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Croatia (Hrvatska) & the Adriatic Sea, Dalmatia (Former Yugoslavia)
Want to know where one of Europe's greatest held secret vacation spots is? It's Croatia. Croatia, and nearby Montenegro are the premier playground vacation spots for Europeans, and soon, Americans too.
Traveling through Croatia, it was evident by most of the other tourists that we met, was that this was far off the beaten path for some of those cruise-ship American vacationers. This was most obvious in the small spring break town of Pag. During the time we traveled to Pag, Croatia, school was long in session, and the city seemed like a ghost town...
Budget |
This Croatian guide is based on a 10 day trip traveling throughout Croatia, spending minimally on such things as souvenirs, taxi rides, or expensive meals.
While traveling through Croatia can be done on a shoe-string budget, which I classify as $50.00 (or less if you are very skilled), I recommend (by experience) a Croatia travel budget of approximately $100.00 per day in spending money. This shouldn't include your lodging - you should add-on another $70 or so dollars per day, as explained in the next paragraph. This $100 budget should cover food, drinks, transportation, entertainment, and light nightlife activity. cheapie-travel.com
Hotels |
These vacation rentals are perfect for a group of people travelling throughout Croatia. We rented several when in several Croatian cities, such as Pula, Zadar, Split. Each rental had been remodeled, were very clean, were very private, and it really made our trip special because it made you feel at home in such a far-away land. The rentals we rented allowed full use of bedrooms, the kitchen, laundry and even a spare bedroom for free in one instance! Croatians are very nice and accommodating people.
If you are going to stay in a Hotel, you should read the people's reviews, but remember to take them with a grain of salt, and consider whether someone might have bone to pick with the Hotel. I personally thought I was purchasing a room from the photo on the hotel's website, and was a little surprised that it wasn't a photo of the room I was given. It worked out just fine anyway, since the hotel was so close to the beach in Bol, Croatia, on the island of Brac (pronounced BRA-CH) (hard "H"). cheapie-travel.com
Lodging Budget:
The best deal, by far, when staying in Croatia is AirBnB Rentals. Rentals were the same price of getting a hotel room, or cheaper in many instances. We paid about $65.00 to $85.00 each person for the AirBnB rental. That is a very reasonable price considering the accommodations that you get to use in a full-blown house rental from AirBnB.com
Money Conversion:
Kuna is the national currency. About 6 Kuna (Kn.) is equal to one dollar. For example, a bottle of water costs 6 Kn., or $1.00 USD. A city like Paris is more expensive than the U.S., but a European city such as Split, Croatia, which is one of their biggest cities, is far-off the beaten path of the main Euro-crowded tourism spots. I often told myself, it's nice to not see a bunch of tourists around!
Travel Transportation:
A bus ticket from Split to Zadar cost cost me about $200 Kn., about $30.00 USD. Exactly what you might expect to pay in the U.S. or in other parts of Europe. The prices are on right on target. cheapie-travel.com
Weather |
The weather in Croatia can change on a dime. In the city of Split, rain can come and be gone in a matter of minutes.
Croatia in August was not muggy or humid. It was warm, but there was a sea-breeze and a Mediterranean climate. You will be well prepared bringing light jackets, and pants, with warm weather clothing and swim suits.
Food |
Croatia is the land of Cheese and Honey. By the way, those two foods go great together in the morning or for lunch in Croatia. It's also known for it's meats, such as Prosciutto and sausages known as chevapchichi, which is served with a roasted-red pepper dipping sauce and frites. Served with a cold glass of Ožujsko (lager, but a good lager), overlooking the Adriatic Sea is the absolute best. cheapie-travel.com
Vitals |
Passport:
Before you travel outside of the United States, you will need a Passport. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State.
Vaccinations:
Vaccinations:
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional, and you should not take any medical information in this blog as medical advice. Always seek medical advice from a doctor. That being said, there are no required vaccinations to travel to Croatia that I was required to have. However, you may want to seek the advice from a medical professional.
Flights |
The CHEAP-CHEAP time to fly to Croatia is during fall and spring because there are less people, and the weather in Croatia is the nicest, without being hot like in summer.
Flights range from about $1,200 (including taxes) to $1,700 USD. Research your flights, your layovers, and I couldn't stress this enough -- purchase early. A two week difference in my purchase date caused me to spend a little more on my plane ticket, which was about $1,500 USD. cheapie-travel.com
Flights range from about $1,200 (including taxes) to $1,700 USD. Research your flights, your layovers, and I couldn't stress this enough -- purchase early. A two week difference in my purchase date caused me to spend a little more on my plane ticket, which was about $1,500 USD. cheapie-travel.com
Travel Inside of Croatia |
Travel inside of Croatia can be accomplished in a variety of ways, the best being- - bus and rental car. Flights are more difficult, but can be accomplished if you have enough time. An extensive ferry system provides transportation to seaside cities.
