18 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Visiting Croatia
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- Опубликовано: 6 мар 2024
- These 18 tips to know before visiting Croatia are what I wish I knew before my trip to Croatia. Hopefully these travel tips will help you from making some of my mistakes when traveling through Croatia!
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Bro said to visit inland Croatia and barely scratched the inland. We got a big city more inland, Osijek, but also Zagorje, Slavonija and Baranja as well as other places are beautiful
So true. I can't wait to get back and explore more! Thanks for the recommendations :)
Actually, all the places you mentioned in the video have pros and cons.. Split, if you know where to look has amazing sites. Diocletian's palace is just one. you also have Klis Fortress, you have the ruins of Roman city of Salona (Roman theater, Forum, baths, amphitheater, aqueduct and more), also early middle ages structures and ruins of churches, some as old as 1200 years.. Museums are filed with Roman and medieval artifacts. someone with interest in history, architecture, art would spend weeks exploring the town and its surround area. I know this and I don't even live on the coast or anywhere near Split. Locals now far more.. Split is a town over 1400 years old. Where ever you go you can see something unique.
Appreciate you sharing this! I'll have to check some of those out during my next visit :)
Klis and Solin aren't part of Split and aren't that great. Some nice places in Split that are slightly less touristy would be Marjan, Meje, and every beach other than Bačvice. But all of Split has a problem with tourists in the summer, it is completely overrun and much better to visit in June or September.
Honestly, this is still just visiting most popular spots in Croatia (missing on Istria for list to be complete). But hey, I shouldn't complain, it's better all tourists visit these hot spots rather than experiencing actual Croatia. Leaves more space and enjoyment for locals
Definitely a lot of places to still explore and include in future videos 😃
@@camdendavid Inland Croatia is a spectacle in its own. Hundreds of castles, swamps, even a desert! And most spectacular food you will ever come across. When in Croatia- do the stories! There is a legend, significance, myth and symbol under every single rock you see. There are fair maidens skeletons in castle walls, there are pirate caves turned to forts, graves without bodies, there are mummies in churches, soups made of wine, 2000 years old recipes and public transportation remains of the same age, the oldest permanently settled city of Europe.... do the stories and see how experience goes profound.
Just came across your channel yesterday. You do a great job, keep it up 👍
Much appreciated! Welcome to the community :)
I agree - great clear consise delivery of info.
I'm looking at more of your vlogs now
Much appreciated! The vlogs were an interesting time haha
I suggest to visit town Knin, Game of Throne is filmed there and famous Netflix series "Serbian Truck Rides through the Storm".
Will add it to my list - Thanks!
Happy to hear you mention my hometown Zadar!
You have a lovely hometown :)
Pronunciation of place names was driving me crazy
Zadar was my husband’s favorite and Plitvice was my favorite.
Both great places :)
Good job David 👍
Much appreciated 😃
lol i used that car rental you pasted and showed to my husband ,he was like ,no no that is too expensive,wait ,that's for 11 days?Thats cheap af :D Thanks for the link! We going to visit my folks in June.
Hahah that's great! Hope you have a great visit :)
Some constructive feedback for you on your video. But, first a little background about me, so you will understand a bit more about me and where this feedback is coming from. I am USA born, of Croatian descent … both of my parents were born and raised in Croatia and came to the USA in the 1960’s. I have a lot of family in Croatia who I actively keep in touch with. I try to visit and vacation in Croatia as often as possible. Started going as a child and would stay with grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc. In my adult life, I love to explore and see different places I have not been to yet. However, seeing family is a must and certain locations are always a must too. I speak, read, and write English and Croatian fluently. My English is better than my Croatian, but it’s pretty darn good. 😊. Ok so my feedback for you …
1) I love that you loved it so much to choose it as your wedding location. Went to two family weddings in Croatia last year (Dubrovnik & Opatija) and they were both amazing!
2) a little criticism for you - as you say the names of places, please first learn how to properly say them. You’re not pronouncing any of them correctly. It’s a pet peeve for me when someone does a video, but doesn’t get the names correct … suggestion - practice each one with someone with a native tongue until they give you the thumbs up … or even with someone who’s not a native, but speaks like one (like me for example). Zadar, Plitvice, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Dubrovnik, Split .. all pronounced incorrectly. You did get Krka right. 😊
3) Plitvice - it’s a UNESCO site … not just a bunch of lakes. And, the waterfalls there are super amazing as well! Definitely not to be missed. If you haven’t been to nearby Rastoke, check that out as well. Much smaller along the Korana River, smaller waterfalls, windmill, in a cozy small town … that’s authentic to how locals really live. My parents are from this part of Croatia, so both Plitvice Lakes (Plitvičke Jezere) and Rastoke, hold a very special place in my heart. ❤️
4) AirBNB’s - yes, they are wonderful and relatively inexpensive. However, not called AirBNB’s there .. look for “Sobe” which translates to rooms in English. There are other words used for rentals as well … Njuškalo.hr - this website is a great source of info for housing.
