Posts

Croatian alternatives - Veli Losinj on the island of Losinj

The best Croatian alternatives to your favourite destinations

/0 Comments/in

Whilst some of you dear readers are Croatian newbies, currently actively researching your holidays to Croatia and what to see and do in the country, a lot of you may be old hands on visiting Croatia (I mean that phrase in the politest way!). You may have holidayed in the country several times now, or perhaps some of you go year after year – how wonderful! In which case, this post is for you! Here we present some Croatian alternatives for you to consider visiting this year.

Croatian alternatives – What on earth do you mean?

If you’ve been to Croatia before and have always visited the same one or two places, why not try something new this year? So, essentially, instead of going to X, why not try the similar destination Y?

And “similar” is the key word there – if you always holiday in bustling Dubrovnik in August, we’re not going to suggest the tiny island of Susak instead!

Now, before anyone points this out, most of these alternatives aren’t especially close to the original destination…which is kind of the point. Because if you’re going to try something brand new, why not go the whole hog?

So, without further ado, let’s get started so you can see what new place in Croatia you’ll be holidaying in this year.

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Vis, try Lastovo

Vis is a complete gem of an island, one of Visit Croatia’s absolute favourite spots in Croatia. But if you’ve enjoyed its laidback and tranquil nature you might want to consider moving on…to the island of Lastovo. Both islands, in fact, have a similar history in the sense that both served as military bases in Yugoslavia meaning that they were closed to foreign visitors until the bases closed in the late 1980s. Both islands are the furthest (larger) islands out from the mainland too. That means that both require a longer ferry journey to reach them. (For either island, I would recommend the slower pace of a ferry rather than a catamaran.)

Lastovo
Lastovo

Lastovo, however, is smaller still than Vis with a population of only 1,000 compared to 5,000 and has fewer amenities than Vis. But this may be exactly the kind of thing you’re looking for. There’s only one hotel on the island (private apartments and villas are available, of course) and a handful of restaurants. Really, you’ll spend your days relaxing and enjoying the island’s beaches – and enjoying elements of the Lastovo Islands Nature Park. Oh, and staring up at the sky. As the island has very little in the way of light pollution, it’s one of the best star-gazing places in Europe and is called “the island of bright stars”.

More info: Lastovo Tourist Office

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Zadar, try Sibenik

Zadar is another one of Visit Croatia’s favourites (Visit Croatia has many favourites in Croatia…understandably) and I just love its easy-to-explore Old Town with a fascinating mix of old and modern sights.

But let me present to you Sibenik as an alternative. Sibenik has been getting a lot of press recently as an “off-the-beaten-track” alternative for Split or Dubrovnik, but I think it is better compared to Zadar.

Sibenik is home to two UNESCO World Heritage sights – St James Cathedral and the St Nicholas Fortress (one of several forts here!) and a charming Old Town with an exceedingly charming harbourfront. Ideal for strolling and showing off, or relaxing and people-watching.

Sibenik
Sibenik

There are some great modern accommodation options in and around Sibenik, including the large-scale, family-friendly Amadria Park Resort as well as the D Resort Sibenik.

And why not treat yourself when in Sibenik with a once-in-a-lifetime meal at Michelin-starred restaurant Pelegrini?

More info: Sibenik Tourist Board

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Dubrovnik, try Opatija

Dubrovnik is a gem of a place, absolutely, and with its magical Old Town and myriad other interesting sights and experiences, it’s a top destination for many.

But why not swap it for the “Grand Dame” of Croatian tourism – somewhere that has welcomed visitors far longer than Dubrovnik?

Photos of Opatija
Another view of beautiful Opatija

Super stylish Opatija has a very different feel to Dubrovnik; in fact, it has a different feel to many Croatian coastal towns. But this beautiful town has much to offer from its excellent accommodation options (with a number of very fancy five-star hotels), top dining options, luxe bathing spots and the endless lungomare seaside promenade with gorgeous views. (The lungomare in fact stretches for 12km beyond just Opatija.)

Although popular in its own right, Opatija is less busy than Dubrovnik so some travellers would welcome this change!

More info: Opatija Tourist Board

Croatian alternatives – Instead of the Istrian coastline, try the North Dalmatian coastline

If you’ve holidayed in one (or more than one) of Istria‘s gorgeous towns – Umag, Novigrad, Porec or Rovinj to name just a few – I’m sure you’ve thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful part of Croatia’s coastline. But why not make the journey a little further south along the coastline to North Dalmatia and try its gorgeous towns?

Croatian alternatives - Biograd na mori
Biograd na moru

Consider places such as Biograd na moru, Vodice or pretty Primosten which offer the perfect holiday combo of beaches, plenty of amenities (restaurants, cafes), events, sights and experiences. And this part of Croatia has something that Istria is a little lacking – islands!

There are plenty of islands to make day trips to (Pasman, Ugljan, Dugi Otok), and you might even have your heart captured here…for Galesnjak, the heart-shaped island, is located off the coast near Biograd na moru. (It can only be visited by private boat, however.)

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Brac, try Losinj

If you like holidaying on an island, Brac may be a tried and tested favourite for you. Whilst there are plenty of alternatives in Dalmatia, consider instead of the islands off the Kvarner coastline…and our top suggestion for you would be the island of Losinj.

Losinj is famous for its lush green vegetation and is also cementing its position as something of a wellness isle. (Much of the Kvarner region has a long association with health and vitality tourism stretching back to the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.) So it’s the perfect place for a relaxing holiday where you can also enjoy plenty of pampering after a hard day’s hike around the paths of Losinj (or, more likely, a gentle stroll!) and then an excellent, top-quality dinner. The Hotel Bellevue would be excellent for such as holiday.

Croatian alternatives - Veli Losinj on the island of Losinj
Veli Losinj on the island of Losinj

Or if you’re holidaying with younger ones, there’s a good selection of family accommodation on Losinj such as the Family Hotel Vespera.

More info: Losinj Tourist Board

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Plitvice, try Kopacki Rit

The Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the most popular spots to visit in Croatia, and rightfully so. But as one of the most popular places to visit, it may be a little hard to be “at one with nature” in peak season with all the other visitors there too.

Head instead to one of Croatia’s other national parks (there are eight in total) or – better still – one of its twelve nature parks. My top pick to suggest to you would be Kopacki Rit Nature Park in Eastern Croatia which is in an area of one of the largest, best-preserved wetlands in Europe. The stunningly beautiful area is home to assorted wildlife (deer, in particular, and it’s a great place for bird-watching) and is probably best explored on one of the boat tours.

Croatian Alternative - Kopacki Rit Nature Park
Kopacki Rit Nature Park

Kopacki Rit is very close to Osijek, so visiting this nature park would also be a great way of exploring that city and this lesser-visited region of Croatia on one trip.

More info: Kopacki Rit Nature Park

Croatian alternatives – Instead of a festival in Tisno or Zrce Beach, try one of the lesser-known events

Perhaps Croatia for you is all about partying it up at one of the many festivals that take place in Tisno (such as Hospitality on the Beach, Love International or Outlook Origins) or in the clubs of Zrce Beach on the island of Pag (such as Hideout, Barrakud or Sonus).

