Rijeka is perhaps the safest major city in Croatia, with visitors noting high levels of safety and security while walking around the city even at night. Out of all the areas we recommend to travelers, none of them merit any sort of warning before visiting.

With that in mind, you should note that the summer high season does come with a small spike in petty crimes, because the pickpockets and petty thieves know there are more chances to get away with ill-gotten loot. Here are some safety tips to avoid being the victim of a crime: 1) Carry small amounts of cash with you. Do not pull out all the money you will be spending on your trip. 2) Even though you are carrying small amounts, break up the amounts and store them in different areas on your person. 3) Keep your documents in a separate place on your person. Don`t take your passport out sightseeing with you, unless you absolutely need it. 4) Use common sense, like you would in the U.S., when visiting an ATM. `Skimmers` are also an issue in Croatia, so study the ATM before using it, and if you feel like it looks suspect, find another ATM to use. Be mindful of your surroundings while withdrawing money. 5) Be mindful of your surroundings when drinking at bars or nightclubs, as possible petty thieves will wait until your inhibitions are diminished to steal from you. Just practice the same safety routines you would in your city.

Croatia’s currency is the euro (€), like Slovenia and most of the other countries in the European Union. Croatia joined the Eurozone on January 1, 2023. The kuna, the former currency, will be accepted by businesses for only two weeks, until January 15, 2023. After January 15, 2023, you will have to pay using euros at businesses nationwide and not kunas. If you have spare kunas from past trips to Croatia, they can be exchanged at Croatian banks for euros until December 31, 2025.

Credit and debit cards are widely used in Croatia and you will find most businesses accept them. Bank and currency bureau hours are usually 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, with an hour break for lunch typically taken at noon or 1 p.m. ATMs are widely available in Croatia; many of them do not charge fees themselves, but note that your home banking institution may charge a fee for withdrawing money abroad.

Croatians are some of the most multilingual people in Europe. It is estimated that 81% of adults can speak English at least conversationally, by far the most popular foreign language. Rijeka is a popular tourist destination, so you should be able to get by with English in the city center. If you cannot communicate with someone, show them this sentence and they will most likely happily assist you: Da li itko ovdje govori Engelski? (Does anyone here speak English?)

If you are going into an area that isn`t primarily geared toward tourists, try not to dress too skimpy or revealing. Croatians will consider this inappropriate. Casual dress is fine, but not too casual. If you pass someone on the street, nod, smile, or say a quick hello. Croatians respond very favorably to greetings, even from strangers. Croatians love coffee (kava), so if you make friends here, you will most likely be called to someone`s house or a cafe for a coffee date. Please be on time, though; Croatians value promptness!

If visiting a home, bring a bottle of wine or spirits, or possibly a bouquet of flowers. (Note: A bouquet with an even number of flowers is considered taboo, as even-numbered flower bouquets are reserved for presenting to the dead at the cemetery. Make sure the bouquet has an odd number of flowers.) Even if you are not feeling hungry or thirsty, happily accept any refreshments offered by the host; it is rude not to. Croatians will fill plates and glasses once they are emptied, so if you are full, tell your host `nema vise`. It means `no more`.

With Croatia being a very Catholic country, you will find that many people say grace before beginning a meal. As a foreigner, you aren`t expected to know how to say prayers in Croatian, but a nice bow of the head is respectful, even if you are not personally Catholic or Christian yourself. Finally, keep your hands on the dinner table; it is considered indecent to keep them folded in your lap. (This rule is not as stringent when seated around a coffee table.)

Note: Do not refer to the Croatian language as `Serbo-Croatian`, don`t refer to Croatians as `Yugoslavians`, and don`t call Croatia `Yugoslavia`. Many reminders of the former Yugoslavia are evident all over Croatia, which is not surprising considering Marshal Josip Broz Tito was a Croat. However, the Croatian culture and identity have undergone their latest resurgences in the years since independence in 1991, and reminders about `the time before` could sit quite awkwardly with people to whom you have just become acquainted (especially older people). Unlike in Slovenia, where their war of independence lasted a handful of days, Croatia`s was protracted and lasted four-and-a-half years. If a newly-acquainted person brings the topic of Yugoslavia first, be respectful, listen, and ask questions but not rude or prying questions. Some people miss the life in Yugoslavia, some do not, and many are now not even old enough to remember it. It is a sensitive topic.

There are dozens of bars and nightclubs in Rijeka, most of which are clustered in the city center. You will find half a dozen bars within a stone`s throw (no pun intended) of the Old Gateway Roman Arch. Walk up Ulica stara vrata and you will find them. There are also a number of bars and nightclubs along the Rjecina River as you make your way up toward Trsat Castle. Other places to find bars include the Korzo, where there are at least half a dozen more options ranging from cafés to champagne bars, and the area around the Ivan Zajc Croatian National Theatre, home to three bars.

Note: Smoking is forbidden in restaurants in Croatia, but in bars and cafes, smoking is permitted as long as the establishment has met ventilation guidelines with regard to cigarette and cigar smoke. In Rijeka, like the rest of Croatia, cafe windows will have a green sign if you can smoke inside; red signs mean that smoking is not allowed.

Rijeka has multiple shopping options for the traveler who has everything but still wants more. As far as large shopping malls are concerned, there are two in the vicinity: the Western Trade Center (ZTC Rijeka), located 2.2 miles to the west of the city center along Zvonimirova ulica, and Tower Center Rijeka, just northeast of Sablicevo Beach. The Korzo has lots of boutique shops as well as the Korzo Department Store on Ivan Kobler Square. As far as unique souvenirs local to the area, you can find some at the gift shops located inside the RI and Korzo Department Stores in the city center, as well as at the store called Croatia in a Box, located at Grivica 6a. (www.croatiainabox.com)