Trip planning in Croatia

EUR

Croatia adopted EUR Jan 1, 2023 — Kuna (HRK) no longer legal tender. Old guidebooks showing Kuna prices are wrong. ATMs dispense EUR; cards work everywhere.

Schengen member since Jan 1, 2023. No border control with SI, HU, IT. NEW Pelješac Bridge (Jul 2022) bypasses Bosnia entirely for Split-Dubrovnik drive — frictionless coastal route.

Croatian

Croatian universal. Istria bilingual Italian-Croatian. English serviceable in tourist zones (Dubrovnik, Split, Plitvice, Istria); patchy in interior + working-class areas.

No kosher restaurants year-round. Zagreb community at Palmotićeva 16 + small kosher kitchen. Chabad Zagreb provides Shabbat meals by reservation. Chabad Dubrovnik active in summer. Plan around fish + vegetarian + self-catering.

Best bases: Zagreb (near Palmotićeva 16) or Dubrovnik in summer (near Pile Gate, Old Town Synagogue at Žudioska 5 — one of Europe's oldest, 1352). Islands have NO Jewish infrastructure. Use shabbat_times tool for local candle-lighting (CET).

id: HR-03 name_en: Northern Dalmatia (Zadar, Šibenik, Kornati, Plitvice) name_he: דלמטיה הצפונית, קורנאטי, פליטוויצה anchor_city: Zadar duration_recommendation: 3-4 days — Zadar + Plitvice/Krka + Kornati sailing best_season: May-Sep. Plitvice spectacular spring (snowmelt) + fall (color). Avoid Jul-Aug Plitvice crush. neighborhoods: {"name":"Zadar","description":"Walled peninsula old town — Roman Forum ruins, St Donat church (9th-c Pre-Romanesque), Sea Organ (wave-powered tubes that play music — Hitchcock called Zadar sunset the most beautiful in the world), Greeting to the Sun installation. Underrated for dining + quality of life. Gateway to Kornati + Plitvice (2h drive).","stay_recommendation":"First visit + balanced. Direct flights from many European cities.","watch_out":"Less iconic than Dubrovnik/Split. Hotels in Old Town limited (mostly apartments)."}, {"name":"Šibenik & Krka National Park","description":"UNESCO Cathedral of St James (built entirely without mortar, one of Croatia's finest), four hilltop fortresses (St Michael's, Barone, St John's, St Nicholas in bay). Krka National Park 15min away — waterfalls you can hike up to (swimming no longer allowed since 2021 but boardwalks dramatic). Less crowded than Plitvice. Pelegrini Michelin-starred fine dining overlooks Cathedral.","watch_out":"Old town streets steep. Krka summer crowds…