So, you travel to Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik made it to your travel list? I know, it’s popular on everyone’s these days.
Dubrovnik is a compact coastal city and one of Croatia’s best-known destinations. Dubrovnik can be surely called one of the most fascinating cities in Croatia. Travelers are never fully prepared for the unusual cultural details that guidebooks never mention, so here are some tips you gotta know before your well-planned trip here.
Visas & Entry Requirements
Croatia is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Area. Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality and the length and purpose of your stay. Before travelling, check the latest requirements through an official Croatian government or European Union website.
Health
We recommend you make sure you are covered for healthcare at all times in Croatia. This section provides information on the Croatian health system, doctors, hospitals and medical treatment. Things may not work the same way as at home – get informed in case you get ill.
How to get to Dubrovnik
Depending on where you start your trip, there are plenty of possibilities to travel to Dubrovnik.
If you choose to start your trip from Dubrovnik, check out flight from your home city. If you are starting your trip from some other place in Croatia, check out Croatia Airlines direct flights, or rent a car, take a bus or get your catamaran ticket with Jadrolinija and avoid all crowds at the border (depending what time of year are you traveling).
To and from Dubrovnik Airport
There’s a number of options for traveling to and from Dubrovnik Airport. Whatever option you take, make sure you look at the stunning coastal scenery during the transfer.
By airport shuttle bus
The official airport shuttle operates between Dubrovnik Airport and the city of Dubrovnik, with departures coordinated with flight arrivals and departures. A one-way ticket costs €10, while a return ticket costs €15. Children under the age of six travel free of charge. Tickets can be purchased online or at the airport.
Best time to travel to Dubrovnik
What is the best season to visit Croatia? It depends on what you want to do, of course, but for most purposes, the best time to visit is in late spring or early autumn followed by summer and lastly, winter.
By taxi or private transfer
Taxis are available directly outside Dubrovnik Airport. Prices vary depending on your destination, traffic and the service provider, so we recommend confirming the fare before starting your journey. For a more comfortable and stress-free arrival, you can also pre-book a private transfer.
Pre-booking
Safe travels are best travels, even for a short distance. You can fully rely on Laus travel and do pre-booking with them.
July and August are the most exciting times to visit as the weather is beach-perfect and the festival season is in full swing. Summer crowds can put people off, however. The absolute best time to visit Croatia–when crowds are smaller, the weather is ideal and ferries to the islands are still frequent- is May, June or September. If you are winter lover and love Europe during the holidays, you’ve likely experienced the joy of open-air Christmas markets on the main squares and streets. And Dubrovnik (thought no winter wonderland with its 18 Celsius (65 F) and snow cannon) does not disappoint.
Currency & Payments
Croatia’s official currency is the euro (€). Croatia joined the euro area on 1 January 2023, replacing the Croatian kuna.
Credit and debit cards are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops, although it is still useful to carry a small amount of cash for smaller purchases. If an ATM or card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency, select euros instead and check all displayed fees before confirming the transaction.
Credit Cards & ATMs
Major debit and credit cards are accepted in most hotels, restaurants and shops. ATM withdrawal fees vary depending on your bank, card provider and the ATM operator. Always check the displayed fee before confirming a withdrawal and select euros rather than conversion into your home currency.
Placing Calls
Calling from Croatia works pretty much the same as in any other country. Almost all foreign countries can be direct-dialed. However, international calls can be expensive.
International Calls
To dial abroad from Croatian phones, it is necessary to use the ’00’ prefix, followed by the country code. You should then remove the first 0 of the local phone number.
The country code for Croatia is 385. To call Croatian numbers from abroad, you should dial the area code without the first zero after the country code (for example 00 385 20 xxx xxxx if you are calling someone in Dubrovnik).
International calls from Croatia can be very expensive. For this reason, you might want to consider alternative international calling methods such as international calling cards or Voice over IP (VoIP) calls.
Important numbers
The European emergency number 112 can be called free of charge from any fixed or mobile phone in Croatia.
Police: 192
Fire Department: 193
Emergency Medical Service: 194
Maritime Search and Rescue: 195
Roadside Assistance: 1987
Power Supply
230 V, 50 Hz. Croatia uses European-style Type C and Type F plugs.
Water in Croatia
Tap water is safe to drink in all of Croatia.
One of the things to know before your travel to Dubrovnik is a couple of words in the native language. „Hvala“ (Thank you) and „Doviđenja“ (Goodbye, pronounced as do-vi-gen-ya). Being polite and respectful of the culture and traditions goes a long way in every country.