Dubrovnik and Dalmacija travel guide

Left Tourist information office Right The beach, where many Croatians head on public holidays
Planning Your Trip
Insurance
A travel insurance
policy covering delays,
cancellations, baggage
loss or damage, illness,
accidents and legal costs
is essential. Terms and
conditions vary between
policies; winter sports
options and expensive
equipment often incur
an extra premium.
When to Go
Dalmatia basks in an
agreeable Mediterranean
climate. Summers are hot
and winters mild. Despite
this idyllic weather, the
bulk of the region’s tourist
facilities close from the
end of October until late
April. May and September
are the optimum months
for a visit; the weather is
good, everything is open,
but the summer crowds
are absent.
What to Pack
If taking a prescription
medication, check that you
have a full supply and that
you know the pharmaceutical
(as opposed
to the brand) name. In
summer, pack sun lotion,
sunglasses and insect
repellent; in winter, a
warm coat; and at any
time of year, a waterproof.
Tourist
Information
Advance information is
available through the
Croatian National Tourist
Board’s website and its
offices abroad. Many
Dalmatian towns, cities
and villages have a tourist
office, though these may
be closed out of season.
Croatian National Tourist
Board: www.croatia.hr
Passports
and Visas
A valid passport or
national identity card is
required to enter Croatia.
Visitors from Australia,
New Zealand, Japan,
North America, South
America and European
countries can usually
stay in the country for up
to 90 days without a visa.
Visitors from Africa need
a visa, and should seek
advice from the Croatian
Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, or an embassy or
consulate. Croatian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
www.mfa.hr
Embassies and
Consulates
The Croatian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs’ website
(see above) gives a list of
Croatian embassies and
consulates overseas, and
of foreign embassies and
consulates on Croatian
soil. Most of these are in
Zagreb; the UK also has
consulates in Split and
Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik:
Bunieva Poljana 3/1. Map
J6. 020 324 597 • Split:
Obala Hrvatskog Narodnog
Preporoda 10/III. Map P2.
021 346 007
Customs
Goods to the value of
HRK3,000, 200 cigarettes,
2 litres of liqueur, 2 litres
of wine, 1 litre of spirits
and 60 ml of perfume (or
250 ml of eau de toilette)
can be taken into Croatia.
HRK15,000 can also be
brought into or taken out
of the country. Foreign
currency is not restricted,
but sums over HRK40,000
in value must be declared.
Public Holidays
1 Jan, Easter Sunday
and Monday, 1 May,
Corpus Christi (May/Jun),
22 Jun, 25 Jun, 5 Aug, 8
Oct, 1 Nov, and 25 and
26 Dec are public
holidays in Dalmatia.
Banks, shops and some
restaurants close on
these days. Local holidays
are also observed.
Timetables
and Transfers
Plan any journey by
public transport carefully;
staff at information desks
are there to help. Ferry
timetables, in particular,
are subject to change, and
reduced services from
October to April. Buses
to meet ferry passengers
are often absent in winter;
request that a local travel
agency or hotel help
arrange your transfers.
Advance
Reservations
In summer, hotels of all
grades fill up fast. Book
as far ahead as possible
for July and August.
Buying tickets in advance
is essential during festivals
(see pp54–5), and
recommended for bus
travel. Reservations for
taking your car on a ferry
can avoid long queues.
Streetsmart
Plastic shoes are a good investment if you are intending to go
swimming from rock outcrops (the domain of sea urchins).
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