About Croatia
About Country Cheat Sheet
Divided into 20 counties and the capital city of Zagreb
Total: 2,237 km, Border Countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina 956 km, Hungary 348 km, Montenegro 19 km, Serbia 314 km, Slovenia 600 km
About Croatia
Croatia is the place for balmy days with sapphire
waters, dazzling pebbly beach, island-coastline and clarity of the
water. The water sparkles in the shades of sapphire and emerald which
lure tourists into activities such as diving, snorkelling, windsurfing,
kayaking and sailing. The mountainous region will lure into the view.
The Dinaric Range is one of the longest in the country which stretches
from Italy to Albania. The cultural feast of the country is a big part
of the culture here with mostly simple home-style cooking food.
Croatia Geography
Croatia is located in the southeast and central Europe and parts of its
territory surrounds Dubrovnik but separated by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s
short coastline strip. A smaller part of Croatia consists of many
different islands and islets which are different in sizes, areas and 48
of them are populated by inhabitants.
Croatia Climate and Weather
Croatia has a moderately warm and rainy climate ranging between −3 °C
in January and 18 °C in July. Its climate is divided into three climatic
regions where in the northern part; it has a continental climate of hot
summers and cold winters. The central part has an alpine climate as
it’s covered with large forests and the Adriatic coast enjoys a
Mediterranean climate.
Croatia History
Croatia has a witness a history of rulers starting with Romans,
Byzantine, Hungary, Turks and Germany. They were under the rule of these
countries and in 1991; the Parliament of Croatia declared its
independence and dissolves its association with Yugoslavia.
Croatia Culture and Traditions
The culture and tradition of Croatia are characterised
by exceptional diversity. Their culture has been rooted in a long
history which have resulted in the evolution of three regional cultures
namely the Pannonia, Dinaric and the Adriatic. Each of these regions has
its own customs and traditions but in general, Croatia is particular
with the meeting, greeting, etiquette such as gift giving, dining etc.
Croatia Food and Cuisine
Food and Cuisine in Croatia are wide and varied and
it’s difficult to distinguish the taste which is exclusive in the
country. Many of Croatia’s food and cuisine have been influenced by
traditions and tastes from its neighbouring countries. It has
similarities with Turkish, Austrian, Hungary and Italian food, but it’s
still distinct in its own way.
Facts about Croatia:
• The oldest inhabited city in Europe is the eastern Croatian city of Vinkovci.
• Nikola Tesla was born in Smiljan, Croatia.
• Croatia gets more than 2715 hours of sunshine per year.
• Split’s Diocletian Palace has a genuine Egyptian sphinx.
• The dog breed Dalmatian can be traced back to Croatia and the Dalmatia region.
• Rice chocolate was invented in Croatia in 1963.
• Zadar has the world’s first pipe organ played by the sea.
• In the Croatian waters lives the last specimen of the Mediterranean seal.
• Croatia invented the Parachute, the Torpedo, the Mechanical Pencil, the MP3 Player and the Maglite Torch.
• There area 1244 islands isles and inlets in Croatia.
Tourism
Croatia Tourism
Croatia has become a popular destination for culture, historical sites, centuries-old harbour towns, blissful island and sea. Tourism in Croatia
is concentrated mainly along with the areas of the Adriatic coast. It
has a number of attractions which includes Dubrovnik Old Town Walls,
Diocletian's Palace in Split, Hvar Town, and Plitvice National Park,
Zagreb's Gornji Grad, Zadar's Romanesque Churches and many others. There
are also major islands such as Vis, Rab, Korčula, Brač, Mljet and many
others to see and explore in Croatia.
Different Types of Tourism in Croatia
1. Historical Tourism in Croatia:
Croatia showcases more than 2000 years of its history which now turn into some ancient tourist attractions.
Croatia has become a very popular historical destination as there’s an
interesting selection of UNESCO Heritage sites such as Plitvice Lakes
National Park, Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of
Diocletian, Old City of Dubrovnik, and Episcopal Complex of the
Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč, Historic city of
Trogir, Cathedral of Saint James and few others.
2. Cultural Tourism in Croatia
Croatia is rich in cultural heritage as it has a deep-rooted history of
many rulers such as the Roman, Byzantine, Austrian, German and the
Turks. They have a deep root in art, theatre, music and literature. Over
the centuries, Dubrovnik has served the cultural and intellectual
centre of the country. Croatia has focused on cultural tourism by devoting a number of meetings, conferences and workshops to their cultural tourism program.
3. Sea and Nature Tourism in Croatia
Few of them are sandy of smooth pebbles or rocks which have been here
for millennia. Be it long, rugged or smooth, coastline fringed by more
than 1,000 islands. The Adriatic Sea plays an important role in the
country as it offers tourists many sea activities, islands and beaches
to explore and enjoy. Aside from Sea, Croatia is known for its lush
green parks and waterfalls. Prominent among them are the national parks
of Kornati, Brijuni, Krka, Paklenica, Mljet, Risnjak, and Plitvice Lakes
and Northern Velebit.
4. Honeymoon Tourism in Croatia
Honeymoon in Croatia can be a passionate affair with
turquoise splashing around the shore, warm climate, natural and aquatic
beauty surrounding the city. The beaches are open for a wide variety of
adventure water sports for tourists with romantic resorts for couples to
stay in and enjoy the beauty of the island and the sea. In and around
the city are many historical landmarks which have passed the test of
time gracefully like a painter’s fantasy such as Dubrovnik, Hvar, and
Split, Rovinj, National Parks and some romantic tours.
