Istria with children: a practical family guide

Children tend to love Istria. The sea is clear and usually calm, distances are short, pizza and pasta are everywhere, and there is always another pool, beach or ice cream within reach. Here is how to plan a family holiday around Poreč.

Beaches for children

The coast around Poreč is mostly pebbly, rocky or paved, with few sandy beaches. That has advantages: the water is clear and there is no sand in the car. For small children:

• choose beaches with a gentle, pebbly entry and some shade,
• bring water shoes for everyone,
• look for beaches with facilities: showers, toilets, a café.

Some beaches have extras: at Lotosi beach, about 3 km from the centre, there is a floating children’s fun park offshore in summer. Our beaches guide lists the main beaches and what they are like.

Big days out

• Aquaparks: Aquacolors Poreč, with 12 large slides, is just south of town, and Istralandia near Brtonigla has more than 20 attractions.
• Dinopark Funtana: life-size dinosaur models, hands-on exhibits and rides, between Poreč and Vrsar.
• Baredine Cave: a 40-minute guided tour 60 m underground to a cave lake, home to the blind cave salamander, the olm. Children love it, and it is 14 °C inside, so bring a jumper. See our Baredine guide.
• Aquarium Poreč in the old town, with fish, marine life, reptiles and amphibians (closed November to March).
• Boat trips: short trips to St Nicholas island opposite the harbour, or longer trips into the Lim bay. Some boats offer dolphin-watching trips.
• Go-karts and an adventure park at Motodrom Poreč, for children aged six and over.

Calmer days

• Ride a section of the Parenzana, an old railway turned into a mostly flat cycle path.
• Climb the walls of Motovun and look for the winged lion of St Mark, the symbol of Venice, carved on town gates across Istria.
• Make pizza or pasta together in the villa kitchen.

Eating out with children

Istria is relaxed about children in restaurants. Most konobas have a garden, menus always include pasta, and portions can often be shared. In summer, eat early; many Croatian families eat late, so restaurants are quieter before 19:00.

Health and safety

• Sun: the sun is strong from May to September. Hats, high-factor sun cream and shade between 11:00 and 16:00.
• Sea urchins live on rocky shores. Water shoes avoid painful spines.
• Pools: private villa pools have no lifeguard. Children must be supervised by an adult at all times, and non-swimmers should wear proper swimming aids.
• Pharmacies in Poreč stock everything you might need, and the emergency number is 112.

Choosing a villa for a family

A private villa works well for families: children can play in the garden while adults sit on the terrace, nap times are easy, and there is room to spread out.

• Villa Duga has a fenced garden, a games room and a home cinema, a cot on request, and the beach 1.6 km away.
• Villa Bina has a 1,140 m² fenced garden and a games room in the quiet village of Labinci.
• Villa Cvita Domenica, for up to eight, has a garden enclosed by tall hedges and a games room, and suits two families.

For bigger family groups, see two families, two villas.