Family Holidays Archives

Visit Croatia Review: Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik, Zadar

3rd September 2025/0 Comments/in Accommodation, Family Holidays, Reviews, Zadar

School summer holidays can mean only one thing – family summer holiday time! If you have young kids, you’ll know that a family-friendly resort can be an invaluable choice for a holiday; despite such resorts normally being packed to the rafters with excitable young children running around for what feels like 20 hours of the day, there’s normally so much to do for kids and adults alike. This year, I decided to holiday at the Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik, which is located in the hotel-heavy part of Borik in the North Dalmatian city of Zadar. Find out what I thought here.

A quick info bit before I start – The Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik is owned by Austrian hotel group Falkensteiner, which, as well as running a number of properties in the Zadar region (and a hotel on the island of Krk), owns some lovely-looking hotels in its home country, plus Italy (mostly northern Italy), Czechia, Slovakia and Serbia.

The “funimation” part of the hotel’s name is because there certainly is plenty of entertainment practically all day long! As I mention below – there was aqua aerobics in the pool to evening discos and live music, kids’ clubs to swimming lessons, a decent-sized games arcade and even a nighttime quiz! The hotel chain itself rates this property as five out of five for entertainment, which I wouldn’t disagree with.

A friendly arrival, and we get acquainted with our room

Our late in the day Ryanair flight got us to the hotel at around 9.45pm which meant that check-in was a breeze – there was no one else trying to do the same at that time of day! This was also no doubt because it was a Thursday, a very untraditional check-in day of the week. Had we been arriving on a Saturday or Sunday, the lobby would have undoubtedly been fuller.

Our late arrival meant we had missed dinner, but upon reaching our room (a very short time after arriving at the hotel) we were greeted with a very full plate of salami, cheese and a massive basket of bread. Which I call a full dinner!

What was our room like? Well, we had a room on the second floor, overlooking the pool and with views out to sea. The room was a little bit of a tight squeeze but overall a decent size; a large and comfortable double bed in the centre, and two single beds for the kids in a small space separated from the rest of the room by a curtain. Great for getting them to sleep earlier than us adults!

A room at the Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik — Our room (note: sunhat – model’s own)

The bathroom only had a shower – no problem for us – but with nonsensical doors that meant the bathroom nearly flooded every time the shower was used. Why?! Why do so many hotels do this?!

We were lucky enough to have a balcony – not that we ever had the time to sit on it – but it came equipped with a proper drying rack which is a great idea. Provide something for your guests to properly hang their pool towels and swimwear on, and they won’t clutter up the balconies.

First day – start as you mean to go on with some pool time

This is very much a family holiday, so what happens on a family holiday? Eat – pool – eat – pool – afternoon drink or ice cream – pool – small rest – eat – dinner, drinks and entertainment – bed. Repeat x 7 (insert your own holiday length here) – go back home.

And that’s essentially what this hotel is all about. Or at least, that’s how we enjoyed it! After our first experience of a buffet meal, the breakfast, we headed down to enjoy a long stretch of pool time. The pool selection is more or less excellent at the Hotel Borik. There’s one very large pool that’s divided in the centre, with one side I would suppose intended for swimming and the other for fun, seeing as that’s where the large slide ends up. In reality, both sides were used for fun – i.e. kids splashing about – all the time.

A second, smaller pool is off to one side that seemed to be more for smaller children and their parents to use. This pool was actually linked to the indoor pool by a doorway you could swim through – much to the delight of many kids. It looked as though this door would close in the colder months, and the indoor pool would then be self-contained. Both the indoor and outdoor sections of this pool had an area that bubbled up every so often, no doubt intended for relaxation but actually commandeered by kids (but of course) who shrieked with delight every time the bubbles appeared.

Pool and sea view from a room at the Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik — Room view of the pool – including slide – and sea

The “baby pool” was a fair bit away from the above-mentioned pools; I felt it was a bit of a disappointment. The pool was actually not really a pool at all, and in fact a small waterfall which saw water drain down into a large fountain – so, more like a splash area (but set on the ordinary tiled ground). Whilst some kids, I’m sure love splashing about in this sort of setting, I would have preferred a proper pool to allow my young one to walk around/splash around in confidence.

The water slide into the main pool provided literal hours of fun for some kids. Even I had a go, and I’m a total scaredy-cat! My verdict: very fun, a tiny bit scary, and I can see how some would go on this all day long.

I know the next question on your lips – are pool towels provided? Thankfully, yes! You’re given a number of cards (depending on your group size) that you exchange each day at the spa reception for towels. Then, when you return your towels, you get the same number of cards back. It’s a system that works really well, and there was never a towel queue.

And yes, to answer your next question, guests DO reserve sun loungers despite posters asking then NOT to. Sigh. But there were always enough loungers (with some spare) to find some free ones.

The beach is minutes away

Get this – a sandy…yes, sandy…beach is right outside the Hotel Borik.

And by right outside, I mean exit the garden gate by the pool area and woah – there you are on the beach. It takes just seconds to get there!

The beach isn’t a private one, but no matter – there’s plenty of space for everyone, although you do need to pay for beach furniture should you wish to sit down on something that isn’t sand or the small pier. But if you’re staying at the Hotel Borik, you will likely do what we did and just head down with some towels for a brief swim before retreating back to the pool.

The beach here is unbelievably shallow for ages – obviously, always great for kids. This kind of beach also makes for an energetic swim if you had far enough out to get to where you need to tread water.

The kids won’t stop playing

And I mean this as a statement, rather than a complaint!

Why? Well, there’s a great deal here for them to enjoy. There are two small-ish outdoor playground areas to explore, but a star attraction for any kid – even when they’re on a summer holiday with sunny, hot weather – is the soft play area. This indoor playground was actually of a decent size and had enough variety to keep my two entertained for ages. Even better, the soft play was open from 9am to 9pm each day, so we could pop by after breakfast, before dinner, after dinner, whenever we had a free moment…

The soft play was located in the kids’ club room, which had other toys and activities to dive into, and plenty of adults and entertainers on hand to keep an eye on things and interact with the children. Just off this room was a gaming room for older kids – not something we used, but I suppose an essential if you have kids of a certain age and interest.

