So, you are finally visiting Croatia! Congrats! Although Croatia is one of the smallest countries in Europe, it has many things to do, places to visit, beaches to enjoy, and many historical and natural sites to see.
In this post, we share the best tips for first-time visitors! We address some common concerns, misconceptions, and general tips. Even if you’ve been to Croatia before, you’ll find valuable tips for your next vacation in Croatia.

Beaches, historical sites, natural wonders, incredible adventures, a good food scene, and lovely coastal towns make Croatia a great place to visit.
Many first-time visitors are concerned about whether Croatia is a safe country or not. They don’t know how many days they need in Croatia, when the best time to visit Croatia is, and where to go in Croatia. Worry not! Croatia is a safe, tourist-friendly country with a very low crime rate. So even if you are a solo female traveler, you will be very safe traveling in Croatia.
Here are 20 expert tips and advice for those who are traveling to Croatia for the first time.
What's Inside
1. Stay somewhere central

You can’t visit the entire country in a week’s stay. No matter how small Croatia seems, it is long, stretching over 700 km from Umag in the northwest to Dubrovnik in the southeast. Besides, there are so many places to visit in Croatia that you can’t do it all in a week or two.
Stay somewhere central if you want to visit more than one place. Then, make day trips from your base location.
Split is a good base from which to visit Dalmatia. You can easily reach the islands of Brac, Hvar, Korcula, Vis, Trogir and Omis, Krka Waterfalls, and even Dubrovnik from Split.
Porec is an excellent base for visiting Istria. It’s centrally located, and all the highlights of Istria are within an hour’s drive. And yet, it’s a cheaper place to stay than Rovinj.
2. Take a road trip
Croatia is a perfect destination for a road trip. The roads are in excellent condition, and the scenery is breathtaking.
Our favorite road trips in Croatia include driving along the Adriatic coastal road from Split to Dubrovnik, the Peljesac peninsula, and around Istria.
3. Eat Local

After a brief visit to Croatia, travelers often leave with a misconception about the local cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, locals along the coast don’t typically eat roasted pork; instead, we prefer roasted lamb. However, if our most numerous guests, the Germans, enjoy their roasted pork, we’re more than happy to prepare it for them.
Many restaurants in touristy areas are pretty uninspiring. They typically offer pasta, pizza, risotto, grilled meats, or a fish plate for two. Advertised, for better understanding, with photos of the plates you’ll get.
To truly experience the essence of Croatian cuisine, I highly recommend dining at restaurants loved by locals at least once during your stay.
4. Island hopping on your own isn’t that easy
Many readers of our blog, as well as our friends, when planning to visit Croatia for the first time, imagine themselves hopping from one island to another and visiting half a dozen in less than a week.
It’s not going to happen! While the islands in Croatia are not far from one another geographically, they are far enough in terms of transport. Choose a port city on the mainland, such as Split, Dubrovnik, or Zadar, for your base and visit several islands from there on a day trip during your short stay in Croatia.
The only way to island-hop from one Croatian island to another is by renting a yacht or hopping on charter boats that sail along the Adriatic.
5. Visit Zagreb

For many visitors to Croatia, Zagreb is their entry point, yet most travelers either visit it for just a couple of hours or skip it altogether. Mistake!
Zagreb is fantastic, and even more so in summer, when many locals leave town for the coast, traffic gets light, and many street performances take place all over the city.
Put Zagreb on your Croatia travel itinerary! It offers many things to do and abounds in lovely accommodation.
6. Shop at a local green market
Croatians love shopping for fresh produce at the open-air green and fish markets. You’ll find these markets in every town in Croatia.
Feel the pulse of the town and watch the locals go about their everyday lives as you explore local green markets, such as Dolac in Zagreb and Pazar in Split.
7. Plitvice isn’t the only national park

Plitvice is one of the most visited places in Croatia and the single most visited national park. But it’s not the only beautiful national park in Croatia.
Croatia’s got eight national parks. If you don’t like crowds, consider visiting Risnjak, Northern Velebit, or Paklenica National Parks.
If you like to stick to waterfalls, try Krka Waterfalls instead. If you are curious about the Croatian islands, why wouldn’t you visit Kornati, Mljet, or Brijuni, all three national parks themselves?
8. Visit Istria

Istria is Croatia’s most visited region. Yet, overseas guests, such as Australians, Americans, and Japanese, visit it very little.
It sometimes seems to be Europe’s best-kept secret. Europeans, particularly Germans, Austrians, and Italians, spend their holidays in Istria.
