One of the most underrated but beautiful countries in Europe with beautiful landscape, colorful National Parks and best beaches. Dubrovnik has featured in series like Game of Thrones making it popular after the coverage
Best time to visit
Almost a year round destination, with May- September having pleasant climate
Visa
Schengen visa is valid for Croatia. There might be stamping on passport at borders when you travel by trains
Getting In and around
Zagreb is the capital and hub for trains and flights. Cities are well connected through trains within Croatia. You can use public transport and walk within cities
Currency- Croatian Kuna
Euro might be accepted in large hotels and tourist spots, but better to have small change in Kuna
Things to know
- Croatia has the best National parks and landscapes in Europe
- Game of Thrones featured cities like Dubrovnik, Split, Sibenik
- Be careful with your belongings. Theft and snatching happens quite often
- Avoid talking or engaging with strangers. We had a mad man follow us for quite some distance trying to talk to us
Places to see
Plitvice National Park
You can take a bus from Zagreb taking 3 hours or Zadar to reach the National Park. Buses are not very frequent running once in a couple of hours. Bus tickets cost less than 15 Euro
Private taxi can cost 180-200 Euros. There are multiple entrances to the park, so check where your bus will stop and plan accordingly
The park has multiple step like areas with waterfalls and emerald/ turquoise water around. It is difficult to capture this wonder in pictures
Split
A coastal city in Dalmatian region about 4-5 hours from Zagreb
Diocletian’s Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage site with Roman ruins, St. Duje’s cathedral and the coast is worth a visit
Zlatni Rat beach at Brac (Golden horn beach)
You can take a ferry from Split to Supetar in Brac island and a bus from ferry station to the beach. The ferry ride takes 60 minutes and bus takes another 45 minutes. The beach is triangular in shape with trees emerging from the middle
How much does it cost
- Flights: $900
- Accommodation: Hostels cost $15-20 per night and mid-range can be around $50. We took night trains and saved up on accommodation
- Travelling around: Budget $20-30 per day for public transport
- Food: $10-25 for simple takeaways