Why not try something else this year, and head to one of the smaller festivals in a completely different – oftentimes quite unusual – location? Consider psychedelic raving in the forest in Lika at Mo:Dem; bass culture in Sibenik at Membrain; stoner rock at the Bearstone Festival; a party and a retreat all in one at the cosy, week-long Mystic Mountain; or an intimate EDM party on the island of Ugljan at Flows Festival.

Mystic Mountain Festival
Mystic Mountain Festival

Sure, some of these events may be a different vibe than what you’re used to (not to mention the music style may be not what you normally go for), but the experience will be something else. And you can tell all your friends “you were there first”!

Or go the other way – head to the INmusic Festival in Zagreb in late June which is Croatia’s largest open-air rock festival. It’s the perfect way of combining a festival with a city break as INmusic is held on Lake Jarun in the city.

Croatian alternatives – Instead of Zagreb, try Rijeka

I keep raving about how amazing Croatia’s capital city Zagreb is, so I’ll keep it to a minimum here. (But do hop on over to Visit Croatia’s guide to Zagreb if you’d like to read more about it.) Zagreb has so much to offer, and it’s a very interesting and fun place to visit any time of year. But the one thing it doesn’t have? The Adriatic Sea! So let us present to you the Zagreb alternative with the sea – Rijeka!

Rijeka is the third largest city in Croatia (behind Zagreb, of course, and Split) and home to the largest port in Croatia. It’s a city with excellent transport connections (bus, train, ferry/catamaran and even its own airport…on the nearby island of Krk) which means it is a breeze to reach.

Korzo in Rijeka
The Korzo, the main pedestrianised thoroughfare in RIjeka – visible is the famous clocktower

Rijeka may have been a bit maligned in the past as a transit point for travellers to pass through on their way to holidaying somewhere else. But these days there’s plenty of things to interest visitors here. You can’t beat a stroll down the Korzo (the main pedestrianised thoroughfare), admiring some of the grand old buildings and structures such as the City Tower. There are some excellent museums here, from the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art to the Peek & Poke Computer Museum. And no sightseeing visit to this city would be complete without visiting Trsat Castle above the city. (What views!) There are also plenty of little side trips too – Opatija is just 15km away.

Of course, plenty of places to enjoy for eating and enjoying a night out, and some truly excellent accommodation choices too

More info: Visit Rijeka Tourist Board offers up plenty of information on what to see and do here.

Croatian alternatives…or complements?

Hear us out with this…but to make a proper comparison between the places mentioned, why not consider combining both in one holiday? That you truly can compare your usual spot with its alternative!

October in Croatia

October in Croatia: The best events and more

/0 Comments/in , ,

September seems to have whizzed by and we’re already on the doorstep of the tenth month of the year. If you plan on visiting Croatia in the next few weeks, take a look at our guide to October in Croatia to make the most of your visit to the country.

October in Croatia
The Plitvice Lakes National Park in October

Getting to Croatia in October

If you’re travelling to Croatia from the UK and Ireland, there are still plenty of flights this month. And we do mean plenty!

British Airways operate their London Heathrow to Zagreb flights year-round, and will also fly from Heathrow and Gatwick to Dubrovnik until the end of October.

Simiarly, Croatia Airlines fly from from London Heathrow to Zagreb year-round, and this year will also continue their flights from London Heathrow to Split until early January 2024. They also fly from London Gatwick to Split until mid-October.

Easyjet will continue to fly from London Gatwick to Pula and Rijeka until the end of October, and from the same airport to Split until early November, and to Dubrovnik until (amazingly) the end of November. They will also fly from London Luton to Split; from Bristol to Pula, Split and Dubrovnik; from Manchester to Split and Dubrovnik; from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik; and from Glasgow to Split. All of these flights will continue until the end of this month.

Ryanair from London Stansted and Dublin to Zagreb year-round, with the former route operating daily – great news for those aiming to reach Croatia’s capital. They will also fly from London Stansted to Osijek and Manchester to Zagreb until the end of October, and from Dublin to Split until early November.

Wizzair have extended their service from London Luton to Split and will now operate it until the end of October.

TUI will operate flights from London Gatwick, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds Bradford to Dubrovnik until mid-October.

Jet2 meanwhile continue their strong flight network to Croatia into October too! They will have flights from London Stansted to Split and Dubrovnik until the end of October; from Birmingham to Split also until the end of October and to Dubrovnik until early November; from East Midlands to Dubrovnik until the end of October; from Manchester to Split until the end of October and to Dubrovnik until early November; from Newcastle to Dubrovnik until the end of October; from Leeds Bradford to Split until the end of October and to Dubrovnik until early November; and from Edinburgh to Dubrovnik until the end of October. Phew!

What to do in October in Croatia

Well, aside from eat (see the events section below – you’ll see what I mean), there’s plenty to enjoy in Croatia in October. Most amenities will still be fully open although some (such as waterparks) close for the season at the end of September. You will likely still be (just about) able to swim in the sea, particularly if you visit early in the month,

Other attractions become cheaper to visit in October, which is undoubtedly good news for visitors. For example, entrance to the Plitvice Lakes National Park is €23.50 for adults in October, compared to €40 during summer.

Having said that, Plitvice actually celebrates a special promotional week in early October every year – this will happen from 1st to 8th October 2023. Celebrating the 44th anniversary of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage site, tickets will cost just €10 for adults, €6.50 for students and €4.50 for children aged 7 to 18 years old. More details here: Promotional October Week In Plitvice Lakes National Park!

Best Events in October in Croatia

Gastro Delights

October is essentially gastro month in October! There’s a whole heap of wonderful food-based festivities taking place this month, particularly in the region of Istria. One of the best-known events is Truffle Days which takes place every weekend in October, starting on 30th September and 1st October. Centred around Livade just north of Motovun in Central Istria, Truffle Days is brought to you by the team behind Zigante Restaurant and offers a wide range of truffle-rated fun – as well as plenty of opportunities to taste this spectacular food item and other truffle-based products. To really immerse yourself in this delicacy, board the truffle train to Motovun forest (that sounds rather fantastical, but it’s real!) to take part in some truffle hunting yourself.

If they’re not celebrating truffles in Istria in October, they’re celebrating chestnuts! The 48th Marunada Festival takes place in Lovran on the eastern side of Istria from 13th to 15th October, as well as in the wider region on subsequent weekends. As you will expect, all sorts of sweet chesnut treats will be on offer for you to try, from cakes to liquer event to chestnut beer! There will also be live music as part of the celebration and kids events too.

In inland Croatia, in Ivanic-Grad to be precise (which is southeast of Zagreb), the 19th Bucijada Pumpkin Festival will be held from 6th to 8th October. October is of course pumpkin month for many of us thanks to Halloween…aside from that, it’s pumpkin month because it’s harvest time! Again, there will be all manner of pumpkin and squash related foodstuffs to try, including cakes and pies and (the obligatory) beer. Live music abounds too, and this event includes plenty of fun activities for children for children too. I think the pumpkin-kremsnite eating competition sounds like fun!

