3 things to be aware when traveling to Croatia

I always plan my vacation by gathering experiences of other people, who have already visited places, I am going to go to.
At first I was boring my friends, but nowadays, fortunately, there are lots of sites on internet allowing inquisitors to reveal their adventures. I have seen more than some beautiful pictures of the country called Croatia. It is settled on East coast of the Adriatic sea, distanced only 400 kilometers from Vienna in near Austria or 970 kilometers from Rome in Italy. Yet, I have hardly even heard about Croatia. The only thing I knew about it, is that they were in the middle of the war fifteen years ago.

That fact didn’t scare me a bit; the photos from Croatia I’ve seen were astonishing. I imagined a paradise Croatia could be and browsed through lots of sites convincing me even more that the innocent and intact beauty of Croatian landscape in the right environment for someone needing true rest and peace of mind, like myself.

 But, what about some practical things we should be aware when traveling to Croatia?

 1. At first, from what I’ve learned, the best thing to do is to plan the trip to every single detail. Book an apartment in advance; that way it will cost You less, and You will avoid crowd and doubt, trying to get the apartment last minute when You already get there. There are lots of sites providing You best information about accommodation, like www.direct-croatia.com, where You can also book an apartment or a room. If You plan Your trip outside of the tourist season, You’ll get even cheaper accommodation. For those traveling by car, Croatia does have new modern highways, and traffic is secure, but in summer time, You can’t avoid jam. So plan Your vacation day by day, from one point to another, or You will lose a lots of time in trains, cars and buses. You won’t be disappointed.

 2. There are cash machines (ATM's) on every step, except on most distanced islands, where from You can withdraw cash in local currency. They provide even better rates of exchange that cash or travelers checks. The local tourist information centers sometimes offer options to exchange money without charges for smaller amounts of cash. Most of the foreign visitors are from EU countries whose currency is Euro, so many hotels charge in that currency although almost everywhere final bills are in Kuna. And yes, local food and wines are usually cheaper and more tasteful than their imported equivalents.

3. And the last, but not the least, the war is long gone, but it left a legacy for the next generations. There are unexploded land mines, although it is a danger in some isolated areas of the country. Highly populated areas and major tourist routes and islands are clear of mines and safe. However, You should be aware that visiting isolated areas in the mountains and countryside without any guidance, can be unsafe and dangerous. The Croatian landscapes is hospitable and there are no animals, like for example sharks, to be afraid from, but if You decide to go on a trip of Your own arrangement, You should get informed about mine suspicious areas. As a tourist country, residents and professional tourist staff speaks very good English, and usually some other language like German, Italian or even Russian, so You’ll probably easily get to all the information You need.

Wish me a good trip to Croatia as I do to You!