6 things I wish I knew before my first visit to Croatia

• In October I spent 10 days in Croatia. This was my first time in the country.
• I have noticed certain advantages and disadvantages of visiting late in the peak season.
• While I enjoyed it, I wish I had done more research beforehand.

In October I went to Croatia for a 10-day vacation. I wanted the beach, the sun and a change of scenery from the monotony of city life – and Croatia seemed like the answer.

Croatia has become a popular destination in Europe, especially after the popularity of the HBO series.Game of Thrones“, which was partly filmed in picturesque old towns.

More tourists arrive: Croatian Statistical Office reported that 1.7 million tourists arrived in May this year, up 21% from 2023. Croatia also joined the Schengen area in 2023, an area in Europe with no internal border controls, making travel more affordable.

During my trip I stopped at DubrovnikHvar and Split, and also made several day trips to other cities on the Adriatic coast.

Although the trip was worth the long flight, along the way I realized that I had not done enough research before the trip. Here are six things I wish I knew sooner.

1. Choose your home wisely

Coastal cities such as Dubrovnik you have to conquer hilly terrain and countless flights of stairs. The Airbnb that I assumed would be within walking distance of the main bus station turned out to be at the top of the hill. Consequently, we engaged in a full-body workout to lug our bags up what felt like endless flights of stairs to reach our accommodation.

It was quieter to stay in a less touristy area. But since most of the attractions are located near the Old Town, staying closer to the city center (and closer to the ground) would be more convenient and comfortable.

2. Increase your travel budget

I booked a trip to Croatia assuming that daily expenses would be similar to countries like Italy or Hungary. I was wrong.

Croatia adopted the euro in January last year, abandoning its previous currency, the kuna. The country also has the second highest VAT in the EU at 25%, the same as Denmark and Sweden. On average my lunches were about 15 euros per person.

And although I wasn’t surprised that people have to pay to enter public toilets, I was surprised that most entrances cost 1 euro – or half the price of a cup of coffee at any nearby cafe.

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However, there are ways to see the city on a budget. We signed up for pay-as-you-go walking tours, bought day tickets to take the public bus and see the sights for a cheaper price, and stayed at affordable guest houses it cost about $50 a night. We also explored outside of the tourist hotspots to try local-focused food, which I felt was more authentic and easier on the wallet.

3. The beaches are great, but water shoes are critical.

Temperatures in early October ranged from 63°F to 72°F, making it mild enough to relax on the beach and bask in the sun.

Croatia has some of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. The water was crystal clear and I was glad to dive straight into it. But I soon learned the hard way that Croatian beaches are not sandy. Most of the banks were rocky and pebbly and I didn’t have any water shoes with me.

Walking barefoot was too painful, so I wore sandals every time we went to the beach. This worked too, although I ended up with some funny tan lines on my legs.

4. Visiting during the off-peak season has its pros and cons.

Croatia receives most tourists in the summer months, from June to August. When I visited the country in October, its old towns were still full of tourists. But some locals told me that the crowds are still smaller than in the summer.

I noticed that some attractions were also cheaper. Entrance ticket to Krka National Parkfor example, it costs 40 euros in the summer and 20 euros in the off-season. In winter, ticket prices drop to 7 euros.

However, visiting during the off-peak season also meant that many services were suspended. On a day trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Old Town of Stari Grad, we were surprised to see most of the shops closed with a sign saying “See you June 2025!” posted on their doors.

Visiting at this time of year also meant that charter bus or ferry services became less frequent. It turns out that the charm of walking through an almost empty city can only last for a very long time if the next bus leaves at 22:00.

Renting a car would be better. However, none of us had a driver’s license. licenses.

5. Spend more time in Split rather than Dubrovnik.

If you plan to split your time between popular coastal cities Split And Dubrovnikspend more time in the former.

We spent three days in Dubrovnik and five days in Split. This balance seemed right. Dubrovnik has beautiful beaches and architecture, but I could see the effects of overtourism: prices were a little higher and its famous Old Town was overrun with tourists and rubber duck shops.

For comparison: Split makes an excellent springboard for day trips. There we took public transport to nearby cities such as Omis and Trogir. We also spent the day exploring Skradin and Krka National Park, just an hour and a half away by bus.

Split is also a larger city, so it was easier to find inexpensive food options.

6. Watch Game of Thrones

Finally, I regret not watching the HBO series.”Game of ThronesDuring walking tours, guides pointed out places where iconic scenes were filmed. For example, Cersei’s walk of shame scene was filmed on the Jesuit stairs in Dubrovnik’s Old Town.

While other visitors admired its medieval architecture and fortresses, I wanted to see the show earlier to see the city in a new light.