Hotels in Croatia

Croatia or officially known as the Republic of Croatia is a central European and Mediterranean country, bordering with Slovenia in the West, Hungary in the North, Serbia in the East and Bosnia and Herzegovina in the South. The Croats arrived in the area around the 6th Century and would then be the Roman Pannonia territory in the 7th century. The Croatian people converted to Christianity between the 7th and 9th centuries. They also adopted the Roman alphabet under the reign of Charlemagne. In the year 925, the Croatians defeated the Byzantine and Frankish invaders and subsequently established their kingdom which peaked in the 11th century. The civil war broke out in 1089 which resulted in the country being subjected to the Hungarian in 1091.

The signing of Pacta Conventa by the chief of Croatia and the King of Hungary in 1102 united both countries under the Hungarian monarchy, but the Croatian autonomous power was still preserved. In 1526, the Hungarians lost the Mohacs battle to the Turks. Following that, Croatia with Hungary chose Austria's archduke Ferdinand from Hapsburg as their king. After the establishment of the Austro-Hungarian government in 1867, Croatia became part of Hungary until the fall of Austria-Hungary in 1918 due to defeat in the First World War. On October 29, 1918, Croatia declared its independence and joined a union with Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia to form Serbs, Croats and Slovenia. The name was later converted to Yugoslavia in 1929. In 1990, free elections were held, and the Communists were defeated by the nationalist party led by Franjo Tudjman. In June 1991, the Croatian parliament passed the declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. Six months of intense fighting with the Serb-dominated Yugoslav army took thousands of lives and mass destruction.

Croatia has a long maritime border with Italy on the Adriatic Sea. The borders are 2,028 km long. Croatia has 5,835 km of coastline where 4,057 km is owned by islands, cliffs and reefs. There are 1,185 islands in the Adriatic, while only about 50 islands are inhibited. The largest island is Krk near Rijeka, which has a land area of ​​462 sq. Km, while the most famous islands in the country including Hvar, Brac, Korcula and Pag. Croatia has an extraordinary shape which is not owned by any other country in the world. It was due to the expansion of the area by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) in the fifth century towards Central Europe. Croatia covers an area of ​​56,691 square kilometres and has a population of about 4.29 million in 2011. Almost 90% of the population is Croatian, and most of them are Roman Catholics, and there are also Serbian, Bosnian, Hungarian and Italian minorities. The main population area of Croatia is Zagreb, the capital of Croatia with a population of fewer than 800,000 people. Osijek is located in the Northeast with only 107,000 inhabitants, while the port of Rijeka located on the North coast has a population of 128,000. The split is in the south with a population of 178,000. Other famous cities are Dubrovnik, Makarska, Porec, Rovinj, Opatija, Zadar and Sibenik.

Croatian is the Serbo-Croatian language used by Croatians, Bosnian, Herzegovina, Serbian Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries. Croatian is the official language of Croatia and is one of the official languages ​​of the European Union. Croatian is also written using Latin scripts. Croatian has 30 alphabets as in English. However, there are no q, w, x and y letters in Croatian. Additional letters such as č, ć, dž, đ, lj, nj, š and ž are available in Croatian letters.

Most places in Croatia have a mild climate and rain as defined by Koppen's climate classification. The average monthly temperature is -3 ° C in January while 18 ° C in July. The coldest part of the country is Lika and Gorski Kotar where snowy forest can be found at an altitude above 1,200 meters. The hottest areas in Croatia are close to the Adriatic coast and the inland area due to the Mediterranean climate.

There are various dishes in Croatia which vary according to the region. For instance, Dalmatia and Istria draw upon culinary influences of Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines that mainly feature seafood, cooked vegetables, pasta, with olive and garlic as condiments. Meanwhile, the continental cuisine has heavy influences from Austrian, Hungarian and Turkish dishes which predominantly feature meat, vegetable and freshwater fish. Among the well-known dishes in Croatia are miješano meso or ražnjići. Zagrebački odrezak which is steak meat stuffed with ham and cheese, coated with flour and fried. Not only that, but janjetina is also famous in Croatia, which is grilled meat with a Mediterranean herb.

