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New Restrictions in Croatia That Travelers Need To Know

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Article originally published Nov 28, new updates Dec 4:

Dec 4: More changes to Croatia have happened since publishing this article last week.

  • Croatia is now requiring PCR tests from all EU visitors that are not ‘green' nations, which is basically all of them at this time. 
  • Croatia has removed the entry for tourists from third-party nations (non-EU) from their official sites, suggesting travelers from places like the USA and Canada can no longer enter, until at least Dec 15, 2020. 

Croatia has been a world leader in pandemic-era travel, with one of the best rebounding tourism industries in Europe, partially due to its relaxed entry requirements and allowing tourists from all nations to enter, with testing and proof of accommodation.

However, due to a recent surge in cases throughout the month of November, Croatia has enacted some new rules and regulations that could impact tourists.

covid restrictions inside croatia

While not nearly as strict as some of Croatia’s neighboring EU nations, there are many new restrictions coming into effect on November 28th that will change the experience travellers have while visiting the country.

These rules and restrictions are expected to be temporary, lasting until December 21st, but there is the possibility of renewal if the epidemiological situation does not improve.

city in croatia

Croatia's Restrictions as of November 28

Restaurants and Cafes

All to close for dine-in service.

Restaurants and cafes will only be permitted to offer take-away or delivery services.

The exception to this rule applies to restaurants inside hotels or resorts, which are permitted to offer dine-in services to guests staying on the premises only.

Nightclubs, Bars and Casinos

Closed.

Gyms, Fitness Centres, Recreation Facilities

Closed.

mountains sea croatia

Live Theatre or Plays with Choirs or Orchestras

Closed/Suspended

Cinemas, Museums, or Plays without Choirs or Orchestras

Permitted with limits:

25 people with social distancing, masks, without food/drink consumption and until 10:00pm

Fairs and Tourist Markets

Closed.

zagreb croatia

Sale of Alcohol

Prohibited between 10:00pm and 6:00am

Malls, Shopping Centres and Retail Stores

Permitted to stay open, but with additional capacity restrictions and mandatory mask-wearing

Public Transportation

Permitted to stay in service, but with 40% capacity limits and mandatory mask wearing

Fines For Not Wearing Masks

Croatia’s chief epidemiologist says that fines of 100 to 200 euros could soon come into effect for non-compliance of masks

dalmatian coast croatia

The Good News For Tourists Traveling Soon to Croatia:

No Change to Entry Requirements

While there may be additional restrictions for businesses and services inside Croatia, we have not seen any changes to the entry requirements for crossing the border into the country, which have remained virtually unchanged since July.

If you are coming from a non-EU nation (like the USA or Canada for example) you will still need to bring a negative PCR test, taken no longer than 48 hours prior to arrival, as well as proof fo accommodation.

Croatia reopening

Hotel Stays Permitted

Unlike some other EU nations that have entered partial or ‘soft’ lockdowns, hotel stays for the purpose of leisure travel is still permitted in Croatia, keeping the nation a very viable option for holiday vacations.

No restrictions are expected to be made for hotel stays, as the nation is still very confident in their ability to safely host tourists without contributing to case numbers.

Korcula Island, Croatia

All in all, the temporary restrictions throughout Croatia do not create a make-or-break type of reality for most travelers, albeit trips might not be as fulfilling as originally planned.

For now, Croatia still remains one of the top places in the world to travel to during the pandemic and is only expected to gain more popularity with the announcement of their new long-stay digital nomad visa.

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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories


Andrew Evenstar

Wednesday 9th of December 2020

i have already applied and got approved to arrived to Croatia on december 27th. there is contradicting information in this article. at the top you said entry from places like the USA is restricted. But in the entry requirements area, you say there are no changed. i'll check out their official page, but you may want to look into that.

my 2nd question is, on a previous article you said you messaged someone in Croatia about testing requirements. What i usually see is a negative PCR test and nothing more specific. In your article, you said that representative said they require a throat and nasal swab. Can anyone attest to what they went through or if just a document saying a " negative pcr" test is enough. Thanks!

Kashlee Kucheran

Wednesday 9th of December 2020

Yes the information at the top is an update, meaning the information was added after the below content was published. There is a LOT of conflicting information coming out of Croatia this past week. Some say entry from US is no longer possible, while other sources say it is. We don't have a 100% concrete answer at this time.

We believe any PCR test is fine, as long as it is the PCR type and not rapid/antigen/etc.

Jeanette

Sunday 29th of November 2020

Honestly these all sound like they should have happened already anyway.

Joe

Saturday 28th of November 2020

What about wineries/tasting rooms? Does that full under the restaurant category?

Kashlee Kucheran

Sunday 29th of November 2020

That is a great question Joe, but I am afraid I don't know for sure. Since they are indoors, I would likely say they are suspended for the time being .