After spending several weeks traveling through Italy, Greece, France, and Spain, we added Croatia at the last minute. Unfortunately, despite enjoying the country, we do not plan to return.
The biggest issue was the cost of food, drinks, and accommodations. Prices felt extremely high relative to what we experienced elsewhere in Europe. For example, pasta dishes in Croatia were often much more expensive than similar meals in Italy while not matching the quality. Cocktails were frequently over €17, and even small glasses of house wine were often €9–10.
Croatia is undeniably beautiful, and the highlight for us was the friendliness of the people. Many locals we spoke with also seemed frustrated by how expensive the tourism and hospitality sector has become. One person even referenced public criticism from Croatian tourism officials about prices getting out of control.
Places such as Split, Korčula Town, and especially Dubrovnik felt surprisingly expensive compared with cities we had just visited in Italy and elsewhere in Europe. That pricing was the main reason we left feeling that we would not return, despite otherwise liking the country.
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