Croatia in family : pratical guide

With more than 6,000 km of coasts and countless islands, Croation brings to sailing enthusiasts endless possibilities in terms of activities. Known for diving or regatta, it is also a very suitable place for long swims with children: the temperature of the water is optimal. In certain marinas, Croatians built concrete pontoons that bring smiles to the faces of children: they love to jump and dive from them, again and again. The nautical excursions are a good way to sail at the heart of a sea dotted with islands, among which some of them truly are marvel to contemplate and admire the thousands of years of sea erosion. It is quite easy to rent a boat in Croatia, even without a permit, in which case you will have your own zodiac boat. You can also book an excursion in the sea through one of the many agencies that organise cruising from the continent. Go discover the mesmerising natural phenomenon of the Blue Cava during a boat excursion of a day starting from Split. 

Midway between the city of Zagreb and the coastline, the Plitvice Lakes National Park is also known as the “Garden of the Devil”, is a nice discovery to make with the children. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage since 1979, this nature gem, filled with some of the oldest and tallest trees of the continent. As you venture through it, you encounter a truly lush vegetation, a green cathedral with spans, arcades, mould carpets, columns and rays of light infiltrating the branch roofs and the lianas. 

This forest is crossed by small rivers and torrents, but also 16 lakes, all interconnected through 92 waterfalls. On a geological aspect, the lake system is divided into 2 groups, Gornja jezera, the superior, spacious and serrated lakes, and Donja jezera, the inferior lakes that go through a narrow canyon with steep slopes. Trails that are adapted to children in terms of difficulties can be found everywhere in the park. The entrance price varies accordingly with the period. During the high summer season, from June 1st to September 30th, it costs 40 € per adult and 16 € for children. Children aged less than 7 can enter for free. 

In a baroque palace of the high city, the museum exhibits artifacts that individually represent a love story that would have ended badly, an artistic concept thought by the cinema director Olinka Vistica and Dražen Grubišić. The museum offers a visit filled with emotions from all around the world through touching breakups. In 2010, this museum was awarded the EMYA Kenneth Hudson prize for the most innovative and challenging project of museum in Europe. The old capital city of Croatia, Zagreb, illustrates this museum. Sometimes joyful, sometimes moved by history, but it keeps being touching. Perched on a hill, it is surrounded by palaces with pastel façades and dominated by the medieval tower, the Lotrscak. The most courageous will walk to the top to appreciate a wonderful panorama on the high and low city of Zagreb which is the complete opposite: airy, geometric and modern. 

The flashing white of the ancient houses of the “Pearl of the Adriatic” mirrors the vivid sun of Southern Croatia. Passing through the narrow alleyways, you then discover the architectural and historical treasures and the rich cultural heritage of the fortified city. From the Rector’s Palace to the beautiful Dominican and Franciscan convents alongside the ramparts, you will automatically fall in love with Dubrovnik. During summer, the city hosts the “Petit Festival du théâtre” for poetry lovers and amateurs of performance and good comedy. The ideal opportunity to introduce children to this art. 

20 minutes is the time you will need to reach the old city’s port of the island of Lokrum. Green bower, 0.72 km² where the cicadas sing, this island, once inhabited by Benedictan monks allows the tourists to venture in a true Mediterranean décor. Visit the remnants of its monastery, dive into its pristine waters, tan endlessly on the flat rocks blessed by the sun that can be found all along the coastline and breathe the calmness before going back to the very and sometimes too busy city of Dubrovnik. 

Second most visited city of the country, unique in the world, Split puts the visitor in a maze of alleyways paved with glossed limestone tiles. Discover the grand palace of the last pagan Roman emperor, Diocletian, around the 4th century. Through the years, the city centre grew bigger and was inspired by the architecture of this palace. For a moment of calmness, walk in family in the park of the Marjan hill which offers wonderful views on the city and the surroundings. And whenever hunger strikes, head to the Bokeria, where food is divine and where live music is often played in the evening. Also take your children to discover the marine world aboard the red semi-submarine Marijeta. It is moored in the Riva, right in front of the terraces of the cafés. Children quickly go along with it and learn more about submarines and the underwater life. 

Fresh fish, lamb from the islands with aromatic herbs, beef pašticada, spinach soparnik, Pag’s ewe cheese, Komiza pie, corn cake or quince spread. Besides its climate and dreamlike beaches, Croatia now turned into a new trendy gastronomical destination. New restaurants appear every day and adapt their cuisine to a larger array of tastes. Your children will love the čevapi, which are small pieces of grilled meat served with fries and Ajvar, a bell pepper and tomato puree. In terms of alcohol and wine, Croatia do not have to blush! Its rich soil is suitable for the vineyard culture. From continental Croatia to Dalmatia, not to forget Slavonia and Istria, these 4 regions produce delicious wines that taste like sun. Fresh, aromatic, fruity or sweet, whether they’re from large wine domains or hidden grape varieties, the Croatian wines are countless. Not your cup of wine? Try the plum alcohol (Sjivovica) which fame is long ascertained. There is the plum, but more specifically the marasca, a cherry variety from Dalmatia that is the main ingredient of a worldwide known liqueur: the marasca. Juice of Dalmatia’s watermelons, melons, grapes, oranges, peach or apricot nectar, children will also have a great share of choice in terms of drinks. 

The islands are among the greatest attractions of the country. Small heavens spread in the Adriatic Sea, they offer to travellers very different landscapes depending on the geographical position and their history. There are so many that it is sometimes hard to know which one to visit. They surely are all different, they all are worthy in their way, which is why you will undoubtedly fall in love with at least one of them. Just to name a few, the Krk island stole our heart with its relaxed atmosphere, its small fisher ports and the pine forests with incomparable scents, the Mljet Island and its national park surrounded of trails on its coastlines which offer exceptional hikes, the Hvar Island for its easy access from Split, its idyllic beaches and lavender fields. See also the Cres Island in the Kvarner Gulf, a wild and untouched haven with boat parades when the bridge linking it with the Lošinj Island opens twice a day, or the famous Pag Island at the north of Zadar for its rocky and desertic landscapes and its small creeks.