Six amazing holidays in Istria

Plava Laguna has been creating extraordinary family holidays since 1957. Discover your Istrian idyll with Plava Laguna.

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The seaside resorts of Umag and Poreč provide the perfect Mediterranean escape and deliver once in a lifetime moments, every day. For an unforgettable stay, choose one of their resorts, campsites, apartments and hotels – inspiring locations are the heart of the Plava Laguna experience.

Park Resort Plava Laguna © Plava Laguna

Whether you're staying in one of the 5-star hotels or 2-star apartments, Plava Laguna's high standards of service are reflected in every moment of your stay. Dive into saltwater pools, enjoy your favourite ice cream, feel the excitement of paragliding over the Adriatic or dine luxuriously with friends below the stars. Plava Laguna's vacation playgrounds and friendly, attentive staff are here to make sure every day of your vacation is a happy one. In particular, Poreč and Umag are two Istrian treasures that shouldn’t be missed while visiting the peninsula.

Stella Maris Resort © Plava Laguna

Beautiful beaches, fabulous nightlife and great food and wine are a given, but there are also beguiling stone towns, ecclesiastical attractions and wildlife to enjoy, so which to choose? Whether you’re after a fun holiday with family, a romantic honeymoon or an action-packed weekender, there's sure to be an Istrian getaway to suit you. Not sure where to go? Discover your Istrian idyll with Plava Laguna.

Hotel Sol Garden Istra © Plava Laguna

Umag

Croatia’s tennis capital

Umag is famous for hosting Croatia's premier tennis tournament, the Plava Laguna ATP Croatia Open. Taking place right in the Stella Maris Resort, thousands of visitors flock to the resort and stay in the premium hotels, apartments, suites and luxurious villas placed within pretty, tree-lined boulevards just metres away from pine-shaded beaches. But Umag offers more than just spectator sports. Visitors take advantage of the tennis facilities available at the resort and at the Umag Tennis Academy, booking lessons with pros or simply playing among themselves.

Active Umag

Other activities include windsurfing, volleyball and diving. Cycling and jogging are popular pastimes which you can pursue at your own pace with 40 km of the Umag Riviera to explore, including a cycling and running path that starts in the centre and leads out to the magical Savudrija Lighthouse. Umag is a town where you'll never be stuck for things to do.

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City breakers

Outside of its active appeal, guests enjoy spending their downtime strolling Umag’s charmingly Italianate Old Town, its seaside promenade full of cute cafés and restaurants with views across the sea. The Church of the Assumption of Mary and St Peregrine on the town's main square is a must-see and for those wishing to dig a little deeper into Istrian history and culture, Umag offers a museum and several independent art galleries. Younger visitors always enjoy the town’s Aquarium.

Poreč

Culture trip

Located in the middle of Istria's west coast, Poreč offers some of the region's most impressive historical sights, stunning natural beauty and everything you could want from a family holiday. In particular, the jaw-dropping sixth-century Euphrasian Basilica is the most important surviving example of Byzantine art in Croatia, the walls shimmering with gold-gilt and mother of pearl mosaics that still reflect the light as brightly as when they were first made (if you enjoy mosaics you should also catch the one located in the former Bishop's Palace). You can climb the complex’s belfry for views of the Adriatic’s wide, blue expanse.

Wondrous wildlife

Just outside the town, the Baredine Cave is a spectacular series of underground lakes and chambers, filled with naturally sculpted stalactites and stalagmites. The expanse of pebble and rocky beaches around Plava Laguna’s Zelena Resort offer a rugged, dramatic beauty with crystal-clear waters for bathing. Walkways follow the coast to both sides of town, some located near Plava Laguna sites.

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Day-trippers

From Poreč, you can go anywhere in Istria. Only two hours from Venice by boat, it’s also an easy hop over to Italy and a great place to embark on a day trip. But Poreč offers enough to keep anyone occupied by its marvellous beaches, food and ancient attractions - all within easy reach from over a dozen Plava Laguna properties.