When traveling to Croatia in 2019, Russians will need to obtain visa documents. Croatia is part of the European Union, but is not a Schengen country, so if you receive a national Croatian visa, you will not be able to enter other countries. However, if you have a double or multiple Schengen visa, you will be able to visit Croatia without completing additional documents.

Example of a national Croatian visa

For short-term entry or transit through Croatia, without leaving the airport transit area, a visa is not required.

If you have a double- or multiple-use Schengen visa category C, a long-stay visa category D or a residence permit in the Schengen countries, you can visit Croatia on the basis of these documents. The documents must be valid for the entire period of stay in the country.

From July 22, 2014, according to the decision posted on the website of the Croatian Consulate, if you have a two-entry (or more) national visa, or, you can enter with it.

Required documents for visa

Necessary documents for obtaining a visa to Croatia on your own:

Note! In case of visa refusal, fees are non-refundable.

Depending on the type of trip, you may need different documents to confirm the purpose of your stay and provide accommodation. The purpose of the visit may be tourism, visiting family and friends, cultural and sporting events, medical treatment, or a business trip. Please note that foreigners are not allowed to work in Croatia on the basis of a visa.

For example, if the purpose of your trip is for tourism, to confirm it, you will need a printout from the hotel booking site, a paid voucher, or documentary evidence of the availability of your accommodation or rental for the duration of the trip.

Gift 2100+1000 rubles for housing!

When registering using the link in AirBnB. you will receive 2100 rubles to your account. For this money you can rent a good apartment for 1 day abroad or in Russia. The bonus only works for new accounts.

When registering after your stay, you will receive a cashback of 1000 rubles.

If you are planning to make a private visit to relatives, then a marriage certificate, birth certificate or invitation will be suitable for confirmation (it must indicate the personal and contact information of both parties, the timing and purpose of the trip, the number of entries). Also, relatives and friends can make a letter of guarantee (), which must be certified by a notary.

Traveling with children

A visa for a minor is received by his legal representative (parent, guardian). To do this, you will need to provide the child’s birth certificate in addition to the standard package of documents.

If a minor travels abroad with only one of the parents, or with a third party, it is necessary to obtain a notarized permission from the parents for the child to travel abroad. It must indicate the personal data of the parent, the purpose and duration of stay in Croatia, the period of validity of the consent to leave and the signature.

Where to apply for a visa to Croatia?

St. Petersburg, st. Bolshaya Raznochinnaya, 16A (entrance from Chkalovsky Prospekt, 7), 2nd floor Ekaterinburg, st. Kuibysheva 44D, 2nd floor, business hotel "Panorama" (entrance from Belinsky Street) Kaliningrad, 1812 Goda Street, 126 Murmansk, st. Karl Liebknechta, 13 Novosibirsk, st. Chelyuskintsev, 15b Omsk, st. Frunze, 1, koprus 4, room 713-713 A Vladivostok, st. Okeansky Avenue, 17, office 601 Khabarovsk, st. Istomina, 22A, 1st floor Ufa, st. Chernyshevsky, 82 Irkutsk, st. Sverdlova, 10, 2nd floor Krasnoyarsk, st. Maerchaka, 16 Moscow, st. Dubininskaya, 35 Moscow, st. Ostozhenka, 23 Moscow, st. Korobeinikov lane, 16 building 1

You need to apply for a visa no earlier than 3 months before your planned trip.

You can also obtain a tourist visa through any agency accredited by the embassy.

Conclusion

Citizens of the Russian Federation and Ukraine will be able to obtain a Croatian tourist multiple visa for six months, while their stay in Croatia is limited to 90 days. On average, standard paperwork takes 5-10 business days. In some cases, you may be required to provide additional documents or a personal visit to the embassy.

Croatia is the pearl of the Adriatic with luxurious wildlife and almost European service. The country enjoys well-deserved success among both residents of Western Europe and the population of the CIS - both of them, in addition to natural beauty, are attracted by reasonable prices for rental housing, a clean sea and a lot of attractions.
You can save a lot on your trip by planning your trip to Croatia yourself.

