What to Pack--Sweeteners, Spices, Umbrella and Shoes!

Toiletries
When traveling in Croatia, you'll be able to find just about anything you need in a grocery or drug store. Few American brands are available, but you'll find high quality shampoos, conditioners, soaps, toothpaste, etc.

Spices
If you are staying in an apartment where you will do some cooking, you might want to bring along a few of your favorite spices, bouillon cubes, instant coffee, tea bags, or seasoning mixes. This will cut down on shopping time--worth the small amount of space they take in your luggage.

Artificial Sweeteners
If you use Splenda, bring it along. Sucralose is rarely available in Eastern Europe. I found it in tablet form in one Dubrovnik grocery store in 2007, but it wasn't available this year at the same store. You'll easily be able to find saccharin in tablet and sometimes in liquid or powder. Keep in mind that the tablets will not dissolve easily in cold drinks. Aspartame is also sometimes available under the brand name Canderel.

Washing Supplies
It is obviously better to buy laundry supplies after you arrive in the country, but I want to mention two products you might want to bring along. I bought sink-size packages of liquid Tide to wash out underwear and a couple of t-shirts. None of our accommodations offered a washing machine, so we got by with four sink loads. But it is common to find rooms/apartments with washing machine; and I would recommend you do this if you are traveling with a family.

I also travel with a "Tide To Go"stick (available in the U.S.) which works great on new food stains. I actually have one of these in my purse at all times for the frequent mishaps with my three granddaughters, and it came in handy on this trip when my husband got some pizza sauce on his shirt.

Vitamins
I always bring a supply of vitamins for the trip, especially some extra vitamin C or Emergen-C packs because I'm a believer in the value of C to stop or prevent colds and flu which can spoil several days of a trip. Typically vitamins are more expensive in eastern /central Europe and they can be a little harder to find.

A small umbrella
Find an umbrella the folds up as small as possible to stick in your luggage in case of rain. Even if you just bring one to share, it's good "insurance"! In Hvar, we experienced a torrential downpour that the locals said was not at all typical. We were glad to have our umbrella, but this rain was so strong that we still got soaking wet! We ended up walking barefoot through ankle-high puddles back to our room! (And I was wearing an ankel brace at the time due to a recent broken ankle!)

Medicines
It's obvious that you should bring any prescription medicines that you will need for the trip, but also pack some pain relievers and other items you might need like antihistamines or digestive aids (antacids, fiber). These are always harder to find overseas, usually require a visit to a pharmacy, and sometimes are expensive. And they take up very little space/weight in your luggage.

Walking Shoes and Beach Shoes
Croatia is not as "walker-friendly" as most of America even though walking is required in almost every location. Streets and walkways are often ancient cobblestone, uneven and potted. While most Europeans surprise me by their ability to walk these streets with heels and flip flops, I recommend sturdy, comfortable shoes.

You'll also need beach shoes to protect your feet on the pebble beaches. These are available throughout Croatia for about $8-15 in a quality that will probably last for your trip. If you want something more substantial you should probably buy them before you come.

Picture on right--116 ancient, uneven stone steps to our flat in Dubrovnik--a challenge since I was recovering from a broken ankle!