Category: Croatia

Travel Guide and Why Go to Croatia articles

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Dubrovnik to Korcula

Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea coast and is a major transportation hub for ferries to/from Italy , as well as domestic ferries. That , of course, aside from being an important travel destination in Croatia, known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic”.

Korcula is the most populated island off the coast of Croatia, located close to Dubrovnik. It is known for the many cycling tracks which can be used year round (thanks to the mild weather).

Quick summary

The cheapest and easiest way to get between Dubrovnik and Korcula is the passenger ferry which sails two times a week during the summer. During the rest of the year, catch a bus from Dubrovnik to Korcula (which includes the ferry crossing).

Ferry from Dubrovnik to Korcula

Jadrolinija runs ferries between Dubrovnik and Korcula two days per week . They operate between end of May and end of October. Ferries depart Dubrovnik on Thursday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Korcula at 1 p.m. on the same day. On the way back, catch the ferry from Korcula at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Saturday and arrive in Dubrovnik at 6:30 p.m.

To find the price, go to “coastal lines” under Prices on the web site. During the low season, the single adult fare is €12, while during the high season (June 24 to Aug 28) it’s €14. Cabins are also available. You get 20% discount if you get a round trip ticket.

>>read more about Croatia Ferries

Buses from Dubrovnik to Korcula

Buses from Dubrovnik to Korcula leave Dubrovnik every day at 3 p.m. and arrive in Korcula at 6:15 p.m. It uses the ferry crossing Orebic – Korcula (Domince). The fare is 100 kuna (about €13.30) and includes the ferry crossing. The buses are operated by Autotrans .

Another option is to travel by bus from Dubrovnik to Orebic and then take the ferry to Korcula Town. Buses to Orebic depart Dubrovnik daily at 2:15 p.m. and arrive in Orebic at 4:15 p.m. This bus route doesn’t operate on Sundays and public holidays. From Orebic take the ferry to Korcula (for €13 one way).

>>read more about Bus Travel in Croatia

Driving from Dubrovnik to Korcula

You can rent a car in Dubrovnik and take the E65 and Route 414 to Korcula. The 119 km also include the Domince (Korcula) – Orebic ferry crossing. The total journey time is about 2 ½ h.

The ferries are operated by Jadrolinija and they run year round. There are 14 crossings each day (from 00:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. departing Orebic and from 00:10 a.m. to 9:40 p.m. departing Dominice). To look for prices, click the “local lines” on the website. An adult single ticket is €13 one way and for a compact car you’ll pay €63 one way. There is 20% discount if you buy a round trip ticket.

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Dubrovnik to Hvar

Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea coast and aside from being an important travel destination in Croatia , it’s also a major transportation hub for ferries to/from Italy , as well as domestic ferries.

The island of Hvar and especially Hvar Town is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Adriatic Sea. During the summer season – May to September – the city gets very crowded and the prices spike. The beaches, the vineyards, the harbor along with the impressive fortifications make this town a pleasure to visit, regardless of what you want to do here.

Passenger Ferries from Dubrovnik to Hvar

The only way to get between Dubrovnik and Hvar is by ferry. There are both fast ferries (passengers only) and car ferries available (in case you’ve rented a car during your vacation in Croatia).

The ferries only operate between end of May and end of September. The depart from Dubrovnik on Thursday and Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Stari Grad (island of Hvar) at 5 p.m. On the way back, catch the ferry from Stari Grad at 9:15 a.m. and you’ll be in Dubrovnik at 6:30 p.m. The ferries are operated by Jadrolinija .

Prices start at 14.50 euro per person, one way during the low season for a deck seat and 17.50 euro per person one way for the same seat during the high season (Jun 24 – Aug 28). If you get a round trip ticket, the discount is 20%. Cabin accommodation is also available. To look for the prices search under “coastal lines” on the website.

From Stari Grad you can catch one of the local buses to get to Hvar Town (or other place on the island). Or you can rent a scooter once you arrive and enjoy the scenic beauty of the island at your own pace.

