Best Places to Stay in Croatia With Family

There is a big number of fantastic spots perfect for families. It also depends on what the families are looking for and how big are their children but here is a small Top 10 list of our favorite places families should consider when traveling to Croatia. The list is random as it is hard to rate them!

1. Istria. Whole of Istria is simply stunning! Hard to pick a specific spot!
2. Zagreb region – Including Varazdin and Trakošćan, other medieval castles, makes Zagreb a fantastic base for exploring!
3. Plitvice – While no one can stay indifferent to magical beauty of Plitvice lakes and waterfalls, combine it with Deer Valley and you have a fantastic family destination
4. Zadar. While the city is interesting, being based there makes 5 National Parks within an easy drive. And there is A LOT more!
5. Šibenik – While not the most popular destination, it is a sleepy, hidden gem!
6. Split – A doorway to the Dalmatian Islands but also a doorway to fantastic Dalmatian countryside
7. Island of Brac – More continent than an Island with all the great treasures!
8. Korcula – while it may appear sleepy, it is an island of great possibilities and fun!
9. Dubrovnik – Take your kids to a fairytale town of Dubrovnik
10. Slavonia – least mentioned, Slavonia is one of the most charming regions of the country

Travel Itinerary

All Secret Dalmatia itineraries for family travel in Croatia are custom tailored. We understand that all families are unique and there is no secret formula to create one size-fits all solution. That is why we encourage our guests to fill out the trip request form as the best starting point. That way we can have a better understanding of what they expect out of their holiday and we can create something quite unique.
Basic itinerary – as you can see on our family travel in Croatia web site, is a great starting point to understand the logistics and see how we work. All that can be further improved and adjusted to fit your needs and budget. Most importantly, the time is crucial so, while we do have requests that try to jam everything into a short stay, we usually prefer to give some time off so your family can explore on their own. We usually recommend the minum of 10 days for Croatia and 12 – 14 if doing Istria or combining Croatia with Slovenia and/or Montenegro.

Budget

Multi Generation Family Travel in Croatia

Probably the most demanding holiday type is multigenerational travel as it needs to combine the youngest and the oldest members of your family in one seamless journey where everyone spends time together. We have years of experience working with such groups and have done the most demanding travel itineraries with family members ranging from 80+ years old to 5 years old. In the same family! Combing may be problematic in case everyone wants to go on the same trip but we can always find alternatives. Yacht charter seems to be the best option for multi generational families as then they can have the entire vessel for themselves.
Of course, we can always split the group into two or more smaller groups so each small group – or even each member – can enjoy specific activities no matter if it is an art class with an artist in Split or a buggy ride over Brac Island!

All-Inclusive Family Holidays

All Secret Dalmatia travel packages for family travel to Croatia are fully customized and matched to client’s interests, budget and time available. All the packages include accommodation, activities and transfers as well our standard 24 hours support. Some all-inclusive family packages in Croatia may include car rental on request and that is fine for one part of the country while in some parts – like the very south of Croatia, using private drivers makes the most sense due to difficult parking, crowds and other obstacles that can ruin your holiday in Croatia. Packages, as they can be adjusted, can include all the possible interests but everything will depend on the number of days your family has in Croatia. Usually, 10 days would be some minimum but we have done even shorter breaks in Croatia. Ideally, 12 – 14 days will allow you to visit Istria and even to combine Croatia with fantastic Slovenia and Montenegro. A terrific bonus to every visit to this part of the world!

Best Croatia Family Hotels

Hotels in Croatia for family travel depend on your preferences and budget. We usually suggest seaside properties on the coast and villas if the families want the ultimate privacy and don’t want to move much from the property. Luxury villas are available all over the coast and in Istria and start from around 1000 Euros per night for villas for over 10 guests. Villas are usually the best way to have the ultimate privacy and the most relaxing stay while on your family holiday.

For hotels, here some of our favorite family properties

Lone and Amarin in Rovinj
Falkensteiner Adriana in Zadar
Amadria in Šibenik
Amfora in Hvar
Sun Gardens in Orasac near Dubrovnik
Valamar Club and Hotel President in Dubrovnik

For unique family villa stay, there are several old castles upgraded to fantastic villas or small, boutique hotels. Not a great number of properties but a fantastic stay if you want something unique for your family.
Some of the finest villas are found all over Istria, Hvar, Korcula and Brac Island and in Dubrovnik region.

