 2hours/ cost £14.00
Zagreb Central Coach Station: Information phone: 00385 60 313333 and 00385 60 34 0340, website

Reservations

Domestic service phone: 00385 1 6157 986
International service phone: 00385 1 6157 983
CroatiaBus phone: 00385 1 6157 966

Korcula Bus phone: 00385 20 715 500 (general info), 00385 20 711 216 (bus terminal & reservations)

From SPLIT to
Zagreb: departure every hour - journey time 6-7 hours / cost £ 9.00
Dubrovnik: departure every hour - journey time 4 hours / cost £ 7.00
Medjugorje: several departures daily Rijeka departure every hour - journey time 5 hours / cost £ 8.00

From DUBROVNIK to
Makarska, Split, Sibenik and Rijeka departure every hour
Medjugorje: several departures daily

From PULA to
Rijeka: departure every hour - journey time 1.30 hours / cost £ 3.00

Trieste: departures 05.00 , 06.00 and 07.00 hours - journey time 3.30 hours / cost £ 5.00

From RIJEKA to
Zadar, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik departure every hour
Trieste: departures 06.00 , 14.30 and 17.30 hours - journey time 2.30 hours / cost £ 6.00
Zagreb: departure every hour - journey time 3 hours / cost £ 9.00. 

The quoted prices are for one way journey and they are approximate.

Check here for additional useful info.

Click here for Autotrans bus company.

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The rail network connects all major Croatian cities, except Dubrovnik. There are direct lines to Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia. There are indirect lines to almost all other European countries. The types of train services that operate in Croatia are the following: EuroCity (EC), InterCity (IC), Express (Ex), Fast (B), Local and Accelerated trains.

Avoid local trains unless you intend to use the Express and the Fast direct services which link all major cities (increased frequency in summer months). These services operate between Zagreb - Rijeka, Pula, Zadar, Sibenik and Split. There is no service to Dubrovnik. Rail information/ reservation phone: 00385 1 4553 238 / and 00385 1 45573 253. 

On Croatian Railways Web pages you can find detail timetables of all railway lines.

Check here for additional useful info.

Croatia Airlines operate domestic service connecting Zagreb with Pula , Osijek, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Brac and Dubrovnik. 

Croatia Airlines information/reservation phone: 00385 1 487 2727.

Airport phone numbers: 

Zagreb 01 6265 222

Split 021 203 171

Dubrovnik 020 773 377

Osijek 031 514 400 (town office 031 215 650)

Rijeka 051 842 132

Zadar 023 313 311

Pula 052 550 926

Brac 021 648 615

Useful web links:

Croatia Airlines - www.croatiaairlines.hr

Dubrovnik Airport - www.airport-dubrovnik.hr

Split Airport - www.split-airport.tel.hr

Zagreb Airport - www.tel.hr/zagreb-airport

If you have time and want save some money, I would recommend to fly with Ryan Air to Ancona or Trieste in Italy or Graz in Austria and then by train, bus or car through Croatia.

Click here for additional info about airports and airlines in Croatia.

Click here for additional info about how to get from airport to the nearest town.

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Jadrolinija, the state ferry company, operate a regular international car and passenger ferry service between Italy and Croatia. From Ancona to Zadar and to Split and from Bari to Dubrovnik In addition, this company operates a regular coastal car ferry service from Rijeka to Dubrovnik calling at Zadar, Split, Hvar and Korcula on the way, and from Dubrovnik to Rijeka calling at the same ports. The journey one way takes just under 24 hours. This is good way to see and enjoy the Croatian coast.

Jadrolinija mainland to islands car ferry service:
Pula - Mali Losinj, Brestova (Istrian peninsula) - Cres and Losinj, Jablanac - Misnjak/Rab, Zadar - Dugi Otok, Split - Brac, Hvar, Vis, Korcula Vela Luka, Lastovo, Makarska - Brac, Drvenik - Hvar, Dubrovnik - Mljet , Korcula, Lopud, Sipan and Kolocep.

Jadrolinija information phone: 00 385 51 666 100 / and 211 444

Catamaran service for Passengers only - once a day. Catamaran Krilo Jet features: speed 26 knots, 200 seats. Ticket price 55 HRK. Timetable below is for summer season (1st June to 30th September).

Check the latest travel info by Krilo Jet catamaran here.

Excursions:
Regular programme of excursions from all major resorts is operated by Atlas. Full details from Atlas branch offices.

Useful web links to book ferries to Korcula:

Blue Line

InforMARE

Jadrolinija

Larivera

SEM

SNAV

TraghettiOnline (FerriesOnline)

Check here for additional useful info.

Croatia offers a varied range of food drawing from different culinary cultures, including Middle and Central European and Mediterranean. Breakfast will normally include bread rolls, a boiled egg, a few slices of cheese/or salami, butter and jam. Most of hotels of mid-and superior standard offer a buffet style breakfast with cereals, eggs and bacon.

Snacks will include burek - a light flaky pastry filled with cheese. Snacks of more substance are predominately prepared of grilled meats locally known as pljeskavica - a hamburger like mixture, raznjici - shish kebab, cevapi - minced beef, pork and lamb.