Let’s take a look at what you can treat yourself to in Dalmatia now, There will be an amazing offering at Dubrovnik’s Good Food Festival (9th to 22nd October) including special menus at participating restaurants, wine tastings, dessert workshops and more. Enjoy a “bottomless bubbles brunch” at Park Orsula or a rose wine tasting at Love Bar; learn more about Croatian baking with workshops on pastries, baked goods and desserts; have dinner with a Michelin-starred chef…all of these experiences are amazing! For general fun, head to Dubrovnik Beer Company on either Saturday or the first Sunday for good food, beer and live music, or to Stradun on Saturday 21st October to sample all manner of food items and wine (€6 for a good voucher, €3 for a wine one). Take a look at the programme on the Good Food Festival event page for full details of the line-up, and to find out how to book certain events.

And even more amazing Croatian food is on offer at the Taste the Mediterranean Festival in Split from 4th to 8th October. It’s a slightly more specialist event with many items on the programme being invitation only, but we can’t not include it here!

Events for active types

In sports and activities are more your sort of bag – or perhaps you want to get your heart rate going after sampling all that fine food – there are a number of active events taking place in October too. One of the best known is the 31st edition of the Zagreb Marathon which will hit the city’s streets on 8th October. Baska on the island of Krk, will host the Baska Outdoor Festival from the 13th to 15th October; this event includes a variety of activities for active types (such as running, climbing, cycling, and hiking) aimed at different levels of ability. That weekend (on the 15th October) will also see the Ironman Triathlon event take place in Porec.

Other events

Many cities in Croatia host a film festival, and October sees two such events take place.

Split’s Film Festival will be on from 12th to 21st October with both Croatian and international films being screened. Meanwhile, the Dubrovnik Film Festival will be on from 19th to 22nd October; you can take a look at the films that will be screened here.

Live music lovers will be delighted by the Zagreb Jazz Festival taking place in the city throughout the month; take a look at the website to find out which concerts will be taking place.

Finally, the 25th Biograd Boat Show is on in the town from 25th to 29th October; this is Croatia’s largest boat show.

The weather during October in Croatia

Of course, what the weather is like during October in Croatia will affect the happiness of many a visitor – and that’s fair enough! It’s hard to predict the weather for a full month, but general gentle summer temperatures (i.e. not 30C+!) tend to hang on into October. Certainly, it’s been a pretty hot September in Croatia, with temperatures reaching the high 20s Celsius (often more) at times.

The start of October looks to be a few degrees cooler in most places, although that will still bring very pleasant conditions with plenty of sunshine.

Keep an eye on the Croatian Meteorological Service website for 3-day and 7-day weather forecasts for Croatia.

Review Jet2 Holidays - View from Amadria Park Beach

Visit Croatia Review: Jet2 Holidays

/0 Comments/in , ,

Last summer, Visit Croatia sought out a summer holiday for her and her family – totalling two adults and two kids. After umming and ahhhing over locations on mainland Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus, Visit Croatia decided to go where Visit Croatia knows best…Croatia! Here’s a review of my experience booking with Jet2 Holidays for a summer break in Croatia.

Summer Holiday Research Drives Me Mad

Although the Internet should make these sorts of things easy these days, information overload actually makes it more difficult! Sure, I can browse 20+ holiday booking, travel comparison and review websites, check out all their deals, see the reviews left by other travellers, try and figure out which extras are actually worth going for…but then that just leaves me exhausted!

This 5-star hotel seems a good deal, but lots of travellers have left recent reviews saying its current quality shouldn’t have that star rating.

That hotel looks fantastic, but where is it? *Pulls up Google Maps*, oh a 2 hour transfer? With a baby? Maybe not…

This holiday ticks all the boxes, and look, it’s a great deal on this particular website! But I’ve never heard of this website before, is it legit? Why do I have to call to book?! And why is it telling me the special discount runs out in the next two hours?

That’s where Jet2 Holidays comes in to save the day! Having ditched the “unknown” travel booking websites (too dodgy) and the comparison ones (too confusing) we decided to try the main holiday booking sites. There are a few of course – I won’t mention the others in this review, but I’m sure you know of them. Jet2 Holidays is actually the largest tour operator in the UK. (Helping over 5.8 million Brits enjoy trips abroad.)

Booking the Holiday 

When it actually came to choosing and booking our holiday, I’m giving the Jet2 Holidays website a big thumbs up.

I found it incredibly easy to search for different destinations or multiple destinations at once. Each country they serve is divided up into different areas – Split area and Dubrovnik area, in the case of Croatia – so you can select individual ones as per your preference.

Once I had performed a search and received a list of results, I could filter out certain hotels and apartments by star rating, TripAdvisor rating and by resort name. I could even further filter the results by certain elements of a holiday – access to a children’s club or an aqua park, for example – and by board type.

Two things I’m a bit fan of about the Jet2 Holidays website (and app!) are the ability to “shortlist” particular holidays (so I could easily compare for my favourites, come back to my list at a later date, or even share the list with someone else) and how all the information about a holiday is laid out simply and clearly.

This last point is something that I find crucial and very much applaud Jet2 for! If I’m looking for a holiday, I want to see everything easily or be able to access all the information in just a click or two. As a parent to two little ones, “nice” flight times (i.e. not flights that land at 2am!) are important to me. So, being able to view the flight times on the main screen is a massive plus.

Likewise, transfer times – anything 2 hours or so is a no for me. but I get that that’s a possibility…but tell me and I’ll discount that particular hotel. Holiday companies, don’t hide this on page seven of the booking process! (Jet2 don’t – they show this on the main booking page.)

Another BIG plus is the calendar functionality. Once I had made a choice about a hotel or place of accommodation, I could draw up the calendar which showed me the same holiday and its different prices across all the dates it was/is available. This meant I could easily see if I could make a saving by travelling on a different week…or during mid-week.

Something similar happens when I was actually in the booking process. It’s very clear how much “upgrading” certain elements will cost – choose a different room at the same hotel and the price difference (“+£336”) is clearly displayed. The same happens for different board options, if available.

Oh, and another big hit with me? The fact that all of the basics are included in the price. And this means luggage (as well as transfers.) Jet2 have a baggage allowance of 22kg per traveller, which is part of a holiday booking. Certain other holiday booking sites may proclaim good deals before you realised it might be an extra few hundred quid for luggage. (Luggage basically being a must if you’re travelling with kids!) 10kg of hand luggage is also included.

Review Jet2 Holidays - View from Amadria Park Beach
The beach view from the Amadria Park resort

Changing Our Holiday Plans

Pleased as we were with finally booking after deliberating and researching for weeks (true story), less than 24 hours later we were hit with the realisation that we’d triple-booked ourselves and going away the week we’d planned would have meant missing out on several social events that were important to us.

Berating ourselves for being complete idiots, we thought we’d try calling Jet2 Holidays to see if you could maybe, possibly, somehow change our dates for a week earlier in the summer holidays.

This turned out to be not a problem at all! The very helpful and friendly lady we talked to pointed out that not only would there be no charge (as we were changing within 24 hours of booking), but we’d actually get a slightly cheaper holiday (meaning we’d get a refund) but changing our dates. A win all around!

