To Croatia on your own. Visa to Croatia for Russians: application procedure and necessary documents. Document confirming the means of transport

When similar questions about one country are asked more than three times a day, I sit down and write an article so as not to repeat myself.

IN Croatia We have been several times, the closest of which was September 2017; in the new season we may also stop by on the way to Montenegro. Frequently asked questions about Croatia – weather, how much it costs holidays in Croatia, how to relax so that it’s near the sea, cheap and uncrowded, there was even a wish for a volleyball court nearby. I’m not sure about the volleyball court, but with the rest everything is less clear and will work out - I’m sure. About your Croatian top best places I'll also tell you.

Visa to Croatia

Citizens of Ukraine do not need a visa to Croatia, Russians and Belarusians need to obtain a Croatian national visa - as far as I know, this does not pose any serious problems and can be solved independently.

Those who have a multiple-entry Schengen visa do not need to obtain a Croatian visa. Multischengen gives the right to travel to Croatia, since although it is not part of the Schengen zone, it is a member of the European Union.

What is the currency in Croatia and where to change money

The local currency is Kuna, the exchange rate to Euro is 1 Euro = 7.39 Kuna

Cards are accepted almost everywhere; it is better to have money in a cash/card ratio of 1:3. Basic payments are made from a card. Only Kuna or Euro cash can be accepted for apartments.

There are enough exchange offices both on the coast and in the cities.

Way to travel to Croatia

There are no convenient and cheap flights from Ukraine to Croatia, even with a transfer.

There are two ways out of this “problem”.

For those who are too lazy or uncomfortable to drive for a long time and since you will still need a car in Croatia, you can buy cheap air tickets to Budapest. Today this can be done for 40-50 euros round trip. In Budapest, rent a car and travel further by car.

The second way, and I like it better, is to drive your own car, which is 1900 km. if you go from Kyiv to Split. At the same time, we “lose” a day on the road, but we go through picturesque Carpathians, you can make a stop in no less beautiful Lviv and no less beautiful Budapest . If you go on vacation with your family, it’s cheaper than renting a car and gives you more freedom.

If there is one from your city direct flights to Split or a convenient transfer, then it is better to fly to Split and then either take a bus to the chosen vacation spot (worse) or rent a car (better) and continue the journey independently and comfortably.

How to choose a resort in Croatia

Here I could say that Google can help, because in Croatia there are so many resorts and vacation spots for every taste and budget. During my several trips to this country, I visited no less than twenty places and a dozen islands, and this is tiny compared to what is in this country. I advise only from where I have been and, by the way, on my first trip I also listened to the advice and did not regret it.

This is the sea, so we choose resorts on the coast, and we’ll go on an excursion to the mountains and lakes; I’ll tell you where below.

When choosing a location for sea ​​holiday I distinguish for myself northern Croatia- This Istria peninsula(Rovinj, Pula, Rijeka and surrounding villages) and Dolmatization– everything south (below on the map) from the city of Split all the way to Dubrovnik. They go on a separate line Croatian islands . Holidays on the islands are a little more expensive and not always better. I’ll also tell you about the islands.

In the north more history and less sea and beaches, in the south there is more sea and less history- but there is Split and Dubrovnik. Both have wonderful small towns and beaches, just in different proportions. Again in my humble opinion.

Sometimes the wealth of choice for a holiday destination makes it difficult to choose this very place. That is, when there are too many locations that a beginner knows little about. This is exactly the country.

Therefore, if you are going to Croatia for the first time, let me recommend you Southern Dolmatia, namely Makarska Riviera- so you'll probably like it. There are small resort towns to choose from - Makarska, Podgora, Baska Voda, Brela, Omis. Omiš is a special place, because here the river flows into the sea and sea ​​water mixed with fresh water, but there are sandy beaches and a generally nice town, and not far from Split.

What beaches are in Croatia

IN Croatia one of best beaches in Europe and a sea that can only compete with Greece.

Majority beaches of Croatia finely pebbled, often the pebbles are so small that they look like coarse sand, for example on Bol beach (Brac island). There are places with sandy beaches, for example, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe city of Omiš - on the Dolmatia coast near Split.

The pebbles are small and pleasant, that is, not at all like in Nice or, say, in Crimea. However, it is better to swim in slippers - there are places with sea ​​urchins. I don’t use slippers for swimming, everything is visible as is. The water is so clear that it is scary to swim in it - it seems as if you are hanging high in the air.

Seasons in Croatia, weather

Oddly enough, given the fact that Croatia is located in the south of Europe, the full beach and sea season begins only at the end of June. During this period, the water temperature is slightly more than 20 degrees (sometimes lower). I remember our yacht trip on the Adriatic at the end of June - I didn’t want to swim for a long time and often; in the evening it was noticeably cool, although it doesn’t happen year after year.

