Croatia

The group leader on this Croatia trip will be one of our U.S. or European based group leaders. His/her job is to ensure the safety and well being of everyone on the trip and, of course, to show everyone the most amazing time ever! While he/she will have a basic knowledge of the history, culture and customs of Croatia he/she is not an expert in the matter.

A passport is required for this Croatia group trip. While your passport must have at least 3 months validity from the time you leave Croatia it is strongly recommended that your passport have at least 6 months validity to avoid any problems. If you hold a U.S. passport you will not need a visa for entry to Croatia as long as you are not staying more than 90 days (during a 6 month period starting from the day of first entry). Please note that Croatia is a member of the European Union but it is not a member of the Schengen area.

You will be staying in private apartments for the duration of this Croatia group trip. Locals rent out large family apartments as an important part of the tourism economy of Croatia during the summer months. The apartments we use are all clean, safe, and have modern touches but please understand that the infrastructure of the buildings themselves can be dated and old. As these are private apartments there is no front reception, daily housekeeping or room service. All the apartments have WiFi and air conditioning. Most of the apartments are studio style meaning there is a private ensuite bathroom in each apartment. In some instances apartments might have shared bathrooms amongst different rooms in which case we try to keep the bathroom to room ratio no less than 2 bathrooms for every 3 rooms. We try to keep the apartments all in one building but this is impossible if the group size is large; in instances like these the group will be spread across 2 or 3 different buildings but all will be within about a 5 minute walk from one another. The apartments are always rented out exclusively for Travendly so you will never share an apartment with someone not on the trip.

The locations for the apartments are all excellent – centrally located directly in the the city center. In Split the apartments are in the city center, about a 5 minute walk to the entrance to Diocletian’s Palace. In Hvar the apartments are in Hvar Town, about a 10 minute walk to the Cathedral of Saint Stephen. In Dubrovnik the apartments are in the Old Town where you are literally a 5/10 minute walk from everything. Game of Thrones fans: in Dubrovnik the apartments are about a 5 minute walk from the filming location of the Walk of Shame and about a 10 minute walk from the filming location of the Red Keep.

In order to budget properly please consider the following items which are not included in this Croatia group trip:

• Meals: You are responsible for 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 6 dinners. Budget around $325 for meals not included.
• Tipping
  • Local drivers, guides and restaurant staff: Tipping is not compulsory but can make a big difference to individuals in the local hospitality industry in Croatia. Therefore, we recommend budgeting around $50 for these services.
  • Group leader: Tipping your group leader is completely discretionary. For outstanding service you may consider tipping your group leader ~$10/day.
• Transportation: Airport transfers are not included. If you plan on taking the airport bus please budget ~$5 for the Split transfer and ~$6 for the Dubrovnik transfer. If you plan on taking a taxi to/from the airport please budget ~$30 for the Split transfer and ~$30 for the Dubrovnik transfer.
• Travel insurance: Travel insurance covering our minimum requirements ($100k+ in medical coverage including emergency evacuation) is compulsory for all participants. Budget anywhere from $50 to $130 for travel insurance (from a 3rd party) depending on your specific coverage inclusions.

The single room supplement on this Croatia trip is $599. You will be able to select your preference for a single room supplement when filling out the application. If you are applying for this trip within 3 months of the departure please contact us for single room availability before applying. Please be advised that due to the accommodations on this trip (i.e. private apartments) you might have a shared bathroom (depending on the configuration of the apartment) but you will definitely have your own bedroom.

Upon arrival in Split/Dubrovnik you will take a taxi/bus directly to the apartments where your group leader will be waiting for you! After getting checked-in you will have free time until around 6pm upon which you will meet the group at the apartments. Then you will walk to a nearby spot for drinks/dinner as you begin to get to know one another! While you will not physically meet your group mates until the evening of the first day you will be in contact with everyone well ahead of time in the group WhatsApp chat and, in addition, we will provide you with everyone’s traveler bios so you’ll already know each other a little before physically meeting!

On day 3 (in Split) and day 8 (in Dubrovnik) you will have the opportunity to tailor the trip to your style by selecting an optional excursion. You will be able to select the optional excursion during the application process and, after, you’ll be sent an invoice to pay.

Day 3 (Split):

• ATVing: 105€
• Cooking class: 145€

You can read more about the optional excursions here.

We recommend bringing a combination of cash and credit/ATM card (assuming your credit card does not have foreign transaction fees). You will be able to use a credit card (Visa or Mastercard) at many shops and restaurants in Croatia but it’s good to have a cash reserve as a backup in case the card machine is not working or if a restaurant is cash only. ATMs are readily available but withdrawal limits and transaction fees could occur.

You may bring any size luggage that you wish though we recommend packing as lite as possible since you will be traveling a lot during this trip (staying in 3 different apartments). Further, please note that you will need to walk up to 10 minutes with your bag in Dubrovnik (from the point of taxi drop off to the apartment location) as you will be staying in the Old Town (of Dubrovnik) where cars are not allowed.

Yes, you will have WiFi access at all the apartments and most restaurants.

In Split and Hvar you will have plenty of nightlife options: wine and cocktail bars, outside party themed bars, and clubs. Dubrovnik has a more laid back nightlife scene with the primary focus being low key and wine bars. The decision to go out at night or not is completely up to you!

Upon arrival in Split you will either take the bus or a taxi to the apartment. The bus is most cost effective as it’s only 30 Kuna and you get dropped off just about 10 minute walk from the apartments; we will provide you with detailed instructions (via your trip documents) on how to take the bus. Alternatively, you can easily take a taxi. Further, you could also share a taxi with other participants on your trip by coordinating through the group WhatsApp chat.

There are 2 ferries and 1 boating day on this Croatia group travel trip. While the sea is generally calm during the summer (when our Croatia trips run) it’s impossible to guarantee it. Therefore, if you get seasick easily this might not be the best trip for you. However, if you only get mildly sea sick we recommend consulting with your doctor to discuss possible seasick remedies such as medication or patches.