Croatia’s natural features are without doubt what make it such an attractive destination.
In the years which have elapsed since the bloodshed of the 1990’s life in Croatia has improved steadily and the country is now becoming an important tourist destination. The strength of the Croats has played a large part in the country’s transformation and has also been responsible for the fact that so much of the culture and so many of the traditions of the past thousand years have been preserved. From food and drink to music and dance, ethnic diversity is visible throughout and it is not without reason that both Dubrovnik and Split have been classified by UNESCO as world cultural heritage cities.

Location:
Consisting of 1185 islands, only 66 of which are inhabited, it is the largest archipelago in the Mediterranean. It has 1,778 kilometres of coastline with the Adriatic running along the entire west coast of the country. The Dinaric Alps run the length of the country and it is one of the few countries on the continent which has preserved its natural habitat. Almost 8% of the country is contained within its seven national parks, four of which are along the coastline (Kornati, Mljet, Brioni and Krka) and three in the mountains (Risnjak, Paklenica and the Plitvice).

Climate:
The northern part of the country has a continental climate while the mountainous has an alpine climate and the Adriatic region enjoys a Mediterranean climate. Winter temperatures range from –1 to 3 degrees Celsius in the continental region, -5 to 0 degrees Celsius in the mountain region and 5 to 10 degrees Celsius in the coastal region and summer temperatures range from 22 to 26 degrees Celsius in the continental region, 15 to 20 degrees Celsius in the mountain region and 26 to 30 degrees Celsius in the coastal region.

Money:
The currency in Croatia is the Kuna (HRK) which is made up of 100 lipa. Notes come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1000 Kuna and the coins in use are 1, 2 and 5 Kuna as well as 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 lipa.

Cuisine:
Croatian food is made using fresh and seasonal ingredients ensuring that it is pretty delicious but healthy too – should make a pleasant change for those of you who are on the road and haven’t been as conscientious as usual about your diet. As well as this, and probably most importantly for those travelling on a shoestring, because all the ingredients are produced locally it is relatively inexpensive when compared with its European counterparts.
Along the coastal region, the food is typically Mediterranean using lots of olive oil, garlic, herbs and the freshest fish and seafood there is. If you’re a fan, the scampi and calamari is probably some of the best you’ll ever taste so get stuck in. You will also find fish soup, fish stew, seafood risotto and much more but if it’s meat you’re after you will find more than enough to whet your appetite. Pasta also features on every menu and more often than not a dish which is described as a starter will more than suffice as a main course.

Tipping:
Most restaurants include a service charge in the bill so leaving a tip is not compulsory. If the bill doesn’t include a service charge and you feel that it deserves a tip, between 10 and 15% of the total is perfectly acceptable or simply round off the bill to the next multiple of five. Taxi drivers are also usually tipped by rounding off the fare but it is worth noting that at not time is it essential that you tip, it really is at your own discretion.

Language:
The official language spoken in Croatia is Croatian but in larger cities and tourist areas English is also widely spoken.

Electricity and plug converters:
Electricity operates on 220 Volts AC, 50Hz.

Local Time:
Croatia lies one hour ahead of GMT in winter and two hours ahead in summer.

Opening hours:
Most of the major shops and department stores are open between 8.00am and 8.00pm from Monday to Friday and between 8.00am and 2.00/3.00pm on Saturday. Some of the smaller ones, however, close between midday and 4.00pm particularly along the coast. Many also open on Sundays, particularly during summer. Public services are usually open between 8.30am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday while banks open between 9.00am and 5.00pm sometimes closing for lunch. Finally, post offices open between 7.00am and 7.00pm from Monday to Friday and between 7.00am and 1.00pm on Saturdays.

Public Holidays:
It is worth noting what the public holidays are before you travel to a country as the majority of businesses, banks and shops usually shut for the day. In Croatia they take place on January 1st, Easter Monday, May 1st, Corpus Christi, June 22nd and 25th, August 5th and 15th, October 8th, November 5th and December 25th and 26th. Finally, it is a good idea to check the particular area too as certain towns and cities also shut down during special events.