To travel to Croatia for citizens of Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan with a valid passport no need to obtain a visa ( visa required from July 1, 2013) . This applies to those travelers who do not plan to stay in the country for more than 90 days or who intend to transit Croatia. The suspension of the regular visa regime in the country begins from the beginning of April until the end of October. Just around this time, tourists begin to “catch up” in the country, and the abolition of visas for this period contributes to the replenishment of government. treasury of Croatia.

You can enter the country if you have:

• international passports
• invitation/rental agreement from the owner of the apartment or if you have a voucher from the hotel. This document contains the tourist’s data, information about the owner, the address of the apartment or hotel, and also indicates the period for which the owner of the property is ready to accept vacationers. Such documents are drawn up in official form and must be notarized.

For citizens who have a double or multiple entry visa type “C” or a Schengen visa type “D”, as well as anyone who has permission to reside in any of the Schengen countries, a visa is not required to travel to Croatia or transit through the country throughout the year. But at the same time, all these visas and permits must have a validity period that is valid until the end of your stay in Croatia.

Often trips to Croatia include transit passage through the territory of Poland. In this case, it is often enough to present proof of reservation in the destination country at the border with Poland if you do not plan to spend the night in Poland. If an overnight stay is planned, then in addition there must be confirmation from a hotel in Poland about the reservation and prepayment in the amount of 50% of the cost. By the way, the reservation must also be paid for at least 50%.

Border and customs control at the border crossing will definitely check your passport. In addition to visas, they will also look at the validity period of the “red passport”, which should expire no earlier than the end of the trip. In this case, it is possible for the passport to expire on the same day as the end of the trip, but not earlier.

Information on visas on the official website of the Croatian Embassy.

How to get to Croatia.

You can book tickets to Croatia from various travel companies; from the beginning of June, during the summer period, there are many charter flights to Croatia. Many charters are represented by the services allcharter.ru or davs.ru, and on many other similar ones. Regular flights to Pula or Split are, of course, more expensive, but more comfortable. If you wish, you can get to Croatia by your own car, and for those who like to relax and travel without haste, you can choose comfortable trains passing through the Czech Republic and Austria.

How to choose accommodation in Croatia

Of course, in Croatia you can stay in familiar hotels, especially if your trip is short and you plan to take a break from cooking and cleaning.

The most inexpensive housing option is, of course, renting a room. This is convenient for young couples without children who do not require a lot of space. A more convenient rental option is apartments.

When choosing a home carefully consider offers of housing “by the sea”. Many people believe that a house near the sea is an ideal option so that you don’t have to walk far. But in Croatia, the terrain has such features that a house near the sea can be very close to the sea, but very far from a normal beach. Therefore, it is better to carefully read the offers and look for housing near the beach or promenade, but not near the sea.

How to book accommodation in Croatia

Book accommodation in Croatia possible by bank transfer in the amount of 20% of the cost. Additionally, the cost of document preparation, notarization and the cost of postal translation of invitations are paid. The amount you transfer is considered a guarantee that you will definitely arrive, and in case of refusal it cannot be returned. Since a registered letter can take about 3 weeks, it is better to take care of booking accommodation for your holiday in advance. Otherwise, you will have to use express mail services, which is significantly more expensive.

If the reservation includes accommodation for more than seven days, which is considered a long period of stay in Croatia, clients can count on discounts. Usually the size of the discount is negotiated additionally with the owners of the room or apartment, but in general you can get a discount of 5 to 10%.

Upon arrival in Croatia, many tourists require a transfer from the airport to their accommodation. Many owners additionally stipulate such a service. But not all apartment owners can offer it, so if a transfer is not specified in the rental advertisement, check the possibility of providing the service in advance.

When is the best time to visit Croatia?

And finally, I would like to note the ideal time to travel to Croatia on your own. If you like to visit the country and get acquainted with its sights, learn about history, go on excursions or make independent excursions, it is best to go on vacation in May, September or June. This period is perfect for older people, as well as for traveling with children.

