Live Your Best Lives
Croatia is located in southeastern Europe, in the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, across the Adriatic Sea from Italy.
Croatia's coastal areas enjoy a Mediterranean climate, while the inland areas gradually transition to a temperate continental climate. Generally speaking, it's warm year-round, and the best time to visit is from April to September. July and August are peak travel seasons, with spending prices in major cities rising significantly. The majority of tourists are Europeans and Americans, making Croatia a relatively niche destination for Chinese tourists. Therefore, traveling during the off-season can help you avoid the tourist crowds and offer better value for money.
Croatia is not a Schengen Area country. Chinese citizens holding ordinary private passports traveling to Croatia are required to apply for a Croatian visa in advance. Foreign citizens holding Schengen visas (double or multiple-entry visas), as well as national visas and residence permits for Bulgaria, Cyprus, and Romania, do not need to apply for a Croatian visa.
The official currency in Croatia is the Croatian Kuna (HRK), with the largest denomination being 1,000 Kuna. The exchange rate between the Croatian Kuna and the Chinese Yuan (RMB) is nearly 1:1. Major domestic banks do not exchange Croatian Kuna, so you'll need to first exchange it for Euros, US Dollars, British Pounds, and other currencies. Euros are recommended, as they offer the best exchange rates at local currency exchange shops. Although Croatia is a member of the European Union, it's not part of the Eurozone. While some hotels and restaurants accept Euros, their overall circulation is low. There are many ATMs in Croatia that accept UnionPay cards for cash withdrawals, making card payments very popular.
Croatia's overall consumption level is very low in Europe and cannot be compared with China's first- and second-tier cities. This is definitely good news for travelers.
City transportation: City transportation in major cities mainly relies on walking, buses, and taxis, but most city attractions are close to each other and can be reached on foot. For bus tickets, you can buy tickets directly from the driver.
Intercity transportation: mainly relies on long-distance buses. The departure time and frequency of long-distance buses vary greatly between peak and off-seasons, so it is best to go to the station to check the specific departure time.
Self-driving: Due to the unreliable nature of public transportation, self-driving is the preferred option for many travelers. Furthermore, Croatia boasts Route 8, hailed as one of the world's most beautiful seaside roads, with lush green mountains on one side and the azure Mediterranean on the other, passing countless charming towns along the way. Like China, Croatia has a left-hand drive system. Manual transmission cars are the most common rental vehicle in Europe, so if you require an automatic transmission, be sure to book in advance. We recommend choosing a major rental company like Europcar or Hertz, and opt for full coverage insurance.
Croatia has a wide internet network coverage, and most hotels offer free Wi-Fi or wired internet access. There are two ways to access the internet via mobile phone. If you're worried about missing calls, it's recommended to rent a portable Wi-Fi network in advance. If you don't mind changing your phone number and want to be alone, it's recommended to buy a local 7-day unlimited data SIM card for tourists for 85KN. These are easily available at TISAK newsstands in airports and major cities.
The official language is Croatian, but the popularity of English is increasing in Croatia. Most young people can communicate in English, and some older Croatians can speak Russian.
"If you want to see what heaven is like, go to Dubrovnik!" - George Bernard Shaw
If I were to rank the medieval towns in Europe, Dubrovnik would definitely be in the top 3 in my mind.
The azure blue of the Adriatic Coast hugs the sea of red-roofed buildings in Dubrovnik's Old Town. There is no other place like it in the world.
If there is one thing that travelers to Dubrovnik must do, it must be to climb the ancient city walls of Dubrovnik in the evening, slowly walk along the walls around the old town, and watch the glorious sunset over the Adriatic Sea dye the roofs of the old town red. The ancient times seem to stand still at this moment.
Even the Lonely Planet, the traveler's bible, selected it as the most worthwhile destination in Europe in 2017.
It has also appeared on many major recommendation lists. Croatia is still a niche travel destination for Chinese travelers.