The most comfortable temperature of water and air – July August, at the same time there are maximum people and maximum prices. We'll also talk about prices below. A little life hack - it’s better to go to holidays in Croatia V end of August with transition to September, at this time people are moving in the opposite direction - returning home from the resorts and you can find a comfortable atmosphere when it is still warm and there are fewer people (but still quite a lot).

IN September it gradually becomes cooler - the air reaches +25-28, the water is as warm as in August, up to +28. At the end of September it can rain, the water is still very “swimming” - up to +22 at least, the air is about the same. The bonus is a perfect minimum of people, while all establishments are open.

My choice of season in Croatia – beginning of September. Nice prices for housing, warmth and a minimum of people.

Just travel around Croatia Possible in any season, all year round.

Top 5 places worth visiting in Croatia

In Croatia, you can choose a place by randomly looking at the map and most likely you won’t be mistaken - each town or piece of coast, in its own way, is interesting and comfortable for relaxation. But, of course, there are top five places worth visiting.

Much has already been written and rewritten on this topic, but often these are travel sites that copy materials from each other or simply make a hodgepodge of several articles.

When choosing places for excursions, I would focus on where you are going on vacation, in what part of Croatia.

If you are planning a vacation for Istrian peninsula- then definitely cities like Pula, Rovinj, Porec and Rijeka. Generally in Istria beautiful coast, picturesque bays surrounded by Croatian pine trees. Plus add the first two places from the Top 5 below, they are also available from Istria.

If you choose Dolmatia for your vacation - that is, everything south of Split, then the TOP 5 places may look something like this:

• Plitvice Lakes

If you are traveling by car along the road, it is worth stopping there and even spending the night;

• KRK National Park, not to be confused with KRK Island

In the KRK park the lakes are similar to Plitvice, but you can swim in them. If you don’t want to go both ways, choose one, both places are equally worthy. I would still choose the KRK National Park;

• Dubrovnik

The city is of course overcrowded with tourists and in the summer it is absolute hell, but I can’t help but recommend it. Dubrovnik is beautiful, try to get there early in the morning or in the low season, in September, for example;

• Biokovo National Park

It's in the mountains, the most high peak Croatia (if I'm not mistaken) - Mount St. George. But it’s not even about the numbers above sea level, it’s incredibly beautiful there at sunset, plus a view of the islands and the Adriatic coast. It’s very close to Makarska, but the road is serpentine and quite narrow - you just need to drive carefully and there won’t be any problems.

• Highway along the Adriatic Sea

The road from Split to Durovnik is along the sea, not to be confused with the highway that goes along the top of the mountains. This is one of the most beautiful roads in Europe and the world that I have traveled through. Be sure to take a ride along it along the sea - you will want to make stops every five minutes. Plan on at least three hours for this road trip from Split to Dubrovnik, including stops.

What a driver needs to know in Croatia

I already know how to travel through Hungary by car and generally navigate around Hungary.

IN Croatia there is how toll roads and free too. Autobahns are quite fast and you need them to get from point A to point B. For example, on the way there or back from Ukraine or Hungary.

Most even minor roads in Croatia excellent quality, no worse than Austrian or German ones, sometimes even better.

Autobahns in Croatia dears, this is due to the tunnels and mountainous terrain. But they are extraordinarily beautiful.

Payment for autobahns is made by card or cash, Euro or local currency - Kuna. For example, there are several payment points on the road from Budapest. We just drive up to the payment point and hand out the card or cash through the window. Before entering the payment point, pay attention to the signs at the top - we need the row on which the little man in the window is drawn. Even if you miss, they will let you through, the people here are nice.

Total for travel within Croatia if you go from Budapest to Split you will need about 40 Euro, the same amount back.

• Split will not be long, but you can skip it because it’s too noisy, big and party-heavy, or combine it with a trip to the islands;
• Zadar - history and a pleasure to walk around
• Trogir – very beautiful and ancient
• Milna, town and marina on the island of Hvar
• Old Town - Hvar Island
• The town of Hvar on the island of the same name Hvar

I don't recommend it waste time in Zagreb, an ordinary passage European city, if you’ve been to many places in Europe, feel free to move on.

I don’t recommend buying from tourist brochures and going on Golden Horn beach near the city of Bol on the island of Brac - it is beautiful only from the height of a quadcopter flight, otherwise it is an ordinary beach with an insane number of people. We approached it from the sea, there was an opportunity to evaluate it and quickly escape to the yacht.

