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GENERAL ENGLISH · VISITING PLACES · UPPER-INTERMEDIATE (B2-C1)

VISITING
CROATIA
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1 Warm up

Look at the trivia questions about Croatia. Take out your phone or tablet and research the correct
answer. Compare it with your partner.

1. What famous TV show was partially filmed in Croatia?

a. Lost b. Game of Thrones c. The Last Kingdom

2. What is the population of Croatia?

a. 2 million b. 3 million c. 4 million

3. What is the capital city of Croatia?

a. Dubrovnik b. Zagreb c. Split

4. What is the current currency of Croatia?

a. Kuna b. Ruble c. Euro

5. When has Croatia started using the Euro as its currency?

a. January 1st 2023 b. January 1st 2024 c. January 1st 2025

6. As of 2022 what famous football team does Croatian Luka Modric play for?

a. Real Madrid b. FC Barcelona c. Chelsea

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2 Visual guide
Part A: Match the pictures of Croatian landmarks and icons to the words below.
Bacvice beach Diocletian’s palace Dubrovnik
Mljet island Plitvice Lakes National Park Porec
St. Nicholas Fortress terracotta roof Zagreb’s cobbled streets

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.
Part B: Work in pairs and put the words from above into the correct sentences.

1. I love to just relax and sunbathe on the sand so a trip to sounds amazing to me.
2. The traditional design of the buildings is beautiful, but it is their that really stand
out.
3. It is a short boat ride away, but a trip to will really be worth it.
4. They are great if you are just walking, but can get a bit bumpy if you are in a car.
5. It is such a nice place to visit and when the sun goes down the sight of at night
is unbelievable.
6. It is not the capital city, but is perhaps the most well-known place in Croatia for
the fans of Game of Thrones.
7. My mum is really interested in the history of war so a trip to would be great for
her.
8. was built for a Roman emperor.
9. Sam always feels better when he is near water, so a trip to would be great for his
mental health.
Answer the following questions.
1. What else do you know about Croatia?
2. Which of the photos above do you find the most interesting?
3. Have you ever seen examples of Croatian culture anywhere else?

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3 Listening: vocabulary focus

Part 1: Before you watch a video introducing Croatia, look at the adjectives taken from the video
below. Match the words in Column A to the words in Column B and then watch the first part of the
video and check your answers.

Part 2: Match the following vocabulary to the definitions.

1. balmy (adj.) a. dotted

2. speckled (adj.) b. a perfect place

3. indisputably (adv.) c. be stuck in a place you can’t escape from

4. gaze (v) d. look at something for a long time

5. descend (n) e. covered

6. cloaked (adj.) f. full of energy

7. paradise (n) g. in a way that cannot be argued with

8. marooned (v) h. move or fall downwards

9. vibrant (adj.) i. warm and pleasant, related to weather

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4 Language in context: collocations

Look at the words in the bubbles below and with your partner try and write three words which you
think collocate naturally. Afterwards, watch the second half of the video (01:45-02:19) and see if you
can hear any of your collocations.

5 Skimming for general understanding

You are going to read about Croatia in more detail. Match the following paragraph titles (A-E) to the
article on page five. Two of the titles are not needed.

• Tourism by foot
• Wild water sport
• To swim and to eat
• Night lights
• Filming on location
• Café Culture
• History and relaxation

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Croatian City Tour

A five-city trip from Zagreb in the north to Dubrovnik in the south
A. Despite being the capital, Zagreb has been described as a city that draws you in slowly, a city
that doesn’t go out of its way to cater to tourists and a city with an atmosphere of grace. Zagreb is perhaps best
attacked without a "to do list" as strolling freely through the beautiful streets is likely to uncover a hidden secret
or two. Make sure you grab a coffee and do some people watching, remember to head to a local coffee shop
where you will not only be able to mingle with the locals but also the coffee sold there is often half the price of
the well-known roasteries.

B. As a former Roman colony, Porec has continued to be a popular holiday destination for visitors
from Italy. If a visit in the sweltering summer is on the cards, then you will be happy to know that Porec is home
to Croatia’s biggest water park, Aqual Colors, Porec. It houses 13 water slides, a family friendly atmosphere and
many pools to help you cool down in that hot summer sun. When you have dried off why not try some traditional
Istrian* cuisine like fritaja, an omelette type dish best served in the spring with garden fresh herbs.