The soft play/kids club room is cleverly located right by one of the bars, so adults can sit outside and be close enough to keep an eye on things (kind of) with a coffee or something even more relaxing. And on the left was the arcade/games space, which had a number of decent arcade machines (including one of those always impossible grabber toy things) and a game with the prize of a Luka Modric Croatia shirt. (For the whole week, we couldn’t figure out what the game actually was.) Then also perennial favourites such as ping pong, air hockey, sit-down football and more.

The kids club offered a very extensive timetable of activities, which were separated out into Falky ones (for younger kids) and those for Falkons (for the older set). Activities included circus workshops, slackline challenges, t-shirt painting, scavenger hunts, water polo, bath bombing making and much more. My lot aren’t into holiday kids’ clubs so I can’t offer much comment on the quality of Hotel Borik’s one – but from what I saw, the kids joining seemed to be having a good time.

And then the all important evening entertainment, for kids need to be included in something once the pool closes. It was always family-friendly – from kids disco to shows (we caught a very acrobatically-themed adaptation of The Greatest Showman) to a movie night to live music.

An evening show at the Hotel Borik — An evening show – The Greatest Showman – attracts a big audience

If all of the above isn’t enough, the hotel mascot – Falky the Falcon – makes an appearance every now and again to the delight of the many screaming children.

There was also a giant inflatable assault course next to the hotel (not actually part of it), which offered 15 minutes of play for €5. Just in case you needed another way to entertain the kids!

Eat as much as you want, when you want (kind of)

Whilst I suppose all inclusive means you could stuff yourself silly at mealtimes, all inclusive for a family holiday has the massive advantage of not having to think about meals for your children for the entire week. Worth its weight in gold, isn’t it? Sure, they’re eating doughnuts for breakfast, three portions of chips for lunch and one piece for pasta followed immediately by watermelon and ice cream for dinner – who cares?! You’re on holiday! Slightly more adventurous eaters may even sample something new!

Personally, I thought mealtimes at the Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik – which were always served buffet style – were good, fine, not amazing…but is a buffet ever amazing? There was always a very decent choice, with multiple options – cereals, cold cuts, fruit and cooked breakfasts for the first meal of the day and so on. I loved the choice of salads, which were varied (with an option to make your own from basic ingredients too), and I thought desserts were also great; lots of nicely presented cakes, with a Croatian option (strukli, plum dumplings, orahnjaca, kremsnita and similar) always on offer.

There were two special nights – a Dalmatian night on Friday and a BBQ night on Wednesday. Both involved the food laid out on stalls in the courtyard, and a special welcome drink of a cocktail. The Dalmatian night was a nice touch, with dishes such as pasticada with gnocchi, grilled squid and more, whilst a klapa band wandered through the restaurant. The BBQ night was disappointing, only insofar as little of the food actually seemed to be being grilled out there in the open!

Traditional singing in the restaurant for dinner on Dalmatian Night

I have to mention the snack bar by the pool which also laid out items for lunch for guests each day. (Lunch was also served in the restaurant.) This was a simple affair, with chips, pizza, and salad available most days, whilst pasta dishes, hot dogs and burgers also appeared on some days. A truly easy and tasty way of taking a break from pool time.

All-inclusive also means all-inclusive drinks! Look, I’m not fussy when it comes to beer and wine in these situations; if I can apparently ask for unlimited quantities, I’m not expecting €100 bottles of wine to be cracked open. I normally opted for a glass of Grasevina white wine from the main bar in an evening; some nights I even went “wild” with a pina colada, which was stronger than I expected! The kids (mine and…everyone else’s) couldn’t get over the unlimited kids’ mocktails, with a Falky (a orange and red drink), a Blue Lagoon (a blue drink) and a non-alcoholic pina colada the top hits.

Cevapcici at the Hotel Borik on BBQ night — Cevapcici on BBQ night – delicious!

What about some R ‘n’ R?

Tending as I was to small children on my holiday, I didn’t get much of a chance to indulge in the spa apart from a few minutes in the jacuzzi!

The spa seemed extensive, surprisingly so, with the aforementioned jacuzzi, a cold plunge pool, relaxation area, sauna, steam room and private rooms for treatments.

Really, I should have booked myself in for a massage – my regret!

Unexpected highlights

Always pleasing on any holiday, especially a family one, is a surprise or two.

One of our surprise highlights was the coffee and cake offer in the Barbara Bar, just off the lobby, every day from 11am to 6pm. (We chose to enjoy the offer at a normal British tea time hour.) Some rather fancy-looking “cakes” (usually more of a dessert such as mousse) were also available to take from the small fridge in this bar, whilst coffee, wine or lemonade could be ordered from the waiter. (Other drinks were available for a price.)

Coffee and cake in Barbara Bar, Hotel Borik — Coffee and cake in Barbara Bar

I was also very pleased to see swimming lessons offered (for free!) to younger guests aged 4+. I spotted a jolly teacher leading small groups in the indoor and outdoor pools.

The central corridor between the two main buildings featured a small selection of shops, including a toy shop, a souvenir shop and what I’m going to call a “pool supplies” shop. (Swimwear, inflatables, sun cream and the like.) Whilst I didn’t need my children to gaze longingly at the toys every day, having inflatables to purchase on our doorstep – albeit pricey (but, you know, when in Rome…) – kept everyone happy.

The staff were all very friendly, particularly the Reception staff who always greeted me with a smile. Entertainment staff seemed to work long and hard each day, keeping everyone amused, and were always in good spirits around the kids. The barman in the Barbara Bar was also very professional, although he clearly wanted someone to ask him to make a proper cocktail or for a wine or whiskey recommendation! (Won’t someone please put him out of this misery?!)

More info about the Falkensteiner Funimation Hotel Borik and good to know

You can find out more about the hotel and what it offers guests on the Falkensteiner website.

The hotel is only around a 30-minute drive from Zadar Airport – a pleasingly short transfer time. It’s around a 20-minute drive to Zadar’s Old Town, and Uber and Bolt taxis can easily find the hotel and collect you right outside the door. The ride into town/from town costs €5-10 depending on the time of day. You could also travel to the Old Town by local bus number 5 or 8, with the bus stop outside the hotel.

