Is it More Profitable to Vacation in Istria or Dalmatia? 'If You Don't Research...'

A family's vacation in Zadar, Croatia, has sparked a debate about rising tourist costs and perceived value after the mother shared her frustrating experiences on Reddit. She detailed high prices for daily parking (€20), a disappointing meal described as the "ugliest pizza and pasta," and a staggering €70 for just 1.8 kilograms of fish at the market.

The tipping point, however, was an encounter with two young girls selling bracelets. When asked the price, one girl stated, "Because you are ours, 1 euro, and for foreigners, 2 euros." The mother, shocked by this discriminatory pricing, insisted on paying the higher price for each bracelet, explaining that the practice was wrong.

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If you don't research, you'll get ripped off like a rabbit in Istria, there's no difference.

Instead of sympathy, the Reddit post garnered criticism, with many users accusing the family of poor planning and research. The most popular comment suggested that without research, one can be "ripped off anywhere, in Istria or Dalmatia, there's no difference." Others found it incomprehensible that in the age of the internet, the family hadn't checked restaurant reviews before dining.

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Because you are ours, 1 euro, and for foreigners, 2 euros.

The mother's defense that she was on vacation and didn't want to waste time researching was met with further criticism, with some concluding that a "brain on vacation" comes at a price. This incident highlights a broader discussion about escalating prices in Croatian tourist destinations, particularly along the Adriatic coast, with Zadar being mentioned this season as experiencing emptier apartments and fewer crowds.

The discussion also reignited the classic debate comparing Istria and Dalmatia. While some agreed with the author, praising Istria for better service and mentality, others defended Dalmatia's natural beauty. However, many acknowledged that overpriced tourist traps exist throughout Croatia. The bracelet incident, in particular, divided opinion, with some condemning the "mentality of ripping off foreigners," while most commenters defended the girls, calling the practice a "local discount" rather than a scam, and common worldwide.

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Not that they charged others more, but that you were charged less. That's a local discount, not a scam.