TOP 5 Croatian islands

The Croatian islands are a separate topic and have already been written about them. I will only list those islands that I really liked and that I would like to return to.

Many islands can be reached by ferry from Split, or by car. You buy ferry tickets at the ticket office at the pier - this is the center of Split, next to the embankment.

• Hvar Island– a self-sufficient place and how seaside resort and how to take a walk and see
• Mljet Island, untouched nature, forests and vineyards. The complete opposite of touristy Dubrovnik and an oasis of calm
• Island of Vis – small island a little further from the island of Hvar, it is also accessible via the promenade from Split; very nice and beautiful - entertaining enough to spend the whole day here. We even rented a car here for three hours, using it for the first time hourly rental cars;
• Korcula Island, located just opposite Makarska Riviera, can be reached by ferries from Split and Dubrovnik. Many secluded and uncrowded bays and beaches, nature and stone ancient cities.
• Brac Island, just don't go to Golden Horn beach– a common product of marketing to crowds of tourists. There was no crowd even in mid-June, but I’d rather not tell you what it was like there in August; I recommend Milna town on the coast - a truly beautiful place.

How to save money on holiday in Croatia

The Germans did Croatia expensive resort for enough a short time. I experienced the evolution of prices myself while vacationing there over the years.

It's really beautiful and diverse there, and the Germans know a lot about good places for beach and sea holidays, preferring Greece and Croatia to other Mediterranean countries.

You can make your vacation cheaper like this:

• Drive your own car or rent a car with a company;
• Instead of hotels, choose apartments on the beach with a kitchen and other options; in some apartments, the price even includes sun loungers and other paid little things;
• Cook it yourself or mix lunch in a restaurant on the beach with a terrace near a house by the sea, I’m even at a loss to say which is better
• Going on vacation in the low season - June or September, at this time a vacation in Croatia will not be more expensive than the Black Sea or cheap Albania and Montenegro - I tested it myself last fall.

Briefly, the algorithm of actions when organizing a trip on your own

• We obtain a Croatian or multiple-entry Schengen visa if necessary;
• We choose the method of delivery for ourselves and our friends – car, air plus car or just air.
• Choose a resort in Croatia, for example Makarska Riviera or Istria
• Deciding on the date of the trip
• Booking accommodation, hotel or apartment
• If necessary
• We outline an approximate route and places worth visiting; when independent trip it can always be adjusted or expanded;

Where to find cheap accommodation in Croatia

I usually look for hotels and apartments on websites Booking.com or Hotels Combined (RoomGuru), the last one is a search engine, here it is convenient to check prices for the selected accommodation and then select the site on which to book.

There is also a fairly famous site AirBnb, many people know about it but don’t use it and it’s completely in vain. Apartments here are often cheaper than on Booking - I usually check on all resources.

Those who are looking for housing for the first time AirBnb, can register follow this link and get a bonus for your first booking.

Where to look for cheap flights to Split

If you decide to fly directly to Split, then cheap tickets I'm looking for aviasales.ru– the prices here are often “tastier” than at Sky Scanner. Check tickets from your city using the interactive calendar low prices- a convenient thing.

Where to rent a car in Croatia or Hungary

Croatia is a country ideal for traveling on your own. There is excellent infrastructure for visiting attractions, nice prices for accommodation, food, car rental, as well as friendly people and almost no language barrier.

The main thing is how a trip to Croatia on your own differs from package tour, this is organization and responsibility. In this case, the traveler himself is responsible for safety, comfort and entertainment program. But if you carefully prepare for your future adventure, it will give you a lot of pleasant emotions and vivid impressions.

Holidays in Croatia on your own: where to start

It is better to start preparing for an independent trip to Croatia at least two to three months before departure, and even better – six months. Then there is an opportunity to buy air tickets at a profit if you are planning to fly, and find good accommodation at a discount. To travel you will need a valid passport.

According to the requirements of Croatian legislation, the country's border can be crossed from travel document, which expires no earlier than six months after the end of the trip. If the passport does not meet this requirement, Croatian customs officers have the right to not allow you into the country.

Now let's pay attention:

• Wiese. Border crossing rules often change depending on the policies of states, so check in advance (it is better to call the Croatian consulate directly) if you need a visa for this sunny land so that if the answer is positive, you have time to do it. Many travelers, due to inexperience, often do not pay attention to deadlines: for example, visas are often not needed if the duration of the trip is less than 14 days.
• Route. What are you planning to do in Croatia? What attractions do you want to visit? Or are you only interested? Having answered these questions, you will know whether you can rent one apartment or whether it is better to move from region to region (in case of a busy excursion program), whether you need to rent a car or not, where to find a restaurant or supermarket for lunch, etc. If you are traveling for a short period of time (7-10 days), do not set yourself the goal of seeing all of Croatia. Yes it small country, but the oversaturated program is tiring.
• Budget. Having drawn up the route, calculate it approximately using booking, average Croatian prices, etc., in order to know whether the planned amount will be enough for you or not.
• Reviews. If there is free time to look at independent travel forums - great. Do you want to go in May? Pay attention to the reviews for this period: they will tell you the weather, prices, influx of tourists and much other useful information.

