Vacation in Croatia: 15-hour queues at the border, alcohol ban in Split and towel raids

Slovak and Czech holidaymakers heading to the Adriatic this week may encounter several novelties and seasonal problems. At the beginning of August, traffic collapsed at the border with Montenegro in the south of the country, and drivers waited in queues for up to fifteen hours. Split meanwhile banned nighttime alcohol sales in stores, several local authorities are collecting towels from beaches that tourists use to reserve spots from morning on, and firefighters in Dalmatia have been putting out another fire. Since the article was published, three things have been added that change planning: Assumption of Mary falls on Saturday, August 15, a red heat warning applies to Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik, and water rationing has begun in the Zadar area. The most serious is Friday's situation in Dalmatia. A fire between Lokva Rogoznica and Omiš burned 900 to 1,000 hectares, approximately a thousand people were evacuated and ten patients are lying in the intensive care unit at Split hospital. Early Friday morning, a new fire broke out on Pelješac, which closed the road across the peninsula. We are closing this line here. The fire claimed one life and we are following the further developments, including the situation of Slovak tourists, road closures and compensation claims in a separate article Holiday in Croatia: fire near Omiš claimed a victim.

The biggest problem of summer is borders, not highways

• 11.08.Assumption of Mary falls on Saturday, August 15 this year. The holiday attracts tens of thousands of pilgrims to Marija Bistrica, Sinj, Rijeka's Trsat and Aljmaš, so increased traffic cannot be avoided even in the inland. Those continuing to Montenegro should check waiting times and cameras at border crossings before departing, which are published by the Croatian Automobile Club. HAK ↗

For Slovaks and Czechs, one distinction is important. The route to Croatia via Hungary or Slovenia leads along an internal Schengen border, where systematic checks were abolished after Croatia's entry into Schengen, although police may conduct random checks. Delays threaten only when leaving the Schengen area, i.e., if you continue to Montenegro or Bosnia and Herzegovina or return through Serbia.

The European Entry/Exit System (EES) itself does not register Slovaks and Czechs as EU citizens. Since April 10, 2026, it has been fully deployed at external Schengen borders and registers short-term entries and exits of third-country citizens including biometrics, i.e., facial images and fingerprints. A Slovak or Czech driver is held up indirectly because they are in the same queue. The first August weekend ended in collapse in southern Dalmatia. According to the tportal portal, the queue at the Karasovići crossing extended all the way to Dubrovnik airport near Ćilipić, and the municipality of Konavle activated the civil protection headquarters. tportal ↗

According to N1, more than 78,800 travelers passed through the Debeli Brijeg crossing to Montenegro in a single weekend, and on Sunday, waiting times reached up to fifteen hours. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković attributed the rush mainly to Albanian citizens living and working in Western Europe who traveled this route home and admitted that the new EU digital entry and exit registration system slowed down traffic. Transport expert Željko Marušić warns that next summer will be worse because the capacity of the crossing itself is not changing. "Introducing contactless toll collection will be another pressure on the Montenegro border," he said. According to him, even a third lane would not help because the border crossing itself remains the bottleneck, and the solution must be bilateral with Podgorica. N1 Hrvatska ↗

Inland routes are also overwhelmed. According to STVR reporter Gregor Martin Papucsek, cars were piling up from early morning at the Lučko toll gate on the edge of Zagreb, and toward Karlovac vehicles were moving at a speed of around forty kilometers per hour. Papucsek explains the change in habits to STVR by saying that Saturday is no longer the only day for shift changes, so queues spread into Sunday and Monday. Croatian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Davor Božinović reminded that while Croatia had ten border crossings open in the south, Montenegro had only two. STVR ↗

Split banned nighttime alcohol sales, Makarska was first

Split city council approved a ban on alcohol sales between 21:00 and 06:00 on July 29. It applies until September 15 and covers stores, supermarkets, kiosks, gas stations, markets and vending machines. Cafes, restaurants and nightclubs are exempt, so beer on the terrace remains. The decision passed with sixteen votes and nine abstentions. Independent councilman Bojan Ivošević called it a "bad copy" of earlier initiatives and called for zoning instead of a blanket ban. Councilman Jakov Prkić in turn called the measure ineffective: "It's not harmful, but there's almost no benefit from it. Whoever wants to get alcohol in Solin will get it there." Index.hr ↗