The fact is that it is at this time of year that Croatia maintains a comfortable warm temperature, the sun is still or no longer too active, but it is no longer cold outside. True, in May the water in the sea is still quite cold, so not everyone will want to swim, this must be taken into account. Although, there are fans of this particular sea temperature, so many come at this time to swim in the cool, invigorating water. In May, the water temperature is approximately 22-23 degrees. For those who like to swim in the sea, appreciate diving or simply the opportunity to snorkel underwater, as well as those who like to lie under the hot sun, it is best to come to Croatia in July-August. During this period, the air temperature here reaches 30 degrees, and the sea temperature is noted at 25 degrees. But there’s not much to do with excursions in such heat, and there’s no desire to make independent outings anywhere during the day.

I talked about my first trip to Croatia and how I had a dream to travel around Croatia by car.

Dreams come true - this is not only Gazprom’s slogan, but mine too, may they forgive me for plagiarism. And in most cases, we ourselves take certain steps to implement them.

A few years later, a whole chain of events brought me here again, and... with a loved one, who also had a driver’s license (honestly, this was not a determining criterion, rather a pleasant bonus!).

Implement road trip around Croatia can be done in two ways:

• By your car. If you can easily endure long journeys and are not limited by travel time (or not very limited), you can go in your own car. The advantages are obvious - you travel in a car that you know well and are used to, and you save the cost of rent and air travel, although you spend more on gasoline. Travel time, if you count from Moscow, will take you on average 3 days one way, but you have the opportunity to see several countries along the way: Belarus, Poland, and then, depending on the route, Germany, Austria, Hungary.

An example of a route from Moscow to Croatia by car:

Sometimes Google Maps also offers a third option - through Germany. It’s a little longer, but if you switch to it, you’ll see that there’s a little less road work on it, which means there’s less risk of getting stuck in a traffic jam, and with this option you’ll also be able to see Germany and stay overnight, for example, in Dresden.

You can vary your routes - no one is stopping you from heading to Prague after Dresden and staying there for a day, then stopping in Salzburg or Vienna of your choice, and then heading to Croatia. When traveling by car, you can also stop in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, and also explore the Plitvice Lakes– in terms of travel logistics, it will be more convenient than then going to the lakes from the coast and returning back. Or you can plan Plitvice on the way back, many write that they are well worth two days, so you can plan to spend the night there and have a good time walking around the reserve - in my personal rating, this is perhaps one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

But still, this option, in my opinion, can be chosen if the vacation lasts at least three weeks, which is not always possible.

Therefore, the most common way is to fly to your destination country by plane and rent a car.

This time we were able to escape to Croatia for only 10 days, so we rented a car on the spot. In addition, I managed to buy a ticket to Split on a special offer from S7 airlines for only 9 thousand rubles round trip. My companion (it just so happened that we took tickets separately) cost 15 thousand roundtrip, but, as it turned out, he got business class as part of the promotion.

There were no problems getting a car at the airport, and soon after landing we were driving along the beautiful road along the Adriatic Sea from Split to the village of Baska Voda, which I had fallen in love with from a previous visit.

The famous Vrulja Bay at the entrance to the village of Brela

Since this article is dedicated specifically to road trips, I will not dwell on the details of booking apartments in Croatia (you can read about this in), but will simply tell you where we went.

Our routine was mostly like this: day - beach, day - trips. First of all, we went to the nearest town – Makarska. From Baska Voda it is 15 minutes away, we can say, if we draw parallels with our urban planning, that Makarska is something like a regional center. Accordingly, there are more large shops and hotels, and a greater choice of evening entertainment.

Makarska, mountains and pine trees

Square in Makarska

Among the attractions in Makarska, the Franciscan monastery of the 15th century stands out.

Like most Croatian cities, it has its own old town with its narrow shady streets, sandwiched between traditional Croatian stone houses, with clotheslines stretched between the windows of the upper floors, cobblestones on the pavement, shutters made of old dark wood.

As Wikipedia tells us, Cape St. Petra divides the coast within the city of Makarska into two bays. In the eastern bay, from Cape St. Petra to Cape Osejava there is a port and yacht piers, while the western one is a resort recreation area with beaches, along which stretches the long promenade Marineta with hotels, cafes and shops.

