About Croatia
High quality and affordable treatments, pristine nature, endless coastline and a rich array of wellness and rehabilitation centres - Croatia is an excellent destination for combining your treatment with an unforgettable holiday.
Сroatia, the land of more than 1,000 islands, warm climate, stunning nature and cultural heritage, is on the map for many travellers. Not only does Croatia offer unforgettable holiday experience, but a wide range of medical services and the quality of private health care.
As a former Yugoslav republic, Croatia has been independent since 1991 and is becoming an increasingly popular destination for medical tourists. It has been a member of the European Union since 2013, and is attracting visitors from the EU with high quality and affordable treatments compared to other countries in the EU.
Croatia bears the legacy of initiating organised health tourism in Europe, and has a long tradition of health tourism dating back to Roman times. Warm climate and a rich array of natural resources have helped the country to build a unique healing culture that stood the test of time. Croatia boasts thermal and mineral springs, climatic spas, pristine nature and excellent weather that provide a perfect tranquil ambience for the tourists to relax and unwind before or after medical treatments. Croatia is also a very safe destination with an outstanding tourism offer in terms of nature, culture and gastronomy, and the chance to combine your treatment with an unforgettable holiday.
Currency
Euro (EUR)
​Population
4 million
Capital
Zagreb
Local Time
1 hour ahead of GMT/UK time
Flight Time
1-5 hours from anywhere in Europe
Languages
Croatian is a national language, but English and Russian is fluently spoken in many medical institutions
Memberships
​EU, Nato, Schengen Zone,
United Nations
Weather
Croatia enjoys a Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters
Medical tourism in Croatia
Croatia is relatively new to medical tourism, but it has recently become one of the popular destinations amongst health tourists and is rapidly growing year on year. The primary reason for this is availability of high quality health care provided, experienced medical professionals and cost-effective medical services. On average, medical tourists can save up to 40 - 80% on medical treatments as compared to receiving the same procedures in the US and UK.
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Due to its convenient location, Croatia is well-connected by airlines, and transport within Croatia is efficient and stress free. Zagreb and Split are the two major hotspots for medical tourism in Croatia, providing the largest healthcare infrastructure and a wide range of medical services. Other popular destinations for health and wellness tourism include Istria, Zagorje region and Krapinske Toplice.
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The most popular medical services amongst medical tourists are dentistry, plastic surgery, eye surgeries, dermatology, stem cell therapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Dental treatments are one of the most popular services in Croatia. Dentists in Croatia use materials and techniques that are of the highest quality, maintaining the latest global trends of equipment and supplies.
Apart from the quality of health treatments and wellness services, Croatia attracts many tourists for rehabilitation, which is an important part of any treatment. It has a lot of rehabilitation centres and clinics, providing treatments and programs for patients with a health condition, disability, injury and patients that need support with post-operative recovery.
Healthcare system in Croatia
Healthcare system in Croatia consists of both public and private health services. It has universal healthcare, with the vast majority of the population covered by a standard health insurance plan provided by statute and optional insurance. General taxes gathered from the public also contribute to the public healthcare system in the country. This is all administered by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (CHIF).
The Ministry of Health is the main regulatory body for the health care system in Croatia, which is responsible for health policy, planning and evaluation, public health programs, and the regulation of capital investments. The Ministry of Finance also plays a key role and is responsible for the planning and management of the government budget.