4) Zadar vs Split - even though I personally agree with you and favor Zadar myself between the two, they are just very different and really should not be compared or used in an either/or scenario. Zadar is also full of tourists, especially where the mentioned sea organ is. It is also one of the main “Lukas” (ports). Anywhere along the coast, you’ll see Ships, yachts, boats of all sizes … Split, yes, is a larger port and 2nd largest city in Croatia overall, however. It is wrong to label Zadar as “non-touristy”. The last yacht tour I did left out of Zadar for example, and there was a large commercial cruise line in port with almost 4,000 passengers that were roaming Zadar while in port. Anywhere a cruise ship docks, or yacht tours begin, end, or stop at, is a tourist attraction!
5) Zagreb - can’t disagree more about it being non-touristy … as the largest city in Croatia with the busiest airport, many come to Croatia through Zagreb. And, they stay at least a day or two or more to explore. Christmas time (advent season) as well, the Christmas markets are rated amongst the best in Europe and people from all over flock to Zagreb. It has grown a lot since my younger years and become over commercialized too .. old Zagreb vs new Zagreb .. very different in feeling … fast food chains everywhere too with choices of all cuisines from around the world, that it now feels like an international melting pot (similar to how it is in the USA). It does not at all feel like it did when I used to go there as a child into my early 20’s (I’m now in my 50’s) … it has changed a lot and has become a lot more progressive.
6) staying closer to downtown areas - personally again, I could not disagree more. I like staying farther away, where the locals truly live and go to beaches or do things inland … don’t want to be in the hustle and bustle of it all. I am technically a tourist myself, however, with ethnic roots and ties to Croatia, I don’t feel that way when I am there. I feel I am with my people and want to live and do things where my people are doing them. I can spot a tourist in a split second, and they are everywhere in all the major cities and ports and mot popular places to visit. No thank you for me. Although, I do completely know and understand that Tourism is extremely important for Croatia’s GDP, however, it was much nicer when it was less congested in these areas, relatively unknown, and in its true original and pristine condition. Even though it is still beautiful and looks pristine to the typical tourist who visit, for someone like me who has seen it evolve over many years of time, it is no longer the best kept secret gem anymore … everyone is flocking to it now. I pray it never loses its true authenticity, but I do fear it will happen as the years continue to go by. 🙏🏻
Overall though, despite my constructive criticism, it was nice to hear your love for Croatia! ❤️
(Excuse any typos - not proofreading before hitting the comment button).
I really appreciate you taking the time to share all this in a thoughtful way! You make some excellent points and I always love hearing different perspectives (that's how we all learn). Hope to see you in the comment section in the future! Hvala :)
I'm in Italy at the moment but plan a 2 week trip to Croatia. Your video will help. I tend to travel like you do. 23 countries and never in a resort.
Glad to hear it :)
One more piece of advice regarding travel within Croatia .. yes, trains are awful. Buses are much better. Car rentals are good too and can see more, as you mentioned. You forgot to mention taking boats or ferries along the coastal towns or to and from islands. Also, Croatia has many airports and none of them are big like in the USA and are every easy to navigate. I have flown from Dubrovnik to Rijeka for example, or from Zagreb to Split, just to move around faster when I’be had a time crunch or not enough days to drive around from one place to the next … and honestly, was less expensive to do that and Uber in towns I stayed in, than to pay for a car rental. Flying within the country is a great option (or even to Ljubljana for example).
Šibenik is also underrated. Beautiful city!
Adding it to my list!
@@camdendavid you will love it!😉
@@camdendavidmy family is from Sibenik! It’s gorgeous and right by Murter, which is a cute coastal town right by the Kornati islands.
@@sucha0000 No it isn't. It's a treasonus sesspool. Best to avoid it at all costs.
Hi! Planning a trip to Croatia with my wife, and appreciate this clear and informative video! Would like your 0.02 cents on where to stay as a "homebase" for day trips to the places that you mentioned. Appreciate any recs you have.
Hmm, that's a great question. I'm not a huge fan of Split but it's probably the best in terms of location. Compared to other spots, it'll give you easier access to most of the places I mentioned. Split also has an airport, so it gives you some flexibility when choosing how to get around. How long do you plan to stay and what type of transportation do you prefer to use?
Thanks for the response! We’re
Flexible on time (taking a gap year to travel from California 🙌🏽) and we’ll probably take you up on your recommendation to rent a car!
@@Nick-Cordero Hope you have a blast!
awesome thanx a lot
You got it!