I like Makarska, it’s really good to stroll there, look at the yachts, go shopping, but for relaxation, so to speak, basic accommodation, if we consider Central Dalmatia, I would still choose Baska Voda or its neighboring Brela, with their long promenade ( one village smoothly flows into another, so it’s difficult to understand where one ends and the other begins, so there are more than enough options for walking), lush pine trees hanging over the very edge of the sea, surrounded by bright flowering bushes, neat villas with orange tiled roofs and beautiful beaches, marked with the Blue Flag.

Baska Voda at sunset

The second foray was further away - to Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is a fairy tale city, a city of legend. For those in the know, this is where most of “Game of Thrones” was filmed; there are indeed landscapes and architecture there that seem to have come straight out of the pictures of a medieval novel, smoothly turning into fantasy. Dubrovnik is included by UNESCO in the top three most beautiful cities - monuments of Renaissance Europe, along with Venice and Amsterdam.

Rooftops of Dubrovnik

You need to plan a whole day for Dubrovnik, since you can spend quite a lot of time there, plus travel time.

And don’t forget to take your international passport with you when you go to Dubrovnik - after all, the route runs through Bosnia and Herzegovina, that is, you will first have to leave Croatia, and then enter again. Those. in one round trip you cross the state border four times. As a rule, no problems arise with this. In a number of cases, we simply waved our passports in front of the border guard, and once or twice our passports were picked up for a quick look. Entry into Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently visa-free for residents of the Russian Federation. The road, as can be seen on the map, runs along the sea, and the views will always be such that it is impossible to resist the desire to stop and take photos. In addition, from time to time on your way there will be secluded bays with clear water of extraordinary beauty, so that from the road you can see every pebble on the bottom, so, most likely, you will want to stop and swim, at least once during the journey. Take this into account when calculating your travel time. For example, we stopped at such a stunning place with clear water and refreshed ourselves there before continuing our journey.

Closer to Dubrovnik, you will be able to see an interesting picture - a lot of barrels floating in the water, not floating chaotically, but in orderly rows, that is, clearly fixed in one place. This is the famous oyster farm in the town of Stone, and you can definitely go there to enjoy some fresh oysters.

We also passed such an interesting valley, dug out by obviously artificial canals filled with water - we couldn’t help but stop to take a photo.

In Dubrovnik, leave your car in a parking lot, as close to the Old Town as possible. We chose the first one we came across, simply followed the “P” signs, focusing on the map in the navigator, and then continued on foot. Be sure to stroll through the streets of the Old Town and climb the fortress wall that surrounds it. It will take about an hour to completely go through the entire wall, according to my feelings, they definitely didn’t time it. From the wall you will look at the city, admire the beautiful panorama of the sea and the harbor with many different types of water transport: boats, beautiful yachts, sailboats, cruise ships... the view of the harbor definitely resembles an illustration from a book about pirates, and in general the feeling that you are somewhere... then in a fairy tale, it didn’t let me go the whole time I walked.

Back to reality: don’t forget hats and protective cream when planning to walk along the fortress wall.

We didn’t spend the night in Dubrovnik, but I think it would be nice: I can imagine how beautiful the city is in the evening, when the crowds of tourists have left. But we, having walked around to our heart’s content and taken photographs, decided to return to our almost native Baska Voda.

On the way to Dubrovnik or back, you can stop by the beautiful city of Mostar, located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, or you can plan a separate trip there.

Mostar (the name of the city translates as “Old Bridge”) is located on both banks of the Neretva River. Its main attraction is the Old Bridge over the Neretva, which connects the two parts of the city, and, in fact, gave it its name. The bridge was built by the Ottoman Turks in 1566 and is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. But during the war in 1993, it was completely destroyed (and the entire city was seriously damaged; many houses, as a memory of those tragic events, still have traces of firefights and bombings) and restored in 2004, and during the restoration they tried to use the original material as much as possible, for which many blocks of the destroyed bridge were raised from the bottom of the Neretva. Now it is a symbol of the country's return to peaceful life. Also noteworthy in the city are ancient houses in the Ottoman style, Plaza de España (city center), an ancient mosque, a Franciscan church and an Orthodox cathedral, which was also damaged during the war, but is to be restored in the near future (perhaps some work is already underway) .