If this is your first time traveling to Croatia, consider visiting Istria. The region is gorgeous, full of history, culture, hilltop towns, and a dream destination for any foodie.
9. Forget trains, use buses instead
Unlike the rest of Europe, the Croatian train network is poor and not really a viable way to explore the country. However, the bus network is extensive, awesome, and reliable. Forget trains and look for buses instead.
GetBy Bus and BookAway do a great job aggregating many bus lines within Croatia and between Croatian towns and major European destinations. They also offer to purchase online tickets for all those bus lines.
10. Croatia isn’t an off-the-beaten-path destination
Hell, no! Croatia has always been popular among European travelers.
When you visit, especially during high season (July, August), and trendy destinations like Plitvice, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, and Istria, expect crowds, queues, traffic jams, and few (if any) solo moments for a selfie.
11. Taxis are expensive
Uber started operating in Croatia a few years ago, and so far, it operates only in Zagreb and Split year-round. In other coastal towns, like Dubrovnik, Zadar, and Rovinj, Uber operates seasonally, from April to October. A national taxi company, Wizi Taxi, also has competitive rates.
Zagreb has the most competitive and cheapest taxi scene in Croatia. So, in Zagreb, people commonly use cabs.
As for the rest of Croatia, use it if it’s your only transport option or if you are two or more and can split the cost. Taxis are super expensive, and the drivers aren’t always polite.
12. English is widely spoken
There is no need to worry about not speaking Croatian. It’s a difficult language to learn, and Croatians know it.
Almost everybody speaks at least some English, and many also speak another foreign language (German and Italian are the most widely spoken languages in Croatia after English).
13. Excellent tourist infrastructure

Tourism, as we know it today, started mass developing in Croatia in the ’60s. Today, tourism is the primary industry in Croatia (for better or worse).
That said, expect to find an excellent tourist infrastructure all along coastal Croatia: from amazing all-inclusive resorts, luxury & boutique hotels, and budget hostels to an abundance of vacation rentals, villas, and campsites.
14. Don’t be afraid to rent with locals
Croatians have a long tradition of hosting vacationers from all over the world. Almost every family along the coast rents apartments to tourists. Vacation rentals are a great alternative to hotels. They offer better value for money (especially for families or bigger groups), come with a fully equipped kitchen, and provide more space.
Check my in-laws’ vacation rentals in southern Dalmatia and our villa rental near Porec. Or, read our full post on apartment rentals in Croatia.
15. It’s not cheap, but it doesn’t need to be expensive
People sometimes falsely assume that Croatia is a cheap destination. Well, it’s not. Many things, especially groceries, are more costly than in the US or Western European countries.
The only things I find cheap(er) in Croatia are wine, spirits, cigarettes, pastry shops, and dining out.
For the rest, expect to spend as much as back home.
16. Wine here is incredible, and so is olive oil

Croatia is a small country, and everything that people produce is produced in small quantities. All produce is also mostly sold to the Croatian market.
This is why you’ve perhaps never heard of Croatian wine or olive oil. But let me reassure you: they are of excellent quality, and you must try them when in Croatia. We highly recommend you go wine tasting or olive oil tasting.
Our favorite white wine is Malvazija Istarska (check our post on five wineries to visit in Istria), and our favorite red is Dingac from the Peljesac peninsula (especially Saints Hills).
I am crazy about Croatian olive oil—so much so that we even make our own. We recommend visiting Chiavalon Olive Oil Estate in Vodnjan to learn about and taste one of the world’s best olive oils.
17. Croatian currency is Euro
Yep, it’s true! As of January 1, 2023, Croatia joined other 19 EU member countries that use the Euro as a common currency.
The exchange rate is €0.95 per USD1, €0.67 for CAD1, €0.61 for AUD1, and €1.13 per £1.20.
18. Book Early
Accommodation in Croatia fills up fast. Most big hotel companies run early booking promotions for bookings made until the end of February (for stays throughout the year).
Also, hotels change their prices dynamically. This means that as the occupancy increases, so do the rates.
For this reason, our best accommodation advice for anybody visiting Croatia is to book your hotels or vacation rentals as early as possible.
Booking.com is the best booking website for accommodation in Croatia. It offers competitive rates and flexible booking conditions, as well as a loyalty program that provides additional discounts. Booking.com is the single most important booking platform in Croatia.
Accommodation Deals
19. Pack light, but don’t forget these items
We strongly believe one should always travel light and bring as few things as possible.
