Croatia: Tips

Book ahead for summer Don’t plan last minute if you want to visit Dubrovnik or one of the popular Adriatic islands during summer months – you’ll be lucky to find a room at a budget hotel or private accommodation miles from the action.

Count your kunas The official currency of Croatia is the kuna, but many hotels and restaurants express their prices in euros and accept them as payment, too.

Reset your body clocks Croatia is six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time and nine hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time.

Zimmer frei Croatian hotels can be a rip-off so staying in private accommodation is often the best option. You’ll see them advertised along the Adriatic coast by locals holding a zimmer frei sign at bus and ferry drop-offs. Arranging through a local agency is wiser (despite the commission) and saves you the trouble of looking. We recommend Adriatica (www.adriatica.net).

Short stay surcharge In high-season (in July and August), most hotels and rental agencies have 3-night minimum-stay requirements – and charge hefty surcharges for less.

Lighthouse lodging Croatia has 11 lighthouses available for rent along the coast and on the islands. Book through Plovput (www.lighthouses-croatia.com) way ahead of time.

Farmhouse stays in Istria Bed down at one of the Istria peninsula’s rural-style inns for a unique opportunity to experience a more traditional lifestyle and locally grown foods and wines; try Stancija Meneghetti (www.meneghetti.info) and Stancija Negričani (www.stancijanegricani.com).

Call Croatian Angels If you need any info on the spot, call Croatian Angels, a dedicated tourist information line at 062-999-999 (available June-September from 8am-midnight).

Croatian cuisine With its diverse regions and climates, Croatia has a wide array of regional cuisines. Inland Croatia favors hearty meat dishes while coastal Croatia is known for light, Mediterranean-style cooking with lots of fresh seafood. Istria’s acclaimed cuisine is the country’s gastronomic pinnacle, prepared with local ingredients like truffles, wild asparagus, olive oil, and free-range meat.

Obsession with sports This relatively small country cranks out some of the most famous names in international sports, from the late basketball player Dražen Petrović to the former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanišević, and the Olympic ski winner, the Croatian sensation Janica Kostelić. Expect an obsession with sports.

History You might remember the Yugoslavian civil war during the 1990s, when the shelling of Dubrovnik was shown on TV screens worldwide. Since then, Croatia, one of the former republics of Yugoslavia, has become an independent country, bounced back remarkably, and become one of the world’s most fashionable destinations.

Annual events Croatia has a rich calendar of fascinating annual events including the colorful Rijeka Carnival in January-February (www.ri-karneval.com.hr); Motovun Film Festival showcasing open-air screenings of independent and art-house films every summer (www.motovunfilmfestival.com); Dubrovnik Summer Festival with classical music, theater, opera, and dance performances staged all over the old town (www.dubrovnik-festival.hr); and the International Folklore Festival in Zagreb each July (www.msf.hr).