I always wanted to visit Croatia! For some reason it was one of the countries that always had no connections available from where I wanted to fly or the tickets were very expensive. I finally managed to find well priced tickets (or maybe my husband did, as he always looks for plane ticket deals :)) and booked the trip to Croatia in September. Weather in Croatia is mostly sunny and apparently it doesn’t rain often, however we did have a few rainy days. Overall it was warm, although the water in the Adriatic sea was freezing. I bought some snorkelling gear just for this trip, so temperature of the water didn’t stop me. Water is crystal clear and high amount of salt allows you to drift comfortably and enjoy what’s hiding beneath it.
I created a list of things that you could do while in Croatia and split it between two cities – Zadar and Split. I covered everything that in my opinion was worth sharing. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to go to Dubrovnik, I will save it for my next trip, but I hope you will find this useful and my list will help you organise your trip. Below will explain in more detail where to stay in Croatia, transportation in Croatia, how much does it cost to go to Croatia, where to exchange your money in Croatia and many more.
Day 1 – Arrival to Zadar airpot and transfer to Split by bus
Day 2 – Krka National park full day experience booked here – > GetYourGuide
Day 3 – Diocletian’s Palace and Marjan Park (this is for people who enjoy walking, we took our time and spent almost all day walking. There is a small petting zoo at the top where you can feed turtles, cows and goats.
Day 4 – Trogir city and exploration of Split
Day 5 – Trip back to Zadar from Split by bus, walk to the beach and dinner in one of the lovely restaurants
Day 6 – Snorkelling in Zadar, walk to the Zadar city centre, watching the sunset
Day 7 – Flying back from Zadar Airport
Zadar Airport to city center
There are two ways of getting to the city centre, or bus station from Zadar Airport. If you are traveling as a couple, going by bus will work out cheaper. The bus stops directly outside the airport and it is impossible to miss it, as there is only one bus stop. It costs 35 Kunas, you can pay by cash ONLY, no euros. Uber will cost you approximately 85 Kunas and Bolt might be slightly cheaper. On our way back to the airport we decided to catch Uber as bus was really busy, and when you have your luggage with you it gets really uncomfortable.
Croatia by bus
Traveling in Croatia by bus or coach is very easy. First of all you can use internet to pre-book your tickets. If you download ArrivaCroatia app to your phone, they offer a few percent discount off your bookings. I do recommend pre-booking all your tickets because this way you avoid the queues and they are cheaper when booked online.
Zadar to split
Zadar to Split bus departures from Zadar bus station. The bus from airport will take you directly there. The cost of the ticket is 125 Kunas per person. If you purchase tickets from Arriva, please go to their agent, it is located at the end of the station, to ask which platform the bus will departure from. If you have time, there is plenty of cafes to stop and have a drink and food while you wait. Please have some more change ready because driver will charge you for luggage. It’s 10 kunas for a hand luggage and 18 kunas for large suitcase. Oh yes, I forgot to mention, majority of places in Croatia do not accept card…
Best area to stay in Croatia
As I mentioned before, I spit my trip between to places, Split and Zadar. Dubrovnik is still on my list, but only if I find a really good deal.
Best place to stay in Split
I would say that the best place to stay in Split is somewhere close to the city centre, but far enough from all the crowds. I decided to book an apartment through BOOKING.COM as it worked out the cheapest and since I had my account with them for some time I received 10% off. The apartment was located in Bihacka Ulica, I attached google map to show you. It was roughly 10 minutes walk from the city centre, 15 minutes walk from Lidl and about 15 minutes walk from the bus station.
Best place to stay in Zadar
Best place to stay in Zadar depends on what u would like to do. If you wanted to be closer to the centre, then of course look for something closer, but if you love beaches then location slightly further from the city centre will be perfect. Please don’t be mistaken! Accommodations near beaches offer a wide range of restaurants, shops and everything you might need while on holiday. Again in Zadar I used BOOKING.COM to find our apartment. I will also attach the map below. We had everything we needed, great places for lunch, shop near by and plenty of coffee shops. I haven’t cooked much in Zadar because food was really affordable (Split was a lot more expensive), we had breakfasts in our apartment and then lunch and dinner out. Well, for dinner time we just ordered food to take out from a Chinese place located 2 minutes walk from the apartment. In general prices per night for accommodation in Zadar should not be more expensive than £45-£50 per night.
What is the currency in Croatia
Croatia is a part of EU, but they still have their own currency KUNAS. You will find that majority of places in Croatia do not accept cards, but cash only. We exchanged about £50 while we were still in the UK, to make sure we have enough for bus tickets, some drinks, food and extra unexpected charges when we arrive in Croatia including charge for luggage on the coach. There are two ways of bringing money and making sure you get the most out of it. Number one, have cash ready, but whatever you do, do not exchange it at the airport or the bus station. Wait till you are in Split or Zadar and walk from currency exchange office to another and make sure you get the best rate there is! I know that it might be a little bit time consuming, but this way you will make sure that you will be able to buy more with your hard earned money. Number two – setup REVOLUT account – it’s an online bank, that allows you to exchange money in real time and normally gives you the best rates. You can have a few different currencies and exchange money when the rate is best. So for example if you know in advance that you are visiting Croatia, take a look at your app and if the rate is good, exchange it. There is a couple of banks that don’t charge you for cash withdraws like PBZ in Croatia.
Is Croatia expensive
Yes and no, It all depends how you plan your trip. You can make it as expensive or as cheap as possible. There is a lot of ways of saving money, for example cooking in your apartment, booking things in advance etc. Split can be expensive especially if you want to go out and eat often. Prices of coffees and beers in the city centre can be very pricy, so look for places that locals go to. In general I found that prices were very similar to the UK prices.
Why visit Croatia
Croatia is worth visiting for the views and nature. The water is the most beautiful, crystal clear and views are stunning. If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you will find it even more interesting. One thing I would say is, I am not going to be back soon unless I find very cheap flights and accommodation to go to Dubrovnik. For some reason it lacked something and I can’t really pin point what it is. I genuinely think that it’s worth visiting, but don’t expect a WOW as you do when in Portugal or Spain.