According to wholevehicles, Croatia is located in southeastern Europe on the Adriatic Sea. The country has become a popular summer holiday destination in recent years.
The area in and around Croatia has been inhabited for many tens of thousands of years. Several remains of this habitation can be found in the various museums in Croatia. In the fourth century BC, the Celts and the Greeks founded small settlements here for the first time and the first permanent habitation takes place here. A few centuries later, the Roman period began here, which would last until about the eighth century AD. The Amphitheater of Pula and the Palace of Diocletian were built during this period.
In the following centuries, the Kingdom of Croatia arose, which also included large parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The Hungarians then took over power in the country. This in turn led to a division in the country and the formation and split of the Republic of Ragusa. In the centuries that followed, Croatia remained under the rule of the Hungarians, but lost parts of present-day Bosnia to the Ottoman Empire.
After the First World War, Austria-Hungary fell apart, after which the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs arose, the basis for the later Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After the Second World War, Josip Broz Tito came to power here, turning Yugoslavia into a communist country. Unlike many other communist countries, Yugoslavia remained neutral during the Cold War.
In 1990 the first free elections were held here and one year later Croatia declared its independence at the same time as Slovenia. This was followed by a war known for its ethnic cleansing. In 1995, the Bosnian war ended with the signing of the Dayton Treaty.
After the end of the war, Croatia started rebuilding the country and relaunching the tourism industry. This has been quite successful because Croatia is now in the up to twenty most popular holiday destinations in Europe. It is mainly the coastal area with its many beautiful islands for which the tourists to Croatia go on holiday to go. Due to the many islands that lie off the coast, the seawater off the coast of Croatia is particularly calm. High waves are therefore rare here.
Sights
Although the country is especially popular as a summer sun destination, there is much more to see here than the beautiful Adriatic Sea and its islands. For example, the historic center of Dubrovnik in the extreme south of Croatia. The historic center of Split with Diocletian’s Palace. Croatia’s coastal towns were generally fairly spared during the war. As a result, much of the ancient history of the region has been preserved. Most of the old buildings have been restored to their former glory in places where destruction has taken place.
The Istrian peninsula in northern Croatia is known for its beautiful beaches and is therefore the most popular with tourists. On this peninsula is the town of Pula where the Amphitheater of Pula is located. This ancient Roman theater, along with several other Roman buildings, is the historical attraction of Istria.
Croatia is also known for its beautiful natural parks. The most famous of these is the Plitvice Lakes National Park. The park consists of sixteen lakes and more than ninety waterfalls. Wild bears and wolves can be found in this park. The Krka National Park, the Medvednica Nature Park and the Kornati National Park are known for their special flora and fauna. A popular ski resort is located near the Medvednica Nature Park, which is located in the hills near the capital Zagreb.
UNESCO
Croatia has a total of seven inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The first three were listed here in 1979. These included the old town of Dubrovnik, the historic complex of Split and the Plitvice Lakes National Park. It was not until eighteen years later that the Euphrasian Basilica in Poreč and the historic city of Trogir were added. In the year 2000, the Cathedral of St. James in Šibenik was added to the list. The plain near the town of Stari Grad on the island of Hvar has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2008.
Climate
Croatia has three climate types. In the coastal regions and on the various islands, the warm Mediterranean climate occurs with pleasant warm summers and mild but cool winters. Precipitation here is minimal and will mainly fall in the winter period. The average sea temperature here in the summer months is around twenty-three degrees Celsius. The higher areas just off the coast have a temperate maritime climate with pleasant summers and cold winters. On the higher parts of the mountains, long periods of frost can occur in the winter. Snowfall is no exception here in the winter months.
In the more inland parts of Croatia there is a moderate continental climate. These lower parts of Croatia are sheltered behind the Dinaric Alps. Summers here are warm and pleasant with temperatures averaging just below twenty-five degrees Celsius. That is why you can easily stay at a campsite in Croatia in the summer months. The winter months are cold and there can be long periods of frost and/or night frost.
The best time to travel to Croatia is from May to September. This is the period with by far the best weather: quite a lot of sun, no large amounts of precipitation and quite warm.
Geography
Croatia is located in southeastern Europe and lies on the Adriatic Sea. Croatia has land borders with the countries Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Mainland Croatia is divided into two parts due to Bosnia and Herzegovina interrupting the country. This creates an exclave of Croatia within the countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Croatia also consists of two peninsulas and more than a thousand islands, only a small part of which are permanently inhabited. The largest islands belonging to Croatia are; Cres, Krk, Brač, Hvar, Pag, Korčula, Dugi Otok, Mljet and Rab.
Mount Dinara, which lies on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, is the highest point in the country at 1,831 metres. Several rivers run through Croatia, the most important of which are the Sava, the Drava, the Kupa and the Danube. The other rivers for the most part flow into the Savan or the Adriatic Sea.
The capital Zagreb, with almost one million inhabitants, is the largest city in the country. Other major cities in Croatia are Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Dubrovnik and Zadar.
Travel advice
Croatia’s travel advice has been on “be vigilant” status for several years now. This mainly applies to the mountains and inland areas of Croatia. Land mines were deposited here during the war and they are still not all cleared. The advice is therefore not to leave the main road in the interior and in the mountains. In the popular coastal regions and on the islands of Croatia, this travel advice also applies, but you are less likely to encounter an area where landmines can be located. The areas where country wines can be found are indicated with special signs.
You do not need any special vaccinations for a visit to Croatia. However, a vaccination against typhoid fever is recommended for stays longer than three months.
Travel documents
For a visit to Croatia, as a citizen of the Netherlands, you must be in possession of a valid passport or identity card. This also applies to children under 12 years of age. For a stay longer than 3 months, you must apply for a visa at the Croatian Embassy in The Hague.
Info table
| Capital city | Zagreb |
| Phone (country code) | 385 |
| Internet domain | .hr |
| Language(s) (official) | Croatian and Italian |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Croatian, Italian and the other South Slavic languages like Bosnian, Serbian and Montenegrin |
| Religion(s) | Catholic |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+1 |
| Time difference summer | In Croatia time runs parallel with the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Croatia time runs parallel with the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | yes, this is the same as in the Netherlands |
| Currencies | kuna |