>>read more about Croatia Ferries

Driving from Dubrovnik to Hvar

In case you prefer to drive between Dubrovnik and Hvar , there are three possible ferry crossings and routes. But the best option is the 234 km route along Route 116 which includes the Sućuraj – Drvenik ferry crossing. This ferry runs year round and there are three departures per day. You can complete the journey on this route in about 4 ½ h. This route is also operated by Jadrolinija.

To look for the prices, search under “local lines” on the website. An adult single ticket is 13 euro while for a compact car you’ll pay 6.50 euro one way.

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Split to Dubvrovnik

Dubrovnik , located on the Adriatic Sea coast, is one of the most well known tourist resorts in Croatia and Europe. Nick-named the “Pearl of the Adriatic” , Dubrovnik has been listed as a UNESCO site since 1979. It is a popular destination for those looking for a romantic place with a lot of history.

Split was originally built around the Diocletian palace and even today you can still see the old Roman walls, squares and temples.

Quick summary

With no train connection between Split and Dubrovnik, the bus is the cheapest option to travel. But if you want to drive on one of the most scenic roads in Europe, rent a car and you’ll be absolutely delighted.

Flights from Split (airport code: SPU) to Dubrovnik

Split Airport (SPU) is the second most important airport in Croatia and is located about 25 km from the city center. It handles flights to/from Europe, as well as domestic flights.

Dubrovnik airport (DBV), located about 20 km from the city center, is the third largest airport in Croatia. It is the base for Dubrovnik Airlines. Most of the flights it serves are seasonal, but the year round flights serve the country and some European destinations.

Croatia Airlines is the only airline flying between Split and Dubrovnik. Flights with a stop in Zagreb start at €53 one way per person, regardless of when you fly in 2012 and the total journey time is about 3 ½ h.

Buses from Split to Dubrovnik

There are 14 connections per day between Split and Dubrovnik. The timetable can be found here but there’s no way to find the prices or book the tickets online. Buses are operated by various companies, including: Croatia Bus, Autotrans Rijeka and Panorama Bus Zagreb. The journey time is about 4 ½ h.

>>read more about Bus Travel in Croatia

Driving from Split to Dubrovnik

You can rent a car in Split and drive Route 414 along the coast between Split and Dubrovnik. This route is a beautiful scenic journey through various travel destinations and small villages. The total journey time (including the ferry crossing) is about 4 ½ h.

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Zagred to Dubrovnik

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia , famous for its old city and cobble stones reminding tourists of Prague, Vienna or Budapest. It is also where you’ll most likely arrive if you come from other parts of the world (via a major European hub) or by train from other European cities.

Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea coast and is one of the most well known tourist resorts in Croatia and Europe. Known as the “Pearl of the Adriatic” , the city has been listed as a UNESCO site since 1979.

Quick summary

There is not train connection between Zagreb and Dubrovnik but bus fares start at about €27* per person one way. Flights take significantly less (just an hour) and start at €41 per person, one way. If you like scenic drives, then part of this route- from Split to Dubrovnik – will make you fall in love with Croatia.

Flights from Zagreb (airport code: ZAG) to Dubrovnik

Zagreb International Airport (ZAG) is located 17 km from the city center, to which is connected by buses. It is the most important airport in Croatia and a hub for Croatia Airlines. It handles flights within Europe, as well as domestic flights.

Dubrovnik airport (DBV) is located about 20 km from the city center and is the third largest airport in Croatia. Dubrovnik Airlines is based here. Most of the flights it serves are seasonal, but there are domestic flights and flights from some European capitals which operate year-round.

Flights between Zagreb and Dubrovnik are operated only by Croatia Airlines. The flight time is 1h 5 min. Regardless of when you fly in 2012, expect to pay from €41 per person one way for a flight between the two cities.

Buses from Zagreb to Dubrovnik

There are 8 buses per day between Zagreb and Dubrovnik , including several night buses. The total journey time is about 11 h. It’s not possible to book the tickets online. You can check the timetable here . Fares start at 205 Croatian kune (about €27) per person, one way and depend on the bus company you choose.

