FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CROATIA Do I need a visa to visit Croatia? Traveling with a valid U.S. or Canadian passport entitles you to a three-month stay in Croatia, a visa is not needed. Further information on visa and other legal questions can be directed to: Diplomatic missions and consular offices of the Republic of Croatia abroad or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Croatia. Croatia has consular offices in both USA and Canada, for contact information please consult the official web pages: www.mvpei.hr American Embassy in Zagreb, Croatia: http://zagreb.usembassy.gov/ U.S. Embassy Zagreb 2 Thomas Jefferson Street 10010 Zagreb Telephone: 385 (1) 661-2200 Emergency After-Hours Telephone: 385 (1) 661-2400 Facsimile: 385 (1) 665-8933 E-mail: ZagrebACS@state.gov The U.S. Embassy Zagreb is located in the southern outskirts of Zagreb near the airport. Will I need an international driver’s license in Croatia? According to Croatian law, U.S. citizens visiting Croatia for tourism or business may use a U.S. driver's license for up to three months. U.S. citizens with an approved extended tourist visa or a permit for permanent residence may continue to use a U.S. driver's license for up to twelve months; however, a Croatian driver's license is required for stays longer than twelve months. A driver must be at least 23 years old and have a valid driver's license in order to rent a car. What is the official language in Croatia? The official language in Croatia is Croatian. English is widely spoken in tourist areas. What is Croatian currency? The official currency in Croatia is Kuna (1 Kuna = 100 Lipa). There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Lipa coins, 1, 2, 5 and 25 Kuna coins and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000 Kuna banknotes Foreign currency can be exchanged in banks, exchange offices, post offices and in the majority of tourist information offices, hotels and campsites. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the larger cities some banks are also open on Sundays. Credit cards (Eurocard / Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners) are accepted in almost all hotels, marinas, restaurants, shops and ATM machines. What is the power supply in Croatia? Power supply: 220 V, frequency: 50 Hz Can I drink tap water? Tap water is drinkable throughout Croatia. What are the public holidays in Croatia? 1 January - New Year’s Day 6 January - Epiphany Easter Sunday & Easter Monday 1 May - Labor Day Corpus Christi 22 June - Anti-Fascist Resistance Day 25 June - Statehood Day 5 August - Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day 15 August - Assumption Day 8 October - Independence Day 1 November - All Saints’ Day 25-26 December - Christmas Holidays What are shops and public services working hours? During the tourist season, most shops are open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on weekdays, and many are also open during the weekend. Public services and business offices generally work from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday to Friday. What is the high season and what is the low season in Croatia? High season: June to September Low season: January to March Shoulder season: October to December, April to May In which time zone is Croatia located? Croatia is located in the Central European time zone, i.e. six hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Daylight saving time starts at the end of March and lasts till the end of October. Are credit cards widely accepted? Most shops and restaurants do accept major credit cards; however, at open-air markets, most vendors will only take cash. It is good practice to ask upfront if the venue will take a credit card. Where can I find local or regional information regarding Croatia? This website offers an abundance of travel information, including links to regional and local Croatian tourist office web sites. Where can I find detailed maps of Croatia? Maps can be obtained from a local Tourist Information Office in Croatia upon your arrival. They are specialized in providing tourists with information on their city or town and on the surrounding area. What is the telephone code for Croatia +385 Where can I find information on ferry? Regular boats from several companies connect Croatia with Italy and Slovenia. Companies and routes arise, change or disappear from season to season; it’s important to check information carefully. Many routes are available only in summer and the schedules are usually not available until late spring. All of the boat-company offices in Split are located inside the ferry terminal. Jadrolinija (www.jadrolinija.hr); Rijeka (051-211 444; Riva 16 Croatia’s national boat line, runs car ferries from Ancona to Split (€44, 10 hours) and Zadar (€41, seven hours); a line from Bari to Dubrovnik (€44, eight hours); a year-round ferry from Pescara to Split (€44, 10 hours, twice weekly); and a summer ferry from Pescara to Hvar (€44, nine hours, once weekly). Prices are for deck passage; bringing a car costs an extra €57.50 and a basic couchette is €61. SEM (www.sem-marina.hr); Split (021-338 292; Gat Sv Duje); connects Ancona with Zadar and Split, continuing on to Stari Grad (Hvar). SNAV (www.snav.com); Split (021-322 252) has a fast car ferry that links Split with Pescara (€69, 4¾ hours) and Ancona (€63, 4½ hours), and Pescara with Hvar (€80, 3¼ hours). Sanmar (www.sanmar.it) handles the same route for a similar price. Venezia Lines (041-52 22 568; www.venezialines.com;) runs passenger boats from Venice to the following destinations once, twice or three times weekly, depending on the destination and the month: Pula (€54, three hours), Opatija (€57, four hours), Rovinj (€52, 3¾ hours) and Porec (€52 2½ hours). The company also covers other Istrian destinations and runs some routes from Rimini and Ravenna. Emilia Romagna Lines (www.emiliaromagnalines.it) is another company that has recently started running summer passenger boats from Italy to the Croatian coast for similar prices. Routes run from Ravenna, Cesenatico, Rimini and Pesaro to Rovinj, Poreč, Pula and Hvar. In Croatia, contact Jadroagent (052-210 431; jadroagent-pula@pu.t-com.hr; Riva 14) in Pula and Istra Line (info@istraline.hr) in Poreč for information and tickets on boats between Italy and Croatia. More information on Croatia Croatian National Tourist Office www.croatia.hr Croatia Airlines www.croatiaairlines.com Croatian Railways http://www.hznet.hr/Default.aspx?sec=282