Croatia Travel Blog

Archive for the ‘Porec’ Category

Don’t you love hotels with sleek, new amenities and facilities? Now that Istria has been annointed must-see-must-go-destination-of-the-year by a swarm of publications in 2011, local hotels are scrambling to present the finest accommodation experience. Millions of kuna are flowing into the coveralls of builders and architects to get Istrian hotels shiny and ready for this year’s expected influx of visitors. Here’s a look at some of the changes:

Hotel Histria: Pula‘s finest hotel will be even better after a 185-million-kuna investment by Pula’s Arenaturist. I stayed there last September and liked it as is but starting around May when the renovation is complete the hotel should be extraordinary. It will have four stars and be known as the Park Plaza Histria Pula.

Punta Verudela: Also on Pula’s woodsy Verudela peninsula, this two-star hotel and apartment complex needs a renovation and will get one. The exterior won’t change but expect more modern and spruced-up apartments.

Hotel Lone: Staying in this five-star wonder in Rovinj was one of the highlights of my trip to Istria last year. There’s not much to improve here but the hotel will get a new swimming pool.

Valamar Club Tamaris: This four-star all-inclusive resort near Porec is one of Istria’s best family hotels. Soon more will be able to enjoy it with the construction of 37 additional family suites.

Hotel Sol Garden Istria: Here’s another great family hotel in Umag, ready to improve with the construction of a whole new pool, water slide and entertainment area for kids. I can tell you from experience that this is a very lively kid-centric resort.

Hotel Melia Coral:Ready to leave the kids at home? This hotel is Croatia’s first for adults only. Enjoy the renovated night bar, beach club and the new sports playground for adults. It’s also in Umag.

Mobile Homes Park Umag: This luxury four-star camping resort will receive 22 new mobile homes. Stay here and avail yourself of three swimming pools and free internet access.

Hotel Neptun-Istra: This is the premier hotel on Veli Brijun, the inhabited part of the Brijuni Islands. It is currently receiving a six-million kuna upgrade and should be good to go for the summer season.

Hotel Velanera: Located in Sisan, only 8km from Pula, this brand-new four-star boutique hotel is surrounded by a huge landscaped park. The decoration reflects the latest in Italian design and of course you can expect a swimming pool, jacuzzi and fine restaurant.

See my choice of the Best Hotels in Istria

The catamarans from Venice to Croatia  are a delightful and easy way to augment your Venice trip with a jaunt to Istria or to hop over to Venice from your base in Rovinj, Porec, Pula, Rabac, Umag or Mali Losinj (which is actually in the Kvarner region). Beginning on April 18 and running until October 6, these passenger ferries whisk you over the Adriatic in comfort in a trip that lasts from about 2 1/2 to 4/12 hours. The frequency of the other ferries depends upon the season. The ferries run to some destinations daily in July and August. New this year is a route to Umag but only weekly in the high summer season. See more about ferries to Croatia

 Check the schedules and book online:

Busy, busy Porec buzzes with tourists from spring through fall which makes it one of the least tranquil of Istria‘s coastal towns. With souvenir stands everywhere, it’s hard to imagine that it was once an important Roman town and now boasts one of Croatia’s seven World Heritage Sites, the Episcopal complex of the Euphrasian Basilica. The 5th century mosaics are stunning and a recent renovation has highlighted the rest of the complex. You can even climb the bell tower although the narrow wooden staircase couldn’t comfortably handle the stream of ascending and descending visitors. You could once see the mosaics for free but now there’s a new 30kn admission charge.