My next stories will be about what other cities and attractions we visited while traveling around Croatia by car - subscribe to updates on the site using the “subscribe” button on the main page of the site or our

Inexpensive, have a comfortable and rich vacation and, at the same time, spend as little money as possible.

Choosing economical housing in Croatia

The first thing you should decide on is whether to book a private apartment or a hotel? Here my recommendation is definitely apartments. Any, even the worst Croatian hotel in the season costs at least 100 euros/day for two, and often much more, while a completely comfortable apartment located within walking distance from the sea will cost 35 - 50 euros. And if we are talking about campaigns of 4-8 people or families with children, the mathematics speaks even more clearly in favor of apartments.

Those who believe that the cost of apartments is lower than hotels due to the availability of food in the latter are greatly mistaken. But more on that below.

The next important point in terms of savings is to decide on the key priorities when choosing a specific apartment.

What, in my opinion, can be easily neglected: sea view, “European-quality renovation” and modern furniture, availability LCD -TV, etc.

Remember - you are going on vacation, i.e. walk, swim in the sea, see the sights and get other pleasures from visiting Croatia. You only need the apartment to spend the night. And nothing more!

If you have chosen an interesting place for your vacation, where there is a colorful old town, various beaches, parks, bicycle paths, many cute cafes, etc. - you will regret every extra minute spent in the apartment. Life in Croatia takes place on the streets, even the locals are convinced of this.

What should not be neglected:

• Location of housing. If you do not have a car, the apartment should be located no more than 1.5 kilometers from the sea and the old city. Moreover, it’s great if your path to the beach does not lie along a highway open to the sun, but in the shade of the park’s trees. At the same time, there is absolutely no need to strive to settle as close to the sea as possible. A short walk to the beach will save you a lot of money and be a lot of fun at the same time.
• The house where the apartments are located should be located in a quiet, green area, on a not very busy street, ideally adjacent to a park. It is advisable that the owners have a shady garden with a grill, a table and chairs for a picnic. However, this is not for everyone. The main thing is that the house does not turn out to be a multi-story anthill located at the crossroads of the main highways of the city.

When is the best time to go on holiday to Croatia?

If you want to come to Croatia in July-August, be prepared to pay 20-30 or even 50% more for housing than in May-June or September.

Many people think that July and August are in such demand in Croatia because only these months are hot and the sea warms up. This is absolutely not true! In this regard, June and September are actually not inferior to the peak season.

The real reason for the high cost of July and August is not the weather, but the maximum influx of Italians, who at this time have long summer holidays at most enterprises. In Germany, 80% of employers also prefer to let employees go on vacation in the middle of summer. Accordingly, Croatian tourist accommodation is filled to capacity, and at any price.

If you want to save a lot, come in June or September.

Food costs in Croatia

Many ladies I respect often reject private apartments with horror for fear of being chained to the kitchen stove while on vacation. I will try to dispel this fear. A kitchen in an apartment is a big plus!

It's important to understand how to properly take advantage of this benefit, which, if done correctly, can save you a lot of money and won't take away your precious vacation time.

Breakfast. The hotel's classic breakfast consists of various types of cheeses, sausages, ham, boiled eggs, yoghurts and juices. Moreover, it is quite expensive!

If you spend just a little time buying all this yourself in the store, and then take it out of the refrigerator in your apartment in the morning, you will save a tidy sum.

Frying eggs, boiling sausages, slicing cheese and bread will take you no more than 15 minutes, and another 5 minutes will be spent cleaning and washing dishes. That's all.

Dinner. If you want to really save on food in Croatia and, at the same time, be full and satisfied, choose the right dishes on the menu of local restaurants.

Optimal for a hearty daytime snack - pizza, squid, cevapcici, pleskavica, bechka (Wiener schnitzel). They are very inexpensive. All this is quickly prepared, tasty and satisfying. Your children will definitely be delighted.

