O Hrvatskoj
General informations
GENERAL
- Total (land) area 56610 km2
- Population (last census) 4.784.265
- Length of Coastline (mainline) 1778 km
- Area of Coastline (islands) 4012 km
- Number of Islands and Isles 1185 (66 inhabited)
Largest islands:
- Krk 410 km2
- Cres 404 km2
- Brac 396 km2
- Hvar 298 km2
- Pag 287 km2
- Korcula 273 km2
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
Croatian, written in Latin alphabet
RELIGION
Religion: the majority of inhabitants are Catholics, followed by members of the Orthodox church, Muslims and Protestants
FOREIGN LANGUAGES
German, Italian and English are the most common foreign languages spoken in the tourist resorts.
TIME ZONE
GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Saturday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
POLITICS
- Croatia has democratic political system with multiple political parties.
- Bicameral parliament, the Sabor, is composed of a lower House of Representatives (Zastupnicki dom).
- President: Stipe Mesiæ, from February 2005, elected on a 5-years term
- Prime Minister: Ivo Sanader
- President of Parliament: Luka Bebić
WHEN TO VISIT CROATIAN COAST?
The best period to visit our coast is from April to October. Peak temperatures in high season summer months (July, August) can reach 38°C (100°F), and the water surface at that point reaches a comfortable 26°C (79°F). High season has its obvious advantages for people looking for fun and excitement and disadvantages for others, but in Croatia you can always find some nice hidden place if you want to sleep far from loud music. Spring starting in March can bring some rain showers, but the autumn months, September and October, are ideal for travel if you want to relax. In the off season the beaches are less crowded and the prices drop, weather, however, remains stable and the water is still agreeably warm. Generally, you can travel along the Croatian coast at any time of the year. During winter season, however, you should pack some warm clothing in spite of the mild Mediterranean climate. The temperatures seldom drop below the freezing point but some winds might be unpleasant in the winter.
SOCIAL CONVENTIONS
People normally shake hands upon meeting and leaving. Smoking is generally acceptable but there are restrictions in public buildings and on public transport.
Topless sunbathing is generally accepted, but nude bathing is restricted to few designated beaches or any of numerous wild beaches along the coast.
HOLIDAYS
- January 1st - New Year's Day
- January 6th - Epiphany
- Easter Monday
- May 1st - May Day
- Corpus Christi - movable observance
- June 22nd - Day of the Anti-Fascist Struggle
- June 25th - Statehood Day
- August 5th - Homeland Gratitude Day
- August 15th - Assumption
- October 8th - Independence Day
- November 1st - All Saints' Day
- December 25-26 - Christmas Holidays
ELECTRICITY
220 volts, 50Hz
Plugs have two round pins or three round pins for appliances that need to be earthed. If you need adapters or transformers (for USA equipment check things like notebooks or electric razors if they have a switch), inquire in bigger shops with electric supplies or in supermarkets.
Health care
Foreign tourists do not pay for emergency health services if Croatia and the tourist's country of origin have a health care agreement. If not, the tourist must pay for health care costs immediately. Hospitals and clinics are located in all major centers, while doctor's offices and pharmacies can be found in smaller tourist destinations.
HEALTH PRECAUTIONS
In spite of generally good health care system, it is best to take a few sensible precautions during your holiday. The most important is to avoid overexposure to the sun, wear hat and quality sunglasses, and use a high-factor suntan lotion, especially during the hottest part of the day (11 a.m. till 3 p.m.). Drink plenty of water to avoid exhaustion and dehydration. Tab water in Croatia is generally safe to drink, but if you feel uncomfortable, bottled spring water is for sale throughout the country. Swimming after a full meal is not recommended for at least two hours. Wild beaches are usually not cleaned from sea urchins that like Croatia's clean waters. If you notice their presence, the best solution is to wear plastic or other adequate shoes to enter and get out of the water safely.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN
Croatia offers you a great pleasure when travelling with children. Private accommodation is the most flexible solution. You can probably make arrangements with your hosts that will suit your family habits. Using the kitchen is also an advantage. Kids will love the freedom they can have on plenty of beaches you can take them to, just outside the town or village. Ask your hosts to give you instructions on best location. All resorts have organized some fun for children on the beach, where you can let them lose the energy with minimum supervision. For the beach, you may want to consider some plastic shoes for water for small children. Soft wind will cast the heat and trick one often to forget sun-protection. From 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. it's best to keep children out of the sun or well protected. For nights it's best to have a mosquito repellent ready if you notice their presence. In old towns and tourist resorts you will find nice pedestrian areas to walk and enjoy with your family. If you have a small baby, you will find it more practical to have some accessory that will help you carry your baby, because some parts of particularly interesting old town centres on the coast have stone floors and struggling with a chair will ruin all the fun.
