Are euros accepted in Croatia?
 

I am going to Croatia and Italy in two days for two weeks. Just wondering if euros are accepted in Croatia?

Of course they are some places. But like any other country where you chose not to use the local currency you can expect to pay dearly for the privilege. I'm not sure why you'd use a currency that is not standard for the country.

Hi Margo, We are travelling to Croatia and Italy in a few weeks with Croatian friends, and they advised us to use Euros. We questioned whether kunas would be better, so they phoned relatives, and were told Euros were best. I would just add to make sure you know which is being quoted to you if you inquire as to the price of something.

I can think of no earthly reason why it would be better to use Euros than kuna. There are ATMs everywhere and you can easily get kuna. You will need to use Euros if you go to Montenegro.

Normally I would agree with Neo that using the local currency is best, but then I thought back to my trip to my Brazil where the currency was considered soft, and everyone told me that a hard currency would be better. I discovered that indeed it was better to use US$ than the Brazilian currency. Is the Croatian currency considered soft?

PS, I've never been to Croatia so I'm not suggesting using euros, but I would like to know in case I'm ever fortunate enough to go.

I didn't think that the advice to use Euros made sense, so I asked a good friend who lives in Zagreb. Here is his response:

<i>No, they cannot use Euros for everyday purchases, especially small ones. Shops, bars, restaurants etc. CANNOT and WILL NOT accept Euros. The only exception is that you can pay highway tolls in Euros - Highway company asked for this specifically to avoid lines at the border of foreigners exchanging money. And people renting private rooms will usually accept Euros.

Otherwise, they should use ATMs or exchange their foreign currency in nearest bank or exchange office - which is usually very easy to find around.</i>

Croatia is a thriving country and is becoming more so every day. Enjoy your visit.

When we visited Montenegro a few years ago (before the euro) the ATMs in town actually gave out US dollars! That was bizarre. The US dollar was the &quot;unofficial&quot; currency of Montenegro we were told.

Montenegro used german Marks and is now using the Euro

To answer my own question for someone elses benefit--We used an ATM in Zagreb to get kunas, the local currency. Euros were occasionally accepted in tourist areas but I never used this exchange. On the road through Bosnia, anything was accepted and in Montenegro, it was the euro only. They didn't want kunas.

Though I was only in the area for two weeks, and am no expert, I might be able to answer a question about the coastal area of Croatia if anyone has one. I found the area interesting and would advise someone going to the area to read &quot;Through the Embers of Chaos: Balkan Journeys&quot; by Dervla Murphy for a historical background of the Balkans.

Margo

We would love a trip report Margo - even a little one!