Do you know the Croatian Istrian peninsula? Below we will see what this peninsula has to offer besides the sea, beaches and wonderful nature. Get inspired by our tips on what to visit on the Istrian peninsula with children.
The Istrian peninsula is located in the northern part of the Adriatic Sea. The best way to get here is by car. The nearest international airport can be found in Zadar, Zagreb, Venice in Italy or Ljubljana in Slovenia. Croatia is part of the European Union, you don’t even need a passport.
Why visit the Istrian peninsula?
The warm Mediterranean sun, clear sea and majestic historical monuments await you here. Going to relax in Croatia in Istrian peninsula is almost as easy.
In addition to swimming by the sea and countless historical destinations such as castles, fortifications, towers, ruins or prehistoric and ancient sites, Croatian Istria is ideal for sports tourism. Water sports aside, Istria is criss-crossed with cycle paths and hiking trails. Mountaineers will also enjoy themselves.
But what if we are going on vacation to the Istrian peninsula with kids? Children like to have fun and explore the world. This beautiful area of Croatia also has a lot to offer children.
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Istralandia
If you want to please your children, take them to the Istralandia water park, you’ll surely score points with them. Among other things, this water paradise offers twenty different slides with a total length of 1.6 kilometers and the largest pool with artificial waves in continental Europe. The most popular attractions are the giant Free Fall slide, the Fantasy Hole toboggan, the Top Gun tubes, the extremely fast Space Rocket and the parallel Crazy Hills.
There is also a pirate castle for smaller children, several swimming pools and a relaxing lagoon. The equipment of the Istralandia water world is complemented by numerous sports fields (beach volleyball, badminton, table tennis, etc.), an amphitheater and 8 restaurants and buffets.
Dinopark Funtana
The Dinopark is located in a forest near the resort of Funtana, from which it took its name. It consists of three parts: the largest of which includes models of prehistoric lizards spread out in open terrain, the second is the amusement park, and the third is located in the covered hall. Dinopark Funtana welcomes thousands of visitors every year.
It is open from mid-April to the end of September and you will see a number of life-sized dinosaurs, many of them partially mobile. In the amusement park section, your children will have fun on a roller coaster, a railway train, a cable car, a Ferris wheel and other merry-go-rounds. Trampolines, a hunting lodge, a Jurassic canyon, a pirate schooner, an archery range, a mini zoo, a cinema and, of course, a children’s playground await them. And finally, the show arena presents regular circus programs and motorcycle performances by “flying devils”.
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Aquarium Pula
Over 250 animal species, 100 aquariums and terrariums, an area of more than 2,500 square meters and 150,000 visitors, these numbers speak for themselves. The Pula Aquarium is very popular among visitors to Istria. The location of this resort in the Austro-Hungarian fortress “Verudela” from 1886 is unique. The Pula Aquarium will delight both children and adults. They will see not only Mediterranean fauna and flora, but also exotic creatures from tropical seas, whether they are sharks, moray eels, crabs, seahorses, jellyfish, stingrays or piranhas. A rescue station for sea turtles is part of the Pula Aquarium complex.
Aquacolors Aquapark
The Aquacolors Aquapark is another facility that will delight many children. It covers an area of 75 thousand square meters and offers many amazing attractions. This water world also attracts thousands of enthusiastic visitors every year. It belongs to the largest water parks in Croatia and is always in operation from June to September. The Aquacolors Aquapark offers a number of water slides, 8 pools and a 500 meter long lazy river, boasting the title of “Longest in Southern Europe”. There are artificial waves, wading pools, children’s playgrounds, slides, a rope pyramid and sports equipment. In addition, every day it offers many animation programs for children and adults. There’s really no chance of boredom here.
Traktor Story
The Tractor Story facility is actually an agricultural open-air museum. Here in Istria, it offers around 50 historic tractors and agricultural machines, exhibitions dedicated to grain cultivation and bread making, wine and olive oil processing equipment and other attractions. It captures the history of agricultural mechanization in Istria.
The base is a building that represents a classic house from the past. Next to it is an exhibition of tractors and agricultural machinery. Finally, here you will find the Konobon gallery, which focuses on the history of the three “sacred” Mediterranean foods of bread, wine and olive oil. There is a small shop with souvenirs and regional products.
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Baredine Cave
One of the best-known and most visited Istrian natural destinations, the Baredine cave attracts people with its diversity and color. The guided guided tour takes about half an hour and takes you up to 60 meters below the earth’s surface. A rare inhabitant of the Baredinská cave is the blind endemic amphibian, the cave macarat. An underground lake is also an interesting feature of the place.
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Safari and Brijuni National Park
Brijuni National Park is located on the Istrian islands of Brijuni. These islands are not only the natural jewel of Istria, but they are also interesting due to their history. We can find several sites here, both prehistoric and ancient.
On the northern edge of the island of Veliki Brijun, there is also a unique Safari Park spread over 9 hectares. An Indian elephant, domesticated llamas, zebras, Indian sacred cows or ostriches, this is just a fraction of what you can look forward to here. After the Safari, you will take a ride on the tourist train. The area also includes the Etno Park, which represents a typical Istrian homestead including original species of local animals – Istrian ox (Boškarin), Istrian sheep (Istrian “Pramenka”), donkeys and goats.
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