Review Jet2 Holidays - Hotel Jakov entrance
The entrance to the Hotel Jakov

The Flight and Transfer

Our actual flight was perfectly smooth; really, heading to Stansted was perhaps the more difficult element of it all. Sure, it’s a short-haul flight on a budget airline, but we still found it reasonably comfortable. Apart from being forced to hear that Jess Glynne song multiple times. (If you know, you know.)

Finding our transfer coach at Split Airport was also pretty straightforward, as was the transfer itself. If memory serves me, we made three stops in total with our hotel – the Amadria Park Hotel Jakov near Sibenik – being the last.

Jet2 Holidays during our Holiday

I can’t say we encountered any reps from Jet2 Holidays during our stay, but we also didn’t need them either! Our hotel had a Jet2 book at reception with additional information on excursions and similar, but we were happy with planning our own. (Huh, it’s almost like I run a Croatian travel site…)

We did receive a little welcome pack that told us when and where to meet our reps if we needed them. During the week we were there, they were at a neighbouring hotel twice.

The Jet2 app also displayed information on our holiday, such as displaying details about our return transfer the day before we left. The company also has a 24-7 UK-based hotline should guests need any assistance.

But, as I said, we didn’t need our Jet2 reps during our holiday!

Excursions

Jet2 Holiday generally also offer a wide variety of excursions from their hotels. The ones that could be booked from our resort were an 8-hour trip to Krka National Park or a 12-hour trip to Plitvice National Park. (Both of these excursions ran once a week.) Again, this isn’t something we personally made use of due to the fact we were holidaying with young children, but the fact that we could have opted for excursions right from our doorstep…as it were…was a plus.

Obviously, there were and are plenty more excursions available in the wider area not organised by Jet2 Holidays!

Review of Jet2 Holidays: Overall

Another impressive factor for me is that Jet2 Holidays is the Which? Travel Brand of the Year 2022, and is also a Which? Recommended Provider. Not only that – Which? has also declared them the best airline. (I’m a big reader of Which? and trust what they say!)

They offer free child places, and all infants under 2 go free. I relish any chance we parents can save on summer holidays.

It’s possible to purchase a holiday on a pay monthly or part pay (as and when) basis which is another big plus.

So overall? A big thumbs up from me! I’m already looking at deals for this year’s summer holiday!

Note: Visit Croatia paid for the above holiday herself and was not compensated in any way or asked to write this review by Jet2 Holidays. All views above are Visit Croatia’s own.

The best ways of getting around Croatia

/0 Comments/in ,

Croatia doesn’t lack transport options or decent infrastructure in any way, but here are a few helpful hints and tips you should know for the best ways of getting around Croatia.

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Bus

We’ll start with perhaps the best one! Croatia’s bus network is very, very extensive and far more so than the train network (more of which later). Buses connect all the major towns and cities in Croatia, and plenty more places besides; there are also normally local buses operating on routes in and around major cities – for example, with the city buses in Split you can reach Trogir or Omis, whilst the Dubrovnik bus network can take you to Cavtat or Dubrovnik Airport to the south or Ston and the Peljesac Peninsula to the north.

Bus travel is relatively cheap, although there’s no option for anything like a ‘bus pass’ allowing unlimited travel, which might be handy. Having said that, there are many bus companies operating in Croatia – see our Bus Travel in Croatia page – and it’s very unlikely you’d want to limit yourself to just one company anyway. You can normally make savings if you book return tickets (if you’re making a return journey, of course!) and some companies give savings if tickets are booked online – e.g. Autotrans.

A bus crossing a bridge near Zadar

Some bus routes even utilise local ferries so you can use them to get onto the islands – for example, if travelling from Dubrovnik to Korcula. Other islands are connected to the mainland by bridge – namely, Krk and Pag – so bus travel is often the best way of getting to these places.

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Train

Travellers to mainland Europe often have quite a romantic notion of train travel and the classic gap year/young adult pursuit of interrailing. Which is completely understandable – travelling around a large territory such as Europe is fun! Not to mention that certain countries – France, Italy, Germany, and Spain – now have some rather speedy rail services that will zip you from city to city in just a few hours.

However, you can’t really say much of this for Croatia! The rail network has been underfunded for many years now (the road network, in contrast, has been built to provide modern motorways) and, by and large, it is not very extensive. Zagreb is the main rail hub and there are services stretching out from this city to some of the main towns and cities (Rijeka, Split, Osijek, Varazdin) but not all that much in between other locations.

There are also very, very few services along the coast!

Croatian Train
A train in Croatia

Additionally, some routes will be quicker by bus which utilises a motorway route rather than on the slow rail network – Zagreb to Rijeka is two and a half hours by bus but four hours by train. Zagreb to Split can be as fast as four and a half hours by bus (it really depends on which bus you take and how many stops it makes) but it’s six and a half or eight and a half hours by train.

If you did want to undertake a train route in Croatia (and didn’t mind the extra journey time), we would recommend Zagreb to Split…or vice versa. It is a very scenic route!

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Flying

Flying is obviously the quickest option for getting around Croatia, there’s no disputing that! The country’s main airline, Croatia Airlines operates flights connecting Zagreb with Pula, Zadar, Split, Dubrovnik and Osijek, and even the tiny airport by Bol on the island of Brac.

There are also flights connecting Pula with Zadar and Osijek, Split with Pula, Rijeka and Dubrovnik and Rijeka with Split and Osijek. If there are no direct flights for the route you want, you should be able to travel by connecting in Zagreb. Take a look at our Flights in Croatia page for the full timetable for this year.

Best ways of getting around Croatia - Flying
The gorgeous view when departing from Split Airport

Charter airline Trade Air also operates in Croatia, and you can book their flights on the Croatia Airlines website as well.

Understandably, flying is the most expensive way of getting around Croatia but the cost may be worth it if you’re looking to travel quickly. But don’t forget to factor in the time (and cost) required to travel to and from airports.

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Ferries

Well, for the most part, you can hardly escape travelling by ferry (or catamaran) if you want to get onto the islands…right? (Putting aside islands such as Krk and Pag which are connected to the mainland by bridge.)

Catamarans are of course faster than ferries but there are few routes on which both a catamaran and ferry operate. One exception is Split to the island of Vis – to show you the comparison in journey time, by catamaran it takes 1 hour 25 minutes whilst by ferry it is 2 hours 20 minutes. (Both of these routes are run by Jadrolinija.)

Similarly, Split to Vela Luka on the island of Korcula takes 2 hours and 5 minutes and by ferry, the journey takes 3 hours 30 minutes. (Again, both routes are run by Jadrolinija.)

Best ways of getting around Croatia - by ferry or catamaran
Ferries and catamarans at Split port

Having said this, ferries tend to be a far more scenic mode of transportation. Almost all of them allow you to sit up on the deck and watch the beautiful Adriatic and its islands go by. Catamarans have little in the way of outdoor space (if any!) and can also be rather noisy.

Catamarans tend to run on some of the longest coastal routes – for example, Split to Dubrovnik and Pula to Zadar. Sadly the once long-running coastal ferry from Rijeka to Dubrovnik stopped operating a number of years ago.