History
History
Croatia, at one time the Roman province of Pannonia, was settled in the 7th century by the Croats. They converted to Christianity between the 7th and 9th centuries and adopted the Roman alphabet under the suzerainty of Charlemagne. In 925, the Croats defeated Byzantine and Frankish invaders and established their own independent kingdom, which reached its peak during the 11th century. A civil war ensued in 1089, which later led to the country being conquered by the Hungarians in 1091. The signing of the Pacta Conventa by Croatian tribal chiefs and the Hungarian king in 1102 united the two nations politically under the Hungarian monarch, but Croatia retained its autonomy.
Following the defeat of the Hungarians by the Turks at the battle of Mohács in 1526, Croatia (along with Hungary) elected Austrian archduke Ferdinand of Hapsburg as their king. After the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian kingdom in 1867, Croatia became part of Hungary until the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918 following its defeat in World War I. On Oct. 29, 1918, Croatia proclaimed its independence and joined in union with Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. The name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.
When Germany invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, Croatia became a Nazi puppet state. Croatian Fascists, the Ustachi, slaughtered countless Serbs and Jews during the war. After Germany was defeated in 1945, Croatia was made into a republic of the newly reconstituted Communist nation of Yugoslavia; however, Croatian nationalism persisted. After Yugoslavian leader Tito's death in 1980, Croatia's demands for independence began multiplying.
In 1990, free elections were held, and the Communists were defeated by a nationalist party led by Franjo Tudjman. In June 1991, the Croatian parliament passed a declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. Six months of intensive fighting with the Serbian-dominated Yugoslavian army followed, claiming thousands of lives and wreaking mass destruction.
A UN cease-fire was arranged on Jan. 2, 1992. The UN Security Council in February approved sending a 14,000-member peacekeeping force to monitor the agreement and protect the minority Serbs in Croatia. In a 1993 referendum, the Serb-occupied portion of Croatia (Krajina) resoundingly voted for integration with Serbs in Bosnia and Serbia proper. Although the Zagreb government and representatives of Krajina signed a cease-fire in March 1994, further negotiations broke down. In a lightning-quick operation, the Croatian army retook western Slavonia in May 1995. Similarly, in August, the central Croatian region of Krajina, held by Serbs, was returned to Zagreb's control.
Announcing on television in 1999 that "national issues are more important than democracy," President Tudjman continued to alienate Croatians with his authoritarian rule, out-of-touch nationalism, and disastrous handling of the war-shattered economy. In Dec. 1999, Tudjman died. Less than a month later, his Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Party was defeated by a reformist center-left coalition headed by Ivica Racan. But in Nov. 2003 elections, a right-wing coalition led by the nationalist HDZ once again assumed power. The new prime minister, Ivo Sanader, claims that his party is now far less nationalist and far more moderate than its earlier incarnation under Tudjman. In 2003, Croatia formally submitted its application to join the EU. President Mesic was reelected in Jan. 2005.
In April 2008, NATO invited Croatia to join the alliance at a summit in Bucharest. Final status is expected in January 2009.