C. Sibenik is found on the Dalmation coast and acts as a gateway to two of the country’s best
national parks: Krka National Park and Plitvice Lakes National Park. The city itself is a great place to explore on
foot as all the main sites are easily within walking distance. Some of the sites which are not to be missed are
the four fortresses, with perhaps the most remarkable being St. Nicholas’ fortress which was declared a world
UNESCO site in 2017 and at present, visitors can enter for free.

D. Split is the second biggest city in the country and as a place to visit it can provide more history
than you could ever imagine. Diocletian’s Palace in the Old Town is a 4th Century Roman palace and includes
the remains of a Roman military camp. The oldest Catholic cathedral in the world is also in Split. Built in the 7th
Century a trip up its bell tower will provide you with the best views of the city. If you get bored of the history,
then why not head down to one of Split’s fantastic beaches for a little R&R*. Of all the beaches in Split, Bacvice
Beach is one of the nicest and also most accessible as it is only 10 mins from the city’s main bus station.

E. Made even more famous due to it being a location for the show Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik
is the best choice as your final stop in Croatia as it can quite simply take your breath away. At one stage it was
welcoming over one million tourists a year which is quite staggering when you consider that only 42,000 residents
call the city home. As a visitor, they say the number one thing you must do is to wander around the city walls.
As you walk you can get a great view of the terracotta* roofs of the old town and further on to the brilliant, blue
Adriatic Sea.

Sources: roughguides.com; lonelyplanet.com; theguardian.co.uk, bbc.co.uk

Glossary
local (n): somebody who lives in a particular region
Istrian (adj.): coming from the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea, Istria which takes up land in both Croatia
and Slovenia.
R&R (n): rest and relaxation
terracotta (n): red-brown clay that has been baked and used for roof tiles, pots etc.

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6 Reading comprehension
Read the sentences and decide if they are true (T), false (F) or not given (NG). Give reasons for your
answers.

1. Zagreb is a city that impresses people instantly.

2. It is better not to go to one of the American coffee shops.
3. Porec is a popular holiday location for the Spanish.
4. There is more than one huge waterpark in Porec.
5. You don’t need a car to see all the sites in Sibenik.
6. Bacvice Beach is hard to get to from Split.
7. Fewer than 50,000 people live in Dubrovnik.

7 Vocabulary
Part A: Match the following vocabulary to the definitions.

1. grace (n) a. the parts left over when other parts have been
destroyed
2. strolling (v) b. something that is extremely surprising or shocking
3. mingle (v) c. a quality of being polite and pleasant
4. roasteries (n) d. very hot, often to the point of being uncomfortable
5. sweltering (adj.) e. an entrance to a bigger area, usually outside
6. gateway (n) f. mix in with, often a group of people
7. fortresses (n) g. walk in a slow and relaxed way
8. remains (n) h. places where coffee beans are prepared
9. staggering (adj.) i. buildings created to protect a town from attack

Part B: Put the vocabulary from Part A into the correct gaps in the following sentences. You may need
to change the form of the word.

1. around these little streets helps me to forget all about my troubles.

2. The smell coming out of the is amazing.
3. There is a amount of people who want to go to Spain in the summer.
4. The of the 400-year-old castle have always been a popular tourist attraction.
5. The to the north of the country is a valley just after the border.
6. I used to like going to language classes as the students used to afterwards and I
met some good friends.
7. I spent a summer working in India, and it was always when I went outside.
8. The were originally built to keep out people from rival villages.
9. My mother is a calm person and she always handles her problems with .

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8 Talking point
Look at the questions and discuss them with your partner.

1. Which of the places in the article would you most like to visit? Why?
2. Would you like to visit Aquacolors? Are there any big waterparks in your country?
3. Which part of visiting Split would you like the most- the historical parts or the beaches? Where
are the best beaches in your country?
4. How does a trip to Dubrovnik sound to you? Are you a fan of Game of Thrones?