How to Get There

By Flight

Croatia has several airports to be visited by tourists. Franjo Tudman Airport or better known as Zagreb Airport is the busiest airport in Croatia. The second busiest airport in Croatia is Split Airport. It is located in Split, Denmark.

If you are from Singapore and want to visit the Croatian capital of Zagreb, you can take a flight from Changi International Airport to Zagreb Airport. Several airlines provide flights to Zagreb from Singapore, such as Lufthansa, Emirates, Croatia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates and British Airways provide flights to Zagreb. However, no direct flights are provided by any flight. You need to transit at any airport once before proceeding to Zagreb. The cheapest flights are from British Airways with a ticket price of SGD900 to SGD3,300. By taking the flight, you need to transit at Heathrow Airport first before connecting flights to Zagreb Airport. Flight ticket prices may vary depending on the time and date you want to fly. Therefore you need to keep on the watch for the best ticket prices.

For those of you who want to travel to other parts of Croatia such as Split, there are several flights you can choose if you come from Singapore. You can choose to board Emirates, British Airways or Qatar Airways to Split Airport. From Singapore, you will need to take flight at Changi International Airport. However, there is no direct flight from Singapore to Split. You need at least two transit at another airport before arriving in Split. The cheapest flight is offered by Emirates for SGD1,194. Ticket prices can vary depending on the date and time you want to fly.

What to Do There

Zagreb Cathedral

This Zagreb Cathedral is located in the city of Zagreb. It is a Roman Catholic institution. The Zagreb Cathedral building is also the tallest building in Croatia. It is a sacred building in Croatia. The interior and exterior architecture of Zagreb Cathedral is very beautiful. Many reading materials are provided inside the building. Entry is free in Zagreb Cathedral.

Ban Jelačić Square

Ban Jelačić Square is the central square of Zagreb, Croatia. It is named after Ban Josip Jelačić. The official name is Trg Bana Jelačića. This square is located right in the centre of Zagreb.

Diocletian's Palace

This palace is an ancient palace built by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in the 4th century in Split, Croatia. This old palace is very beautiful, and its art is remarkable. There are several stalls, shops and restaurants here. For those of you who love history, you will love to be here.

Where to Stay

Palace Hotel

The hotel is only 10 kilometres away from the Zagreb Airport having a very mesmerising architecture and dreamy interior. It is not too far from the city area. Therefore it makes it easy for tourists to go around and explore the city. As such, the hotel would also offer panoramic city views, and you do not have to worry too much about food. However, there is also an in-house restaurant if you do not feel like going out too far. Each room has free Wi-Fi facilities and bathrooms decorated with marble. Suites here have a minibar and a coffee/tea maker.

Grand Villa Argentina

The Grand Villa Argentina is located in the Dubrovačko-Neretvanska Županija, which is roughly about 15 kilometres away from Dubrovnik Airport. This hotel is not too far from the beach and the old town of Dubrovnik, allowing for such a wonderful stay all around. What is more, the hotel offers an unparalleled quality of accommodation in the city. All of the rooms are well equipped with exquisite in-room amenities which include among others flat-screen television with cable channels, a coffee or tea maker, a mini bar fully stocked with some free items, beddings, bathrobes, slippers and a private bathroom. Besides that, the rooms are fully air-conditioned, and the guests can request infant beds if they are coming over with family.

Moreover, the guests can enjoy continuously free high-speed Wi-Fi and a free weekday newspaper in the lobby. The hotel has always kept the rooms clean since they offer a daily housekeeping service. There are a spa and steam room for relaxation purposes and fitness centres for those who intend to maintain their fitness.

Apartments Mia

For those who want to stay in an apartment rather than a hotel, it is without a doubt that among the ideal choice of an apartment to stay is at Apartments Mia. It is a perfect accommodation for a big family and also for those who want to stay a bit longer in Dubrovnik. The guests can freely use a few facilities that have already been provided by the apartment.  Every room in this apartment is equipped with some useful amenities for living such as a hairdryer, kitchen, living room, dining area, a television, a safety box, an air conditioner, and refrigerator. There will be a receptionist on 24-hours duty to handle the process of check-in and out of the rooms. They are also available to help the guests in case if the guests need any further assistance from them regarding the rooms. For those who intend to stay connected, they also can remain connected with their family and friends because there is a free Wi-Fi available in public area.