Baština
Croatia is indeed unique, not only for its crystal clear, clean blue sea, but also for a thousand years of different cultures that have replaced each other and sometimes assimilated in these areas. The Adriatic Sea is not only a deep gulf in the Mediterranean cut into the Continent of Europe thereby creating most economical trade route between Europe and the East, it is also the cradle of ancient civilizations. There is much material evidence about that which is finally beginning to come to light, from the depths of Adriatic caves and from the deep blue sea. The east coast of the Adriatic Sea was inhabited as early as the beginning of the early Stone Age, and there is proof that most of the accessible islands were also inhabited (archaeological findings in caves near the islands of Hvar and Palagruza, etc.).
Thanks to the favourable geographical characteristics of our coast, with its numerous bays, inlets and coves, the coastal belt has ever been a significant mercantile and nautical route. Archaeological findings prove that in the 6th century BC the ancient Greeks had commerce with the Illyrians by means of the sea, and that they founded their colonies there (Pharos, today's Starigrad, on the islands of Hvar and Issa - or Vis).
Later on, the Romans arrived, and they not only built palaces and summer residences but they also spent a considerable amount of time on the sea, and there are many underwater findings located between Pula and Cavtat which show this to be true. Such findings are mainly amphorae, which were at the time commonly used for storing everything from wine to wheat, oils and perfumes. Wherever you choose to go diving, you will find the remains of Antique ships and their cargoes. One of the most precious findings from that time are remains of pythos or dolias, large pottery vessels which were built into ships and used to transport bulk cargo (wheat, etc). One such site is near Cavtat, while another is near Murter.
A new era dawned with the arrival of the Slavs, a period characterized by constant struggle for supremacy and by defence against diverse enemies. Dubrovnik, eminent in its position as a republic, played a leading role in culture and trade. A 17th-century shipwreck bears witness to those times - a galley which sailed from Venice carrying muran glass, window glass, and other valuable objects, and was fitted with cannons. But during a storm it sank near the island of Olipe, off the coast of Dubrovnik.
In the 18th century, Napoleon ruled for a short period of time, after which he was replaced by the Austrian monarchy. During the next hundred years, Italy and Austria fought each other for supremacy of the east coast, culminating in the battle of Vis in 1866. The Austrian fleet, led by Admiral Tegetthoff, who commanded the battleship Erzherzog Ferdinand Max, was opposed by Admiral Persano, commander of the Italian fleet. In the battle, Persano, on his flag ship on his flag ship the battleship Re d'Italia, was roundly trounced by Tegetthoff, and the Italian fleet withdrew in defeat.
Testimony to those glorious times can be found not only on the mainland, but also under the sea in the shape of shipwrecks and remains of the detritus of great ships. The period of Austro- Hungarian rule commenced thereafter. Ports were built and fortified, trade and shipbuilding flourished. During the two World Wars, the Adriatic was one of the more important areas of battle, and there are many shipwrecks dating from those periods. Near Pula, for example, which at the time was a strategically vital naval harbour, twenty shipwrecks have been located, including a number of submarines, destroyers, and torpedo-boats The Adriatic Sea has always been an important maritime route between East and West, which can still be seen today because of the numerous relics, which remind us that the past should never be forgotten, but rather used as a lesson for the future.
History timeline
around 400BC the first Greek colonies are founded on Adriatic islands
around 100BC Romans rule over the east coast of Adriatic
305. Roman emperor Diocletian in present-day Split
around 600. Croats start moving to what is today Croatia
852. Duke Trpimir issues the Charter in which for the first time is mentioned the name Croatia, in domestic official documents.