The name Dubrovnik is a bit of a mouthful, but since the popularity of Game of Thrones in 2011, it has a new, more memorable and affectionate name: King's Landing.
From the Iron Throne to Pile Gate, you can easily capture the same scenery as in Game of Thrones. There are also many Game of Thrones-themed City Walks in the area, allowing you to spend half a day following a guide to visit each filming location.
If Croatia's southern coastal cities represent the country's "poetry and distance"
Then the inland city of Zagreb is full of the atmosphere of life.
Tourists who are looking forward to their trip may leave a comment saying "It's a bit boring" after a quick visit.
But if you calm down, you will find many interesting little corners here.
Everyone who comes to Zagreb will have the same feeling, this city is "coffee-flavored"
As the headquarters of European coffee culture, Zagreb people are more obsessed with coffee than Italians.
The coffee shops on the street are always crowded with people, chatting, reading, or even basking in the sun quietly while drinking coffee.
The pace here may seem a bit lazy, but they are serious about drinking coffee. No wonder fast food like Starbucks has a hard time surviving here.
For museum lovers, the Museum of Broken Relationships in Zagreb is a must-see.
There are thousands of collections from all over the world
A doll, a love letter, a pair of red high heels... Each one hides a true love story.
These stories are either heartbreaking or heartbreaking. Here you can truly feel that people in this world, despite their different cultures, religions, and educational backgrounds,
But "love" is always our common language——ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE
Many people choose to travel around Croatia by car. Part of the reason is that transportation between Croatian cities mainly relies on long-distance buses, and the departure times and frequencies of buses in the off-season and peak season are not fixed and vary greatly, which is a challenge for doing homework in advance. Another more important reason is that Croatia has Highway 8 (D8), which is known as "one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world"!
This highway was built in the 1960s, starting from Dubrovnik and heading north along the coastline of more than 200 kilometers. Imagine the lush green mountains on one side and the unparalleled blue Adriatic sea view on the other, passing through charming towns along the way, as if driving in a road movie.
Plitvice Lakes National Park, this name is so difficult to remember.
Let's change to Plitvice Lakes National Park. The entire national park is made up of sixteen lakes connected by countless waterfalls, hence the name Plitvice Lakes. The lakes themselves are connected by a series of stepped waterfalls. Isn't that much easier to remember?
Let's move on to something more down-to-earth—Europe's "Jiuzhaigou." What? I've heard of "East China's Santorini" and "Hubei's Semporna," but this is the first time I've heard of a foreign destination piggybacking on the popularity of a Chinese destination.
But to be honest, Plitvice Lakes National Park is indeed like a twin brother of Jiuzhaigou. Located in a karst landform area, the water presents various strange colors due to its rich minerals. If it happens to be autumn, this place seems to have become God's palette, making people reluctant to leave.
Zadar, an ancient Roman town located on the western coast of Croatia, is not as high-profile as other popular seaside resort cities. Quietness and comfort are the main themes here, and sunshine and waves are the masters here.
There are two things that must be mentioned in Zadar - the Wave Organ Square and "Greeting to the Sun".
The Sea Organ is a series of 70-meter-long waterfalls leading to the sea.
There are 35 pipes with different diameters and inclinations installed inside, which make sounds by the impact of sea breeze and waves.
The sea is its bellows and the waves are the musicians
It is a lullaby when the sea is calm and a symphony when the sea is stormy.
In the evening, I met up with a few friends to sit by the sea. The golden sunlight was warm but not dazzling.
Sprinkled on the sea, sparkling
Listen to the sea organ emit pleasant sounds
Sometimes gentle, sometimes low
This moment of tranquility is unforgettable
Located on the seaside promenade, Greeting to the Sun is composed of 300 layers of glass panels.
Collecting solar energy during the day and discharging it at night is enough to support the lighting system of the entire bay.
The colorful LED lights on the ground will change with the music at night, just like an "open-air disco", gorgeous and wonderful.
Both works are by local artist Nikola Basic. Thanks to his masterpiece, a concerto of nature is performed here every day.
