Croatia: An Overview

Introduction

Despite its recent turbulent history, Croatia stands out as a success story among those countries that are part of the newly emerging market.

Those who are seeking relatively inexpensive properties are finding that Croatia can provide them with a great deal: the Adriatic on the doorstep, a lovely coastline, spectacular scenery, a lower cost of living than we are used to in much of the rest of Europe, good food and, above all, friendly people.

Croatians show real kindness towards foreigners, whether they have come for a short stay or intend buying a property in the country. And this seems not to be based on how much money the visitor intends spending. Rather, Croats are just simply kind.

Time
An hour ahead of GMT (two hours from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)

Business hours
• Post offices: 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday to Friday, and 8:00 am to 2:00/3:00 pm on Saturdays

• Banks: 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday

• Shops: 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. Some shops close for two or three hours in the afternoon

• Shopping centres: department stores are open similar hours to smaller shops. Some also open on Sundays

Languages
Croatian (official). Also Serbian, Slovenian, Hungarian, Italian

Religions
Roman Catholic: 88 per cent
Eastern Orthodox: 4.5 per cent
Muslim: 1.5 per cent
Other/no religion: 6 per cent

Driving
Driving is on the right. The minimum age for drivers is 21, and tourists hiring a car must have a valid driving licence that has been held for at least one year. A passport or ID card is also required

Geography

Located in southeastern Europe and bordered by the Adriatic, Croatia has a coastline of 1,770km and is set between Bosnia, Herzegovina and Slovenia. Along the heavily indented coastline, there are around 1,200 islands. The best known of these are Krk (the largest in the Adriatic), Brac, Hvar (known particularly for its climate, especially the mild winters) and Korcula. The biggest peninsulas are Istria and Peljesac.

A system of national parks that protect the country’s flora and fauna has been established, including one on the island of Mljet and another at the Plitvice Lakes. The environment is very reminiscent of the Mediterranean, with lavender, vines, olive trees, peach trees, laurel and cypresses predominating.

Climate and weather

The climate is varied, a mix of Mediterranean and continental. Inland, summers are hot and winters cold, whereas the coast has much milder winters and dry summers.

Along the Adriatic coast, the warmest months are July and August, when the temperature is between 25 and 35 degrees Celsius. Rain at this time of year is unusual. In winter the average temperature is 12 degrees Celsius.

Inland, January temperatures are about 0 to 2 degrees Celsius, and July temperatures around 23 to 25 degrees Celsius.

With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine annually, the Adriatic is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe.

History

At one time, what is now Croatia was a Roman province that was settled by Croats, who came from present-day Poland. They defeated both Franks and Byzantine raiders, and set up an independent kingdom, which reached its peak in the 11th century.

In the 12th century, Croatia forged an alliance with Hungary that lasted until 1918, when it proclaimed its independence and joined Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (changed in 1929 to Yugoslavia).

In 1991, Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia, which resulted in intensive fighting against the Serb-dominated Yugoslavian army. In 1992, there was a UN ceasefire, but not until 1999, when President Tudjman died, did the government change to a centre-left coalition.

Croatia is now governed by a right-wing coalition that claims to be less nationalistic and far more moderate. In 2003, it submitted an application to join the EU.

Croatian culture

According to legend, the explorer Marco Polo was born on the Croatian island of Korcula. Over the years, Croatians have invented many items that are still in use today. For example, Nikola Tesla patented more than 700 inventions, including one of the most important, the alternating electrical current. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to use televisions, refrigerators or computers.

Slavoljub Penkala invented the mechanical pencil in 1906. He then started a factory called Penkala-Mostero to manufacture his pens and pencils.

Another Croat invention that is still in use today is the necktie, or cravat, which was first worn by Croatian soldiers in the 17th century.

Politics and government

After the death of President Tudjman in 1999, the Croatian political landscape changed. SDP leader Ivica Racan led a coalition of opposition parties to victory in parliamentary elections in January 2000. Stjepan Mesic was elected president, and was subsequently re-elected in February 2005.

Croatia\'s acceptance into NATO\'s Membership Action Plan (MAP) and its signature of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU were key achievements of the post-Tudjman era. This period also saw an improvement in relations between Croatia and her neighbours, particularly Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The most recent Croatian elections, in November 2003, saw the return to power of the HDZ, under its new leader, Ivo Sanader, whose centre-right agenda sought to make a break with HDZ\'s Tudjman-era past.

Healthcare

Healthcare in Croatia is generally expensive, but the standard is high. Visiting foreigners are entitled to free treatment, such as first aid, in an emergency. Some EU countries (including the UK) have agreements with Croatia that enable visitors to obtain free medical care while visiting the country. This requires the new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which has replaced the old E111 form.

The EHIC, which must be obtained before setting out for Croatia, should be carried at all times. In addition to the EHIC, it’s always advisable to take out a private medical or travel insurance policy. Do check the policy to ensure it includes the activities that you will be undertaking. Some policies exclude riskier sports such as scuba diving, rock climbing, whitewater rafting and so on.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing in Croatia is a full-time job. Depending on what the visitor wants to see, there’s everything from the Plitvice Lakes (16 large and small crystal blue-green lakes interconnected by foaming cascades and deep falls) to the medieval capital city, Zagreb, which celebrated its 900th birthday in 1994. Today, Zagreb is an international city that hosts many conferences, business events and trade fairs.

