Useful information
Currency: Euro (1 Euro = 100 Cent). There are 1,2,5, 10, 20, 50 Cent coins, 1, 2, 5 Euro coins and 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 Euro 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 larger cities some banks are also open on Sundays.
Credit Cards: The most commonly accepted credit cards are American Express, Diners Club,MasterCard and Visa. ATMs are ubiquitous.
Electricity: Voltage of city power grid 220V, frequency 50HT
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 recognized identification document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to three months.
Purchase tax reimbursement for foreign citizens: Tourists making purchases in Croatia (apart from petroleum derivatives) which exceed 100 Euro per receipt may reclaim VAT (PDV). At points 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 Euro 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 the receiving of the claim.
Public holidays: January 1st – New Year’s Day; January 6th – Epiphany; Easter Sunday and Easter Monday; May 1st – Labor day; Corpus Christi; June 22nd – Anti-Fascist Resistance Day; June 30th – Statehood Day; August 5th – Victory Day and National Thanksgiving Day; August 15th – Assumption; November 1st – All Saints Day; November 18th – Remembrance Day; December 25th and 26th – Christmas Holidays.
Working hours: Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8a.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 small number of stores in 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 larger cities which are open until 10 p.m. in the summer. Postage stamps are sold in Post Offices and at news-stands. Public telephones can be used only with phone cards, which can be purchased in Post Offices and at news-stands, in hotels and tourist complexes.
Important telephone numbers in Croatia:
(+385) 112 – emergency number
(+385) 194 – ambulance
(+385) 193 – fire brigade
(+385) 192 – police
(+385) 1987 – road assistance
(+385) 195 – search and rescue at the sea
(+385) 18981 – general information
(+385) 11888 – telephone directory
(+385) 11802 – international telephone directory