Where and About

Croatia borders with Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, and Monte Negro.
The principal language is Croatian, a Slavic language based on the Latin alphabet. Due to its geographic location between the Alps and the Adriatic Sea, as well as in the delta of the Una, Kupa, Sava, Drava and Danube river there are great climatic variabilities, and therefore different flora and fauna.
The seaside area, i.e. the coastal stretch by the Adriatic embraces the islands, the coast and the lower hinterland as well as two kinds of climate: the Mediterranean (in the coastal area and on the islands) and the continental.
The indented coast is 1,777 kilometers long, and the coast line along with 1,185 islands and isles amounts to 4,012 kilometers.
The climate is defined as continental in the interior and Mediterranean on the coast characterized by hot summers, many sunny days, and mild and rainy winters. For instance the island of Hvar (with an average temperature of 8.7 oC in January) has 2,718 hours of sunshine a year, Dubrovnik has 2,584. As a comparison, Nice has 2,706 sunny hours. The sea temperature in summer reaches up to 27°C. The main natural peculiarity is the blue sea, the coastal karst, and the Mediterranean vegetation.

Getting here:
Flights connect Zagreb to a swag of European cities. There are several more international airports along the coast (Dubrovnik, Split, Pula, Rijeka, Zadar, Brac, Losinj). and Osijek in North-Eastern Croatia. Buses run between Zagreb and several cities in Italy, Austria, France, Hungary, The Netherlands and Belgium, as well as to all neighboring countries. (Belgium). A very comprehensive coach network connects all parts of the country. Bus service between major cities (intercity lines) is quite frequent, as well as regional services. Trains connect Zagreb to Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia, Yugoslavia and Romania, while ferries link Croatia to Greece and Italy. The Croatian coastal towns and cities are served by ferry and ship services. The inhabited islands are linked with the mainland (and some of them also with other islands) by ferry/ship services. During the summer, the frequency of ferry sailings is usually increased and fast hydrofoil services are added. The summer sailing schedule normally remains in operation from 31 May to 28 September. Travelers with their own vehicle can use four border crossings between Hungary and Croatia, 29 between Slovenia and Croatia, 23 between Bosnia and Croatia and seven between Yugoslavia and Croatia.

Summer tourism - The majority of accomodation-facilities is situated in the coastal area from Savudria in the North to Prevlaka in the South, where during the summer season tourists may stay at pleasant hotels, apartments, tourist colonies, campsites. Very seldom you will find such untouched nature and pure sea.

Nautical tourism - The Adriatic Sea is an extraordinarily interesting and attractive resource of the Croatian nautical possibilities. A more intensive development of nautical tourism in the last decade completes the Croatian tourist offer. Croatia has 41 marinas with all necessary accompanying facilities at its disposal.

Health resorts - Numerous medicinal, mineral and thermal springs offer the possibility of developing this kind of tourism. In the continental area there is a series of spas and health resorts in Daruvar, Lipik, Bizovac, Varazdin, Stubica, Krapina and Tuhelj in the vicinity of Zagreb. Famous spas in the coastal area are in Umag, Opatija, Crikvenica, Veli Losinj, Korucula, Hvar and Makarska.

Mountain-climbing - Numerous mountainous areas - from gray and bare steeps attractive to courageous climbers to solid vegetation layers suitable for pleasant hiking trips - are propitious for mountain-climbing. Many marked tracks are a proof of an old tradition of mountain-climbing.

Winter tourism - Although Croatia has natural conditions suitable for the development of winter sports activities at its disposal, they still have not been fully put to profitable use. Ski-runs are located on Platak, the Plitvice Lakes, Medvednica near Zagreb and Bjelolasica.

Convention tourism - In terms of convention tourism Croatia takes an important place in the world. By organizing many specialized conventions in the tourist centers of the country (Zagreb, Brijuni Islands, Opatija, Porec, Umag, Rovinj, Pula, Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Dubrovnik), Croatia made its way among the most important convention centers worldwide.

Religious tourism - Catholicism has always fostered the tradition of pilgrimages to national sanctuaries in Croatia. The most renowned are in Marija Bistrica, Trsat near Rijeka, Aljmas, Slavonski brod, Sinj. Many pilgrims visit Medjugorje in Herzegovina (Bosnia and Herzegovina) after having been to Dubrovnik or Split.

Croatian National Tourist Board
Good general source of information for visitors to Croatia.