mandalay

I am travelling to Croatia (Hvar) in July. Am I best getting Kuna for the trip, or am I safe to keep euro.

I am staying at a pre-paid hotel, but would like to know if local shops, and bars prefer Kuna or euro when paying.

Thanks in advance

traveller1959

I am afraid you need Kuna. Use a local ATM to draw them.

bilboburgler

They don't take glass beads either.

If you want to use Euro or $ (various countries) you may get by as long as you don't mind the worst exchange rate you have ever seen.

Andrew

The reason some people traveling to Croatia seem to get confused about currency is that many hotels quote their prices in Euros. They do that only so that people know the equivalent cost in a currency they are probably familiar with. But when you pay at the hotel, you'll pay in Kuna, not Euros. A few places may take Euros at a poor exchange rate, but most places accept only Kuna.

doug_stallings

I have to say that has never been my experience in the touristy areas of Croatia. When I paid in cash, I used euros in Dubrovnik and Split without any problems and got decent exchange rates everywhere, including restaurants. I was always given change in euros.

But I was only there for a day and night each. If you're spending any amount of time in Hvar (more than just a night), then there's no doubt that you want to get kuna to use there. But you'll likely pay for your hotel with a credit card, and every place will take euros. Obviously, get local currency if the exchange rates in Hvar are bad, but you can decide that after you get off the ferry.

traveller1959

Sorry Doug, but you have been to THE two main tourist drags in Croatia which are flooded with cruise ship passengers daily, most of them without kuna, so the shopkeepers have adapted.

For Hvar, I strongly recommend having kuna.

Whathello

Croatia is not part of the Eurozone.
I don't think you'd pay in Rupees in China nor in Pesos in New York or would you ?

KTtravel

We used Kuna in Croatia.

doug_stallings

If you are staying multiple nights, then, as I said, it's always better to use kuna. ATMs are easy to find, though not as numerous as in bigger places. But if it's just a quick stopover, euros will do.

Croatia is in the EU but not the eurozone, and its currency has been pegged to the euro since 1994. The country has already applied to phase out the kuna, and the euro is accepted widely and happily.

rtt0921

In my experience, the euro is not widely accepted outside of the main tourist hubs, at least not widely enough for me to be comfortable using solely euros. However, places that accept euros usually do so at a fair rate (again, IME) and if staying for just a day in a large touristy place, one can get by using euros and plastic.

Re the currency's status, while it is true that the HNB has managed to keep the kuna's value relatively stable against the euro (and before, the DM) since 1994, it is not pegged to the euro, nor will the country be joining the eurozone anytime soon. Croatia does not meet the convergence criteria and has not yet applied to join the European Exchange Rate Mechanism, a two-year (minimum) arrangement that is a prerequisite for later euro adoption.

judilie

Might you get a better change rate at a bank, or is an ATM as good (even with transactions fees included)?

ira

Hi Jud,

In general getting foreign currency at an ATM is the least expensive way to do it.

However much depends on the ATM card you are using.

Some banks will charge a processing fee (about 3%)as well as an exorbitant Out-of-network fee.

I have an ATM card from https://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/client_home that has not extra charges and refunds the Out-of-Network fee.

Andrew

Yes, find out the transaction fees. I have a credit union account with no fees and 0% conversion fee. Some credit unions may charge as low as a 1% fee. I always use my ATM card in Europe. I used it all over Croatia last year to get Kuna. You do have to inform your credit union or bank ahead of time that you will be using it over there to avoid having the card blocked due to suspicion of fraud.

doug_stallings

In virtually all cases you'll get a better exchange rate through at ATM, all fees included.

judilie

What about credit cards? Are there ways to minimize fees on those?

thursdaysd

Not for cash advances, although you could try paying it off immediately.

Hvar is full of tourists, many of them upmarket, you can maybe get by just with a credit card, but you want one with no foreign conversion fees.

(Hint, I use Capital One for travel, both ATM and CC.)

traveller1959

Croatia makes excellent ice cream. When you grab a lolly, you certainly pay with kuna and nothing else.

On the beaches, you find mobile vendors with portable coolers walking around, selling water, sodas, beer and ice cream. On a hot day, it is a most welcome service. You pay them with kuna.