One of Croatia’s most famous cities, Dubrovnik is one of those places that everybody should see at least once. Now almost restored after the damage it sustained during the troubles of 1990–96, it is one of the most attractive and famous cities of the Adriatic, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s best approached from the sea, from which the visitor can fully appreciate the walls that encircle the city.

Natural beauty

Croatia has eight national parks, 10 nature parks and two nature reserves, as well as almost 100 special reserves.

From the region called Istria, located just across the bay from Venice, down to Cavtat, a quiet seaside town not far from the border with Montenegro, Croatia is a land of contrasts. They range all the way from Kvarner-Opatija, an exclusive holiday resort and the centre of the Istrian Riviera, with modern villas, luxurious hotels and excellent tourist facilities, to Orebic, once known as the maritime centre of the southern Dalmatian peninsula of Peljesac, and now a tourist destination that is also famous for wines and wine growing.

And then there are the islands. One of the largest, Brac, is located just across from Split on the mainland. With its pine forests, superb beaches and pleasant coastal resorts, it is attracting a great deal of attention from those seeking a home in Croatia.

Shopping

Shopping in Croatian cities, such as Dubrovnik, combines the large and elegant with the small and intimate. Everything is available, from international products to locally hand-made gifts. Traditional crafts include embroidery, ceramics and woodcarvings.

Buying fruit from roadside stalls means that the produce is both inexpensive and as fresh as it could possibly be. It’s also delicious, especially when you put a piece of watermelon in the fridge, chill it thoroughly, and then take it to the beach the following day.

Supermarkets are gradually starting to stock products from other parts of Europe, but for those who don’t speak a word of Croat, it can be fun to go to into a supermarket and try and choose tinned or packaged produce purely by the label.

Eating out and nightlife

Eating out

It is possible to eat well and inexpensively in restaurants in Croatia. The locally grown produce is seasonal, fresh and delicious, and bears little resemblance to supermarket food.

Many cultures have influenced the dishes that are cooked in Croatia. Along the coast and in the resorts, the accent is very much on olive oil, garlic, fish and herbs. Possibly because of Croatia’s proximity to Italy, delicious pasta dishes feature on menus.

Further inland, the accent is on heavier meals, roast meats, potatoes and vegetables being prominent. Local cheeses can be excellent. It’s well worth trying the smoked meats and sausages, and the local goulashes and casseroles. The fact is that Croatians eat well, and visitors will do the same.

Croatian wines are fairly average, although it is possible to find some that are of higher quality if you spend a little more. The reds are strong, while prosek is a lighter, almost a dessert, white. Some of the whites have quite a lot in common with retsina. The locally produced beer is excellent, especially after a hot day on the beach.

Nightlife

Croatians love to sit and have a few drinks after dinner. They’re noisy and fun, and they laugh a lot.

Obviously, given the Mediterranean part of the Croatian character, the nightlife starts sometime after midnight, and there are plenty of late-night clubs and bars. In Zagreb, there at least 12 bars close to the main square that make the perfect launch-pads for moving on to the clubs.

There are also clubs in all the main resorts further down the coast, including the islands. In Split, head for an area called Bacvica, where there are many restaurants, bars and clubs.

Sport and leisure

It would be hard to find a sport or leisure activity in Croatia that wasn’t linked to the outdoors or the sea. Swimming, parasailing, yachting, diving and sea kayaking are all available and popular, and there are plenty of opportunities for walking and serious cross-country hiking.

Football is, of course, hugely popular, and basketball runs it a close second. For ski enthusiasts, there are small slopes to the north of Zagreb. Being located in the heart of Europe also means that residents can cross over into Slovenia or Austria for a day’s skiing.

There are museums and galleries in all the major Croatian cities.

National holidays

Most businesses, as well as shops and offices, are closed on Croatian national holidays, which, in addition to New Year’s Day, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, are as follows:

• Epiphany (6 January)
• Labour Day (1 May)
• Feast of Corpus Christi (10 June)
• Croatian Statehood Day (25 June)
• Croatian Victory Day (5 August)
• Feast of the Assumption (15 August)
• Croatian Independence Day (8 October)
• All Saints\' Day (1 November)

Getting there

Many visitors to Croatia arrive by car. While it is possible to drive there directly, you can also catch a ferry from the Italian mainland.

Among the airlines that fly to Croatia from the UK are British Airways, GB Airways, Croatia Airlines, EasyJet and Wizz Air. Other airlines servicing Croatia are Lufthansa, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines and Air France. The Croatian airports include Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb and Rijeka.

Getting to Croatia by train usually means going via Zagreb from either Venice or Vienna. Croatia’s train services are limited in comparison with its bus services, but Croatians are proud of thenew high-speed train between Zagreb and Split via Zadar, which has cut travel time from the capital to the coast to around six hours.