925. Tomislav, the first Croatian king is mentioned, unifier of Pannonian and Dalmatian Croatia
1102. After the death of Petar Svacic, the last Croatian king, Croatia enters into a union with Hungary
1242. King Bela IV issues the Golden Bull in which he proclaims Zagreb a Free Royal City
1433. The beginning of defense against the Turks, who through time occupy the larger part of Croatian territory
1527. By a decision of the Croatian Assembly, the dynasty of Habsburg comes to the Croatian throne
1699. Croatia is largely liberated of Turkish rule; continental Croatia remains under the rule of Habsburg, and the largest part of the Adriatic coast and islands are under Venice; only Dubrovnik Republic remains completely independent
1815. After the short-term rule of the French under Napoleon, who abolished Venice and Dubrovnik Republic, almost the whole of present-day Croatia enters into the Habsburg Monarch
1847. Croatian becomes the official language of Croatia in Croatian Parliament (Sabor), replacing the Latin language
1848. Ban (Viceroy) Josip Jelacic defends Croatia against attempts of Hungarian occupation and unites all Croatian provinces
1866. Bishop Josip Juraj Strossmayer founds the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences, the first in southeastern Europe
1918. After the downfall of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in World War I, Croatia becomes part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later proclaimed Yugoslavia
1941. German and Italian forces occupy Yugoslavia; the organized partisan resistance starts, led by Croatian antifascists under the guidance of Josip Broz Tito
1945. The Federative Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia is proclaimed and within Yugoslavia, today's Croatia is a federative republic
1990. The first multiparty elections after World War II are organized in Croatia; the Croatian Assembly elects Dr. Franjo Tudjman as the first president
1991. Croatia proclaims independence; the Serbian rebellion starts, supported by the Yugoslav National Army from Belgrade and results in the occupation of one third of Croatian territory
5/1992. The Republic of Croatia becomes a member of the United Nations
1998. The last occupied part of Croatia, in the east, including Vukovar, is integrated into the country.
12/1999. The First Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman, died
1/2000. On the general elections, late president's ruling party (HDZ) lost the election. The coalition of 6 parties is now in power.
12/2003. On the general elections, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) has won the election. Together with other 3 parties and national minority Members of Parliament forms the Government
4.10.2005. Accession negotiatons between Croatia and European Union have started
Money
Local currency: 1 Kuna (HRK) = 100 Lipa. Notes are in denominations of 1000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 HRK. Coins are in denominations of 5, 2 and 1 HRK, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 lipa.
Export-import restrictions: The import and export of foreign currency is unlimited. The import and export of our currency - HRK is limited to 2000 HRK, in banknotes up to 500 HRK. For amounts exceeding 2000 HRK a special permit from the National Bank of Croatia is required.
CUSTOMS DUTY
Customs regulations of the Republic of Croatia are in accordance with EU standards. Foreign currency can freely be moved in and out of the country, while the maximum amount for the Croatian currency is 2000 Kunas. Valuable professional and technical equipment must be registered with customs at the border. For further information please visit www.carina.hr
TAX RETURN FOR FOREIGN CITIZENS
Tourists who purchase goods for over 500 kn may claim a tax return when leaving the country with verified "Tax Cheque" receipts through the Croatian Customs Service. A tax refund can be obtained within one year. The equivalent of VAT - PDV - is 22% in Croatia.
SHOPPING
Traditional handicrafts that cover a range of items like embroidery (table clothes, clothes and other), lace, silver filigran jewellery or jewellery made of corails and sea shelves, woodcarvings and ceramics make good souvenirs.
If you go shopping for clothes or shoes, the prices in our shops will not be a pleasant surprise. Therefore, if you're not particularly attached to designer's clothes, take a look in small boutiques and on the market. Prices are much lower and the choice gets to be quite good during the high season.
PRICES
Ovdje ide tablica s košaricom proizvoda..
WORKING HOURS
In general, working hours for all shops and other services are Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. till 7 or 8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. till 1-2 p.m. During summer season opening hours of shops and boutiques vary from ones like private shops that mostly stay open till 9 p.m. or longer and full day on Saturday, and the others that work in two shifts, closing from noon till 4 p.m. Sundays and public holidays are the usual closing days.
TIPPING
A tip is not included in the price of meals or drinks. If the tip is earned it should be about 10 per cent of the bill. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip, but it will be appreciated.
BANKS
Banking hours: 8 a.m. till 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. till noon on Saturdays. All banks are closed on Sunday and public holidays. Cash machines, though seldom found outside the major towns and resorts, are operative 24 hours a day.