Fines target sellers, not tourists. According to Croatian trade law, they range from 5,000 to 39,810 euros for legal entities. The city argues protection of public order, reduction of noise and protection of the historic core with Diocletian's Palace. Mayor Tomislav Šuta announced that authorities would continuously monitor the effectiveness of the measure and intervene if necessary. The step was enabled by an amendment to the trade law that allows municipalities to regulate alcohol sales in the public interest. Makarska was the first to introduce a similar measure back in July. STVR ↗

Towels for reserving spots could disappear from the beach

• 11.08.On Balustrada beach in Crikvenica, an Aleppo pine broke and fell among vacationers. Eight people were injured, including three children, four of the injured were Czech tourists. Pravda ↗
• 11.08.In Kastela Bay, a loggerhead sea turtle attacked for the fifth time since July 22. On Sunday, it bit a young man in the back on Miljenko and Dobrila beach in Kastel Lukšići. The animal, estimated to weigh up to seventy kilograms, stays in shallow water and according to witnesses approaches swimmers from behind even when no one is bothering it. It is a strictly protected species, so relocation is not a likely option, and the Ministry of Environment has not yet commented. A doctor from the rescue service in Kastel Stari warns that a bite needs to be treated. Index.hr ↗

Several Croatian municipalities stopped tolerating early occupation of beaches. Deck chairs, towels, chairs and sun umbrellas that someone leaves unattended just to hold a spot, city workers collect and take away. ta3 ↗

The town of Pag announced increased supervision on municipal beaches and its municipal officers actually removed towels and deck chairs. It relies on its own municipal order decision and monitors precisely those items that lie there "solely for the purpose of reserving a spot without the user's presence". Index.hr ↗ The same procedure was also announced in Grebaštice near Šibenik.

However, the dispute over a spot by the sea has another side. On Kamena beach in Tučepi on the Makarska Riviera, tourists complain that the best shaded spots are taken up by paid deck chairs and visitors with their own towels have minimal space. Refresher ↗

Expensive businesses face tourist resistance

• 11.08.Capped food prices are in effect, but you have to look for them on the shelves. According to reporters from the Croatian Daily, it is mainly about the cheapest private brands and the mandatory labeling of price-capped products in stores is often missing. Mobile apps with discounts and digital price comparators lead to savings more quickly. Deník ↗

The case of a pizza for 22 euros at a pizzeria in Stari Grad on Hvar, which a Croatian influencer published, sparked a debate on social networks about how high prices can go. Some tourists claim that you simply pay for quality ingredients and a view, while others consider it excessive. iDNES ↗

The guests' response is visible. In the middle of the season, some overpriced restaurants in popular resorts remain half-empty, although just a few years ago people waited for a free table outside them. SITA / Housing as a game ↗

According to a comparison published by Blesk, a budget vacation works out cheaper even in Italy or Switzerland, and some vacationers are therefore switching from apartments to campsites. Blesk ↗

