When trying to plan a trip to Europe, Croatia is a country which is gaining a lot of attention in recent times. It’s a very nice destination on the coast of the Mediterranean perfect for people who don’t want the typical European experience, which might be Italian, French of Spanish. Dalmatia is the area in Croatia where most tourists aim to come, and due to the growth in demand, has known a steep growth in prices in recent times. We’re gathered some tips that can help you have an unforgettable trip in Dalmatia and save some money:
1. Be decisive and smart about plane tickets
If you find cheap options to fly to Split, Dubrovnik or Zadar, book them quickly because they are rare occurrences. If you don’t manage to find cheap flights towards these destinations, your best bet is to fly to nearby Ljubljana in Slovenia or Trieste in Italy and drive from there. Not only are the plane tickets a lot cheaper, but renting a car in Croatia is also very expensive compared to nearby countries. There are airlines like Ryanair or Wizzair that have cheap plane tickets towards Trieste very often from 3 of London’s airports: Stansted, Luton or Gatwick. If you’re flying to Croatia from the U.S., this is most probably the cheapest way to get there.
2. Arrange longer stays
Locals have the habit of greatly boosting prices when you stay for fewer than 4 nights. Try to plan at least a week-long stay to get the best value for your money
3. Avoid hotels
Hotel prices per night are insanely high, not only compared to what they offer for the money, but also compared to other accommodation choices. You’re much better off trying to find private accommodation and private properties, or use websites such as Airbnb.com. If you are a fan of camping, this is another great option, since the climate is fairly warm and campgrounds very frequent along the coast. These are all much better options than paying between 150 and 300 euros per night.
4. Avoid fish dinners and local cuisine
The Adriatic Sea has been over-fished for quite some time now. That means that locals have to go deeper into the sea to find fish, using more fuel and taking longer, making fish-based dishes crazy expensive. Local cuisine and restaurants are also a tad pricey, so your options are either cooking for yourself, if you have access to a kitchen, or buying international food off the street, like pizza.
5. Travel in off-season
Although this is a general tip for travelling, Croatia is a special case because it’s not a very popular tourist attraction worldwide. Dalmatia is still great in April or September, since the climate is still very warm and cozy, and prices drop significantly as soon as you leave mid-season.
Dalmatia can provide the vacation of your dreams, all within reasonable travel costs, as long as you invest enough time to plan it in advance. Once you get there, it is impossible not to enjoy the cruises, warm beaches and the full-of-life attitude of local Croatians. We hope the tips provided above bring you a little closer to such a vacation, and remember to take lots of photos!
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