Our Croatian Family Holiday

Kay Halton on 12 September 2016
As this is fast becoming a very popular destination, I wanted to see for myself a little bit of the beautiful country of Croatia. I booked for myself, husband and son to stay in the small town of Lapad, just outside of Dubrovnik. With direct flights from Leeds and just under a three hour flight, this is a great short haul option.

I booked a private transfer to take us to our apartment – the Villa Curic. 14 self-catering apartments privately owned and run with amazing views over Graz harbour. Well-furnished, very clean and with the bonus of a private roof top swimming pool! The only drawback is that the apartments are situated on a hill and it is quite a steep walk back up from the town. Not recommended for people with walking difficulties. However, the No.6 bus stops very close by and takes you into Dubrovnik in about 15 minutes for a reasonable £1.20 each (if bought in the kiosk before you travel, £1.50 on board).

Lapad is a lovely, laid back resort with a great promenade leading down to the sea and plenty of bars and restaurants open in high season. Many of the larger hotels are based around the coastline here including the 5* Hotel More with its intriguing Cave Bar (open to the public). For children, there is a play area and a fabulous floating water park at Lapad Beach which certainly kept my 13 year old occupied for a while! The boys went sea-kayaking and snorkelling too. Cafes and bars serve laid back lunches al fresco with an Italian influence. You can walk all around the coastline from the Hotel More to Copacabana Beach, which is similar to Lapad Beach, again with a floating water park.

We ventured into Dubrovnik Old Town which is completely surrounded by walls and fortresses, including the Old City Port. The history of the fortifications in Dubrovnik goes back to the early Middle Ages. Walking through the Pile Gate, I was immediately impressed by the Stradun, which is the main pedestrian area within the city walls. Filled with a rich atmosphere and history, many cafes, bars and restaurants are hidden within the small side streets. At the other end of the city, before Ploce Gate is the harbour. We hopped onto a ferry and took a day trip to Lokrum Island for around £5 each. Just 15 minutes from the mainland, this is a beautiful uninhabited island, filled with rich pine-wood, subtropical vegetation, natural swimming-places and has an exotic historical heritage. There is also a botanical garden, fort, monastery and museum (including the famous Iron Throne from Game of Thrones - the fictitious land of Qarth was filmed here too). Peacocks and rabbits roam around the island and are very tame. The small, salt-water lagoon is a must-see and my son enjoyed jumping off the cliff into the deep water below.

Another day, we walked the two kilometre city walls – fantastic views, but hard work in 30 degree heat. Not recommended for people with walking difficulties or young children as there are lots of steep stone steps to negotiate. After this, we took the four minute journey by cable car up to Srd Hill and were amazed with the breathtaking views of the Old City of Dubrovnik, the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, and the numerous islands. Have a bite to eat in the Panoramic Restaurant, where you can have a glass or two of wine whilst taking in the stunning views.

Then, we had booked a Game of Thrones walking tour which was quite fascinating (even though I am not a huge fan!) Our tour guide was an extra in the series and was full of interesting facts about the film locations and actors. After all this we needed refreshment – this was found at the hidden ‘Buza’ bar built into the city walls, where you can stand and watch the incredible sunset whilst sipping the local beer.

Finally, we took one of the famous three island fish picnic boat trips. Our coach picked us up in Lapad and we boarded the ‘Tirana’ a replica of an old galleon. We had a relaxed day visiting Kolucep, Lopud and Sipan enjoying a lunch of bread, fish and vegetables along with a bottle of wine and local entertainment on board.

We had a fantastic week in Croatia, enjoyed the weather, the food and the locals were friendly and accommodating. Wi-Fi was available in most places. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need any more information on booking a holiday to this lovely destination.