>>read more about Bus Travel in Croatia

Driving from Zagreb to Dubrovnik

You can rent a car in Zagreb and drive the 627 km to Dubrovnik on A1/E71. You should be able to cover the distance in about 7 ½ h but plan some stops along the way. This route also includes a ferry crossing (Trpanj – Ploce).

The route from Split to Dubrovnik is a beautiful scenic journey through various travel destinations and small villages.

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Note: *at the time the article was written

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Zagreb to Split

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia is well known for its charming medieval old town and cobblestone streets. The Upper and Lower Towns are worth your time as this is where you’ll find the tourist sights, the restaurants and the bars.

Split is located in Central Dalmatia region of Croatia and was originally built around the Diocletian palace. The old Roman walls, squares and temples can still be visited today. Central Split can be easily explored on foot.

Quick summary

Train travel is not very used in Croatia but there are plenty of bus connections between Zagreb and Split. Bus fares start at around €23* per person, one way. Flying isn’t too expensive either(€41 per person, one way, regardless of when you fly) and if you are in a hurry it might be worth it.

Flights from Zagreb (airport code: ZAG) to Split

Zagreb International Airport (ZAG), located 17 km from the city center, is the most important airport in Croatia. It is hub for Croatia Airlines and handles only flights within Europe, as well as domestic flights.

Split Airport (SPU) is the second most important airport in Croatia, handling flights to/from Europe, as well as domestic flights. It is located 25 km from the city center , near the city of Trogir.

The flights between Zagreb and Split are operated by Croatia Airlines. The flight time is 45 min. Regardless of when you fly in 2012, expect to pay €41 (308 Croatian Kune) per person one way

Trains from Zagreb to Split

Train travel in Croatia is modern and although there are not very many routes served by trains, those that are offer fast connections. There are direct connection between Zagreb and Split but figuring out the time table and the prices is almost an impossible thing even though the Croatian Railways has an English section on the website (but the name of the stations are in Croatian, of course).

There is a night train departing Zagreb Glavni Kolod at 11:20 p.m. and arrives in Split at 8:04 a.m. Another train leaves at 7:50 a.m. and gets to Split 6 h 19 min later.

It’s impossible to figure out the price though as the pricing information page is in Croatian only. And on other websites (such as Rail Europe) you can see the timetables but no fare information either.

Buses from Zagreb to Split

Figuring out the buses between Zagreb and Split is actually an easier endeavor. This website , which offers English, lists all the buses to/from Split. A variety of carriers offer connections between the two cities, including: Promet Makaraska, Deni Bus, Croatia Bus. There are connections between the two cities 24/7 , arriving and departing every 15 to 30 minutes during day time and every 1h to 2 h during the night. Prices start at 171 Croatian Kune (about 23 euros) per person one way.

Although the websites do have English listed as possible language to read the site in, don’t get your hopes up.


>>read more about Bus Travel in Croatia

Driving from Zagreb to Split

You can rent a car in Zagreb and drive the 409 km on A1 to Split. The drive time is about 4 hours. You’ll be drive on a toll road, so take that into attention when planning the budget.

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Note:* at the time the article was written

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Croatia travel guide

Getting from Zagreb to Budapest

Zagreb , located in Central Croatia, is the capital of the country known for its charming medieval old town and cobbled stones reminding visitors of Prague, Vienna or Budapest. And speaking of Central European capitals, it’s also very easy to travel from Zagreb to all of them, including Budapest.

Quick summary

Your best bet, if you are looking for a cheap way to get between Zagreb and Budapest is to travel by train. The travel time is more than 6 h but with no buses serving this route, there aren’t any cheap choices.

Flights from Zagreb (airport code: ZAG) to Budapest

Zagreb International Airport (ZAG) is located 17 km from the city center and is the most important airport in Croatia. It is hub for Croatia Airlines and handles only flights within Europe.

