Croatia will become the 28th member of the European Union on July 1. While Eurosceptics question the long-term future of the EU, this is undoubtedly a landmark in Croatia’s history. The War of Independence (1991-1995) and the subsequent break-up of Yugoslavia left the country damaged politically, economically and spiritually.
Since then, Croatia has tried to build a new identity, combining both its natural and cultural heritage with a clear vision of the future. “The Mediterranean as it once was,” says the Croatian National Tourist Board motto, with a 21st-century nod towards respect for the environment and sustainable tourism.
A country of dramatic mountainous landscapes and dreamy deep-blue seascapes, Croatia is now easier to visit than ever before. Big improvements have been made in the national infrastructure: the motorway network has been extended and modernised, and many hotels have been renovated and given a fresh look with slick contemporary designs. It has also become much easier to reach, with more and more airlines now flying from Britain to Croatia.
Tourism here has a long history – there are traces of Roman summer villas on the Dalmatian islands – but it was first developed on a large scale during the Yugoslav era, when big modern resort hotels, equipped with excellent sports facilities, were built along the Croatian coast. Sports were, and still are, tremendously important.
With a population of just 4.3million, Croatia’s sporting success is remarkable – the national football team is currently ranked fourth in the world by Fifa and the men’s water-polo team won the gold at the 2012 Olympics. Nowadays, lovers of the great outdoors come to Croatia specifically for its adventure-sports facilities – between the sea and the mountains, sailing, scuba diving, sea kayaking, rafting, mountain biking and rock climbing are all on offer here.
For those in search of history and culture, city destinations such as Zagreb, Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar offer Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Austro-Hungarian monuments. In fact, the historic centres of Dubrovnik and Split are Unesco world heritage sites, as are the cathedrals in Trogir and Sibenik and the basilica in Porec. Against this backdrop of splendid historic buildings, these cities stage summer festivals, hosting open-air concerts and theatre after dark, often attracting notable international performers.
While Croatia’s rocky stretch of Adriatic coast is not suitable for large-scale tourist development (there are none of the long sandy beaches found in Greece and Spain), it is astoundingly beautiful, offering numerous small pebble coves backed by pinewoods and giving on to a crystal-clear turquoise sea.
This combination of timeless unspoilt nature coupled with beautifully preserved centuries-old architecture and a lively contemporary cultural scene, including an ever-growing number of electronic and alternative music festivals, promises rewarding memories for anyone who wishes to explore it now.
When to go
If you are not tied to school holidays, the best time to visit Croatia is during the “shoulder-season” months of May and June and September and October. Then you can expect pleasant sunny days ideal for swimming in the sea and sunbathing, with all the tourist facilities up and running but no crowds. I
t’s also the perfect time for outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain-biking, rafting and sea-kayaking. In contrast, the peak season of July and August sees the coastal resorts extremely busy, with soaring temperatures and a steep rise in hotel room prices – on the plus side you get open-air cultural events and a buzzing cosmopolitan nightlife.
In low season, November to April many hotels and attractions along the coast close down for winter, and the weather becomes chilly and unreliable. However, at this time of year you might come across some excellent offers on low-cost flights and city hotels, and you’ll get a better feeling for how the locals live.
Getting there
Flights
There are year-round flights between London and Zagreb, and London and Dubrovnik. In summer, there’s also a good choice of budget airlines serving various destinations along the coast. Flight times from London to Zagreb are 2hrs 15min, London to Dubrovnik 2hrs 40min, Manchester to Split 2hrs 50min, and Manchester to Dubrovnik 3hrs.
The following airports are served by international flights: Zagreb (zagreb-airport.hr); Dubrovnik (airport-dubrovnik.hr); Pula (airport-pula.hr); Split (split-airport.hr); and Zadar (zadar-airport.hr).
British Airways (0844 493 0787, britishairways.com) flies to Zagreb from London Heathrow and to Dubrovnik from London Gatwick.
Croatia Airlines (0844 371 0310, croatiaairlines.com) flies to Zagreb from London Heathrow, with the option of connecting internal flights to Dubrovnik, Pula, Split and Zadar.
EasyJet (0843 104 5000, easyjet.com) flies to Zagreb from London Gatwick; to Dubrovnik from Edinburgh, London Gatwick and London Stansted; and to Split from Bristol, London Gatwick and London Stansted.
Monarch (0871 940 5040, monarch.co.uk) flies to Dubrovnik from Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester, and to Split from Birmingham.
Jet2.com (0901 230 0230, jet2.com) flies to Dubrovnik from Belfast, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle; to Pula from Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Manchester and Newcastle; and to Split from Leeds Bradford and Manchester.
Ryanair (0871 246 0003, ryanair.com) flies to Pula from London Stansted; to Rijeka from London Stansted; and to Zadar from East Midlands, Liverpool and London Stansted.
Thomson Airways (0871 231 4691, flights.thomson.co.uk) flies to Dubrovnik from Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester.
Wizz Air (0906 959 0002, wizzair.com) flies to Split from London Luton.
Ferries & catamarans
It’s also possible to arrive in Croatia by ferry or catamaran from Italy. The Croatian company Jadrolinija (jadrolinija.hr) runs overnight ferries from Ancona to Split, Ancona to Zadar and Dubrovnik to Bari all year round. Blue Line (blueline-ferries.com) also covers the Ancona-Split route.
In summer only, the Italian company SNAV (snav.it) runs a high-speed daytime catamaran from Ancona to Split, while Venezia Lines (venezialines.com) operates catamarans from Venice to Porec, Rovinj and Pula in Istria.
What to pack
Sun-cream and sunglasses.
Beachwear (including waterproof shoes).
An electric plug converter.
Phrase book.
Comfortable walking shoes.
Before you go
What to read
For background reading: The Ministry of Pain, Dubravka Ugresic (2008); Cafe Europa: Life after Communism, Slavenka Drakuli (1996); Croatia: A Nation Forged in War, Marcus Tanner (1998); The Death of Yugoslavia, Allan Little and Laura Silber (1996); Black Lamb and Grey Falcon: A Journey through Yugoslavia, Rebecca West (1942).
Recommended guidebooks: Dubrovnik & Dalmatian Coast Footprint Focus Guide (2013); Istria & Kvarner Footprint Focus Guide (2013).
Useful websites
Croatian National Tourist Board (croatia.hr), Istria Tourist Board (istra.hr), Zadar Tourist Board (zadar.hr), Split and Dalmatia Tourist Board (dalmatia.hr), Dubrovnik and Neretva Tourist Board (visitdubrovnik.hr), Taste of Croatia (tasteofcroatia.org).
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