Facing Your Fears
You see other people starting to dip their toes back in the traveling world, but you may be asking yourself, how safe is it really? People have varying levels of comfort when it comes to Covid-19 precautions, and let me please tell you, I am the queen of Worryville. I have strictly followed all lock-down procedures, avoided being unmasked indoors, and am fully vaccinated. My personal approach to Covid-19 has been one of extreme caution. That being said, I felt extremely safe in Croatia, much to my surprise. Not only that, it was one of the most breathtaking, amazing destinations I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. I was glad I didn’t let my fear of the unknown keep me from experiencing this amazing country.
Entry Requirements
Croatia is currently open to both vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers alike. Travelers simply have to provide one of the following documents:
A negative Covid-19 test (72 hours before departure)
Medical documentation of recovery from Covid-19
Proof of vaccination
Assuming you can provide one of the above items, Croatia is open and ready for you to explore and travelers do not need to quarantine upon arrival. But you may be wondering how you will be asked to prove your Covid-19 status and how often you’ll have to provide it?
Consider Testing Before You Leave
Before you leave, I would recommend scheduling a Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to departure. While this isn’t technically a Croatian requirement for vaccinated travelers or those who have recently recovered from Covid-19, it is pretty standard for international travel within the EU and many airport staff did ask me about it. I felt it would’ve saved me some hassle to be able to flash my results rather than waste time explaining why I didn’t have that documentation. Full disclosure, despite my best efforts, I did not secure this documentation before my trip due to the testing site running out of tests. That being said, I still believe it would’ve made my travel experience easier if I’d had that documentation. Use your own discretion to decide if it’s worth the extra step. Bear in mind too, that while Croatia does not require it, your layover destination might. In any case, do yourself a favor and research all the entry requirements for each one of your destinations thoroughly before you go, layovers included. Another shameless plug for pre-departure testing is the peace of mind you’ll have knowing you’re negative and traveling responsibly.
What To Expect During Travel
In the airport and on the flight itself I found that the masking requirements were strictly adhered to by airport and airline staff alike. Before I traveled I had concerns about how safe these scenarios would be, but my fears were eased pretty much immediately once I arrived at the airport. The airline desk agent, gate agents and TSA agents all asked for my Covid-19 documentation, so pack them somewhere where you can access them easily. You’ll probably be asked to show them multiple times on your journey. Be advised that international flights do still serve meals, and that is the one time passengers are allowed to take their masks off. If that weirds you out, I’d suggest double masking and planning to pack your own snacks. You can easily time your eating when other people have their masks back on if that gives you peace of mind. Remember too that most people had to provide documentation of being Covid-19 negative prior to departure, so your chances of being exposed on the flight are relatively low. Outside of being asked to mask, it was a pretty standard flying experience.
Documentation in Croatia
When you enter Croatia you will again be asked to provide your Covid-19 documentation at customs in addition to your other travel documents (boarding pass, passport, etc.). Likewise, when you cross any land borders you will also have to supply these documents, so keep them handy anytime you are traveling. Keep in mind that you may unintentionally need to cross borders while transferring from one Croatian city to the next. Our road trip from Split to Dubrovnik for example had us crossing the border to Bosnia and Herzegovina and their entry requirements were different. Here’s where a little pre-trip research can really help you out. Take a quick glance at your proposed driving route and see if you’ll inadvertently be visiting any neighboring countries and educate yourself on their entry requirements.
On The Ground in Croatia
Once you get to Croatia you can safely tuck away your documentation. Masks are required in shops and inside of hotels, but if you are outdoors you can safely keep a distance and enjoy the beautiful scenery without having to mask up. At no point did I feel uncomfortable or unsafe in this regard. All of the restaurants have adapted and have ample outdoor seating, adequate spacing, digital menus, etc. Our hotel even offered a complimentary sanitization of our luggage, which I thought was a really nice touch. Croatia has done a great job adapting to Covid-19 without making travelers feel overly restricted, in my opinion.
Requirements Before You Return Home
One thing you will want to keep in mind is that the US requires a negative Covid-19 test upon re-entry to the United States, again 72 hours prior to departure. One thing you should be aware of is that testing is not free in Croatia. It cost me around $100 US dollars and I had to make an appointment at the local testing location two weeks prior to my trip. I opted to get my test done at the Dubrovnik hospital in a little white portable in the parking lot. I simply sent them a brief email requesting an appointment and provided them with my name, nationality, and preferred appointment window. I’d recommend getting your test the day before you leave. It was extremely efficient and the test results themselves came back in a record five hours, which was great! Before you go, make sure you check out the local testing sites and make an appointment before your trip. You can see a list of testing locations in Croatia here. Be advised, most locations provide both PCR and Rapid results, but the US only accepts PCR. The EU and various destinations accept different types of results, so don’t be confused when you see other travelers opting for the quicker, faster, rapid test option. You will need to bring your passport as identification at the testing location and the workers might take it from you while they input your information. This is completely normal and a government requirement, so don’t worry, you’ll get it right back after you pay for your test.
Have A Great Trip
Having realistic expectations and taking a few additional steps prior to your trip can make your trip as smooth and seamless as possible. As you can see from the photos, we had an incredibly fantastic trip--in fact, it was one of the best we’ve done so far! Croatia has a ton of beauty to uncover and an old world charm that is unlike anywhere else in the world—not to mention some of the friendliest people around. So don’t hesitate to get back out there and start exploring responsibly. Happy travels, friends!
