Serb Vacationing in Pula Left Shocked
An anonymous Reddit user shared his first experience of summer vacation in Istria, and his observations about the behavior of foreign guests sparked a wave of comments
An anonymous Reddit user shared his first experience of summer vacation in Istria, and his observations about the behavior of foreign guests sparked a wave of comments
Vacationing in Croatia is a return to the familiar for many tourists from the region, but one guest from Serbia, who visited Istria for the first time this year, was taken aback by what he saw. He anonymously shared his impressions on Reddit, and his candid remark about the behavior of tourists from Western Europe quickly went viral.
"Vacation 2025 - hats off!", the user from Serbia began his post. He praised the beauty of Pula, Cape Kamenjak, and the Brijuni Islands, noting that he and his family felt extremely comfortable. The plan for the rest of the trip included Rovinj, Poreč, and the Istrian interior, but what prompted him to speak out wasn't the beaches or the prices, but the other guests.
In a post that drew hundreds of reactions, the Serbian tourist specifically commented on the behavior of families from Germany, Hungary, and Poland. "Especially the Germans and their children behave like a**holes, uncontrollably and totally rudely, they have no manners or control over their kids, and they couldn't care less if they're disturbing anyone, whether at an event, a trip, dinner, or the beach," he wrote. He added that he admires the hosts for their patience: "I'd go crazy if I had to put up with this in my daily life. I know tourism revenue is huge and that they bring you a lot of money, but... cheers!".
The post quickly sparked a debate among Croatian Reddit users, who agreed with his observations but also added their own "favorites." "And what about the English," was one of the first comments. Another user elaborated on that thought: "Glad you had a nice time and enjoyed yourselves. As for these... That's Europe for you, the Viennese school, Swabian courtesy. Personally, I think the most uncultured of all are the English."
One commenter offered a socio-economic analysis of the phenomenon. "These aren't tourists, they're their welfare recipients on holiday. They behave just like the nouveau riche, only on a budget. You put up with them because the state would go bankrupt if we sent them home. And you can spot real tourists by their manners. Those are the ones you always want back, you remember them for a long time and wonder how they are in winter when they're at home," he wrote.
The discussion also touched on specific habits that particularly irritate the local population. "Germans have a habit of picking beaches and declaring them nudist. You go to the sea with your kid, and 15 Germans come and strip naked next to you," one user shared his experience.
In the end, however, a warm tone toward guests from the region prevailed. One Croatian said: "Every hospitality worker will tell you that the best guest is the local one, and you count as locals here, so you're always welcome."