Ferries will absolutely be your chosen method of transport if you’re travelling with a car. Catamarans only accept foot passengers!

Take a look at our Croatia Ferries Map to get an idea of whether catamarans or ferries operate on the route wish to make!

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Road

Renting a car when in Croatia undeniably gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace, and to set your own route for wherever you’re trying to get to – and allowing you to go “off-plan” whenever you want!

However, renting a car can be the most expensive way of travelling around Croatia and you will also have to factor in paying tolls (if you make use of motorways) as well as parking charges when visiting towns and cities.

But if you’re sharing the rental with someone else (or a few of you), it can work out to be relatively reasonable. And you’ll be able to schlep all your belongings around without any effort at all!

Best ways of getting around Croatia - by road
A winding road on the island of Pag

The best ways of getting around Croatia – Taxi

We obviously wouldn’t suggest taxis in Croatia as a mode of transport for long distances! But they’re a reasonable way of getting around a small area if you don’t have a rental car and don’t want to rely on public transport.

Almost all towns and cities have a good selection of local taxi companies who you can call to book a taxi. Ask at your place of accommodation for a recommendation.

Riding-hailing apps such as Uber and Bolt exist in Croatia and are a super-easy way of getting a taxi. If you haven’t used them before, you may end up getting a small discount as a first-time user.

So what is the best way of getting around Croatia?

The best way of getting around Croatia probably depends on how much time you have for travelling around the country, and what your itinerary specifically is.

If you’re happy with renting a car, we’d say this is probably the best way of getting around Croatia as it gives you the most flexibility!

If you’d prefer to go down the public transport option, we’d suggest getting around Croatia by bus. The bus network is very good and bus travel is relatively cheap.

Catamarans or ferries will of course be the way to go to get to the islands!

Why not combine some of the above during your holiday? Rent a car for a week (or a portion of a week) to explore a certain region, and then rely on public buses or ferries for the remainder?

Extended Tourist Stays in Croatia

Reader Comment on Extended Tourist Stays in Croatia

/0 Comments/in

Now that Croatia has joined the Schengen Zone, visitors are limited to staying 90 days in any 180-day period in the country and the rest of the Zone combined – which makes it harder to travellers to easily stay in Croatia and this part of Europe for longer periods of time. We were recently contacted by one of our readers regarding extended tourist stays in Croatia – who had the following to say:

Extended Tourist Stays in Croatia – Is The Tourism Ministry Missing a Trick?

Since the UK controversially left the EU, those British citizens who have cruising boats and holiday homes in Croatia have faced a problem. Like other third country nationals, their stay is limited to 90 days in 180 on a rolling basis. British subjects don’t need a visa to visit Croatia but, to extend their stay, they need to apply for a permit to cover any additional weeks. For a stay of more than 90 days each applicant must have a certificate to demonstrate they have no criminal convictions and proof of financial independence. That might seem reasonable, but the bureaucracy is anything but clear.

Enquiries made to the Croatian Embassy in London are simply referred to the Ministry of the Interior which responds by referring people to lengthy legislative documents in the Croatian language. Google Translate can help of course but, for a nation that relies heavily on income from tourists, and has policy to broaden the tourist season, couldn’t the procedure be made simpler and clearer?

Extended Tourist Stays in Croatia

It does seem odd that a person with criminal convictions can visit Croatia for up to 90 days but those who have invested in property in the country and are happy to contribute to the Croatian economy for the duration of an extended summer season are required to prove otherwise. A clear statement of requirements for applying for an extended tourist permit from the Ministry of Tourism, and an explanation of the procedure in English would be most welcome and could encourage more longer term tourists to visit the country. Will it happen?

Have you encountered the same problem? What are your thoughts? Leave your comments below!

Croatia joins the Schengen Zone

Croatia joins the Schengen Zone

/0 Comments/in ,

In the works for a number of years now, and finally confirmed on 9th December 2022, Croatia joins the Schengen Zone on 1st January 2023. Find out what this means for your future travels to the country below.

Croatia joins the Schengen Zone

What is the Schengen Zone?

Currently made up of 26 countries – with Croatia joining as the 27th member – the Schengen Zone is an area of Europe without any border controls or passport checks. Largely, most EU countries (23 out of 27) are part of the Schengen Zone with the exception of Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Ireland. Additionally, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are part of the Schengen Zone despite not being part of the EU.

Travel to Croatia with a Schengen Visa

Although travellers to Croatia could previously visit the country if they were in possession of a Schengen visa (as long as it was a dual or multiple entry one), they were not able to obtain one from a Croatian visa centre or embassy. Additionally, obtaining a Croatian visa did not allow the visa holder entry into the Schengen Zone.

This all changes from 1st January 2023 when obtaining a Croatian visa will no longer be possible – visitors will need to obtain a Schengen visa instead. And this visa will of course permit the holder to travel to the rest of the Schengen Zone too.

Border checks

The main purpose of the Schengen Zone is the lack of border controls between member countries. If you have ever driven from one Schengen country to another you’ll have noticed the absence of a border or controls of any kind. (There are of course signs denoting the new country you’re entering!) This will now be the case for Croatia as well whichever way you enter the country – by land (car, bus or train), sea or air – if you are travelling from another Schengen Area country. But of course, Croatia will now be the “last” Schengen country in this part of southern Europe, so if you are travelling from one of Croatia’s non-Schengen neighbours – such as Serbia, Montenegro or Bosnia and Hercegovina – you will go through regular border checks/passport controls.

In the case of air travel from another Schengen country, airport border controls will still temporarily be in place during a short transition period. These are expected to be fully abolished on 26th March 2023. Again, airport border controls – or a lack of them – are only the case for flights originating from other Schengen countries. If you are flying from a non-Schengen country to Croatia – from the UK, for example – you will absolutely still have to go through passport control upon landing in Croatia.

90-Day Schengen Zone Limit

Visa-free travellers to the Schengen Zone are permitted a 90-day stay in any 180-day period. This means If you stay in the Zone – whether that’s in just one country or several – for 90 days, you must leave for the next 90 days before being allowed to return.

Before joining the Schengen Zone, Croatia had a similar “90 days in 180” limit – but by being outside of the Zone, travellers could swap between the Schengen Zone and Croatia (or other non-Schengen countries) to remain in Europe if they wished. This is obviously no longer the case, so please be careful with your travelling time limit when visiting Croatia and the Schengen Zone. (You may well get into “trouble” if you overstay the 90-day limit.)

Make sure your passport is valid!

Your passport must have been issued in the previous 10 years and you must also have three months of validity remaining on it after your departure date from Croatia.

More info

For news coverage on Croatia joining the Schengen Zone, take a look at Croatia To Join EU’s Schengen Zone In January, Bulgaria And Romania Rejected (Forbes, 9th December 2022) and Schengen and Eurozone. Nothing is the same for Croatia in 2023 (Croatian Ministry of Foreign & European Affairs, 1st January 2023).

For Croatia visa advice, see our Visa Requirements for Croatia page.

Take a look at the UK Foreign Office’s advice on Croatia’s entry requirements.