EXCHANGE OFFICES
Currencies can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices (Mjenjaènica), hotels and most travel agencies. Exchange rates are published in the daily press and by banks that display them in visible places.
CREDIT CARDS AND OTHER MEANS OF PAYMENT
Standard credit cards like Eurocard/Mastercard, Diners, American Express and Visa are widely accepted in Croatia. All shops, restaurants, agencies, hotels and other services usually have logo stickers on the door or other visible place for you to be sure which credit cards they accept. You can take cash advance on Eurocard/Mastercard and Diners in most post offices. Banks and moneychangers as well as some hotels accept travellers' checks. Usually a 2 % commission is charged for cashing a traveller's check.
Telecomunications
POST OFFICES
You can spot post offices in Croatia from the yellow sign with the lettering HP. The offices in tourist centres are open from Monday to Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Telephoning can be done at the post office (with a telephone card as well), they also offer telegram and fax service, and money changing.
Postcards and stamps are available in post offices and on most kiosks. Paper and envelopes are available in all stationer's shops and post offices. Post boxes are yellow with HPT sign and they can always be found in front of post offices and elsewhere around the centre.
TELEPHONE, MOBILE PHONE AND FAX
Telephone network is administered by the Croatian Telecommunication Company (Hrvatske Telekomunikacije). There are telephone booths everywhere; telephone sets operate by means of magnetic cards bought in the post office or a kiosk. All post offices have fax service.
Calling from Croatia, international access code is 00, after which you dial the country code.
Calling Croatia from abroad you should dial your exit code (00 or other) followed by Croatia country code: 385.
MOBILE TELEPHONY
There are two GSM operators in Croatia: VIPNET (091) and CRONET (098). Both operators offer prepaid service packages and have signed roaming agreements with many foreign GSM operators.
For further information visit: www.ht.hr, www.vip.hr
TV AND RADIO AND PRESS
Satellite TV gives you access to CNN (other reachable non-scrambled programs are mostly in German or Italian), and the state news agency, HINA, produces material in English for international distribution on a daily basis.
The state radio station, HRT, is broadcasting the news in English few times a day during the summer.
International English-language papers (Herald Tribune, the Guardian, the Independent, Europe Today, and some others) as well as English editions of some popular magazines (Times, National Geographic, Vogue, Elle and others) are available in the larger towns and resorts.
Travel documents
For an up to three-month stay in Croatia, a valid passport is all you need if you come from Europe, most of the American countries, Japan... (please check our list). Furthermore, there is a list of countries whose citizens can enter Croatia by presenting their identity cards.
For more information on visas, please visit www.mvp.hr - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia - web site.
LIST OF COUNTRIES WHOSE CITIZENS DO NOT NEED ENTRY VISAS FOR REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
LIST OF COUNTRIES WHOSE CITIZENS CAN ENTER CROATIA BY PRESENTING THEIR IDENTITY CARDS
Visa issuing points
Entry visas for Croatia are issued by the embassies and consulates of the Republic of Croatia. Only in exceptional cases can visas be obtained at the Croatia's international border crossings.
Children must be registered in the passport of one of their parents or have their own passport. The loss of the passport or any other identification document must be immediately reported to the nearest police office. They will issue an official notification of the loss in order to enable you to obtain a new travel document. Pets are not subject to compulsory quarantine, but they must be properly vaccinated (against rabies) and have confirmation on that.
TRAVELING BY PLANE
From almost all international airports you have scheduled flights to the capital Zagreb, where you can transfer to inland flights. Croatia Airlines and several international airliners (Lufthansa, Swissair, British Airways, Air France) fly to Zagreb daily. During the peak season, the number of flights is increased and a number of charter flights are offered to the most important tourist destinations of the country directly: Pula, Rijeka, Split, Braè and Dubrovnik.
Croatia Airlines has scheduled international flights for: Amsterdam, Berlin, Bruxelles, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, London, Madrid, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Paris, Prague, Tel Aviv, Rome, Sarajevo, Skopje, Vienna, Zurich and Manchester (during the tourist season)
Information, tel. 062 77 77 77, +385 1 487 27 27
The cheapest way to Croatia: direct flights to Split, Zadar and Dubrovnik.