A 15-minute walk away from the hotel is the marina in Drazanica Bay, from where you can get the Zadar Water Taxi directly to (or from) the Riva in the Old Town.

Local excursions can be booked in the lobby.

A doctor is available for consultations during certain hours each day. (Not inclusive)

There is a decent-sized Konzum supermarket across the road from the hotel.

There are numerous bars and restaurants within walking distance from the hotel, should you want a change of scene from the all-inclusive offer.

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post, and Visit Croatia paid for the entire holiday. All thoughts in this review are Visit Croatia’s own and not influenced by any company.

Waterparks in Croatia

12th November 2024/0 Comments/in Family Holidays, Fun

Sure, the Croatian coastline has kilometres and kilometres of coastline – 1,777 kilometres to be exact. (That’s 1,104 miles if you’re English.) If your family consists of water babies and keen swimmers, you’ll have an ideal time splashing about in the Adriatic and/or in a hotel pool day in day out. But you know what gets kids (and older water babies) even more excited? A water park! There’s no denying that for some, whizzing down all sorts of “death-defying” slides, aiming water cannons at already drenched relatives and then relaxing on the laziest of lazy rivers is what makes a holiday. So, without further ado, it’s time we looked at waterparks in Croatia!

Note – yes, in Croatia, waterparks are generally referred to as aquaparks.

Aquapark Dalmatia, Sibenik, Dalmatia

Let’s start with a rather unusual waterpark for Croatia. Unusual how? Unusual because this one is actually open year-round! Now before you start thinking you need to pull on your woollen hat and gloves along with your cossie for water fun in December, I’ll explain by saying that part of Aquapark Dalmatia is actually indoors.

That’s right, as of summer 2024, Aquapark Dalmatia has expanded and now includes a fairly large indoor section to go with its exciting outdoor facilities. The park now consists of a 610-metre-long lazy river, 820 metres of slides (what now?!), a large wellness club with indoor pool, family-themed indoor playroom and changing rooms and plenty of water toys and games – sprinklers, cannons, jets, waterfalls and more.

waterparks in Croatia - Aquapark Dalmatia — Aquapark Dalmatia (*Credit: Aquapark Dalmatia*)

This park is located adjacent to the Amadria Park Resort on the outskirts of Sibenik. It’s ideal for guests of this large-scale resort – who receive a slight discount on the entry fee – but is open to all. It costs The indoor-only area in off-season costs €15 per day for kids of 90cm to 120cm in height and €30 for anyone taller than that; kids below 90cm in height can enter for free. During the summer season, it is €20 for kids and €40 for larger kids. (2024 prices)

More info: aquapark-dalmatia.com
Best places to stay to enjoy this waterpark: one of the hotels in the Amadria Park resort (you will then be within easy walking distance); families will enjoy the Hotel Jakov or the Hotel Andrija

Istralandia, near Novigrad, northern Istria

The name Istralandia always makes me chuckle because it sounds so grand. It also sounds a little as if Istria got in a huff and separated from the rest of Croatia (please don’t do this in real life, Istria) and came up with a very important name.

But what is actual Istralandia like? There are multiple pools including the Family Pool (with a fun photo opportunity through a glass wall); a kids’ Jumping Pool (because to kids like more about pools than jumping in them); a kids’ pool with a “sunken” pirate ship and other play facilities; a wave pool and a hydromassage pool for a calmer way of life. There is also a spray arena which – well, let’s just say that kids will get a kick out of making everyone wetter than it is ever possible to be.

Moving on to slides, the four mini surf slides are ideal for younger kids who don’t want to slide down anything too scary. Bigger kids will love the 81-metre-long Sea Hole circular ride, while adrenaline-seekers will delight in the multitude of other slides such as the Crazy Hills slides. (How can you not make an immediate beeline for a waterpark attraction named like this?)

There are several snack bars and restaurants here serving mostly fast food, but that’s normally the order for the day in these kinds of places when you need to recharge.

During the peak summer months, you will also see some additional kids’ entertainment such as aqua zumba.

More info: www.istralandia.hr
Best places to stay to enjoy this waterpark: If you wish to stay reasonably near, consider places in Novigrad and Umag which would only be about a 10 to 20-minute drive away. Otherwise, Porec (30 minutes away) is also suitable.

Aquapark Cikat, Mali Losinj, island of Losinj

A smaller waterpark than the two listed above, Aquapark Cikat may in fact be where you need to head to if you prefer to avoid the crowds that waterparks in summer generally attract.

Part of Camping Cikat on the island of Losinj, this waterpark covers an area of 6,300 square metres with over 2,400 square metres of pools and other water fun. That includes a large 25-metre by 33-metre pool as well as a hydro pool and pools with water toys and a playground, as well as one with two slides. In addition to that, there are two smaller splash pools for the true water babies – as in, the guests who are literal babies.

There are snack bars for you to refuel and fun activities for children and adults – such as fitness programmes, beach volleyball, football and basketball.

Entry is free for those who stay in Camping Cikat, whilst it costs €20 for those aged 7 and over and €15 for guests aged between 3 to 7. (Kids under 3 can enter for free.) (2025 prices)

More info: www.camp-cikat.com/aquapark-in-cikat.aspx
Best places to stay to enjoy this waterpark: Well, you couldn’t be better located than if you stay in Camping Cikat! The campsite offers mobile homes, glamping tents and pitches for motorhomes.

Zaton Holiday Resort, near Zadar, Dalmatia

This one’s slightly different to the waterparks in Croatia listed above as it is solely for holiday guests and on the smaller side when it comes to daredevil slides. (The pool area is very large, however!) The expansive Zaton Holiday Resort is set around a 1.5-kilometre-long sandy bay with beautiful gardens and excellent sports facilities. The waterpark element of the resort consists of 2,500 square metres of pools including a large children’s pool with a water playground, and two water slides. In fact, there will be a brand new pool complex for 2025.

Zaton Holiday Resort pool (*Credit: Zaton Holiday Resort*)

Of course, as this smaller waterpark is within a holiday resort, it is only open to guests of the complex. But if you want your summer days filled with water slides and splash zones all day every day, perhaps this is the accommodation to base yourself at?

