To ALL who are planning a visit to Croatia, i wanted to share a few very helpful insights.
***This post is not intended to discourage, intimidate, nor fear monger anyone and it’s not an advertisement.
In a recent article from FORBES magazine, a number of the most iconic destinations in EUROPE have become unlivable for locals and overcrowded and uncomfortable for visitors. The beauty, serenity and simplicity of many of the most sought after destinations can’t survive millions of annual arrivals. A tremendous number of tourists-once the golden goose for these hot spots are precisely the cause of the current backlash.

OVERTOURISM is already so acute that popular destinations are now trying to dissuade or block arrivals. Mass tourism is turning destinations into the opposite of what they once were. Venice for example is so overcrowded that it has introduced an entrance fee to access the city and its islands. Greece has implemented a time slot system for visitors to the Acropolis. And in Croatia we are trying to figure out a way of coping with obnoxious and disrespectful behaviors of young tourists shamelessly partying without any boundaries or respect.
Do your research
Anyone planning to visit our amazing CROATIA and avoid long queues and obnoxious tourists, know where to eat, buy a drink, enter a restaurant without long lines, board a ferry, bus or train and see natural stunning wonders of Croatia, you simply need to KNOW how to do that and most visitors don’t. Hoping off the cruise ship for a few hours CAN’T provide that nor rush through a few cities or islands, no offense to anyone. I have seen many experiences of visitors traveling to Croatia only to leave with somewhat mediocre experiences and criticism and I always shake my head! Whether you spend countless hours doing your research or Googling where to go and what to see, some of you are looking for an exceptional experiences and i can reassure you that you will never fully get to experience CROATIA without insider’s tips, guidance and information that you can’t get on the internet.

Also going to Dubrovnik or Split yet complaining about how expensive or loud it is, is a result of not doing your planning well, again no offense. From pristine woods, magnificent beaches and bays, mesmerizing Adriatic sea and islands, endless quaint small towns and fisherman’s villages all over the Adriatic coast, and local restaurants that are not listed on Google, getting stuck in the crowds will RUIN your experience. It is difficult to see and experience all that beautiful Croatia has to offer to deal with the traffic and crowds or speed traveling in hectic 6-7 days. Coming to Croatia SHOULD not be rushed as it’s not a race. You can, of course come to Croatia for 5,6 days and have a great time but I reassure you that if you rush you WON’T see much and you won’t get to enjoy its mesmerizing beauty the right way. Some may even depart with semi-sour experiences too. So what’s the point then?

Coming to Croatia may be one of the best trips or the BEST TRIP you EVER took and for that trust me, you have to dive into your own self first and then connect with our beautiful country on a different level.
As we say in Croatia,” lagano i polako”, which means “take it easy, go slow” as you will never truly understand the beauty of this country unless you fully immerse in it and do it with the guidance and help of the ones of us who DO KNOW.
Cheers and see you in gorgeous Croatia!
Tania Funduk is the author of the text and photos