Croatia travel guide

The most common Croatia trip centers on two cities on the Adriatic coast: Dubrovnik and Split.

The emergency number is 112; police 192, fire 193 and ambulance 194.

Give Dubrovnik a day for walking the city walls, and Split a day for Diocletian's Palace. Both cities became UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1979.

Transport and times between the two cities vary by date, so check official timetables before booking.

Visa and entry requirements for Croatia

Whether you need a visa, how long you can stay and which pre-arrival forms apply all depend on your nationality and the purpose of your trip. Check the official source below, and your own government's travel advice, before you book.

This country is in the Schengen Area. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) registers non-EU travelers at the external border, and the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) is scheduled to apply to visa-exempt travelers; check the official EU site for who needs it, the start date and the fee. For visa-exempt travelers, Schengen stays are limited to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries, and your passport should be valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure date.

• Visa requirements overview (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia)
• ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) (European Union)
• EES (Entry/Exit System) (European Union)

Dubrovnik centers on a full circuit of the old town walls, which open every day except 25 December. Split centers on the lanes and underground halls of Diocletian's Palace.

UNESCO inscribed the Old City of Dubrovnik in 1979, and the Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian in 1979. Linking the two works well with three to five nights.

Based on the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and official information.

For visa-exempt travelers, Schengen stays are limited to 90 days within the 180 days before your last departure. If you travel between Croatia, Slovenia and Italy, your days in all of them are added together. Visa-free entry covers tourist stays without gainful or paid activity.

Check your passport's expiry date before buying flights.

Croatia's all-purpose emergency number is 112. Police 192, fire 193 and ambulance 194. Save your own embassy's numbers too. If you lose your passport, you may need a police report, so note where and when you lost it.

Dubrovnik and Split are apart along the coast, linked by bus, boat or plane. Times and fares for each change by date, so check the operator's official timetable before booking.

Keep plans light after arrival on travel days. Match your hotel check-in time to your travel time, and on days with a lot of luggage ask whether your hotel can store it.

First check that your passport is valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure. Dubrovnik's walls run on a winter schedule from November to March, and the closing time is also the last entry time. The underground halls of Split's palace have specific closing days. Check both on the official sites and note the dates in your plan. Save local emergency numbers and your embassy's number in a note you can read offline.

Pre-departure checklist

• Check your passport is valid for at least three months beyond your planned departure
• Check the EES and ETIAS information
• Check Dubrovnik's seasonal wall opening hours
• Check closing days for the palace's underground halls in Split
• Save the emergency number 112 and your embassy's number

• For walking the walls: plan Dubrovnik's walls for the morning.
• For Roman remains: combine the palace and its underground halls in Split.
• For both: three to five nights; check travel times first.