Dinner. This is the most expensive component of an independent holiday. You can save as much as possible on dinner only if you cook in your apartment yourself. And there's nothing terrible about that. Visit the local supermarket, buy a few pieces of fresh meat, visit the fishmonger, where the fish you choose will be cleaned right away for free. Come to the apartment, throw meat or fish in a frying pan - 10 minutes and a delicious dinner is ready. Moreover, a minimum of money will be spent. Remember, your favorite Croatian wines, meats, fish, cheeses, prosciutto are several times cheaper in the store than in a restaurant. At the same time, there is no need to look for a free table, wait for a waiter, delve into an incomprehensible menu, etc.

I don’t even want to talk about the quality of the buffet in hotels - it is absolutely not comparable with the excellent products that you can prepare for yourself or the cuisine of private restaurants.

If you want to dine at a restaurant without spending a lot of money, be careful when choosing dishes:

• Don't order bottled wine. It is always very expensive. Take half a liter of draft wine in a decanter, which in most cases is no worse in quality than bottled wine.
• You should not order a “mixed fish (or meat) plate.” Firstly, it is expensive, and secondly, you will overeat. You will feel sick from eating so much.
• Do not take shrimp, white fish (orada, branzina, flounder, monkfish, etc.) - these are very expensive. It’s better to buy it at a fishmonger and fry it yourself. This can be done on the same grill in the garden of your apartment. It will turn out even tastier.
• Don't order steaks - this is one of the most expensive dishes in restaurants.
• In the restaurant you can order delicious and inexpensive dishes for dinner - various types of “pasta” (pasta), risotto, mussels, fried sardines, deep-fried or grilled squid, cevapa, ombalo, etc.

When buying food in stores, be sure to pay attention to the “discount” and “promotion” signs. All Croats do this. Don't be afraid to get poisoned! Selling stale and expired products is not accepted here.

With the right approach, you will spend no more than 50 euros on food per day for a family of 2-3 people, and even less if you wish.

For example, we are a family of 4 people, permanently living in Rovinj, and we spend on average about 120 kuna per day (about 15 euros) on groceries.

Transfer in Croatia

If you want to pay a reasonable amount for a transfer from the airport to your apartment, book it in advance with private carriers or your host agency rather than taking a taxi upon arrival. This way you will save 30-50% of the cost of the trip.

If you organize your vacation correctly, optimize costs, giving up unnecessary frills, then you will probably have money left over for a couple of excursions, with which your trip to Croatia will be filled with additional positive things and will leave the most vivid impressions in your memory.

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 on the Adriatic coast a temperate continental climate zone has been established. In the mountainous regions of Croatia, winter is more severe and longer. The best time for a holiday in Croatia is considered to be May-October.

More than 90% of the country's population are Croats. There is a small percentage of immigrants from Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary and Macedonia. The official language of the country is 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) in 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 healing mineral springs, which, combined with clean air and green forests, make this place 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 through the Budapest air gate ( 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 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 must obtain 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, but locals also like to treat themselves to meat. The signature dish of 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 of 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) – the state currency of Croatia. In addition to banks, exchange offices and hotels, currency and travel checks can be exchanged at the Croatia Tourist travel agency ( 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 foreign currency 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 are also a common method of payment throughout the country.

If a one-time purchase of 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 recommend visiting tourist sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The oldest city in Dalmatia, Dubrovnik, located on the Adriatic coast, is a must-see for every traveler. Historical center 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) the architectural complex Euphrasian Basilica was erected ( 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 the natural site of Croatia - the Starigrad Plain (Starigradsky plain), which is located on the island of Hvar ( Hvar Island).

The resort town of 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. The main shopping street, Ilica, begins from the central square of the city. (Ilitsa street). For souvenirs, it is better to go to shopping centers in 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 the Croatian sailors “Morcic” will be an excellent reminder of their 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.

They will remind you of your holiday 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” (ceramic vessel in the shape of a dove) and a souvenir in the form of the “Baščanska Plate” (the oldest monument of the 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.

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