There’s one small place that literally no one talks about. It’s called Požega. Also known as Vallis Aurea (Golden Valley). It’s located in the heart of Slavonija. Definitely recommend that beautiful place.
Thanks for this!
I just follow all of your suggestions
Excellent vid. I will def take some of these recommendations into account . Any advice on best months ? I’m currently planning to visit in July.
Edit: beginning of July (3rd through 14th)to be specific
There will be tons of folks there in July but that doesn't mean it won't be enjoyable. I think September/October are great months (still nice weather but far less tourists). Hope that helps and hope you have a great time!
@@camdendavid it does. And yes, I’ve been to Europe in July - always slammed with tourist lol. But unfortunately only time of year I can get the time off haha. Appreciate the 411 !
What about English, do they speak it in Zagreb (considering it is less touristy)?
Definitely less than on the coast but all of the young folks seemed to speak English. I stayed in Zagreb for a month and it was never much of an issue. Hope that helps!
Hello David!
Spent a week registering the drone in Croatia, bought insurance, submitted all the necessary documents to the CCAA and AMC, received the necessary certificates. Now I can fly.
How did you resolve the issue with permission to shoot videos from a drone?
It is not given to individuals, only to companies.
Great question and unfortunately my answer probably won't be very helpful. Rather than trying to navigate the drone regulations for each country, I've started licensing out footage from locals/companies who have drone shots of the places I'm talking about. Wish I could be more helpful!!
Hey bro ….can you tell me best nd eco friendly abroad trip from india ? Any 2-3 choices plss🥺
Hmmm, what exactly are you looking for in a destination?
Totally agree with you about Split. Love Zadar! Outlaw cruise ships on the Adriatic.
Game of Thrones was also filmed in Split, though?
This is true! Should have clarified about King's Landing being Dubrovnik based. Nice catch :)
Biggest tip to see Croatia, try to avoid July and August if you can.
Very true
👍👍
bro proffesional yapper
I’ll wear that title proud haha
what do u do that u can afford to live there for months>? do u have your own business?
That's a looonnnnggg answer my friend. But one that I'm planning to share in a video soon. Short answer -- I used to work remotely but now I'm spending 100% of my time on RUclips :)
@@camdendavid sounds amazing. I would appreciate it if you could share your experience or make a series regarding how you can afford and help others?
@@usujjwals You got it!
Please spell the names of places you recommend to visit.....I am visiting dubrovnik next week, and your talk could be much improved. David McCabe Dublin ireland
Will work on that David! Hope you have a great trip :)
But dont go to Dubrovnik during high season. To much tourists
Definitely lots of tourists in the high season
Best place in the world🇭🇷🇭🇷🇭🇷
Such a special place :)
My guy said Split is touristy but not dubrovnik
Haha I may have misrepresented what I meant. BOTH are definitely touristy but I feel like Dubrovnik is the more unique option and the one that shouldn't be missed :)
Don't go to Zadar or Split. Islands are your best bet. Makarska Riviera. Hvar, Korcula, Pula.
What about all of the above?
Why do you not recommend Zadar? Me and my boyfriend are gonna be staying there for a week next month. We definitely won’t stay there the whole time, there’s a lot more of the country we wanna see, but it is our base as we’ve booked our stay there.
@@rensvh98 Nothing special. You won't miss anything that you won't see elsewhere. The best thing to do is to rent a car and drive down the coast. You can stop in every town if you want. You don't need to sleep over in any of them. There is a road that goes literally along the coast of the Adriatic in most places it is above the towns with the road on the side of a mountain, and to your right, the sea, and between the road and the sea trees all the way down to the shore of the sea. And every few kms a small town. So that you can drive along this road all down the coast and if you want to go into any of the towns, you just turn off the road and go down the hill to the town. If you're interested in natural history, the mountain along the Adriatic is part of the Dinaric Alps, and the local people call it Velebit. Before the ice age ended, some 10,000 years ago, the massive European glacier ended at the edge of this mountain, right before a steep drop toward the Adriatic. During tens of thousands of years of the last ice age, this narrow little piece of land that you will be driving through, between the mountain and the sea, was the only habitable part in Europe, because the Adriatic has a warm current that comes from the Mediterranean sea and then cools as it passes over to the Italian side. It takes away all the garbage which is why the sea on the Croatian side is pristine. Anyways, because this was one of the only habitable places in Europe, the local population in Dalmatia all the way down to past Dubrovnik and into Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the oldest genetic heritage of Europe, they carry Y-haplo i lineage, which is the only indigenous DNA haplo in Europe, native to some 28,000 years ago, often referred to as "Western Hunter Gatherer." The genetic mutation for height in all Caucasian populations comes from this place - m-i270, see the Royal Society article "Mountain of Giants." And unsurprisingly therefore, the hunter-gatherer descended populations of this region are the tallest men in the world. Why do I mention this? I mention it because This is perhaps the single most underrated archaeological destination in all of Europe, but you won't find it precisely on the coast. You'll have to venture, if you're looking for something very interesting to do, rather than just walk around and eat ice cream, into Bosnia Herzegovina, town called Gabele, which has a number of totally off the beaten path archaeological sites that go back to the pre Greek period which you can tour before they become a tourist destination. The famous Bogumils, an ancient gnostic Christian sect, have burials and cemeteries in that region - which are still preserved and standing and nobody has looted or vandalized - they are from the 12th century. So rather than wasting your time in all the tourist traps, head down further south and go find the truly interesting parts. That is the oldest population of Europe and much of our genetic heritage comes from a small little place on the Neretva river and the people there live on the same stones as the ancients once lived. That's worth seeing. The klapa singers of Zadar - whatever
@@dt6822 I have never seen so much nonsense and blatant lying in my entire life. What is wrong with you?
