Visiting Croatia during Pandemic Times

These unprecedented pandemic times have literally changed our planet around. From overcrowded beach festivals to collective hugs at weddings, such memories remind us now of some better times that we cannot wait to get back to. And after a year and a half in lockdowns and prohibition restrictions, the least we can do to get a feel of the old times is to travel. Luckily, some countries are already welcoming guests and one of them is Croatia. Can you think of any better place to recover other than a beautiful coast with crystal clear sea and a green magical inland? Me neither. Catch Open Borders, Not COVID Instead of looking for destinations which are unsure either because of their current restrictions or because of their COVID numbers, Croatia offers the opposite of both. All you need to do is to prove that you are safe. EU/EEA Travelers If you are travelling from the European Union, entering Croatia should be a quite easy task. There is no need to self-quarantine if you can bring with you one of the following documents: Proof of a negative PCR or RAT test on SARS CoV-2, not older than 48 hours from the moment of taking the swab. Proof of vaccination either with two doses or with one dose (only for those vaccines which are intended for a single dose) against SARS CoV-2, older than 14 days. Proof to have recovered from SARS CoV-2 in the past 180 days. Even if none of these criteria are met, you can still avoid self-isolation with simply performing a PCR or RAT test upon arrival. Until you get the results, however, you should stay in self-isolation. If you are looking to spend just a day in Croatia and not sleeping in, you can actually visit the country with no requirements at all, as long as you leave the country in less than 12 hours. Third Country Travelers Entry restrictions towards third country travelers are somehow stricter. However, if you can prove that you have already paid for your accommodation in Croatia, you can still proceed towards your favorite destinations with following the same 3 basic proof criteria from above. And again, even if you do not have any of these at the moment of crossing the border, you can simply wait for your test results at your accommodation, without leaving it until they show negative. These travel restrictions are currently in place until June 15th. It is still unknown on how they will look like during summertime, but they are most likely going to remain in a similar version. In order to get accurate data on updated restrictions and policies in real time, please do ensure to either contact the local tourist board of your chosen destination or to follow the official site of the government, which you can find by clicking here. Safe Stay in Croatia Apart from being able to enter the country with no restrictions, one would surely also want to feel safe in it. One of the ways of making sure that your chosen destination is meeting all the expected safety and cleaning standards is by looking for the Safe Stay in Croatia mark. Like, everywhere. This guarantees that businesses are following all what they need to follow, so choosing such businesses is probably one of the most effective ways of ensuring yourself the effortless vacation you deserve. Each business that complies with the needed standards and protocols should have the sign clearly stated on their entrance or façade. Or website. However, there are a few things to be careful about. First of all, you should ensure that the sign is original by checking its barcode. Simply swipe your mobile phone over it and if you are redirected to the official website which you may see by clicking here, the place is genuine. If the barcode does not lead you to such web place, it may mean that the business has probably lost its sign and is now trying to setup one on its own. Obviously, not legally. Another good way of taking advantage of the project is by choosing your accommodation and places to visit by looking for them through the Safe Stay in Croatia website, as all businesses which are eligible are listed there. Not All is Red, and Not All is Green When travelling during pandemic times, you really get to learn how colors are important. One of the most talked colors these days are certainly those related to the COVID map. Our entire planet is currently basing its rules of travel and migration according to the color of a specific country or region. So yes, these are super-important. Croatia has its own virtual map which is (surprisingly!) updated every single day. Here you can see the security level according to the European common standards, based on the number of new COVID confirmed cases during the last 7 and 14 days. Those which are indicated in green are doing amazing in handling the situation and will probably have more relaxed measures at some point. Oppositely, red-colored regions are doing somehow worse, so your origin country may decide to setup some stricter restrictions on your way back home. Adding to that, orange regions are somewhere in the mid-values. Not all is red, and not all is green. This super-helpful interactive map may be found by clicking here. Plus, you may even get a general idea of the most interesting restrictions in place by simply clicking on the region of your interest. Slowly but Safely To conclude, Croatia is among the first European countries opening up to tourists from around the world, which certainly should make it jump onto the top of your to-visit list. Even though the country was somehow late with the whole vaccination process, it is currently in the middle of preferential vaccination towards tourism employees and caterers. Plus, several testing points are opening up specifically for tourists, making our visits much easier. All in all, Croatia is opening up slowly but safely, and I cannot wait to visit.