CROATIA INFO
Most of the
west coast is on the Adriatic sea
which is one of Europe's main beach/sea tourist
destinations. Croatia has three geographically
distinct landscapes - Mountains mostly in the North
and inland from the Adriatic Sea - Coastal in the
West - Plains in the eastern third of Croatia.
The
tourist industry is very diverse offering
sailing/diving/beach activities on the seaside
-climbing /hiking /health resorts in the mountains.
The Croatian
coastline is
perfect for sailing holidays. With so many islands
and small ports, you can stop as many times as you
like or sail for as long as you wish.
Croatia has an amazing 5,800km of coastline, of
which 4,000km belong to islands.
The climate
is Mediterranean along the Adriatic coast, meaning
warm dry summers and mild winters, with 2,600 hours
of sunlight on average yearly - it is one of the
sunniest coastlines in Europe! In the interior of
the country, the climate is continental with hot
summers and cold, snowy winters.
Water:
Tap
water is drinkable throughout Croatia
Area:
56,542 km2, with an additional 31,067 km2 of
territorial waters.
Population:
4.437.460.
Capital:
Zagreb (779.145 inhabitants - the administrative,
cultural, academic and communication centre of the
country).
Official
language and alphabet:
Croatian language and Latin alphabet.
National parks:
Brijuni, Kornati, Krka, Mljet, Paklenica, Plitvice
Lakes, Risnjak and North-Velebit.
Nature Parks:
Biokovo, Kopacki Rit, Lonjsko Polje, Medvednica,
Papuk, Telašcica, Ucka, Vransko Lake, Velebit and
Žumberak-Samobor Highlands.
WHEN TO VISIT CROATIAN COAST?
The best
period to visit Croatia
is from April to October. Peak temperatures in high
season summer months (July, August) can reach 38°C
(100°F), and the water surface at that point reaches
a comfortable 26°C (79°F). High season has its
obvious advantages for people looking for fun and
excitement and disadvantages for others, but in
Croatia you can always find some nice hidden place
if you want to sleep far from loud music. Spring
starting in March can bring some rain showers, but
the autumn months, September and October, are ideal
for travel if you want to relax. In the off season
the beaches are less crowded and the prices drop,
weather, however, remains stable and the water is
still agreeably warm. Generally, you can travel
along the Croatian coast at any time of the year.
During winter season, however, you should pack some
warm clothing in spite of the mild Mediterranean
climate. The temperatures seldom drop below the
freezing point but some winds might be unpleasant in
the winter.
Weather
in Croatia --
http://meteo.hr/
--
FOREIGN LANGUAGES:
German, Italian and English are the most common
foreign languages spoken in the tourist resorts.
Foreign
currencies can be
exchanged at banks, exchange offices, post offices
and at most tourist agencies, hotels and camping
grounds. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from
Monday to Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until
1 p.m. In the larger cities some banks are also open
on Sundays. Credit cards: Most hotels, restaurants
and shops accept credit cards (American Express,
Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, Sport Card
International). Cash dispensing machines are
ubiquitous.
Working hours:
Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m.
and 8 p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
or to 3 p.m. A smaller number of stores close
between noon and 4 p.m. Many stores are also open on
Sundays, especially in the summer, and a smaller
number in the larger cities are open 24 hours a day.
Public services and companies usually work from 8.30
a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Medical care:
Medical assistance is available in hospitals
providing 24 hours a day emergency service.
Cultural and historical monuments on the UNESCO
World Heritage list: Diocletian's palace in Split,
the old centre of Trogir, the Euphrasian Basilica in
Porec and the city of Dubrovnik dating from the 13th
century with arguably the world's best preserved
Renaissance towers and walls. There are other
numerous historical and cultural monuments of
exceptional beauty such as: Vespasian amphitheatre
in Pula, the towns of Krk, Rab, Hvar, one of the
oldest public theatres in the world on the island of
Hvar, the church of St. Donat in Zadar, the
cathedral in Šibenik etc., as well as around 50
medieval castles in inland Croatia.
Accommodation:
Croatia offers accommodation in numerous hotels,
tourist complexes, private accommodation and camping
grounds.
Naturism:
There are numerous well-established naturist camps.
There are also naturist beaches near some hotels and
camps.
Health tourism:
There are a large number of health spas sited on
thermal and mineral springs. Around Zagreb there is
Tuheljske Toplice, Krapinske Toplice, Stubicke
Toplice, Varaždinske Toplice, Ivanic Grad (Naftalan)
and Topusko. In Slavonia there is Daruvar, Lipik and
Bizovac. On the coast there is Vela Luka, Šibenik,
Duga Uvala and the Istrian spas. There is also
thalassotherapy in Opatija, Crikvenica, Veli Lošinj,
Hvar and Makarska.
Nautical tourism:
Croatia has 43 marinas with about 12,300 berths on
the sea and about 4,200 on land. The larger marinas
have technical services, derricks, petrol stations
and various commercial and catering services.
Diving:
In
Croatia there are over 120 diving centres.
Conference tourism:
Croatia has 75 fully equipped conference halls. The
largest conference centres in Croatia include
Zagreb, Opatija, Dubrovnik, Pula, Rovinj, Cavtat,
Porec, Brijuni, Crikvenica and the Plitvice Lakes.
Youth tourism:
There are youth hostels in Dubrovnik, Pula, Šibenik,
Zadar and Zagreb.
Winter tourism:
There are three major ski resorts with many ski
lifts and ski runs: Medvednica near Zagreb, Platak
near Rijeka and Bjelolasica near Ogulin.
Sports tourism:
Most
hotels and camps have tennis courts (ATP tournament
in Umag, WTA tournament in Bol), as well as
facilities for basketball and beach volleyball,
fishing and scuba-diving equipment, and there are
also scuba-diving and sailing schools. One can go
rafting on the Dobra and Cetina rivers, and
whitewater rafting is organised on the Kupa, Korana,
Mrežnica, Cetina and Una rivers.
Culture:
In
Croatia there are 4 opera houses, 29 theatres, 151
museum and gallery and 147 cinemas. The theatres are
generally closed in summer, although a number of
them hold series of summer performances both in
Zagreb and on the coast.
Entertainment:
Most
better quality hotels have night clubs and the major
tourist resorts have discos. There are dancing
evenings on the terraces in the summer, along with
other entertainment and cultural events.
Gambling Casinos:
There are 14 casinos in Croatia, 6 of them in Zagreb
and the rest in the following towns: Buje, Novigrad,
Porec, Umag, Opatija, Cavtat.
Rent-a-Car:
cars
can be rented at the airports, in towns and in all
major tourist resorts.
Croatian angels:
unified number of tourist information for all of
Croatia 062 999 999
International callers, dial: +385 62 999 999
This service is available in
Croatian, English, German and Italian.