9 Extension/homework: Croatian traditions

Look at the three texts about Croatian traditions. Try to complete each one with the vocabulary in the
box. Divide text A, B & C with two of your classmates. Summarise your paragraph to your partners.
Try to use different vocabulary as this will develop your ability to paraphrase.

reserved / vivid / variations / depth

A) A Croatian dress

1
Despite being a relatively small country the in costumes worn across the
2
nation are diverse and represent the of culture that exists. For example, in
3
Posavina, the costumes tend to be quite in nature. The men usually wear
black vests and black hats, while the women, whilst similarly muted, sprinkle their costumes
with bright silk scarfs.
In contrast, in the north western region of Slavonia, the traditional clothes worn by locals
4
are usually bright and . Floral designs, embroidery and beautiful silk ribbons
are all used to create something that is beautiful to see.

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oily / steaming / fishy / common

B) The Croatian diet

Lunch tends to be the biggest meal of the day in Croatia and is usually eaten somewhere
1
between noon and late afternoon. choices for lunch include a starter of
soup with a main course of roast meat served with pasta, potatoes or salad. Around the
2
coast, people tend to eat large quantities of or salted fish, from sardines to
mackerels and tuna to anchovies. The chances are you will get the chance to sample some
3
delights. Coffee culture is also huge in Croatia and if you wander around any
city or town you are bound to see vast numbers of people chatting, relaxing and sipping on a
4
cup of espresso.

togetherness / intentions / focus / circular

C) Traditional dance

Kolo is the most popular type of traditional folk dance in Croatia and is often described
as a ‘’circle dance’. In a circle dance a group of dancers hold hands and usually move in a
1
line with their arms by their sides.
Despite the spread of modern life, Kolo remains an important part of traditional village life
2
within the country, and it is often the central when it comes to social activities.
3
Historically the dance was the place where young people with romantic could
get to know each other a little better whereas these days it is used to promote feelings of joy
4
and .

Look at the questions below and talk to your partner.

1. What style of Croatian dress sounds the best to you? What are traditional clothes like in your
country?
2. Do you like the idea of a circle dance? What other styles of dance do you know?
3. In Croatia the biggest meal of the day is lunch. Is it the same in your country?

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Transcripts

3. Listening: vocabulary focus

Narrator: If your Mediterranean fantasies feature balmy days by sapphire waters in the shade of
ancient walled towns, Croatia is the place to turn them into reality. Croatia’s extraordinary
island-speckled coastline is indisputably its main attraction. Part of the appeal lies in its
diversity. You’ll find glitz and glamour in places like Hvar, while in other places, Croatian
families get busy with buckets and spades and if you shift your gaze for just a moment
from the glittering waters, chances are a towering mountain will loom into view.

Narrator: Plitvice Lakes National Park is an awesome sight of a turquoise ribbon of crystal water
and gushing waterfalls in a forested heart of continental Croatia. Croatia’s most popular
attraction, Dubrovnik is a UNESCO world heritage site for good reasons. Its mighty walls,
monasteries, medieval churches and graceful squares cluster tightly beside the glittering
Adriatic.

Narrator: Come high summer there’s no better place to get your groove on than Hvar town.
Gorgeous, tanned people descend from their yachts in droves for the round-the-clock
fun on this glam isle.

Narrator: Cloaked in dense pine forests marvellous Mljet is an island paradise. Legend has it that
Odysseus was marooned here for seven years and it’s easy to appreciate why he’d take his
time leaving.

Narrator: Having coffee in one of Zagreb’s outdoor cafes is a must. To experience the truly European
and vibrant cafe culture grab a table alongside the pedestrianised cobbled street to
Tkalciceva.

Narrator: High season runs July and August. Visit May through June or in September for sparse
crowds and lower prices. Travel costs in Croatia can range from less than 450 Kuna a day
for a dorm bed and a meal in the local tavern to over a thousand Kuna a day for a double
room in a four-star hotel and a private sailing trip.

Narrator: Good value buses cover the whole country, and the extensive ferry network connects all
the main coastal towns and islands. Transport in Croatia is quick and generally efficient.

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Key

1. Warm up

5 mins.
This gives the teacher an opportunity to set the context and allows the students time to talk about their previous
knowledge in relation to Croatia.

1. b. 2. c. 3. b. 4. c. 5. a. 6. a.