Having carried out preliminary “reconnaissance”, you can proceed directly to the organization independent travel in Croatia.

If you have an unlimited budget, then you don’t have to think about little things like early booking and discounts. They will help you organize a profitable trip to Croatia. After reading reviews from experienced people, you already have a rough idea of ​​the prices for the desired period.

Now your task is to find great deals:

1. Are you planning to fly? Monitor air tickets in the desired direction. When purchasing 2-3 months in advance, you can save 15-20% (if your trip is in high season, this rule does not always work). Mobile applications and websites for searching air tickets will help you keep track of prices.
2. There are also many options for searching for accommodation on the Internet. When booking accommodation it is not recommended to choose non-refundable rates, which must be paid in full at the time of order (what if your plans change?). Most tourists like to book accommodation and pay on arrival. But there are often cases when, upon arriving on vacation, travelers find that no one is waiting for them (free booking obliges apartment owners or hotel management to do little). Therefore, the best option is partial prepayment: both the tourist is calm that they are waiting for him, and the receiving party is confident that the guest will appear.
3. Tickets for attractions, national parks, even water parks are best booked online if they provide this option. Often such purchases are even cheaper than those made locally. Just use foreign currency for payments. bank card to avoid double conversion.
4. By the way, about currencies. Croatia still uses national kunas. In most places you can pay with a currency card (dollar or euro). Before leaving your home country, notify the bank about your trip, otherwise the card may be blocked to prevent unauthorized use. If you prefer cash, then it is better to take euros, they are still more common here.

For most tourists, traveling independently without the help of an agency is something out of fantasy. Many are driven by fear: “How will I get there?”, “What about housing?”, “What to eat?” - these and many other questions are asked by indecisive people. In fact, there is nothing to be afraid of.

When planning your vacation yourself, you are not limited by time, geography, or any other limits. If we are not “tied” to the hotel, meals by the hour and beach cards, our vacation will sparkle with new colors. You can travel around different cities. Where you like it - stay for a few days, explore the surroundings, try local cuisine and move on.

But before you go on an exciting trip, we recommend that you plan everything in advance so that there are no difficulties along the way.

Do you need a visa to Croatia?
A visa is not required for Russians and Ukrainian citizens for a period of up to 90 days. To do this, you need an invitation from an individual/legal entity or confirmation of a hotel reservation. You can read more about visa requirements.

How to get to Croatia by plane?
Of all major cities are organized during the season charter flights. Planes fly to Split, Zagreb, Pula, Dubrovnik. Flight duration from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Rostov-on-Don is 2.5-3 hours. From Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk - about 5 hours. Since October, almost all charters have been removed and only regular flights remain.

You can often buy tickets at bargain prices at the last minute. We recommend monitoring sites Anydayanyway, Scyscanner, etc. Very tasty offers appear here from time to time. You can find out more details.

Is it possible to get to Croatia by train?
If you are afraid of flying or for some reason prefer railway transport- there are such solutions. For a period of holiday season There is a Moscow-Budapest train with a trailer carriage to Split or Zagreb. This option cannot be called convenient, since the train takes two days. Before traveling, you need to apply for transit visas.

Traveling to Croatia by car
It is impossible to say that a car for a trip to Croatia is just a form of transport. After all, if we decide to go on such a long journey to the Adriatic coast by car, then we don’t just want to get from point A to point B. A trip to Croatia by car is an amusing trip which requires preparation and careful planning. You can read about this in the article: “.

Where to stay in Croatia?
Unlike Turkish and Egyptian resorts, where there are no other accommodation options besides hotels, Croatian resort towns will offer a considerable selection.

How to rent an apartment in Croatia?
Most popular look accommodation - apartments. Typically, owners of private houses rent out part of their rooms as hotel rooms to vacationers. Conditions are usually no worse than in hotels. The rooms have air conditioning, hairdryer, towels, shampoo. There are many resources online where you can track offers, such as Croatianapartments.

Hotels in Croatia
Not everywhere has such an excellent combination of prices, service and quality of hotels as in Croatia.

