What to Pack for Croatia: A Local's Summer Packing List

I'm Sarah, a Canadian who has lived in Croatia for 13 years. With my Croatian husband Ivan, I run Royal Croatian Tours. Almost every guest asks us what to pack for Croatia. Here's my packing list for a summer trip, with a few things you can leave at home. And remember: if you forget something, you can buy almost anything here.

Clothes

• Light summer clothes: shorts, t-shirts and dresses. Dresses pack small and work from the beach to dinner.
• One nicer outfit for a special dinner. Croatia has some wonderful restaurants.
• An extra layer: a cardigan or light rain jacket for cooler evenings, boat days and national parks. In spring and autumn, bring proper layers.
• A swimsuit (or two): the sea is too beautiful not to swim every day.

Shoes

• Comfortable walking shoes or sandals for the smooth, slippery stone streets of the old towns. Leave the high heels at home.
• Proper walking shoes if you're visiting Plitvice, Krka or going hiking.
• Water shoes or sturdy rubber sandals: most beaches are pebbly or rocky. Not pretty, but your feet will thank you.
• Flip-flops for around town and the beach.

Sun protection

A hat, sunglasses and plenty of sunscreen: the Adriatic sun is strong. If you run out, drugstores like DM, Müller and BIPA and every supermarket sell sunscreen.

Chargers and adapters

Croatia uses European two-pin plugs (230 V). For phones and tablets, a small European USB plug, ideally with several ports, does the job. For a laptop, bring a travel adapter. Don't bring a hair straightener or curling iron from North America: even with a converter they tend to burn out. Buy a cheap one here if you need it.

A travel towel

Hotels usually provide beach towels, but if you're staying in an apartment or going on boat trips, a quick-drying microfibre towel packs small and is very handy.

Painkillers

Bring some Tylenol or Advil from home. In Croatia they're only sold in pharmacies, which have limited hours, especially on Sundays and on small islands. The local equivalents are Lupocet (paracetamol) and Neofen (ibuprofen).

Money

Croatia uses the euro. Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but bring some cash for cafés, bakeries, markets and tips, which are usually left in cash. Use bank ATMs rather than standalone ones, and avoid exchanging money at the airport. More in our guide to Croatian money.

Passport and documents

Croatia is in the Schengen area, so there are no border checks with Slovenia or Hungary, but you need your passport for day trips to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro or Serbia. Check whether you'll need ETIAS (read our Schengen guide).

Pack light

Cobblestones, steps, ferries and catamarans are much easier with a small suitcase. Pack light, and buy anything you forget here. More tips in our 33 Croatia travel tips.