Coronavirus in Croatia Autumn 2021

Coronavirus in Croatia Autumn 2021 Update

/0 Comments/in ,

Many had hoped that by this time in 2021 – almost a year after the first vaccinations were being distributed across the world – coronavirus would be a relatively distant memory and we’d be back to normality. Whilst many of us are seeing some semblance of normality in our day to day lives – with lockdowns not currently in operation in many places, travel, entertainment, work, education and more all possible – unfortunately case numbers remain high in many countries. This is certainly true in Croatia where in early November, the country recorded its highest ever daily case number today (over 7,000 new cases) ever in the whole pandemic. As such, we thought we would publish a Coronavirus in Croatia Autumn 2021 post to update you all on case numbers, the current vaccination rate and any new restrictions that come into effect.

Unfortunately, the vaccination rate in Croatia has been quite low compared to other European countries with the country having about the third or fourth lowest vaccination rate in the EU. This may well be one reason why case numbers have now jumped up some considerably this autumn.

Coronavirus in Croatia Autumn 2021

Coronavirus in Croatia Autumn 2021

Latest updateToday, 20th December 2021, 367 new cases have been announced. There are presently 19,570 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (4,663 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,566 active cases) and then Zagreb county (1,668 active cases). Sadly, there have been 12,043 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 16th December 2021, 3,765 new cases have been announced. There are presently 24,082 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (6,086 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,980 active cases) and then Zagreb county (2,139 active cases). Sadly, there have been 11,825 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 13th December 2021, 453 new cases have been announced. There are presently 21,581 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (5,732 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,308 active cases) and then Zagreb county (2,011 active cases). Sadly, there have been 11,666 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 10th December 2021, 3,797 new cases have been announced. There are presently 26,824 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (7,127 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (2,747 active cases) and then Zagreb county (2,611 active cases). Sadly, there have been 11,516 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 6th December 2021, 728 new cases have been announced. There are presently 25,567 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (7,069 active cases), followed by Zagreb county (2,655 active cases) and then Split-Dalmatia county (2,445 active cases). Sadly, there have been 11,269 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 2nd December 2021, 5,341 new cases have been announced. There are presently 32,603 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (8,569 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,435 active cases) and then Zagreb county (3,191 active cases). Sadly, there have been 10,826 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 29th November 2021, 1,031 new cases have been announced. There are presently 29,891 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (7,869 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,023 active cases) and then Zagreb county (2,839 active cases). Sadly, there have been 10,826 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 25th November 2021, 6,246 new cases have been announced. There are presently 34,953 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (8,915 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,692 active cases) and then Zagreb county (3,181 active cases). Sadly, there have been 10,569 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 22nd November 2021, 1,327 new cases have been announced. There are presently 29,725 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (7,460 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,000 active cases) and then Zagreb county (2,630 active cases). Sadly, there have been 10,376 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 18th November 2021, 7,270 new cases have been announced. There are presently 39,034 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (9,438 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (4,306 active cases) and thenPrimorje-Gorski Kotar county (3,534 active cases). Sadly, there have been 10,113 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 15th November 2021, 1,135 new cases have been announced. There are presently 34,062 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (8,270 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,765 active cases) and thenPrimorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,985 active cases). Sadly, there have been 9,936 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

UpdatedToday, 8th November 2021, 1,242 new cases have been announced. (As it’s a Monday, case numbers are always lower than maybe expected due to the weekend.) There are presently 29,265 active cases in the country. Most active cases are currently located in the City of Zagreb (7,258 active cases), followed by Split-Dalmatia county (3,257 active cases) and thenPrimorje-Gorski Kotar county (2,692 active cases). Sadly, there have been 9,546 deaths in total in Croatia since the pandemic began.

News and data on coronavirus cases in Croatia Autumn 2021

The Koronavirus.hr website (in English) publishes daily updates about new case numbers every morning. That same website also displays a map that shows active cases by county, as well as the total number of cases since the pandemic began.

To compare Croatia’s figures to the rest of the EU, take a look at the website of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). This website shows the 14-day cumulative number of cases per 100,000 for all EU countries. You can also take a look at the ECDC Map which shows a colour-coded map of Europe based on test positivity rates. (This map is updated every Thursday.)

Coronavirus vaccinations in Croatia Autumn 2021

Latest update As of 19th December, 2,242,791 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 2,090,818 have received both doses or a single dose vaccine. That means that 65.87% of the adult population (or 55.27% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 12th December, 2,227,358 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 2,039,788 have received both doses or a single dose vaccine. That means that 65.42% of the adult population (or 54.89% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 5th December, 2,207,786 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 1,981,397 have received both doses or a single dose vaccine. That means that 64.89% of the adult population (or 54.4% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 28th November, 2,176,068 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 1,931,878 have received both doses of a two-dose vaccine. That means that 63.9% of the adult population (or 53.6% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 22nd November, 2,125,514 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 1,896,361 have received both doses of a two-dose vaccine. That means that 62.5% of the adult population (or 52.3% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 15th November, 2,048,628 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 1,859,418 have received both doses of a two-dose vaccine. That means that 60% of the adult population (or 50% of the total population) of Croatia have been vaccinated.

Updated As of 7th November, 1,948,738 people in Croatia have received the first vaccine dose, and 1,820,138 have received both doses of a two-dose vaccine. (An additional 121,725 people have received a single dose vaccine.) That means 58% of the adult population of Croatia have received one dose, and 58% have received both doses.

You can track vaccination statistics in Croatia on the Croatian Institute of Public Health website – they now have an interactive map which show vaccination rates by municipality (in Croatian). You can also see the rate of vaccination in Croatia compared to other European countries on the Our World in Health website.

Current Restrictions in Croatia

Travel Restrictions

Latest update As of 26th November 2021, due to the new omicron variant of coronavirus, there is a complete ban on passengers entering Croatia from the following countries (or if you have been in one of the following countries in the previous 14 days): South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Hong Kong. If you are a Croatian citizen or long-term resident, then you are permitted to enter Croatia but you must quarantine for 14 days. This measure is in effect until 15th December 2021.

Restrictions in Croatia

Some new restrictions have come into effect on 6th November 2021. These include:

  • Indoor events of more than 50 people are prohibited, unless attended by people with a covid certificate – but masks and social distancing are mandatory
  • Outdoor events of more than 100 people can be organised if all participants have a covid certificate
  • Events must finished by midnight (cinema screenings can run until 2am)
  • Weddings are permitted to run until 2am, providing everyone attending has a covid certificate
  • Congresses and conferences are permitted to be held, providing everyone attending has a covid certificate and masks and social distancing are mandatory
  • Indoor sports gatherings are permitted providing all those attending have a covid certificate and wears masks
  • Outdoor sports gatherings are permitted; covid certificates are again required but masks are not necessary
  • School students in some years must wear masks when moving around the school

From 16th November 2021, all workers and visitors to government institutions must present an EU Digital Covid Certificate or be tested.

The use of covid certificates may also be implemented for venues such as cafes, restaurants and gyms should the number of new cases increase.

