Camping in Croatia

Croatia is a European country with a long tradition of camping.

Even during the times when coming to the Adriatic was a true adventure, when it took almost 24 hours to come from some European countries with a trailer to the first island and town, campers were coming to Croatia.

The main motives for their arrival in Croatia were:

• Fascinating landscape: mountains, rivers, forests, lakes, brooks, valleys, capes
• Preserved nature: 8 national parks, 11 nature parks, natural reservations and protected areas, fascinating landscape
• Mild Mediterranean climate: long hot summers, mild and pleasant winters and springs
• Islands and sea: 1,185 islands, gravel beaches, all sea sports and pleasures in the sea which is ideal for swimming, with mild waves and tides
• Coast: 1,777 km of indented coast with beaches, bays, pine tree forests and picturesque coastal towns and villages
• Return to health in preserved nature: camping in nature and sports for campers is a return to health and own pleasure
• Croatia – true camping destination: almost one third of visitors to Croatia are campers; Croatian camps are diverse, safe and friendly, at best locations and right by the sea in natural surroundings
• Croatia is ideal for naturists; considering the longest naturist tradition in Europe, known camps and settlements, safety, quality
• Flora and fauna: Croatia has exceptional richness and diversity (ornithological reservations, richness of undersea, hunting and fishing)
• Cultural heritage: 6 Croatian locales have been put on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list; wonderful Mediterranean towns, monuments, museums, collections. Cities of Dubrovnik, Split, Trogir, Poreč, Pula...
• Gastronomy experience: healthy food with fish, vegetables, olive oil, good wine...
• Croatia is close by: accessible from entire Europe in one day of driving, and after the construction of new motorways, it is even closer; whoever prefers the airplane, there are 6 airports on the coast

There are two urges that make people want to camp in Croatia: a wish for freedom and a return to nature. Croatia, as a country of high security and beautiful nature and numerous camps, ideally fulfills those wishes!

Croatia has the following, accommodating capacities:

Camping segment makes up over 24% of total accommodating capacities in Croatia. There are 540 registered camps, of which 406 falls into the category of mini camps. The total capacity of camps is 217,342 accommodation units.

Camp capacity distribution in Croatian tourist regions is as follows:

• Istria: 52,5%
• Kvarner: 19%
• Dalmatia: 27%

In Croatian camps, you mostly use your own equipment, but many camps also rent equipment, as well as camp houses, trailers, tents and mobile homes or bungalows.

You can:

• In 14 camps, rent a tent (879 units)
• 26 camps, rent a camp trailer (490 units)
• 24 camps, rent a mobile home or a bungalow (1,857 units)

Croatian camps are mostly open from May to October, but there is a large number of camps which are open year round. Such camps have to be organised (with heated sanitary spaces, space to stay, etc.)
Throughout the year, there are open camps in Istria, on the island of Pag, and one or two in Dalmatia.

The diversity of camps, whether by size or content, varies from big camp settlements or "towns" with different content and offer for spending free time. All the way to a large number of small camps, of which most, around 300, are located in Dalmatia.

In Croatia, the increase in camp quality is regularly witnessed. Parcelling of camps is performed, there are new sanitary facilities made per European standards, pool construction, construction of mini camps in Dalmatia, specialised for selective forms of tourism, such as fishing camps on rivers and by the sea, camps by natural monuments such as national parks, or camps with a very intimate atmosphere for families with children. Also, there are camps which offer activities in fruit or grape growing, or picking citrus fruits and similar activities.

Possibilities of accommodation in camps are as follows:

• mobile homes in most of the camps,
• bungalows,
• apartments,
• villas

Adjustment of camp spaces for tourists who arrive with camping trailers.

• All larger camps have organized animation and children content, which is a standard in Europe
• A high level of catering and trade services in the camp
• Accent on security of guests

In Croatia, camping in residential areas and by the road is forbidden, and for now there are no rest stops or overnight stops for campers. But, recognising the camping trend, the ordinance on sorting, minimal conditions and categorisation of accommodation facilities in camps is being proposed. There is a new category – CAMP RESTING PLACE. It’s an accommodation facility by public roadways in which there are camping services provided for guests who need to stay for one night or a few days. Until the construction of such facilities, a brochure which is in the making will be used and it will have a list of camps and mini camps by regions which offer the necessary camping services (chemical toilet or drain).

In Croatia, there are 10 camps which have the European awards “KCK Camping of the year”, “ADAC Super platz” and “Federecampeggio – premio qualita e simpatia”. All of these camps are categorised with 4 stars and they have all the characteristics of the best European camps.

From those 10, 6 are in Istria, while 3 are in Dalmatia, and 1 in Kvarner. TOP CAMPING POOL management is done by Master Studio, Ltd from Poreč, and the head and president of the project is Jerko Sladoljev, a member of EFCO – European Federation of Camping Organisations management.

Conditions for entrance into this club of the best are 20 ADAC points, yellow or red ADAC board and a minimum of 4 stars per Croatian national classification.

A special accent is given to the quality of relationship with the guests, a lowering of the number of complaints, and management of the total quality.

Camp Straško has undertaken a number of activities for introducing ISO 14001 standard, environment quality management, as one of pre-conditions for sustainable development of camping in general, because of its high dependability on quality of nature, as well as a set of measures for service quality management and camping experience on the island of Pag.

Camping on an island in Croatia is a special experience because of the attractiveness of nature and environment, and camping on the island of Pag is even more attractive because of the fact that the island is well connected with ferry lines and more importantly – a bridge.