An orange juice, freshly squeezed from sun-ripened fruit, invigorating coffee or a delicious tea with mint – a visit to a café is simply a must for many holidaymakers. The Croatian news portal “net.hr“ has asked its readers to send in receipts from cafes. The prices in the preseason do not arouse good expectations for the summer at Croatia’s dream destinations.
Classic coffees cost more than five euros in Croatian holiday regions
The response from readers was great. Many sent pictures of horrendous bills for hot drinks. On the popular holiday island of Hvar, for example, a large espresso cost 4.50 euros. According to “net.hr”, however, this was still one of the cheaper offers.
A reader named Vedran then sent a photo of his bill from Opatija, a small coastal town near Rijeka. There, a latte cost 6.50 euros. “If you thought Hvar was expensive, Opatija is crazy,” he commented. Another bill from Opatija shows that even an orange juice costing 5.50 euros is no bargain.
Expert sees “significant leap in quality” in the country
But it’s not just the prices that are causing a stir. A reader named Marinetta complained about the quantity. “The price in April is not as shocking as the small cup. Literally three sips of coffee,” she complained. Another reader named Bojan from Hvar sent a bill where a peppermint tea costs five euros and a vanilla Nescafé costs six euros.
According to “net.hr”, the price jumps before the season are almost a tradition. But it is not only in the catering trade that prices in Croatia are rising rapidly. Romeo Draghicchio, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board, mentions in the “Mercury“This is particularly the case in the areas of wine culture, accommodation and tourist products, where holidaymakers have to prepare for higher costs. In addition to inflation, this is also due to the better supply. Croatia has made a “significant leap forward in quality,” says the expert.
Holidaymakers can also consume more cheaply
Prices in Croatia will not fall, says Draghicchio. But there is still good news for holidaymakers. The tourism director predicts: “Prices will follow inflation, but it will be much more moderate than in recent years.” He also stresses that holidaymakers in Croatia will find what they are looking for in a variety of price categories.
The industry portal “Tourism News” is expecting an improvement this year after the “price explosion” last year. Prices of up to ten percent were also linked to the change from the national currency, the kuna, to the euro, according to the portal. Nevertheless, holidaymakers have to hurry. Since the Corona years, demand among Germans has increased by twelve percent.