More info: www.zaton.hr/en/resort
Best places to stay to enjoy this waterpark: At the Zaton Holiday Resort itself, of course!

Other Ideas for Waterparks in Croatia

Not proper waterparks in the sense of multiple pools and slide and water sprinklers as far as the eye can see, some thermal spas have indoor pool areas which also offer at least one kind of fun slide. An example of this is the Aqua Vitae resort in Krapinske Toplice in northern Croatia. Their 500 square metre indoor-outdoor pool contains a slide that’s 5 metres in height and 50 metres in length. They also have a wave pool, and a warm-water children’s pool with spouts and fountains.

Aqua Vitae Krapinske Toplice - Water Slide — The water slide at Aqua Vitae (*Credit: Aqua Vitae*)

Inflatable Waterparks in Croatia…of sorts

If you’ve holidayed on the Croatian coast during summertime in the last few years, you will have noticed large-ish inflatable structures moored just off some beaches in Croatia. Okay, so they’re not really aquaparks as they’re normally quite a small (comparatively), singular structure but if it involves sliding into or being flung into the sea, I’m sure your kids will be down for it.

You can’t really miss them – normally yellow and green, these structures contain multiple steps, slides, bridges and the like. It’s quite common to see groups of kids use them as a sort of assault course, trying to race around the full loop in the fastest time possible. In reality, most participants seem keenest to climb up as high as possible before flinging themselves into the Adriatic in the most dramatic fashion!

Although these waterparks on the sea are open, you absolutely do need to pay to use them. Normally you’ll see a beach hut where you can pay for an hour’s access. (Or more, if you’re somehow not exhausted by the first sixty minutes!)

May Half Term in Croatia

14th May 2024/0 Comments/in Family Holidays, Travel advice

We’re just under two weeks away from the end of May which, for some people, means better weather, more time outside and longer days. For others, it means the dreaded…no sorry…much anticipated May half-term holiday break (certainly for school kids in the UK) which is a great time to jet off for a week-long holiday in Europe. This year, why not consider May half-term in Croatia?

Is the end of May a good time to go to Croatia?

Absolutely, yes! What are you waiting for, start booking your holiday straight away!

To expand on that slightly, the end of May is a really lovely time to visit Croatia. The weather is near-perfect – low to mid-20s Celsius (the scorching temperatures of the summer have yet to arrive) and there will be sun sun sun practically every day. (Head to the Croatian Meteorological Service website for a more technical forecast than what I’ve written here.)

Will it be warm enough to swim in the sea? Probably. It has to be said, sea temperatures will probably only hit 19/20C which is a little on the cooler side, especially for younger family members. But more hardy souls – and kids that just don’t care and will happily splash about, whatever temperature it is – will be fine.

Generally, most amenities (accommodation certainly, but also restaurants and similar) and sights are fully open by the time the end of May rolls around. The one exception will be waterparks – but Istralandia does in fact open for the season for that last week of May.

Where to go for a May half-term in Croatia

If you’re heading on a May half-term holiday, there’s no two ways about it – you’re holidaying with the kids. In this case, you’ll most appreciate a specific family hotel of which there are many in Croatia. These hotels normally have multiple pools (including a kids’ pool), are usually close to a beach, offer a kids’ club and other children-focused entertainment (as well as entertainment for all ages), have buffet-style meals so your kids can pile their plates high with pancakes at every opportunity and provide other items that are generally helpful if travelling with kids. (I’m thinking baby cots, bunk beds, high chairs and similar.)

So where specifically should you go? The answer is…

Istria

A family hotel in Istria would be my top recommendation to you. As well as lots of hotel options available in this part of Croatia, there lots of family-friendly activities such as water parks, adventure parks, (mini) theme parks and similar.

The Valamar Tamaris Resort in Porec is located right on the beach and offers multiple pools, a large play zone, family-friendly rooms and there’s a kids’ club too. Also in Porec is the Hotel Park Plava Laguna which has excellent family rooms, pools with splash areas, sports facilities and kids’ clubs.

Meanwhile, the Maistra Select Family Hotel Amarin in gorgeous Rovinj is a smart hotel with excellent play facilities for kids indoors and in their expansive outdoor area too. Of course, that’s for when your children aren’t enjoying one of the hotel’s seven (seven!) pools.

May half term in Croatia - Hotel Amarin, Rovinj — Hotel Amarin, Rovinj (credit: Hotel Amarin)

Or what about Dalmatia

Here are Visit Croatia we’re really big fans of the Amadria Park resort near Sibenik. This large-scale resort contains several different hotels (and a campsite) including the family Amadria Hotel Park Jakov and the kids-focused Amadria Park Hotel Andrija. Sadly, the neighbouring Aquapark Dalmatia will only open in June after extensive refurbishment and expansion, but the multiple pools, long beach, numerous catering establishments, kids’ clubs and more will definitely keep everyone occupied.

Another recommendation to you would be one of the Valamar hotel group’s options in Dubrovnik, such as the Club Dubrovnik Sunny Hotel, the Valamar Tirena Hotel or the newly-refurbished for 2024 Valamar Lacroma Dubrovnik Hotel. All three offer excellent family accommodation and are next to Maro World which offers 1,800 square metres (yes, really!) of fun for kids of all ages. There are indoor and outdoor play areas, trampolines, soft play rooms, toys, games rooms and more.

May half term in Croatia - Valamar Lacroma Hotel in Dubrovnik — Valamar Lacroma Hotel, Dubrovnik (Credit: Valamar Lacroma Hotel)

A city break half-term

Alternatively, perhaps you’re actually not looking for a beach-and-sea holiday or maybe you have older kids who need a little more stimulation than just lazing by a pool all day. In that case, you might consider somewhere like Split, Dubrovnik or Pula which would give you a perfect combination of city life with plenty to see and do – from sightseeing to museums, shopping and more – plus nearby beaches should you still need some sunbathing time.

Or, what about Zagreb? Not Adriatic Sea here at all, of course, but it’s a really excellent place for a city break with so much to see and do, excellent restaurants, cafes and bars, lots of lovely parks, unusual museums and experiences…the list goes on! Take a look at our guide to Z a greb to get the lowdown on all this fantastic city has to offer.