Camping in Croatia
This type of accommodation is also very common in Croatia. There are about 260 campsites in the country, 12 of which are for nudists. On the website http://www.camping.hr/ you can find comprehensive information about Croatian camping sites. We only note that the cost of parking ranges from 20 to 40 euros per day.


Camping is very common in Croatia. For a small fee you can pitch a tent or rent a caravan.

Briefly about food in Croatia
Can you imagine quality rest without delicious food? We doubt it. Even if you are staying at a hotel with three meals a day and drinks in between, we recommend skipping dinner several times and visiting a local restaurant. Not only are the dishes excellent, but the portions are huge. It happens that one is enough for a family of three.

If you are going on vacation with a child, you cannot do without cooking your own food. Prices for food in stores here are lower than in Western Europe, and the quality is no worse.

Croatia is an excellent choice for independent travel. No visa is required, the country is quite calm and safe, the language is simple and understandable, and local population always sincerely friendly, ready to help at any time.

The other day I returned from a mini-trip around Croatia, which we went on with family and friends. Although in all previous years we preferred beach holiday in all-inclusive hotels, this time they decided to add variety and completely abandoned the services of various travel agencies, trying to organize the trip on their own.

It didn’t take us long to choose a country; we had long wanted to visit Croatia, and the lack of need for a visa only strengthened our desire to go there.

As a result, a month and a half before the proposed trip, I started booking hotels, buying air tickets and renting a car, because... we wanted to go not only to the sea, but also to see the famous Plitvice Lakes and several large Croatian cities.

As a result, our route according to plan was as follows: we fly to Zagreb, take a car there and go to Plitvice Lakes. There we watch them for two days and move to the sea to the resort town of Makarska. We live at sea for 6 days, and we don’t just lie on the beach, but visit islands and interesting nearby cities. Then on the eighth day we go back to Zagreb and spend the whole day exploring this city. On the last day we return the car and fly home.

There is a plan, all that remains is to prepare everything so that this plan can be translated into reality.

The first thing I did was find out the availability of air tickets to Zagreb. Aeroflot found a suitable option. To be on the safe side, I went to the airline’s website, booked tickets and paid for them using a MasterCard.

There are three hotels and a car left to book. To book hotels, I used the website booking.com, where you can quickly book almost any hotel in any country. Having chosen suitable hotels, I made a reservation, entering the details of my MasterCard card to confirm my intentions. No money is usually charged at the booking stage. They can only be removed if you cancel within a few days of the booked date.

There are hotels, there are tickets, there is still a car.

I had no experience in booking a car, so after reading the reviews, I used the website rentalcars.com, which, as I understood, is a partner of all major car rental companies and allows you to find the best deal for a particular car.

Since we were 4 adults and one child, I needed a car that was roomy enough, so I settled on an Opel Astra with an automatic transmission, climate control, and also ordered a child seat as an option. I also entered my credit card details and confirmed my order. As a result, the next day I received confirmation that the car was booked with EuropCar.

At this point, the booking process was completed, and all that remained was to wait for the departure date. For money on this moment it turned out to be 46,000 rubles. per person.

A month and a half flew by unnoticed, and now we were already on the plane on the way to Zagreb. We arrived normally, the weather was good, and the border guards were friendly and efficient.

We quickly found the EuropCar office, signed the necessary papers, left a deposit (they took it from my MasterCard) and hit the road. The only mistake we made at this stage was not inspecting the car before leaving for any “jambs” that could then be pinned on us when we return the car. And as it turned out later, there were such “shoals” there.

So we're on our way. The first thing we decided to do was find the nearest bank and exchange money for local currency. The navigator gave us the nearest bank, which turned out to be a local post office, where we successfully bought local currency.

Well, then the first point of our journey awaited us - Plitvice Lakes, not far from which the first hotel was located. I gave all the coordinates and addresses of the hotel to Artem Basmanov, who went on this trip with me. He entered them into his navigator, which was pre-installed on his iPad.

After 200 km we realized that the navigator was taking us in the wrong direction...))

It turned out that Artem had entered into the navigator something very similar in name, but not ours at all locality. We turn around, enter the correct coordinates and drive another 300 km along the highway in the opposite direction.

Here we encounter a second interesting point. On the autobahn we run into some piece of metal at high speed and completely destroy the rear left tire!

We stopped, took out all the things from the trunk and began to change the wheel, thank God the spare wheel was in place, and we only punctured one wheel, although a piece of metal got under two wheels.

Here's how it went:

The adventure begins!

While they were changing the tire, a local policeman drove up to us and asked what happened and if we needed help with anything. I said that we were tourists from Russia and just had a flat tire, so no help was needed.

