Croatia

Drink

thumb|Bottles of medica

Alcoholic: Rakija, a type of brandy which can be made of plum (šljivovica), grapes (loza), figs (smokovača), honey (medica) and many other types of fruit and aromatic herbs, is the main distilled beverage served in Croatia. Pelinkovac is a bitter herbal liquor popular in Central Croatia, but is said to resemble cough-medicine in flavor. Famous Maraschino, a liquer flavored with Marasca cherries, which are grown around Zadar, Dalmatia.

Croatia also produces a broad palette of high quality wines (up to 700 wines with protected geographic origin), beers and mineral water. On the coast people usually serve bevanda with meals. Bevanda is heavy, richly flavoured red wine mixed with plain water. Its counterpart in northern parts of Croatia is gemišt. This term designates dry, flavoured white wines mixed with mineral water.

Two popular domestic beers are Karlovačko and Ožujsko, but Velebitsko and Tomislav pivo have a semi-cult status. They are served only in some places in Zagreb and Croatia. Many well-known European brands (Stella Artois, Beck's, Carling, Heineken and others) are made under licence in Croatia.

Non-alcoholic: Mineral water, fruit juices, coffee (espresso, Turkish or instant), tea, Cedevita (instant multivitamin drink), and drinkable yogurt. Very rarely you may find sok od bazge (elderflower juice) in the continental region. Worth trying! Also, in Istria there is a drink called pašareta, a sparkling red drink with herbal extracts. Very swee…

Sleep

Accommodation in Croatia is increasingly geared towards well-furnished, self-declared four- and five-star hotels. Prices are at their most expensive during the warmer months from June to September, especially July and August. Many coastal hotels are closed during the winter but there is at least one place to stay which is open in the off-season in all major towns.

Private rooms and apartments are quite common, targeting the mass tourism market as visits to the country surged in the 2010s. Apartments tend to be self-containing, with a kitchen, bathroom, small lounge, and often a terrace outside.

B&Bs haven't really taken off in Croatia because of the bureaucratic rules in place. In the countryside, rural homestays have become more visible, particularly in the inland regions. These homestays are slightly pricier than the private rooms and apartments, but include breakfast and home-cooked meals.

Stay safe

Croatia is extremely safe by international standards in most crime categories.

In case of an emergency, dial 112 for fire brigade, police, ambulance or mountain rescue.

Police can search anyone at any time in public spaces and while they should have a reason there is in reality no recourse against it. Everyone is required to carry an ID or passport.

Corruption exists but is exceedingly rare compared to other countries in the region. Attempts to bribe police will get you arrested.

It is not uncommon that older Police officers outside Zagreb, even in Rijeka, Pula & Split, do not speak any English.

Generally it is not advisable to carry knives even though it is not illegal. With an explanation (fishing, food, camping....) and not intoxicated this is usually not a problem.

During summer make sure you use adequate SPF to protect yourself from sunburn. There are no ozone holes over Croatia but it's fairly easy to burn in the sun. If this happens make sure you get out of the sun, drink plenty of fluids and rehydrate your skin. The locals will often advise covering the burnt spot with cold yogurt bought from the supermarket.

thumb|A mine warning sign Since the wars ended in 1995, landmines remain buried in Croatian soil. If you plan to hike consult locals before you go. The suspected areas are marked with mine warning signs. Although mines are still a problem for Croatia, it is highly unlikely you will spot any minefields in Croatia today. However, it is still better not to le…

Stay healthy

No vaccinations are required when going to Croatia.

If you're going camping or hiking in continental Croatia during summer, you should be aware of ticks and tick-carrying diseases such as encephalitis and lyme disease. Approximately 3 ticks in 1000 carry the virus.

In Eastern Slavonia (particularly around the Kopački Rit near Osijek) wear long sleeves and take insect repellent.

Tap water in Croatia is perfectly safe, and in some areas considered the best in the world. However, you can still choose from several brands of excellent bottled water (Jamnica being the most popular, and Jana, several times awarded as the world's best bottled water.)

Though the water may be some of the best in the world, avoid drinking the home-made wine sold in refilled plastic jugs in many local farmer's markets as it may cause intestinal distress.

Respect

Croatia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and the 1990s were marked by ethnic conflict and the bloody and brutal war in Croatia is still a painful subject, but generally there should be no problem if you approach that topic with respect. Croatia has seen a heap of invaders through history; Greek, Roman, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Yugoslav, etc. Proudly independent today, calling Croatia Yugoslavia or calling Croats Yugoslav, would almost be considered an insult. Also don’t call the Croatian language Serbo-Croatian, as you could easily come across a person sensitive about the issue. Locals tend to be way more forgiving overall with Western than with ex-USSR and especially ex-Yugoslav tourists.

Due to its history as part of Yugoslavia, there is still some mistrust towards Serbia and also Russia. While individual Serbian and Russian visitors are unlikely to encounter any problems, try to avoid being overly enthusiastic about either country, as it can quickly arouse negative sentiments among locals. Extremely rarely cars with Serbian registration are vandalized (in Zagreb, the border regions and on the coast mostly), this incidents are primarily caused by drunk youth and are more "in the moment" than planned.

Visitors should avoid describing Croatia as a Balkan country, as Croats prefer to think of their country as Mediterranean and Central European, and some will take offence at the word "Balkan". Geographically, southern and coastal Croatia is part of the Balkans, …