Could not disagree more. Dubrovnik is a mess. So touristy and stinks. Sewers can’t handle the tourism. Split is great. Anyway…
Haha sounds like we see them in exact opposite ways. Thanks for sharing :)
Please. No more advertising. To many turists as it is.
Do you think there's a way to have a healthy balance of tourism?
@StreetEsportswhere do you stay in Croatia
Lol, their money it's literally you bread.
Jarane, 25 posto hrvatske GDP je iz turizam..
@@camdendavida huge tourist tax
Our experience in Croatia was disappointing. We found it to be expensive without offering much in return. The people we encountered seemed unhappy, possibly due to Croatia's recent inclusion in the EU. While the natural scenery, such as rivers and forests, was beautiful, similar landscapes can be found in many other countries
Sorry you had a poor experience there.. Hoping you have a better one during your next visit :)
No Osijek,Varaždin,Vinkovci,Rijeka,Pula? inland Croatia is not just Plitvice or Krka....there are so many gorgeous places to visit and some are even better than the coast. coast is so much overrated. sure,people love sun and sea and thats all great but we found it very boring. Croatia have hundreds of castles,fortresses and forts,numerous nature parks and reserves....40% of country is covered with forests. like national park Plitvice which is not just lakes but ancient forest...park is huge...and unlike Dalmatians who are thieves we wont rob you on the continent. you will get fair price of accommodation and for services.
Thank you for not liking Split. to prove my statement about their rude behavior and how dalmatians will rob you- rental of 2 bedroom apartment in Split cost 1200-2000 euros per month. while in the same time in Slavonia people will hold you like drop of water for that money per month. another words....you can rent apartment in Split for 1500 euros and in Slavonia you will get apartment and live like a king entire month.
So so much to explore in Croatia. Such a beautiful country with lovely people :)
I refuse to visit.
I suggest people read about WW-2.
?
Serbian genocide on bosniak, croatian and albanian people in ww2 and 1990s
You shack your head too much
yeah I'm like a bobblehead for some reason
Would you suggest booking ferries and excursions in advance? Also any suggestions on airports transfers? @camdendavid
I never booked anything in advance but it might be helpful to do so if you're traveling in the summer. And I used Uber for airport transfers and it was a breeze :) Hope that helps!
@@camdendavid thanks for the info, getting lots of contradictory advice through trip advisor about buses or transfer companies! We are going early June! Will that still be okay do you think? Sorry for the gazillion questions but would you recommend any local companies in dubrovnik or split?
Zagreb is so boring, nothing to see and do , you should be realistic about Zagreb and don’t mislead the people, soo ordinary city
Appreciate you sharing your perspective but I'd have to disagree. I stayed in Zagreb for a month and found plenty to do..
@@camdendavid can you elaborate more what exactly did you like about Zagreb? What is the most famous tourist attraction
@@tanjagak2097 Sure thing! I wouldn't say there's any "famous" attractions. But I really enjoyed visiting the Zagreb Cathedral, the Museum of Broken Relationships, the 80's Museum, the variety of markets, the Zagreb Rocket Attacks Memorial Center, learning about and walking through the Gric Tunnel, relaxing in the parks, and watching how locals live. Also plenty of great day trips from Zagreb. Probably not the place for tourists who are looking for "big" attractions but I loved getting to learn about the culture and felt it offered a unique to experience this without the typical tourism infrastructure you find in most European cities. Hope that all makes sense!
@@camdendavid ok, so basically nothing special as I said, just nice relaxed mid-sized city, and yes there are plenty of those kind of cities in Europe. I am not talking about capitals cities but just less famous cities throughout the Europe, where people just live in but there are nothing special. You are not from Europe so you probably don’t know much about other European cities
@@tanjagak2097 It was special for me :)