However, remember to bring to Croatia a mosquito repellent (we like this Bug Soother Spray), adapters, and water shoes for Croatian rocky beaches.
20. Get Familiar With Ferries in Croatia
Sooner or later, you will end up using ferries in Croatia. Some of the top destinations in Croatia for first-time visitors include islands Brac, Hvar, and Korcula, and you will need to use ferries to reach them.
There are a couple of ferry operators in Croatia. Jadrolinija is state-owned and the biggest, with a network of ferries operating on many routes all year round. Jadrolinija is also the only boat company in Croatia operating car ferries. All other companies only have passenger ships and fast passenger ferries on their routes.
The smaller operators include Kapetan Luka – Krilo, TP Line, and G&V Line.
Recommended travel guides
- Fodor’s Croatia Travel Guide (we are co-authors!).
- Lonely Planet Croatia Travel Guide
- Rick Steves Croatia & Slovenia
Book early for the best deals!
Accommodation: Find here a wide selection of affordable accommodation in Croatia!
Rent A Car: Check the best car rental deals here!
Local Tours & Day Trips: Browse here a great choice of local tours and day trips!
Bus Tickets: Book your bus tickets online here!
Cheap Flights: Search flights in real time and book online.
Ferry Tickets: Avoid lines by booking your ferry tickets online!
Multi-Day Tours: Amazing choice of multi-day coach and boat tours of Croatia!
Travel Insurance: Have a peace of mind with EKTA Travel Insurance.
eSIM: Surf worry-free with Airalo eSIM card!
Further reading: more Croatia travel tips
Our Croatia Travel Guide and Blog contain lots of useful information. Please read on, and let us know if we can help with anything related to your travel to Croatia.
- A Travel Guide To Croatia: Things To Know Before Visiting and Traveling To Croatia
- Car Rental In Croatia
- Ultimate Packing List For Vacation In Croatia
- 63 Best Things To Do In Croatia
- Croatia Travel Budget: How Much Money You’ll Need In Croatia
- Croatia Travel Budget Tips
- Where To Have Local, Cheap, And Delicious Meals In Croatia
- How To Choose Your Destination In Croatia
- Where To Go In Croatia: Best Places To Visit In Croatia
- A Complete Guide To Accommodation In Croatia
- Best hotels in Croatia
- Best all-inclusive hotels in Croatia
- Driving in Croatia
We hope you’ve enjoyed our tips for first-time travel to Croatia. Do you still have questions? Please leave them in the comments below.
Hey Frank, that was an interesting read. You pointed out that taxis are cheaper in Zagreb and Split than in other cities. However, I would like to add that taxi services such as ours (Auto Taxi Medo ) provide intercity transfers at nominal costs round the year.
It was lovely to read about a first-time visitor’s concerns and your solutions to them. It feels great that so many people are excited to explore our country. Cheers!
Hi my name is Emrana.
We are planning to go to Croatia (tomorrow!)
There are 5 of us
Is it worth hiring a car to go around split ,that’s where we are staying.
Also we are planning to visit debouvernic for the day using local transport or the ferry what is your advice.
Please could you also advise on how the cost in food and local supermarket are .
We are traveling from the UK.
Thanks alot in advance for your time
Emrana
Frank you are a Godsend! This is so helpful. But here is my dilemma that is not being spoken of. Flying into Croatia in the winter months. A bit of a challenge. That said, do you have any tricks for getting to Split easily from London Gatwick in November specifically by chance?? Any advice on what airlines might be most affordable to go through online?? I’m in Canada and rarely travl. We’re headed to Split to volunteer in November for the month, but not many airlines are flying to Split at that time of year. Any help or advice is so appreciated!! Thanks in advance. Veronica
Hi Frank! Nice tips by the way especially for new visitors completely agree. So, thumbs up…
Hi Frank great site. We are travelling to Croatia on the 24th July, land in Zagreb, hired a car and staying in Zagreb for 3 nights. We have 16 days in total in Croatia.
Would you be able to suggest a few places to visit in that time frame. We are going to the lakes area and would like to make it to Dubrovnik. We fly out of Zagreb at the end of our holiday.
Thankyou
Dear Frank,
We are a senior couple in good health visiting Croatia in Sept. for the first time. Right now we have ten nights in Croatia. We would like to have 2 bases (maybe Dubrovnik & Split) and take day trips. Should we visit Zegreb or is it too far?