Budapest Franz Liszt International Airport (BUD) , colloquially referred to as Ferihegy, is the largest of Hungary’s five international airports. It offers mainly flights to Europe, but connections are available to Asia, Africa, North America and Middle East. It is located 16 km from the capital to which it’s connected by bus and metro. It is hub for Malév Hungarian Airlines, Travel Service (Hungary) and Wizz Air.

Direct flights between Zagreb and Budapest are operated only by Malév. The flight time is 1h. Regardless of when you fly in 2012, expect to pay €249 per person, one way.

>>read more about Flights to Croatia

Trains from Zagreb to Budapest

A quick search on Bahn.de will let you know that there are the following direct InterCity trains between Zagreb Glavni Kolod and Budapest

  • 9:55 a.m., to Deli pu: travel time: 6 h 50 min
  • 4:08 p.m. , to Keleti pu: travel time: 6 h 11 min.

On the way back, catch the trains from Budapest at:

  • 06:15 a.m., from Keleti pu : travel time: 6 h 14 min
  • 1:11 p.m. from Deli pu, travel time: 6 h 33 min

Tickets cost between €30 and €50 per person, one way. If you buy return tickets, typically there’s a discount available.

Buses from Zagreb to Budapest

There aren’t any bus connections between Zagreb and Budapest.

Driving from Zagreb to Budapest

You can rent a car in Zagreb and drive the 346 km between Zagreb and Budapest on E71. The drive time is about 3h 20 min. Make sure to ask the car rental agency whether you are allowed to take the car across the border (especially because Croatia is not yet part of the European Union).

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Budapest Keleti pu photo by Cristina Puscas (2011) and may not be used without permission

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Croatia travel guide

Post-Breakup Vacation Destinations: What about Croatia?

Of the many things that inspire people to pack a bag and get out of town, breaking up with a long-time love is definitely among the major reasons. When the choices are to wallow in self-pity or get into unfamiliar surroundings to take your mind off of things, travelers often choose the latter. But are some places better destinations for the broken-hearted than others?

Oh, yes.

There’s no stopping the recently-de-coupled from going to Paris or Venice or Hawaii, and there’s a chance they could have a fantastic time. There’s also a distinct possibility that being surrounded on all sides by honeymooners, second-honeymooners, and just random couples taking advantage of their romantic surroundings to get all smoochy in public might not be the right vibe if you’re trying to forget that you’re suddenly solo.

For a destination with equally gorgeous scenery that happens to (for the moment, anyway) rest way down the honeymoon-destination ladder, may we humbly submit Croatia for your post-breakup holiday?

If you’re going to need to get used to living on a single income, picking a place that won’t cost a fortune is a good idea to begin with – and in Croatia, you’ll get many of the perks of Western Europe without the high Western European prices. Airfare to Croatia may be a little higher than airfare into Frankfurt or Paris or other major European hubs, but once you’re in the country you’ll pay far less for similar views, meals, and hotel rooms than you would in the coastal towns of Italy or France.

There are plenty of opportunities to simply relax and soak up the sun in Croatia, but if you want to be active it’s a great destination for that, too. Going for hikes through the country’s glorious national parks can help you keep your mind focused on the right-now rather than wafting back into a melancholy past.

And should you want to be shaken out of your reverie, it isn’t hard to find people to chat with, either. Croatia may not be on the top-10 list of countries visited by American tourists, but it’s well-known as a vacation spot by people all over Europe, so if you’re up for a conversation there will be people around to chat with. You may have better luck finding friendly travelers in the more popular cities and towns – it may be easier to meet people in Dubrovnik, for instance, than a smaller town inland from the coast – but there are friendly people everywhere.

Croatia may not heal your broken heart completely, but if it takes your mind off your troubles for a little while to help you get past the worst of it, that’s a pretty good deal.

photo by Mike-wise

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Add Croatia to your RTW trip

When planning your RTW trip, you need to have a budget. And that budget depends on what countries and cities you want to visit. In general, it is possible to visit more expensive destinations, if you combine them with cheaper places.