Bus:
The buses running between cities are reliable, and run very often during the week, and a little less often on weekends. A bus ticket from Split to Zadar cost cost me about $200 Kn., about $30.00 USD. Exactly what you might expect to pay in the U.S. or in other parts of Europe. The prices are on right on target to travel from one town to the next. They are clean, not usually too crowded, and a fair amount of english-speaking Croatians ride the bus. The inner city bus system is not recommended, but could be accomplished. cheapie-travel.com
Rental Car:
While travelling through Croatia, I had met up with some of my friends who were travelling separately. When I met up with them, they had a rental van, which makes travelling between cities very easy. However, that was an added expense, and for the budet CHEAP-CHEAP traveller, it might be too expensive. The roads and road signs are easy to interpret. You drive the car on the same side of the road as in the U.S. Gasoline, which Europeans call Petrol, is purchased just the same as here in America, with exception that you will have the litre/Euro conversion to try to calculate. All you need is a valid U.S. driver's license to rent a car or moped. cheapie-travel.com
Train:
I did not see rail cars while in Croatia.
Ferry:
The Ferry and Bus system in Croatia are very similar. The price to be ferried off to the island of Brac cost about $10 USD for an hour ride across the Adriatic. It's quite a view from the top of the Jadrolinija Ferry!
Airplane:
The airports in Croatia while small, can be plagued by delays, as with any airport. The airports in Split and Zagreb were very small in terms of American International airports. They both seemed to move at a much slower pace, and seemed overwhelmed with the amount of passengers. Since Croatia is such a small country, I would recommend travelling from city to city via bus, ferry (if applicable), or rental car if you have the option. cheapie-travel.com
In-City Travel:
Moped/Motorcycle: A moped is a great way to get around certain towns, and certain parts of certain towns. I say this because rentals did not seem available in less tourist populated areas such as the cities of Zadar, Pag and Bol. Also, some city centres dont allow vehicles. The mopeds allow you to zip through traffic, bypass traffic jams, and they eliminate the use of cabs. You can rent a moped for about $50 USD per day. This is a great and cheap way to see the city of Split, or others, because you can give yourself your own tour with just a simple tourist map available at any tourism office. cheapie-travel.com
Cab:
Cabs in Croatian cities are plentiful, but they can be a lot more expensive, and it may not fit into the CHEAP-CHEAP traveller's budget, like me. I rode in very few cabs because of the cost, and how much you miss out on when compared to when you are walking on the street.
Bus System:
The bus system in Croatia would be difficult to navigate because one would not be familiar with any landmarks, or bus stops, making it difficult to ride the bus.
Metro:
There was sort of an above-ground metro system in Split, but I did not see it operating at the time, so I cannot provide any input, but I would image it would be hard to navigate without being familiar with the city. cheapie-travel.com
Excursions |
In Croatia, excursions and fun events are going to be the highlight of your trip here. With breathtaking outdoor views, there will be something for every person to enjoy.
Sailing:
Croatia's pastime seems to be sailing. Since located on the Adriatic Sea, boating and sailing are a large part of the Dalmatian lifestyle - and why shouldn't it? You are in the Mediterranean after all!
An all-day sailing tour from Split to the Island city of Solta (Šolta) and to several other islands cost $120 Euros. The captain was a very nice Croatian lady, who was very knowledgeable and friendly. We enjoyed her tour very much. She took us to a place call the "Blue Hole" in Croatia, and to Šolta Island, where we had a wonderful oceanside lunch. Sailing was not limited to age. We went sailing with a family friend who is 85+ years old! cheapie-travel.com
Canyoning:
While I did not partake in repelling down canyons, my friends did and they enjoyed the challenge of repelling down waterfall cliff faces. The experience, from what I hear, is exhilarating. I could only image the beautiful sights you must see...
Moped:
As I explained above, a moped is a great way to see Croatian cities on your own. They provide the privacy and freedom to do as you please, and stop and take photos where you want! I used my Moped to learn how to navigate through the non-tourist area, and to explore off-the-beaten-path places where a lot of tourists didn't go. I loved this because I went shopping at a locals grocery store, visited far away secret private beaches, and learned how to drive just like a Croatian on a motorcycle -- with no fear. Riding a moped on the highway in the rain, through narrow and dimly lit tunnels, and up giant mountains was an experience that you could only imagine. cheapie-travel.com
Water sports:
Croatia is large on watersports. Rental equipment is available usually on the beach. There you can rent surf boards, paddle boards, wind surfers, kayaks, and more, including ATVs. Prices range from a few Euros to $100 Euros (several hundred Kunas). cheapie-travel.com
TOP 10 Things to Prepare Yourself |
TOP 10 LIST OF THINGS YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR WHEN TRAVELING TO CROATIA FROM cheapie-travel.com
- FOR CROATIA'S BEAUTY
- FOR WARM SKIES AND WATERS
- LOTS OF SUN
- GREAT FOOD
- BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS
- LOW CRIME
- NICE AND FRIENDLY LOCALS
- COSTS OF GOODS AND SERVICES
- OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
- NUDE BEACHES
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