Other airline companies that have scheduled flights for Croatia:
Aeroflot, Air Bosna, Alitalia, Australian Airlines, Air France, Avioimpex, British Airways, Crossair, ÈSA, Lufthansa, LOT, Malev, Turkish airlines, SkyEurope.
TRAVELING BY TRAIN
There is a railway network connecting all major Croatian cities except Dubrovnik. There are direct lines to Slovenia, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Slovakia, France, Germany, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Yugoslavia. There are indirect lines to almost all other European countries.
Timings from, for example, Munich to Rijeka, is about 9 hours and to Pula 13 hours. Count on about 5 hours for trains from Vienna.
The types of train services that operate in Croatia are the following: EuroCity (EC), InterCity (IC), express (Ex), fast (B), local and accelerated trains.
* Eurocity and Intercity: EC "Mimara": Berlin - Leipzig - Munchen - Salzburg - Ljubljana - Zagreb;
* IC "Croatia": Wienna - Maribor - Zagreb;
* IC "Kvarner": Budapest - Zagreb - Rijeka;
* IC "Drava": Budapest - Cakovec - Ljubljana - Venice
TRAVELING BY BUS
There are regular international buses connecting Croatia with Austria, Italy, Hungary, France, Germany, the Slovak Republic and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The cheapest way to travel to Croatia from central Europe is by bus, and it's not as uncomfortable as might seem.
Croatia itself has a good national bus network that will take you to any part of the country even to the smallest village.
TRAVELING BY CAR
Coming from central Europe, you can reach some of the coast destinations faster by car than by train. During the summer months traffic at the borders is a bit heavier, and that can cause some delay. The main routes into Slovenia and Croatia are via the Tauern Highway (Autobahn) A 10. Austria's Autobahn is not free of charge anymore. You can pick up the Pickerl (officially Autobahnvignette) at the Austrian border or at gas stations or automobile club offices in all countries bordering on Austria. A seven day pass costs ATS 70 (US$ 6.50). To enter and drive in Croatia, you will require a green insurance card and valid national or international driving permit.
Fuel: Petrol stations in big towns and cities as well as on important roads are open non-stop, otherwise the working hours are from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Lead-free petrol is available on all petrol stations and it is called bezolovni (green label). In July and August news and traffic information are broadcast in English and German regularly on main Croatian broadcast stations. A toll is payable on motorways.
Regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Speed limits are 130kph (81mph) on motorways, 100kph (62mph) on dual carriageways, 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas and 80kph (50mph) outside built-up areas. The amount of the fine depends on the extent of the infraction committed. Blood/alcohol limit is 0.0 ppm.
Accidents must be reported to the police (Policija) immediately. Police emergency number is 92
Croatian automobile club HAK (Hrvatski Autoklub) works together with other international automobile clubs.
Road service of the HAK is available round the clock by dialling 987.
Rent-a-car: The driver must be 23 years old and licensed. Most international rental agencies have offices in Croatia's larger towns.
Information on tolls: www.hak.hr
Information on gasoline prices: www.hak.hr, www.ina.hr
List of natural gas stations: www.hak.hr, www.ina.hr
TRAVELING BY BOAT
Jadrolinija is Croatia's leading boat operator and has scheduled domestic and international boat, ferry and express lines.
informacije +385 51 666 111
International ferry lines:
Zadar - Ancona, Korcula - Stari Grad/Hvar - Split - Ancona, Dubrovnik - Bari, Pula - Venice
Ferry lines along Croatia's coast:
Rijeka - Zadar - Split - Stari Grad/Hvar - Korcula - Sobra/Mljet - Dubrovnik - Bari
Local ferry lines (from the mainland to the following islands):
Cres, Losinj, Pag, Rab, Ugljan, Pasman, Dugi Otok, Iz, Solta, Brac, Hvar, Vis, Peljesac, Korcula, Lastovo, Mljet
