Sep-2010
Tips for backpacking in Croatia on a tight budget
If you are traveling in Croatia as a backpacker on a budget or that you are short in time, you better be prepared a minimum. When to go, where to stay, how to get there and how to move between the cities? Here is our tips & tricks.
When to go to Croatia ?
Ideally, the period from May to September or October for the coast.
Budget in Croatia
It is a little cheaper than in the Western Europe, but do not imagine that everything is cheap. Most cities have become very touristy and prices have therefore risen in recent years. If you want a cheap holiday, go to Bulgaria or down to the south to Montenegro or Macedonia.
Where to sleep in Croatia ?
On average, the price of a night in a hostel dorm varies between 14 and 20 , but in Dubrovnik it reaches minimum 35 which is insane!
Sleeping in a guesthouse is a widespread practice in Croatia. When you get out of bus, locals approach you and offer accommodation for the night and even offer to take you there. You can perfectly book nothing in advance and easily find accommodation.
How to get to Croatia ?
To get there by plane, you can land in Zadar with Ryanair but also in Pula since April 2011 (two flights a week, on Mondays and Saturdays). EasyJet offer Low cost flights between Zagreb and Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart or Paris.
International trains via Hungary (Budapest) and Slovenia make a stop in Zagreb, the Croatian capital. Refer to the website of the German railway for hours: Bahn.com
The Eurolines buses goes from Paris to Zagreb in around 23 hours.
How to move around in Croatia ?
Croatia is very poorly served by trains, they don’t even go to Dubrovnik, one of the most touristic cities or to the Plitvice Lakes, which is a must when traveling in Croatia.
So forget about rail travel and prefer the bus, they are many and quicker. To plan your trip, you will find all the bus timetables on this site, ugly but very reliable: http://www.akz.hr/EN/voznired.aspx.
There is a charge per bag placed in the hold of the bus, but it is not very expensive.
There is also a night train from Zagreb to Split. Visit the Croatian train company website.
Local currency in Croatia
The local currency is the Kuna, which is subdivided into 100 lipa. Remember that
1 = 7.54 kunas (2013).
Language in Croatia
English and French are unfortunately not spoken, but your knowledge of German can be useful, it is used a lot in Croatia.
Some useful sites to prepare a trip to Croatia
- Croatian National Tourism Office
- Specialized website in trips in Croatia
- Easy voyage propose une fiche descriptive du pays
- Lonely Planet
- Wikitravel
- Wikipédia
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