Destination: Croatia

Odyssey travels by coach and occasionally uses local transport, including trains and ferries. Specifics are always outlined in your tour itinerary. Croatia is well-served by an extensive bus network, with bus services in almost every town and city. Ferries and catamarans are often the best way of getting around Croatia’s numerous islands off the coast. Train services are somewhat limited due to the mountainous landscape, with the country’s train network largely restricted to the country’s northern areas.

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses. On our long stay tours, during which you spend the length of the tour in a single location, we use serviced apartments.

Odyssey always engages local guides with regional knowledge to ensure an authentic experience during which you can learn as much as possible about the history and culture of places you visit.

Croatia lies on the Adriatic coast, and covers an area of 56,594 square kilometres. The topography of Croatia consists of flat plains to the east and north, and mountainous terrain towards the west and southern coast. Croatia is 1,777.3 kilometres long, with 1,246 islands and islets scattered across the coast, while Croatia’s highest point is Dinara mountain at 1,831 metres.

Croatia has a continental climate, with warm summers and cool winters. Seasonal precipitation can be high in some areas, so check the weather reports and prepare accordingly depending on when you intend to travel.

Croatia has 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You can view the official list of the sites here (https://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/hr). A few notable heritage sites include:

• Stećci Medieval Tombstone Graveyards, featuring elaborate carvings and gravestone decorations
• Stari Grad Plain, an agricultural and cultural landscape on the island.
• Hvar that preserves the agricultural practices of ancient Greek colonists from the 4th century BCE
• Diocletian’s Palace in Split, one of the best remaining sites of Roman architecture in the world

Numerous festivals and events dot the calendar in Croatia. The Festival of St Blaise has been held in Dubrovnik continously since the year 972 AD. Held in honour of Saint Blaise, the patron of Dubrovnik, the festival features costumed parades and relgious blessings as the people of Dubrovnik give thanks to Saint Blaise. One of Croatia’s more striking cultural events is the Moreška, a traditional sword dance performed on the island of Korčula. Featuring elaborate costumes and thrilling sword fights, the performances are themed around the battles between two warring kings over a veiled young woman. Other events include the mid-year Vinistra exhibition in Porec, which showcases the fine wines and spirits of the region, and the Pula Film Festival, which has screened films every year since 1954 at the iconic Roman ampitheatre of Pula (Pula Arena).

• A Traveller’s History of Croatia, by Benjamin Curtis
• Under a Croatian Sun, by Anthony Stancomb
• Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History, by Robert D. Kaplan
• A Taste of Croatia: Savoring the Food, People, and Traditions of Croatia’s Adriatic Coast, by Karen Evenden
• Running Away to Home, by Jennifer Wilson

Regional influences have a heavy bearing on Croatian food – Slavic, Hungarian and Turkish influences characterise food to the inland areas to the north and east, while Greek and Italian influences colour the seafood-heavy cuisine of the coastal Dalmatian and Istrian regions. Black risotto is a dish popular all over Croatia’s coastline; this Croatian take on risotto is made from rice, cuttlefish, onion, garlic, red wine, and olive oil, and is coloured black by cuttlefish ink. Other dishes from Croatia’s coastal regions include grilled fish, grilled sardines and octopus salad. Further inland, stews and soups are more commonly found, such as duvec, a hearty tomato and meat-based vegetable stew. Beverages popularly consumed in Croatia include beer, wine and rakija (fruit brandy), which comes in many different varieties.

Generally speaking, Croatia is safe to travel in, though always exercise common sense while travelling.

Whenever you travel overseas, it’s always wise to take an appropriate travel adaptor. Croatia’s electricity supply runs at 230V and 50Hz. Croatia uses both the Type C and Type F electric plugs, so make sure you have the right travel adaptor with you.