More options

Please take a look at Visit Croatia’s guides to Family Hotels in Croatia and Family Holidays in Croatia for many more options and ideas of where to holiday in the country.

What to see and do

Perhaps you’re not too minded about your specific destination for a May half-term in Croatia, but instead are interested in experiences and specific kid-friendly sights. Here are some of the top activities to do that will please all (or most!) of your family:

Zipling There are a few zipline sites in Croatia, but amongst the best is Zipline Croatia situated near Omis, high above the Cetina River canyon. The total zipline track length comes to 2,100 metres!
Adventure The same location – the Cetina River and nearby – provides all sorts of adrenaline-filled activities, including river rafting.
Nature One of Croatia’s nature or national parks will delight all ages, so head to Plitvice Lakes (and stay in a nearby treehouse at the Plitvice Holiday Resort!) or Krka National Park to gaze in amazement at the stunning waterfalls and lakes.
Boat trips This actually isn’t area specific, for day boat trips can be done practically anywhere along the coast, and who doesn’t love being out on the sea? Families will have fun on a pirate boat trip (from Split), for sure!
Semi-submarine tour This involved going a short way out onto the Adriatic on a semi-submarine (so, you are not fully submerged) and watching aquatic life from the glass-bottomed boat. Take a look at this semi submarine tour from Korcula.

How to book for May half term in Croatia

The easiest option would be to opt for a package holiday. Look up your favourite operator, be that Jet2 Holidays, TUI, Easyjet Holidays, British Airways Holidays or other and see what deals you can take advantage of to get your whole family gang jetting off to Croatia for the half term.

Alternatively, plan the whole holiday yourself. Use the advice here regarding location, and then book your flights and your accommodation in Croatia and you’re good to go!

Good to know

Take a look at our Travelling to Croatia with Babies and Toddlers page for advice on how best to make your holiday with the really littlest ones easy.

For peace of mind, do also look at our Safety and Healthcare in Croatia page for “things that are good to know” before you travel.

Visit Croatia Review: Amadria Park Resort, Sibenik

28th June 2023/0 Comments/in Family Holidays, Holidays in Croatia, Reviews, Travel advice

Last year, Visit Croatia holidayed at the Amadria Park resort with her young family. See what she – and the rest of the family – thought in this review!

If you’ve read our review of Jet2 Holidays and the dilemma of choosing a holiday destination, we’ll fast forward to the conclusion that we ended up booking a week’s holiday in July at the four-star Hotel Jakov, part of the Amadria Park resort near Sibenik. Off we set – waaaay too early for a Sunday morning, it has to be said – on our breezy 2-hour flight from London Stansted to Split.

I’m always amazed by how wonderful landing in Croatia is – once you’re in Croatian airspace, the view from a plane is truly spectacular with a gorgeous view of the stunning coastline and the many, many islands and islets and beautiful towns below. And such was the case on a beautifully sunny summer’s day in Split. Whisked through the airport relatively quickly with a bit of time to admire the new airport building, our transfer coach was waiting outside for all of us Jet2 Holiday holidaymakers. On this particular journey, we had a total of 3 stops with Amadria Park guests alighting at the final destination – making it about an hour’s transfer time from the airport.

Checking In…or not

Now, at this point, we encountered probably the biggest problem of our holiday. Sunday is clearly a big guest turnover day and the lobby was filled to the brim with new guests waiting to check in and be allocated their rooms. The Hotel Jakov is termed a “family hotel” so as well as plenty of adult guests there were many, many children of various ages and in various stages of behavioural boredom. And what with the hotel being full of families, all manner of family-related items were also in the lobby – prams, pool inflatables, bags of nappies, that sort of thing.

Despite the inconvenience, there was an orderly queuing system and the young staff were staying calm in typically insouciant Croatian fashion, managing to cope with the situation. They also placated us guests with glasses of a fizzy little something.

We probably waited over an hour before we were finally able to check in – not at all ideal after a longish day of travelling and a very early morning start. As an apology, we were given a free dinner for our party at the hotel restaurant – which worked out for the first night anyway, with us not wanting to stray to far or think to hard about what to eat.

Review Jet2 Holidays - View from Amadria Park Beach

Rooms at the Amadria Park Hotel Jakov

After all the check-in palaver, we were delighted to finally be given the key cards to our room. And a lovely room it was! We had opted for the 31m. sq. family room, which was ideal for two adults and two kids. The room had a smart, modern and welcoming decor and included a small balcony with a view of the hotel grounds.

If you’ve travelled with kids, you’ll likely know that kids and adults and hotel rooms are a terrible mix – no one wants to go to bed at an appropriate time, no one can relax properly and something bonkers like the adults “hiding” in the bathroom whilst the kids try to fall asleep always ends up happening. So a separate space for kids to sleep in is a must…which is exactly what this hotel room had.

With a bunk bed right by the room entrance (where there was also space for a baby cot), the main double bed in the room is down a narrowish hallway – past the bathroom – and well away from sleeping kids. A highly appreciated solution to give the younger holidaymakers and the older holidaymakers some space so everyone can rest appropriately.

Pool Area and Amenities

Although the pool area is nicely laid out with space for a good number of loungers, it did always feel busy. There are two smallish freshwater pools (right next to each other) and a smaller baby pool off to one side. We tended to sit by the baby pool which was a lot quieter and where it was always easy to find some lounger space – and shaded space at that, under sun umbrellas and trees.

The pools themselves were perhaps a little on the small side given the number of guests, and aside from swimming and bobbing around on their own inflatables, kids amused themselves by throwing themselves off a small rocky display next to one of the pools. Kids being kids, and all!

Amadria Park Hotel Jakov Pool — The baby pool at the Hotel Jakov – see, I told you it was less busy!

There was a beach bar where simple snacks (sandwiches and salads), freezer ice creams and drinks could be obtained which was very welcome in the heat. A suggestion to the hotel would be to have an ice cream menu on display – no one ever seemed to understand what we wanted (and everyone spoke English) but an ice cream is an ice cream…right?!