5. Culinary Tourism in Croatia
Croatian has a diversity of cuisine to discover its wonderful
specialities. From food starters such as cheese, ham and kulenova seka,
oysters and mussels, flavoury grilled fish, salted anchovies, to
delicacies such as eels and frogs, turkey, pašticada from Split, and
desserts like kroštule or fritul, puddings, Kotonjata, are some of the
many dishes which Croatia offers. And, about wineries, the country
celebrates the wine festival during the autumn harvest time where people
celebrate the local festivals, San Martin or even explore vineyards in
Motovum in Istria.
6. Casinos/Nightlife in Croatia
Nightlife in Croatia is alive from dusk till dawn with
many clubs and bars opened in many cities of the country. Croatia
awakes with a new buzz and energy once the sun goes down. From the
capital city of Zagreb to the popular island of pag, Novalja, the
country is full of new and exciting parties, clubs, casinos, bars and
restaurants. To explore and enjoy the nightlife in Croatia visit Novalja on the Island of Pag, Hvar Island, Papaya Club, Boogaloo, Byblos, Lemon and many others.
Travel Guide
Croatia Tour and Travel Guide
Croatia has become a popular destination for culture, historical sites,
centuries-old harbour towns, blissful island and sea. The water
sparkles in the shades of sapphire and emerald which lure tourists into
activities such as diving, snorkelling, windsurfing, kayaking and
sailing.
1. Accommodation in Croatia
There’s always an increasing choice of accommodation in Croatia
ranging from boutique resorts, hotels to charming B&BS and
comfortable basic stay. Croatia gets really busy during the peak summer
season (July- August), therefore, plan your travels ahead. There are a
number of growing four stars, five star hotels but a shortage of
B&BS and boutique hotels. The best value accommodation is home stays
where apartments and private room are offered by local families of the
country.
2. Restaurants in Croatia
Croatia’s dishes are famous with fish and meat dishes in the finest
restaurants offering lip-smacking cuisine across the country. The
Mediterranean cuisine is very popular in most restaurants and good food
is all produced from fresh and seasonal ingredients of the country. The
country’s continental restaurants offer veal, lamb, beef, deer and
dishes such as čobanac, pašticada, peak and ražanj and much more
variety of dishes, food and cuisines.
3. Transportation in Croatia
By Plane: Airports in Croatia are Zagreb Airport,
Split Airport, Dubrovnik Airport and Pula Airport, apart from several
others. There are few flights that fly from India to Croatia
such as Air India, Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Etihad,
Turkish Airlines, and Qatar Airways. Croatia Airlines is the main
airline that carries the passenger to the country. There are also
connecting flights from Qatar and Tel Aviv as well.
By Rail: The train network has direct transport lines
from Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece,
Switzerland, Slovenia, Italia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia.
By Road: You can travel by car or bus to different
cities in Croatia and to other neighbouring countries. A driver's
licence, vehicle's registration card and insurance files and documents
are required to drive in and out of the country.
4. Shopping in Croatia
Croatia offers great shopping experience for fashion, food and souvenirs. It is located next to Italy and many shopping centres
offer popular local and European brands. But, exclusive local goods are
found in local markets of the country. One of the famous markets for
local food products in the country is the Gruz located in Dubrovnik.
Others products can be shopped in cities like Zagreb, Split, and
Dubrovnik.
5. Best Time to Visit Croatia
The best time of the year to visit Croatia is in the months of May,
June, September and October. It’s a nice summer day with sunny days and
weather which makes it ideal for fun activities and swimming in the sea.
6. Croatia Travel Tips
• Eat local
• Croatian currency is Kuna
• Drink up and stay hydrated
• Get actional active in national parks
• Talk to the locals
• Savour the seafood
• The best time to visit Croatia is in June and September.
• During the summer carry light clothes with a windbreaker jacket and a pair of long pants.
• The best way to travel around Croatia is by car.
• Ferries is best to get to the islands.
• Public transportation in the bigger towns cost around 2€ per ride.
• Visit the major towns and attractions, like Zagreb, Split, Plitvice, Hvar and Dubrovnik.
Visa Information
Croatia Visa Information
Documents Required:
• Original Valid passport for 06 months from the date
of arrival in Croatia + Old passport. (Issued within the last 10 years,
containing at least two empty pages (back to back).
• Online Visa Application forms.
• 2 Photographs: 35X45mm, white background matt finish, 70% face size.
• Covering letter mentioning the details of the traveler, travel information and personal contact information of passengers.
• Hotel Voucher
• Air tickets.
• Day to Day Itinerary
• Overseas Travel Insurance.
• Income tax returns/Form 16 for last 3 years.
• Original personal Bank Statements for last 6 months updated with sufficient balance and bank seal & sign on it.
• Salary Slips for last 3 months - if employed
• Original Leave Letter from Employer/School/University.
• Retire proof /Pension order- if retired
• Company registration proof - if self employed eg. Shop Act/MOA/Deed etc.
• Student id card / Bonafide Certificate - if student
Visa Processing Time: 15 Working Days.
Note: Applicants Having valid Schengen Visas or
National visas of Schengen Countries and residence permits of Bulgaria,
Cyprus, and Romania do not require an additional (Croatian) visa for
Croatia.