Just wanted to say thanks for these tips and everything on this blog! Have been searching for a resource that has a more local perspective, and this has been so very helpful. Can’t wait to experience my first trip next week!
If you have time, ferry can be fun.
Buses are the best (only) option for public transport in Croatia. Try to visit getbybus website in order to find more info.
ups, seems like we are too late for the answers. Sorry for that Jim! Hope you have figured it out and that you have enjoyed your time in Croatia.
The road from Sucuraj to Jelsa isn’t in the best condition, and the southern part of the island is pretty deserted. However, the crossing to Sucuraj takes less time (35 min) than crossing to Stari Grad (120 min), so it comes down to what would you prefer: to explore less travelled part of Hvar Island, or to get quickly to Split via more comfortable road.
Uf, it’s definitely possible, but can get quite expensive. Maybe you can look into shared options like GoOpti (https://bit.ly/2Oc8tOg), or even better, if you can get someone who speaks Croatian, check a car-sharing website BlaBla (https://bit.ly/2IJO5Fl). This is a widely used website in Croatia for peer-to-peer car sharing. Unfortunately it’s only in Croatian.
Hi Sophie, it’s very safe to travel solo in Croatia. Majority of the places are small towns with good infrastructure. So there is nothing to worry about. I don’t know about any tour groups for solo travelers. But we recommend using Get your Guide for day trips. You can check one of their Montenegro tours here: https://bit.ly/2J0HHZQ
Hi Frank, thank you for your very helpful site! I’m planning to go to Croatia in August and I have some friends who I am meeting there for a boat tour that covers Split, Makarska, Stari Grad, Hvar, Vis, Korcula, Sipan and Dubrovnik. I have three weeks to travel and I very much want to see Montenegro as well. How safe is it for a woman traveling on her own? Do you recommend doing another boat tour to Montenegro or taking a bus? Any tour groups you particularly like for solo travelers?
Many thanks!
Sophia
Thanks for your details blog, we will land in Zadar airport and plan to go straight to Dubrovnik, but it’s quit long bus journey, is it possible to take Uber or other transportation way to shorten the time? What about book a car with guide? It’s worth to pay such expensive cost. Thanks.
Hi Frank,
We are travelling from Brazil to Italy and Croatia early July and we will only have 6 days in Croatia (it should have been more but we are taking a ferry from Italy and we depend on the ferry schedule).
Our first stop is Dubrovnik where we plan to stay for 2 days and take the Game of Thrones tour. Next, we are planning to go to the islands. Do you think it is a good idea to ride straight to Hvar by the ferry Drvenik/Súcuraj and explore the islands from there ? Or is it better to go straight to Split (our next stop) and then explore the islands? We pretend to visit Hvar, Crac and Vis, at least. Is there any other island you would recommend? On the way back to Italy (Venice) we may stop at Istria (it depends on how tiring it will be – 648 km). As it will be more a kind of pit-stop, which place/town would you recommend?
Thanks a lot in advance,
Silvia
Frank, we are heading to Croatia in a few weeks, April 14-24. Trying to finalize the itinerary and would like some advice. Here is the high level
4/15 Arrive Zagreb early afternoon; tour of Zagreb
4/16 Mid-afternoon flight to Zadar
4/17 Day trip to Plitvice National Park
4/18 Zadar to Split via Krka National Park
4/19 Morning tour of Split
4/19-23 Here is where we need help:
– We need to experience Dubrovnik and would like to see some islands (Brac, Hvar, Mljet and/or Korcula, depending on time. Is it feasible/worthwhile to charter our own boat to travel from Split to Dubrovnik and experience a/some island(s)?
– You HIGHLY recommend seeing Istria. Where should we work that in and/or would you adjust the itinerary above to better cover the country?
– And how should we decide which of the islands above to visit?
4/23 5pm flight, Dubrovnik to Rome
I am planning to visit Croatia on 21-May-26-May-2019. I am having doubt about public transport, how does it operate and where can I find more information regarding this?
Hi Frank! We are visiting Croatia for a week this June. For a family of three to travel from Dubrovnik to Split, would you advise taking the bus or a ferry? To me the ferry sounds more scenic, but I don’t know. Thanks for any tips! – John
Hi Frank,
Thanks for your information regarding Croatia.
Are there any ferries from the end of April?
Kind Regards
Monique
I will add my compliments about your site. It has such wonderful information.
