Croatia

The mountainous Dinara Region in the center of the country has an alpine climate. Out of interest to most expats, the Adriatic coast enjoys a Mediterranean climate, of mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. 

Luckily for foreigners, Croatian is a phonetic language, so learning to pronounce what you’re reading is easy. Of course, understanding what you’re reading or hearing is a different story.

You can easily survive in Croatia’s tourism hotspots speaking only English. However, if you venture into rural Croatia, you will need to have a phrasebook handy, as it is unlikely you will find English speakers here.

Counting on Western expediency is an unproductive mindset for a move to Croatia. After all, the Mediterranean is the low-key, laidback part of Europe.

People here don’t sweat the small stuff. There is a mañana attitude prevalent throughout the Mediterranean, not unlike the relaxed attitude most Americans associate with the Caribbean.

The number of expats in Croatia is small, and the setting is intimate enough that incomers of all kinds find each other and connect easily. 

The hospitality of the locals and the outgoing nature of the relatively small expat community make Croatia a place where you can have your privacy and tranquility but know there’s always someone to connect with just down the road.