Split, Croatia Travel Tips & Pitfalls to Avoid 🧐

▶︎▶︎▶︎ Itinerary Hvar Island Day Trip: Opted for a relaxed ferry round-trip instead of the crowded 5-island tour. The Blue Cave is supposedly the highlight, but since Italy’s Capri has one too, we skipped it. Note: Early in the season, many spots on Hvar were still closed. Plitvice Lakes Day Tour: Booked via GetYourGuide. Off-peak = fewer crowds! Split Old Town: The tower is currently closed for sunset views (sadly). ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Money Exchange 💳 Use cards whenever possible—but carry some cash for small vendors. 🏧 ATM traps to avoid: Most charge ~€2.50 per withdrawal. Skip ATMs that force "determined conversion rates" (8.5–12.5% markup!). Always select "undetermined rate" (ECB rate + your bank’s ~0.5% fee). Example: Withdrawing 1,000 kuna with a "determined rate" could cost you an extra 100+ kuna in hidden fees—daylight robbery! ▶︎▶︎▶︎ Food: Tourist Traps vs. Local Gems Split has two parallel economies: one for locals, one for tourists. 🍽️ Local Prices (Fair & Tasty): KFC delivery (via Glovo): 100 kuna for 2 Hidden non-touristy restaurant (no English menu, best meal we had!): 280 kuna Supermarket beer: 9 kuna Bolt rides: Comparable to Chinese tier-2 city prices 💸 Tourist Prices (Overpriced & Meh): "Seafood feast" at Konoba Nikola: 1,800 kuna (just okay) Hyped spots like Sug Restaurant/Grande Luna: 600–700 kuna (mediocre) Verdict: Most tourist-focused restaurants in Split are underwhelming. We even scrapped some planned visits after repeated letdowns. 🍖 Alternative Idea: Skip seafood? Try roast lamb (search "roast lamb" on maps—some off-the-beaten-path spots looked promising, but we didn’t test them). 🍦 Only food highlight: Aroma Gelato Experience on Hvar Island—worth every kuna! #Croatia #CroatiaTravel #SplitCroatia #TravelSmart