Aquapark Dalmatia

Part of the Amadria Park resort is the Aquapark Dalmatia waterpark, which you can see (and most definitely hear!) if you’re staying at the Hotel Jakov.

The waterpark is fairly small as far as waterparks go, with a lazy river, several jacuzzis, a large rain “fortress” with six water slides, a “kids zone” with smaller water slides and a number of smaller pools ideal for younger guests.

The waterpark cost €26.60 for adults and €13.30 for children “between 90cm and 120cm” in height which we felt was too much for what it actually was, although probably in line with these sorts of attractions! This was a discount from €33.33 and €16.67 for non-hotel guests. (Note: these are all 2022 prices)

A nice touch would have been to give us one free waterpark day as hotel guests. As it was, we weren’t tempted to return later in the week after spending the majority of one day there and given the price.

Note: AquaPark Dalmatia is also open to non-Amadria Park guests

Kids Club and Activities

There was a daily kids club at the Hotel Jakov (shared with the Hotel Andrija) which you could dip into as you wanted with your kids, I believe for those aged 4 and above. Housed in two little huts by the playground, it seemed to be well-staffed by young, enthusiastic adults going through the usual childcare activities of games and crafts. The kids club was included in the hotel price; private babysitting also seemed to be on offer for €33.35 per hour (2022 price).

Hotel Jakov playground — The playground and kids’ club huts

The playground itself was also a welcome draw – reasonably large with a number of fun climbing frames, slides and similar. It certainly drew the kids in the evenings once the temperature was cooler!

A hotel mascot – a bear – popped up occasionally at the hotel, either delighting or frightening children (depending on their temperament). This same bear would also delight/frighten the kids on the daily train parade that ran a route from next to the Aquapark along the main promenade.

There were additional daily entertainment activities, including yoga on the beach, t-shirt/bag painting at Sweet Dreams Cake Shop (for an extra charge), aqua aerobics and aqua fun, and a pirate competition – whatever that may be – on the minigolf course.

Dining

The welcoming, large dining room at the Hotel Jakov is open for a buffet breakfast and buffet dinner. Our booking only included breakfast and we found the breakfast options plentiful – cereals, cooked breakfast, pancakes and sweet treats, fruits, yoghurts, continental cold plate breakfast options, juices, hot drinks…the list goes on.

There was more than enough food supplied and replenished throughout the breakfast session, plenty of seating for hotel guests (indoor and outdoor) and enough baby chairs for little ones.

Dinner was again buffet style – although not part of our booking, we received a free dinner the first night and had the option to pay for other nights if we wanted to. This was less of a hit for us – the choice and portions were more limited, and we never returned after that first night.

So, where else to eat? Well, the Amadria Park resort is huge with a number of other eating options dotted around the resort – from fast food (burgers) to a pizza/pasta-style cafe to more high-end dining. We tried a number of these and although perhaps on the pricey side, all served good food and we welcomed the fact that we had these choices just a short walk from our hotel.

An old stone house in the Dalmatian Ethno Village, Amadria Park — An old stone house in the Dalmatian Ethno Village

In particular, the Dalmatian Ethno Village is a treat for the final night of your holiday – the little village showcases a typical Dalmatian village from many moons ago. The menu as well offers garden-to-plate cooking, and the bread, cheese, olive oil and brandy are all made by hand using original tools. A very tasty meal was had here, with some good wine options too.

We personally also ate off-site a few nights – once at a restaurant just by the resort, another time in Sibenik.

Evening Entertainment

Every early evening a kids’ mini disco seemed to spark up by the neighbouring Hotel Andrija with hotel employees doing their best to inject a bit of fun into the location whilst some younger guests played football. (Because of course that’s what some boys do!)

Probably the most spectacular bit of entertainment we enjoyed during our week was a “train” (the resort’s motorised train vehicle) that summoned guests over to the Mediterranean Square, Pied Piper-style. Once there, an actually DJ-controlled disco started – still suitable for young ones – with dramatic disco lights, fantastically dressed dancers and performers including a fire-eating lady. A great atmosphere!

Party train — The party train leading people to the Mediterranean Square disco

Mediterranean Square Disco, Amadria Park — The Mediterranean Square disco

Amadria Park – Family Hotel versus Kids Hotel

As I’ve mentioned, the Hotel Jakov terms itself a “family hotel” in contrast to its next-door-neighbour, the four-star Hotel Andrija which is billed as a “kids hotel”.

What’s the difference? Well, I’d say that the Hotel Jakov is aimed at adults with young kids that want to stay at a nice hotel with pretty decor and great amenities that also caters to and thinks of its young guests.

From what I could see of the Hotel Andrija – we often went to its outdoor bar for an evening ice cream – that hotel fully targets its young visitors with child-friendly decor and furnishings, and amenities such as a gaming room. (Yes, really!)

Personally, the Hotel Jakov is much more my style!

The Amadria Park Resort as a whole

The resort is huge – but not in a way that overwhelmed us or ever felt too crowded. It is home to five hotels AND a camping resort at one end, plus mobile homes dotted around. There are numerous cafes and restaurants and other attractions such as the En Vogue Beach Club. The resort is so large, that we didn’t even have the time to fully explore all it had to offer!

(It has to also be said, we were not on the kind of holiday where a beach club would have fitted in!)

I haven’t even mentioned some of the other features and amenities of the resort such as the entertaining mini golf course, the outdoor cinema on the beach, bumper cars, bike rental, tennis lessons, the sweet shop and the very useful on-site mini supermarket. Or even really talked about the beach!

Inflatable waterpark — An inflatable waterpark

To rectify that here, the beach (pebbly, of course) offers loungers and beach umbrellas that must be paid for, although of course, you can sit yourself down anywhere else. The shallow, calm waters are ideal for kids, and there’s a lifeguard on duty for safety as well. There is also a large inflatable “fun park” a little distance out which was clearly enjoyed by kids and big kids alike.

Another big draw was the lovely seaside promenade which is the main path along the resort. As well as being the main way to get between the different hotels, restaurants and the like, it was a lovely walk particularly in the evening as the sun was setting.

