Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
into Croatia. I'm used to thinking, “I should be waited upon.” But Croatians think, “This is
our world, and you're visiting it...so you can just wait.”
Maybe this mindset is understandable, even forgivable. After all, how would you like it
if a tidal wave of sweaty, ill-behaved, clueless tourists took over your entire town for the
nicest months of each year? (No, I'm not talking about you...but just look around you.) The
one-two punch of several decades of communism, followed by a devastating war—not to
mention a pervasive nationalism that assumes Croatian ways are the best ways—aren't ex-
actlythebestpreparation forbeingtheperfecthost.Ontheotherhand,itcanbeabitjarring
inaplace sodependent upontourism tofindsuchastubborndisregard forthe fundamentals
ofhospitality.ThegoodnewsisthatI'venoticedsomeimprovementoverthelastfewyears.
My advice: Expect the worst, then be pleasantly surprised by the positive interactions you
have, rather than getting hung up on the frustrating ones.
Today's Croatia is crawling with a Babel of international guests speaking German,
French, Italian, every accent of English...and a smattering of Croatian. And yet, despite the
tourists, this place remains distinctly and stubbornly Croatian. You'd have to search pretty
hard to find a McDonald's.
Telephones:
Croatia's pay phones take insertable phone cards (buy at newsstands or
kiosks). Mobile phone numbers begin with 09. Numbers beginning with 060 are pricey
Addresses:
Addresses listed with a street name and followed by “b.b.” have no street
number. In most small towns, locals ignore not only street numbers but also street
names—navigate with a map or by asking for directions.
Slick Pavement:
Old towns, with their well-polished pavement stones and many slick
stairs, can be quite treacherous, especially after a rainstorm. (On a recent trip, one of
your co-authors almost broke his arm slipping down a flight of stairs.) Tread with care.
Siesta:
Croatians eat their big meal at lunch, then take a traditional Mediterranean siesta.
This means that many stores, museums, and churches are closed in the mid-afternoon.
Business Closures on Sundays:
During the busier tourist months, from June through
December,storesareallowedtobeopenonSundays.Off-season,fromJanuarythrough
May, most shops are legally required to close.
Landmine Warning:
Certain parts of the Croatian interior were once full of landmines.
Mostofthesemineshavebeenremoved,andfieldsthatmaystill bedangerousareusu-
ally clearly marked. As a precaution, if you're in a former war zone, stay on roads and
paths, and don't go wandering through overgrown fields and deserted villages.