Our mini-hotel was beautifully decorated with flowers, and it was located at the very entrance to national park.

Almost all the tracks in this national park made of rounded wooden boards, which are carefully laid over the lakes.

Huge schools of fish swim right under your feet. Fishing is prohibited there, so they swim without fear)

I actually put this photo on my desktop. Just a fabulous view!

Airplane))

I trained a lot in photographing waterfalls, fortunately there are a lot of them there.

The largest of the local waterfalls, about 75 meters.

And here are greetings from the friendly Chinese (or Japanese), who were the most tourists there)

And although swimming there is also prohibited, there were comrades who violated this prohibition and enjoyed the local water. I caught one of these at the crime scene))

As for access to the Internet via Wi-Fi, in the first hotel there was a good signal only on the street terrace, so Artem and I occasionally went there with our laptops.

Then we moved towards the sea to the city of Makarska. This is where we decided to refuel for the first time. At a gas station, the system is like this - you drive up to the pump, fill up as much gasoline as you need and leave and go pay at the cash register. With our money, a liter of 95 gasoline cost us 56 rubles. It turns out exactly twice as expensive as in Russia.

The road to Makarska took us about 3 hours and 80% of it was on the toll highway.

With autobahns, the system is as follows: when entering the autobahn, there are automatic barriers. You need to drive up to him and take a special one. a coupon that records the place and time of entry onto the highway. When exiting the autobahn, there is also a barrier plus something like an ATM, where you need to insert your coupon received upon entry and your VISA or MasterCard card. Money is debited from the card depending on the length of the route traveled along the highway and the barrier opens. Sometimes, instead of an ATM, there is a booth where a kind guy sits and accepts cash.

On the autobahn, people travel at an average speed of 130-150 km/h. We decided not to stand out from the crowd and drove about the same, maybe a little faster. But comrades regularly “flew” past us, who were definitely driving well over 200)). There was even a Bentley Continental GT.

Unfortunately, I left my radar detector in the car at the airport, so I can’t say whether there are radars at all in Croatia, and how many speeding fines we collected there.

When we arrived in the city itself, we spent about an hour looking for the hotel where we were to live for the next 6 days. The navigator could not accurately indicate this place and gave only approximate points, so we had to resort to the help of local residents.

Checked in... Wi-Fi is available, the flight is normal))

There are a lot of people on the beach both during the day and in the evening, so it is best to go swimming early in the morning.

Learning to swim

Embankment

Every day, returning from the sea, we went to the market and bought fruit, took a large watermelon, melon, blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and many other tasty and healthy gifts of local nature.

Lots of all kinds of natural oils, lavender, honey, dried fruits...

With our money, a watermelon cost about 32 rubles. per kilogram. You can buy whole, half or quarter.

Once we rented a catamaran. We had a good time jumping from it...

In the evenings we walked along the embankment

These were the sunsets...

One day we sailed to the islands. I pretended to be the captain of our ship.

Several other ships sailed with us.

The famous Croatian beach "Golden Cape" on the island of Brac.

I'm testing the waters of the golden cape. The water was good that day.

One day we went to the city of Split. We arrived in the city, parked the car in a paid parking lot and went for a walk.

First of all, we climbed to the very top high tower in the city.

This tower used to be a bell tower, but now tourists are allowed into it for a small fee. We took a lot of beautiful shots from the tower.

We also bought a Croatian flag there for our collection. We bring a flag and a mug from each country.

The city of Split in the rays of the setting sun.

On the penultimate day we returned to Zagreb and walked around it. There are no special attractions there, but it was still interesting.

Local tram

Local yogis who sit right on the street in front of a crowd of passers-by.

One of the angels near the main temple of Zagreb

This is how our trip turned out, full of adventures, new sensations and different emotions. With a child, of course, it’s a little difficult, especially for mom, but in any case, on the whole, this trip left us all unforgettable experience and the positive experience of independent travel, in which we made almost no mistakes.

Our "rakes" that may be useful to you:

1. Inspect the car together with a representative of the rental company and write down on a special sheet all the chips, scratches, and damage that you notice. In the future, this will save you from disputes over whether you or not are to blame for this or that scratch on your car.

2. Start booking hotels 3-4 months before your trip (if it happens during the holiday season). We booked 1.5 months in advance, and by this time all the “delicious” options had already been taken away. Although we also more or less successfully got through all the hotels, but if we had done everything in advance, it would have been even better.

3. Enter your destination into the navigator using the digital longitude and latitude coordinates, which are always indicated for the hotel when booking it.

I will be glad to see your comments.

P.S. All photos were taken with our Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera. I learned, am learning and will continue to learn photography through our project to teach the art of photography - photo monster.