UK travellers to Croatia

Double vaccinated UK travellers to Croatia no longer need a negative test

/0 Comments/in ,

Good news for all UK travellers to Croatia! As of 1st October 2021 (yesterday), all double vaccinated travellers from the UK no longer need a negative test to enter Croatia – a rule that has been in place since 26th July.

That means that you can now just use your vaccination certificate to enter the country, and you definitely don’t need to also obtain a negative PCR or rapid antigen test.

This comes just in time for the new rules changes for returning to England too – from Monday 4th October, a negative test is also no longer need to return home.

UK Travellers to Croatia no longer require a negative test to enter

UK travellers to Croatia – using a vaccination certificate to enter the country

You can enter Croatia using your vaccination certificate providing 14 days have passed since the second dose of your vaccine, and that second dose has been administered in the previous 365 days. (This number of days has also been changed on 1st October – see below.)

You can obtain a certificate for travel via the NHS Covid Pass website or app. Although you can demonstrate your certificate on your phone, we would always recommend printing it off to be on the safe side.

What if you don’t have a vaccination certificate?

If you aren’t (double) vaccinated, don’t forget that you can still enter Croatia if you have:

  • a previous covid positive test from the past 365 days, with 11 days having passed since the test was undertaken, or a certificate of recovery from covid signed by physican
  • a certificate showing that you have recovered from covid and have received one dose of a vaccine in the eight months since having covid (provided that the vaccine was administered less than 12 months ago)

And if you don’t have any of these then…

  • you do need a negative covid test to enter Croatia – a PCR test taken in the previous 72 hours or a rapid antigen test taken in the previous 48 hours

If you don’t have any of the above, you will need to quarantine on arrival in Croatia until you can obtain a negative test result.

Other requirements for entering Croatia

Don’t forget that UK travellers still need to show proof of paid accommodation to enter Croatia. However, you don’t need this for the entire duration of your stay – you can show proof of paid accommodation just for the first couple of days.

It is also recommended that you fill out the Enter Croatia form before travel to help speed up your entry into the country.

The UK Foreign Office advice on Croatia also provides information for UK travellers to Croatia.

Other entry changes

As well as UK travellers to Croatia, travellers from Russia and Cyprus also no longer need a negative test to enter the country – they can also use a vaccination certificate.

Additionally, vaccination certificates (for all travellers, regardless of nationality) are now valid for 365 days since the second dose having been administered (or a single dose in the case of single-dose vaccines). This has been upped from 270 days.

Likewise, you can use a positive test result from the previous 365 days (previously also 270 days) to enter Croatia.

Travellers from Brazil no longer need to quarantine for 14 days on arrival to Croatia but do need to show a negative PCR (taken in the previous 72 hours) or a negative rapid antigen test (in the previous 48 hours).

All of these rules can be seen on the Croatian Ministry of the Interior website.

Visiting Croatia in October

Don’t forget to check out our new Visiting Croatia in October post to find out more on flights to the country this month and what to see and do when there.

Croatia in October 2021

Visiting Croatia in October 2021

/0 Comments/in , ,

Summer may have finished, by visiting Croatia in October is still possible…and highly recommended! We take a look at what you can see and do this month in Croatia, as well as what you need to know for travelling there.

Croatia in October 2021

Travelling from the UK to Croatia in October

Negative tests NO LONGER REQUIRED for double vaccinated travellers from the UK

Latest update As of 24th October, fully vaccinated travellers returning to England from Croatia (or indeed, from anywhere else) can book a cheaper lateral flow test or a PCR test for the required day 2 test. See Travel to England from another country during coronavirus on the GOV.UK website for more details – and to check the rules for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Latest update As of 1st October, double vaccinated travellers from the UK no longer need a negative test to enter Croatia…great news! Obviously, if you are not fully vaccinated and/or cannot prove you have had covid in the previous 365 days, you do still need a negative test to enter the country. Full details of this here: Double vaccinated UK travellers to Croatia no longer need a negative test.

New travel rules for England from 4th October

On Monday 4th October at 4am, the travel rules for England change. The green and amber lists are being combined into one ‘safe list’ whilst the red list remains…red. Croatia is currently on the green list, so will definitely be on the new safe list from this date.

The rules for travelling back from a safe list country – including Croatia – from 4th October vary depending on whether you are fully vaccinated or not.

If you are fully vaccinated, to travel back from Croatia to England, you need:

  • book and pay for a day 2 PCR test (a test to get back into England is no longer required) – we recommend Randox
  • complete the passenger locator form in the 48 hours before returning to England
  • do the day 2 test

If you are NOT fully vaccinated, to travel back from Croatia to England, you need:

  • take a pre-departure test in the 3 days before returning to England
  • book and pay for day 2 and day 8 PCR tests – we recommend Randox
  • complete the passenger locator form in the 48 hours before returning to England
  • quarantine at home/your place of stay for 10 days
  • do the day 2 and day 8 tests

This is a change as, up until 4th October, non-vaccinated and vaccinated had to do a pre-departure test to return to England…and non-vaccinated travellers did not have to quarantine for 10 days.

Travelling from elsewhere to Croatia in October

As well as the major change mentioned above – that double vaccinated travellers from the UK no longer need a negative test to enter Croatia – there have been some additional rule changes as of 1st October 2021:

  • If you are entering Croatia using a vaccination certificate, the second dose of your vaccine (or single dose in the case of single-dose vaccines) must have been administered within the previous 365 days. (This number of days has changed – it was previously 270 days.)
  • If you are entering Croatia using a positive test result from a previous covid infection (at least 11 days must have passed the test result!), this is valid if the test has been taken in the previous 365 days (also previously 270 days)

Take a look at our Croatia Travel Restrictions page for other regulations, and do also take a look at the rules posted on the Ministry of the Interior website.

Flights from the UK & Ireland to Croatia in October

There are still plenty of flights to Croatia if you fancy an October break! They include:

To Zagreb

  • British Airways 5x then 4x/week from London Heathrow for the rest of the year
  • Croatia Airlines 3x/week from London Heathrow for the rest of the year
  • Croatia Airlines 2x/week from Dublin for the rest of the year
  • Ryanair daily from London Stansted for the rest of the year
  • (Note: Ryanair will start flying 2x/week from Manchester, and 3x/week from Dublin from 2nd December)

To Pula

  • Easyjet 1x/week from London Luton until 30th October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Bristol until 30th October
  • Ryanair 3/x week from London Stansted until 28th October

To Zadar

  • Ryanair 5/x week from London Stansted until 30th October
  • Ryanair 2/x week from Manchester until 30th October
  • Ryanair 2/x week from Edinburgh until 27th October
  • Ryanair 2/x week from Dublin until 27th October

To Split

  • Easyjet 3x then 2x/week from London Gatwick until 30th October
  • Easyjet 4x then 3x/week from London Luton until 31st October
  • Easyjet 5x/week from Bristol until 30th October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Manchester until 30th October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Glasgow until 24th October
  • Easyjet 5x/week from Belfast until 30th October
  • Ryanair 3/x week from Dublin until 29th October
  • Wizzair 2x from London Luton until 30th October
  • TUI 2x/week from Manchester until 8th October
  • Jet2.com 1/x week from London Stansted until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 1/x week from Birmingham until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 3x then 2/x week from Manchester until 30th October
  • Jet2.com 1/x week from Leeds Bradford until 16th October

To Dubrovnik

  • British Airways daily from London Heathrow until 31st October
  • Easyjet 3x/week from London Gatwick until 30th October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Bristol until 31st October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Manchester until 9th October
  • Easyjet 2x/week from Edinburgh until 6th November
  • TUI 1x/week from London Gatwick until 24th October
  • TUI 1x/week from Manchester until 24th October
  • Jet2.com 3/x week from London Stansted until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 1/x week from Birmingham until 30th October
  • Jet2.com 3/x week from Manchester until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 1/x week from Newcastle until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 2/x week from Leeds Bradford until 31st October
  • Jet2.com 2/x week from Edinburgh until 24th October
  • Aer Lingus 3x/week from Dublin until 30th October

That’s a lot of flights! Take a look at our Flights to Croatia from the UK & Ireland 2021 page for the full schedule.

