Last updated June 19, 2021
Yes, Croatia is open to American tourists
Croatia has been open to tourists from the US since April 1st 2021. A similar situation was in place in Summer 2020, so we have a very good picture of how travel this Summer will look like based on reports from our staff in Croatia as well as our guests’ experiences last year.
Entry Requirements
Entry for tourism is permitted only with documentary evidence of an accommodation paid in advance and in full, prior to arrival at the border (the accommodation reservation alone is not sufficient for entry). If you are traveling with us any necessary documentation will be provided.
U.S. citizens entering Croatia must present one of the following:
- A negative viral test result: PCR test not older than 72 hours or rapid antigen test (list of acceptable antigen tests) not older than 48 hours (counting from the time of taking the test to arriving at the border crossing point).
- A certificate of vaccination (any vaccine) for persons whose final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is more than 14 days prior to crossing the border.
- A medical certificate confirming that the traveler has recovered from COVID-19 after having a positive PCR or rapid antigen test result. The certificate is valid 11-180 days after the positive test result.
- Perform PCR testing or rapid antigen testing immediately upon arrival to Croatia (at the traveler’s own expense), with the obligation to stay in self-isolation until receiving a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, travelers must self-isolate for a period of 10 days.
All travelers are required to fill out the form available at the EnterCroatia web page
Antigen or PCR Testing for Returning Home
If you need to get tested for your journey home, whether it is required by the airline or for re-entry into the U.S. we will help you schedule that at the most convenient location possible, at the appropriate time. For re-entry to the US you need to have a negative result from a Covid-19 viral test up to 3 days before departure (not counting the day of departure, so for a flight at 1pm on a Friday, you could board with a negative test that was taken any time on the prior Tuesday or after.) Since May 12 2021, the CDC have approved Antigen tests for travel. Antigen tests are quicker (results in 30 minutes, not 24 hours) and cheaper (around 1/3 the price or less) than PCR tests and often more readily available. If you are flying direct back to the US, the only test you’ll need is an Antigen test. If you are transferring in another country on the way back to the US other requirements may apply. We advise to check with the airline in this case.
The Croatian government maintains a list of COVID-19 test centers in Croatia but there are more in some of our overnight destinations that we can arrange an appointment at, to minimize the disruption to your trip.
General COVID-19 measures to be aware of
- maintain physical distance
- maintain hand hygiene and disinfection (we will provide a personal bottle of hand sanitiser to you upon arrival)
- wearing protective masks is mandatory in all closed spaces throughout the country (we will provide one disposable mask per day of your vacation)
Curfews and Movement Restrictions
In Croatia there are no curfews in place and no restrictions on intercity and interstate travel.
Bars & Restaurants
Bars are only serving customers on outdoor terraces, while restaurants are serving both indoors and outdoors. Working hours are from 6:00am to 12:00am. Please note walk-ins are possible but we advise making reservations due to limited outdoor capacities. We are happy to make recommendations and help with reservations.
Sightseeing
Cultural sites and museums are working normally, some with reduced working hours, with limited number of visitors. If you are interested in any specific sites, please let your local JayWay contact know and they will confirm the current situation a few days in advance, and help with making reservations if advised. Group tours are currently not running due to government-mandated restrictions, so it may be necessary to upgrade.
Shops and Beauty Services
All shops and beauty services are open with regular working hours. Shops have limitations on number of visitors depending on their size. As for beauty services (hairdressers, nail appointments, etc.) appointments must be made.
Public Transport
Wearing protective masks is mandatory throughout the country in public transportation.
Estimate for next change in measures
It is likely that around end of June indoor spaces of bars will be open and opening hours will be extended.
Updates from JayWay’s Locals
Our team in Croatia are eager to host our guests again and the first of 2021 are arriving in late May. To get a better picture of what things are like on the ground, we’ve asked our colleagues who live in the destinations to send us updates.
From Antonija in Split
With warm, bright and longer spring days together with more and more vaccinated people, Split has started waking up from the long winter hibernation punctuated with multiple lockdowns. Although the old normal is not back yet in its full splendor, now is just a wonderful time to enjoy Split in its beauty, laid back atmosphere and without crowds as we are sure these will come back soon again. There is no better place to be now, than sitting in one of the cafes at Riva waterfront promenade, sipping your coffee and watch the world go by.
From Lidija in Zagreb
With warmer weather and pandemic decreasing significantly, people of Zagreb are enjoying their favourite pastime: Coffee and people watching! One of the thibgs we missed the most was sitting at the nice cafe, enjoying time with our friends and families and soaking in the atmosphere. With cafes and restaurants open, we couldn’t get there fast enough! For now, only the terraces are allowed to serve the guests, which we don’t really mind- the temperatures are almost summer ones already. With a lot of people being vaccinated every day and numbers of Covid infections decreasing
From Ivana in Dubrovnik
Although we were very confused is it spring or autumn with the amount of rain we had recently, I can definitely say now that we are walking slowly towards warmer sunnier summer days 🙂 Dubrovnik is opening up like all the spring flowers and blooming wonderfully. Sipping coffee, soaking up the sun on the beaches, everybody is enjoying themselves. With the lower numbers of infected and higher numbers of vaccinated populations, we are happy to enjoy the freedom of movement and hoping that most of the measures will be lifted by the end of the month.
Useful Links
Up-to-date COVID-19 Stats from Croatian Government
Entry Requirements from Croatian Ministry of Interior
EnterCroatia Page for Passenger Locator Form
U.S. Embassy in Croatia’s COVID-19 Info (sometimes not entirely current)