We are planning a first time visit to Croatia in mid-April with our 5 adult children. Our current plan is to rent a place for a week to 10 days and make that our base of operation. Istria is one option since it affords access to a trip to Venice. Would this be a good plan or would staying further south be a better option. Thank you so much for your any advice you can give.
Thank you for the amazing tips on vacationing. I didn’t know that if you decide what destinations and dates you wanted beforehand was more time efficient. My wife and I haven’t been on a vacation since our son was born and we are in dire need of some time away. Again, thank you for this amazing write up!
Hey frank! Thanks for this awesome blog. Just one question please, what would be the best option you could give me if I am to travel to Croatia from Singapore? Can you please tell me what are the best options for the airlines I should book for and hotels that are near Zagrib? Thank you and great post by the way!
Both are interesting tours, but you’ll be quite sometime in bus. I would choose one (Mostar) and spend two days chilling and exploring Dubrovnik
Hi Dan and Susan,
thanks for reaching out, and thanks for reading. Here are our thoughts, you can as well stay in Rovinj another day and visit Motovun, but also Groznjan, and perhaps Porec on the way back. You can plan a lunch in hinterland (our suggestions would be tavern Toncic, Buscina, Morgan, or Stari podrum). You can also visit a winery, perhaps Kozlovic, or Kabola. On the day that you visit Pula, plan a stop in Vodnjan at Chiavalon to taste some local olive oil. Plitvice, maybe you can depart for Zadar after the visit. It all depends how long you plan to hike in Plitvice. If you go for a 6 or 8 hour tour, then staying another night in Plitvice can be a good idea. Otherwise, you can probably go straight to Zadar. Use that extra day in Zadar to do an excursion to Kornati National Park. It’s beautiful!
It’s easier to explore Brac from Split than Hvar.
from zagreb to split, 400 km, 180 kn (25 euro) one way
from rijeka to zagreb, 170 km, 70 kn (10 euro) one way
Hi Kathy,
I don’t know how are electric outlets in Hungary. In Croatia we use round-pronged plugs, like on this photo: https://goo.gl/images/wnxTv4.
There are many exchange offices in Croatia. They take no commission but check for the best exchange rate among them once you are here. Banks usually charge commission.
Frank,
Two questions –
1) Is power adapter that was used in Hungary good for Croatia?
2)What is best way/place to exchange U.S. dollars for Kuna?
Thanks.
Kathy
Hi, Frank and Vara. We are Dan and Susan from La Mirada, California, USA. Susan found your blog, and we appreciate the loaded content about Croatia. Thanks for all the work you put into it. It’s been tremendously helpful.
We will be visiting Croatia from May 13, 2019 through May 29, 2019. We are very excited about the trip. We are currently planning our itinerary, and this is where we were hoping you can provide some feedback.
As you can see, we have an open day on 5/18. Should we stay another night in Rovinj and explore Motovun, or leave Rovinj and visit a different area?
Also, we were planning on staying at Rastovaca when we visit Plitvice. What are your thoughts on this?
Lastly, do you recommend we stay in Split for 3 days and explore Hvar and Brac as day trips? Or would it be better to stay at Hvar for two nights?
We would appreciate any input and advice you may have about our itinerary.
5/13: Depart LA
5/14: Arrive Zagreb 2:25 PM
5/15: Zagreb
5/16: Rovinj
5/17: Rovijn (visit Pula)
5/18: ???????
5/19: Rastovaca
5/20: Rastovaca (explore Plotcice National Park)
5/21: Zadar
5/22: Split
5/23: Hvar
5/24: Hvar (explore Brac)
5/25: Mostar, Bosnia
5/26: Dubrovnik
5/27: Dubrovnik (visit Kotar, Montenegeo)
5/28: Zagreb
5/29: Depart Zareb
Thank you very much.
Hi Frank
I am from australia and am going to have 3 days in dubrovnik before joining a group tour from Split tp Bled.
I would like your suggestions for 2 day tours..i”m thinking Montenegro and Mostar in a coach for budget reasons
what are your ideas
cheers andrew
this is very helpful & am very excited as I plan my 1st trip this summer. hvala (greetings from nyc)
Can you give me an idea what are the toll fees like on the large highways?
We are coming to Croatia June , we can hardly wait.
Thanks,
Mark
What a lovely, impressive sight! Can you tell me anything about festivals and markets that will take place in the fall? We will be traveling to Istria in late October, and wanted to know what source you use for finding local events. Thanks for your time and help!
Hi Frank
What would you recommend as a 10 days travel itinerary for Croatia in November?
Thanks
Cindy