Experience in Karlovac, Croatia by Damien

What is it like to live in Karlovac? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Karlovac is a medium sized Croatian city of about 55,000 people. It started out in the 16th century as a star-shaped military outpost used to defend the southern borders of the Austro-Hungarian empire against the Turks. The old town core of the fortress remains but the fortifications and ditches that surrounded it have been turned into beautiful parks and places to relax which is very popular with locals.

The urban area is very compact and easy to navigate and the city won the "most cycle-able city in Croatia" award in 2014. People here are very relaxed and easy going. There are are plenty of supermarkets, shopping centres and an outdoor market everyday.

The city sits on the confluence of 4 rivers, each of which provide their own set of activities such as rafting, canoeing, swimming, fishing.

What is the student lifestyle like in Karlovac?

Karlovac is very oriented towards young people. There is always some youth organised event happening. Whether it be photography, art, film, music, dance or volunteer programs organised by one of the local youth centres. More often than not these events are free too!

The university campus and student centre s located within the old town core in the centre of the city so everything is close.

How much does it cost to live in Karlovac?

Rent depends on what you are looking for. Things a quiet a bit cheaper than renting in Zagreb (Capital, 55km away) Renting a shared apartment with bills included is approx. €130 per month. To rent an apartment alone can be approx. €200 per month with bills included. Food i guess could be another €100-130 per month. We have a couple of good cheap supermarkets here such as Kaufland or Lidl. The student centre provides subsidised meals for students and a couple of local restaurants give students discounts.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Karlovac? Is there any advice you can give?

It shouldn't be difficult to find accommodation. Contact the student centre or university but it can be difficult to find accommodation specifically for students on-line. Prices can be inflated and off-putting but im sure if you contact any potential landlord directly (or even better, go see them in person) you can negotiate a better deal. Thats how Croatians like to do business in person over a coffee or rakija!

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Look out for cevapi, pljeskavica, sarma, spit roasted lamb or pork, kulen sausage, cheese or meat burek....it changes by the season. In summer you have a lot of bbq meats and salads and in winter you get a lot of heartier stews and meat dishes. Be prepared to put on a kilo or two!

What places would you recommend visiting in Karlovac?

The old town area called Zvijezda ("Star"), the 13th century Dubovac castle, the 4 rivers: Korana, Kupa, Dobra & Mreznica. Ozalj castle, Novigrad na Dobri castle, the Homeland War Museum at Turanj. The UNESCO protected Plitvice Lakes National park is just over 1hr away by bus or car. Croatia's capital Zagreb is 30mins away too.

Is it good to eat out in Karlovac? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There is a wide variety of places to eat. One of my favourites is "Greencek". They have daily menus where you can get a main course for as little as €3. "Restaurant Tempo" is one of the places offering student discounts. Also the culinary school has its own restaurant open to the public where you can eat for cheap. A great place to satisfy an alcohol induced hunger is fast-food place "Scooby-Doo"

Is the nightlife good in Karlovac? Where is good to go?

Nightlife is ok here. It is very orientated towards the weekend (Thurs-Sat) when places stay open much longer so dont expect a 24hr party town!.Bars generally stay open until 11pm or midnight Sun-Thurs. Fri-Sat (and sometimes Thursday included) places are open until 2-4am. Theres a great choice of bars or clubs (usually bars turn into clubs after midnight!) playing dance, rock, jazz, chill-out, turbo-folk (don't ask!). Weekends can be pretty wild! Check out: Papas Bar, The River Pub, Cohiba Bar, Shadow Lounge, Edison, Su-Su Pub, Pub-Club D, Leonardo, Mods cafe, Rakija Bar and of course there is a student bar! Every now and again there are outdoor club nights randomly organised in the countryside or up at Dubovac castle playing house, drum n' bass or psytrance.

What advice would you give future students heading to Karlovac?

Summers are hot, Autumns are wet, Winters are cold & Spring can be any of the other 3! Whichever season it is, there is beauty to be found everywhere.

The city has such a close knit family type atmosphere that will make you feel very at home. Speaking from experience as a foreigner here, I guarantee, if you live here for a while, you will grow to ove this city. You will protect and stand up for it like you would a younger sibling against the bigger city (Zagrebians!) bullies who think they are so much better than us! ;)

Oh i forgot to mention, one of Croatia's top 2 beers is brewed here - "Karlovacko Pivo". Locals refer to it as the "5th river" and there is a festival in August/September in it's honour every year called "Dani Piva" or "Days of Beer"...10 days of beer!