Fires, Heat Waves, and Cracks on the Pelješac Bridge

• 15.08.Closed: concern from the previous wave was confirmed, fire has one victim. Firefighters during inspection of the fire scene found a body, police have not officially determined gender or identity. Over forty people are injured and eight people's lives are at risk; the Croatian Red Cross cared for over two thousand people in Split, Omiš and Makarska. Chief Fire Chief Slavko Tucaković announced Friday evening that fires are under control except in the area near Zadar. We are following further developments in a separate article Vacation in Croatia: fire near Omiš claimed a victim. Index.hr ↗N1 Hrvatska ↗N1 Hrvatska ↗
• 14.08.Morning after the fire: 900 to 1,000 hectares burned and the coastal strip from Mimice to Omiš is scorched. Chief Fire Chief Slavko Tucaković stated that 286 firefighters worked at the fire scene during the night with 93 vehicles and the situation is calmer in the morning. The Split-Dalmatia County declared a major emergency for the Omiš and Lokva Rogoznica areas. Index.hr ↗Index.hr ↗
• 14.08.The toll of injured increased from nineteen to thirty-six treated. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković after meeting with the crisis team in Omiš stated that fourteen people are hospitalized in Split's KBC hospital and ten of them are in intensive care. The staff also mentioned that two firefighters are seriously injured, and the Ministry of Health is preparing possible transfer of patients to Zagreb hospitals. Index.hr ↗24sata ↗
• 14.08.Firefighters do not rule out finding victims in the burned area. Tucaković said they do not have confirmed information about deaths yet, but cannot rule out this possibility because some people tried to defend their own homes. Therefore, firefighters are working throughout the day and checking all houses in the fire area. The Mountain Rescue Service HGSS together with police is investigating the case of a foreign woman who is not in contact with her family and is checking if she is in one of the evacuation centers. Net.hr ↗Index.hr ↗
• 14.08.Friday morning saw a new fire break out on the Pelješac Peninsula. The fire is spreading in strong gusts from Kuna Pelješka towards Potomje; state road DC414 across the peninsula is closed, and the Croatian Automobile Club advises drivers not to head to Pelješac at all for now. Four water bombers and one Air Tractor are intervening, and firefighting forces previously heading to Omiš have been redirected to the peninsula. County Fire Chief Simović told Index that houses are not threatened for now, but huge traffic jams are forming from Orebić as well as from Dubrovnik. Index.hr ↗Index.hr ↗
• 14.08.Those on Pelješac who want to leave can take the ferry running nonstop. Jadrolinija announced that line 633 Ploče – Trpanj is operating due to the fire without a schedule; footage from the port shows queues of waiting people and a rush for tickets. In Omiš, traffic remains suspended on the Omiš bypass DC553 towards Makarska and on the main road in Lokva Rogoznica on the Stanići – Medići section. Net.hr ↗Index.hr ↗

• 14.08.The fire reached the center of Omiš during the night, sirens sounded throughout the city, detonations rang out, and people fled their homes Index.hr ↗Večernji list ↗HRT ↗
• 14.08.Toll from Dalmatia: 19 injured, burned houses, cars and boats, evacuation still ongoing Večernji list ↗24sata ↗
• 14.08.The reception center in Omiš filled up, approximately one thousand people ended up in the city hall and others are being transported by buses to Split; Makarska also opened its own reception center 24sata ↗Index.hr ↗Index.hr ↗
• 14.08.Fuel in the area is reserved only for emergency services Večernji list ↗
• 14.08.Firefighting from the air: water bombers near Omiš became the most watched flights on Flight Radar, 157 firefighters intervened throughout the night Index.hr ↗Index.hr ↗
• 14.08.From abroad it sounds like an extraordinary event: Slovenian media cite that Croatia doesn't remember anything like it 24ur ↗Klix.ba ↗

• 11.08.Croatian meteorologists issued a red, the highest level of heat warning for Rijeka, Split and Dubrovnik. Temperatures are reaching 38 degrees, in places 40, and nights remain hot. Deník ↗
• 11.08.Water conservation measures have been introduced in the Zadar area. No specific bans for residents or tourists have been issued; it is a call for rational consumption. In Split, no conservation is in place yet; the Jadra spring from which two hundred thousand people drink is stable, but Split's water company director Ivica Perić recommends avoiding washing cars and frequent water changes in pools. According to Index, the worst is in the Dalmatian hinterland, where herders and farmers are watching every drop. Index.hr ↗

On Thursday after 3 p.m., a fire broke out near Zavojani near Vrgorac in Split-Dalmatia County. Six local volunteer firefighters with two vehicles intervened, assisted from the air by two CL-415 water bombers and one Air Tractor. Around 6 p.m., firefighters brought the fire under control and the flames did not threaten houses, but the patrol remained on site overnight. Net.hr ↗

This is not an isolated case. Extensive fires are plaguing the entire Western Balkans, and drought is deepening a heat wave during which Croatia measured forty degrees for the first time this summer. Hospodárske noviny ↗

Drivers heading south are also affected by the Pelješac Bridge, which opened on July 26, 2022 and allows bypassing the Bosnian Neum corridor. Cracks appeared on its six pylons, which according to the Croatian Roads Authority damaged the protective surface layer but do not threaten the structure or safety. Deputy Prime Minister Branko Bačić stated that repairs will be paid by the supplier during the warranty period, the Chinese China Road and Bridge Corporation, and spoke of work "sometime in early September". However, more recent Croatian reports are pushing back the timeline: according to Croatian Roads, it will only start in October after the end of the season and will last until the beginning of the next one. The damaged concrete will be removed down to the main reinforcement and the protective layer restored. The entire project is covered by a ten-year supplier warranty, so costs are borne by the Chinese company. Traffic is to function normally during the work. Telegram.hr ↗ TASR / Teraz.sk ↗