Overall, I’m a big fan of the Amadria Park resort and I would say it is definitely suitable for a family holiday. I would certainly return for a future vacation!

Note: This is NOT a sponsored post, and Visit Croatia paid for the entire holiday. All thoughts in this review are Visit Croatia’s own and not influenced by any company.

Visit Croatia Review: Jet2 Holidays

31st March 2023/0 Comments/in Family Holidays, Reviews, Travel advice

Last summer, Visit Croatia sought out a summer holiday for her and her family – totalling two adults and two kids. After umming and ahhhing over locations on mainland Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus, Visit Croatia decided to go where Visit Croatia knows best…Croatia! Here’s a review of my experience booking with Jet2 Holidays for a summer break in Croatia.

Summer Holiday Research Drives Me Mad

Although the Internet should make these sorts of things easy these days, information overload actually makes it more difficult! Sure, I can browse 20+ holiday booking, travel comparison and review websites, check out all their deals, see the reviews left by other travellers, try and figure out which extras are actually worth going for…but then that just leaves me exhausted!

This 5-star hotel seems a good deal, but lots of travellers have left recent reviews saying its current quality shouldn’t have that star rating.

That hotel looks fantastic, but where is it? *Pulls up Google Maps*, oh a 2 hour transfer? With a baby? Maybe not…

This holiday ticks all the boxes, and look, it’s a great deal on this particular website! But I’ve never heard of this website before, is it legit? Why do I have to call to book?! And why is it telling me the special discount runs out in the next two hours?

That’s where Jet2 Holidays comes in to save the day! Having ditched the “unknown” travel booking websites (too dodgy) and the comparison ones (too confusing) we decided to try the main holiday booking sites. There are a few of course – I won’t mention the others in this review, but I’m sure you know of them. Jet2 Holidays is actually the largest tour operator in the UK. (Helping over 5.8 million Brits enjoy trips abroad.)

Booking the Holiday

When it actually came to choosing and booking our holiday, I’m giving the Jet2 Holidays website a big thumbs up.

I found it incredibly easy to search for different destinations or multiple destinations at once. Each country they serve is divided up into different areas – Split area and Dubrovnik area, in the case of Croatia – so you can select individual ones as per your preference.

Once I had performed a search and received a list of results, I could filter out certain hotels and apartments by star rating, TripAdvisor rating and by resort name. I could even further filter the results by certain elements of a holiday – access to a children’s club or an aqua park, for example – and by board type.

Two things I’m a bit fan of about the Jet2 Holidays website (and app!) are the ability to “shortlist” particular holidays (so I could easily compare for my favourites, come back to my list at a later date, or even share the list with someone else) and how all the information about a holiday is laid out simply and clearly.

This last point is something that I find crucial and very much applaud Jet2 for! If I’m looking for a holiday, I want to see everything easily or be able to access all the information in just a click or two. As a parent to two little ones, “nice” flight times (i.e. not flights that land at 2am!) are important to me. So, being able to view the flight times on the main screen is a massive plus.

Likewise, transfer times – anything 2 hours or so is a no for me. but I get that that’s a possibility…but tell me and I’ll discount that particular hotel. Holiday companies, don’t hide this on page seven of the booking process! (Jet2 don’t – they show this on the main booking page.)

Another BIG plus is the calendar functionality. Once I had made a choice about a hotel or place of accommodation, I could draw up the calendar which showed me the same holiday and its different prices across all the dates it was/is available. This meant I could easily see if I could make a saving by travelling on a different week…or during mid-week.

Something similar happens when I was actually in the booking process. It’s very clear how much “upgrading” certain elements will cost – choose a different room at the same hotel and the price difference (“+£336”) is clearly displayed. The same happens for different board options, if available.

Oh, and another big hit with me? The fact that all of the basics are included in the price. And this means luggage (as well as transfers.) Jet2 have a baggage allowance of 22kg per traveller, which is part of a holiday booking. Certain other holiday booking sites may proclaim good deals before you realised it might be an extra few hundred quid for luggage. (Luggage basically being a must if you’re travelling with kids!) 10kg of hand luggage is also included.

Changing Our Holiday Plans

Pleased as we were with finally booking after deliberating and researching for weeks (true story), less than 24 hours later we were hit with the realisation that we’d triple-booked ourselves and going away the week we’d planned would have meant missing out on several social events that were important to us.

Berating ourselves for being complete idiots, we thought we’d try calling Jet2 Holidays to see if you could maybe, possibly, somehow change our dates for a week earlier in the summer holidays.

This turned out to be not a problem at all! The very helpful and friendly lady we talked to pointed out that not only would there be no charge (as we were changing within 24 hours of booking), but we’d actually get a slightly cheaper holiday (meaning we’d get a refund) but changing our dates. A win all around!

Review Jet2 Holidays - Hotel Jakov entrance — The entrance to the Hotel Jakov

The Flight and Transfer

Our actual flight was perfectly smooth; really, heading to Stansted was perhaps the more difficult element of it all. Sure, it’s a short-haul flight on a budget airline, but we still found it reasonably comfortable. Apart from being forced to hear that Jess Glynne song multiple times. (If you know, you know.)

Finding our transfer coach at Split Airport was also pretty straightforward, as was the transfer itself. If memory serves me, we made three stops in total with our hotel – the Amadria Park Hotel Jakov near Sibenik – being the last.

Jet2 Holidays during our Holiday

I can’t say we encountered any reps from Jet2 Holidays during our stay, but we also didn’t need them either! Our hotel had a Jet2 book at reception with additional information on excursions and similar, but we were happy with planning our own. (Huh, it’s almost like I run a Croatian travel site…)

We did receive a little welcome pack that told us when and where to meet our reps if we needed them. During the week we were there, they were at a neighbouring hotel twice.

The Jet2 app also displayed information on our holiday, such as displaying details about our return transfer the day before we left. The company also has a 24-7 UK-based hotline should guests need any assistance.

But, as I said, we didn’t need our Jet2 reps during our holiday!

Excursions

Jet2 Holiday generally also offer a wide variety of excursions from their hotels. The ones that could be booked from our resort were an 8-hour trip to Krka National Park or a 12-hour trip to Plitvice National Park. (Both of these excursions ran once a week.) Again, this isn’t something we personally made use of due to the fact we were holidaying with young children, but the fact that we could have opted for excursions right from our doorstep…as it were…was a plus.

