Croatia

Croatia is at the same time a Central European and a Mediterranean country, covering south-west part of the Pannoinian Lowlands, a big part of the eastern Adriatic coastline with many islands, bays and peninsulas and the mountainous sea hinterlands. It is the youngest member of the European Union, integrated in its Schengen area and Euro-zone. Croatia's membership of Schengen also means that entry into Croatia for the second semester after the first semester in France should be rather easy, but for all the details on visa, temporary residence permit and health insurance, students should check here.

Zagreb, the Croatian capital, is positioned on the west of the continental part of Croatia and distanced some 150km by road (highway) from the nearest shores of the Adriatic Sea, a deep bay of the Mediterranean with wonderful sea landscapes and developed tourism offer. With its broader urban area Zagreb gathers a population of nearly 1,000,000 or roughly one fourth of the whole population of Croatia. Large enough to call it a metropolis and small enough for a pleasant life, Zagreb evolved under the protection of the Medvednica Mountain slopes and in the calming presence of the river Sava. Zagreb is a central European oasis for everyone who wishes to live comfortably, and for those who wish to discover its rich history and the many stories and experiences it offers. The City of Zagreb was voted the best Christmas destination in Europe three years in a row. In addition to the wonderful Christmas experience, the magic of the City can be felt throughout the year in its green parks, lakes, wooded foothills of Medvednica, fountains and monuments, floral boulevards, its squares and streets. Zagreb has emerged into a renowned tourist destination where the majority of younger population speaks English fluently and thus there should be no problem in finding your way around in Zagreb.

University of Zagreb Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing at the addess Unska 3, where the second semester of EU-CORE will be undertaken, is quite easy to reach by different modes of transport - it is just in front of the tram station Sveučilišna aleja (University alley) served by tram lines 3, 5 and 13. It is a 10 minutes walk from the central railway station and some 5-6 tram stations from the central bus stations. The Faculty is situated on one of the main city boulevards (Ulica grada Vukovara) and there is a bus transport directly from the airport with which you can take a ride to the main city concert hall from which the Faculty is only two blocks away (10 minutes walking distance). The Faculty is some 15 minutes walking distance from the main city square and is also situated very near to a number of other faculties of the University of Zagreb such that its surrounding truly lives in a university spirit.

Student accommodation

You will have to secure accommodation on your own, i.e. look for private rental accommodation. Rents vary greatly according to localisation, room size, facility, etc. The monthly rental prices start from roughly €300.
 

Public Transportation

There are three means of public transportation in Zagreb - trams, buses and city railway. They operate all day (every few minutes) and night (every hour). Signel half-an-hour tram or bus ride can be bought for roughly €0.50 and the is also a possibility to buy a monthly ticket for roughly €4 one-time cost and monthly cost of €11.

Taxi

Most of the taxi operators have apps such that you can see what the ride will cost before you order it via the app.
 

Mobile and Internet

You can easily buy prepaid mobile phone starter sets which cost around €25 and include €15 coupons as well as SIM cards. Practically in all academic institutions in Croatia, you can use Eduroam wi-fi for internet connection.

Drinking Water

Tap water in Zagreb is potable and of high quality.
 

Electricity

City grid voltage effective value is 230V, with frequency 50Hz and electricity sockets are type F or type C ('Schuko')

Embassies in Zagreb

You will find the information about diplomatic-consular missions located in the Republic of Croatia, as well as Croatia's abroad, here.
 

Sports and free time

Zagreb and its surroundings offer a great variety of sports and leisure activities to suit all tastes.
If you like spending time in nature, try Medvednica Mountain, which extends just above the city. It is a favorite excursion area for the city people not only because of its protected nature but also because of a dozen cozy restaurants situated on its slopes serving tasty and inexpensive domestic food. Medvdnica is equally popular in Winter when it turns into the largest ski-center in Croatia. Apart from having a mountain nearby, Zagreb can equally boast of its own "Zagreb Sea", the Jarun Sports and Recreation Centre comprised of a number of lakes and an impressive rowing course. If, on the other hand, your prefer indoor sports, try the sports centers “Mladost”, “SRC Šalata”, “Dom Športova” etc.
Croatians' passion for watching and taking part in sport activities is well known. The country prides itself on its many world-renowned sportsmen.
 

Eating Out

Zagreb offers a great variety of cuisine. There are many restaurants serving national as well as international dishes. They vary in price but are generally quite pleasant.

Culture and Entertainment

Zagreb is the cultural center of Croatia. The city has 15 theatres, a dozen concert halls and numerous cinemas. Zagreb is also a European hub for modern and alternative culture. The well-know music Zagreb Bienial Eurokaz Festival of New Theatre, the Contemporary Dance and Performance Week of Zagreb Artists and Zagreb Film Festival are important parts of the European cultural scene.
Zagreb is proud of its many galleries and museums - on some international portals it was given a title of the city with the largest number of museums per unit area - where you can find or even purchase diverse piece of art.
Young people have plenty of opportunities for entertainment. The are many discos, pubs and cafés where one can dance the night away or just have a nice cup of coffee with a friend.
Zagreb is undoubtedly the place to party in Croatia. It offers a wide selection of bars, cafés, pubs and nightclubs suitable for all tastes. You can get a taste of the city's history by visiting the Upper Town or check out the Tkalčićeva and Bogovićeva streets (Lower Town) filled with lots of drinking and establishments all day long, plus there is the Branimir Centre accross from the main train station if you want to go for a movie. Then there is Lake Jarun south-west of the city center, a perfect place for a brisk walk and coffee during the day or clubbing at night. For the most part, the vibe is pretty relaxed in Zagreb clubs.
Although on every part of Earth, you have to take a good care of yourself, Croatia brings additional confidence to those worried about safety - according to the Global Peace Index 2022 and 2023, Croatia is the 14th safest country in the world.