Some of the European stops on an RTW trip should include: Croatia , Albania, Romania, the Czech Republic and Portugal. Of course, no one stops you from visiting Italy, but you have to take into account that it costs more to spend time there than in a less-expensive destination. And since traveling within European countries is affordable and easy, getting from Italy to Croatia won’t break your budget especially if you take a ferry, a train or a bus.

For the past 10 years, Croatia has emerged as an affordable, yet stunning, destination in Europe. Looking for a beach destination but you don’t want to visit Greece and Italy is a bit too expensive? Then Croatia is the choice. Plus, cheap hostels in Croatia are easy to find and if you plan your budget well you can get by on US$40 a day here.

And while you are here, you can visit some other cheap countries in Europe as well. From Croatia, you can travel to Albania and explore its natural beauty. Then, spend several days on the beach in Bulgaria before heading to visit the medieval fortresses in Romania. Now, venture into Central-Eastern Europe and be amazed by the beautiful Danube in Bulgaria before setting off to the Prague Republic, with its stunning capital.

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Explore the Undiscovered Mediterranean

Greece and Italy may get all the love when it comes to countries on the Mediterranean Sea, but Croatia shouldn’t be neglected. With beautiful landscapes and national parks, ancient walled cities, pristine beaches, rolling vineyards, fresh seafood and friendly people, Croatia charms visitors with its relaxed paces of live and inexpensive luxury.

Croatia is growing in popularity (with celebs like Zane Lamprey singing its praises), but for now it’s still relatively off the radar, which means fewer crowds and lower prices. Hotels in Croatia can be  much cheaper than their Greek and Italian counterparts, and the cost food, drinks, and activities is lower as well. Cheap flights to Dubrovnik, the main arrival gateway for most visitors, can be expensive, but you can lower costs by flying to another major city in Europe and then connecting to Croatia on a low-cost carrier.

Croatia’s at its best during summer, but high season does see larger crowds and higher prices. For a more relaxed, budget-friendly experience, visit during late spring or early fall.

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Croatia travel guide

From Croatia to Rome

When you’re making a tour of Mediterranean Europe, it makes sense to include both Croatia and Italy on your list. There are some similarities between the countries, especially when you’re comparing the Croatian coastline with Italy’s Adriatic coast, and if you’re already in Croatia then it’s absolutely worth it to get over to Italy for a little while. Croatia remains cheaper overall as a tourist destination than Italy, so if you’re traveling on a strict budget it’s a good idea to spend more time in Croatia – but there’s only one Rome in the world, right?

There are many choices when it comes to getting to Italy from Croatia (and vice versa), and if you’re on the Croatian coast you can definitely look into the overnight ferries. They’re economical if you’re already in the cities from which they depart, and if you have the time to spare. Flying between the countries used to be more cost-prohibitive, but with the number of discount airlines that have cropped up in recent years it can be a really inexpensive trip.

There are more options on discount airlines on flights to Milan, but you can often find cheap airfare to Rome on airlines that aren’t even considered “budget carriers.” Many will offer one-way fares and last-minute specials, so it’s always worth checking. This is especially true if you’re further inland in Croatia and closer to an airport like the one in Zagreb than a port city.

If you time your visit right, you can save money on a visit to Rome by avoiding the more expensive hotels in Rome and opting for hostels instead. Even outside the high season, you’ll likely pay more for a Rome hostel then you paid in Croatia, but you’ll still get a good deal on a bed and be able to save money for more fun things like food and attractions.

And speaking of attractions, you probably don’t need to be told about all the things to do in Rome – it’s home to so many famous sights that you probably already know what you want to see there. But besides the Colosseum, Forum, and Vatican City there are all kinds of churches, museums, and historic attractions that are less well-known but equally interesting. Many of the lesser-known sights come with cheaper entry fees and shorter lines, too, so you won’t waste your vacation standing in line and you won’t spend all your travel budget on admission prices.

photo by thelastminute