Obviously, there were and are plenty more excursions available in the wider area not organised by Jet2 Holidays!

Review of Jet2 Holidays: Overall

Another impressive factor for me is that Jet2 Holidays is the Which? Travel Brand of the Year 2022, and is also a Which? Recommended Provider. Not only that – Which? has also declared them the best airline. (I’m a big reader of Which? and trust what they say!)

They offer free child places, and all infants under 2 go free. I relish any chance we parents can save on summer holidays.

It’s possible to purchase a holiday on a pay monthly or part pay (as and when) basis which is another big plus.

So overall? A big thumbs up from me! I’m already looking at deals for this year’s summer holiday!

Note: Visit Croatia paid for the above holiday herself and was not compensated in any way or asked to write this review by Jet2 Holidays. All views above are Visit Croatia’s own.

New service – baby equipment rental in Istria!

21st June 2019/0 Comments/in Family Holidays, Istria

Many of you travellers will know that holidaying pre- and post-kids is very, very different. Pre-kids you could hop on a low cost flight on a Friday afternoon with just a bag and a few choice items, and be enjoying a few cocktails by sunset a few hours later. Heading home was just as easy – perhaps some of you even went straight to the office from the airport!

Post kids there’s THE STUFF. ALL OF IT! SO MUCH STUFF! Planning a holiday requires military precision whilst you decide what essential items you need to take for your babies or toddlers (answer: everything!), how you’re going to get it abroad, and how you’re going to get it to your accommodation. (If it’s not been lost in transit, that is.) Or will your accommodation provide it? Maybe they will, but it’s not exactly what you were after?

Now there’s a new service that’s sure to help many of you – baby equipment rental in Istria by Junior Travel. Junior Travel is a company that lets you hire a wide variety of items for your little ones – babies and toddlers. There’s everything you could possibly need – from car seats and booster seats to strollers and prams; baby carriers, bouncers, cribs and cots; high chairs to breast pumps and sterilisers; baby monitors and even toys! There’s even items for the beach, such as pop up beach tents, towels, beach toys and cool boxes.

Many of the above items are provided as well recognised brands, including Cybex, Maclaren, Egobaby, Baby Jogger, Avent, Babybjorn and more. You may even have the same items at home, so be used to them and know how to use them!

Junior Travel - Baby equipment rental Istria - Stroller

Junior Travel - Baby equipment rental Istria - High chair

Junior Travel - Baby equipment rental Istria - Car seat

Junior Travel - Baby equipment rental Istria - Baby bouncer

Some of the baby equipment available to rent

Junior Travel baby equipment rental – how it works

You can book the items you need online (and the specific dates you need them) on the Junior Travel website. The equipment you rent will be delivered direct to your accommodation. You can also choose to have the items delivered to an airport (if you need a car seat, for example). Delivery is undertaken 7 days a week, from 9am to 9pm.

Junior Travel cover the whole Istrian peninsula, which covers many of the most popular towns and resorts in Croatia. This includes Rovinj, Umag, Porec, Vrsar, Novigrad, Medulin, and Rabac. Istria is also home to a great number of villas that are highly suitable for families.

All equipment is washed, disinfected and steam cleaned with non-toxic products after each rental.

About Junior Travel

Junior Travel was started by mum of 3, Ivana Labinjan. A trip to Finland with her sons saw her take a multitude of kids essentials for the three different ages; not only did she lose and find part of her stroller at the airport (another common problem – what is it about prams and flying?!), she also found herself with more luggage on the way back as some additional toys crept in!

Not being able to find any kind of baby equipment rental in Finland, she was inspired to create that very service for families visiting beautiful Istria.

So if you’re travelling to Istria with some little tots this summer, consider easing the stress of travelling with kids and hiring some of the essentials!

Junior Travel
www.junior-travel.com

Travel advice: Holiday resorts in Croatia with beaches suitable for young children

12th July 2012/0 Comments/in Blog, Camping, Dalmatia, Family Holidays, Istria, Travel advice

Hallo, I have an unusual request – please recommend beaches for a small baby (2 years).

I would like to sandy beaches or small pebbles beaches from gently sloping to the sea that is shallow. I would also like to have restaurants, bars, shops, swimming pools. Two years ago I was in Zaton Holiday Resort and I’m looking something like this in Istria, Kvarner or Dalmatia – north or central.

I am grateful for the help. A.G.

The first thing to say is that Croatia is not that well known for its sandy beaches. By far the majority of beaches are of the pebble variety. However, I understand that for some people (especially those with young children!), sandy beaches are important.

Of course, if you don’t mind pebble beaches than you will have a lot more choice – as I said, the vast majority of beaches in Croatia are pebble-y. I would say that many would also be gently sloping with quite a bit of shallow water – it would be quite rare to have anything that would be quite deep quite suddenly.

Based on the place you mentioned you stayed in before (Zaton Holiday Resort), you might want to take a look at CampingIN Park Umag in Istria, which is very suitable for families with its various facilities (including pool) and features both Mobile Homes and Premium Homes.

Alternatively, you could also consider Camping Park Soline (again, with mobile homes) that is in Biograd na moru, North Dalmatia. It is close to both a pebble and a sandy beach.

The Solaris Camping Beach Resort near Sibenik, also in North Dalmatia is again very family-friendly, although perhaps the pebble beach area is quite small – but the resort does say the beach area is child friendly.

If you’d prefer to be a bit further south – between Split and Makarska – then you could consider Kamp Galeb. This is located in Omis, which is about 25-30km south (along the coast) of Split. The Omis Riviera is one of the places in Croatia that does have sandy beaches.

Kamp Galeb itself is located alongside a sandy beach, and its mobile homes are situated directly on the beach.

In fact, the camp itself says that the beach is very suitable for families with small children.

Again, the camp has a range of facilities – a few shops (bakery, also supermarket close by), a restaurant, a playground for children and an aqua park.

All of the above resorts have been included on the Croatian Camping Union’s best camping resorts list.