Currency:
Kuna (1 Kuna = 100 Lipa). There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Lipa coins,
1, 2, 5 and 25 Kuna coins and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1,000
Kuna banknotes.
Foreign currencies can be exchanged at
banks, exchange offices, post offices and at most tourist agencies,
hotels and camping grounds. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from
Monday to Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the
larger cities some banks are also open on Sundays. Credit cards:
Most hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards (American
Express, Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, Sport Card
International). Cash dispensing machines are ubiquitous.
Electricity:
Voltage of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
Water:
Tap water is potable throughout Croatia.
The telephone code for Croatia is
+385.
Time zone:
GMT plus one hour in winter and GMT plus two in summer
Travel documentation:
Passport or some other internationally recognised identification
document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to three months.
For more information:
Diplomatic consulates of the Republic of Croatia abroad or the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Croatia.
Tel. 01 4569 964
Web: www.mvpei.hr
Customs regulations:
Customs regulations of the Republic of Croatia are in line with the
standards of European Union countries. Foreign currency is freely
brought in and taken out of the country; up to a value of 15.000 kn
for domestic currency. More expensive professional and technical
equipment should be registered at the border. Dogs and cats,
accompanied by their owner, need to have an International
certificate from a registered veterinarian stating that at least 15
days and not more than six months have passed since their
vaccination against rabies. Tax refund for goods purchased in
Croatia over 500 kuna in value with a validated "Tax
cheque" at departure from the country. Information: Republic of
Croatia Customs Administration (tel 01 6102 333);
Web: www.carina.hr
Purchase tax reimbursement for foreign
citizens:
Tourists making purchases in Croatia (apart from petroleum
derivatives) which exceed 500 Kuna per receipt may reclaim VAT
("PDV").
At point of purchase the sales person will provide on request a form
PDV-P, which should be filled out and stamped, on the spot. On
leaving Croatia the receipt must be verified by the Croatian Customs
service. A PDV refund in Kuna can be obtained within six months,
either at the same shop where the goods were purchased (in which
case the tax is refunded immediately), or by posting the verified
receipt back to the shop, together with the account number into
which the refund should be paid. In this case the refund is dealt
with within 15 days of receipt of the claim.
Credit cards: accepted in almost all hotels, marinas, restaurants,
and shops( American Expres, Diners, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa).
Medical service:
There are hospitals and clinics in all larger cities and first aid
clinics and pharmacies in all places. Foreign tourists do not pay
for medical services if the Health Care Convention was signed
between Croatia and the country they come from. Expenses of health
services provided to persons coming from the countries with which
the Health Care Convention was not signed are charged directly to
users according to the price list. There are hospitals and clinics
in all the major towns, and health centers, as well as pharmacies,
in all the smaller places. For patients whose lives are in danger,
there is emergency transport by air(helicopter) or sea (speadboat).
There is a network of veterinary clinics and centres in
Croatia.
Information: www.veterinarstvo.hr,
e-mail: veterinarstvo@zg.tel.hr
National holidays :
1 January - New Year's Day; - Easter, including
Easter Monday; 1 May - Labour Day; - Corpus Christi (Movable
feast); 22 June - Anti-Fascist Resistance Day; 25 June - Statehood
Day; 5 August - Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day; 15 August
- Assumption; 8 October - Independence Day; 1 November - All Saints'
Day; 25 and 26 December - Christmas Holidays.
Working hours:
Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and
on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or to 3 p.m. A smaller number of
stores close between noon and 4 p.m. Many stores are also open on
Sundays, especially in the summer, and a smaller number in the
larger cities are open 24 hours a day. Public services and companies
usually work from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Post and Telecommunications:
Post Offices are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays until
1 p.m. There are Post Offices in the larger cities which are open
until 10 p.m. in the summer. Postage stamps are sold in Post Offices
and at newsstands.
Public telephones can be used only with phone cards, which can be
purchased in Post Offices and at newsstands, in hotels and tourist
complexes.
Environmental protection:
Protection of the biological diversity is in conjunction with the EU
regulations currently in force. The water quality of the Croatia's
Adriatic Sea is of high quality for swimming and in conjunction to
the EU criteria. In case of an accident or contamination of the sea,
please contact the National Centre for Sea Search and Rescue on the
number 9155 (free telephone), which is a part of international
institutions of the same rank. In case of accidental environmental
contamination on land, report it to the National Information Centre
on the number 01/4814 911 For additional information about the
environment: tel: 01/6106 111
Tel: 0800 200 037, Web: www.mzopu.hr
Fire prevention:
Ensure that you have done everything to prevent a fire!
Do not throw lit or flammable objects into the environment!
If you see a fire, please inform others in your proximity; report it
immediately on the telephone number - 93; try to extinguish the fire
till the fire-fighters arrive and in such a manner so as not to
endanger yourself or others!
Take notice of signs forbidding the lighting of fires!
Take care that your parked vehicle does not obstruct accesses to the
fire or roads!
Important telephone numbers:
International dialling prefix for Croatia: 385
Ambulance 94
Fire-service 93
Police 92
Assistance on the roads 987; 987@hak.hr
(If you are calling from outside of Croatia or using a mobile phone
dial ++3851 987)
General information 981
Information about local and district telephone numbers 988
Information about International telephone numbers 902
Weather forecast and road conditions 060 520 520
Croatia's auto club (HAK) 01 4640 800; Internet: www.hak.hr;
e-mail: info@hak.hr
CROATIAN ANGELS - unified number
of tourist information for all of Croatia 062 999 999
International callers, dial: +385 62 999 999
This service is available in Croatian, English, German and Italian
from the 1st of April until the 31th of October.
Radio news in foreign languages during the
tourist season:
On Program 2 of Croatian radio, along with the regular news in
Croatian, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) will give traffic reports in
English, German and Italian along with nautical news a number of
times throughout the day.
Other than on Program 2 of Croatian radio, alternating news and
traffic reports will be emitted every full hour from the following
studios: Program 3 of Bavarian radio, Program 3 of Austrian radio,
RAI Uno, British Virgin radio and Chezch radio. Throughout the day
nautical news will be emitted in English and Croatian. |
