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Currency:
Kuna (1 Kuna = 100 Lipa). There are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 Lipa
coins, 1, 2, 5 and 25 Kuna coins and 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500
and 1,000 Kuna banknotes.
Foreign
currencies can be exchanged at banks, exchange offices,
post offices and at most tourist agencies, hotels and camping
grounds. Banking hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday to
Friday. On Saturdays banks are open until 1 p.m. In the larger
cities some banks are also open on Sundays. Credit cards: Most
hotels, restaurants and shops accept credit cards (American
Express, Diners Club, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa, Sport Card
International). Cash dispensing machines are
ubiquitous.
Electricity: Voltage
of city power grid – 220V, frequency 50HZ
Water:
Tap water is potable throughout Croatia.
The
telephone code for Croatia is +385.
Time
zone: GMT plus one hour in winter and GMT plus two in
summer
Travel documentation:
Passport or some other internationally recognised
identification document. Tourists may remain in Croatia for up to
three months.
For more
information: Diplomatic consulates of the Republic of
Croatia abroad or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic
of Croatia. Tel. 01 4569 964 Web:
www.mvp.hr/mvprh-www-eng/index.html
Customs
regulations: Customs regulations of the Republic of
Croatia are in line with the standards of European Union
countries. Foreign currency is freely brought in and taken out of
the country; up to a value of 15.000 kn for domestic currency.
More expensive professional and technical equipment should be
registered at the border. Dogs and cats, accompanied by their
owner, need to have an International certificate from a
registered veterinarian stating that at least 15 days and not
more than six months have passed since their vaccination against
rabies. Tax refund for goods purchased in Croatia over 500 kuna
in value with a validated "Tax cheque" at departure
from the country. Information: Republic of Croatia Customs
Administration (tel 01 6102 333); Web:
http://www.carina.hr/
Purchase
tax reimbursement for foreign citizens: Tourists making
purchases in Croatia (apart from petroleum derivatives) which
exceed 500 Kuna per receipt may reclaim VAT ("PDV").
At
point of purchase the sales person will provide on request a form
PDV-P, which should be filled out and stamped, on the spot. On
leaving Croatia the receipt must be verified by the Croatian
Customs service. A PDV refund in Kuna can be obtained within six
months, either at the same shop where the goods were purchased
(in which case the tax is refunded immediately), or by posting
the verified receipt back to the shop, together with the account
number into which the refund should be paid. In this case the
refund is dealt with within 15 days of receipt of the
claim. Credit cards: accepted in almost all hotels, marinas,
restaurants, and shops( American Expres, Diners,
Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa).
Medical
service: There are hospitals and clinics in all larger
cities and first aid clinics and pharmacies in all places.
Foreign tourists do not pay for medical services if the Health
Care Convention was signed between Croatia and the country they
come from. Expenses of health services provided to persons coming
from the countries with which the Health Care Convention was not
signed are charged directly to users according to the price list.
There are hospitals and clinics in all the major towns, and
health centers, as well as pharmacies, in all the smaller places.
For patients whose lives are in danger, there is emergency
transport by air(helicopter) or sea (speadboat).
There is
a network of veterinary clinics and centres in
Croatia. Information: http://www.veterinarstvo.hr/,
e-mail: veterinarstvo@zg.tel.hr
National holidays 2004.: 1
January - New Year's Day; 11 and 12 april - Easter, including
Easter Monday; 1 May - Labour Day; 10 June - Corpus Christi
(Movable feast); 22 June - Anti-Fascist Resistance Day; 25 June -
Statehood Day; 5 August - Victory Day and National Thanksgiving
Day; 15 August - Assumption; 8 October - Independence Day; 1
November - All Saints' Day; 25 and 26 December - Christmas
Holidays.
Working hours:
Shops and department stores are open between 8 a.m. and 8
p.m., and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., or to 3 p.m. A
smaller number of stores close between noon and 4 p.m. Many
stores are also open on Sundays, especially in the summer, and a
smaller number in the larger cities are open 24 hours a day.
Public services and companies usually work from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30
p.m. from Monday to Friday.
Post and
Telecommunications: Post Offices are open from 7 a.m.
to 7 p.m., and on Saturdays until 1 p.m. There are Post Offices
in the larger cities which are open until 10 p.m. in the summer.
Postage stamps are sold in Post Offices and at newsstands. Public
telephones can be used only with phone cards, which can be
purchased in Post Offices and at newsstands, in hotels and
tourist complexes.
Environmental
protection: Protection of the biological diversity is
in conjunction with the EU regulations currently in force. The
water quality of the Croatia's Adriatic Sea is of high quality
for swimming and in conjunction to the EU criteria. In case of an
accident or contamination of the sea, please contact the National
Centre for Sea Search and Rescue on the number 9155 (free
telephone), which is a part of international institutions of the
same rank. In case of accidental environmental contamination on
land, report it to the National Information Centre on the number
01/4814 911 For additional information about the environment:
tel: 01/6106 111 Tel: 0800 200 037, Web: http://www.mzopu.hr/
Fire prevention: Ensure
that you have done everything to prevent a fire! Do not throw
lit or flammable objects into the environment! If you see a
fire, please inform others in your proximity; report it
immediately on the telephone number - 93; try to extinguish the
fire till the fire-fighters arrive and in such a manner so as not
to endanger yourself or others! Take notice of signs
forbidding the lighting of fires! Take care that your parked
vehicle does not obstruct accesses to the fire or roads!
Important telephone numbers:
International dialling prefix for Croatia:
385 Ambulance 94 Fire-service 93 Police 92 Assistance
on the roads 987; mailto:987@hak.hr (If
you are calling from outside of Croatia or using a mobile phone
dial ++3851 987) General information 981 Information about
local and district telephone numbers 988 Information about
International telephone numbers 902 Weather forecast and road
conditions 060 520 520 Croatia's auto club (HAK) 01 4640 800;
Internet: http://www.hak.hr/;
e-mail: info@hak.hr
CROATIAN ANGELS - unified
number of tourist information for all of Croatia 062 999
999 International callers, dial: +385 62 999 999 This
service is available in Croatian, English, German and Italian
from the 1st of April until the 31th of October.
Radio
news in foreign languages during the tourist season: On
Program 2 of Croatian radio, along with the regular news in
Croatian, the Croatian Auto Club (HAK) will give traffic reports
in English, German and Italian along with nautical news a number
of times throughout the day. Other than on Program 2 of
Croatian radio, alternating news and traffic reports will be
emitted every full hour from the following studios: Program 3 of
Bavarian radio, Program 3 of Austrian radio, RAI Uno, British
Virgin radio and Chezch radio. Throughout the day nautical news
will be emitted in English and Croatian.
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