5 Tourist traps to Watch out for in Croatia

Croatia has just recently started to gain world renown which it deserves and has become one of the most sought holiday destinations in Europe. It is a small country but differs in geographical and cultural characteristics wildly. From flat plains of Slavonia to the mountainous ranges of Lika all the way to the numerous islands scattered along the Croatian coast. During the hot summer months, there is no better place to be than on a beach somewhere in the Adriatic.

But, the rise of touristic activity has proved to be a fertile ground for some tourist traps to flourish. Luckily for you, here are the 5 most common tourist traps which could influence your stay in Croatia.

1. Arriving during peak season

While the hottest summer months of July and August are considered the best times to visit Croatian coast, they come at a cost. The coastal towns will be filled with people and tour buses while the prices of accommodation will be 30-40% higher. The prices may even rise twofold.

Yes, the time of the year is perfect to visit some of Croatia's beautiful beaches, but many Croatians actually prefer the beach during early summer and autumn, precisely for the lack of crowds. So, for the best cost vs. benefit ratio, we recommend you to visit Croatia during June or September.

2. Paying with a credit card

While not very common, some locations will charge you an extra fee, up to 3%, for payments done with a credit card. Usually in restaurants or when buying goods. Hotels do not have this fee since it is expected that you will be paying with a credit card. Some places, usually small businesses do not even accept credit card, so it is always better to pay with cash.

3. Paying in Euros

Croatian Kuna is the national currency, so all goods have to be paid in its equivalent. Most places will accept either Euros or Kunas, but you will usually end up overcharged, so it is better to pay in Kunas and think in Kunas. If you only have Euros on yourself, when converting the price always keep in mind that 1 Euro is about 7.5 Kunas to avoid overpaying.

4. Ending up with a poor conversion rate

If you are running short on Kunas, going to a nearby exchange office might not be the best idea, especially if placed near busy touristic destinations. As we have mentioned before, the going rate for 1 Euro is about 7.5 Kunas, but many exchange offices quote you a lower rate.

For the best possible conversion rate it a good choice to go to a bank. You will have no problem finding one, but keep in mind that they are usually closed on the weekends and those that aren’t are open only until about noon.

5. Overpaying for food of questionable quality

The richness of Croatian cuisine, especially Dalmatian, is just recently becoming uncovered by the traveling gourmets. There are so many dishes that you simply must taste, served in the restaurants with captivating views.

But be careful, since many of these places, especially in tourist hot spots, such as Old Town of Dubrovnik, will serve you a pricey meal with no extra benefit other than the location.

When going to a restaurant, it is easy to make a conclusion that the most expensive one is the best one. Sometimes it is so, but other times, the quality of the food served in a small family-owned restaurant (called konoba) would rival those of the upper-class restaurants, who quite often get away with serving frozen fish and charging it like it is freshly caught from the Adriatic.

For the best possible experience, you may visit one of Croatia's Michelin Star certified restaurants, but other than that you are better off asking for locals for a recommendation.

They will steer you in the direction of quality food and will keep you away from mediocre restaurants that are expensive just because of the location.

While some people working in tourism want to earn as much money as possible during the summer season, overall Croatia is full of locals that are genuinely concerned about your comfortable stay. So hopefully this article will make sure that your Croatian holiday vacation becomes a fond memory!