Croatia (Croatia) - a state located in central Europe ( Europe) between the eastern alpine mountain range (East Alpine Ridge), Danube ( Danube) and the southwestern coast of the Adriatic (Coast of Adriatic Sea). Former republic within Yugoslavia ( Yugoslavia), partially occupying the Balkan Peninsula ( Balkan Peninsula). Capital - Zagreb ( Zagreb).

The eastern regions of Croatia are dominated by a Mediterranean climate, while a temperate continental climate has established itself on the Adriatic coast. climate zone. IN mountainous areas In Croatia, winter is harsher and longer. The best time For holidays in Croatia, May-October is considered.

More than 90% of the country's population are Croats. There is a small percentage of immigrants from Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary and Macedonia. Official language countries - Croatian. The largest Christian community in Croatia is Catholics.

The history of Croatia goes back several thousand years and each era has left many historical and cultural monuments. Medieval castles give way to amazing natural parks and complexes. Beach holidays are also very popular in Croatia. Croatia is conventionally divided into three large resort areas.

• Resort town of Pula ( Poulat) on the Istritsa peninsula ( Istrits's peninsula).
• City of Split (Split) V Central Dalmatia (Central Dalmatia).
• City of Dubrovnik ( Dubrovnik) on the Adriatic coast in South Dalmatia ( Southern Dalmatia).

Travel around the Istrian peninsula is popular among divers. Some beaches in Croatia have the UNESCO Blue Flag, which indicates the excellent ecology of these places. Ecotourism lovers should definitely visit Croatia. Just 50 km northeast of Zagreb there are medical mineral springs, which, combined with clean air and green forests, make these places a popular health resort. Health tourism is especially popular among people with diseases of the respiratory system.

How to get there

Airplane

An airplane is the most convenient and fastest way to travel. The Russian Aeroflot operates flights to Zagreb Airport four times a week. You can fly to Croatia via air gate Budapest ( Budapest) or Ljubljana (Ljubljana), but to travel this route you should take care of a transit visa.

Railway transport

The way from Moscow ( Moscow) to Zagreb via Hungary ( Hungary) will take 46 hours. A trailer carriage travels to the capital of Croatia three times a week. There is a daily train to the Croatian capital with a transit in Budapest.

A number of trains run from Hungarian, Serbian, Slovenian and Bosnian cities bordering Croatia.

Ferry service

Italy ( Italy) and Croatia are connected by sea ferry service. The number of flights varies depending on the season.

Bus service

By bus or car you can go on holiday to Croatia through the territory of Ukraine ( Ukraine) or Hungary (Hungary). In this case, you need to apply for a Hungarian transit visa.

Visa

Russian citizens wishing to spend their holidays in Croatia should worry about their entry document. Croatia is part of the EU, but is not a member of the Schengen area. Therefore, the Croatian national visa does not provide the possibility of traveling to other countries in the Schengen area.

Those citizens who have a valid Schengen visa in their passport have the right not to apply for a national visa and stay on the territory of Croatia. The length of stay on Croatian territory is determined individually and depends on the expiration of the Schengen visa of the individual.

Staying on the territory of Croatia without a visa without leaving the airport is possible if tourists are traveling to a third country. The period of stay in this case should not exceed two days.

Customs

When going on a trip to Croatia, you should know that foreign money can be carried in any quantity. But the export and import of Croatian kunas (HRK) limited to 2,000.

You are allowed to bring small amounts of alcohol, cigarettes, tea and coffee. Radio equipment and sports equipment are allowed to be carried for your own use. It is prohibited to import aerosol cans with freon. This restriction is related to the European Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer.

Antiques and other objects of artistic or historical value can only be exported with permission from the authorities.

Kitchen

Simple and hearty dishes are typical for the center of the country. In the center, vacationers and their fellow travelers will be offered to try turkey meat or a whole baked carcass with pancakes. Guests of the country will be treated to stuffed and pickled vegetables, Slavonian fish pie and the famous Croatian “Paprikash”. For the first course, tourists can order corn and bean soup “Manistra od Dobicha”. All dishes will be generously flavored with olive oil.

A gastronomic journey through the capital of Croatia will be remembered by vacationers with a boiled cheese pie. For dessert, they will certainly be served a traditional pie with nut mousse.

In the coastal areas of Istria and Dalmatia, fish and seafood are often prepared, however local residents They also love to pamper themselves with meat. Specialty dish local restaurants is “Prsut” - pork ham baked with dry Pag cheese. For starters, you should definitely try Croatian wine soup.