2. Visual guide

10 mins.
Part A
This stage provides students with images of Croatian culture. Ask the students to match the words to the pictures.
Some useful facts about Croatia are:
Population - 4 million.
Size - 56,594 sq km (the USA is 174 times bigger than Croatia).
Weather - dry, warm summers and moderate wet winters.
Famous places - Zagreb (Capital), Dubrovnik, Split.
Famous people - Luka Modric, Goran Ivanisevic, Nikola Tesla (joint nationality), Kolinda Grabar Kitrarovic.
Croatia was first recognised as an independent nation on 26 June 1991.
Croatian main exports are fuels, electric machinery, wood and iron.

1. Zagreb’s cobbled streets 2. Plitvice Lakes National Park 3. Dubrovnik

4. Mljet island 5. St. Nicholas Fortress 6. Bacvice beach
7. terracotta roof 8. Diocletian’s palace 9. Porec
Part B
Students work in pairs and put the words from Part A into the correct sentences.

1. Bacvice beach 2. terracotta roofs 3. Mljet island

4. Zagreb’s cobbled streets 5. Porec 6. Dubrovnik
7. St. Nicholas fortress 8. Diocletian’s palace 9. Plitvice Lakes National Park
Part C
Ask the students to discuss the questions below.

3. Listening: vocabulary focus

Part 1
10 mins.
Ask students to work with a partner and try to match the adjectives with the corresponding nouns. Let them know
that in this case, more than one option may be possible but they will watch the video (00:00-01:46) to clarify the
correct answer in this case.
Answers:

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1. glittering waters,
2. crystal water,
3. gushing waterfalls,
4. ancient walled towns,
5. medieval churches,
6. turquoise ribbon,
7. mighty walls

Part 2
10 mins.
Make sure students can correctly pronounce the target vocabulary. Ask them to complete the task by themselves
firstly, and then compare answers with a partner.

1. → i. 2. → a. 3. → g.
4. → d. 5. → h. 6. → e.
7. → b. 8. → c. 9. → f.

4. Language in context: collocations

10 mins.
Tell the students that natural collocations are a really important part of developing their English and the second
half of the video contains a number of collocations which will solidify what they have already learnt.
First ask students to think about words they think can collocate with the following words: forests, towns, cafes,
street, people.
Monitor and provide feedback in relation to accuracy then show students the second half of the video to see if
any of their suggestions are present.
Answers from the video:
1. pine forests
2. coastal towns
3. outdoor cafes
4. cobbled streets
5. hospitable people

5. Skimming for general understanding

5 mins.
Students should be encouraged to skim through the article and not to spend too much time reading. Perhaps set
a time limit if your group of learners are comfortable with it.

A. Café Culture B. To swim and to eat C. Tourism by foot D. History and relaxation
E. Filming on location

6. Reading comprehension

10 mins.

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Students now read the article in more detail and answer the questions individually. They can then check in pairs
before whole class feedback

1. F - "...described as a city that draws you in slowly..."

2. T - "...remember to head to a local coffee shop..."
3. F - "...has continued to be a popular holiday destination for visitors from Italy."
4. Not given
5. T - "...as all the main sites are easily within walking distance."
6. F - "...also most accessible as it is only 10 mins from the city’s main bus station."
7. T - "...only 42,000 residents call the city home."

7. Vocabulary

Part A
10 mins.
Ensure students can correctly pronounce the target vocabulary. Ask them to complete the task by themselves
first and then compare answers with a partner.

1. → c. 2. → g. 3. → f.
4. → h. 5. → d. 6. → e.
7. → i. 8. → a. 9. → b.
Part B
10 mins.
Ask students to identify which parts of speech could be used to fill the gaps before completing the exercise.
Circulate and help as needed.

1. Strolling 2. roastery 3. staggering

4. remains 5. gateway 6. mingle
7. sweltering 8. fortresses 9. grace

8. Talking point

10 mins.
Students discuss subjects from the article and video and share their opinions with each other about Croatia, they
also link it to their own country.

9. Extension/homework: Croatian traditions

15- 20 mins.
The task below can be done in class or set for homework.
First, ask the students to complete the text using the words from the word bank. Then put students into groups
of 3 and provide each student with either text, A, B or C. The students read through their own text and then tell
their group what their paragraph was about.
Try and make sure the students use their own words when they are telling their classmates about their paragraph.
Text A

1. variations
2. depth

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3. reserved
4. vivid
Text B

1. Common
2. oily
3. fishy
4. steaming
Text C

1. circular
2. focus
3. intentions
4. togetherness

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