Under the radar: accommodation fraud and Slovak patrols

• 14.08.Warning system costing 8.4 million euros was silent during the fire. Croatia has an early warning system SRUUK that can send alerts directly to mobile phones in the endangered area, but nobody received it near Omiš. Readers of Index are asking why and one of them points out that foreigners were hit hardest, since neither the city of Omiš nor the local tourist association posted information on their websites about where the fire was spreading and which roads were closed. The Civil Protection Directorate previously explained that SRUUK is just an information tool and the decision to send a message during major fires is made by the chief fire commander or a person authorized by him. Index.hr ↗

- 11.08.Kaprije Island, famous for its car ban, submitted an official appeal to authorities. After the promenade, electric tricycles, scooters and hoverboards are riding, in the bay water scooters and motor boats are speeding close to shore. Locals told the Morski.hr portal that police would have distributed over 130 fines by noon. (Refresher ↗)

- 11.08.Through Lika, which the A1 highway leads through to the sea, a drinking water case is unfolding. USKOK is investigating businessmen who were supposed to have transported hazardous waste from Italy and Slovenia into Gospić since 2019 as well as medical waste from Croatian hospitals, and the presence of so-called forever chemicals is being addressed. Samples for them were taken according to Index only now, after five months. The director of the Croatian Institute of Public Health Krunoslav Capak admits that waste contaminated groundwater in Lika, but claims that drinking water from Lika water mains is completely safe and monitoring tracks around 150 parameters without deviation. Gospić residents have not been drinking tap water from the mains in the meantime. (Index.hr ↗ Index.hr ↗)

Slovak police officers who help in Croatia during the season warn of a series of accommodation fraud. According to TASR and the Slovak police, one Slovak contacted a patrol after ordering an apartment in Rovinj, sending a deposit of 1,500 euros and discovering on the spot that the accommodation did not exist and the contact person was not responding. The common feature of these cases is booking through social networks and the deposit sent in advance to a bank account, so police recommend verified agencies that guarantee the return of money in case of problems. TASR / Teraz.sk ↗

According to TASR, eight Slovak police officers alternate in Croatia during summer in two shifts, the second lasting from August 1 to 28. They serve in mixed patrols alongside a Croatian commander from Monday to Friday from 7:00 to 15:00. One patrol operates in Crikvenica and is responsible for the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, the other in Trogir for the Split-Dalmatia region. They help with accidents, lost documents, misdemeanors and translation. TASR / Teraz.sk ↗

One last note deserves to be made about rented boats. Near Hvar Island, a group of foreign tourists sank a boat from a rental company and the Spaniard who was driving it drunk faces proceedings with the Dalmatian Port Authority. Locals according to the Czech Deník just watched the whole scene. Deník ↗ The Croatian Maritime Code prohibits the captain and crew members of a ship, yacht or boat from having more than 0.5 grams of alcohol per kilogram in their blood while on duty, i.e. the same limit as for driving a car. Narodne novine ↗

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What to check before the trip

• 14.08.Over 350 evacuees spent the night in Split's Gripe hall and most of them are foreigners. The city of Split names citizens of Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland, with Polish tourists being the most numerous, and Split's Red Cross mentions 321 people. Its director Tomislav Gojo said there are more foreigners than Croats in the centers. The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs speaks of approximately 300 evacuated Czech citizens and the Czech police announced that its patrols in Omiš are helping with evacuation and are available not only to Czech tourists. Reception centers are operating in Split, Omiš and Makarska. Index.hr ↗24sata ↗iDNES ↗

- 14.08.There's also fire beyond the border in Montenegro: in Ulcinj they intervened in the villages of Gač and Klezna, the city was left without water and firefighters defended houses above Biela and Baošić (Vijesti ↗)

In the morning before departure it's worth checking the current situation on the Croatian Auto Club HAK website, specifically the crossings Karasovići and Debeli Brijeg, and according to current waiting times also compare other crossings or a route through Bosnia and Herzegovina, which however also means the external Schengen border. Pelješac Bridge admittedly bypasses the Neum corridor, but won't solve the queue heading to Montenegro. Book accommodation through a verified agency, not through a message on social media with a deposit in advance. In Split and Makarska you can buy alcohol in stores only until 21:00 and a towel left on the beach overnight doesn't have to be there in the morning where you left it.

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