Croatia for children – interesting attractions for family holidays

Family holidays at the Adriatic are an obvious choice at many Polish homes every year. But if you are wondering whether your child will not get bored, rest assured - there are plenty of good attractions for children in Croatia. Particularly in Istria, the island that leads the way in its care for young travellers. So, pack up your suitcases and go for a carefree and joyful holiday!

You are surely going to choose a seaside resort for your family holidays in Croatia. How about spending a night in a lighthouse? Yes, it can be arranged! You can venture deep into open sea, but you'd better stay on the mainland if you are with kids. To this end, book apartments in the Savudrija lighthouse near Umag at the northern edge of Istria. Commissioned in 1818, it is the oldest lighthouse still in service in the Adriatic. On the one hand, you will be off the beaten tourist tracks of Istria, but on the other, you will be closer to ordinary life and local attractions. On top of that, you will have a beach at your fingertips.

True, a visit to a museum might not be the first children's attraction in Croatia that comes to your mind when you are planning holidays. But on your way to the sea it is worth to pull over in Krapina. Towards the end of the 19th century, it was a site of important geological and palaeontological surveys during which some 900 bones of the Neanderthal man were found. Today, it is a supermodern scientific facility which excellently explains (mainly to the youngest visitors) the subject of evolution. It has a very interesting spiral platform, on which all key events in the history of the Earth are marked. Moving round the platform, which is interestingly arranged in the form of a 24-hour clock, you will travel through 4.5 billion years of the Earth's history. By discovering the world in that scale, you will also find out that the human kind appeared only at 23.59.59!

Remaining in remote past, one from 80-140 million years ago, you must visit Croatia's only dinopark. The park operates in a former quarry, which was turned into a valley that might have been inhabited prehistoric creatures. To make the message even more realistic, the designers of the park put in place full-size replicas of several species the probably lived in the region of Istria, as well as around 20 models of reptiles from other parts of the world. Apart from the exhibition, there are also many other attractions waiting for you there: paintball, dinosaur "rodeo", pony rides, a pirates' ship, "Dragon coaster", mini amusement park, a viewing point with a nice panorama of the neighbourhood, a sandbox for young children with fossils to play with, and many more. Your kid is going to have a wonderful time.

You can have a great time also in Adrenalin Park in Umag, the biggest attraction of which is a ropes course stretched between trees at 2, 7 and 11 metres. Similar attractions are offered by the Park Glavani near the main road that connects Labin and Pula. In there, ropes courses start at 6 and 10 metres. You will have a great time and forget about all your problems. And the kids will go to bed early in the evening, leaving some valuable time for yourselves.

On your Croatian holidays, you must find some time for sweet laziness on a beach. Ideally, get to Brač, the best destination for a family stay. You will surely be amazed by the local sand and gravel beaches, a rare sight this side of the Adriatic. The Golden Horn (Zlatni rat) beach is the queen of the area, and is regularly ranked among the most beautiful beaches in the world. It is going to enchant you too! In free time, you must visit the Sutivan Natural Park, where your kids can have some in a minizoo with cows, goats, horses, donkeys (rides are also offered!) and various bird species, as well as a playground and a small botanical garden.

In Fažana, Rovinj, Medulin, Krk, Split, Raba and many other places you can take a ride in a so-called "semi submarine", which is normally in the intensive red colour (on rare occasions it is yellow). They are a great attraction and lets tourists see beauty of Croatia's underwater world. With tourists safely on board, such a semi submarine will put to sea, submerge to half its height and let you admire life on the other side of the porthole. If your child feels like having a closer look at the Adriatic's fauna and flora, consider visiting the excellent Aquaria in Rovinj, Pula or Dubrovnik.  

Check flights to Croatia!