Events in Croatia in October

There’s absolutely loads on in Croatia this month! Take a look at some of the highlights below:

  • Autumn is truffle season in Istria! Zigante Truffle Days actually stretches out from 18th September to 14th November 2021; this year, it’s primarily centred around Restaurant Zigante in Livade in northeastern Istria
  • The Zadar Street Food Festival is on now (until 3rd October) – take your pick from food stalls offering delicacies from local restaurants 
  • The annual professional road cycling CroRace is on from 28th September to 3rd October; there are six stages taking place across the country, from Osijek in eastern Croatia to central Dalmatia, to Istria and then finishing in Zagreb on the final Sunday. Pop along if you’re in one of these regions to watch the cyclists whizzing past (or watch it on TV for lovely scenes of Croatia!).
  • Northern Croatian town Koprivnica hosts the Podravski Motivi / Podravina Motfis on 2nd & 3rd October, showcasing items typical from the region (such as naive art) as well as young wine and chestnuts
  • Dubrovnik’s Triathlon will be taking place on land and in the waters around the city on 2nd October – there will be different races for experienced triathletes as well as first-timers 
  • In a similar(ish) vein, the 29th Zagreb Marathon will be hitting the streets of Croatia’s capital on 10th October 
  • Dubrovnik Film Festival is on from 14th to 17th October
  • On the island of Krk, the Baska Outdoor Festival offers outdoor adventures for all abilities and ages over a weekend in mid-October (15th to 17th)
  • Held all over Croatia, Restaurant Week (Tjedan Restorana) is on from 15th to 24th October – participating restaurants (check the website!) offer menus for a special price
  • The Biograd Boat Show, the largest such event in Croatia, is taking place from 20th to 24th October  

Weather in Croatia in October

The weather forecast is looking exceedingly lovely for the first part of October – along the coast (and the further south you go, the better your chances of warm weather) in places such as Split and Dubrovnik, you’ll find temperatures of low to mid-20s Celsius every day. There are occasional rain showers forecast, yes, but most days will see plenty of sun. The long-range forecast for October is the same. Further north up the coast temperatures will be similar if a few degrees less; inland likewise also with more mixed weather (more rain).

Take a look at the Croatian Meteorological Service website for forecasts.

What to See and Do

October is the month that straddles the seasons in Croatia – whilst the early part of the month may well be very pleasant indeed (see under “Weather” above!) the temperature slowly declines. On the coast you’ll enjoy plenty of sunshine although it will probably be a little too cold for sea swimming; hitting the pool, meanwhile, should be okay! We would certainly recommend heading to destinations in and around Split and Dubrovnik, as well as Istria, for a holiday this month. The islands, however, will be a bit on the quiet side…so we’d suggest leaving these for another trip next year.

October is traditionally the month that ‘tourist facilities’ (restaurants, bars, cafes and similar catering to visitors) start shutting up shop towards the end of the month before the cold months set in, so you’ll still be able to enjoy these.

This October is Croatian Tourism Month (unfortunately, the website appears to be in Croatian only!). Some tourist services, facilities and venues – including accommodation, restaurants and cultural attractions – across the country are offering discounts of 35% off.

Do be aware that ferry/catamaran schedules (i.e. Jadrolinija‘s) change from high season to low season ones in early October, so take this into account if you’re planning on travelling around. Bus schedules will also see fewer buses on long-distance routes, but you’ll still have plenty of choice.

Plitivice Lakes in autumn
The Plitvice Lakes in autumn

October is a great month to make the most of some of Croatia’s top experiences – without all the summer crowds – particularly with the country taking on an autumnal hue. If you’re able to do, we’d certainly recommend a trip to one of Croatia’s national or nature parks, such as Plitvice or Krka.

Zagreb is an excellent choice for Croatia in October – there’s plenty to explore (sights, restaurants, experiences, even shopping) and it’s a very easy city to navigate.

We hope you enjoy Croatia in October!

Croatia Requires Negative Tests

Croatia requires negative tests for ALL travellers from the UK

/2 Comments/in ,

LATEST UPDATE As of 1st October, this requirement is no longer valid. Please see the latest news: Double vaccinated UK travellers to Croatia no longer need a negative test.

In effect from Monday 26th July, Croatia requires negative tests for all people travelling directly from the UK, Cyprus and Russia – regardless of whether you have been vaccinated or not, and regardless of whether you have had previously had covid.

Announced yesterday by the Croatian Institute for Public Health, this measure has been introduced due to the worsening epidemiological situation in these three countries due to the delta variant.

Croatia requires negative tests

So, what sort of test do I need?

Here’s what we know so far.

According to this article from the Croatian online newspaper Index, you must provide either a negative PCR test taken in the previous 72 hours before travel or a negative rapid antigen test taken in the previous 48 hours.

This new ruling applies to everyone aged 12 and above.

The GOV.UK Foreign Office advice for Croatia has been updated to explain this new regulation.

Keep an eye on the official regulations published on the Ministry of the Interior website which should be updated soon.

What sort of rapid antigen tests are accepted?

The official guidelines are that such a test must be listed in the Common list of rapid antigen tests recognized by the Member States of the European Union, published by the European Commission. However, this lists manufacturers of such tests, not the companies offering the tests.

We would imagine that most companies offering private rapid antigen tests for travel that produce an official, signed certificate would be acceptable.

Check with your airline before travelling as many are offering deals on rapid antigen tests.

Can I use an NHS lateral flow at home test?

No, per the NHS website, these tests cannot be used for travel.

What about if I am a British citizen travelling from the EU?

Then the above does not apply. This new regulation is only for those travelling from the UK, Cyprus or Russia – regardless of citizenship. If you are a British citizen travelling from the EU, for example, then the previous regulations apply i.e. you can enter the country with proof of vaccination.

Other regulations

Don’t forget that all travellers travelling to Croatia from outside of the EU – which includes Brits – need to show proof of a paid accommodation booking in order to enter Croatia.

It is also advisable to fill out the Enter Croatia form before travel.

More info

Take a look at our Croatia Travel Restrictions 2021 and Visiting Croatia in Summer 2021 pages for more help in visiting Croatia this summer.