Crab and grilled catfish are great for dinner. Cheeses will serve as a separate element of the table. Cheese slices and dishes with the addition of this product are a must-have attribute on restaurant menus. Local cheeses are often used as souvenirs.

For dessert, Croatians prefer fruits and different types nuts (almonds, cashews).

Croatia has a very strong tradition of moonshine brewing. For example, the fruit “Rakia”, traditional for the peoples of the Balkans, in this country is infused with herbs and is called “Travaritsa”. Cognac is also prepared in Croatia, which has the original “Vignac” base. A holiday in Croatia would not be complete without tasting the home-bottled Toceno wine and the distinctive plum brandy Slivovitz. Delicious Zadar cherry liqueur Maraschino and herbal liqueur reminiscent of Pelinkovac liqueur - the pride of the Croats. Excellent dry white wines (Pinot and Merlot) are also produced in this area.

Money

Kun ( HRK) – state currency unit Croatia. In addition to banks, exchange offices and hotels, currency and travel checks can be exchanged at travel agency"Croatia Tourist" ( Kroatia Tourist).

Some banking institutions practice issue-free currency exchange, but in most cases you will have to pay a commission of 1–1.5% to exchange money. The kuna remaining after a trip can be exchanged for currency back only in banks and upon presentation of a bank receipt.

It is better to take traveler's checks with you in euro currency. They are accepted almost everywhere. Credit cards They are also a common method of payment throughout the country.

If a one-time purchase by tourists who came on holiday to Croatia amounted to more than 740 HRK, then they can refund VAT according to the system tax free . The money is returned at the airport after presenting the goods and a receipt from the store.

What you need to know

When going on a trip to Croatia, it would be useful to learn the customs and traditions of the population of this country. The first thing a tourist should remember is that the Croats are a very patriotic nation. They always try to emphasize their difference from other Balkan peoples.

On a trip to Croatia, a tourist may unwittingly join the “korzo” tradition. This is an evening promenade along the embankment or in the city center with the obligatory close examination of couples walking nearby. Increased attention in Croatia is not considered something indecent.

Sights of Croatia

The history of Croatia is very rich in events and architectural monuments. Literally every region of the country can boast of some kind of attraction. First of all, we advise you to look at the tourist sites included in the list world heritage UNESCO.

The oldest city in Dalmatia, Dubrovnik, located on Adriatic coast- a must-have for every traveler. Historical Center cities of Trogir and Split ( Historic center of Trogir and Split), as well as Diocletian's Palace (Diokletian's palace). Not far from the town of Slunj ( Slun) is the UNESCO-protected Plitvice Lakes National Park ( Plitvice Lakes National Park ) - 16 lakes connected by 92 waterfalls. In the Croatian town of Porec (Porec) erected architectural complex Euphrasian Basilica ( Euphrasian Basilica) – one of the most valuable examples of Byzantine art in the Balkans (Balkans). The Cathedral of St. James is recognized as a masterpiece of medieval Dalmatian architecture (Cathedral of St. James) in the city of Sibenik (Shibenik). UNESCO also protects natural object Croatia – Starigrad Plain (Starigradsky plain), which is located on the island of Hvar ( Hvar Island).

IN resort town Pula has preserved monuments of ancient Roman architecture. The most popular of them is the Arena amphitheater ( Arena), Gates of Hercules ( Herculean Gate), Triumphal Arch (Triumphal Arch), as well as the Colosseum (Colosseum).

The capital of Croatia, centuries-old Zagreb, is divided into an Upper and a Lower Town. Zagreb is rich in architectural and cultural monuments, among which it is worth highlighting the Mimara Museum ( Mimar's Museum), Archbishop's Palace (Archbishop Palace) and a stone gate with an image of the Virgin Mary. WITH central square The city's main shopping street begins - Ilica (Ilitsa street). For souvenirs it is better to go to shopping centers Zagreb: Nama and Ilica.

Souvenirs of Croatia

An authentic souvenir for men would be a tie Croata. This incredibly fashionable accessory among Croats is part of the national costume.

The decoration and amulet of Croatian sailors “Morčić” will be an excellent reminder of your vacation in Croatia.

Zadar liqueur would also be a good souvenir. Maraschino, the recipe for which was first recorded in the 16th century in a Dominican monastery.

Will remind you of your vacation in this amazing Balkan country“Slave Cake” (a dish that was served 300 years ago to the table of rich slave patricians), a miniature stone round house “Istrian Cajun”, “Vučedol Dove” (a ceramic vessel in the shape of a dove) and a souvenir in the form of “Bašćan Slab” ( the oldest monument Croatian language).

The most beautiful gift that is brought from a trip to Croatia is rightfully considered to be “page lace” from the city of Pag.

Popular resorts