When You Go -- Croatia's Dalmatian Coast

Getting There: Depending on the U.S. departure city, flights on major airlines are available via Rome, Paris, London, or Frankfurt to Croatia's capital city of Zagreb. Flights to Split or Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian Coast are available through Croatia Airlines. Coastal visitors can do well without a car due to ferry service and a reliable bus system. Many villages and city centers within Dalmatia are pedestrian-only. There is no train service in southern Dalmatia. Travelers who plan on traveling inland can obtain car rentals through the major U.S. auto rental firms or local companies. Phone numbers and Web links for major airlines and auto rental firms are available at this magazine's Airlines and. Autos pages. The following map is highly recommended: Croatia Map.

Staying There: Travelers with adventurous spirits can find lodging in private rooms (sobe or zimmers) throughout Dalmatia by introducing themselves at houses displaying signs or visiting a local travel agency. Our recommended guidebook for Croatia is Lonely Planet Croatia, which has excellent hotel and restaurant recommendations, as well as top-notch guides for the major sites, towns, and cities. The historical and cultural chapters are must reading for visitors.

Croatia Map
Croatia -- Courtesy: Lonely Planet

Fast Facts: Croatia has a population of approximately five million and has been an autonomous nation since 1990, following the fall of Tito's ex-Yugoslavia. The country was besieged with warfare from 1991-95. Since peace has returned, few vestiges of the war damage remain in coastal Dalmatia and tourism has returned to pre-war levels. (In contrast, several Serb villages are still deserted and in ruins in the interior). The coast is a particularly popular vacation destination for Europeans, although still relatively unknown in the United States. Throughout coastal Dalmatia are found numerous towns and sites evidencing a common history under the Illyrians, Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Croatians, Venetians, and Austro-Hungarians. The Croatian language is Slavic, relatively difficult in pronunciation and construction for native English and Romance language speakers. Personnel in the hotels, restaurants, and tourist attractions along the coast speak English and are friendly to tourists.