Croatian etiquette is relaxed by European standards, and most visitors only need a handful of rules: cover shoulders and knees in churches, keep swimwear for the beach, greet people when you walk into a shop or café, and say Dobar tek before a meal and Živjeli when you raise a glass. Formality matters more with older people and in offices than in bars and on the coast.
Dress code in churches
Croatia is a majority Catholic country, and churches, cathedrals and monasteries are working places of worship, including the famous ones in Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar and Šibenik.
- Cover shoulders and knees. Shorts and sleeveless tops are often turned away at the door of cathedrals and monasteries, especially in summer when staff check at the entrance.
- Carry a light scarf or shirt in your day bag so you can cover up without going back to your accommodation.
- Men remove hats inside. Women are not expected to cover their heads in Catholic churches.
- Keep quiet during Mass, and do not walk around sightseeing while a service is in progress. Some churches ask visitors not to photograph at all; follow the signs.
Swimwear and town streets
The clearest rule for visitors is that swimwear stays on the beach. Coastal towns that receive heavy summer crowds have turned this into local law:
- Split adopted a bylaw in 2023 that allows communal wardens to fine people walking shirtless or in swimwear in the historic centre; the fine was reported at about €150.
- Dubrovnik has fined people for walking through the old town in swimwear or partly undressed since 2020, with warning signs at the Pile, Ploče and Buža gates.
- Other busy coastal towns, Hvar among them, have tightened rules on noise and behaviour in recent years, and fine amounts change from year to year.
In practice: put on a T-shirt and shorts or a cover-up before leaving the beach, and do not go barefoot or in a wet swimsuit into shops, cafés or restaurants. Nudity is for designated naturist beaches, marked FKK, which are common along the coast; topless sunbathing is widely tolerated on ordinary beaches, but full nudity elsewhere is not.
Greetings and forms of address
Greet people when you enter a small shop, bakery, pharmacy or café, and say goodbye when you leave. It is noticed when visitors skip this.
| Croatian | Meaning | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Dobar dan | Good day | Polite default from late morning |
| Dobro jutro | Good morning | Morning |
| Dobra večer | Good evening | Evening |
| Bok | Hi / bye | Friends, young people, informal settings |
| Doviđenja | Goodbye | Leaving a shop or office |
| Hvala | Thank you | Any time |
| Molim | Please / you're welcome | Asking, or replying to hvala |
A handshake with eye contact is the standard greeting when you meet someone. Friends greet each other with two kisses on the cheeks, but visitors are not expected to start this. With older people and in formal settings, use Vi (the polite "you") and gospodin (Mr) or gospođa (Mrs) with a surname until you are invited to use first names. Among younger people, first names come quickly.
Eating and drinking
- Before eating: Dobar tek (enjoy your meal). It is polite to wait until everyone has been served.
- Toasting: say Živjeli (cheers) and look each person in the eye as you touch glasses. Avoiding eye contact during a toast is a common minor faux pas.
- Hospitality: hosts refill plates and glasses readily. A polite refusal may need to be repeated; leaving a little on the plate signals you have had enough.
- Coffee: an invitation na kavu (for a coffee) means sitting down, often for an hour or more. Nobody will rush you off a café terrace.
- Paying: at restaurants, ask for the bill (Račun, molim). Tipping is not obligatory, but leaving around 10% for good table service is common; card terminals rarely have a tip option, so tip in cash.
Prices are in euros; Croatia replaced the kuna on 1 January 2023, so older guides quoting kuna are out of date.
Conversation: what to avoid
Croatians are generally open and direct in conversation, but a few topics need care:
- The 1990s war. The Homeland War (Domovinski rat, 1991–1995) is recent history in living memory. Listen rather than offer opinions, and avoid joking about it.
- Language and identity. The language is Croatian (hrvatski). Calling it "Serbo-Croatian" or treating Croatia as interchangeable with its neighbours will cause offence.
- Yugoslavia. Opinions differ widely between generations and regions; let your hosts lead.
- Religion and politics follow the usual rule: fine with people you know, best avoided with strangers.
Football, food, the sea, and recommendations for where to eat are all safe and welcome topics.
Public behaviour and noise
- Smoking is common on café and bar terraces, which can be a surprise for visitors from countries with stricter rules.
- Public drunkenness and late-night noise can bring on-the-spot fines in coastal towns such as Split, Hvar and Dubrovnik, where residents still live inside the old towns.
- Old town streets are homes as well as attractions. Keep noise down late at night and do not sit on private doorsteps.
- Queuing is less orderly than in northern Europe at bus stations and bakeries; stay patient and hold your place.
Visiting a home
If you are invited to someone's home, bring a small gift: a bottle of wine, chocolates, a cake from a good bakery, or flowers. Give flowers in odd numbers; even numbers and chrysanthemums are associated with funerals and graves. Many Croatian households take shoes off at the door, and hosts often offer slippers (papuče), so offer to remove yours. Arriving on time or a few minutes late is fine for a meal, and it is polite to compliment the cooking.