Travel Ideas

Discussing your family holiday in Croatia will bring several points to the table and will be hard to make some choices. Croatia is very diverse and it depends on your time available how much you will be able to explore. For ideas, we would suggest discussing if you want to spend time on a yacht or tio use one base for exploring and booking a villa. Ideally, you will be visiting more destinations than one to get the most. Also worth discussing is whether you are a very active family or you like to relax and spend more time together in some quiet environment.
Once you know what type of a holiday you want, it is best to fill out our trip request form or look up our luxury villas in Croatia to choose a property.
Also good would be to have a short list of places you really want to visit and a list of activities to explore. All that immensely helps in planning. Of course, we can make suggestions for you on how to maximize your family holiday in croatia based on your interests and preferences.

Activity Holidays

We have done in the past pretty much everything one can think of: private art classes, quad rides, hiking and cycling, private workshops, beach cleanup, papier mache class, archery contest, honeymaking, olive oil tasting for kids, adjusted walking tours… You name it, we have done it! While we cannot promise everything, we can definitely discuss dozens of different options. All depending on young explorers’ interests and the location you are visiting.
Activities are always adjusted to the age of children and safety is our most important concern if your family is interested in something more on the extreme side. If your kids are into animals, helping in a sea turtle hospital in Pula or watching dolphins in the wild are some of the most memorable highlights of every family tour of Croatia.

Adventures for Families

There are activities and then there are adventures! Family bonding at its best! From horseback riding to zip line and bungee, Croatia offers fantastic opportunities at every corner. Everything, of course, depends on how ready your family is for something extreme. For accommodation, we often suggest wild camping in the great outdoors, under some of Europe’s starriest skies.
While all parts of Croatia still have some wilderness, Velebit mountain and Lika are perfect as well as the entire Dalmatian Countryside or Zagora. Other great spots are found on Croatian islands. But, your family does not have to go to extreme situations, it is enough to leave the asphalt and head to picturesque countryside or scenic river canyon to feel the nature and the spirit of adventure.
Combining Croatia and Slovenia is another great possibility as Slovenia – being an absolute gem – offers a number of fantastic adventures and kids simply love caves. No matter if Postojna (with one of the most unique creatures on the planet, Olm), or absolutely amazing Škocjan, they simply have to be included with your itinerary in Slovenia.

Sailing Holidays

Probably the most unique holiday a family can have is chartering a yacht! From sailing boats with just a skipper to luxury options like gulets and mega yachts, your family will definitely have the most fantastic holiday memories ever!
From the sunrises to sunsets, secret coves, charming towns, island adventures… your days are just a fantastic mix of sunshine and fun. Northern Adriatic route with dolphins, sunken ship near Molat or cave Golubinka on Dugi Otok, Kornati islands, abandoned military tunnels of Vis Island, bays and inlets of Lastovo and Mljet National Park… Numerous fantastic spots that make a fantastic backdrop for your unique family holiday in Croatia!
Boats range from 3 cabin sailing yachts to 6-7 cabin large gulets that can accommodate up to 14 guests. Ideal for big families where grandparents can have a fantastic stay and kids can be as active as you want.
Special memories are reserved to those unique starry nights in secluded coves!
Types of boats offered:

Sailing yachts
Catamarans
Motor yachts
Gulets
Luxury Sailers
Mega yachts

Luxury Family Holiday

Luxury options for family travel in Croatia include different luxury accommodation options and luxury yacht charter. While there are quite a few luxury hotels that are not strictly adults only, probably the best option would be luxury villa rental. They are typically rented per week or two basis but there are select properties that can be rented for less. Special castle stay is also available in several locations like in Maslinica on Solta Island. When it comes to activities, all private is our standard and the imagination is the only limit. As always, everything depends on your preferences and interests. If you have your own travel agent, we can work with them on delivering an absolute best experience. From our past VVIP clients trips, we have experience with the highest level of service and going above and beyond to make clients’ trips extraordinary!

Family Getaways

If you are looking for a short getaway in Croatia, there are numerous options. All depending how many days you have and what are your preferences. Usually, families choose to visit Dubrovnik or Split area + one more island like Hvar. That works quite well and can be enhanced with a variety of activities. Also, combining two or more countries is possible if you are, for example, visiting Italy or Slovenia. Both destinations are easily combined with Istria in the north of Croatia. As a fantastic family destination on its own, the series of activities and even simple visits are a great way to make your short getaway very special!

Beach Holidays

While Croatia is not known for long and sandy beaches like the tropical regions, we still have quite a few fantastic beaches all over the country. Some of the beast beaches are best reached by boat so this is an additional reason why to consider chartering the boat. Best beaches in Croatia are on Rab Island, Queen’s Beach in Nin near Zadar, Beaches of Pašman Island and Vrgada, Zlatni Rat on Brač is the most beautiful beach of Europe, Saharun on Dugi Otok Island, beaches of Makarska region… Numerous rocky beaches are absolute fun and known for their clear waters unlike sandy beaches. Srebrena on Vis being our favorite rocky beach but there are thousands of others perfect for family beach holiday!