Croatia Travel Guide

Croatia Travel Guide

Croatia is one of my favorite countries I’ve visited in Europe. It’s filled with beaches, history, & stunning sunsets. It’s affordable & super tourist friendly. I spent a week in Croatia this fall and am already dying to go back and see more of the country!

Experience

Croatia is a great European destination for travel. Everyone I interacted with was super friendly and helpful. It’s a bit newer to mass tourism than countries like Italy or Greece, so you can find better deals, but it also doesn’t have as robust of a transportation infrastructure.

Safety for Solo Female Travelers: 5 out of 5

I traveled to a series of cities and islands across Croatia and never felt unsafe, even late at night or early in the morning. I highly recommend Croatia for solo travel

Cost

Croatia was super affordable! Accommodations, food, excursions, etc. were all on the cheap side compared to other European countries. As of January 2023 they now use the Euro as their main currency.

If you have leftover Croatian Kuna from your last trip (like me) you can turn them in for Euro until the end of 2023.

Tipping/Restaurants

It is customary to round up your bill and tip around 10% in Croatia. GIven how cheap all of the food was I found myself tipping more than 10% which also is common.

As is customary in many European counties, you’ll need to ask for the check when you’re finished with your meal as yours server will not bring it to you unprompted.

When to Go

My preference for visiting most European countries, including Croatia, is the fall. Fall in Croatia is still warm, but the crowds have died down a bit, making the overall experience more enjoyable!

Spring is also a great time to visit Croatia. The weather is warm, and you can beat the summer crowds by visiting during the shoulder season.

Summer is peak tourist season and offers the best beach weather. BUT it is crowded, like really, really crowded. I find most European countries to be too crowded to really be enjoyable in the summer, despite the great weather!

Winter if you don’t mind cooler temperatures (50s-ish during the day, dropping into the 30s at night) and you don’t mind not swimming, the winter can be a great time to visit for cheaper accommodations and way less crowds!

more details here.

Getting Around

Croatia’s transportation is a bit less convenient than other European countries I’ve visited. They don’t have a robust rail system. I took several busses between major cities and it was an awful experience that I definitely don’t recommend!

The ferries were convenient and ran on time in my experience (although they can be impacted by weather) If you have the choice between a bus & a ferry, definitely opt for a ferry.