LUNCH & DINNER
Establishments serving main meals are: restoran (restaurant), konoba (tavern type of restaurant) and gostiona (inn) and pizzeria.

A full restaurant menu (jelovnik) will list: 

Starters (predjelo) usually prsut - home cured ham and cheese (sir). Choice of soups (juha) clear and light soup and cream soup (krem juha) much thicker vegetable soup, pasta and rise dishes.

Main dishes consists of grilled and pan - fried pork or veal chop (kotlet) or fillett (odrezak.) Becki odrezak - fried Wiener schnitzell in breadcrumbs, Pariski odrezak - ( parisienne schnitzell ) fried in batter and Zagrebacki schnitzell staffed with cheese and ham. Mjesano meso - mixed grill, Janjetina - usually cuts from grilled whole sheep roasted over the open fire.

On the Adriatic coast the sea food menus offer: Starters salata od hobotnice - octopus salad, salata od jastoga - small portion of lobster flesh seasoned with olive oil and herbs. Riba na zaru (grilled fish), riba u pecnici (baked fish) and riba leso (boiled fish,) ligne na zaru ( grilled squid) and risoto od liganja - (risotto of squid.) More expensive resaurants offer specialities like rakovica - (crab), ostrige (oysters) skampi (scampi) and jastog (lobster). 

Salads usually include zelena salata - green salad and mjesana salata - mixed salad, also krastavci - gherkins and paprika - pickled peppers.

Typical menu for desserts lists: sladoled - ice cream, torta - cake, palacinke - pancakes and rozata - cream caramel.

Drinking
Pivo - beer mostly light lager variety, better brands are called Karlovacko and Ozujsko pivo.
Vino - wine. Croatia produces many great wines of which the best known are : Vrbnik, Vugava, Kastelet, Grk and Posip all medium dry whites. Dingac, Babic, Primosten and Viski Plavac and Teran all red wines.
Zestoka pica - spirits served up and down the country include lozovaca made from grapes, sljivovica - plum brandy, viljamovka - pear brandy, travarica - made from herbs, pelinkovac - juniper based spirit, vinjak - locally produced cognac, maraskino made from cherries.

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YES = DA dah
NO = NE neh
PLEASE = MOLIM moleem
THANK YOU = HVALA VAM hvahlah vahm
GOOD MORNING = DOBRO JUTRO dobro yootro
GOOD AFTERNOON = DOBAR DAN dobahr dahn
GOOD NIGHT = LAKU NOCΠlahkoo noch
HELLO / HI = ZDRAVO / BOG zdrahvo / bog
GOOD-BYE = DOVID-ENJA doveejehñah
WHAT IS YOUR NAME? = KAKO SE ZOVETE? kahko seh zovehteh
MY NAME IS... = IME MI JE... eemeh mee yeh
HOW ARE YOU? = KAKO STE? kahko steh 

FINE THANKS, AND YOU? = DOBRO HVALA, A VI?? dobro hvahla, ah vee
I UNDERSTAND. = RAZUMIJEM. rahzoomeeyehm
I DON'T UNDERSTAND. = NE RAZUMIJEM. neh rahzoomeeyehm
DO YOU SPEAK ENGLISH? = GOVORITE LI ENGLESKI? govoreeteh lee ehnglehskee
I DON'T SPEAK MUCH CROATIAN. = GOVORIM MALO HRVATSKI. govoreem mahlo hehrvahtskee

Find out more about Croatian language.

July and August are both hot and expensive, and you may like to take advantage of the cheaper accommodation rates and slightly cooler climate by visiting Croatia between March & June and September & October.

Average daily maximum temperature in °F
April 62, May 70, June 78, July 88, August 88, September 78, October 68.

Climate
The Croatian coast enjoys a typical Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and mild winters. The average summer air temperature is 27 °C/80 °F. Last few years temperatures has gone a few degrees up, so bring a lot of sun lotions and suitable clothes.

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To save money we advise passengers to shop around for the most competitive insurance cover. The best deals are available from independent travel insurers.
If you expect to take more than one trip abroad, consider buying an annual multi trip policy. For Croatia the same premiums apply as elsewhere in Europe.

Top Travel Insurance Providers
Journeywise: 0870 8455555
Columbus Direct: 020 7375 0011
Primary Direct: 0870 444 3434
Club Direct/Prima: 0800 074 4558
AA Insurance Members: 0870 606 1612
Churchill: 0800 026 4050S

Info collected from various sources, such as www.croatiafortravellers.co.uk and www.croatia.hr.

• Check Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice.

• Get travel insurance including medical insurance.
• Bring enough money to cover the whole of your trip.
• Keep your belongings in a safe place.
• Respect local laws and customs.
• Beware of pickpockets and do not leave valuables unattended.
• Carry your passport at all times (keep a photocopy separately).
• Enter next of kin details into the back of your passport.
• Drive carefully especially at night. Roads are usually unlit and have sharp bends.
• Don't carry drugs, penalties can be severe.
• Outside large towns do not leave marked pathways or cultivated land; land mines are still a danger. If necessary seek local advice.